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Omega
3 May Be The Buzz Word But All Fish Are
Not Created Equal! The Truth About Fish Oil Capsules
Author: ©Lois Smithers
Europe
and all our neighbors on the other side of the pond have been
well aware for decades, perhaps centuries, making fish an every
day staple was keeping them a lot healthier. As American researchers
began to catch up about five years ago, and doctors began telling
their patients to take Omega 3, fish oil supplements sprang up
on shelves from Walgreens to Costco. As we perused the shelves,
often grabbing the first one thinking they were all equal, for
the best price of course (I love those good deals, too), took
them home feeling proud we took an active role in our health.
I
tried so many knowing it would help with painful inflammation,
bring blood pressure down, lower cholesterol, recommended by the
American Heart Association for a healthier heart, the list of
why we ought to take fish oil is endless. But the indigestion
from every one was more than I could bear and benefits not coming
through. I would ask my doctor which one, what brand and he said
he didn't know, just take one daily.
I
tried all priced fish oil, from inexpensive to most expensive,
until one day a capsule got squashed on my kitchen counter and
the odor had me fleeing the kitchen. The smell was so overpowering,
determined to get to the truth and my search began in earnest.
I
looked at labels on the bottles in my cabinet. I had blended fish
oil, cod liver oil, EFA blend capsules, balanced essential fatty
acids, and as I began to research, soon realized the source of
fish was the most important. It had to be a fatty fish and if
it wasn't fatty, specifically, salmon, sardines, tuna or mackerel,
it wasn't going to help. Neither blended, cod nor white fish fit
the bill. Cod is a lean fish, blended is just that, a mixture.
While all those fish are good for us, it is the EPA and DHA from
fatty fish that hold healing properties we are looking for. And
that is today's textbook science.
Then
I began to ask those manufacturers about their fish source, lab
and purification process. A few I reached by phone, and in some
cases, no one replied. Of those who did respond, much to my chagrin,
replies were a bit nebulous. Most contracted out to fish oil suppliers
from a number of different sources. Yet their labels said, "pharmaceutically
licensed laboratory." Licensed where? Somewhere in Europe
was the most often heard reply.
Well
here's what I learned. If that fish oil was truly distilled in
a pharmaceutical grade lab, using a molecular distillation process
there wouldn't be an odor causing you to run from the kitchen
or suffer indigestion. Remember the capsule that squashed on my
kitchen counter? It specifically said "distilled in a pharmaceutical
grade laboratory."
I
was on an airplane the other day and of all things, sat down next
to a fellow I graduated high school with 38 years ago and hadn't
seen since. With a long ride to Dallas, we talked about our lives,
health, and learned he just had a quadruple bypass. As our conversation
turned to fish oil, he said his wife was a trauma room physician
and he was presently taking the new prescription fish oil, OMACOR®,
prescribed by his cardiologist. He took out a capsule; we pricked
it, and had to flush it down the plane lavatory. He had been complaining
of indigestion every time he swallowed one and was told in a few
weeks he'd get used to it.
Check,
check and re-check the source of your fish oil. Prick it! If it
has any odor whatsoever, throw it out for it has not been properly
purified. There are miraculous healing benefits to be had but
remember, all fish are not created equal nor are all purification
processes what they say they are. Seems everyone has rushed in
jumping on this band wagon creating fish oil supplements with
few passing the prick test. But rest assured, there are some great
ones out there.
| About
the Author: Lois Smithers has spent years researching
Omega 3's and other sea-based health solutions. With Deb Morgan,
they own Sea-Based Health, LLC, focusing on the latest Omega
3 research and sea-based solutions for today's challenging
health issues. Omega 3 Health Tips Newsletter http://seabasedhealth.com |
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