By Michelle Kruse

You’ve heard the buzz: get more omega-3 . These days, just about anything can be fortified with omega-3. But, how much do you really need and what type? There are different types of omega-3 fatty acids, and while they’re all healthy choices, not all omega-3 fats provide the same benefits to your body. DHA and EPA are omega-3 fats found in fish. DHA and EPA have been found to provide the most benefit to cardiovascular health. DHA and EPA may also play a role in brain health and DHA in particular may benefit fetal development and perinatal health and eye health. Benefits from plant-based omega-3, or ALA (Alpha Linolenic Acid), found in flaxseeds and walnuts, are not as great because the body converts only a small portion of ALA into DHA and EPA. Omega-3 enriched foods often contain small amounts of ALA only.

To read more about the benefits of different omega-3, download our article and get the facts!

By Michelle Kruse

In 2008, according to documents obtained by Sports Illustrated through a Freedom of Information Act request, the FDA received a variety of adverse health event reports from consumers using supplements. The bad reactions range from a man whose heart rate was stuck at 147 beats per minute (p. 39, PDF 1) for two hours after he took a product called Fireball Liquifusion, to a woman who experienced shortness of breath and shaky hands after using an energy and weight loss product that was sold to her out of the back room of a supplement store and that illegally contained ephedrine (p. 41, PDF 1). As noted in the FDA report, “this product appears to be readily available on the Internet.”

By Michelle Kruse

I’m over my disappointment from the marathon. I spent a week in Phoenix, AZ visiting family and friends and attending a great conference. The ADA subgroup, Sports Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition’s annual meeting was great for CardioTabs as well as for me to get some information about my nutritional needs-and hopefully resolve my cramping issues.

Now that the marathon is over, I’m focusing all my efforts on training for Ironman Kansas (70.3). I asked the advice of Sally Brown, RD of Ebodyfuel.com and Heather Fleming (nutritionist with conscious nutrition). Both think it’s possible that I’m not getting enough sodium and that my electrolyte replacement choice wasn’t good enough. I read so many papers about cardiovascular health and heart disease and follow that dietary advice pretty well. My dad had his first heart attack at 40, so salt has been missing from my diet for a LONG time. Since the majority of Americans get too much salt, who’d have thought I’d be getting too little? I’m a very salty sweater and I’m possibly not replacing enough of that salt lost during exercise.

I was told to try a mix of Cytomax and Carbopro for long workouts. I was also told to make sure I was consuming my CardioWhey within 30 minutes post-workout. Yes, even though I work for the company, I wasn’t following the advice perfectly. Doing this should aid in my recovery and help my muscles repair themselves between workouts, even help bolster a weak (post endurance workout) immune system. Yesterday, I biked 30 miles then ran two miles (pushing both kids in the jogging stroller – seriously tough). I used the Cytomax and no cramping yet.

Today’s swim should be a good test of the new formula. On Saturday, I’m planning to bike the 56 mile course for the half Ironman. I’ll use all three products and see what happens.

By Michelle Kruse

Maybe I’m a little too easily disappointed. At least that’s what everyone keeps telling me. I ran my second marathon Saturday and missed my goal by 5 minutes. I took 2nd place in my age group (the benefit of running a smaller race), but I’m still mad about missing my goal. At mile 21, I thought I had it locked. I could run nine and a half minute miles and still finish with a Boston Qualifier (BQ). Easily done, or so I thought. Just into mile 21 was a right turn. I turned and my foot wouldn’t. The dreaded cramp. I had been so good at taking my electrolyte capsules every few miles and getting plenty of water, even eating, so why was I cramping now? I walked it out and started running again, just to cramp some more. I ended up continuing the race in this pattern and missing my goal.

My running partner, who has 29 marathons under her belt, keeps reassuring me that this was a spring marathon and that my expectations should not be high for spring races. She swears if I keep up my training I’ll run a BQ in the fall. (We’re doing the Kansas Ironman 70.3 in June, so another marathon is out of the question until that is over.) Everyone else keeps telling me my time was great and to be happy.

I think I am over it. I’m now focusing on how to get rid of my cramping problem. What am I not doing nutritionally or what am I doing wrong that is causing this? (I am cramping all the time – my feet and hands at night and when I’m writing, etc, not just during races, so something really is amiss. Am I doing something wrong with my recovery, too?) Luckily for me, my job at CardioTabs comes to the rescue. I’m attending the Sports Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition subgroup of the American Dietetic Association’s annual meeting this weekend. I’m planning to pick the brains of the real experts in the field. What timing! I’ll post my findings next week.