While Evan takes his fish oil religiously, I am off and on with it just as I am the Zone! I have decided that the reason behind my fickleness must be because I don't really understand why it is good for me and what it is doing in my body. So, I have done a little research to send you in the right direction if you are in the same boat as I. Please add to the understanding of this topic if you can!
If you are interested in
1.loosing body fat
2.increasing good HDL cholesterol
3.lower triglycerides (bad cholestrol)
4.lower blood pressure- reducing risk of blood clots
5.reducing silent inflammation
6.reducing the risk of Alheimers or Parkinsons disease
7.reducing carbohydrate cravings
then read on about Fish Oil and the benefits of Omega 3's! (the following articles are taken from the Official Zone Website)
Fish oil Plus Exercise May Banish Body Fat
Anti-Aging in a Bottle
Understanding and Rating Fish Oil
Another motivating reason to be consistent is that your cravings for carbs will diminish when you have the right level of good fats. This means that if I take my fish oil, then my sugar, and specifically, chocolate cravings will subside!
Fish oil reduces carb cravings
Just in case you read the above article about reducing carb cravings and have wondered about the Atkins diet, I have done the it before, and found that it was a good way to loose weight initially, and then it actually adds back in healthy carbs (ie fruits and veggies). I personally believe that it gained undue criticism when actually it is a great way to kick start weightloss and teach people how to eat well. It promotes protein, fats, and heathy carbs. I do not recall how it differs from the Zone except that the Zone does not work in stages and the Zone measures portion sizes.
The following link is a great tool to figure out how much fish oil you need to take:
Fish Oil Calculator
With GNC's Triple Strength brand, I need 12 capsules a day. With the grocery store's Sundown brand, I need 36 a day! Quality does matter! They now have fish oil that is bottled so that you pour it in a spoon. It is even lemon flavored! This seems ideal- less processed.
So, start taking fish oil everyday. It sounds like your body will thank you!
About this blog
In other words, the Zone + Crossfit = Optimal Heath!
This blog focuses on nutrition, using the Zone Diet as the basis. However, I often eat Paleo foods in Zone proportions.
I love to investigate anything having to do with food- what we eat and why. And what happens within our bodies, our organs, our brain, when we do? My precious mother struggled with eating disorders. I want to avoid this delimma based on research, common sense, and the natural consequences on my body. The Zone shows me where the balance lies between eating too much and eating too little.
My husband runs a Crossfit gym. Exercise and choosing the right foods have become a mission for ourselves and our children. We don't want to be nerds about it, we just want to be healthy.
I have been asked by several friends what I feed our family, especially our kids. My husband and I follow the Crossfit prescription to nutrition (meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar). If you know me, you know that the sugar part of this equation will be a life long struggle given my love for chocolate! Evan adheres to the stricter version known as the Paleo-Zone diet (and I do on my good days!) which requires the same foods in a ratio of 40% protein, 30% carb, and 30% fat. Children require 50% carbs, 30% fat, and 20% protein. If you're wondering how to figure this out, I do it on a per meal basis and I have a "block" chart from the Zone website.
It seems like a headache at first, but if you're interested, just know that it is not that bad once you practice it for a couple of weeks. All you need is a $10 scale and some determination. It really is quite simple and makes my life easier at the grocery store and when cooking dinner. Most of all, I feel great when I eat well- mentally and physically, and we all know that the physical can affect the mental and visa versa!
Evan and I are hunter/gatherer wanna-be's! This blog will track my journey of health as it should be, and the honest reality of living in a sugar fried culture. When it comes down to it, I get excited to talk about nutrition, but I am definitely not perfect at it! If you have the desire to eat well, but it is often a challenge to overcome the temptations along the way, then you are in the right company!
I hope you leave this blog feeling enlightened and encouraged as you go throughout your day!
Attempted giving my kids liquid fermented cod liver oil a few weeks back. Hilarious results included screaming, gagging and throwing up. Thankfully I had taken them outside (they didn't know why, I did) and all spitting happened in the grass instead of in the living room. We are switching to caplets. :) Good luck with your fish oil journey!
ReplyDeleteThat's hilarious! I gave my kids the lemon flavored fish oil and they swallowed, but not without a funny face and telling me that they did not like it! Awe, good to hear from you! I miss the olden days!
ReplyDeleteJust discovered your blog! It's been great to read and will be a great help when we officially transition to the Zone diet here. I take Neptune Krill Oil. I started taking it with five other supplements to help regulate my hormones and it has been amazing. I thought some of the other things were the more important and went without the Krill Oil for a while recently only to discover that the mood swings came back. I'm definitely on it for good this time and we're about to put the rest of the family on it as well.
ReplyDeleteWOW! What a great testimony to fish oil! Question: what led you to Krill as opposed to cod or regular fish oil? Let me know how it goes with your kids!
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