Joar Opheim, came to the U.S. from Norway to work on his MBA in 1995. He was a gymnast and had been taking fish oil to help combat the signs of inflammation. Joar was surprised to not find the quality fish oil like he was accustomed to from his homeland. He founded Nordic Naturals, which has been making quality fish oil products that are high in omega-3’s (“essential fatty acids”) over the last 20 years.
Omega-3’s are “essential” for good health, but they are not made by the body. Omega-3 essential fatty acids allow our cells to function properly and maintain optimal health. Our diet is often considered high in omega-6s, which can be found in refined vegetable oils like soy, canola and corn; processed foods; and meats from animals raised on soy and corn instead of grass. Our diet is often low in omega-3 and you need to have a balance between both the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. On a side note, you can be tested to see if you are deficient in omega-3 with an at home test kit. The tests range from around $100-175.
Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids decrease risk of arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats), which can lead to sudden death. Omega-3 fatty acids also decrease triglyceride levels, slow growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque, and lower blood pressure (slightly). – American Heart Association
February is National Heart Health Month and that hits home for me with heart disease being noted in my family history and also my spouse’s. Did you know that more than 610,000 people die each year in the US alone from heart disease? That is scary. That means that one in every four deaths is due to heart disease, making it the leading cause of death in both men and women.
The American Heart Association recommends two servings of fish per week to reduce the likelihood of heart disease. This is a minimum of 500 mg of EPA+DHA per day. If you are already deficient or have specific health concerns, the minimum is increased to 2-4 grams per day.
I have been trying Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega 2X over the last few weeks. The soft gels are large in size, but are easy to take. They are naturally flavored with lemon so there are no embarrassing fish burps. The two soft gels provide me with 2150 mg of total Omega-3 per day.
The other product I have been using is the Nordic Naturals CoQ10 Ubiquinol. Daily intake for this product is one softgel per day and it is equal to 100 mg of CoQ10, which is known to neutralize free radicals and our cells need it to produce energy. Nordic Naturals CoQ10 Ubiquinol also contains 1280 mg of total omega-3s.
I also received The Complete Mediterranean Diet by Michael Ozner, MD. This book comes with several tasty recipes since this diet or I would almost consider lifestyle, focuses on whole, non-processed foods. It’s a paperback and it is huge!
Dr. Ozner recommends using low-calorie baking sweeteners in some recipes. These are refined sugar substitutes. It does not give a product name, but if he is eluding to artificial sweeteners like sucrose, I would rather take the calories and use regular sugar.
Nordic Naturals, the #1 selling fish oil in the U.S.. understands the importance of combining fish oil supplementation with a diet full of nutrient dense food, such as the Mediterranean diet. An active lifestyle is also very important in supporting optimal heart health. Nordic Naturals makes a variety of supplements that contain a number of pure, fresh, high quality omega-3 formulations that support cardiovascular health.
Savings on Nordic Naturals
Use code HEART16 to get 15% discount on all phone and web orders plus free shipping on all orders over $25. This code expires 5/01/16.
Giveaway:
This giveaway is open to residents of the USA only. The winner will receiving the following prize pack: a bottle of Ultimate Omega 2X and CoQ10 Ubiquinol, and The Complete Mediterranean Diet a book by Dr Ozner. Please enter with the Rafflecopter form below.
Disclosure: I received product samples from Nordic Naturals and the book, The Complete Mediterranean Diet for this post.
