Harnessing Omega-3 Power: Strategies for Health and Sustainability with Corinna Bellizzi of Orlo Nutrition

Today, we sit down with Corinna Bellizzi, a titan in the world of business strategy and a sage in the realm of omega-3 benefits. 

3 Reasons to Listen:

1. Discover her holistic wellness approach, journey through the omega-3 industry, and Orlo Nutrition's innovative, ethical practices. 
2. Learn how omega-3s can enhance well-being, the importance of sustainable sources, and practical tips for incorporating them into your diet. 
3. Explore the impact of small lifestyle changes on health and sustainability. 

Corinna, wearing the dual hats of climate activist and mother, discusses her holistic approach to wellness while sharing her two-decade journey through the Omega-3 industry, from her anthropology roots to her role at one of the largest supplement companies in North America.

As we close this dialogue on health and planetary wellness, we share practical tips for integrating Omega-3 supplements into various lifestyles and discuss the significance of this powerhouse nutrient for different demographics, including children and peri- or postmenopausal women.

A Special Invite:

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Connect with Corinna

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• CareMoreBeBetter & Nutrition Without Compromise podcasts

Chapters

• 0:06 Exploring Health & Wellness With Corinna
• 6:32 Regenerative Algae-Based Omega 3 Expertise
• 21:43 Sustainable Practices in Nutrition Industry
• 29:18 Elevating Voices for Health and Planet
• 34:46 Importance of Omega-3 Supplements
• 43:17 Benefits of Omega-3 for Health
• 52:13 Exclusive Discount for the 2% Collective

Transcript

Dai Manuel: 0:06

Welcome to the 2% Solution Podcast, where we explore the minor adjustments that can lead to major improvements in our health and well-being. Today, I'm thrilled to have Karina Belize with us. A true innovator and visionary in the health and wellness sphere, karina is not only an omega-3 expert, but also a mastermind in building regenerative plans, taking companies from the ground up to 100 million in annual revenues. Her dedication to pushing the boundaries of what's possible, coupled with her extensive experience in pioneering new categories and disrupting markets through education, makes her a formidable force in the industry. Beyond her professional achievements, karina's role as a podcaster, climate activist and mother of two showcases her multifaceted commitment to fostering wellness, sustainability and positive change.

Dai Manuel: 0:59

Today, she shares her wealth of knowledge and insights, offering actionable strategies for anyone looking to enhance their health journey and make a meaningful impact on the world. So get ready to be inspired and learn how the smallest changes in your routine can lead to the most significant transformations in your life. Join us as we delve into the mind of Karina Belize, a true pioneer in health and wellness, and discover the secrets to achieving more than you ever thought possible. Let's get into it All right. All right, all right.

Corinna Bellizzi: 1:33

What's going on here? It's like hey, Karina.

Dai Manuel: 1:36

Hi, how are you?

Corinna Bellizzi: 1:38

My video is not coming.

Dai Manuel: 1:40

That's okay.

Corinna Bellizzi: 1:41

I mean I might have to bow out and come back in.

Dai Manuel: 1:44

Yeah, that's all good, no worries. It's almost like I've got a conflict or something, but I Sometimes it's got something else going on in the background right.

Corinna Bellizzi: 1:51

Cannot start video. Failed to start with camera, so let me just bow out and come back in.

Dai Manuel: 2:00

All good. No, no, no, okay, it's all good All right. I'll see you in a minute, okay, oh, there it goes. Well, I can hey keep that going.

Corinna Bellizzi: 2:09

Yeah, I just had a stream yard session open somewhere else. Oh okay, let me see on the background, are we? You use the video too.

Dai Manuel: 2:21

I will be using video, but for the first wave it will be audio based, so that will be released, but then videos will be used for snippets later.

Corinna Bellizzi: 2:28

Yeah, so let me just go ahead and Put your background up. Yeah, put my background up. Sure, I don't want to do that. I don't want to share anything. Stop. I don't know why it. Oh, I was trying to select something else. I haven't used Zoom backgrounds in a while and I was just trying to.

Dai Manuel: 2:45

Yeah, yeah, I totally get it. There, it goes Virtual.

Corinna Bellizzi: 2:56

I'll just use the plate. So how is everybody doing? How is the Die Manuel world?

Dai Manuel: 3:05

It's been a very full weekend. In a bit I'll tell you that, but it's good. The kids will be done reading break by the end of this weekend and my youngest is pretty sick and Christy was really sick and then I got sick and oh, right it's just been one of those things. And then we had unscheduled renovations at me and a couple of units above and it was just like oh man, I'm not getting the breaks this week.

Dai Manuel: 3:27

Yeah, we live in a condo but we're on the 15th floor but there's a couple floors above us but they're replacing a floor, I think two floors up. But normally we get notice 72 hours notice and there's going to be run-outs, right, but they were obviously doing some spot stuff. Yeah, it was. It was. Yeah. It's all good, though, but feeling good today and ready to rock and roll. Ready to rock and roll.

Corinna Bellizzi: 3:47

I've been looking forward to this. I've been looking forward to this. Did you get a chance to listen to that 2% hippocampus thing?

Dai Manuel: 3:53

Well, not yet, because I've been on calls, but I've earmarked it to listen to it. It sounds super fascinating, though it was only 15 minutes.

Corinna Bellizzi: 3:59

It's like one of the Chatterjee shorts and I was like, wow, this is fascinating. He actually says 2% more Basically, the hippocampus. They followed these individuals and I haven't read the study, I don't know, but they follow these individuals for apparently years and they just asked them to do five minutes of brisk walking a day.

