…I wanted to highlight eggs since they are a food many people don't eat, thinking about the cholesterol.
It used to be, when I was brand-new to this profession, I was taught to tell people to avoid eggs. Because of the cholesterol.
It turns out, the cholesterol in eggs has been shown to not increase serum cholesterol, and taking eggs out of your diet doesn't really decrease your cholesterol.
Besides that, eggs…
…are cheap. …have one of the highest quality proteins available. …are one of the very few foods contain choline (in the yolk), which is very important for maintaining memory, potentially reducing your risk for Alzheimer's disease. …are a good source of vitamin B-12, another nutrient that isn't always easy to get. …are convenient to eat. …if you get the omega-3 kind, can be a source of DHA, which is not easy to get in your diet if you don't like or don't have access to fish.
So have fun with your holiday and take advantage of the fact that you've got all those boiled eggs in the frig. Have them for breakfast. Put them on your salad at lunch.
And know it's something good you're doing for yourself!
This is to address some great questions about fish oil that Katie sent in.
Katie asked: after reading about fish oil and its obvious benefits, I finally bought some Carlson Super Omega-3 Fish Oil Concentrate soft gels yesterday at Whole Foods.
I have several questions I have tried to get answered via this site and the Internet, but can't seem to find clear answers, so I am throwing them out here, in hopes you can help.
1. The bottle says"Each Carlson Super Omega — 3 soft gel contains 1000 mg (1 gram) of a special concentrate of fish body oils from deep, cold-water fish which are especially rich in the important Omega-3's EPA and DHA." However, the Supplemental Facts read EPA 300 mg DHA 200 mg Other Omega-3's 100mg. I believe that adds up to 600mg. Right? There is no mention of the other 400 mg. Where are they? I'm very confused about this. Can you explain this to me? There is also Natural Vitamin E — 10 IU…incase that means something.
2. How many pills/mg am I supposed to take? I read between 1000 mg and 3000 mg. Which makes me confused again because even though the bottle says 1000 mg in each pill I can only find 600 of them! I want to make sure that I am taking enough, but not taking too much! How much do you take? Also, do I work up to that or just dive in?
3. Last question…is there anything else I should be taking with the fish oil? I know that sometimes if you take something you need to supplement with something else. Is that the case here?
Thank you in advance for your advice and information!
My response: Katie, these are really great questions and something that I am often asked by my clients. Here's the scoop:
1. The dosage on the ingredient list can indeed be very confusing and frankly I believe it is a way in which some supplement companies try to give the impression that you are getting a better product with higher potency, but it can be misleading. When the label states something like…"contains 1000 mg marine oil", you are not getting the complete information.
The critical ingredients and the amounts you need to know about are — how much EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are contained in each capsule.
EPA and DHA have been shown to support healthy functioning of the cardiovascular, immune, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal systems. EPA is also an excellent anti-inflammatory and helpful in conditions such as insulin resistance, diabetes and auto-immune related inflammation.
DHA is an important factor for those with PCOS as it supports many aspects of health including pregnancy, fetal development, and healthy neurological function.
The other"marine lipids" are simply the total fat of the fish, where the EPA and DHA are the active portions of that fat. It is the"actives" that are providing the therapeutic value. The vitamin E in the capsules is for preservative purposes and helps prevent rancidity of the fat.
2. Regarding the dosage you should take, that is a harder question to answer because it will depend on what you are trying to target. Those with PCOS should be targeting anywhere from 500 — 1000 mg. DHA. So you need to know how much DHA is in each cap, for example if the capsule has only 200mg. of DHA, you'll need to take 3 of them to get approximately 500mg. You can then work up to a higher dose, always start with the lower dose and work your way up. Sometimes it is easier to get a liquid version that is high potency versus taking handfuls of pills to achieve the same dose.
I do not recommend that you take a liquid fish oil that is derived from Cod Liver Oil as the source as it usually has a high amount of Vitamin A and it is possible to get toxic doses of vitamin A. Another thing to note is that in a combination EPA/DHA cap, the dosage EPA will usually be higher than the amount of DHA, that is no problem. The EPA will only be of additional benefit.
