Protection From Heart Attack and Stroke - Why Do I Keep Forgetting?

One of the main reasons that I take a salmon oil omega 3 fatty acid supplement is because my family has a history of heart problems. On both sides, the heart attacks, the strokes and the general ill heart health abounds, so when I turned 25 and started actually thinking about my health instead of just cramming in the fries, burgers and other oh-so-heart-healthy items, I immediately started taking an omega 3 fatty acid supplement. However, I have run into a problem that is just plain ridiculous, but it seriously impacts my health and I know a lot of my friends experience similar issues with their vitamin and health supplements.

Are you ready for this? (You're going to laugh, scoff, groan or all three).

I forget to take the darn things!

And I don't mean I forget once in a while. I forget all the time. I was bemoaning this to one of my friends the other day, thinking that she was probably going to laugh at me since forgetting to take care of a major health issue is a pretty lame reason to risk developing said health issue, but, to my surprise, she sympathized with me. "I know," she said. "I can totally remember to give my kids their vitamins each morning, but when it comes to taking my own at least half the time I forget."

When I realized that this was not a problem unique to me, I started thinking. I wanted to come up with some really foolproof ways to insure that I am getting my omega 3 supplement each morning. After all, it could be the difference between a healthy lifestyle and serious health issues. Yet I - and many other people - completely forget this serious, though simple, step to health. I had a number of good ideas that have helped me take a major step toward heart health on a daily basis:

· Put the pills next to the shower

Keep them in plain view. That way, when you step out of the shower and are drying off, you see them right there and can pop them in your mouth. Fish oil capsules do not have to be taken with food, so you don't need to leave these supplements in the kitchen.

· Keep them with your daily prescription medication

If you take a daily pill for a health condition that you do remember to take every day, then just put your supplements with that item and take them all together.

· Sort them into a pillbox

For many people, the once-weekly ritual of planning out their supplements using a weekly pill box is a great way to help them remember the rest of the week. Keep that pill box visible though, or you will find that you do not remember to dig it out of the cupboard later.

No matter what your personal solution to remembering to take your omega 3 supplements is, make sure you figure out something. Otherwise, you are simply neglecting one of the most important and simplest things that you can do to keep you in good health.