PajMon Information Blog

Posts Tagged ‘heart’

It’s confusing isn’t it. DHA, EPA and more. How do you choose your Omega 3 supplements?

And it gets worse when you start reading all about converting ALA to DHA, then about long chain and short chain fats and so on.

I recently had one of my readers ask me about choosing his Omega 3 capsules. He had read all about long and short chain fats and the differences and had just got overwhelmed about how to go about choosing the best Omega 3 supplements.

It’s understandable how he got confused and so I’ll talk a little about it and then tell you how to go about choosing your Omega 3 fish oil supplements.

Of the three main Omega 3 fats (DHA, EPA and ALA) the most important by far is DHA. It makes up a major part of your brain.

You get ALA from plant sources like flax seeds, and your DHA comes from sources like deep sea fish. And DHA is a long chain fatty acid, whilst ALA is a short chain fatty acid. But the most important is DHA.

But DHA, the most important Omega 3 fatty acid along with EPA, is what you need from your Omega 3 supplements. And all Omega 3 fish oil capsules contain DHA.

Every brand of fish oil capsules has DHA.

So if you’re better using fish oil supplements are they all the same? If not how do you choose between the different fish oil supplements?

There are two factors in choosing the best fish oil supplements. You need to consider the quantity of DHA you get in each capsule and you need to look at the purity of the fish oil. That’s all.

You can’t decide which are the best value fish oil tablets without knowing how much DHA you get from them.

For example if you consider supplements with a third of the DHA, but at a half the price, of others you’re not getting good value.

And you also need to consider the purity of the supplements because many fish oil capsules can contain oils contaminated with small amounts of mercury, for example, because many of our deep sea fish are contaminated, and that’s where the oil comes from.

That’s the 2 things you need to consider when choosing your Omega3 capsules.

But actually doing that comparison isn’t as easy as you’d think and you may struggle. I have run the sums and one brand comes up as the best fish oil supplement on both DHA quantity and also on oil purity.

I tell you which brand on my website.

What is the wireless heart rate monitor? A wireless heart rate monitor comes with a chest strap that is worn around the body in the chest area, close to the heart. This chest strap transmits the signal to the main unit that monitors the heart rate. If you use heart rate watch then the watch represents the main unit and communicates with the chest strap via wireless connection.

What is a strapless heart monitor? Unlike standard wireless heart rate monitor, a strapless heart rate monitor does not come with a chest strap. Instead it has an area on the main unit that measures the heart rate. If youre using strapless heart rate watch then the watch represents the main unit. You simply place two fingers over the measuring area of the watch and after approximately 5 seconds you receive your heart rate reading.

Is a strapless heart rate watch better than the heart rate watch with the chest strap? As soon as you use quality, branded product, there is no actual difference in the accuracy of measurement, no matter if the heart rate is measured with strapless or banded heart monitor watch. The strapless heart monitor watches are more comfortable as you wear no strap.

How to measure the heart rate? Measuring your heart rate will be more accurate if done daily, at the same time during a day and in resting position, after not doing anything for at least 10 minutes (even standing up from the chair is considered an activity and increases the heart rate). Measurement should be done using a quality heart rate monitor that was tested for accuracy by manufacturer. It is advised to record the measurements so that you and your physician see the development.

What is a pulse monitor? Is it the same as heart rate monitor? No they are not the same. While heart rate monitor functions the same way as your physicians ECG (ElectroCardioGram) monitoring the electrical impulses of your heart . On the other hand a pulse monitor detects blood flow in extremities. Pulse monitor is unable to detect beats that do not produce enough blood or other abnormalities and therefor is less accurate and should not be used for medical purposes.

Is heart rate monitor mandatory for exercise? No i tis not, but it is advisable. Training at your own convenient pace usually is not the most effective. To maximize the benefits of exercise you need to stay within your target heart rate range as long as possible. The target heart rate range of a semitrained individual is 60% – 80% of his/her maximum heart rate. For beginners or people in cardiac rehabilitation an optimum target heart rate is 50-60%.

What is a pulse oximeter? Does it measure the heart rate? Pulse oximeters are medical equipment using noninvasive methods to monitor individual’s oxygen saturation levels. People who never used a pulse oximeter sometimes assume that there is some needle hidden in it that punctures skin and oximeter then analyzes the blood drops but that is not true. Pulse oximeters use light wavelengths to measure oxyhemoglobin saturation, delivery of oxygen to the cells but not the actual amount of oxygen. Individual normal range for the pulse oximeter display should be defined by your physician but usually is over 95% . Factors like anemia, low blood pressure, blood ph, Pco2 or body temperature can affect pulse oximeter reads. And, yes, pulse oximeter also measure the heart rate.