Omega 3 Fatty Acids–One of the Most Beneficial Supplements Available

That’s according to Men’s Health and the Abs Diet gang. It’s also the opinion was echoed by my CPT professor when I went back through training to get re-certified. And, it’s the opinion of many of our research institutes.

Seriously, the benefits (scientifically supported) are truly astounding. I’ve been taking fish oil for several years. I literally carry it with me in a small medicine vial in my purse and take it with each meal. To give you a quick education according to the editor’s in Men’s Health:

“There are three types: eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid, known respectively as EPA, DHA, and ALA. EPA and DHA, the omega 3 fatty acids that are most easily used by your body, are found in significant amounts only in marine life, particularly cold-water fish (because they carry more fat for insulation). ALA, on the other hand, is obtained from plant-derived foods, such as flaxseed, canola oil, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts. ” According to Bruce Holub, PhD., professor of nutritional sciences at U of Guelph, in Ontario, something to note is that “for ALA to provide any health benefits, your liver must convert it into EPA and DHA.”

What that means is with our ability to convert only 10-15%, we’d have to take in 6X the Omega 3’s from plant sources to equal 1 gram of Omega 3’s from fish. Things that make you go, “Hmmmm.”

For more information on the benefits of Omega 3’s:

University of Maryland Med Center Article

Wikipedia-Omega-3 Fatty Acid

Science Daily Article

Harvard Gazette Article

Fatty fish seems to be the link to long life in areas of high consumption. I’m glad it’s in my arsenal! Have you considered adding it to yours? I know a great place to start: iHealthChic- Fish Oil!

Have a wonderful weekend!

  In continuing my “favorite things”…this week’s sharing might come as a surprise—because it is the men’s magazine, “Men’s Health”! I actually subscribe to both Women’s Health and Men’s Health. Seriously- I do.  You’d think there would be a lot of overlap in content, but there isn’t.  I find Men’s Health informative, entertaining (the sex and gadget articles—you gotta love how men think!), and yes, then there are the pictures…But, seriously, I read it for the ARTICLES. (How funny does that sound?!) And what I really dig about the magazine (and website) are the workouts.  While I go to a gym (Lifetime Fitness) and have a mini gym at my house, I really like boot camp type of training—using your body as resistance– AND at-home workouts. I do them myself and like to include my kids when I train. Plus, many friends I work with don’t want to join a gym and I like being able to show them exercises they can easily do with their whole family, at home, with little or no equipment. Let me share a fun one I stumbled upon. I read about it on Men’s Fitness and then looked it up on YouTube. I recommend watching the video from the creators for form and instruction. You can modify it a lot of ways. Then, if you want to be entertained, you can watch a bunch of guys who filmed themselves attempting to do this workout in its entirety! Now, if you don’t have a chin up bar in a doorway or in the garage, just be creative in your modifications. You can use a resistance band wrapped around a pole to get your back.  And, if you want to start with a simpler workout until you get stronger, try this:20 Prisoner Squats, 20 Pushups, 10 Jumps, 10 Inverted Rows (alternate using a band or a towel and a partner!)20 Forward Lunges (10 reps per side)15 Close-grip Pushups, 5 Chin-ups or Inverted Rows (underhanded grip with band/partner or find a solid bar/bench you can use to pull yourself up)  

But seriously, in this age of texting abbreviations, acronyms DO serve a useful purpose!  Anyway,  I came across one I really liked, so I thought I would share it with you. It’s called the “L-I-V-E” formula and it came from the Dawna Markova book, “I Will Not Die an Unlived Life–Reclaiming Purpose & Passion ” So, here it is:

L is for love…what do you LOVE to do? Make a list and then be sure to DO it.

I is for inner gifts…what are your natural talents? What do others come to you for? And back to “L”- what makes you happy?  Go ahead, offer them to the world around you.    

V is for values…what’s REALLY important? How do you want to make YOUR mark in the world? What is your legacy? What do you want to be remembered for?

E is for environment…we have such a grand opportunity to make a difference in our world and the world for our children. Don’t kid yourself. EVERY little bit matters. But the way to make the grandest impact is to surround yourself with those people, places, things, and conditions that bring out the BEST in YOU. It will help your career, your happiness and your impact on our wonderful world.

Go ahead and try it. Dare ya.  L-I-V-E a little…or a lot!  And don’t forget to laugh along the way.

You’ve seen the articles, the research, etc. Eating organic definitely has its positives…along with a bigger piece of your paycheck! About 3/4 of traditionally grown produce show pesticides. But you don’t have to fork over your paycheck, just narrow your splurge to organic produce with soft skin or skin that you eat and save your $$ on foods that are usually free of pesticides due to their tougher, thicker outter layers. So go organic on apples, peaches, bell peppers, strawberries, pears and lettuce.  And go for conventionally grown bananas, kiwis, onions, mangoes (my personal fave!), pineapples and broccoli. How do you tell the difference? If you see a 5 digit number starting with 9, that means it is organic. A 4 digit number means conventional. And regardless of whether you purchase organic or conventional fruits and veggies, wash all of them with soap, water and a brush.

Then, to do triple duty–help the environment and your pocket book AND your body–shop nearby farmers’ markets which means less shipping, fresher produce, fewer greenhouse gases and lower costs.

On the dairy side, I personally opt for organic milks and free range eggs and meats in order to avoid antibiotics sometimes used and added hormones.  Is it worth it? You BETCHA!  

My mother returned back to Florida today. Her job was done. This time around. She always told me, “A mother’s job is never really done…” And once again, she’s right. My mother, the woman who taught me about being independent was independent far before it was cool or kosher to be so as a woman. Do you think she cared? Nah. Not one bit. Because she marched to her own beat, according to her values and let the world know what she thought along the way. You’ve got to admire that. Especially since she is now 76 so that means she was waaaaaaaaaay ahead of her time! My mother always wanted to finish school, so she went back to school in her 40’s and obtained a degree in nursing. She had stopped college years earlier when my father was sent to war in order to stay home and raise my brother. But once all of the kids were older, she went back to college, got her degree and worked at a local hospital for about 15 years. Of course, I am sure she never thought that she would end up using her nursing background to take care of my father during his tough battle with pancreatic cancer later in life. Nor did she expect to use it again to care for her youngest daughter during her leukemia battle (8 years remission this past May) or this past week when I needed to have surgery. I am so thankful to have her as my mother. I am so thankful for her love and guidance and advice (most of the time) over the years. And, while Mother’s Day has passed, I want to pay tribute to my mother, today. Mom, I love you. THANK you. You are the wind beneath my wings. The saying goes, “God gave me wings so that I could soar, but mom, you taught me how to fly.”