Krill oil, the omega-3 rich substance that is derived from shrimp-like crustaceans that populate the oceans, is a popular nutritional supplement because of its numerous health benefits. But the oil is also the source of some controversy, most recently brought to light by Whole Foods.
Krill Oil Health Advantages
Krill oil, like fish oil, contains EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), two omega-3 fatty acids that have been the subject of scores of research studies. Both DHA and EPA have been shown to reduce triglyceride levels, reduce inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis, improve bone strength, reduce blood pressure, ease symptoms of PMS, relieve depressive symptoms, lower the risk of stroke, heart disease, and atherosclerosis, and inhibit the growth of colon cancer.
In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study of 90 people who had arthritis and/or cardiovascular disease, researchers discovered that study participants who took 300 mg of krill oil for one to two weeks had significantly less inflammation and improved symptoms of arthritis. In another study, 1,000 to 1,500 mg of krill oil daily significantly lowered cholesterol, triglyceride, and other lipid levels.
Women with PMS and dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation) experienced relief when taking krill oil as part of a University of Montreal double-blind, randomized study. After three months’ treatment using either krill oil or fish oil, the women who had been taking krill oil said they needed to take significantly fewer pain killers than women who took fish oil, and they also reported significantly better emotional symptoms when compared with women in the fish oil group.
An advantage of krill oil supplements over fish oils is that because krill are at the bottom of the food chain, they do not accumulate and concentrate mercury like fish do. There have been concerns about the presence of mercury, PCBs, and other contaminants in fish oils. Krill oil also has a different structure than fish oils, which makes it more easily absorbed by the body.
Krill Oil Controversy
The controversy revolving around krill oil supplements has to do with the fact that krill are culled from the oceans, where they are the mainstay of the diet of fish, penguins, seals, and whales. Recently, Whole Foods pulled krill oil supplements from its store shelves because, as noted in the statement the company has posted in its stores for customers to read, “Krill are an important source of food for marine animals including penguins, seals, and whales in the Antarctic. Declines of some predator populations in the areas where the krill fishery operates suggest that fishery management needs to better understand how to evaluate the prey requirements of other marine species in order to set sustainable catch levels for krill.”
Whole Foods further notes that it has chosen to discontinue selling krill oil supplements as it continues to monitor research on the matter. The company asks customers to consider alternatives to krill oil, including astaxanthin and fish oil.
The executive director of Global Organisation for EPA and DHA Omega-3 (GOED), Adam Ismael, noted in a recent Fish Info & Services (FIS) article that the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), effectively monitors krill fishing in the Antarctic. “CCAMLR actually just implemented new measures in November for the krill fishery, which further protects predator species that feed on krill, as well as protecting the krill fishery itself.”
According to the FIS article, the krill industry insists they have only nine vessels that are licensed to fish for krill in the Antarctic and that they all follow CCAMLR guidelines.
In a New York Times article from May 25, 2008, entitled “Overfishing of krill threatens ocean ecosystem,” Denzil Miller, executive secretary of CCAMLR, noted that the idea of their guidelines is to spread out the catch once it reaches a certain size, especially in the south Atlantic where most of the krill fishing occurs. If they fail to do this, he said, the consequences could be disastrous, as krill catches were already increasing quickly.
Krill oil offers health benefits, as do fish oils and astaxanthin. When consumers consider which natural supplements to take, part of the decision should be based on whether the product is being brought to market in a responsible, sustainable fashion. For some consumers, krill oil supplements may be a product about which they need to think twice.
воскресенье, 26 декабря 2010 г.
среда, 22 декабря 2010 г.
Michelle Obama: Health More Important Than Obesity
In a web chat on Tuesday, Michelle Obama discussed her anti-obesity campaign on AOL Health.
She was asked about how she helps her own daughters with regards to obesity. She said, according to Associated Press, that she discusses health and not weight.
This is an important consideration. Many websites offer help with dieting and exercises and many of them offer a weight tracker. This leads many people, parents and children alike, to think the weight of a person is the only indicator of over-all health. In fact, skinny people are often at risk for diseases as well that are linked to obesity, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
There are many factors that contribute to a person’s overall health, and that includes genetics just as much as weight. Yes, obesity is a health risk that causes many problems but if the focus is more on eating right and being active, the weight will settle to a comfortable zone all on its own.
Many people become discourage when first trying to get healthy because their weight does not come down. If they are exercising, using weights for example, they will find that their weight will not decrease at the same speed as someone who does aerobic exercises. This is because they are increasing their muscle mass at the same time they are decreasing the size of fat cells. Muscle mass weighs more than fat cells do and so the benefits will not be seen on the scale.
