Something Fishy in Vermont

Article by Eric H.

Every once in awhile we stray from our predominant New England travel and vacation theme to feature local businesses and locally-produced products that we truly believe in. Today, we feature a fish oil supplement made in Vermont. Yes, fish oil made in Vermont is far removed in topic, than, say, spending a romantic weekend getaway in Stowe, Vt., so bear with us while we take a vacation from New England travel news.

New Chapter, a Brattleboro, Vt., supplement company, recently came up with one of the most brilliant health food products, in our opinion, with Wholemega.

This fish oil supplement features nature's complement of the 16 omegas (3, 5, 6, 7, and 9s) naturally occurring in wild caught salmon. That's good news if you subscribe to many health advocates' belief that state fish oil has the potential to benefit cardiovascular, immune system, brain and digestive health.*

Wholemega differs from most fish oils that usually focus on just two omega components, DHA and EPA. This "whole food" concept of featuring all the omegas -- plus naturally occurring vitamin D and Astaxanthin (a powerful antioxidant) -- virtually mimics the composition of the omegas found in salmon. What's more, the salmon used in Wholemega is caught from the "pristine, protected waters of Alaska," so product purity is paramount -- significant, given fish can carry toxins, PCBs, heavy metals, etc.

You can see the product integrity just in its color, alone. The Astaxanthin gives Wholemega its deep orange/red color, quite different from the dull, yellow hue of purified fish oils that can result from too much chemical processing. New Chapter reports that Wholemega is "rigorously tested to ensure each capsule delivers Natures bio available, effective, and whole profile of beneficial fatty acids and nutrients."

I've taken fish oils for a long time, and never felt any external difference. Perhaps they were working on the inside, but I can tell you that Wholemega is working on the outside as well for me. I notice a more calm feeling, which is a great remedy during this recession. Also, Wholemega does not "come up" on me with those terrible fish burps. I guess that's what happens when you consume a product that is more in touch with nature than supplemental lab processes. Sometimes, you have to wonder if some of the supplements out there have more drug-like qualities, given the nutrients, or other valuable components, are isolated and created in high doses. I believe that New Chapter Founder and Chairman Paul Shulick understands the potential downfalls of nutritional supplements, and that he went on a mission many years ago to try to capture the genius of nature through whole food supplements. That doesn't mean we should view supplements as the end-all to good health, but rather to use them wisely (always consult with your primary care physician first before taking a supplement) -- to "add to" a healthy whole foods-based, organic diet.

Nowhere in nature does isolated DHA and EPA exist in a fish. The idea of featuring all 16 omegas may seem novel, but it is ultimately fundamentally simple: respect the innate wisdom of nature and try to come as close to it in possible in a supplement. Why didn't anyone else think of this idea before when making fish oil? I love this product and commend Mr. Shulick and his staff for offering this upgrade on fish oil supplements!


* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.