Last time I talked about Omega Balance and how vital it is to different aspects of brain health.  A good Omega Balance is also crucial to heart health and in improving other inflammatory conditions. Below are my tips to make sure you get enough Omega 3 Fatty Acids and improve your overall Omega Balance.
 
If you’d like to take a look at your balance ask us about OmegaCheck blood testing. This looks at different omega 3 and 6 fats in your blood stream and some health relevant ratios of those levels. If you’re curious about your Brain Health and would like to work on it then take a look at our Brain Nutrient 360° Deal this month which includes an OmegaCheck.
 

1. Switch to 100% Grass Fed or Pasture Raised animal products. Factory farmed animal produce contains fewer omega 3 fatty acids and more omega 6s. A great place to start is with your eggs. Look for the words Pastured or Pasture Raised on the packaging to get the omega 3 benefits. The terms Cage Free and Free Range are not going to get you the quality you need. 
2. Eat fatty fish a few times a week. The stronger tasting, darker fish provide the highest omega 3 content. Here’s my article on eating fish safely. 
3. Take a high quality fish oil or cod liver oil. Xymogen’s Omega MonoPure is my favorite source. Vegetarians and vegans can use an algae based supplement like this one Xymogen’s DHA from Algae for a source of omega 3s. You’ll need a referral code to purchase so if you’d like to find out if one of these is a fit for you then let me know. 
4. You can certainly include other non-animal sources of omega 3 fatty acids like chia, flax, hemp and walnuts in your diet but know that they carry fewer health benefits. The body has to convert the ALA (alpha linolenic acid) omega 3 fats in these to the more beneficial DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). Conversion rates can be extremely low depending on which type of genetic variations (gene SNPs) you carry.
5. Eliminate these high omega 6, highly processed industrial seed oils from your diet: Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soy Bean Oil, and Vegetable Oil. These are likely rancid anyway having been exposed to high heat and pressure during processing and sitting in clear plastic bottles on the shelf for who knows how long!

Here is a guest blog from our Women, Wine & Wellness - Lowry speaker for March, Brenda Burke.

​Many people wonder if Social Security will be there or not when they are about to retire.  As a trusted advisor I can’t tell you for sure, I don’t have the crystal ball we all wish we had, however I can tell you I do believe it will be there for you.   I can’t imagine any politician would go ahead and cut out our social security we had paid in.  They may change the plan for future income earners however for those of us, especially those of us who had paid in social security for many years, I feel confident we can include it in our retirement planning. 
 
Social Security plays an especially important role in providing security for us women. Over the past 10 years, *“more women work, pay Social Security taxes, and earn credit toward monthly retirement income than at any other time in our nation’s history.” These days, as women we face many more challenges than our parents or grandparents did.

• *”We tend to live longer than men. A woman who is 65 years old today can expect to live, on average, until about 87, while a 65-year-old man can expect to live, on average, until about 84”; We are certainly living longer than previous generations and this could pose a few problems if we hadn’t saved properly.  Do we have enough for long term care and in home assistance?  Did we set aside enough to have a steady income?   Social Security certainly helps but will it be enough? 
• Since many companies no longer offer pensions, we may reach retirement with less to work with.   Are you prepared for taxes due on any withdrawals you make?  Is there a strategy in place to help with that?

Social Security offers a simplified level of protection to all women. As you likely realize, when you work, you pay taxes into the Social Security system, providing for your own benefits. In addition, your spouse’s earnings can give you Social Security coverage as well. Women who don’t work are often covered through their spouses’ work. Did you know when a spouse retires, becomes disabled, or dies, women can receive their spouses benefits?

You can get a social security statement online. This is a helpful tool to help you plan a secure financial future, and I recommend that you look at it each year. You can discover how much you will be receiving.  Your statement provides a record of your earnings and equally as important, you can also check for errors that may show up.   On occasion a particular year could show the wrong amount you earned in that year.    
 
Additional important facts you should know.   *”If your spouse dies, you can get widow’s benefits if you’re age 60 or older. If you have a disability, you can get widow’s benefits as early as age 50. Your benefit amount will depend on your age and on the amount your deceased spouse was entitled to at the time of his or her death. If your spouse was already receiving reduced benefits, your survivor benefit will be based on that amount.”

*”You may be eligible for widow’s benefits and Medicare before age 65 if you have a disability and are entitled to benefits. You also may be eligible for benefits if you are caring for a child who is younger than 16.”

Finally, here is the website information so that you could register and check your statements.   www.ssa.gov

When I work with my clients, I always ask if they wish to include their social security benefits as part of their plan.  Most often we do, if not, any social security benefits could be looked at as “icing on the cake”.  It’s up to you as to how you wish to look at it.  

*quotes from www.ssa.gov

Contact Brenda Burke:
www.newyorklifecolorado.com | ​bburke02@ft.newyorklife.com | 303-909-1547

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats, which means that even though your body needs them, it is not able to make them. It must get them from the foods and supplements that you eat.
 
Why does the body need omega 3s?
Omega 3s play important roles in the body as part of the structure of cell membranes. DHA, in particular, is especially high in the retina, brain, and sperm. In addition, omega 3s (along with omega 6s) provide energy for the body and are used to form eicosanoids. Eicosanoids are hormone-like signaling molecules; they have wide ranging functions in the body’s cardiovascular, pulmonary, immune, and endocrine systems. Omega 3s and omega 6s compete for the synthesis of eicosanoids, with the omega 3 based eicosanoids having more anti-inflammatory activity versus the more pro-inflammatory omega 6 based eicosanoids.
 
It is estimated that a whopping 70% of Americans have insufficient levels of omega 3 fatty acids and typically an abundance of omega 6s. No wonder the population suffers from widespread, inflammatory, chronic health conditions! Nevertheless, it is not something that is typically tested by your doctor. We find an OmegaCheck Blood Test to be a valuable tool in addition to our testing of other nutrient levels to help us support your health. 
 
How do omega 3s impact brain health?
Our brain cell membranes go through a deterioration process as we age, and this plays a role in the development of memory loss and cognitive decline.  Omega 3 fatty acids are key in protecting against this decline and increasing gray matter brain volume.  Their anti-inflammatory actions improve blood flow to specific areas of the brain and can help with scores on cognitive tests, problem-solving and memory.
 
Depression and anxiety are impacted and caused by many different factors. Nutritional deficiencies and imbalances play a role in a person’s vulnerability to mood disorders. Increasing the intake of Omega 3s is an important support because Omega 3s facilitate proper messaging between nerve cells, as well as a reduction in inflammatory chemicals that have been linked to depression.
 
Brain injuries contribute to approximately 30% of all injury deaths in the United States, and those who survive these injuries can suffer their impact for the rest of their lives. Traumatic brain injuries are a result of a blow to the head that damages brain cells and can lead to symptoms ranging from confusion and impaired thinking to loss of sensation, memory, movement, and even to mood disorders and personality changes. Omega-3 fatty acids can provide valuable protection against inflammation and support regeneration of damaged neural cells. Similar benefits are available to those who have suffered strokes.
 
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