Hello everyone,
Just wanted to share an article you may have seen on MS-NBC.
The main ingredient in our sponsor's Omega-3 Brain Booster is the Ocean Nutrition product featured in this article. If you'd like to try it, you will receive a 10% discount on your first purchase if you click this link and use the coupon code"neuron" when you order.
I was thrilled to see this article and to know we'd brought this information to all of you long before MS-NBC had even heard of it!
Way back when I first started studying omega-3 chemistry, I put together a list of DHA contents of a variety of seafoods. I was recently asked for a copy of that list, and since the list was not complete the first time I did it, I decided to update it.
I noticed when looking at the latest list that there were two significant changes: Over half of the seafood given the"green light" are farmed. Meaning we need to be more open to eating farmed fish and better manage our ocean farming habits. Secondly, as a consumer it is also important to know what fishing method was used. Some are sustainable, some are not.
The list below is based off of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch list, most recently updated January 11. As much as I advocate for all of you to eat more fish, I want to be sure that I do my part to encourage responsible use of the ocean's resources. So the only options included on this list are the"green light", or most sustainable options. If you don't see it there, it didn't get a green light. The (F) in front of an item denotes"farmed".
I'll update this from time to time so you all can keep current. I used the national list, but you can also find more specific regional lists at the same website. The downloadable wallet cards or iPhone application are great to keep with you so that you can always make better choices when you're grocery shopping or eating out.
Bottom line, any seafood has omega-3's. Even if they're not as high as what is found in salmon, every time you eat fish, you're not eating a meat higher in saturated fat. There's a"double whammy" benefit over and above that simple DHA.
Hope this inspires you to think when buying or ordering your seafood!
Milligrams of EPA/DHA/total omega-3 per 100 gram (3.5 cooked ounces)
(F) artic char 600/500/1100
(F) US barramundi 900/600/1500
(F) US catfish 200/200/400
(F) clams 100/100/200
(F) US cobia 383/418/801
(F) Pacific cod, bottom longline fished 100/100/200
Dungeness/stone crab 100/200/300
Pacific US halibut 300/100/400
Pacific US spiny lobster 100/100/200
(F) mussels 300/200/500
(F) oysters 200/400/600
Alaska sablefish/black cod 100/100/200
Alaskan salmon 575/500/1075
(F) off-bottom scallops 100/100/200
Pink shrimp 100/200/300
(F) striped bass 600/200/800
*striped bass 200/600/800
(F) US tilapia 130/50/180
(F) US rainbow trout 400/100/500
US/British Columbia albacore tuna (canned white) 100/300/400
Skipjack tuna (canned light) 300/100/400
I recently noticed that Starbucks has an apple bran muffin that it advertises contains DHA in the marine algae form. I checked into it, knowing we've got a lot of readers on the lookout for omega-3 options.
I was able to find the ingredients on the Starbucks website:
whole wheat flour, brown sugar, water, whole eggs, apples, wheat bran, honey, dried cherries (red tart cherries, sugar, sunflower oil), soybean oil, dried cranberries (cranberries, sugar, sunflower oil), raisins, rolled oats, unsalted butter (cream [from milk]), quick oats, molasses, nonfat milk powder, salt, baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch, monocalcium phosphate), calcium carbonate, ground cinnamon, sodium bicarbonate, natural flavor, vanilla extract, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, xanthan gum, dha oil (dha algal oil, high oleic sunflower oil, sunflower lecithin, rosemary extract, ascorbyl palmitate).
However, nowhere on the Internet could I find information about how much DHA this muffin actually contained.
So I wrote Starbucks, asking for the information. Starbucks politely wrote me back and told me they didn't have the information to give me.
Coupled with the facts that the primary oil used in this muffin is soybean oil, inCYST readers should know that there is a strong possibility that the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of this product is likely higher than what you ideally want. Plus, the dried fruits are sweetened, you're going to be better off with another way to get DHA.
If Starbucks would be willing to switch out the oil and provide the DHA information I'm willing to revisit this topic. But given the fact that no one really seems to know if the omega-3 content is comparable to any other choices, the fact that this product contains omega-3's cannot really be considered to be advantageous.
