Fish Oil

Most Americans don't get enough omega 3s into their diet. In fact most Americans ratio of omega 3s to omega 6s is 30:1 and the ratio should be around 2:1. This can have an effect on performance and body composition. But more importantly can increase disease rates!! A dietary shift toward omega 3s has been shown to help decrease disease rates. Omega 3s can help decrease nagging pain or "flare ups" from shoulder tendinitis for example. Plain and simple omega 6s are very pro-inflammatory where omega 3s provide a very weak inflammatory response.

Get Your Omega 3s

Some people also may feel they get enough omega 3 sources through dietary fish intake. Some may, but it greatly depends on your source. Most sources of fish through manufacturing end up losing a great deal of the omega 3s they may have started with. This is why I suggest people incorporate a fish oil supplement to their day to ensure adequate intake. Most do well with adding 900-1000 mg of omega 3 fatty acids. Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) to Docosahexanoic Acid (DHA) should be in a ratio of 3:1.

Here are some other health benefits to adding omega 3s to ones diet (some mentioned above but looked at from a different perspective):

Increases Lean Body Mass: by increasing BMR (by up to 400 kcal/day) and improves the ratio of fat/carbohydrate oxidized (sparing carbohydrates, burning fat).

Less Pain and Inflammation: EPA, have a very positive effect on your inflammatory response. Through several mechanisms, they regulate your body's inflammation cycle, which prevents and relieves painful conditions like arthritis.

Cardiovascular Health: Work wonders for your heart and the miles and miles of arteries and veins that make up your cardiovascular system. They help to lower cholesterol, triglycerides, LDLs and blood pressure, while at the same time increasing good HDL cholesterol.


Protection from Stroke and Heart Attack: When plaque builds up on arterial walls and then breaks loose, it causes what's known as a thrombosis, which is a fancy way of saying clot. Omega 3 fatty acids break up clots before they can cause damage.

Better Brain Function and Higher Intelligence: Pregnant and nursing mothers can have a great impact on the intelligence and happiness of their babies. For adults, omega 3 improves memory, recall, reasoning and focus.

Less Depression and Psychosis: Omega 3 fish oil supplements "alleviate" the symptoms of depression, bipolar and psychosis.

Lower Incidence of Childhood Disorders: Children (and adults) with ADD and ADHD experience a greatly improved quality of life. And those with dyslexia, dyspraxia and compulsive disorders have gotten a new lease on life.

Reduction of Breast, Colon and Prostate Cancer: Shown to help prevent three of the most common forms of cancer – breast, colon and prostate. They stop the alteration from a normal healthy cell to a cancerous mass, inhibiting unwanted cellular growth and causing apoptosis, or cellular death, of cancer cells.