Fish Oil

by: Dr. Randy Wysong

Omega 3 Capsules

The research in support of dietary omega-3 fatty acids (such as in fish oils) continues to flood the scientific literature. This is perfectly predictable given our genetic roots. In the wild, eating natural raw foods, we would be consuming large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids daily. But today, on processed, grain-based diets, we get little.

Instead, we have dramatically increased the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids. Although these too are essential in the diet, their excess results in a pro-inflammatory response that lies at the base of a mix of modern degenerative diseases such as arthritis, autoimmunities and heart disease. The natural diet should have a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 of about 1:1, but today is more like 20 or 30 to 1! See a problem?

Certain fish, algae, some vegetables, grass-fed meats, wild meats, high omega-3 eggs, seeds such as flax and supplements help. Variety is always important. Any food may contain toxins, so varying the diet gives the body an opportunity to detoxify.

For example, fish can contain the toxins methyl mercury and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), both by-products of our industrial age that gravitate into water. These are lipophilic (fat loving) and thus are present in fish oils and then tend to accumulate in our fat depots when consumed. This is a consideration for dieters since the lipophilic toxins in fat stores that are being rapidly melted away can flood the body, potentially creating a toxic shock. (Not an excuse to not lose weight here, just a caution on radical weight loss or repeated yo-yo dieting.)

This is also of particular concern for pregnant and nursing moms since these toxins can transfer to and accumulate in the fetus, increasing the risk of abnormalities, disease and weakness.

Increasing the amount of omega-3s is not easy and requires a purposeful shift in dietary habits. Official dietary agencies are recommending about 0.65g/day of omega-3s (EPA, DHA) for pregnant and lactating women, and about 1g for people with cardiovascular risk. (These are conservative. In the wild we would naturally consume much more.) To obtain the 1g/day level, 210g of canned light tuna in oil would need to be consumed or about 50g of farmed Atlantic Salmon. Fish type is important, with the cold-water species having the highest concentrations of omega-3s.

Other fish such as tilefish, swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tuna steaks increase the risk of mercury exposure. One can estimate that PCB intake parallels fish consumption.

Omega-3 dietary supplements vary widely in omega-3 content, ranging from 50% to 150% of label claims. Supplements can as well contain mercury and PCBs. Omega-3s are very fragile and can easily convert to toxins themselves when exposed to heat, light, air and water so supplements should be chosen carefully and stored properly.

My feeling is the risk from the toxins is less than the risk of not increasing omega-3s in the diet. For example, the concentration of PCBs in supplements ranges from 2% to 43% of recommended safe levels. If fish are eaten as the main source of omega-3s, variety is what will decrease the risk.

The wise course is to follow the Optimal Health Programâ„¢, which will help you return to your dietary roots, including, wild-type foods, raw and fresh as much as possible and appropriately designed supplements. Shop for high omega-3 food options and keep your intake of antioxidants high to protect these fragile oils when they are consumed. Supplements should be chosen carefully, be oxidant protected, properly packaged in light- and oxygen-barrier packaging, and kept frozen until consumed.

In the end, omega-3s are not a new scientific discovery. They are just part of the diet we are genetically programmed to eat. If we had not veered from that design in our eating habits, the omega-3 “discovery” would be meaningless. This is yet another lesson that paying attention to our natural design provides the best hope for prevention and optimal health.

*Further Reading: [The Wysong Optimal Health Programâ„¢] http://www.wysong.net/optimal_health_page1.shtml

Dr. Wysong is a former veterinary clinician and surgeon, college instructor in human anatomy, physiology and the origin of life, inventor of numerous medical, surgical, nutritional, athletic and fitness products and devices, research director for the present company by his name and founder of the philanthropic Wysong Institute. He is author of The Creation-Evolution Controversy now in its eleventh printing, a new two volume set on philosophy for living entitled Thinking Matters: 1-Living Life… As If Thinking Matters; 2-The Big Questions…As If Thinking Matters, several books on nutrition, prevention and health for people and animals and over 18 years of monthly health newsletters. He may be contacted at Wysong@Wysong.net and a free subscription to his e-Health Letter is available at http://www.wysong.net. Also check out http://www.cerealwysong.com

What Makes Heart Health™ Essential Omega III Fish Oil with Vitamin E Unique?

