Earlier this year I had a wake-up call where my health was concerned. Not a diagnosis or any sort of illness thankfully - it was one of those things you get yourself tested for that you think "I can't be deficient in that, surely...?"
In the same way that people get their cholesterol levels tested, I had my omega-3 index tested as part of the Seven Seas #TrueAge campaign. I wrote a "before" post back in June just after I'd started a trial to see if I could improve my omega-3 index. And oh BOY did it need improving.Just to recap:
Omega-3, the much-discussed essential fatty acid found in oily fish, helps you to maintain good health as you get older. Its main benefits are to the heart, vision and the brain. The university professor who tested my blood sample explains the reasons for testing your omega-3 index:
"The omega-3 fatty acid content of red blood cells (the fatty acids are in the membrane of the cells) is considered to be a good indicator of how much omega-3s are being eaten. The omega-3s of greatest interest are EPA and DHA.
"A higher intake of EPA and DHA, and so a greater content in red blood cells, is linked with better health, including heart health. This is because the amount of EPA and DHA in red blood cells mirrors the amount in tissues like the heart. Researchers have defined the omega-3 index as the combined amounts of EPA plus DHA in red blood cells and suggest that this index be used as an indicator of heart health, just like blood cholesterol or blood pressure might be used."
So you can understand my desire to improve my index if it turned out to be a bit low. Which it did...
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