Corinna Bellizzi: 4:19

Then another group was to do five minutes of stretching a day. Oh, okay, and what they found was that the group that did the stretching actually had their hippocampus shrink, and the group that did the brisk walking in only five minutes but every day saw their hippocampus grow by 2%. Wow, so it was like 2% in five minutes. You're going to like that for your podcast.

Dai Manuel: 4:41

I'm going to like that. I'm going to give that a good listen. I think it's great. Anything that validates the idea, that's all good. I think everybody accepts the idea already. Do we commit to the idea? That's the only thing. 100%, that's all good. But how's your week been? You've been doing all right.

Corinna Bellizzi: 4:59

Yeah, it's been a little nuts. I've got a lot of balls. I'm juggling. I have a book deal I'm working to solidify in addition to the work with Orlo. So, I have had that and the networking events with Santa Clara University because I'm on the advisory board for their MBA group, which is a little bit of work here and there but it's very interesting, it's amazing though.

Dai Manuel: 5:22

Well, good for you. I know you've got your fingers in lots of different things and obviously today we'll have an opportunity to address some of those, but also really just talk about Omega 3s and your journey into becoming the master of Omega. For the Omega master, I don't know, I don't know, I'm going to spin it yet, but either way you're going to get one of those titles, and so just to recap the intros and outros, I do post-production, so today we'll just pretty much just dive right into the conversation. I've got a simple question to get us started, which will tee you up, to sort of get us some background, a bit of your story, and then I've got some questions for us to get into the weeds, really about Omega's and a couple other pieces.

Corinna Bellizzi: 6:04

Are we getting this, Mike? Just checking because I want to make sure you get the best.

Dai Manuel: 6:07

I'm pretty sure that's the mic I got when you tapped it there.

Corinna Bellizzi: 6:09

I could hear that tap, then you are getting that mic. That's the full proof way to test Got it, it sounds good.

Dai Manuel: 6:16

You look great, sounds great. So I think we're ready to rock.

Corinna Bellizzi: 6:19

Awesome, thank you. You ready? Yeah, I'm ready.

Dai Manuel: 6:23

All right, okay, a quick. I'm just going to breathe. Greta, welcome to the 2% Solution Podcast.

Corinna Bellizzi: 6:35

Thank you for having me.

Dai Manuel: 6:37

I'm stoked. This has been a long time coming. We've known each other now for just a little over six months. I met through a company that you are deeply involved with, which I know we're going to talk about, and I think it's great because you've actually helped me a lot, especially with just dealing with inflammation. Full disclosure, everyone. I mentioned in the intro about my connection with Trina, but also her very diverse background, but she is and I don't know if she likes this title or not, so we can get on the record now but she is the Omega Master. Okay, I don't know.

Corinna Bellizzi: 7:10

I have been in the industry I think it's over 20 years now so I like to joke that my experience in the Omega 3 industry is old enough to go out and get a beer if it wanted to.

Dai Manuel: 7:21

That is a good way of putting it. I like that. Actually, why don't we start there? Can you share a bit about what inspired your journey into becoming literally a Omega 3 expert? But also, I found it really interesting because when we've had this past conversation, you all talked about this idea of being a regenerative brand builder. Yeah, I thought that was such a unique thing and the more we talked about it, I thought it was just fascinating. I know those are both two very, very big focuses of yours, so why don't you just give us a bit of backstory.

Dai Manuel: 7:50

I love story time, so make your way.

Corinna Bellizzi: 7:52

Story time. I actually have a bit of news on that front today too, there are people over the years who, of course, have inspired me, much like your podcast seeks to inspire people. One of those people was Reno de Bono, who was my high school professor of history and I was not a history buff, right? Yeah Well, 13 years ago I reached out to him on Facebook and this morning he responded 13 years later.

Dai Manuel: 8:18

Wait 13 years later.

Corinna Bellizzi: 8:20

I've done serious. He just said oh, I'm fairly new to this Facebook thing, like he has.

Dai Manuel: 8:29

I love that. I love that, that is awesome.

Corinna Bellizzi: 8:32

And the reason I bring that up is because you know really people who inspire you. It doesn't matter when that moment comes, when you reestablish a connection, it fills you with joy. And he is somebody who got me thinking in my high school years as I was struggling. Initially I almost flunked out and then really kind of turned everything around to what I wanted to be and what my contribution to the world was going to be. He liked to call on me as the resident lefty in the classroom often, and he even had put me up to be the president of our high school's Amnesty International Club. So that gives you a feeling of kind of the activist streak that I've always had. And so you know I really wanted to lead with purpose. I wanted to develop a career path or something that I could engage in, that I could truly believe in. And you know, I kind of fell into this world of health and nutrition, not because I necessarily was seeking that path during my college time or anything like that. I just came out of college with a degree in anthropology and a will to do good, wanting to find a job that could help me pay my college debt and figure out what I was going to do before I went to grad school. Now, I wanted to be Indiana Jones, so that was going to be my path. I was going to go and study archaeology, but I needed a break from school and I really just kind of fell in love with this world of health and nutrition probably much in the way that you did because I saw how much good I could do. And when I really got to thinking about a life in the world of our archaeology, I was like, well, you know, as much as I love prehistory, am I really going to help people in their lives today by learning more about Neanderthals as a, for instance? And when I asked myself that question, I was in this first job out of college, working to help companies formulate supplements, selling herbal extracts. I was like, you know, I feel like I can do more good here, like this is where I want to do good.

