Striving4Zen

Among the Japanese, who each eat an average of 145 pounds of fish a year, rates of depression and homicide are strikingly low. Meanwhile, men who live in landlocked nations such as Austria and Hungary, where fish consumption is respectively 25 pounds and nine pounds per capita, top the global charts in suicide and depression.

Despite the fact that the Japanese smoke like fiends, struggle with high blood pressure, and eat a hundred more cholesterol-rich eggs a year per person than Americans do, they boast enviably low rates of cardiovascular disease, as well as the longest life span on the planet, an average of 81 years…three years longer than that of Americans.

And while it's true that the Japanese consume soy in the form of tofu, miso, and soy sauce, the way it is prepared--precipitated or fermented--is far healthier than the raw, mineral-blocking phytate estrogen and omega-6-rich versions consumed by Americans.

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Labels: fish oil, healthy diet, nutrition, Omega-3s

Sardines, a tiny, sleek and silvery canned fish, are one of the few foods that contain Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a nutrient found the body's cells. In a nutshell, it's believed to have antioxidant properties and is said to enhance physical energy. Studies have also found that CoQ10 benefits those with cardiovascular diseases, particularly hypertension and congestive heart failure. In addition to CoQ10, these little nutritional powerhouses are also ample sources of vitamin B12, selenium, omega-3 oils, protein, phosphorus and vitamin D.

Some folks have long been aware of the health benefits of eating sardines. In a 1984 issue of the Town & Country magazine, James Villas wrote an article entitled "The Unsung Sardine" in which he said that "ounce for ounce, sardines provide more calcium and phosphorus than milk, more protein than steak, more potassium than bananas, and more iron than cooked spinach."

Today, a growing number of health care providers and nutritional experts are consistently touting the benefits of CoQ10, omega-3 oils, selenium, and vitamins B12 and D when it comes to cardiovascular health, memory, joints, skin and energy levels.

It may be time to take another look - or better yet, another smell and taste of this little fish, beginning with being very selective about what "kind" of sardine you buy.

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Labels: eating for good skin, eating healthy, fish oil, health food, Omega-3s, sardines

Something to think about the next time you order fish.
Fish farming is all the rage right now. We have almost endangered every fish in the ocean so getting natural, unfarmed fish in large quantities on a regular basis is out of the question. Since farming has become vastly popular the cost of fish meal (to satiate the fish) has gotten very expensive. In Idaho, scientists are working on feeding farmed trout a diet of manure and maggots instead of fish meal. Idaho has an unlimited suply of manure because the dairy industry reigns supreme. This unique diet is actually closer to what the trout would actually eat in the wild than in the fish meal we feed them. Hopefully this won’t affect the taste of the fish. [ABC News]

Labels: fish farming, fish oil, toxins

"You want to make sure you're eating omega-3's with eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, DHA," she says.
"Because that is the most potent and beneficial form."
Foods that contain this type of fatty acids include wild salmon, herring, sardines and rainbow trout. They're packed to the - ahem - gills with omega-3 and guarantee you'll get the nutrients you need.
And for those who worry about the mercury in fish, there are options. Wild salmon, sardines and rainbow trout tend to have the lowest amounts of mercury.
"With fish, mercury is always concern," says nutritionist Steven Margolin. "But the benefit you get from eating the fish outweighs the exposure to mercury."
But fish aren't the only option for your omega-3 fix; there are plenty of other foods, including fortified eggs, yogurt and bread.
"I consider fortified eggs a secondary source of omega-3, right under fish," says Bauer, who adds that walnuts and soybeans are also a great source.
Margolin, who owns the Manhattan wellness center Longevity Health, likes flaxseed. "It's the purest form of omega-3 - when we eat flaxseed oil, the body changes it into EPA and DHA, which is what you get from fish." To get the benefit, flaxseed needs to be ground and added to food or used in the form of oil - "although that tastes kind of nasty."
And then there are the supplements.

Top 10 Food Sources:
1) Salmon
2) Herring
3) Mackerel
4) Sardines
5) Rainbow trout
6) Flaxseed, flaxseed oil
7) Fortified eggs
8) Fortified yogurt
9) Walnuts
10) Sunflower seeds

THANKS!

Labels: fish oil, Omega-3s fish oil, salmon

The problem is that all shrimp have not swum in the ocean – most are farm raised. This means that they since they are larvae, shrimp are placed in pools and confined for months until they are large enough to be sold. And just like conventional chickens, they are given antibiotics to ward off disease before they are taken away as tasteless versions of themselves (again, just like chickens their flavor is muted by the lack of exposure to their natural habitat).
And it gets worse ... 90% of shrimp sold in the US come from Southeast Asia or Latin America where environmental regulations leave much to be desired. The issue is so hot that even Wal-Mart announced this year that they would only buy their yearly 50 million pounds of shrimp from farms that are certified as environmentally sound by the Global Aquaculture Alliance or the Aquaculture Certification Council.
So short of kissing your shrimp cocktail goodbye what is one to do? Look for wild or domestic shrimp. If shopping, markets will usually list the country of origin next to their seafood. But if you’re eating out or at a party ... you’re pretty much on your own. However, just like restaurants advertise free-range chickens they are starting to do the same with seafood…ever seen “line caught” or “wild” on a menu? I’m sure you’ll start paying attention.

Labels: antibiotics, fish oil, shrimp, toxins

The Health Department has created a mercury-education brochure, "Eat Fish, Choose Wisely," available through 311.

It advises choosing fish lower in mercury, like clams, oysters and catfish, and to avoid fish high in mercury, like Chilean sea bass, mussels and canned light tuna.

They also advise choosing smaller fish, eating smaller servings and eating a variety of fish.

New Yorks have high mercury levels says The Post.

Labels: fish oil, mercury, New Yorkers

What It Is:
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are the two principal fatty acids found in fish. They belong to a family of essential nutrients known as omega-3 fatty acids. The body can manufacture both EPA and DHA from another essential fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) — found in flaxseed oil, canola oil, soy oil and walnut oil — but only to a limited extent. For more information see the separate review of flaxseed oil and omega-6 products.
What It Does:
Cardiovascular Disease:
Increased consumption of fish oil may help slow the progression of atherosclerosis and thereby prevent heart attacks, and also reduce risk of sudden death due to cardiac arrythmias. Omega-3 fatty acids have a number of heart-healthy effects, including reducing triglyceride levels, raising levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol and, possibly, "thinning" the blood, reducing levels of homocysteine and reducing blood pressure. Fish oils also appear to enhance the effectiveness of statin drugs used to improve cholesterol profile.
Arthritis and Other Inflammatory Diseases:
EPA and DHA have been tried in the treatment of symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis with considerable success (especially in early stages of the disease). These oils may also be useful in the treatment of menstrual cramps, inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease), lupus, and IgA nephropathy.
Psychiatric and Mental Disorders:
For reasons that are less clear, omega-3s seem to help depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, according to a limited number of double-blind trials. Fish oil has also been proposed for attention deficit disorder, borderline personality disorder, dyslexia and cognitive impairment, but as yet the supporting evidence for these uses remains exceedingly preliminary. Other Diseases:
Other proposed uses of fish oils with some support include asthma, Raynaud's phenomenon (abnormal sensitivity of hands and feet to cold), chronic fatigue syndrome, cystic fibrosis, osteoporosis, reducing the risk of prostate cancer and preventing weight loss during cancer chemotherapy. DHA is important for normal development and functioning of the brain and retina in the fetus and in infants and may also reduce the risk of premature delivery in pregnant women.

Labels: fish oil, nutrition, Omega-3s