Don't hesitate consulting with a registered dietitian knowledgeable both in PCOS and supplements in order to have your supplementation tailored to your specific health needs — remember we are all different, with unique physiology, medical history and requirements.
3. Fish Oil does not have to be taken with anything else to enhance its function. It can be taken all at once, with meals, between meals — it is very flexible this way.
Here are a couple of additional tips:
- if you tend to"burp" back fish oil, make sure to buy a brand that comes in an"enterically coated capsule", they might cost a few cents more, but it's worth it. - refrigerate your fish oil to protect it and this also can help reduce"burp back". - contributes to creating beautiful, healthy skin.
One last fun fact about fish oil. Most of it actually comes from the southern hemisphere not as you might think from the deep waters off Norway!
Here's to fish oil!
Carmina McGee, MS, RD, LE Ventura, California 805.816.2629 info@carminamcgee.com
I can tell by looking at this blog's visitation statistics that a very high percentage of its visitors are looking for help with an immediate problem that has"hit them where it hurts", so to speak. You may have acne. Or want a child. Or be looking for a successful weight loss plan.
The fact is, however, that sitting in my seat, it is equally important to offer insight and solutions for those problems as it is to educate about the big picture.
The fact is, 10% of women with PCOS will be diabetic by age 40.
The fact is, PCOS increases your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
And…since diabetes is increasingly being associated with Alzheimer's disease, the fact is, you may end up being at risk for that as well if you're on this blog looking for help with your acne.
Fortunately, you don't have to do one thing for your fertility, another for your acne, and another to prevent Alzheimer's. All the suggestions you see here work to help all organ systems function better.
And the fact is, there is a whole lot you can do to decrease your risk of having any of the problems mentioned above.
The fact is, you can't decrease your risk if you don't take action. That part of the solution is totally in your control.
In this particular study, the alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)concentrations in fat tissue were evaluated in 1819 people. (ALA is a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in flaxseed, flaxseed oil, soybeans, canola oil, and nuts, to name a few.)
Individuals with higher levels of ALA had a lower risk of heart attack.
The fact is…if you cook more often with canola oil, eat more nuts, put some edamame on your next salad, and/or add some ground flaxseed to your next bowl of oatmeal, you just might experience the same benefits as the people in this study.
If it can't hurt and it might help, there doesn't seem to be a reason not to try at least one of those things!
Campos H, Baylin A, Willett WC. Alpha-linolenic acid and risk of nonfatal acute myocardial infarction. Circulation. 2008 Jul 22;118(4):339-45. Epub 2008 Jul 7.
"Brain fog"--trouble with focus, memory, and concentration, is a common but little-discussed issue with PCOS. I believe that for many of you, it impairs your ability to follow through with changes you genuinely wish to make because you simply don't remember to do them.
This is more than just an annoying little problem. Women with PCOS are at high risk for developing diabetes, and people with diabetes are at high risk for developing Alzheimer's disease.
So while you may be more focused on how to feel better right now, look better soon, and become pregnant in the near future, I've got my eye on the big picture.
The good news is that the nutrition recommendations we make here are good for all of the problems you might have with PCOS--weight, skin, fertility, mood…and brain function. , Fish oil is one of the biggest tools you have. Eating a variety of foods, not forgetting the fruits and vegetables, and getting enough sleep, are all very important to do.
Yesterday I mentioned choline, a chemical that the brain uses to make acetylcholine, the memory neurotransmitter. If you've given up egg yolks because you are afraid of their cholesterol, take note: it's likely not the cholesterol in those yolks that are causing you trouble. And, you're throwing valuable choline down the drain that your brain wants and needs.
This coming week at The inCYSTem, I've put together a week's worth of menus incorporating foods high in choline, some seafood, and good omega 6 to omega 3 balance. A four week subscription to this new program is $15; if you'd like to participate and experience first hand what eating well can do for you…contact me at marika@google.com.