Here's hoping we're educating all of you well enough that companies learn that just because it's not required by law, information on a label must be complete in order to be a selling point.
I've been working on my home study course for the past week, and one of the topics I spent quite a bit of time on…was my frustration about the misinformation we spread about fish. (I guess you could say"fish" is something I have a"beef" about…)
We have this tendency as nutritionists to create the perception that the only fish that has any omega-3 content…and therefore worth eating…is salmon.
I live in Phoenix. We love salmon here as much as anyone, but it's not a local fish. It's seasonal. And it's expensive. It's not the greatest choice if you have trouble with the"fishiness" of fish. And for many of the people I work with, it's simply not an affordable option.
And this idea that you have to eat salmon to get your omega-3's is simply not based in fact.
A few years ago I did an analysis of all seafood. And it turns out, whether or not you eat clams, shrimp, salmon, catfish, or mussels, you're getting omega-3's in your diet. So eat what you can get locally at an affordable price, and enjoy it!
I have a particular fondness for tilapia because it is a mild fish, it's affordable, available in most locations, and very doable for someone who's not a big fish lover. Secondly, I love this fish because it is farmed, which means it has the potential to feed a lot of people yet be a sustainable resource.
Have you considered what we do to the poor wild salmon population when we all quit eating other fish and eat this one and this one alone? It's not really logical or rational to assume that there are enough wild salmon in the Pacific to feed every person on the planet.
If you're not a tilapia fan, do take the time to visit this website: www.montereybayaquarium.org. They have a great list of seafood choices that are sustainable and therefore the ones to gravitate toward in the grocery store and in restaurants. I was surprised at what popular species are overfished and my shopping habits have changed to reflect what I learned.
If you don't know me, you should know I'm very picky about who I collaborate with in business. I actually turn down more opportunities to advertise than I accept. It's made the business a little more slower-growing than average, but the reward for being such a tortoise is that the business that DOES come our way is loyal business.
If you do know me, you know I'm very big on omega-3's. (I spent Christmas with a neighbor's family, and she told her kids that when it came to fish oil…I was like the guy in"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" who thought Windex cured everything!) OK, Marilyn, I'm not THAT fanatic, but I do believe omega-3's are incredibly important to overall health.
I like to believe that because I AM so cautious about where my name lands, that credibility is added to the products I DO associate with.
The company you will find at the other end of the link to the right, Omega 3 Brain Booster, was the first one to support my work, and they have been wonderful to be involved with. It is an honor and a pleasure to tell people about their business. They have created a product that can be used in your own cooking, which eliminates the need to take a capsule and deal with fishy burps.
If you're interested in trying it, you can order online. By using the coupon code"neuron", you can receive a 10% discount on your first purchase.
Many of you already know you're insulin resistant, and are receiving medical attention for that. Here are the basic nutrition and lifestyle actions you can take to further help minimize the impact of that issue on your pregnancy success.
1. Move! I'm a distance runner. As much as I love running, however, I have a lot of other activities I love to do. Having a variety of activities to rotate through prevents boredom, and it involves different muscle groups in exercise. I learned to vary after a ski injury that sidelined my running for a year. You don't want that to happen, to become so dependent on one activity that you set yourself up to lose activity completely. These days I run, but I also walk, rollerblade, garden, hike, golf, swim and do yoga. (Ivonne recently talked me into trying a tango class. I think dancing is my new favorite!) Any little thing you can do that tells your body it needs to get better at moving glucose into muscle cells…is what you need to do.
2. Commit yourself to better sleeping habits. Poor sleep, either few hours or bad quality, interferes with insulin function. The clients I work with who prioritize better sleep are the ones who notice feeling better the soonest. It can be a hard one if you love the late night shows, easily get lost in the Internet, or don't set good boundaries with others. But good sleep is one of the most important things you can give yourself. If you search"sleep" in this blog there is a lot of information about how to achieve this.
3. Watch the caffeine. This goes hand in hand with #2. Caffeine in coffee, tea (it's in green tea, too, so be aware), chocolate…it all challenges healthy sleep. It's something you are best to live without during pregnancy anyway, so why not get used to decaffeinated life now if that's where you want to be?