Michelle Obama has done much to help provide insight to parents in how to combat obesity in children. The rate of obesity in America for children and adults has sharply increased over the past decade to today where 38 states have adult obesity rates above 25 percent. If a child is obese, he or she will likely be obese as an adult as it is about lifestyle choices. What a child learns in childhood, he or she will carry it over into adulthood.
She was asked about how she helps her own daughters with regards to obesity. She said, according to Associated Press, that she discusses health and not weight.
This is an important consideration. Many websites offer help with dieting and exercises and many of them offer a weight tracker. This leads many people, parents and children alike, to think the weight of a person is the only indicator of over-all health. In fact, skinny people are often at risk for diseases as well that are linked to obesity, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
There are many factors that contribute to a person’s overall health, and that includes genetics just as much as weight. Yes, obesity is a health risk that causes many problems but if the focus is more on eating right and being active, the weight will settle to a comfortable zone all on its own.
Many people become discourage when first trying to get healthy because their weight does not come down. If they are exercising, using weights for example, they will find that their weight will not decrease at the same speed as someone who does aerobic exercises. This is because they are increasing their muscle mass at the same time they are decreasing the size of fat cells. Muscle mass weighs more than fat cells do and so the benefits will not be seen on the scale.
Michelle Obama has done much to help provide insight to parents in how to combat obesity in children. The rate of obesity in America for children and adults has sharply increased over the past decade to today where 38 states have adult obesity rates above 25 percent. If a child is obese, he or she will likely be obese as an adult as it is about lifestyle choices. What a child learns in childhood, he or she will carry it over into adulthood.
вторник, 14 декабря 2010 г.
Utah Health Insurance Exchange Ready to Launch
Along with back to school shopping, Utahns will be able to shop for health insurance online beginning August 19, 2009. The Utah Health Exchange is a website where Utah residents and business owners can shop, compare, and buy health insurance plans.
Utah’s new health insurance exchange is only the second of its kind in the United States. Massachusetts was the first to institute this type of approach to affordable health insurance.
Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr., signed the Utah Health Exchange into law in March. The health insurance model was created by HB188, and it is one of four health reform bills in Utah designed to improve affordability, help the state progress toward cost containment, and make health care more accessible to nearly 300,000 people.
According to the Utah Health Exchange website, the Exchange “will connect consumers to information they need to make an informed choice, and in many cases, allow them to execute that choice electronically.”
The three main functions of the Utah Health Exchange are to provide consumers with:
* Helpful information about their health care and financing of that care
* A convenient way to compare and choose a health insurance policy that meets their families’ needs
* A standardized electronic application and enrollment process
For employers, the HB188 provides them with an option of depositing money into their workers’ health savings accounts rather than just paying part of their premium. This allows consumers to purchase any health insurance plan that they want.
On August 19, the Utah Health Exchange will begin enrolling up to 150 small employer groups (those who employ 2 to 50 workers) who plan to offer this new option to their workers. According to the Exchange’s website, this new model offers relief to employers who will no longer need to bear the full burden of running a health insurance plan for their workers.
For more information about this new way to shop for health insurance in Utah, you can visit the website at www.exchange.utah.gov.
Utah’s new health insurance exchange is only the second of its kind in the United States. Massachusetts was the first to institute this type of approach to affordable health insurance.
Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr., signed the Utah Health Exchange into law in March. The health insurance model was created by HB188, and it is one of four health reform bills in Utah designed to improve affordability, help the state progress toward cost containment, and make health care more accessible to nearly 300,000 people.
According to the Utah Health Exchange website, the Exchange “will connect consumers to information they need to make an informed choice, and in many cases, allow them to execute that choice electronically.”
The three main functions of the Utah Health Exchange are to provide consumers with:
* Helpful information about their health care and financing of that care
* A convenient way to compare and choose a health insurance policy that meets their families’ needs
* A standardized electronic application and enrollment process
For employers, the HB188 provides them with an option of depositing money into their workers’ health savings accounts rather than just paying part of their premium. This allows consumers to purchase any health insurance plan that they want.
On August 19, the Utah Health Exchange will begin enrolling up to 150 small employer groups (those who employ 2 to 50 workers) who plan to offer this new option to their workers. According to the Exchange’s website, this new model offers relief to employers who will no longer need to bear the full burden of running a health insurance plan for their workers.
For more information about this new way to shop for health insurance in Utah, you can visit the website at www.exchange.utah.gov.
вторник, 7 декабря 2010 г.
Maryland Unveils Health Insurance Partnership For Small Businesses
Governor Martin O’Malley today announced important steps that Maryland is taking to expand health insurance coverage for more working families and small businesses. In coordination with the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH), Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) participating insurance carriers, and advocates, the State of Maryland will be working to enroll members in the Health Insurance Partnership, a premium subsidy program for small businesses.
