Aspirin
Taking an aspirin every day will definitely reduce your risk of stroke or heart attack. Many good, scientifically sound studies have proven this. Aspirin may also reduce the risk of colon cancer.

We strongly recommend that everyone over 40, except those who may be allergic to aspirin, take two 81 milligram aspirin tablets daily. It may be better to use the enteric coated form. This is the size also known as "baby" aspirin although we don't recommend aspirin for babies any more.

It doesn't make any difference what time of the day you take your aspirin. Tylenol, acetaminophen and ibuprofen are not the same thing and will not give the same benefit. Even if you're taking one of these products regularly you should take the aspirin too. Ibuprofen may interfere with aspirin's effectiveness so it might be better not to take both at the same time.

If you're taking an anticoagulant such as Coumadin, or if you've had bleeding in your stomach in the past don't start taking aspirin until we've talked specifically about your situation.

Omega 3 Fish oil
Taking Omega 3 Fish oil supplements daily has been proven to reduce the risk of dying from a heart attack by almost half. And it seems to provide other health benefits as well. Unlike the hundreds or thousands of other supplements that are claimed to be helpful we have actual solid scientific proof of the value of Omega 3.

Omega 3 works by reducing the risk of ventricular fibrillation, the most common cause of sudden death. It also raises levels of good cholesterol, HDL.

I strongly urge everyone over 30 to take at least 2 Omega 3 capsules a day. Three might be even better but we don't have proof of that yet. Omega 3 is naturally available in cold water fish. If you eat such fish: salmon, tuna, herring, cod, sardines or swordfish - you can skip the Omega 3 that day.


It doesn't make any difference what time of day you take Omega 3 and you may take the whole day's dose at once or spread them out. Some people have unpleasant "fishy" burping after taking Omega 3. If this happens to you try storing them in the freezer and taking them frozen. If that doesn't work a new enteric coated form of Omega 3 is available.


Purity is a concern with Omega 3. Since it's extracted from fish and fish tend to store contaminants such as DDT and BHT in their fat those contaminants can get into your Omega 3. I would be wary of taking the less expensive brands of Omega 3 because the process to assure removal of contaminants is rigorous and expensive. The discount and cheap manufacturers may have cut some corners. You probably do get what you paid for in Omega 3.

Also, many of the cheaper brands may not contain as much product per capsule as the better kinds. Read the label regarding contents and remember that many health food stores and supplement counter products don't even really contain what they say they do.

Calcium
We recommend that all women should start taking calcium in their late 30s, well before menopause. Increased calcium reduces the risk of osteoporosis and broken bones as you age. You should take 1,000 to 1,200mgm daily in one or two dose. This will increase to 1,500 to 1,800mgm for women with known osteoporosis. Most calcium supplements contain Vitamin D, so make a point to be sure the supplement you are taking does.

Multivitamins
Most people take a vitamin daily. There is conflicting evidence of the value, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. You should pick a vitamin that contains lutein, lycopene, and coenzyme Q-10 as well as the usual B vitamins and Folate. You should get at least 800mg of Folate and 500mcgm of lycopene.