Corinna Bellizzi: 10:41

I ended up connecting with Nordic Naturals back in 2002, after a few years of being in the industry, and went to work for them as their sales, marketing and education leader to help them commercialize their brand for the consumer marketplace and for retailers. So, with this kind of penchant for research, this understanding of wanting to do good and, you know, honestly, a love for science. I learned a lot about Omega-3s really quickly. I was interfacing with doctors and medical professionals at the same time that I was connecting with retailers like Whole Foods to establish this Omega-3 in the marketplace that didn't taste nasty, that was a lot purer than other stuff on the market and it really got me to be a believer in Omega-3s because I directly saw the impact that I could have, from kids who suffered from, you know, dry skin or complaints with acne, to even those that were having attention and focus issues and ultimately seeing that part of their problems were connected to an insufficient even Omega-3 or to inflammatory disorders that were basically taking rise and root in their systems because they didn't have a good balance of Omega-3s to Omega-6s. They were just eating far too much junk far too much and even foods that aren't necessarily junk, it's just that they are not a sufficient supply of Omega-3.

Corinna Bellizzi: 12:10

Americans don't consume fish two to three times a week and when they do, they're generally eating fried fish, which is not going to give them any health benefit. So you know this is the struggle to help people get their lives in balance, to do so with Omega-3s, and you know, I spent almost a decade at Nordic Naturals putting them on the map and really getting to understand how these fats work within our systems, within our cells, why they seem to be such a miracle. I mean, there are people who would say, oh well, it's just snake oil. Like, look at all the things that you say Omega-3s can do, yeah right. Well, the reason they can do all of those things is because they are directly connected to our health, right down to the cellular level. They helped everything to work better, and if we don't eat them, we don't get these essential fats, then we suffer, and the direct correlation is so apparent and clear that I dedicated my career really to this space first.

Corinna Bellizzi: 13:11

Now, being in fish oil is one thing, but when you learn and I didn't learn this until after I left Nordic Naturals that fish get their Omega-3s, epa and DHA from the algae that they consume, I mean I was like well, why are we even going to fish in the first place?

Corinna Bellizzi: 13:28

Like we can go to algae. We can do this better, and so that is really where I've been spending the last few years and really working to try and bring better algae-based products to the market that are even more bioavailable than fish oil, that have zero of the environmental impact. And that connects, of course, to my activist streak of wanting to create circular businesses that regenerate our systems instead of take away, extracting without giving back. And since that's kind of how we've led our economic principles for the past, iaans and I think we're proving out that we need to be in a more sustainable regenerative capacity. And so if we can do that, even in just one category like Omega-3s with algae, and if I can be a part of that, then I feel like I'm succeeding every day, not only in helping people improve their health, but in helping them do so mindfully, and that's what I'm doing here at Orlo, too Orlo Nutrition.

Dai Manuel: 14:29

I love it Well, I mean at Orlo. I also appreciate that. I thought it was so interesting when you guys reached out, because I got brands reached out to me quite frequently and I've tried a number of different Omega products and I was really intrigued because I was like this isn't fish-based, because I'm so used to it just being fish-based, right, and you'll get fish burps and all that other usual stuff. But also the fact was you just gave me a nice invitation to try it, but you also said, hey, we're also going to give you an Omega test so you can actually do the blood lipid test at the beginning and then redo it at the end of the cycle of the product. I was like, wait a minute, you want to prove to me that your product works Like.

Dai Manuel: 15:11

I was just like that is so ingenious, it was awesome and I had such a positive experience and sure enough, my Omega's increased drastically and I'm actually more excited for my second one now to see if it also continues to track that way. But I think you brought up something really interesting and that is this idea of bioavailability. I know it's a term that's got a BIVA buzzword around it nowadays and it's only the last, I'd say six, seven years. It's become very prominent on certain packaging. Let's just say that.

Dai Manuel: 15:37

For those that aren't really aware of that and what that term means. Can you just walk us through that?

Corinna Bellizzi: 15:43

Okay. So let's think about something like beta-carotene and vitamin A. People may have heard for a long time that beta-carotene is vitamin A. In fact, now the FDA even regulates it in such a way that if you have beta-carotene in a product, you're labeling it as equivalent of vitamin A. Really, what it is is a precursor to vitamin A, and that's, generally speaking, how you would look at things that are, generally speaking, plant sourced on the Omega-3 side. So if you go to flax oil or if you go to chia seeds and some of these other plant-based but terrestrial plants that produce Omega-3s, they're giving you something called alpha-linolenic acid, which is a precursor to EPA and DHA, and so your cells really need EPA and DHA to do all of their work.

Corinna Bellizzi: 16:34

Dha is directly involved with ATP energy production. As just one, for example, it makes up half of the fat in your brain and eyes, and so EPA, on the other side, is very involved in cardiovascular health. It really quashes a lot of that inflammation. The two fats really are both stimulatory of our anti-inflammatory leukotriens, prostaglandins and cytokines. So those inflammation storms that you may have heard about before, they really kind of get a wet blanket tossed on them when you get the balance right. So when we got to this direct source of EPA and DHA by going to fish oil or now by going to algae oil because that's where the fish get their EPA and DHA first place that really changed things for people, because they didn't have to sit there any tablespoons of flaxseed oil or tablespoons of chia seeds and hope that their bodies had all of the right enzymes and cofactors that would be needed to integrate those omega-3s, because certain vitamins actually impede the action of some of these enzymes. Other vitamins help, and so you're really relying on everything to be in perfect balance already in your body if you want one of those plant-based products to give you EPA and DHA.

