According to UCLA’s Brain Research Institute and Brain Injury Research Center, “Omega-3 fatty acids support synaptic plasticity and seem to positively affect the expression of several molecules related to learning and memory that are found on synapses, Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for normal brain function”.
“Dietary deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids in humans has been associated with increased risk of several mental disorders, including attention-deficit disorder, dyslexia, dementia, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia”. A deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids in rodents results in impaired learning and memory.
Omega-3 fatty acids — found in salmon, walnuts and kiwi fruit — provide many benefits, including improving learning and memory and helping to fight against such mental disorders as depression and mood disorders, schizophrenia, and dementia. Adding an omega-3 fatty acid supplement is a great way to balance out dietary deficiencies to insure your brain is firing on all Omega-3 cylinders.
In a response to our recent post “The Omega Man” one of readers was concerned about getting omega 3 form fish derived supplements and it is a very valid concern. The concern was in respect to the pollution of heavy metals in our oceans. It is great to increase our awareness in general on how each of us can impact our environment with what we do and do not do in our daily lives that affect our food sources from the oceans.
With respect to Omega 3 supplements most but not all fish oil supplement companies purify their products to reduce or remove contaminants minimizing our exposure to mercury and dioxins . The higher quality producers will disclose this on the label, and we recommend that unless it is disclosed on the label that you choose another Omega 3 brand.
Another great choice especially for vegetarians or vegans is Flax seed oil, linseed oil, olive oil and vegetable oils. Although not as concentrated they are still a great source for omega 3. No matter which source you choose always remember that adequate daily intake of Omega 3 fatty acids is essential for good health.
In the most comprehensive study released to date on mercury contamination in the nation’s streams, underscored how widespread mercury pollution has become. The U.S. Geological study released on Wednesday found toxic substance in every fish tested at nearly 300 streams across the country. The alarming findings not only effect wildlife but the levels of mercury in the water and sediments can also show up in our drinking water system as well.
Although we reside in a country with one of the finest water treatment processes in the world it is still not perfect, and in some regions less than optimal. Even though are water is treated for contaminates with chlorine which is said to be safe in low exposure it is still a very toxic chemical. Also once the water leaves the plant it is destine to pickup a variety of contaminates before it arrives for use in drinking and bathing.
Fear not a simple remedy is to pick up a high quality water purifying filter for your home. Affordable and easy to install it is a safe bet to offset the increasing levels of contaminates being found in our water system. And if you are away from home you can now get a water bottle that will filter the water as you drink it from the bottle. I think that is pretty cool and convenient, not to mention minimizing the continuing impact on the environment from disposable plastic water bottles.
When it comes to weight management and the health risks of excessive body fat and obesity you would think in this day and age it would be a no Brainer. It is important to maintain proper lean mass to body fat ratio for optimal health. In a recent article in U.S. News & World Report new studies on obesity from UCLA have given a whole new meaning to the term No Brainer.
According to a study conducted by senior author Paul Thompson a UCLA neuroscientist, published online in Human Brain Mapping “The brains of obese people looked 16 years older than their healthier counterparts while [those of] overweight people looked 8 years older,” The Article goes on to say Clinically obese people had 8 percent less brain tissue, while the overweight had 4 percent less brain tissue compared to normal-weight individuals. “This is the first study to show physical evidence in the brain that connects overweight and obesity and cognitive decline,” said Thompson, who is professor of neurology at UCLA and a member of the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging. This study reaffirms the importance of healthy weight management.
“Obesity affects every system in your body. The body can’t be splintered. It’s completely linked. We are what we eat and we eat too much,” he said. “The bottom line is that an obese, sedentary person is going to have a breakdown of every organ system, and that includes a greater chance of impotence and infertility and other things that people don’t generally think are directly related to obesity.”
Just another reason to eat right, get you body off the sofa and get moving. Staying physically and mentally fit is so important to being able to live your life fully alive.
Going Green is the new buzz word and mantra of the politicians and environmentalist, and we think it is great. We love the idea of taking care of our little home floating around in the universe. After all it is the only one we have for now. From the perspective of a health and wellness professional we have been chanting this mantra for decades, GO GREEN, in fact we say GO SUPER GREEN, super green food that is.