4. Be aware of glycemic index. Foods with a low glycemic index are foods that don't challenge your insulin function as much as other foods. It's not that high glycemic foods are"bad", it's just that they should not be eaten as often. In order to make a MEAL lower-glycemic, be sure you have a good balance of carbs, fats, and proteins. People eating on the run tend to challenge glycemic function either by eating large quantities of fast food or nibbling all day long on carbs without making time for protein.
5. Pay attention to your fats. One reason I push the fish oil so much is that it really helps to improve insulin function."S" and"C" oils--safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn, cottonseed…tend to worsen glycemic function. They're found in processed foods, baked goods, and salad dressings. One reason I love teaching my classes at Whole Foods is that their entire deli uses only olive and canola (the only"C" exception) and you can literally choose what you want without ingredient anxiety.
6. Add a little cinnamon to your low-glycemic oatmeal. It has been found to improve insulin function…and it's tasty!
A word about metformin. Some women complain about digestive disturbances with this medication. A physician once shared that if you eat a lot of carbs (particularly sweets) while on the medication, it can cause diarrhea. So be forewarned, taking the medication is not a license to eat what you want, assuming metformin is going to do all the work. Metformin is most effective if you use it in conjunction with the guidelines in this post.
Next progesterone post we'll talk about poor nutrition. It is very important!
Secondary infertility is the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term after successfully and naturally conceiving one or more children.
Secondary infertility also appears to often be a condition with a significant nutritional cause…and a fairly easy solution.
A developing fetus has no way of obtaining the important omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, that it needs for adequate brain and nervous system development, except from its mother.
And what do we do to pregnant moms? We tell them to not eat the main source of these fatty acids, fish.
Even though the FDA warning limits their advised restrictions to four fish (shark, tilefish, king mackerel, and swordfish), studies have shown that women tend to limit ALL fish consumption while pregnant.
So as their firstborn develops, mom's omega-3 stores gradually dwindle. It's highly likely, given the stressful demands of new motherhood and the continued concern that fish may not be safe while nursing, that omega-3 intake continues to be inadequate.
And since fertility is dependent on adequate omega-3's as well, it makes sense that what it required to conceive and carry the first baby to term, may be exactly what's keeping baby #2 from happening.
We've been pretty successful at inCYST with this type of infertility. It's about getting over the fear of eating fish when you're pregnant.
At this point, pretty much every reputable fish oil on the market is molecularly distilled, meaning it's clean. Random tests of bottles of fish oil pulled off of pharmacy shelves rarely find mercury. Believe me, if they did, with the popularity of fish oil, it would be all over the news.
You can't just take fish oil and expect your problems to be solved. It is important to combine this with a healthy diet free of trans fats, low in inflammatory fats (safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn, cottonseed), and rich in antioxidants.
When you DO dose the fish oil, you'll need to take more than the recommended dose on the bottle; about 1000 mg DHA. You will need to calculate the number of capsules your favorite brand provides.
This issue is actually one of the things that inspired me to create the inCYST Network. When I saw what the fish fear was potentially doing to mother, child, and unborn children, I decided it was time to step up and speak out.
I hope you find this information helpful!
I know, I know. You may be asking,"What in the heck is that?!" At least that was my first thought.
I came across Piñalinaza product by chance, when in the midst of a bout of homesickness for the latin markets in my hometown of Miami, FL I decided to shop at a Food City in Chandler, AZ instead of my usual Fry's or Sprouts.
Sure there wasn't any salsa music playing, and the prepared foods and the marketing were more Mexican than Cuban, but it felt close enough to home. As I was grabbing a bag of onions and a few mangoes, I saw a little stand off to the side in the produce department. Always on the lookout for an"omega 3 boost," the packaging for the Piñalinaza caught my eye.
So what is it exactly? Simply put, it is flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed) with ground pineapple and prickly pear, as well as some other citrus fruits (orange and grapefruit). At plain sight it looks exactly like regular flaxseed meal. But it has a mild tropical scent to it. If you already use flaxseed meal, I imagine you could use it in the same way you use the regular stuff!
Flaxseed is an excellent source of fiber and omega-3 fats, and as you may have already read in this blog before, the best way to get the benefits of flaxseed is to grind the seeds instead of eating them whole.