Corinna Bellizzi: 17:53

Now EPA and DHA get into your cells. They get to go to work. Everything's going kind of fine, right? Well, you can take this to a next level by going to a polar lipid, and a polar lipid instead of just being EPA, it's still got EPA and DHA in it, right, but it's in this polar form. This is actually how your cells integrate the fat in the first place. So instead of having to take an EPA or DHA in another form whether it be ethyl ester triglyceride I mean, there's a lot of technical terms it's just another form, right and then build it into a polar lipid. It's already in that form, and so that's what Orlo's doing differently, right, and that means that your body can then take that directly into its cells without having to do any extra work.

Corinna Bellizzi: 18:40

Now, what this does for people is two things that are really important. One of them is that it means that you don't have that fishy burp back, because even an algae oil that is in a triglyceride or ethyl ester form another form has the potential to create that fishy burp, because oils oxidize, and they even oxidize when they're put into your stomach juices a little bit. So you could take the freshest fish oil or the freshest algae oil, consume it, and especially if you take your pills with a hot cup of coffee, like I sometimes do, you'll get what's called an aldehyde byproduct, which is what that burpy thing is. Right, it can be unpleasant. Some companies flavor their products to help to handle this, and so instead of burping fish, you might burp lemon or peach or orange.

Corinna Bellizzi: 19:32

But if you're consuming it in, let's say, a polar lipid form, it doesn't create the aldehyde byproduct.

Corinna Bellizzi: 19:40

It goes directly into your cells, and so you don't have the negative impact and you have an automatic ability to absorb it into your cells.

Corinna Bellizzi: 19:50

This is particularly important for individuals who have compromised systems in any way. So if you have an inborn challenge in your body that could be related to something like an autoimmune disease, or maybe you even have a genome type that just is less good at absorbing omega-3s one of those is the ApoE4 genome type. They even think there may be some specific connections between omega-3s and ApoE4 in the likelihood of developing things like Alzheimer's and heart disease, because their systems may just be less capable of integrating these omega-3 fats as easily. So you get to that polar lipid form it gets right into your cells. You've just erased any worry. If you don't know, if you're ApoE4 and 20% of the population is so, one in five you can find out by taking a 23-in-me genetic test, and that's one of the things that they'll tell you. But some people just don't want to know, and I understand that too, because I had a grandmother who suffered from Alzheimer's and I kind of didn't want to know that I had this and I found out by accident because I took the 23-in-me test.

Dai Manuel: 21:01

But knowing is better, though right I mean, I think I like to believe so. I'd rather know that I have my autoimmune condition as much as there's days where I wish I didn't know. I do appreciate that I know because I can take a course of action. Once you know, at least you can start to do things to hopefully get ahead of it or mitigate the likelihood.

Dai Manuel: 21:20

Right, I know I've got a few genes as well that are not the greatest when I did my DNA test, so I know I have a higher propensity in certain areas. If I'm not cautious, you don't want to turn those genes on and in some cases you don't want to try to preserve our DNA. That's healthy as it can be, which again brings us back to case in point healthy fats, right.

Corinna Bellizzi: 21:43

Yeah.

Dai Manuel: 21:43

And the omegas, and I guess in the 20 years that you've been doing this, I mean, obviously this is a pretty big change in a shift, especially you going from company where you're at to now Orlo, which is very, very different as far as the product that's being delivered, but also it's been 20 years. Has there been other advancements that you've noticed or that Orlo has taken advantage of? Because I really see you guys as being that next wave of, because I've had so many friends that are vegetarian and vegan and they'd always complain that I can't get fish because I don't eat fish. No, like nothing, with a face right Like I often.

Corinna Bellizzi: 22:21

I confronted that a lot when I was at Nordic Naturals, right, and I still remain an omnivore, but I also stopped eating fish that is farmed first and then I stopped eating as much fish, because I even think that our ecosystems are at a point where they're crumbling and we can say that something's sustainable and it can bear a blue seal from the Marine Stewardship Council. But the Marine Stewardship Council isn't actually patrolling any oceans. They aren't actually ensuring that overfishing doesn't happen and illegal fishing and poaching does occur in the waters that they certify. So I'm just like why are we even pretending that this is I?

Dai Manuel: 23:01

was gonna ask you could I just read in, and you guys actually say that Orlo is far-bent negative.

Corinna Bellizzi: 23:07

Yes, and I got it, I mean how is that?

Dai Manuel: 23:10

Like I'm curious, I want to know how do you do that, because I mean, I hear people being carbon neutral, but a lot of them are buying credits to offset right, and I'm curious, you're negative. I mean, are you selling these excess credits, by the way? So I'd love to hear it.

Corinna Bellizzi: 23:23

How do you guys do that?

Dai Manuel: 23:24

That's exhausting to hear you guys are really leading the trend on this. I think it's amazing.

Corinna Bellizzi: 23:28

This is something that really sets Orlo Nutrition and our parent company, vaxa Technologies, head and shoulders above anybody else out there, because we are using today's energy to grow our algae, because we're using geothermal energy from our plants that's co-located right next to one of the world's largest geothermal plants in Iceland.

Corinna Bellizzi: 23:49

We are using LED lights to provide algae with only the light they need to thrive and none of the things that they don't. We're able to do so in a controlled environment, using renewable resources, including the water that even we use on site that gets recycled and reused right. So everything is managed in such a way that enables us to use today's energy to grow algae in a controlled setting, growing 24-7. To really harness the potential of the omega-3 from that algae, we also grow spirulina, and the spirulina that we're growing has the potential to replace the nutrient power of beef. So it not only has all nine essential amino acids, it contains vitamin B12 in its most bioavailable, methylcobalamin form, which gets passed to. You know, a lot of people have that MTHFR gene insufficiency or ability to integrate vitamin B12. Well, this form is more bioavailable right.

