Again, looking at this list of foods, I thought of the many vegans following our blog. If you're not seeing many foods here you can eat on a regular basis, think multivitamin.
Here's a great example, too, of why even though we love salmon for its omega-3 content, it is not showing up as a source of pantothenic acid. But there's cod, tuna, and lobster. The more you vary your diet, the easier it is to get all the nutrients you need to be in balance.
PCOS Diva does it again with her weekly menus! I almost felt bad about sending her such a short list but she comes up with great suggestions no matter what the challenge…thanks!
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)
I think one of the reasons people don't eat more fish is because it intimidates them. They don't know how to buy it. To cook it. So they don't prepare it.
I stumbled on an answer to that at Safeway Stores tonight. They have come up with a series of frozen, vacuum-packed seafood entrees that are the perfect basis for a healthy, easy weeknight meal.
Waterfront Bistro is the name of the product, and there are about 10 different varieties: Alaskan Cod, Halibut Steak, and Sockeye Salmon are plain and easily dressed up with fruit salsas or healthy sauces after grilling or broiling.
Want it to be easier than that? Try the Garlic Lemon Pepper Sockeye Salmon, Sesame Teriyaki Pacific Salmon, Toasted Black Pepper Tilapia, Tuscan Roasted Garlic Pacific Cod, Lemon Dijon Pacific Salmon, or the Sesame Chili Tilapia.
There are a couple of breaded varieties I'm not listing because some of the oils on the label were pro-inflammatory. But this still leaves you with a lot of choices for quick and easy seafood meals.
I challenge you to find these difficult or inconvenient ways to include more seafood in your life!
We know that most of you who originally come to inCYST are looking for help with your infertility, your acne, your weight, and/or your depression. We take that seriously and we hope you find our information helpful, meaningful, and relevant.
That is our immediate goal.
We also have a much bigger picture in mind. One reason we believe you're having so much trouble with your hormone balance, is that you're living on a planet that has been so badly mistreated that it has trouble supporting healthy balance within all of you. Because of that, one of the most important things we hope to communicate through our mission, is that our choices have effects far beyond us, and those choices that best benefit the earth, have the most potential to resolve the more personal concerns that initially introduced you to us.
From the very beginning, I've believed that to the best of our ability, our recommendations for food and lifestyle are consistent with what you might see on a green living website. I've also been very aware that, with PCOS affecting 1 in 10 women, the shopping habits we culture have potential to collectively influence what kind of food is available for everyone on the planet to eat.
Because we are so pro-omega-3, we cannot ignore that the type of seafood we recommend must be sustainable. Earlier in the week a Huffington Post article reported that 40 species of fish (including one that is very popular in sushi) are on the verge of extinction, largely due to overfishing and pollution…reinforcing how what we do at inCYST needs to keep all of you healthy and keep the planet healthy enough so that goal #1 is even possible.
So I was super excited to receive an email yesterday, Earth Day eve, from our inCYST contact in Nashua, New Hampshire. I've come to know Pat Hunter and her counterpart Kristen Rioux through planning events to promote their new PCOS support group.
We had planned an event which was to occur on April 1, but which we have since rescheduled to the fall. The problem was, we had received a generous donation from Australis, producers of the high-omega and sustainably farmed barramundi, which we had intended to serve at lunch so that the women coming to our event would have an opportunity to try this fish. We didn't want to waste the food and we wanted to be sure that Australis was happy with their inCYST experience, so Pat and Kristen arranged to have two barramundi promotions in their employee cafeteria.
We thought Lent might be a nice time to try this, since most people are eating more fish then anyway. But we knew that New Englanders love their cod and wondered if they'd be open to something new and different. (We even joked around that a fun marketing tag line might be"Give up cod for Lent!")
I heard from Pat and Kristen yesterday and it turns out the fish was so well accepted they are now working to make it a regular menu item for their employees.
This is a change with potentially far-reaching effects. Anyone eating barramundi at work is more likely to think of it to prepare at home. The more demand for this fish increases in local stores, the more likely it is to start showing up on restaurant menus. And the more barramundi that is bought, the less stress and strain on other fish populations that may not be healthy enough to provide our demand for more seafood.
So thanks to Pat, Kristen, and especially Australis for making it so easy to give a new audience an opportunity to try a new, sustainable (not to mention tasty) food choice, and encourage its popularity to take hold, we are very enthusiastically celebrating Earth Day at inCYST.