How do I use it? Normally I might put a tablespoon or two of flaxseed meal into a smoothie/protein shake or sprinkle it into yogurt. When making a smoothie I tend to stick with a vanilla flavored based as it's the most versatile when adding other flavors to it. This didn't disappoint! I made a vanilla smoothie with unsweetened almond milk (Almond Breeze brand), vanilla flavored whey protein, 2 tablespoons of Piñalinaza and about 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut, the kind you might use in baking. A nice tropical deviation from my usual cinnamon-vanilla smoothie.
I also sprinkled it right into some plain Greek yogurt for a quick breakfast this weekend. One tablespoon and half a packet of Splenda (you can use whatever you like if you need the extra sweetness — Greek yogurt is a bit too tangy for me to eat it unsweetened!). I bet it would tasted even better if I'd had some fresh pineapple chunks to throw in there, maybe some other tropical fruits — papaya, or mango. Unsweetened dried fruit may work too. Hmmm… I may have to go back to Food City and pick up some other things!
By the way, the company (Ibitta) also makes a prickly pear version of the product called Nopalinaza, boasting 4 grams of omega-3 in one 15-gram serving.
If you run across one of these products and get to try it, come back and leave a comment. Tell us what you thought and what you did with it!
Kashi TLC Pumpkin Spice Flax bars
I tried these delicious new bars and they are really nutty, crunchy and tasty as a quick breakfast addition or a snack
these bars contain 300 mg Omega-3's from whole flax seeds
Fiber is 4 grams per serving
there are 7 types of whole grains, canola oil, pumpkin seeds and wheat germ and 2 bars equals one serving
In going with my theme of"I hate top ten food lists", I thought I'd write about trout. I love salmon, it's one of my favorite fish, but I have two really big problems with the fact that 99% of health professionals giving omega-3 diet advice either never considered or simply ignore:
1. There is not enough wild Alaskan salmon on the planet to make it the primary omega-3 source for everyone on the planet. It is unhealthy for the salmon, and the ecosystem surrounding them, for us to only recommend that fish as an omega-3 source. Anyone who presents this as their only option for increasing omega-3's is providing you with advice that may be immediately healthy for you, but given its effect on planetary health, may hurt all of us in the long run.
2. Salmon is seasonal, and regional, and it is not a budget-friendly choice for many people.
The truth is, ALL fish and seafood contain omega-3. Sure, salmon is a very dense source, but it is not the ONLY source. I'd like to write a little bit today about salmon's"kissin' cousin," or as this past weekend's Los Angeles training group came to call it,"poor man's salmon".
I have a freezer full of trout because my parents spend their summer days in Arizona's White Mountains fishing and catching their limit. I have learned from all my omega-3 research that trout are nutritionally similar to salmon. In fact, there is even one type of fish that, depending on if it heads back to the ocean or stays in the river, is labelled a salmon or a trout. It makes sense, the flesh is pink like salmon and it lives happily in cold water.
I think part of the reason trout is not popular is that it is traditionally eaten in its skin, with bones intact. If that's your issue, find a local grocer that bones the fillets. It makes a huge difference.
For awhile, I had trouble with trout because I didn't know how to cook it. Then it occurred to me that if it's practically a salmon, then my salmon recipes would likely work pretty well on trout. And that has proven to be true.
Gretchen Kubacky shared these trout recipes that are popular in her home. I am sharing them because they're yummy…and so that all you readers can see that you don't just have to be a nutritionist to love healthy food and tasty cooking! Thanks Gretchen!
Here's a great website on trout if you'd like to learn more.
Grilled Trout
Can use any quantity of trout – for each trout:
1. Wash and dry the trout, inside and out.
2. Slash both sides of the trout at approximately 1” intervals, being careful not to slice all the way through.
3. On both sides of the fish, open the slits, and, with a teaspoon or your finger, rub your favorite Cajun spice rub into each slit, and inside the cavity of the fish. Trial and error will determine the correct amount of spice rub. However, start with about a tablespoon for the entire fish, as a guideline.
4. Let the fish sit for 20 – 30 minutes at room temperature (or the refrigerator, in Arizona!) so the spices penetrate the flesh.