Corinna Bellizzi: 24:51

So that's like what's working against you. So you get that from our spirulina. And then we also are giving hematoo iron, which is a very bioavailable iron, so in a true capacity, we can replace the nutrient power of beef with a spirulina that is odorless and tasteless. We're going to be making more products that are coming in the spring and summer that contain this. Our first product in the spirulina space has been our immunity boost, which harnesses the power of spirulina to stimulate and protect our immune system, at the same time that we're also providing vitamin D3 and a smattering of B vitamins and balance to ensure that you get the best immune benefit from them.

Corinna Bellizzi: 25:34

So we've got the omegas covered, we've got the spirulina covered and we do have carbon credits to sell because we are doing things in such a unique and different way. But this all goes right down to our packaging too. When you look at our packaging for Orlo, I was very careful in what I selected, so we are using a reusable glass jar, which is Miran violet glass, which is a very dense, beautiful glass. It's almost black in color and I have our box here. This is the shipper that our product shifts in.

Corinna Bellizzi: 26:08

And this is actually printed with algae-based inks so that, borla, there is a carbon black replacement. It's not made from petrochemicals. And then our glass jar ships inside like that and you fill the glass jar with these refillable pouches. So this glass jar actually ships empty and then you fill it with the pouches. The soft gels themselves are also made of algae, and the colorant that's used in the soft gel itself comes from chlorophyllin, from algae. So it's like really a full cycle algae product.

Corinna Bellizzi: 26:43

And even the pouches themselves are made of post-consumer recycled plastics. There's a virgin plastic that touches the soft gels because that's an FDA requirement, but for the most part this is all recycled. The box itself is post-consumer recycled paper. We're really doing everything we can to lead with that kind of principle of circularity and regeneration and ultimately provide soft gels that are small, easy to swallow, that don't burp back on people and that just have that user experience from start to finish. That shows that we really care and we're coming from a space of authenticity. So I think that's really what matters at the end of the day that people can trust the product that they're receiving, that this is coming direct from the source, that we have traceability from start to finish and, ultimately, that we're doing things in a more mindful way to protect and preserve the future.

Dai Manuel: 27:40

And I gotta say thank you, you know, because I hope other brands start to follow suit based on the way you guys are doing things. I really feel this is I mean, I think it's our responsibility, you know, but also us as consumers have to demand that, we need to support that, and so thank you. By the way, well, thank you, I'm a big fan of Orlo and those that follow my socials. You guys know I talk about it, and also we'll include a lot of the links to the products as well as there's some pretty cool codes for you all. Be in the notes section, also be following up in an email for those of you that already subscribed to the newsletter, but it'll also have some great content linked from Greener's platform, and Greener I'd like you to. We're gonna just change gears for a second, because I know you have some great podcasts, one of which I'm very grateful for having the opportunity to be on, but I was wondering, like, what motivated you to start both? Nutrition without compromise and care more, be better.

Dai Manuel: 28:38

Those are two different podcasts. What was the motivation to start those?

Corinna Bellizzi: 28:42

Well, I was in grad school getting my MBA. I felt like, after 20 plus years of building businesses in this industry, I wanted to see if I had any education gaps that I needed to fill, particularly in finance right. So I went and got my MBA as a 45-year-old woman at Santa Clara University, and while I was in school, I really started to think more about social benefit enterprises, giving back. This was also, you know, when I was in grad school. We were in the mire of COVID. The George Floyd fiasco had happened too, and I was just like Jesus. I really want to get in front of people and tell them about these social impact issues and how we can make a difference and when standing up is so critical. And also sustainability, climate change the sorts of challenges that we're facing in this time only seem to be accelerating. How can I use my voice and elevate the voices of other people that I know that are out there doing incredible work every day, and so I started care more, be better as my do-gooder effort. I look at it as you know. Perhaps I spend more money on it than I, generally speaking, have been able to donate to charities, because I do pay to have it professionally produced, but I feel like I need to do it, like I need to platform voices, I need to be able to have deep conversations with people who are making a big difference for the health of our planet and for the health of people. I really believe in helping people and planet to thrive in a rudimentary way, and so I might have also been reacting to some of the things I was learning in business school because, oh gosh, it really feels like the cards are stacked against the little guy. Like you have to make money to earn money, the time value of money and the concept of time value of money and how you know it's really challenging for people to get ahead. And so I thought of Care More Be Better as a platform specifically to help people do that. Like I can platform these voices, I can help them get their message into the world, I can support them and I can feel good about it.

Corinna Bellizzi: 30:48

Right, and then, naturally, as I was working with Orlo Nutrition, I thought well, I already know how to podcast, I know a lot of people in the field of health and nutrition, I have doctors that I could interview and perhaps even some of the people that I've featured on Care. More Be Better could come onto this show. And so I launched Nutrition Without Compromise to support Orlo Nutrition and feature compelling stories from other individuals like yourself who are out there working to do good, to offer great nutrition and health advice and just knowledge without compromising their morals, their ethics or the health of planet Earth. So that's the concept of nutrition without compromise. It marries nicely with what we're trying to do with Orlo Nutrition provide great information, do so in a format that isn't just about selling product, where it's about giving great information that enables people to better manage their health.

Corinna Bellizzi: 31:49

And so I've had experts on, from Dr William Lee, who wrote Eat To Beat Disease and Eat To Beat your Diet, to Dr Joseph Maroon, who's the team neurologist for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I've collaborated with him many times over the years. He's got quite a few Super Bowl rings on his fingers now you know for 40 years of working with them.

