Massachusetts First

An essential supplement for health and wellbeing

Why do I need Omega 3 fatty acids?  Because EVERY CELL in the body relies on Omega 3 fatty acids!

Fish Oil has EFA (Essential Fatty Acid). When reading the nutritional information on a supplement bottle, you might see it broken down into EFA, DHA, and EPA amounts.

DHA and EPA are sub-components of EFA. 

• DHA is very calming to the nervous system. Hyperactive or stressed-out people often benefit from taking a supplement with a higher DHA.
• EPA is great for injury repair and joint pain.

Examples:

Of course, the combination of EPA and DHA is great because you get a bit of both in these examples. You can’t lose!

I love my fish oils!  But be careful; quality is crucial.  A gel supplement is less likely to go rancid because no oxygen can foul the oil. But if you buy large quantities, you must store them in a cool, dry place in small bottles, or they may go rancid.  Eating rancid oil is no different than eating rancid meat. It will take you down quickly! 

How do I know if my fish oil has gone bad?  Take a whiff. It should smell like the product it came from, but not too strong. (For example, it should smell like fish but not too fishy). Is it hard to inhale?  Does your body reject the smell? Does it smell like a dead animal?   Don’t chance rancid!

To avoid spoilage, I highly recommend oils be bought in small batches and stored in small bottles—including high-quality supplements in airtight, soft gel form.  Always check the expiration date and discard any old bottles. This is the one item to ABSOLUTELY adhere to the expiration date!

By Mad Hatter

---

The opinions in this article are not medical advice.