If I Had to Choose Just One Supplement to Give My Family, It Would be This One

Taking fish oil to supplement my diet was one of the very first things I did when I first started learning about real food and a natural approach to health over a decade ago ago – right around the time I finally liberated bacon and butter from their undeserved shunning. (Hallelujah and Amen.)

Although fish oil was the first supplement to win me over, it soon became the first of many. Understandably, with my deep dive into the world of whole foods and natural health came a very long and expensive list of changes I wanted to make in my buying habits. Fewer $1 boxes of mac and cheese, and more fresh produce and quality ingredients to make food from scratch. Less cheap white bread and chicken nuggets with filler, and more alternative grain options and local, grass-fed meats.

And of course – a growing list of well-rationalized natural supplements for various minor health issues that we were experiencing.

But we, like many other families, were on a tight budget. A very, VERY tight budget at times. And we still are today, as we work hard to pay off the debt we accumulated during those lean years of flight training for my hubs.

So finally, growing frustrated by the never-ending demands of healthy living, I decided to get back to the basics. Unprocessed food as much as possible, and very few, select supplements.

Today, after years of experience in this natural living world, if I had to pick just one supplement to buy for my family, it would absolutely be fish oil, without a doubt.

The scientifically proven truth is that the omega-3 fatty acids that fish oil provides are absolutely crucial to our overall health. Unfortunately, the majority of us are deficient in them thanks to our modern diets high in industrial oils (vegetable oil, canola, soybean oil, etc.) and low in sustainable seafood, which is the primary source of omega- 3’s.

Natural health proponents and western Western medicine alike now recommend fish oil for improved health. Hurray for healthy fats and nourishing our bodies with things that make sense, right?

What Does Fish Oil Do, Exactly?

Lots! The amazing benefits of fish oil are just too amazing to ignore. Fish oil is a significant source of both EPA and DHA – two fatty acids that are vital to a multitude of bodily functions.

Among other functions, EPA is extremely important to hormonal health in particular, while DHA is required for proper brain function, as well as nervous system function.

I find it fascinating that fish oil was once a standard supplement in traditional European cultures. It has since seen a drastic fall in popularity in favour of our highly processed food culture, deficient in essential nutrients and plentiful in disease and bad health.

I for one am grateful to the companies like Nordic Naturals (one of our family’s fish oil favourites for quality and affordability) that continue to spread this vital information.

Nordic Naturals manufactures a fresh and pure omega-3 fish oil that is backed by solid science and a passion for strong health. They’re committed to quality, purity, and efficacy – the three most important factors in deciding which supplements to buy for your family.

(You can order Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega fish oil capsules on amazon here for a good price. They also have a liquid available that works out even cheaper.)

Here are some of the top benefits that fish oil provides:

Supports joint and muscle health
Supports gut health
Supports healthy brain function
Supports healthy hair, skin, and nails
Supports positive moods
Supports heart health

It’s no coincidence that the above-listed issues are extremely common complaints among our population today, yet traditional ways of eating (unprocessed, real food) and supplementing (like fish oil) have taken a dive.

Does it Taste Gross?

On its own, taken plain, it would taste fishy and oily. And rightly so! If the plain, unflavoured product tasted sweet and delicious, I would probably be suspicious. I might say that sounds rather fishy. (pun 100% intended.)

Food isn’t supposed to be neon in colour, your breakfast wasn’t meant to be shaped like cartoon characters, and fish don’t come out of the ocean tasting like candy. These are all rather immutable truths, I say. (Though the processed food industry would inevitably disagree.)

I generally prefer my food to be as unprocessed as possible, which means that fish oil will taste… like fish.

But wait! Don’t despair yet…

If you enjoy the straight up, unflavoured fish oil (like my weirdo children who beg me for it), then you go right on ahead with your bad self, and rock those weird tastebuds of yours.

For the rest of us normal people (who don’t salivate at the thought of fish-flavoured oil), thankfully, there are options. Excellent ones, even!

My personal preference is the capsules, but my kids love the flavoured options so much that they actually beg me for their daily dose. Not kidding. (I actually think that their little bodies intuitively know that it’s what they need!)

Who Should Take It?

The benefits of fish oil are so diverse and holistic that I recommend it for the whole family. It’s especially important for couples looking to conceive, children, the elderly, and anyone facing any issues related to the above list of benefits (ie. cardiovascular health, gut health, joint and muscles, etc.) So in other words – everyone!

As I guide my family back to vibrant health and wellness (and a debt-free life!) I will continue to provide our best and most valiant attempt at an unprocessed and healthy overall diet, along with a daily dose of fish oil.