Heart Health Essential Omega III with Vitamin E is a superior product due to a number of factors. The best fish are used to produce a clean and safe product that is rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). It also contains 3000mg of fish oil where most other commercial products contain a third of the total fish oil contained in Heart Health Essential Omega III. Heart Health Essential Omega III comes from small fish where other competitive products use large fish which are more likely to accumulate toxins. Heart Health Essential Omega III provides a high quality, high purity product with significant percentages of the health promoting EPA and DHA.

The fish oil in Heart Health Essential Omega III with Vitamin E comes from sardines and anchovies harvested off the coast of Peru. Not only do anchovies and sardines have a high omega-3 content, they also have high percentages of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Anchovies and sardines have a short lifecycle making them an ideal source of fish oil because they are less prone to accumulating environmental toxins that can be found in larger, longer-lived fish. Contaminants are generally extremely low in sardines and anchovies even before they go through an intense purification process. Every batch of fish oil is hand selected and tested prior to processing by our manufacturer and must pass more than 200 quality checks during the production process.

Recent research has shown that that fish oil may be beneficial in supporting cognitive function by helping the body manage stress and enhance mood. It may also promote a healthy complexion. In an article published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the effects of omega-3 fish oil supplementation was shown to be beneficial for healthy cognitive and cardiac functioning. The study shows that supplementing with fish oil daily can rapidly raise the levels of EPA and DHA in cardiac tissue. This is important because both EPA and DHA have been proven to help maintain normal plasma triglycerides. In addition, DHA has been shown to help maintain blood pressure and blood viscosity. This study also showed an inverse relationship between EPA/DHA and arachidonic acid (AA), an omega-6 fatty acid. As EPA and DHA increased in atrial (heart tissue) phospholipids, AA decreased.

Heart Health™ Essential Omega III Fish Oil with Vitamin E provides the three grams of omega III that studies reveal is the most effective amount to promote overall cardiovascular health. Fish oils have been clinically demonstrated to provide a host of benefits that successfully promote cardiovascular health. Essential Omega III Fish Oil helps maintain normal cholesterol and triglyceride levels, promotes healthy blood pressure levels, helps maintain healthy levels of C-reactive protein, helps maintain normal blood flow and helps enhance mood. The fish oil used in Essential Omega III is tested twice, once from the manufacturer and then by an independent testing company for mercury, lead, PCB and other heavy metals. Both tests confirmed that Heart Health Essential Omega III Fish Oil is free of mercury, lead, PCPs and other heavy metals. We only use fish oil that meets or exceeds standards set by Canada (CFIA), the European Union (EU) and the United States (CRN).

Poor cardiovascular health is one of the leading causes of death and illness in the United States, accounting for one out of every two deaths in both men and women. Poor cardiovascular health is becoming a worldwide epidemic. An unhealthy diet of processed, high-calorie, high-fat foods, pollution, smoking and sedentary lifestyles all contribute to poor heart health. Not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, exercising regularly and taking the right supplements can all contribute to promoting good cardiovascular health. Clinical trials have shown that supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish oil) may help to maintain normal levels of triglycerides and cholesterol, support healthy blood pressure and promote normal platelet activity.

Isotonix OPC-3 – is the only Isotonic capable Pycnogenol^® found in the market today.

Isotonix OPC-3^® is an isotonic-capable food supplement that is made from a combination of bilberry, grape seed, red wine, pine bark extracts and citrus extract bioflavonoids, all found to be potent antioxidants. Oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) are bioflavonoids (complex organic plant compounds) found in fruits, vegetables and certain tree barks that provide exceptional nutritional benefits to the human body. Studies have shown OPCs to be up to 20 times more powerful than vitamin C and 50 times more powerful than vitamin E in neutralizing free radicals. Isotonix OPC-3 contains the only isotonic form of Pycnogenol^® in the world. Pycnogenol is a natural plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree, and the most clinically researched and potent bioflavonoid.

Isotonic, which means “same pressure,” bears the same chemical resemblance of the body’s blood, plasma and tears. All fluids in the body have a certain concentration, referred to as osmotic pressure. The body’s common osmotic pressure, which is isotonic, allows a consistent maintenance of body tissues. In order for a substance to be absorbed and used in the body’s metabolism, it must be transported in an isotonic state.

Isotonix^® dietary supplements are delivered in an isotonic solution. This means that the body has less work to do to in obtaining maximum absorption. The isotonic state of the suspension allows nutrients to pass directly into the small intestine and be rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. With Isotonix products, little nutritive value is lost, making the absorption of nutrients highly efficient while delivering maximum results.