Corinna Bellizzi: 32:08

We also have great individuals like Dr Courtney Younglove, who is more recent, who's really working to help people restore their metabolic health, lose weight and live their healthiest lives, and inspirational stories like those that you offer. I mean, these are things that people need to hear and really put the power in their hands so that they have the information that they need to lead their health journey. So I love doing both shows and I don't have any intention of slowing down.

Dai Manuel: 32:43

I've been connecting fairly regularly and I can attest that it's true. I'm like where are you going down? I'm like, wow, I don't know about that, You're a mom of two boys right?

Corinna Bellizzi: 32:56

Yeah, they're six and nine, so they can be kind of demanding.

Dai Manuel: 33:00

You're a super mom, that's all I gotta say, and it's really incredible to see all the impact you're making. But also, you're really pushing the envelope for just ethics in our industries, especially the nutrition space, because it feels like the Wild West sometimes, right, well, there's a lot of spin and I kind of have this allergic reaction to spin Companies saying that they're doing something and then selling something else.

Corinna Bellizzi: 33:26

I recently discovered a brand who has one product that they sell on their own website of the same name, and they sell a different product that is lower grade, on Amazon. It's the same name, same servings, same product label. Look and what's on the back is completely different and unfortunately this type of tactic is commonplace. Can we mention the product I don't want to. Okay, sorry, I have the biggest nose itch right now, I don't know why it's like I just finished brushing my teeth or something you know.

Dai Manuel: 34:02

I think that's important to recognize too, because I think there's a whole other conversation. Obviously we could unpack there. It's around labels and content and what's in it. And how do you trust a brand and I know there's a lot to be said about that, because there certainly comes a point where we just kind of have to trust what we're seeing. But what do people do? What are your thoughts? I mean, you've been in this industry a long time. Is there any words of caution you could offer to us, us, the audience, myself here as well?

Corinna Bellizzi: 34:31

Like just how do you?

Dai Manuel: 34:33

trust what you bought. You know like man. There's so much products in the nutrition and wellness spaces it's just overwhelming.

Corinna Bellizzi: 34:41

Yeah, it is overwhelming, and I tend to really agree with you there. The things that I think we need to watch out for are when we see companies not wanting to share their supplement fax panel on their own website or on Amazon as a, for instance. I've seen this a few times where and this is one such case I actually bought the product because I wanted to know. Right, and I'm not mentioning this specific brand because I don't want to get in trouble, but I bought the product. I'd seen a review on Amazon that says I bought this product. It doesn't even have the same stuff in it that they say they have on their website. You know it's a lesser grade, lesser expense in product on Amazon, but they're trying to target two separate markets in this direct consumer field, and this lowers the bar for everybody, unfortunately. Right, it makes us all look bad when one company pursues a tactic like this. It makes people lose trust and faith, and so I really want for consumers to think deeply about the products they choose to consume and the ones that they buy from Amazon.

Corinna Bellizzi: 35:48

I'm not saying that Amazon is necessarily a culprit here, right, these are brands that are producing products and putting their wares up on that platform. We also sell through the Amazon platform Because 75% or more of all supplement sales occur online occur through Amazoncom. That's the statistic for the United States, but perhaps you should be looking for things like do they have a supplement in fact set they're actually publishing on their site? Does it match what I get in the mail when I buy it? If it doesn't, maybe I need to return that product and leave an honest, negative review about that, because so much of what you see up on these spaces is through review farming. They'll essentially ask their influencers and other people like that to write reviews on their page which can make the numbers seem bloated at five stars, and then the actual product would not produce results like that.

Corinna Bellizzi: 36:46

I would look for brands that are also willing to stand behind their claims by doing something like the Tested by you campaign. I mean Orlo nutrition is fully steeped and available to scrutiny. In this way, you can see that over a course of four months, your levels of Omega-3s have improved using our product. We have vegans who have started taking our product come in at 3.5% on their Omega-3s and four months later come back at 6.5%, and improvement of three points. What?

Dai Manuel: 37:17

does that mean Like sorry, because I know there's going to be people listening, not understanding what we're referencing those numbers. Could they just speak to that?

Corinna Bellizzi: 37:24

Yeah. So Omega-3 index is one of the ways that you can say where am I at a healthy level with my Omega-3s? So there's a third-party company called Omega-Quant. They're in the business of helping people see what their Omega-3 levels are. They also sell some other tests for, like vitamin D and CoQ10 or whatever right. We're not affiliated with them. We just built this program using their test because it's so reliable. And what you'll see when you take an Omega-3 index test is where you rank on a range of about 3% upwards to 12% or more. Now the healthiest range is to be at 8% or more in your Omega-3 index. What this measures is how much Omega-3, epa and DHA is actually in your cell membranes. So they're testing what's in your tissue the tissue from your blood samples. So it does require a finger prick, right? You just drop that on the little card, send it in. You have to register it online to make sure you get the results right, and then they send it back to you with your results in a PDF form and you can see where you score.

Corinna Bellizzi: 38:28

If you have a standard American diet or you're vegetarian or vegan, you are going to be low. You'll be at 3%, 4% maybe. Now if you consume fish a lot, you might be much higher. You might be at 8%. It's rare but you might be.

Corinna Bellizzi: 38:43

Most people have to go to supplementation to get there and it does take time. Typically 3 to 4 months is what it takes for you to see a measurable difference or something that you'd be proud to stake, and sometimes people are going to need more than a single dose. This can be because you have, let's say, a higher body fat content overall, so you have more cells that this Omega-3 is dispersing between. Perhaps you also consume a lot of Omega-6 and you haven't adjusted that Omega-6 down and your body preferentially brings some of that in, so you need to supplement. Sometimes people need to take two doses a day, sometimes one is sufficient, but generally speaking, over the course of 3 to 4 months you'll see a really market increase.