5. In the meantime, heat the grill to medium-high/high.
6. Put the trout on the grill for four minutes, turn it, and grill for four minutes on the other side (depending on the heat and size of the fish). It will char and the skin should be easy to peel off.
7. Remove from the grill. Serve with or without skin/bones/head/tail, as desired.
Chinese Steamed Trout
Again, this is good for any quantity – whatever your microwave’s capacity is.
1. Wash and dry the trout, inside and out.
2. Slash both sides of the trout at approximately 1” intervals, being careful not to slice all the way through.
3. Thinly slice (1/8” or so) approximately a 1” chunk of ginger (approximately ½” to ¾” diameter).
4. Sprinkle a little sugar and a little salt in each slit, both sides of the fish (again, trial and error). Both will contribute to softening the flesh, and developing the complexity of flavor.
5. Slice/shred a good handful of cilantro (half a bunch per fish, or thereabouts).
6. Insert a ginger slice in each slit, along with some cilantro.
7. Put the rest of the ginger slices and cilantro in the cavity of the fish.
8. Pour soy sauce and rice vinegar in the slits and over both sides of the fish, and in the cavity.
9. Put it in a rectangular Pyrex dish (cut in half if necessary to fit).
10. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
11. Let the fish sit for 20 – 30 minutes at room temperature, turning periodically and spooning the “marinade” over/into the fish.
12. Cover tightly. Microwave 6 – 7 minutes at medium high (1,000 watt microwave oven).
13. Remove from microwave oven; keep covered and let stand for 2 – 3 minutes. Fish is done when flesh is opaque.
14. Optional, for added flair: Heat a little sesame oil and drizzle over fish prior to serving.
15. Serve with your favorite rice, stir-fried bok choy, etc. The best way to eat this is with chopsticks – the flesh just peels off – and watch for bones.
Last week Dr. Doug Bibus honored us with a webinar on the science behind his blood omega-3 testing. His statistics regarding the many correlations between poor omega-3 status and health problems were profound. What particularly got my attention was how this issue may, in some interesting ways, be singling out military families.
Dr. Bibus shared that omega-3 fatty acids have become the subject of intense interest with the Department of Defense, given the fact that military suicides doubled between 2005 and 2008. If you think about it, the majority of deployments during this time have been to Iraq and Afghanistan, where seafood is not a staple on the menu.
Have you ever seen or eaten a military ration (aka MRE?). Many moons ago, my neighbor found some at a military surplus store, and for fun, we organized a dinner party around them.
Just look at that photo to the left. It is what our military eats, day in and day out. I don't see any omega-3's and I do see sugar and pro-inflammatory fats. The focus of these meals, understandably, has been to provide a concentrated source of calories (1250 per meal and 36% fat on average) in a small volume. And that need for calories has been a great dumping ground for surpluses of corn and soybean oil, industries subsidized by our own government.
Expose yourself to that kind of diet, stress, and sleep deprivation, day in and day out, for months on end…it's no wonder the incidence of suicide skyrocketed. I'm glad the DOD has decided to start to figure out how to fix it.
Zoom back over to Virginia Beach and San Francisco, where inCYST seems to have strong pockets of interest. As I sat there and listened to Dr. Bibus talk about the mental health aspects of omega-3 deprivation on our military, I couldn't help but wonder if these infertility pockets are somehow related.
These military couples aren't just dealing with infertility. They have very short windows of opportunity to do something about it. And if the hubs is coming home omega-3 deprived, it's likely not going to be something that's going to resolve, even with supplementation, in his short time at home.
Because those MRE's are so high in calories and fat, and because omega-3 health is all about ratios, it's going to take a pretty high dose of fish oil to overcome that imbalance.
Seems to me that one of the very best things any infertile couple also managing a military deployment might do…is be sure that somehow, some way, omega-3 fats are a priority. It's going to take the military awhile to figure out how to reconfigure those MRE's, let alone politically negotiate all that subsidized surplus pro-inflammatory fat out of them. You don't have to, and you shouldn't…wait for that. Be sure you figure out how to get your fish oil to your loved one.
For his peace of mind and your future family.
Just sayin'