Day Seventeen: Go FISH!

What's the most important supplement we need to be taking?   What supplement decreased a benign lump in my thigh?

If you guessed Omega 3 Fatty Acids you win the prize at the bottom of this blog post!

Omega 3 fatty acids are found in wild salmon, flax seed, sardines just to name a few examples.  Omega 3 has anti-inflammatory compounds which can decrease your risk of such ailments as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis. It's good for the skin, nails and hair.  Omega 3 decreases joint pain, controls mood swings, increase immunity and boosts energy. It has been correlated to decrease ADHD symptoms.

Dr. Oz had Dr. Mark Hyman, the author of "The Ultramind Solution", on his show on Friday.

 Too much omega 6 can be found in almost everything we eat, leading  to inflammation in our bodies.  Warning signs of a deficiency of Omega 3 include: soft, brittle nails, dry, itchy scalp, joint pain and fatigue.  Dr. Hyman suggests that if you have any of these symptoms you can ask your doctor to test your blood for your Omega 3 concentration.  Everyone needs at least 8% of the red blood cell count to be made up of Omega 3. 

Food marketed to be "Omega" healthy (e.g,. bread, eggs, juices, boxed cereals and crackers) may in fact have an over concentration of the "bad" omegas, that is omega 6 and 9.  The ones we need to avoid.

That's why it's important to make sure that any product claiming to have Omega fatty acids are only Omega 3 enriched. 

The most important part of Omega 3 is that it is  DHA/EPA based.  Dr. Oz and Dr. Hyman recommend that we  have at least 600 mg DHA Omega 3 a day as our minimum intake as a supplement and another 300 mg from our diet. 

My personal story to back up the benefits of Omega 3.

Ten years ago I came across a lump in my upper right thigh. I had an ultrasound. It turned out to be a lipoma which is a benign tumour made up of fatty cells.  This was before the Omega 3 craze. I was worried since it was fairly large and my family physician at the time said it could grow as big as a grapefruit.

I did research on the internet and came across a naturopathic site that advised taking Omega 3 to decrease lipomas.  I began taking 2000 mg a day.  Just by touch over the years, I noticed the lump in my thigh decreasing. I had an ultrasound again in 2007 and the measurements of the lipoma had significantly decreased. 

I continue to take Omega 3 with a meal daily.  With confidence, I vouch that Omega 3 has helped me stay clear of those "turning over forty" wrinkles and helped me maintain my make-up free complexion.  People who know me consider me a "high energy" person who is generally "upbeat".  As a woman, Omega 3 has likely helped decrease those monthly PMS mood swings as I do notice I am less irritable than I once was during "those times" of the month.

A few people I know shared their own Omega 3 success stories. Several folks who were prone to anxiety attacks told me that their family physicians recommended Omega 3 supplements and it helped to decrease their stressful worries.

On the drug store shelf you can find Omega 3 specifically for "the heart", "mood", "ADHD", "memory", "strengthening joints",  and general Omega 3 supplements, which are the ones I take.

Next time, you question why you are always so zonked, why your nails keep breaking or why your joints ache, pull out your dusty deck of cards and "Go Fish!"