Supplement Spotlight: Fish Oil

Someone recently asked if I had to recommend only one supplement what would it be Answer: Fish Oil Fish oil, which contains the essential fatty acids EPA and DHA, is so powerful because it is incorporated into the outside lipid layer of all your cells, allowing for better signaling or “messaging” between cells. In practical terms, this means your body will be able to burn fat stores for energy rather than relying strictly on glucose from carbohydrates.

What ARE Omega 3's?

There are two types of fats you want to keep balanced in your body: omega 3 and omega 6s. Most of us have way too much Omega 6 and not enough 3's--which leads to inflammation. Omega 6 typically comes from processed foods, fast food, or boxed foods. Think of the vegetable oils like soybean, canola, sunflower oil, cottonseed, corn, etc. When you consume too much Omega 6, you decrease your body's ability to metabolize healthy omega 3 fatty acids.

This is actually why we even recommend grass-fed protein sources. This includes animals on land to wild-caught fish in the sea. Even eggs my friends should be free range.

So what happens when we keep these two balanced?

We prevent inflammation of course and chronic disease. This includes autoimmune, ADHD, cancer, asthma, depression, heart disease.

Fish Oil also aids in lowering triglycerides you know those numbers that actually matter instead of the scale. An increase in fish oil can help reduce body fat, increase HDL (the good cholesterol) and improve blood flow.

Fish oil benefits helps also ensure those fat-soluble vitamins are nourishing your skin to maintain smooth elastic texture.

And in a perfect world it may seem like we are consuming enough omega 3s, we typically are not with food alone because even organic only means 70% organic and over the course of the week, how compliant are we to prioritizing omega 3 into our nutrition program.

Lastly, because you don't essentially FEEL the effects of your fish oil, doesn't mean it doesn't matter. Fish Oil can help fight stress, improve cognition, improve hormone balance, promote a lean physique, and accelerate recovery from training. And as always adding fish oil to a crappy diet can help, but it’s not a magic bullet that’s going to solve your problems. The standard diet typically overconsumes pro-inflammatory fats of omega 6s and 9s (nuts, seeds, oils), boxed/processed foods, and if you dine out frequently. Benefits to Fish Oil: Fat Loss: The fatty acids (EPA & DHA) increase insulin sensitivity, which means either storing it as fat or using it to replenish muscle Muscle: Fish oil increases protein synthesis and preserves muscle: Insulin regulates the passage of nutrients, hormones, and chemicals into muscles. Whether you are trying to pack on muscle, strip down body fat, or just getting old---getting enough into your diet will help make that happen Manage Cortisol and Mental Stress: Fish oil is an anti-inflammatory and may reduce our stress response. If you suffer from anxiety, your heart rate and blood pressure increase and your nervous system gets activated ---consider fish oil the brake mechanism

The supplement industry is not as regulated as we'd expect it to be---so check your labels and manufacturing!

Recommended Dosage: 2,000mg EPA/DHA each day