The health benefits of super green foods have been well documented through the years. Studies have shown that green foods such as wheatgrass, barley grass, alfalfa, chlorella, spirulina, blue-green algae (AFA), and green tea can have a remarkable impact on improving and maintaining health. Some of the well know documented health benefits of consuming Super Green foods are more energy, neutralizing and removing toxins from the body, alleviating or control asthma, obesity, skin, anemia, arthritis, digestive problems, diabetes, heart disease, and hepatitis. The list goes on but I think you get the point it’s SUPER.
We hope you continue taking steps to keep the planet healthy and green and use the same philosophy for your health as well.
As most of us go through the day it is not always practical let alone easy to eat right. Getting all the daily recommended intake of vital nutrients to keep us on top of our game can certainly be a challenge in today’s fast paced nearly nonstop world. But without vibrant health it is nearly impossible to keep up with the modern day demands and the break neck pace of life. Plagued by the temptation of easily available fast food, the option for Americans is usually to opt-out for high calorie low nutritional foods.
That is why it is so important to take a daily multivitamin supplement to insure getting optimal daily nutrient intake. Whole Food nutrient dense vitamins are always the best choice whenever possible as they supply not only a full spectrum of daily nutrients it is also “real food”. Taking an organic formulated daily vitamin is even better when available.
Clean air is so important to our health and although other than doing our best to help reduce outdoor air pollution such as driving less and buying green most of us have little direct impact on outdoor air quality control. Fire season and natural occurring pollen is not something we have any control over.
All though the media focus is almost exclusive on out door air quality through sound bites and air quality alerts like spare the air days, the truth is we spend more time in an indoor environment than out. How much time do you spend indoors? Of course, the answer will vary. However the average is… in our modern non-agricultural society, Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors! 65% of that time is spent in our own homes.
Recent studies have shown that indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air. In fact indoor air is quite often a cause of greater health problems than the polluted air we may encounter outside our homes.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has assessed the contribution of a range of risk factors to the burden of disease and revealed indoor air pollution as the 8th most important risk factor and responsible for 2.7% of the global burden of disease .
The off gassing of building materials, household furnishings and personal items is far more toxic than most outdoor pollutants. Simple because of the concentration levels do to the very efficient modern building techniques creating a energy efficient closed environment. In other words you are trapped inside box with very little natural air circulation or proper HEPA air filtration system.
A friend of mine that works in the local Fire Dept. explained to me that it is not the fire itself that is so dangerous but the chemicals that are being released in the smoke from the building materials and household furnishings that is so deadly. It is HIGHLY TOXIC.
These same materials when not burning continue off gas small but steady amounts of harmful gasses. More lives are lost to continued exposure to indoor air quality issues than alcohol related car accidents in the US each year.
WHATS THE ANSWER?
Change your central air filter regularly with a high quality HEPA filter. Get a High Quality Room Air Filter (approved HEPA filters only) we will explain that in more detail in our next blog. But this will give you the best way to balance the air quality and reduce the exposure to harmful indoor pollutants.
Anti-Ageing? Does this mean I have to be in these diapers forever Mom?
Finally the era of “Anti-Aging” is almost over. The baby boomers are discovering that it is not about “not aging” but about aging well. Something our moms and dads from the previous generation already new. After all if you did not age you would either be dead or be in a science fiction movie about vampires.
So if we can’t stop getting older and there is no stopping the passage of time what then is the answer? Has all this hoop-la about “anti-aging” been a fraud. My answer is no I do not believe it is or was, it has just been miss guided and exploited by sometimes unethical capitalists playing off the fears and egos of the uneducated. Which is not an insult to the general population it is just most people do not have the time or the inclination to get a degree in the wellness arts and sciences. So they rely on the media/ advertising and so called experts such as the latest celebrity fad for answers to living well and a life fully alive.
So what to do then? Well it is very simple actually. I am about to give you the secret to aging well for free. Eat healthy, do something physical to get your body moving (exercise), get adequate rest, drink lots of clean water and breath clean fresh air. And last but not least laugh every day and find something nice to say about everything. If you want a little insurance on living well and living longer add some daily whole food nutritional supplements to your healthy life style.