Past News Items - January 2024

In the News

A Decade of Defining Moments

Study Shows People with a Higher Omega-3 Index Have a Lower Risk of Stroke

A Decade of Defining Moments

Organic & Natural Health Association (O&N Health) will return to The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village in Cape Coral, Florida on Jan. 23-25 for its annual conference sponsored by Mercola, AIDP, Chr. Hansen, Simply Connect, and Women In Nutraceuticals (WIN). With the theme of "Cultivating Change: A Decade of Defining Moments for People and the Planet," the conference will commence with a stellar 10th Anniversary Celebration, marking a major milestone in the organization's journey.

"In commemorating a decade of defining moments, we are looking forward to reflecting and celebrating what we have achieved through our vitamin D consumer awareness initiatives and our advocacy for transparency and consumer choice, particularly on platforms like Amazon," said Karen Howard, CEO and executive director of O&N Health. "What truly exhilarates us is the enduring vitality of the initiatives we set in motion, each gaining momentum and exemplifying our organization's unwavering commitment to the industry. The Organic & Natural Health Association is a necessity in this sector, and has left an indelible mark. We are on fire, we are here to stay, and we will continue to shape and influence the cosmic landscape of our industry."

Proving to be a force in the industry, O&N Health has not only executed five award-winning advocacy and education campaigns, but has also spearheaded systemic change by dedicating resources to influential organizations such as WIN, Naturally Proud Network, and the Williams-Franklin Foundation. Notably, O&N Health has surpassed its initial five-year commitment of $50,000 by raising more than $70,000 for the Williams-Franklin Foundation, underscoring its commitment to driving positive impact and fostering meaningful change within the industry.

On the first day of the conference, attendees will delve into crucial topics beginning with a focus on leadership strategies for mental health in the workplace with keynote speaker Christine Burych, president of Starlingbrook Leadership Consulting and author of "Unleash Her." Following this, the agenda shifts to domestic policy concerns, featuring insights from Todd Harrison (Venable LLP), Alan Lewis (Natural Grocers), and Charlie Brown (Mercury Free Dentistry). The day will continue with a discussion on “My Health Advocacy and Alliance” with Corinne Bush (American Nutrition Association), Rob Verkerk PhD (Alliance for Natural Health), Carrie Balkcom (American Grassfed Association), Alexis Bayden-Mayer (Organic Consumers Association), Lewis, Debra Short (SENPA), and Jim Higdon (Cornbread Hemp). Bringing the day to a close, John Fagan of HRI Labs will provide an update on his ongoing synbio research for O&N Health.

Moving into day two, the conference continues with a discussion on women leadership in the industry, led by O&N Health board member and WIN president, Heather Granato. Next, Heather Isley, a board member at Natural Grocers, will discuss collaborative efforts to enhance access to quality food and health solutions. A panel on international supply chain stress and standards follows with Lewis, Verkerk, Ercilia Sahores (Regeneration International), and Pat Smith (RFI Ingredients). The program proceeds with "Cultivate or Crumble: Nurturing Partnerships and Growing Sales in the New Era," exploring the use of technology, innovation, and partnerships for a safer, more connected, and financially beneficial supply chain. Speakers include Torah Torres (Simply Connect), Sandra Lee (NJ Labs), Lewis, Ivan Khymych (SimplyDepo), Matt Fain (PopCapacity), and Derek Lurth (HealthLOQ). The conference will conclude with a panel discussion on AI and Amazon, featuring David Trosin (NSF), Asa Waldstein (Supplement Advisory Group), Ryan Sensenbrenner (Enzymedica), and moderated by O&N Health board member, and CEO of Quality of Life, Dan Lifton.

Registration for O&N Health’s conference is open to members. Nonmembers, media and guests may attend by invitation only. O&N Health conference is designed to optimize networking opportunities while engaging in deep and meaningful discussions on issues facing the natural products industry and the consumers it serves. Connect at: https://organicandnatural.org.

Study Shows People with a Higher Omega-3 Index Have a Lower Risk of Stroke

A new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Stroke shows that people who have the highest omega-3 blood levels (i.e., Omega-3 Index) have a 17% lower risk of stroke.

Stroke is a burgeoning public health crisis that costs the US healthcare system hundreds of  billions of dollars in treatment, caregiving, and rehabilitation. And costs are projected to hit the trillions by 2050, according to a paper published in the Lancet last October.

For this most recent study, researchers analyzed more than 183,000 subjects across 29 prospective studies with an average age of 65 and looked at risk for stroke from any cause, as well as stroke due to a blood clot.

They found that those in the highest 20% of omega-3 levels had a 17% lower risk for total stroke compared with people in the lowest 20% of omega-3 levels. About the same was seen for ischemic strokes. There was no association between omega-3 levels and risk for hemorrhagic stroke.

These are good findings, researchers believe, the former because it means that higher omega-3 levels help lower chances of stroke, and the latter because there had been some concern that higher omega-3 levels—because they “thin the blood”—might increase risk for brain bleeds, and this latest research shows this is not the case.

“This paper confirms previous studies that found favorable relationships between omega-3 and stroke risk by including a very large number of subjects from a wide range of countries. It also gives comfort by showing that raising your omega-3 levels into the healthy zone (~8% Omega-3 Index) you do not increase your risk for clinically significant bleeding,” explained William S. Harris, PhD, President of the Fatty Acid Research Institute (FARI); founder of OmegaQuant Analytics, LLC; and Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota.

“These findings are extremely exciting because stroke is such a devastating event, drastically changing the trajectory of peoples’ lives, so finding nutritional ways to reduce risk for stroke that require no medicines is important and useful information,” he added. “Raising omega-3 levels into the healthy zone can be accomplished simply by eating more omega-3 rich fish and/or by taking omega-3 supplements.”

The health benefits of omega-3 don’t just relate to heart disease but also to other important cardiovascular outcomes like stroke, which opens the door to further studies to understand the mechanisms by which omega-3s help protect the brain.

Study Link: “Omega-3 Blood Levels and Stroke Risk: A Pooled and Harmonized Analysis of 183 291 Participants From 29 Prospective Studies” Stroke; December 22, 2023.