This post is part of the Women's Health Blogfest. Please click on the links below to read more from other contributors! And thanks to everyone who took the time to participate!
In the almost 10 years I have been studying PCOS, I've learned much about what drives a woman's motivation to seek out information. The top reasons women find this blog are:
1. to improve their fertility, 2. to more effectively manage their weight, and 3. to feel and look better
As I've read and met women with the syndrome, I've learned that PCOS is about a whole lot more.
1. A woman's breastfeeding practices seem to significantly influence her child's hormonal health. Many women I've worked with were formula fed at a time when baby formula did not contain essential nutrients. 2. Whether or not you as a woman with PCOS were born to term, and potentially whether or not you were part of a multiple birth, seem to be red flags for PCOS risk later in life. 3. Just because you're a teenager, too young to want to conceive, or a woman who has already had her children, doesn't mean PCOS isn't something to be concerned about. It can mess with your mood, and in turn your energy level and relationships. It can provoke eating disorders. It can elevate your cholesterol. And…through its link to diabetes, it may increase your risk for Alzheimer's disease.
A blog attempting to tackle a syndrome with such widespread effects is not easy to manage. I've been working since we've started to find experts in areas outside of nutrition to complement what I as a dietitian can discuss and promote. I'm really excited to be partnering with lactation consultants to address breastfeeding issues specific to PCOS, and to have Gretchen Kubacky, PsyD, on board, to help us understand what PCOS can do to thinking, mood, and energy. We have one dietitian, Karen Siegel, who is also an acupuncturist, and another acupuncturist will soon be contributing her insight as well.
For the very first time, we are collaborating with Green Mountain at Fox Run in Ludlow, Vermont, to offer PCOS Program weeks this coming September! It's been a dream of mine to see this kind of program and there is no better place where it could be launched. Green Mountain is also participating in this blogfest, if you'd like to learn even more, be sure to read their contribution.
We don't just care about your ovaries. We care about all of you, from birth through retirement, and we hope that as we grow and diversify, the expert opinions you will see expressed here on this blog will address the many important ways we can keep our hormones working positively for us.
Thanks for stopping by our contribution to the Women's Health blogfest. If you enjoyed us, you can follow us with the signups you see here on the blog, through our Facebook inCYST group, or through Twitter, via @incyst.
For more information on women's health:
Angela White at Blisstree’s Breastfeeding 1-2-3 – Helpful Skills of Breastfeeding Counselors Angie Tillman, RD, LDN, CDE – You Are Beautiful Today Anthony J. Sepe – Women's Health and Migraines Ashley Colpaart – Women's health through women Charisse McElwaine – Spending too much time on the"throne? Danielle Omar – Yoga, Mindful Eating and Food Confidence Diane Preves M.S.,R.D – Balance for Health Joan Sather A Woman's Healthy Choices Affect More Than Herself Laura Wittke – Fibro Study Recruits Participants Liz Marr, MS, RD – Reflecting on Family Food Ways and Women's Work Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT – Healthy Women, Healthy Business: How Your Health Impacts a Powerful Business Marsha Hudnall – Breakfast Protein Helps Light Eaters Feel Full Michelle Loy, MPH, MS, RD – A Nutritionista’s Super Foods for Super Skin Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog – How breastfeeding helps you, too Rebecca Scritchfield, MA, RD, LD – Four Keys to Wellness, Just for Women Renata Mangrum, MPH, RD – The busy busy woman Robin Plotkin, RD, LD – Feeding the Appetites of the Culinary, Epicurious and Nutrition Worlds-One Bite at a Time Sharon Salomon, MS, RD – Calories, longevity and do I care Terri L Mozingo, RD, CDN & D. Milton Stokes, MPH, RD, CDN of One Source Nutrition, LLC – Crossing the Line: From Health to Hurt Wendy Jo Peterson, RD – Watch Your Garden Grow
