I’m a big fan of Hammer Nutrition products, and one of the biggest benefits you get as a purchaser is a free subscription to their highly informative newsletter, Endurance News.
One of the more noteworthy articles in the November 2009 issue is “Off-Season Supplement Suggestions.” Hammer mostly uses the piece as a forum for recommending their own products (which I both expect and respect), but I was quite pleased to see them recommend a fish oil supplement. In fact, fish oil is the only non-Hammer supplement on the list. Per the article:
For general health purposes, fish oils provide one of the absolute defenses against cardiovascular disease. For example, an ever-growing body of research suggests that athlerosclerosis, angina, heart attack, arrhythmias, stroke, and congestive heart failure may be prevented with the consumption of fish oils. Fish oils help to reduce blood pressure, maintain arterial wall elasticity, and prevent blood clotting… they really are the heart’s “best friend.”
Research shows that fish oils have a positive influence on brain function and mood, including the alleviation of anxiety, insomnia, and other symptoms of depression. In addition, Omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil have been shown to provide impressive anti-inflammatory benefits by reducing specific proinflammatory cytokines and Series 2 prostaglandins, while increasing the level of anti-inflammatory Series 3 prostaglandins.
I’ve always been a huge proponent of fish oil as an essential supplement to our diets, and there are numerous references to it on this site. So I’m glad to see Hammer Nutrition taking such a strong stance on including it in an endurance athlete’s diet.
WELL KIDS… MY FRIEND NIKI WANTED TO GIVE THE LAKE ANOTHER TRY IN A BIKINI SWIM TODAY. WE ARRIVED AT 9 AM AND ALTHOUGH THE WINDS WERE STRONG FROM THE WEST, THE WALL WAS ROCKING WITH VERY LARGE SWELLS . WE STOPPED BACK AT 11 AM AND IT WAS WORSE SO WE TRIED AGAIN AT 1PM AND STILL THE WATER WAS TO DANGEROUS TO EVEN JUMP IN FOR A QUICK DIP ! NIKI WAS REALLY BUMMED OUT BUT PROMISED TO TRY AGAIN SOON.
I took a quick run out to Ladder #1 at around 2:30pm, and the lake had calmed down a bit. You could tell, though, where the big waves earlier in the day had been rolling in!