Have I told you how stellar my blood panel was? Not to brag, but…

I did have exceptional cholesterol and triglyceride levels–you know, the stuff that’s supposed to predict the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. But how can that be? I salt everything; I eat red meat three time a week. Shouldn’t I be the MI poster-boy?

Not necessarily. I exercise regularly and take lots of essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs are essential nutrients–that is, they are not produced in the body–so they must be obtained in the diet, or through a supplement. There are two classes of EFAs–omega 3s and omega 6s. We get plenty of omega 6 fatty acids in the typical Western diet. It’s the omega 3 variety that most of us are lacking. You’ll find omega 3 fatty acids, naturally, in fish; but you can also get them from a good EFA supplement (ask me, I carry the best).

Without going into the long list of benefits (you can catch them, here, in the following article), EFAs are important for cells, blood vessels, the brain, the skin, and many, many other tissues, organs, and processes. I’ve been pushing these babies for years. And I’ll keep pushing them here: If you aren’t taking omega 3 fatty acids regularly, what the heck are you waiting for?

Listen to this: According to this recent study, fish oil capsules do an equally good job of enriching the blood and other body tissues with healthy omega 3 fatty acids as fresh fish does. Wow! Get it? You can do just as well with fish oil capsules as you can with gulping down the fishy stuff. Not a big deal for sushi lovers; but for someone like me, who can’t stomach the taste of fish…well, it’s nothing short of extraordinary.

Let me reiterate. You’ve gotta get proper amounts of omega three fatty acids in your body. By doing so, you will do wonders in reducing your risk of heart disease. Trust me, it’ll show in your chem panel over time. However, exercise plays a big part, too; so you’d better get the fever for it, real soon. Omega three fatty acids plus exercise equals good heart health–enough to give you bragging rights.