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Beat Psychotic Mental illness with Fish Oil Supplements
Taking a daily fish oil capsule can stave off mental illness in those at highest risk, trial findings suggest.
A three-month course of the supplement appeared to be as effective as drugs, cutting the rate of psychotic illness like schizophrenia by a quarter.more
The researchers believe it is the omega-3 in fish oil - already hailed for promoting healthy hearts - that has beneficial effects in the brain.
A "natural" remedy would be welcomed, Archives of General Psychiatry says.
"The finding that treatment with a natural substance may prevent, or at least delay, the onset of psychotic disorder gives hope that there may be alternatives to antipsychotic drugs," the study authors said.
Antipsychotic drugs are potent and can have serious side effects, which puts some people off taking them.
Fish oil supplements, on the other hand, are generally well tolerated and easy to take, say the scientists.
The international team from Austria, Australia and Switzerland tested the treatment in 81 people deemed to be at particularly high risk of developing psychosis.
Natural choice
Their high risk was down to a strong family history of schizophrenia, or similar disorders, or them already showing mild symptoms of these conditions themselves.
For the test, half of the individuals took fish oil supplements (1.2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids) for 12 weeks, while the other half took only a dummy pill. Neither group knew which treatment they were receiving.
Dr Paul Amminger and his team followed the groups for a year to see how many, if any, went on to develop illness.
Two in the fish oil group developed a psychotic disorder compared to 11 in the placebo group.
Based on the results, the investigators estimate that one high-risk adult could be protected from developing psychosis for every four treated over a year.
They believe the omega-3 fatty acids found in the supplements may alter brain signalling in the brain with beneficial effects.
Alison Cobb, of the mental health charity Mind, said: "If young people can be treated successfully with fish oils, this is hugely preferable to treating them with antipsychotics, which come with a range of problems from weight gain to sexual dysfunction, whereas omega-3s are actually beneficial to their general state of health.
"These are promising results and more research is needed to show if omega-3s could be an alternative to antipsychotics in the long term."
source BBC News -
Tips to Stop Smoking
The adverse effects from smoking include:
• Various Cancers
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Passive smoking is a risk factor for others including pregnant and childrenSmoking is an addiction and you must have the will to stop it and you must believe that also. The best way is to stop it immediately. If you want to reduce it slowly it is difficult to stop. Every individual is different. If you cannot stop it immediately it is better to try to stop it gradually. It is never late stop smoking.Once you quit smoking, the health benefits could be felt by you immediately, within 24 hours, which could motivate you to be free from smoking.Many million people want to stop smoking in our world, but 2% to 3% only quit successfully for 3 to 12 months. If we think about stop smoking scientifically, at first, we must know all the adverse effects of smoking. The decision to stop smoking is the next step. You must always remember there are no safe tobacco products.
The tips to stop smoking include:
• Set a stress free date for stopping
• Find a partner who may be a friend, relative or colleague for motivation and support
• Inform all so that nobody offers you a cigarette
• Make a plan for deep breathing exercise or other physical activities; consult with your doctor. Exercises give you more energy and help to reduce stress
• Healthy food and consult with your doctor or dietician about the possible weight gain also
• Avoid the triggers to smoke. They are stress, after a meal, after a coffee or after a drink. You must decide how you deal with the triggers.
• Very dangerous are the cravings which can last for 3 to 5 minutes. Deep breathing, a walk, your music or a telephone call to somebody can help to overcome the cravings. If possible avoid chips, other snacks and chocolates or take in small quantities.
• Everyday be proud of you and this gives you positive energy to master this.
• You must be in a position to manage the nicotine withdrawal symptoms. There are few helps for that – nicotine nasal sprays, nicotine inhalers, nicotine patches and nicotine gum.
Other therapy forms like psychological therapy may also be useful. The first fourteen days are very difficult and here you may need help. The risk of relapsing is the first three months after stopping. But with a strong will you can stop completely. It takes ten years for your body to recover completely from the effects of smoking. So stop smoking now.
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The advantages of organic meat
Organic meat has many advantages than the meat produced by professional animal agriculture. Everybody must know this to take their decisions which meat to consume.more
The advantages include:
• Organic meat is free from growth hormone, antibiotics and other drugs
• The animals are not fed by genetically modified foods
• Their genes are not modified
• These animals are never fed with feeds which are made out of dead animals or animal wastes. No chance for mad cow disease (BSE).
• Their feed contains very low amount of pesticides and other chemicals and so in the meat they are under their detection levels.
• The workers are exposed to very little or no chemicals
• Excretions are used as manure and their amount is also limited. Thereby low contamination of ground water with nitrates.
• These farms are normally not very big and have other animals. These are not meat production factories.
• Organic meat production costs less energy compared to mass production. The reduction can be up to 75%
The organic meat tastes much better and it is a good food. -
3 Myths About Healthy Eating
If today's world runs on information, there's more than enough available on what we should or should not eat. However, with all the data at hand, there are still many commonly accepted misconceptions regarding healthy eating. In the area of food, what seems to be true is not always so. This is one area where what you don't know could, in fact, hurt you.
Just Having a SaladWhile a salad full of crisp greens and healthy vegetables may complement a balanced diet, adding certain toppings will negate its nutritional value. Much of what is offered at the salad bar is processed food, packed with unwholesome preservatives and nitrates. Bacon bits are full of saturated fats and sodium. Croutons are usually derived from refined flour, containing little in terms of vitamins or nutrients. Seasoned nuts may be covered in processed sugars or drenched in saturated fat. Even the dressing you choose may be replete in unhealthy ingredients. To keep your salads conducive to good health, try plain raw nuts instead of seasoned. Keep dressings on the side and dip the salad in, fork-by-fork. If you like a little meat on your plate, opt for turkey or chicken instead of ham and salami. Making these few simple changes will return your salads to their rightful place on the nutritional hierarchy.Avoid Red MeatAlthough beef does contain some saturated fat, there are many benefits to having a good steak. Red meat is an excellent source of iron, a nutrient essential in transporting oxygen through the blood. Beef is also imbued with zinc, a mineral necessary in many facets of cellular metabolism. Add to this the fact that beef is high in protein. When having it for dinner, simply choose a leaner cut and trim off any visible fat while preparing. By doing this, you can minimize the perils of eating beef, while taking full advantage of its benefits.Going VeganMaking deliberate food choices is important, even in a vegetarian lifestyle. Vital nutrients such as vitamin D, iron, vitamin B12, calcium and zinc are difficult to obtain without ingesting animal products. Also, someveganalternatives to common meats are high in calories and contain little to no useful properties. A vegetarian eating plan should be intentionally structured to provide your body with the nutrients it requires, while remaining low in fat and additives.more
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