Corinna Bellizzi: 39:28

I personally took the test after going off of fish for 4 months, so I did this washout period like, okay, I'm not doing any fish, I'm only taking two soft gels of our product a day and with no fish in my diet, and two soft gels of our Omega-3 a day, my results came in at 6.5%. Now, that's not at the ideal of 8, but it's out of the danger zone right Now. I then therefore went to taking three soft gels a day, and I'm getting ready to take another test soon, because it's been about 3 and a half months, right. So after that fourth month goes, I'll take another test, and I'm betting I'm going to be at 8% or better.

Dai Manuel: 40:06

I can't wait to see those results.

Corinna Bellizzi: 40:08

Yeah, and we know that when people get to an 8% or better, that there's a significant drop in all-cause mortality. And so this is research from the Framingham study, which is multi-generation, has been going on for years. Framingham is like a suburb of Boston area, right? So it's something that's been run, I believe, by Harvard, for a long time, and they're following people over generations, checking their Omega-3 index, their vitamin D levels, things like that, and then just saying what health outcomes have they had with these profiles, and they're able to see from this large pool of study participants what health habits are actually resulting in greater longevity and reduction in disease. So cool.

Dai Manuel: 40:52

I love those studies. I do. I love like twin study right, All those studies kind of connect?

Corinna Bellizzi: 40:57

Yeah, absolutely.

Dai Manuel: 40:58

You need to see the findings they find. But also it's neat because with a big enough cross-section you can. You can see trends, you can see what's working kind of impact. I mean not give you an absolute, but it gives you an idea of the trending. It's sort of like the body-messing thing. I don't put a lot of stock in it, but for general terms and understanding.

Corinna Bellizzi: 41:14

I don't know how much muscle you're carrying, too right.

Dai Manuel: 41:17

I'm considered obese if I go by the BMI and I'm like, okay, yeah, maybe not so accurate, but for general populations it makes sense yeah.

Corinna Bellizzi: 41:26

Well, we talked about this on the show when I invited you on. I've been on this health journey getting back into the gym. My body fat percentage is now at 23%, which is considered very healthy for a woman.

Corinna Bellizzi: 41:38

Very, very low, yet I'm still in the obese range for BMI because of the fact that I have a lot of muscle mass I carry. So if you're lifting heavy weight and if you carry a lot of muscle mass, then you're going to look like you have a BMI. That's not super great. I like the hip to waist ratio more especially for women specifically because it seems to be tied to so many successes when you get that hip to waist ratio right and seems to be a better indicator long-term.

Dai Manuel: 42:11

Such good insights and I'm like I can't believe that we've already exhausted the time and I'm like what, what? I can't believe it. I'm like there's no more questions but that just means I've got to have you back. So what I love to just sort of. I've got two quick questions. One is, of course, I like to always give my guests last word, so that's coming. But before that, in your 20-year career, is there a story that jumps out that really Everyone's got one, of those sort of stories that are a success story, or that impact story that really just like it's that thing that we come back to and say this is why I do what I do, Especially when it comes to the regenerative health solutions and just really this whole journey that you've been on last 20 years. Do you have a story where this work that you've done has really made a huge impact that just always comes to mind for you?

Corinna Bellizzi: 43:06

You know, there are a few over the years.

Corinna Bellizzi: 43:09

Some of the first that came to me that I felt really inspired me to keep going. I heard so many women who were peri or postman and puzzle say things like I just couldn't lose any weight and I started taking omega-3s and when I upped my dose, maybe they were taking two or three times what a typical soft gel dose is on a particular product, but that they suddenly found that the pounds just melted off. And this has partly to do with metabolic health, and that's the thing that I can't emphasize enough. When your powerhouses of your cells are insufficient in their supply of DHA, you're not going to be able to produce ATP energy the way you need to, and if you're not able to produce that ATP energy, then your metabolic fire is going to be tanked.

Corinna Bellizzi: 44:07

Getting enough omega-3s is also positively associated with getting more brown fat at your core, which also is what fuels you right. So I think it's something that we need to pay attention to getting that balance right. I also heard from I don't know how many people over the years like they were struggling with their child who had attention or focus issues and just didn't seem to be able to participate and learn with other students as well, and started taking omega-3s and saw a market change and a difference in their performance.

Dai Manuel: 44:47

How do you get? Those kids to take the capsules.

Corinna Bellizzi: 44:49

Yeah, like okay. So there's a couple of ways to do that. I mean we don't have a liquid product.

Corinna Bellizzi: 44:54

Yet that's one way. But I've actually seen our customer base take our soft gels and throw them in the Vitamix with their shakes and it doesn't taste bad, so it doesn't matter, right, it just gets decimated in there and then it might color the shake a little bit, but who cares? Throw some spirulina and two. You'll be even better off. So I think that's a great way because, honestly, you make a great tasting shake. Your kids will drink it up right, they will.

Dai Manuel: 45:19

I can attest to that. Fed our kids for years and years and still do today.

Corinna Bellizzi: 45:23

Yeah, the other thing is these soft gels are really small. They're only 500 milligrams and you can train your kids to swallow soft gels. I worked at doing that when they were six, so both my kids can now take them and all you do is get them to take a couple in the mouth and point the chin down. I would even just give them one. One soft gel is enough for a kid their age right and you just point the chin down and swallow, because if you think about it, you don't walk around like that swallowing your food. If you toss your chin up, you actually close your esophagus. So point your chin down with water in your mouth and swallow, and that sucker will go right back.

Dai Manuel: 45:58

I think you just learned something new. It's important.