If we've gotten your curiosity up, please check out the Australis website. Farmed seafood has a terrible reputation, but this operation has a whole lot of thought put into it. They have gone to great pains to describe their farm in detail to answer any questions you might have. You might be surprised at what you learn.
Happy Earth Day to all. Be kind to yourselves and the world around you…you depend on each other for survival!
I thought I'd shine a little light on one of the season's antioxidant powerhouses — cranberries. We tend to associate antioxidants with summer foods such as berries, but check out some of the things cranberries can do for you!
--They may keep ulcer-causing bacteria from attaching to the stomach lining.
--They help to prevent cancer
--They help to protect against cardiovascular disease
Cranberries contain the same antioxidant, anthocyanin, as blueberries. What is interesting about cranberries, though, is that they are grown on the water, which helps to increase their anthocyanin content. Antioxidants aren't just created for humans, they're found in plants where they are doing their protective work. You can say that in cranberries, these anthocyanins are working kind of like sunscreen does for us! And they do double duty when you eat them yourself.
Cranberries are most likely to provide the highest benefit when eaten whole (not as a sauce or in a Cape Codder)…so since most of us don't really know what to do with cranberries outside of those two things, I looked up a few cranberry recipes. The salsa recipe comes from http://www.allrecipes.com/, and the rest come from the Cape Cod Cranberry Grower's Association, where you might want to visit for even more ideas.
Here's to red food keeping us healthy!
Cranberry Salsa
1 (12 ounce) bag cranberries, fresh or frozen 1 bunch cilantro, chopped 1 bunch green onions, cut into 3 inch lengths 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 2 limes, juiced 3/4 cup white sugar 1 pinch salt
Combine cranberries, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a medium blade. Chop to medium consistency. Refrigerate if not using immediately. Serve at room temperature.
Add orange zest and chopped dried cranberry to crumbled goat cheese. Pulse for 5 seconds, or until cheese mixture will start to form a ball.
Remove cheese mixture from work bowl and separate into two balls. Form each cheese balls into a log shape approximately 2x4 inches each.
Place half of the almonds onto a piece of wax paper. Roll one goat cheese log over almonds, covering the entire surface of the log, gently pressing to assure the almonds stick.
Repeat with the remaining second log and almonds. Wrap the logs individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours before serving. Serve on Baguette Croutes (see recipe below).
Cranberry Almond Goat Cheese Logs will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Bake until just golden, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a serving tray and let cool. Spread Cranberry Almond Goat Cheese Log on Baguette Croutes and serve.
Warm Baby Spinach and Cranberry Salad
6 servings
1 package baby spinach, washed and cleaned thoroughly ½ cup sweetened dried cranberries ¼ cup pine nuts ¼ cup Italian Salad Dressing 2 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoon olive oil Place cleaned baby spinach in serving bowl.
Place sauté pan over medium heat. Add oil.
Add pine nuts and sauté quickly until lightly browned.
Add minced garlic and sweetened dried cranberries and stir quickly to coat with oil.
Let simmer for about 30 seconds.
Add Zesty Italian Dressing, stir, remove from heat and pour over baby spinach.
Serve immediately with entrée as a side dish.
Cranberry Couscous
4 servings 2 tablespoons olive oil ¼ cup chopped white onion 1 ½ cups cranberry juice cocktail, heated to a simmer 1 cup couscous ¼ cup chopped pistachios 2 scallions green parts only ½ cup sweetened dried cranberries salt and pepper (to taste)
In a medium saucepan add olive oil.
Add the white onion, sweetened dried cranberries and pistachios, and saute gently over low heat until onion is translucent and slightly fragrant.
Add the couscous and the warm cranberry juice cocktail.
Stir with a fork to combine, cover.
Let sit for 10 minutes.
Add the scallions. Fluff with fork.
Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
If you look to the right, you'll see an ad for Green Mountain at Fox Run, our sponsor on this blog. I wanted you all to get to know them, since they're not your typical weight spa and they're not your typical program. So I sent them a few questions. Here's what they shared. And if you want to learn more, just click their ad to get to their website.
The photo I chose is of Ludlow, Vermont, where Green Mountain at Fox Run is located. No matter what time of year you choose to go, it is breathtaking, a perfect place to step out of life for a bit and recharge your PCOS battery.
