Fish are Friends and Food!
Updated: Apr 5
The benefits of Omega 3 for Migraine Sufferers and what in the EPA is that?!
Welcome back Warriors to Migraines and Margaritas Blog where we share a deelish Margarita recipe and then get down to business creating a healthier happier pain free life
Today's Margarita Recipe is the Hurricane Margarita! by Texas Roadhouse
Ingredients:
1oz. Tequilla
1 oz. spiced rum
1 oz. Orange Juice
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
3 oz. Grenadine
3 oz. Margarita Mix
orange slice & cherry
Directions:
Rim glass with sugar.
Pour all ingredients into a shaker and shake. Pour over ice. Garnish with orange and cherry.
Enjoy Warriors!
WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT FISH OIL?
Some people hear ingest fish oil and think ewwwwww
but the fact is that fish oil is actually very healthy for you and although it does come in a liquid for those who have digestion issues, the most common form is in a gel capsule.
For those not in the "know" , yes omega 3 is fish oil.
Omega 3 is a healthy fat derived from fish that has some amazing health benefits for your body and your brain. For Migraine sufferers these little capsules can be very powerful in helping to fight the inflammation in our bodies that trigger pain. We will get into this more in a bit. For now let's look at all of the amazing health benefits that Omega 3 can provide:
Helps fight Depression and Anxiety
Improves eye health
Promotes brain health
Can improve risk of heart disease
Can reduce symptoms of ADHD in children
Can reduce metabolic syndrome
Fights Inflammation - THIS IS OUR RED CAPE HERO FOR MIGRAINE SUFFERERS
Can fight autoimmune diseases
Can help fight or slow Alzheimers
May improve Bone and Joint Health
Good for your skin
And those are just a few.
SO HOW DOES THIS HELP MY MIGRAINES?
In a study conducted on patients with migraine, it has been shown that 2 months supplementation with 1000mg of omega-3 fatty acids significantly decreased the frequency of headaches and patients reported 74% reduction in the duration of their headache. (1)
Migraine is a common chronic inflammatory neurological disease.
Inflammation is a defense response by the immune system that is essential to health. Various factors can trigger the response, including damaged cells, toxins, and pathogens such as bacteria.
Some of the immune cells that are active during inflammation can also damage tissue, so it is important, once the threat is over, for inflammation to subside to allow healing.
However, if inflammation persists and becomes chronic, then, instead of protecting health, it undermines it. Studies have linked inflammation to heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, migraines and other serious health conditions. (1)
Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are part of a healthy diet that is associated with lower levels of inflammation. Your body can't manufacture omega-3 fatty acids—eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)—so it's important to get them through your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids can dampen inflammatory reactions.
By eating a diet rich in anti inflammatory foods, and adding anti inflammatory herbs and vitamins such as omega 3 you can help to reduce the pain in your body and most importantly prevent future pain or at least to some extent, if your pain is chronic. Another amazing anti-inflammatory herb which you will find in your Headzen is Ginger!
People who have higher levels of long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in their diet may have lower prevalence of severe headache, according to a recent study. (2)
HERE IS A GREAT STORY! Ok, maybe more of a bummer but it will help to explain why we are so adamant for our customers to take Omega 3.
Omega 3 was part of the original Headzen recipe. Discovered 20 years ago while enduring daily headaches. It is a very important ingredient for the ultimate results. However, omega 3 has its best results in a liquid and so it just wouldn't have been effective to add it to the capsules as a powder and combining liquid with powder in one capsule was not an option. Because the liquid magnesium is also such an integral piece of the overall recipe, and probably one of the most important, we wanted to make sure the concentrated quality was provided which made Headzen a 2 bottle system. To now include Omega 3 would have made it a 3 bottle system! Whoa! So I chose to remove Omega 3 and have all of our Migraine Warriors purchase this item separately.
Now hearing the story you can see how important it is to add Omega 3 to your daily routine. Over the years I can definitely tell a difference when I forget or run out of my omega 3. It just seems to help keep everything in check.
If you are somebody who is regularly dieting on a low calorie or low fat diet and are not much of a fish eater, Omega 3 will be a god send for your overall pain prevention and reduction of inflammation.
FOOD ALTERNATIVES
If you can't stomach the thought of taking another capsule or pill and don't want to gag down fish oil in liquid form, Here are some food options. Be sure these are eaten in high enough doses to replace what a capsule would provide
Fish and other seafood (especially cold-water fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines)
Nuts and seeds (such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts)
Plant oils (such as flaxseed oil, soybean oil, and canola oil)
Fortified foods (such as certain brands of eggs, yogurt, juices, milk, soy beverages
EPA/DHA WHAT??? I'M STUCK IN THE VITAMIN ISLE AND NEED HELP!
What in the heck is that? This label is so confusing! You walk into a vitamin shop or wholefoods store looking for the bottle that gives you 1000mg of Omega 3, but when you look at the label you see nothing about Omega 3. You see words like concentrated fish oil, EPA, DHA, other fatty acids etc. And none of them say 1000mg. So what are you looking at? How do I know what to buy??
In a nutshell, EPA and DHA are long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
DHA is what supports the fatty tissue organs such as the brain.
EPA is what fights inflammation and improves circulation.
So if you are looking to use Omega 3 to fight inflammation and Migraines you want a higher EPA product. A Product that isn't transparent about how much of the total mg is derived from EPA and DHA you want to steer clear from. An omega 3 product that only contains 300mg of EPA is beneficial but not at the medical grade levels needed to combat the level of inflammation causing Migraines. When buying an Omega 3 try to find quality brands that contain a minimum of 600mg of EPA per serving.
IN SUMMARY
Fish Oil is your friend to fight inflammation and reduce Migraines
Take 1000-2000mg per Day containing an EPA of 600mg or above
or eat a diet high in Omega 3 fatty fish
xoxo
Jen and the Headzen Team
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post should not be used as medical advice or to replace medical advice. Speak to your healthcare provider if you have any questions.
(1) NCBI Gov studies
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