Why One Elite Triathlete Powers Her Workouts with Omega Cure

For Rachel Chambers, triathlons have been a passion for nearly 20 years. When she is not working full time as a dietitian, she is a regular member of Team USA’s triathlon team, competing at the international level.

What’s her secret to staying competitive into her 40s? In this May 2016 Customer of the Month story, Rachel shares how she uses Omega Cure® to help keep her joints from aching, her lipid levels in check, and her mind fit.

Omega3 Innovations: You’ve been a customer with us since 2010. How did you discover Omega Cure originally?

Rachel Chambers: Being a dietitian, I have an awareness of the importance of getting enough omega-3 in our diet, but also the importance of having a quality product. When I talk to my patients or give a presentation, I always get that question: “What brand of omega-3 should I be supplementing with?” So I did some research.

My sports medicine chiropractor may have recommended Omega Cure. But you also certainly have a presence at the farmer’s market and in the paper here in Sarasota.

O3I: Did you notice a difference when you first started taking Omega Cure?

RC: I think that I am a walking example [of the benefits]. At age 43, I’m still competing at an international level, I’m still winning races. I’m not injured very often. For me and my husband, it helps our mood, our memory. We don’t have the aching joints, which is uncommon for athletes in their 40s.

There’s also the benefits for the heart. I had my lipids tested recently, and they were very good. What I’m doing is working, and Omega Cure is part of that.

O3I: How did you get started participating in triathlons?

RC: I was a runner in high school, doing both track and cross country, and I’ve been running ever since then. After college at Indiana University, I moved to Florida and I met my husband, and he was doing triathlons. This year is coming up on my 20th year of doing triathlons with him.

Being involved with the communities of athletes just enhances our enjoyment of it. I’m the team captain of Team New Balance Sarasota, as well as an an active member of  the Manasota Track Club and the Sarasota Storm Triathlon Club. It’s motivating to not get injured, to stay healthy.

I also have a family history of heart health issues, and in the past, my lipid numbers were not very good. I’m very aware of needing to fight for my health. And then, trying to help my patients do the same thing.

O3I: What goes into preparing for the triathlons?

RC: I train before work, after work, and then do longer workouts on the weekend. Then, there’s the stretching, the massages, acupuncture, visiting the chiropractor. It’s all like a full time job, in addition to working full time as a dietitian.

The nutrition comes on top it – cooking good meals, staying hydrated, preparing race and training fuel. And you have to keep up all the apparel and equipment. It’s a labor of love and passion.

O3I: Had you tried taking other omega-3 products before you started with Omega Cure?

RC: Yes, but I feel more comfortable with the quality of Omega Cure. Just talking with the owners, the two doctors, reading the information they have.

And I like the format. I like having my omega-3s in an oil form. It’s easy. And like I said, I feel great so it must be working. It’s almost like I feel better now than I ever did. And like I said, my lipids are better now too.

O3I: From your experience as a dietitian, what do you think is the biggest misconception people have about omega-3?

RC: I quote the American Heart Association when I say that this is a recommendation for heart health. There is valid research out there, beyond what I am saying.

Some people don’t know how much to get. There’s a misconception that when you take a capsule, that one is enough. When you take a capsule with 1000 mg of fish oil, it doesn’t mean you are getting 1000 mg of omega-3. And often what people take isn’t very good quality.

The other misconception is that the ALA omega-3 is just as good. Yes, it’s nice to have ground up flax seed, but that should not be our only source of omega-3.

O3I: What’s your Omega Cure routine? Do you take it with juice or on its own? Morning or night?

RC: It varies. It could be in the morning, could be at night. But I like to take Omega Cure with food. If it’s before a workout or a race, maybe I’ll have it with just a banana. If I didn’t get it in the morning, I’ll take it with dinner. I take the Omega Cure by itself in a shot glass. It helps the meal feel bigger in my mind.

O3I: What would you say to a person who was interested in trying the Omega Cure?

RC: I would tell them there are quite a few ways of getting it. I do talk about the Omega Cookies® as being a good meal replacement. And that when you look at the cost, you have to consider the other things you are getting in it – the omega-3s, the fiber, etc. And then there’s the Omega Passion®. Who doesn’t like chocolate?

The goal is to get at least 2000 mg of EPA/DHA every day, and these are great quality products for achieving that.