[color=indigo:33122d3898]Hello All- I just started reading Omega Rx Zone and taking Natural Factors FO ( I know, dioxins are ppm vs ppt for Sears Labs :( ). According to the book, 2.5 grams of FO is the recommended starting dose. I also says that is equivalent to 1 tsp or 4 capsules. On my bottle of FO it says: Fish Oil Concentrate =1065 mg Omega-3 Fatty Acids =630 mg EPA =400 mg DHA =200 mg Which value am I supposed to use to get 2.5 grams of FO? I am taking 4 capsules per day. Two in a.m. and two in p.m. Is that o.k.? and the right amount? I know from reading other posts that Dr Sears' FO is more expensive. Is that because the FO is [u:33122d3898]more concentrated and higher quality[/u:33122d3898]? Or is it only because of its higher Ultra-Refined quality? I appreciate all replies! Thank you, ~Michelle[/color:33122d3898]

[quote:3cfac0993b="yikerszikers"][color=indigo:3cfac0993b]Hello All- I just started reading Omega Rx Zone and taking Natural Factors FO ( I know, PCB's are ppm vs ppt for Sears Labs :( ). According to the book, 2.5 grams of FO is the recommended starting dose. I also says that is equivalent to 1 tsp or 4 capsules. On my bottle of FO it says: Fish Oil Concentrate =1065 mg Omega-3 Fatty Acids =630 mg EPA =400 mg DHA =200 mg Which value am I supposed to use to get 2.5 grams of FO? I am taking 4 capsules per day. Two in a.m. and two in p.m. Is that o.k.? and the right amount? I know from reading other posts that Dr Sears' FO is more expensive. Is that because the FO is [u:3cfac0993b]more concentrated and higher quality[/u:3cfac0993b]? Or is it only because of its higher Ultra-Refined quality? I appreciate all replies! Thank you, ~Michelle[/color:3cfac0993b][/quote:3cfac0993b] Hi Michelle, I have just started taking pg fish oil (zoning for about 3 months now). I think you add the total of the DHA & EPA together, so each Natural Factors capsule gives you 600 omega 3. So 4 capsules would give you almost 2.5g (teaspoon). Did you read the other posts on this forum, where Sears Techs mentioned that Natural Factors is not pharmacuetical grade? I am taking the Clearwater brand, which is certified pharmaceutical grade and is very cost effective for such a great product. Only time will tell if it is the right amount for you, but 4 caps is a good starting point. Print off Dr Sears eic-status report from his website, to monitor your progress and adjust accordingly. Kate.

[color=indigo:2a45b669b8][quote:2a45b669b8="Kate"] ...Did you read the other posts on this forum, where Sears Techs mentioned that Natural Factors is not pharmacuetical grade? I am taking the Clearwater brand, which is certified pharmaceutical grade and is very cost effective for such a great product. Only time will tell if it is the right amount for you, but 4 caps is a good starting point. Print off Dr Sears eic-status report from his website, to monitor your progress and adjust accordingly. Kate.[/quote:2a45b669b8] Thank you Kate for your reply! I thouhgt that I had it right, but I wanted to be sure. Yes, I have been following the FO posts for quite awhile now. Did you see the post that suggests the Clearwater FO is tested by a company that is affiliated with them. And wondering whether that would be considered a conflict of interest? I have not seen Anne-Marie's reply to this suggestion. I am interested in it. After I read the Natural Factors (bad) news I went to her website to compare. I couldn't get the "certification" page to come up. I also hadn't seen a reply to that issue in the forums. So, I will wait and see what develops. I have a doctor's appt mid-November. I am having a fasting lipid, fasting glucose and hopefully I can convince them to do an AA/EPA. I talked to the nurse on the phone, she said the doctor will discuss, at my appointment, my motivations behind wanting the AA/EPA test done, and then decide. I am quite sure, after seeing and discussing the results of my 11 months of following the Zone lifestyle (55 lbs lost, lots of energy and mental clarity gained :D ) and 4 weeks of FO represented in the first two blood test, that my doctor will be convinced of the importance of the AA/EPA! Thank you for the tip on the eic-status report on the website. I was not aware of it. I WILL print it out and use it! ~Michelle[/color:2a45b669b8]

Hi, Just a thought I want to mention. Since you're having blood work done, you may also want to ask your doctor to order the [b:b3e947730b]fasting insulin level test. [/b:b3e947730b] This is the one test which willl show you if your insulin level is actually in the Zone [b:b3e947730b]The Zone = a reading of 5 to 10 on this test. [/b:b3e947730b] You posted you're having the fasting glucose test, and I thought you may be confusing the two. Sue

Hi Sue-- Thank you SO much for making that distinction! I called the doctor's office and they told me that the fasting glucose gives only a "today" reading, whereas the fasting insulin gives an average reading for the last three months. [b:8bc487264e]Certainly[/b:8bc487264e] a better indicator of whether I am maintaining "Zoneness" :) They are going to check with my doctor to see if she will o.k. that test as well. ~Michelle

[quote:358ddc4204="yikerszikers"]Hi Sue-- Thank you SO much for making that distinction! I called the doctor's office and they told me that the fasting glucose gives only a "today" reading, whereas the fasting insulin gives an average reading for the last three months. [b:358ddc4204]Certainly[/b:358ddc4204] a better indicator of whether I am maintaining "Zoneness" :) They are going to check with my doctor to see if she will o.k. that test as well. ~Michelle[/quote:358ddc4204] Hi, You're welcome. :D Don't be confused by the info you were given by the doctor's office. The two tests are measuring two different things. One is for blood glucose levels. The other is for levels of the hormone insulin. Many individuals have blood glucose readings within normal accepted levels but have elevated insulin levels that are not even close to the Zone. Sue