Corinna Bellizzi: 46:02

I'm not giving away my entire lunch. I just made such sense, just to say that so I can swallow like 10 pills at a time this way, like granted, they're not huge chalky pills If I'm taking a tablet that's bigger like a magnesium or something like that, then I'll take one at a time. But if I'm talking a bunch of simple small capsules and soft gels and things like that literally I even did this as a TikTok to show people.

Corinna Bellizzi: 46:30

Not that much water, even just like a small cup. Put them all in your mouth. Take some water in your mouth, toss it back just to get them to the back of your throat, but point your chin down and swallow and they go right down.

Dai Manuel: 46:41

So good, so good. Like I said, I've learned so much today. So thank you, and I know the audience is just taking it all in, absorbing it, like they're going to absorb their Omega-3s.

Dai Manuel: 46:53

And yeah, my dad jokes a couple of times in a while. But what I'd like to allow and really I love this part of the show where I just allow you the last words and the audience. If there's somebody out there that's maybe struggling with some nutrition changes and fitness changes, some lifestyle changes, do you have any words, advice you'd like to offer for them today?

Corinna Bellizzi: 47:15

Well, as somebody who hasn't always done my best every day, I want to share a couple things. One is I mean I smoked for a long time. I was a smoker and it took me a while to quit. It was one of those habits that I was essentially ashamed of, but it was so habitual that I had a hard time saying goodbye to it, and so in my late 20s I finally quit as I was getting ready to marry my husband. I just didn't want to get married as a smoker and be like the person going to the counter by I'll take a cat and more, or something like that, and I'm just joking around, but that's how I associate.

Corinna Bellizzi: 47:53

My mind Lifelong old smoker is when I was a little kid, growing up in the 80s, and there was this mom who smoked more cigarettes all day long.

Corinna Bellizzi: 48:02

So I didn't want to be that, and I learned through the process of quitting how hard a new habit can be, or breaking a habit that's terrible. I also learned forgiveness, and I found that I had to forgive myself any day that I slipped, and that if I slipped and I had a smoke, I could start from forgiveness and start again. So, instead of looking at that moment as a setback, as something to be ashamed of, as something that troubled me and would fester and make this process even harder. I learned to forgive myself and I think that is the biggest advice I can give anyone, because if you have a moment where suddenly, you sat down and you just intended to have a small scoop of ice cream but you ate the carton, forgive yourself. Tomorrow's a new day. That doesn't mean I think you should go do that every day of the week, but it's more powerful to forgive yourself and move on than to sit there and chastise yourself for a moment's weakness.

Dai Manuel: 49:14

Excellent reminder and I have to attest that it's not always easy, but it's incredible when you do get to that place and that self-compassion and that forgiveness to just allow yourself. I mean, it's very free and I got to say thank you for sharing that and also your vulnerability, sharing a bit of it, your own struggles, because I know we all got them. It's amazing to see what you do and how you show up every day. It's really a wonderful example of someone who's an ambassador for our industries a health, wellness, nutrition and a lot of the things that you're putting out there is really serving the masses. And the thing is, is a lot of this information that I know that you know I wanted to be in everybody's hands and I think that's I'm so grateful to have had you on the show today to again share and educate people on Omega 3. It's been a life changer for me, especially with my immune condition, and I just thank you for all the work that you do. That's amazing.

Corinna Bellizzi: 50:17

Well, thank you for this podcast. I'm astounded and amazed at how much you've accomplished just since November. I shared this on the podcast when I had you on as well. I think you were over 50 episodes in it only something like two months.

Dai Manuel: 50:30

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Three months in now, episode 63 goes down on Monday. So it's like, yeah, three a week. You know it's like boom, boom, boom, but I love it. I can see why you do too. You do two podcasts. I mean, what do you do? I know and it's I don't know. I have another podcast.

Corinna Bellizzi: 50:45

I'm recording shortly so.

Dai Manuel: 50:48

I'm learning from you. So thank you, karina. I'd love to have you back again. I appreciate you all of your the links everyone will be in the show notes, along with links to Warlo if you want to check out the nutrition side of the Omega 3. So, in particular, I'm a big endorser of this and if you have any questions, I know Karina is always happy to answer them, but also, mine, I'm happy to answer your questions on this stuff, and I like to feel questions from the guests and pass it back to them.

Dai Manuel: 51:11

So don't hesitate to reach out, and in the meantime I'll see you in the outro.

Corinna Bellizzi: 51:17

See you in the outro. Thanks, karina, bye, wow.

Dai Manuel: 51:29

What an incredible journey we've shared today with Karina, from our roots as a dedicated mother and climate activist to her groundbreaking work in the Omega 3 space. Karina's story is a beacon of inspiration for anyone looking to make a meaningful impact on their health and the world. Her passion for regenerative practices and her innovative approach to wellness remind us every small step we can take can lead to significant changes, and today's conversation has ignited a spark within you to prioritize your health and well-being. We have a special invitation for you Dive deeper into the world of Omega 3s with Orlo Nutrition. Karina's dedication to quality and sustainability shines through in their products, offering a potent way to support your health journey.

Dai Manuel: 52:13

As a listener of the 2% Institution podcast, you are entitled to an exclusive discount. Simply use a special code provided in the show notes and when you make a purchase via the link provided, you'll save 10%. It's our way of saying thank you for joining us on this journey of discovery and transformation. If today's episode has also inspired you, don't forget to share your thoughts, leave a review and subscribe to the 2% Solution podcast. Together, let's embrace the power of small changes and step boldly into a healthier, more fulfilled life. Your journey to wellness starts with a single step, and Orlo Nutrition's Omega 3s could be that leap forward you've been searching for Until next time, take care.