Choosing between Flaxseed Oil and Omega-3 Supplements

While doing a lot of research for many different medical problems for friends and family I kept running across Flaxseed oil. I then remembered my mother using flaxseeds in many different things while I was growing up. So I researched the pros of flaxseed oil which sounded amazing at first. The pros that I have found are it can decrease your risk for coronary heart disease, arthritis, cancer, skin problems such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis, and helps improve responses to stress. It also soothes ulcers and IBS, lubricates and absorbs toxins, prevents toxic build up in bowel, and acts as a buffer for excess stomach acids. If you decide to use flaxseed seeds be sure to grind them so they can be absorbed by your body. However, after saying all of this, there are some side effects to note, such as, easy bruising, severe headache, or signs of allergic reaction. These side effects would have to come from a large amount of flaxseed and not the recommended dose.

As I was reading about the side effects from flaxseed supplements I kept reading about Omega-3 oils. Omega-3 is part of flaxseed supplements (in a much smaller dosage) so I continued to research it. Omega-3 pros consist of maintaining good blood pressure and cholesterol levels, give relief from joint pain, migraines, depression, autoimmune diseases, improves brain development and memory function, and help control ADHD. Can you imagine how much better kids would be taking a natural supplement like Omega-3 instead of Ritalin?! How much money would parents save?! There are no major side effects from Omega-3, however, if you are pregnant, allergic to fish or already have a known health condition you should check with a doctor first. FDA recommends no more that 3 grams of combined EPA and DHA per day, which isn't an issue if you follow the recommended dose on the container for your Omega-3.

Going over both of these has convinced me that Omega-3 is the better choice for myself as I suffer from joint pain that comes from years of running and also migraines. Without insurance my migraine medicine can break most peoples bank so I am going to try the Omega-3 out (after my pregnancy of course) and hopefully it'll save just a little bit more in my pocket. For the people that I was doing this research for to begin with I also believe the Omega-3 would be the better choice except for one who suffers from eczema, I have yet to read anything about Omega-3 and any skin disorder but my research will continue!

{Picture via Beatdownacne.com}