"In many cases, health insurance is too expensive and out of reach for many of Maryland’s small businesses," said Governor O’Malley. "This partnership will make health benefits more affordable, thus expanding access to quality healthcare for businesses and their employees."
During the General Assembly’s Special Session of 2007, Governor O’Malley was joined by leaders of the Maryland General Assembly to support the enactment of the Working Families & Small Business Health Coverage Act. The Act, effective July 1, calls for the creation of a subsidy that would encourage more small employers to offer health insurance to their employees and expands Medicaid to cover parents with incomes up to $20,500 for a family of three, 116 percent of the federal poverty level. This expansion called Medical Assistance to Families is set to begin on July 1, 2008.
Under the Partnership, a small business that has 2 to 9 full-time employees, has not offered health insurance to its employees during the previous 12 months, and has an average wage below $50,000 is eligible to receive a subsidy of up to 50 percent of the premium. The total subsidy is divided between the employer and the employee based on the contribution each makes toward the cost of coverage.
During the 16 months of the O’Malley-Brown Administration, healthcare has been expanded to more than 100,000 Marylanders. In addition, Governor O’Malley and leaders in Prince George’s County and Maryland’s General Assembly announced the appointees to an independent board charged with finding new ownership to continue and improve the operation of the Prince George’s Hospital System, ensuring access to quality health care for residents of that area. Expanding access to health care for all Marylanders and maintaining a spirit of fiscal responsibility is central to these initiatives.
"Maryland’s small businesses and working families will be able to access affordable health care," said John M. Colmers, Secretary of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. "This is an important first step to ensuring that all Marylanders have access to quality health care."
The Partnership is expected to enroll over 1,500 businesses, in its first year. In September, insurance agents and brokers will begin enrolling small businesses in health plans offered by CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, Coventry Health Care, United HealthCare and AETNA. All health plans eligible for a subsidy will encourage wellness by offering a health risk assessment and by providing employees with incentives for preventive care, wellness activities, or disease management. Coverage will begin October 1.
The Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) is charged with the administration of the Partnership. "We’ve worked with many groups to make the Partnership easy to understand, easy to enroll in, and easy to administer. This partnership between small businesses and government offers an innovative way to reduce the number of uninsured in our State," said MHCC chair Marilyn Moon.
"In many cases, health insurance is too expensive and out of reach for many of Maryland’s small businesses," said Governor O’Malley. "This partnership will make health benefits more affordable, thus expanding access to quality healthcare for businesses and their employees."
During the General Assembly’s Special Session of 2007, Governor O’Malley was joined by leaders of the Maryland General Assembly to support the enactment of the Working Families & Small Business Health Coverage Act. The Act, effective July 1, calls for the creation of a subsidy that would encourage more small employers to offer health insurance to their employees and expands Medicaid to cover parents with incomes up to $20,500 for a family of three, 116 percent of the federal poverty level. This expansion called Medical Assistance to Families is set to begin on July 1, 2008.
Under the Partnership, a small business that has 2 to 9 full-time employees, has not offered health insurance to its employees during the previous 12 months, and has an average wage below $50,000 is eligible to receive a subsidy of up to 50 percent of the premium. The total subsidy is divided between the employer and the employee based on the contribution each makes toward the cost of coverage.
During the 16 months of the O’Malley-Brown Administration, healthcare has been expanded to more than 100,000 Marylanders. In addition, Governor O’Malley and leaders in Prince George’s County and Maryland’s General Assembly announced the appointees to an independent board charged with finding new ownership to continue and improve the operation of the Prince George’s Hospital System, ensuring access to quality health care for residents of that area. Expanding access to health care for all Marylanders and maintaining a spirit of fiscal responsibility is central to these initiatives.
"Maryland’s small businesses and working families will be able to access affordable health care," said John M. Colmers, Secretary of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. "This is an important first step to ensuring that all Marylanders have access to quality health care."
The Partnership is expected to enroll over 1,500 businesses, in its first year. In September, insurance agents and brokers will begin enrolling small businesses in health plans offered by CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, Coventry Health Care, United HealthCare and AETNA. All health plans eligible for a subsidy will encourage wellness by offering a health risk assessment and by providing employees with incentives for preventive care, wellness activities, or disease management. Coverage will begin October 1.
The Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) is charged with the administration of the Partnership. "We’ve worked with many groups to make the Partnership easy to understand, easy to enroll in, and easy to administer. This partnership between small businesses and government offers an innovative way to reduce the number of uninsured in our State," said MHCC chair Marilyn Moon.
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