1. How did GMFR develop its interest in PCOS?
It's a pretty common problem for the women for come to Green Mountain. Although many of them aren't diagnosed with the problem before they come to us, we recognize the signs/symptoms and are able to help them explore whether they do indeed have PCOS. Our awareness of PCOS has allowed us to help our participants much more effectively as a result. We also feel it is very important to educate women on this subject so they can be proactive in discussing signs/symptoms with their healthcare providers.
2. Do you have a specific program for PCOS? If not…how do the programs you have help with PCOS?
We do offer a workshop on the topic and also offer individual consultations for any of our participants who either have been diagnosed with PCOS or are questioning whether they have it. Our whole program, however, is designed to combat insulin resistance, from the physical activity classes to what we serve in the dining room. This, of course, while also presenting a livable approach to healthy living that feels great, makes a real difference in our health and helps us feel better about ourselves and our bodies.
3. Can you share a success story of someone with PCOS who visited GMFR?
Before going to Green Mountain, I had a lot health concerns associated with having PCOS. I felt like there was nothing in my power to change my situation. I’d had no success losing weight and felt tired and drained all the time. I hadn’t had a regular cycle in over 6 months and had serious concerns about fertility in the future. While at Green Mountain, I learned how to not hate my body for “failing” me. I learned how to motivate myself and how to make my body work for me, not against me. With Green Mountain’s help, I have taken control of my PCOS and become proactive in my quest for healthy living. M.L., Texas
4. What's for dinner tonight?: )
Panko-Encrusted Fillet of Cod with Basil Aioli Red Onion & Herb Quinoa Gingered Carrots Strawberry-Maple Parfait
If you're a frequent traveler, chances are you have already had an opportunity to experience the new security measures at the airport, which include the new full body scanner.
One of the biggest concerns about this scanner has been the radiation exposure these scanners emit. Because radiation can affect fertility, a concern of many readers of this blog, I did some fact checking.
What is interesting to note is that before these scanners were even in existence, anyone stepping on an airplane was already increasing their exposure to radiation! In a 1998 study published in Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, scientists concluded that an airline captain is exposed to 37% more radiation per year (219 millirem) than a nuclear power plant worker in the same period of time (160 millirem). For the pilot, that is the equivalent to 22 chest x-rays, for the power plant worker, 16 chest x-rays.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology, in an independent study, reported that the average scan with the TSA backscatter x-ray scanner provides 0.0024 millirem of radiation exposure. Meaning, you would have to have 4,000 TSA scans to equal one x-ray. The people at greatest risk for increased radiation exposure from these machines is most likely the TSA workers themselves, who conduct their work in the presence of the scanners for hours at a time.
Bottom line:
1. Your biggest dose of radiation exposure is actually coming from the time you spend on the airplane at altitude, not the short amount of time in the scanner. 2. If you are a pilot, flight attendant, or frequent flyer with concerns about fertility, it certainly is a good strategy to start being more diligent about your intake of antioxidants. I've listed the important ones below that are consistently recommended as cancer fighters. 3. If you are a reporter researching the scanner issue, instead of scaring travelers, perhaps the more relevant issue is why TSA is not requiring its employees to wear dosimeters to be sure their own exposure over time is not an occupational risk. It might also be a very quick way to identify a machine that is malfunctioning and exposing flyers to unnecessary additional radiation. 4. Flight crews and TSA employees might want to consider packing their bags with more fruits and vegetables. Especially since these are not items commonly available in airport food courts. 5. In addition to the standard security questions TSA members should ask for your 24 hour diet recall to be sure you're sufficiently protected for your flight. (Couldn't resist that one…just KIDDING!) 6. For our specific population most likely reading this post, I strongly recommend you discuss your travel strategy with the appropriate caregiver if you have a history of cancer, are in the middle of infertility treatment, or have a history of sexual abuse. It's best to know what choices are most appropriate for your personal situation before standing in the TSA line.
So if you're heading home at altitude for Thanksgiving, consider that the broccoli, cranberries, and sweet potatoes (even a small extra sliver of pumpkin pie) aren't all that bad if you're going to have seconds. Enjoy them, as well as your family.
BEST ANTIOXIDANTS FOR COUNTERING RADIATION
Vitamin C parsley, broccoli, bell pepper, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts.
