The number one over-the-counter supplement to take for physical, emotional and spiritual well-being has got to be fish oil. Modern nutritional science tells a magnificent tale about the wonders of fish oil. Fish oil has been shown to improve skin complexion, enhance good-mood levels, increase bone strength, decrease allergy symptoms, and help the body burn fat more efficiently. Scientists initially called fish oil “vitamin F,” (for fat) an old term that shouldn’t be lost.

Fish oil is essential, meaning it must be supplied by your diet. Cold water fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, halibut, and herring are the best food sources of fish oil. Most people need to take a fish oil supplement because eating fish four to five times per week may not be practical or affordable for most. Even if you did eat high amounts of fish, you would run the risk of overloading on toxins that come from the sea–fish quality is very questionable these days.

Fish oil is available in liquid and capsule form. Most people begin taking fish oil and suddenly stop because of the foul aftertaste. Luckily highly purified forms of fish oil are now available that are virtually tasteless and free from environmental pollutants. Physicians use fish oil to help combat a multitude of chronic conditions – type II diabetes, heart disease, depression, and arthritis –to name just a few.

A more powerful form of fish oil is now showing up on vitamin store shelves called krill oil. Krill, a type of marine shrimp abundant in the oceans, are packed with the two active ingredients found in fish oil –eicopentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In a landmark study krill oil was proven to work faster and more effectively compared to fish oil when treating menstrual discomforts associated with PMS.

Always remember to seek the advice of your doctor or pharmacist before taking any nutritional supplements, especially if you have a medical condition. One thing that angers me about pharmaceutical drugs is that they’ve managed to take precedent over Mother Nature. For example, if someone takes blood pressure medication they can not eat vitamin K or take a fish oil because these substances also thin the blood and the blood may become too thin. Why can’t the patient just take the fish oil and eat green leafy vegetables to lower their blood pressure? The cost is way less and there are zero side effects.