Sixty healthy adults were randomly divided into three groups. The first group received daily supplements containing 6.6 g of omega-3 (containing 3.0g EPA and 2.9g DHA). Group two received 2.0g of omega-3 (containing 0.9g EPA and 0.8g DHA). The remaining group received only an olive oil placebo. The supplements were given for 12 weeks. Before and after supplements were consumed heart rate variability and blood cell fatty acids were measured. It was found that heart rate variability was favorably influenced by amount of omega-3 consumed. In other words, more omega-3 one consumed higher heart rate variability, especially in men with low heart rate variability before supplementing.

The researchers concluded that omega-3 fatty acids positively affected heart rate variability thus having a protective effect on heart function. These finding were similar to those of earlier studies showing that omega-3 positively affects heart rhythm in patients who had suffered a previous heart attack. Since sudden cardiac death is result of erratic heart rhythm, omega-3’s heart protective qualities show great promise in fight against sudden cardiac arrest. The mechanical studies completed by these and other researchers seemed to confirm other studies that oral ingestion of fish and fish oils provide prophylaxis for prevention of fatal cardiac arrhythmias when taken regularly in small amounts. In simple terms, consuming fish and fish oil supplements can save lives.

http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/fishoils.html

http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/cardiacarrest.html

Follow leader. Face it, kids watch, and often imitate, everything we do. If they observe us eating a variety of healthful foods and exercising regularly, then they will learn to take good care of their bodies. Likewise, if they don’t hear us making comments like “I am so fat” and “she looks fat” then they are less likely to suffer from poor self-esteem and a judgmental attitude.

There is more to a party than cake and ice cream! Invite a child to a party and they’ll want to know what they are going to get to do. Invite an adult and they’ll wonder what food will be served. You don’t have to avoid parties to keep your weight down; just focus on real purpose of social events—to be social!

Eating with your family is fun. Since babies and toddlers must be fed by their parents, they naturally love eating with other people. Family mealtime is your opportunity to model good habits and connect with each other. Now that our kids are older, we sometimes play “High-Low” at dinner. Each member of family takes a turn telling others about best and worst parts of their day. What a door opener!

It’s boring to just sit around! Toddlers seem to be in perpetual motion as they explore their world. Young kids love to run in grass, play on playground, and challenge themselves and each other to increasingly more difficult activities. Of course, as they get older, television, computers, and electronic games compete for their attention. In our family, to encourage other activities, we use “screen time” which limits how much time our children are allowed to spend on anything with a screen. Sometimes adults would benefit by limiting their screen time and exploring their world a little more!

Sleep is good. After a full day, children need a good night’s sleep to prepare for all of adventures that tomorrow will hold. Wouldn’t we all benefit from a consistent bedtime to make sure we get our rest too?

Live in moment. Kids are masters at living in present. They don’t waste a lot of energy worrying about what has already happened or what might happen tomorrow. They are fully engaged in small pursuits like discovering where ants are going, chasing dog, or seeing how deep they can dig with a plastic shovel. We, on other hand, continue to scurry around, chasing after our dreams, and all while, digging ourselves deeper and deeper. We could learn a lot from children!