HR Girl and I had a chat today about sardines.
Well, actually it started out as a chat about Omega-3 Fatty Acid and ended up as a longer-than-you'd-think-possible conversation about sardines. (I've never tried them ... and have no plans to. She likes 'em with Triscuits.)
Apparently, none of us get enough Omega-3 and, like Vitamin D, it's easy to pop a couple of supplements and call it good.
So, I did a little research. What good does Omega-3 do? Where do you get it? And how much is enough?
WebMD says Omega-3 Fatty Acid can lower triglyceride and blood pressure levels, decrease inflammation, and improve rheumatoid arthritis and depression. Which sounds good, right? It's found in fatty or oily fish ... like salmon, tuna, lake trout, herring and sardines. It's also in flaxseed, walnuts, olive oil. The recommendation is to eat 2-3 servings of fish a week.
None of us probably eat 2-3 servings of salmon or tuna a week. I could, I think. It would take a little planning and finagling. But I eat walnuts and olive oil, too, so the 3x per month I absolutely get is probably good. Or close enough.
And when push comes to shove, I'd rather use my food as my fuel. I'd rather get what I need from the "real" source vs. a supplement. The closer it is to its natural form, it seems, the better your body can process it or the more benefit you get from it. Mother Nature has this all figured out. We just have to pay attention.
What do you think? Do you use supplements? What and why? Do you notice a difference? Does your doctor recommend anything? Do you think you get enough from food?
Talk to me! Comment here or on the FB page.
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