Vitamin E mustard greens, chard, sunflower seeds, turnip greens
This article just popped up when I logged in this morning, and I thought you all might find it interesting. I know from my website that skin and appearance issues are among the top concerns of"cysters"…
What's interesting about this, is that the very same foods that promote fertility, can promote healthy skin.
A short note about fish oil and skin. About 15 years ago I took a vacation to Costa Rica. I used sunscreen…but my German-WASPy skin just didn't tolerate the intensity of the latitude. I ended up with a second degree burn, and scarring on my chest that I had resigned myself to having as a lifelong lesson about sun and skin.
In the last few years I've been changing my own diet based on what I've learned in studying PCOS, and I've begun to do some work for omega-3 companies. Dennis, my friend at Nordic Naturals kept sending me bottles of flavored cod liver oil, which I kept putting in the refrigerator or trying to pass off on my cats.
Finally, I decided to try it. And a few months later, I noticed, the scarring looked a whole lot less worse. It's probably a combination of a better diet and supplements, but it really reinforced with me, being here in Arizona, that my skin deserves the best possible diet and care I can give it.
If so, it's worth your time to tune in to Chef Nancy Banner's interview on the basics of shopping for and cooking seafood, which is now in our archives at Blog Talk Radio. Thanks so much, Nancy, for getting our listeners ready to shed their phish phobia and get cookin!
I'm including some of the links and information here that we discussed while we chattted.
As Nancy mentioned, there were many videos to link to regarding how to remove skin from fish, with a simple Google search. Here is one that I found.
Nancy mentioned Coconut Secret, a soy-free"soy sauce", a great condiment for seafood cooking and eating.
Click here for more information on Nancy and her 30 day eating challenge.
We also mentioned three websites with lists of safe and sustainable seafood choices: Natural Resources Defense Council Environmental Working Group Monterey Bay Aquarium If you stayed on through the end of the interview, we mentioned Nancy's gluten-free organic doggie treats. They are available at the Noble Beast in Phoenix, Arizona.
Finally, here is Chef Nancy's recipe for Poached Fillet of Fish…how super easy is this?: )
Poached Fillet of Fish (Salmon, Cod, Trout, Ocean Perch)
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
• 1 # Fish fillets, cut into 4 equal pieces • ½ C Lemon juice (not concentrate) • 1 T Low sodium soy sauce, Bragg’s liquid aminos or soy-free substitute**
Directions
• Heat the lemon juice and soy sauce in a skillet on medium, until bubbly. • Gently add the fish fillets. Once the liquid returns to a bubble, cover the pan and reduce heat to medium low. • Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave covered another 2-4 minutes.
For those of you who love green tea, you may wish to expand on your experiences with matcha. This version of tea is made by covering tea bushes before harvest, which causes them to turn a darker green. The biochemistry of this change gives matcha a sweeter flavor than traditional green tea.
This form of green tea is a super power house; gram for gram, it ranks higher in antioxidants than many of the foods consistently on health writers'"top ten supefoods" lists. In fact, researchers recently reported that the ECGC content of matcha can be up to 137 times higher than commercial green tea!
These leaves are then ground into a super-fine powder, which can be used in baking and cooking. If you've ever had green tea ice cream or a green tea smoothie, it is likely matcha that provided the flavor. I think it adds a beautiful color to whatever it is used in.
Most recipes on the Internet using matcha seem to be oriented toward sweets. However, if you look, there are some really interesting options in other categories. I've posted some of the most interesting below, along with links to the websites where I found theme so that you can be inspired in your own kitchen.
If you can't find match locally, consider visiting my friend Kerstin Wingert's online store. That is where I've found it and she is very popular in Phoenix because of her attention to quality in her products.
A storage note: Once opened, matcha does oxidize quickly so be sure to have a plan for using it, or share with friends and have fun tasting each others' creations!
One of the many smoothie recipes I found
Matcha Mango Smoothies
1 1/4 cups mango chunks 1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk or low-fat milk 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon matcha tea powder 1/2 cup ice cubes Honey or agave syrup (optional)
Add mango, soymilk, yogurt and matcha tea powder to blender container. Cover and blend until smooth. Add ice cubes; cover and blend until smooth. Taste for sweetness. Add honey or agave syrup if needed; cover and blend to combine. Pour into 2 glasses.
