Renew You Challenge

Let’s start this week off right!

Here is your newest weekly challenge (I mean opportunity!) to help set you off on the right foot and in the right direction for bringing health to your week. You could even add it to your calendar.  Join us! 

Fish has long been known as “brain food” because it contains the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), both brain-healthy nutrients that must be obtained from the diet. Certain fish contain more heart-healthy omega-3s than others. Be sure you’re eating the right kind. Cold-water oily fish, like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna contain high amounts of omega-3s.

A recent study from the University of Pittsburg found that people who eat baked or broiled fish at least once a week are at decreased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment (less-severe memory loss that may lead to Alzheimer’s). The decreased risk was associated with increases in grey matter in certain areas of the brain associated with memory—the hippocampus, posterior cingulate, and the orbital frontal cortex.

A previous study, presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions in 2009 found that eating baked or boiled fish gave better heart-healthy omega-3 benefits than eating fried, salted or dried fish. So how you cook the fish makes a difference.

One thing I always caution, however, is to be careful of the mercury content of certain fish. Take for example albacore tuna—yes, it contains a lot of omega-3s, but it’s also high in mercury. Not the best option, especially on a regular basis! Sardines and salmon tend to be some of the best sources of omega-3s low in mercury.

If you want to be sure to get the heart healthy omega-3s, but don’t want to eat so much fish, or risk consuming too much mercury, take a high-quality, purified, concentrated fish oil supplement. Look for the International Fish Oils Standard (IFOS) icon to be sure the product is certified to exceed world standards for fish oil purity.

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Here is your newest weekly challenge (I mean, opportunity!) to help set you off on the right foot and in the right direction for bringing health to your week. You could even add it to your calendar. Join us!

With the new release of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans comes the recommendation to eat more fish. This is not surprising, as it reflects the recommendations by the American Heart Association. Americans consume about 3 ½ ounces of seafood each week, but are encouraged to more than double that to 8 ounces.

Why the recommendation? Because research shows it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Fish is rich in nutrients, especially omega-3 fatty acids thought to be the main contributor to heart health. Just how much fish to consume has been debated due to the presence of toxins—especially methyl mercury—in certain fish. However, the dietary guidelines say the health benefits of eating a variety of seafood outweigh the risks associated with methyl mercury.

Any more than two servings of fish per week (and it depends on the fish—some are much higher in mercury than others), and you’re better off with a fish oil supplement that has been purified to meet purity standards set by International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS). IFOS standards meet or exceed world standards for purity, potency and freshness of fish oil.

This week, try to eat at least two servings of fish high in omega-3s, like salmon, sardines, anchovies, herring or light canned tuna (not albacore). Can’t stand to eat that much fish, or want to get even more heart healthy omega-3s? Look for a fish oil that is tested by IFOS. Look for the IFOS seal on the box.

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It is well-known that fish is a healthy food. Even the American Heart Association recommends at least two servings of fish every week for heart health. Unfortunately, not everyone is aware of the differences in omega-3 levels in fish.

For example, a woman who eats tilapia three times per week may think she is getting plenty of omega-3s, when in reality tilapia is much higher in omega-6 than omega-3! Or a man who eats a large portion of fried fish twice a week may think he is in the clear, but fish used for frying tends to be lower in omega-3s and high in fat.

On the other hand, eating spicy tuna sushi rolls a few times a week may give you plenty of omega-3s, but what about the mercury content of that tuna? Fish that are higher up on the food chain (especially albacore tuna) concentrate toxins like mercury, and those toxins end up on your plate.  

What’s a person to do? How can you protect your heart by eating the right fish in the right ways? It’s not easy, but it can be done. Honestly, your best bet is probably sardines, as it is a small fish (low in toxicity) with a high omega-3 level. But let’s face it, sardines aren’t exactly high on the list of big cravings. Another good option is wild salmon, baked or grilled. Try it sprinkled with lemon and laced with dill. Yum!

But if you have more serious heart concerns and need more than the minimum recommended two servings of fish per week (which is equal to about 500 mg daily of the combined omega-3s EPA and DHA), then you’ll probably have to eat far more fish than you can stomach. This is where a good fish oil supplement comes in. A high-potency, concentrated fish oil can give you plenty of omega-3 in one softgel. Look for a fish oil that has the IFOS seal (International Fish Oil Standards), which exceeds world standards for purity. This ensures you are getting a pure fish oil, without all the toxins. Not all fish oil meets these standards.

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Notable News – I love fish. It’s one of those great sources of lean protein that you can eat and really feel like you’re doing something healthy for your body, but when I heard the results of a recent U.S. Geological Survey, the first word that came to mind was “Yikes!”

USGS experts tested fish from freshwater streams across the entire country, and what did they find? Mercury in every single fish—and a quarter of all those fish contained mercury levels above the recommended limit for safe consumption (0.33 parts per million). Holy mackerel!

What really caught my attention though was that the highest levels of mercury were found in the southeast, where I live. North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana were the states with the highest mercury amounts in their freshwater fish.

But fish is so important in our diets, and studies show that the healthy Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA found in fish oil are highly reduced in the Standard American Diet (SAD), so what do we do when we hear reports like this? Should we eat fish or not? The answer is yes, but we just have to make sure we’re eating the right kinds of fish.  

Smaller, cold-water fish like sardines are best because they don’t stay in the food chain as long as some larger types of fish like grouper. That means they don’t have a very long time to build up large amounts of mercury in their bodies. If you don’t like sardines, try wild salmon, which is high in beneficial Omega-3s and relatively lower in mercury.

Still not convinced? A high-quality fish oil supplement can help you get your Omega-3s without the worry. High-potency, purified fish oils are sourced from smaller fish like anchovies and sardines—just remember to look for a fish oil that uses the International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS) certification to ensure freshness, purity and potency.

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Summary: In this video blog I discuss the how many people suffer from Omega 3 Deficiency . What are Omega 3′s? How do you get these healthy Omega oils in your diet? What happens if you don’t have enough? The answer to all these questions and more are in this video. Tune in and find out…

Full Script:

Did you know that Omega-3 Deficiency is a major killer? The sixth biggest killer of Americans according to a new study just released. That’s right – according to the study funded by the CDC and performed by Harvard University there are between 72 to 96 thousand Preventable deaths each year due to Omega-3 deficiency.

Many of us in the natural health field have long been touting the health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids. From cardiovascular health to brain health to vision health, the benefits are enormous. Unfortunately most Americans get very little in the Standard American Diet. The best food sources of these fatty acids are fish, especially fish like mackerel, sardines and salmon. Omega-3 fatty acids can also be found in some seeds and nuts, like flax seed and walnuts. Although your diet has a tremendously powerful effect on your overall health, these are not foods normally included on a lot of Americans dinner plates.

Thankfully, you can purchase these valuable essential Omega-3 fatty acids in supplement form. Renew Life’s Norwegian Gold Critical Omega is the best on the market. It is highly concentrated, enteric coated and burp-free, thanks to Lipase. You can get tremendous health benefits from just one capsule a day. This newly released study just proves that Omega-3 fatty acid intake, whether in the diet or by supplementation, goes well beyond minor health benefits.

It is a matter of life or death.

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