For all the fuss made against oils and fats, many essential oils are an absolute essential for the body. Not too much but just the right quantity, almost like lubrication for a machine to run properly. The reason for this negative image is due to the fact that most of us get the wrong kind of fat. Everyone and especially sportsmen need the good and healthy essential oils and fats for the proper functioning of the body.
Vitamins like A, E, D and K are fat soluble vitamins and the body needs the fats to absorb these vitamins from the food and deliver them for use by the body. These vitamins are a must for athletes to maintain their bodies in top shape. Essential oils are also among the best sources for obtaining energy and they aid in the formation of healthy, new cell membranes and the eicosanoids. Eicosanoids are a fatty carbon compound essential for controlling body systems, including inflammation and immunity. If that was not enough, the eicosanoids act as messengers in the central nervous system which are the most complex networks in the body. Essential oils are a must for our bodies to run smoothly and function properly.
One great, healthy essential oil for sports nutrition is flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil is rich in linoleic and alpha linoleic-acids which are unsaturated omega-6 fatty acids. The body cannot function without these linoleic acids as they are essential for all mammals. Deficiency of linoleic acids will cause loss of hair, dry hair and poor wound healing before more serious organic failures. Flaxseed oil also helps in autoimmune diseases and can be taken as a supplement.
Cod liver oil is another essential oil supplement. It is rich in vitamins A and D. The vitamin A is an essential vitamin for good eyesight. Even though vitamin D can be processed from the sun by the skin, sun exposure is not recommendable due to harmful radiation and the possibility of skin cancer. Cod liver oil supplements can provide the vitamin D needed by the body for regulating the calcium metabolism. Lack of vitamin D can cause loss of calcium which in turn weakens the bones.
Fish essential oil supplements provide Omega3, considered a heart protector, so essential for the body. Fatty parts of the fish like the belly and head contain large amounts of fatty oils which contain Omega3. A can of tuna too is a good uncomplicated source for Omega3. Omega3 improves heart function by helping the heart to pump strongly and clearing the arteries of the harmful low density cholesterol or harmful cholesterol. Omega3 helps reduce the heart rate, allowing the heart to supply oxygen rich blood to the brain and all organs in the body. A lower heart beat makes the athlete less tired as the athlete does not get out of breath and weak.
All essential oil supplements though good for the body, must not be taken without consulting a qualified physician due to individual reactions and cross reactions with other medication being used or any health condition the athlete may have. Most importantly, essential oil supplements usage must not be exaggerated, as overdoses are accumulated in the body and not excreted as these oils are fat soluble and not water soluble and can rise to toxic levels.
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