Makes 2 servings (1 1/4 cups each)
Tip: Adding too much matcha tea can result in a bitter flavor. Start with a small amount of matcha and adjust according to taste.
Here is the most interesting one I found. It is on my list to try!
Green Tea Fish Stew
5 Tbls. Olive oil 1 Clove garlic; peeled 4 medium Potatoes; peeled and diced 1 lb. Flounder, cod or red snapper fillets cut in chunks 2 bottles clam juice 2 cups water 16 ozs. diced or pureed tomatoes 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 Bay leaf 1 tsp. Salt 1/8 tsp. Crushed red pepper or to taste 3 Tbls. Chopped parsley 1 tsp. Matcha green tea powder
Heat oil in Dutch oven. Add garlic; sauté until well browned. Discard garlic. Add potatoes to Dutch oven, cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned. Add fish, stock, tomatoes, wine, Matcha, bay leaf, salt, crushed red pepper, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until fish and potatoes are tender. Remove bay leaf. Serve sprinkled with parsley. Serves 4
You could probably cut the sugar in this one. Be sure to use dark, high quality chocolate. A great holiday treat!
Matcha Almonds 1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 8 ounces unblanched almonds 2 teaspoons butter 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces 1/2 teaspoon matcha (powdered green tea) or more to taste
Preparation
1.Combine the sugar and 1/3 cup water in a saucepan and slowly heat to boiling, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook sugar syrup until it reaches 240 degrees, or to soft-ball stage. Add almonds and stir to coat. Add the butter and remove from the heat. Stir until the almonds are glazed with syrup. Cook over medium-low heat until little liquid is left in the pan.
2.Add the chocolate and heat until it melts and almonds are completely coated. Set aside to cool.
3.When almonds are cool, dust from on high with the matcha to coat evenly.
And just for a little fun, here is matcha martini recipe! Isn't this the most Christmasy looking beverage! The photo shows a strawberry garnish, the recipe suggests mint and cinnamon, but for this holiday in particular, garnished with a candy cane it would be so pretty!
Weiss, David J; Anderton, Christopher R (2003-09-05). Determination of catchins in matcha green ttea by micellar electrokinetic chromatography. Journal of Chromatography1011 (1-2): 173–180.
I gave this vitamin its nickname because its presence is needed in adequate quantities in order to have enough of many other compounds, such as niacin.
The most stable version of vitamin B6 is found in plant foods. Another reason to get more fruits and vegetables in your diet! For those of you who just don't like the dark green leafy options on the list, remember you can throw a handful into pretty much any kind of juice or smoothie and not notice the taste. You can also make your own vegetable broth and freeze it into cubes in your ice tray for future cooking. I'm not a big fan myself, but I've found when I include them in other dishes such as omelets, rather than trying to eat them alone where I'm 100% focused on the flavor, I can get them in more easily.
Here's the list, and the link to the PCOS Diva's vitamin B6 menus. Have a great week everyone!
I've been pretty vocal about the fact that we need to diversify our recommendations for seafood so that we don't deplete entire species in our quest for omega-3 fatty acids. In a search for options to replace the ever-popular salmon, I've learned some interesting things that we'll share on the blog. Today, I'd like to introduce you to a prehistoric Amazonian fish called paiche (pronounced pie-EE-chay). This fish is so new to culinary tables, the first one only appeared in the United States in the summer of 2010.
Fully grown, this fish can reach lengths of almost 7 feet and weights of over 200 lbs. Once overfished by natives to the point of near-extinction, the Peruvian government had placed a ban on its harvest. However, aquaculture specialists have been working to develop a means to sustainably raise this fish. Not only is this effort creating an industry beneficial to a financially disadvantaged part of the world, it is helping to replenish local waters with a vital component of the food chain that had been depleted with non-sustainable practices.
This fish is low in fat, and marketers are promoting it as a high omega-3 fish. I am working to find the exact values; this fish is so new on the market that data is not readily available. I'll update you here when the numbers actually do come in. One additional selling point of paiche is that it is farmed in the rainforest, in water that is free of mercury, antibiotics, and other toxic compounds.
Paiche's flavor has been described as subtle, like Chilean sea bass (on the Monterey Bay Aquarium's overfished list) or Atlantic cod.
Bottom line, it's good for you, it's good for the people who work to bring it to you, and it's good for the planet. When you see it in you store or on a menu, give it a try!
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
