Nutrition

Scientific research has expanded our knowledge of proper nutrition in pregnancy, specifically the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids in both the development of a healthy baby and in the health of the mother. I hope to share the importance of that research here.

What are Omega-3
Fatty Acids?

Omega-3s are a family of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that are essential nutrients for health and development. Unfortunately, these are not made by the human body and therefore must be obtained from diet or supplementation. However, the typical American diet is greatly lacking in Omega-3s.

Research indicates that the two most beneficial Omega-3s are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). EPA and DHA naturally occur together and work together in the body, and studies show that each fatty acid has unique benefits. EPA supports the cardiovascular and immune systems while DHA supports the brain, eyes and central nervous system, which is why it is uniquely important for pregnant and lactating women.

Why is Omega-3 important?
Adequate intake of Omega-3 fats is essential to maintaining the balanced production of the hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins help regulate many important physiological functions including blood pressure, blood clotting, nerve transmission, the inflammatory and allergic responses, the functions of the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract and the production of other hormones. Depending on the type of fatty acids in the diet, certain types of prostaglandins may be produced in large quantities, while others may not be produced at all. This prostaglandin imbalance can lead to disease.

The role of Omega-3s in producing beneficial prostaglandins may explain why they have been shown to have so many health benefits, including the prevention of heart disease, improving cognitive function and the regulation of inflammation. High doses of Omega-3s have been used to treat and prevent mood disorders, and new research is identifying their potential benefits for a wide range of conditions including cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and other autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Why is taking Omega-3 especially important during pregnancy?
Omega-3s have been found to be essential for both neurological and early visual development of the fetus. However, the standard western diet is severely deficient in these critical nutrients. This Omega-3 dietary deficiency is compounded by the fact that pregnant women become depleted in Omega-3s, when the fetus uses omega-3s for its nervous system development. Omega-3s are also used after birth to make breast milk. With each subsequent pregnancy, mothers are further depleted. Adding EPA and DHA to the diet of pregnant women has a positive effect on visual and cognitive development of the baby. Additionally, studies have shown that higher consumption of Omega-3s may reduce the risk of allergies in infants.

Read the full article at South Coast Today.

 

Scientific research has expanded our knowledge of proper nutrition in pregnancy, specifically the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids in both the development of a healthy baby and in the health of the mother. I hope to share the importance of that research here.

Omega-3s are a family of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that are essential nutrients for health and development. Unfortunately, these are not made by the human body and therefore must be obtained from diet or supplementation. However, the typical American diet is greatly lacking in Omega-3s.

Research indicates that the two most beneficial Omega-3s are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). EPA and DHA naturally occur together and work together in the body, and studies show that each fatty acid has unique benefits. EPA supports the cardiovascular and immune systems while DHA supports the brain, eyes and central nervous system, which is why it is uniquely important for pregnant and lactating women.
Adequate intake of Omega-3 fats is essential to maintaining the balanced production of the hormone-like substances called prostaglandins.

Prostaglandins help regulate many important physiological functions including blood pressure, blood clotting, nerve transmission, the inflammatory and allergic responses, the functions of the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract and the production of other hormones. Depending on the type of fatty acids in the diet, certain types of prostaglandins may be produced in large quantities, while others may not be produced at all. This prostaglandin imbalance can lead to disease.

Read the complete story in The Standard-Times

 

 

 

 

 

A compound produced from fish oil that appears to target leukemia stem cells could lead to a cure for the disease, according to Penn State researchers. The compound — delta-12-protaglandin J3, or D12-PGJ3 — targeted and killed the stem cells of chronic myelogenous leukemia, or CML, in mice, said Sandeep Prabhu, associate professor of immunology and molecular toxicology in the Department of Veterinary and Medical Sciences.

The compound is produced from EPA — Eicosapentaenoic Acid — an Omega-3 fatty acid found in fish and in fish oil, he said.

"Research in the past on fatty acids has shown the health benefits of fatty acids on cardiovascular system and brain development, particularly in infants, but we have shown that some metabolites of Omega-3 have the ability to selectively kill the leukemia-causing stem cells in mice," said Prabhu. "The important thing is that the mice were completely cured of leukemia with no relapse."

The researchers, who released their findings in the current issue of Blood, said the compound kills cancer-causing stem cells in the mice's spleen and bone marrow. Specifically, it activates a gene — p53 — in the leukemia stem cell that programs the cell's own death. "p53 is a tumor suppressor gene that regulates the response to DNA damage and maintains genomic stability," Prabhu said.

Killing the stem cells in leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells, is important because stem cells can divide and produce more cancer cells, as well as create more stem cells, Prabhu said.

The current therapy for CML extends the patient's life by keeping the number of leukemia cells low, but the drugs fail to completely cure the disease because they do not target leukemia stem cells, said Robert Paulson, associate professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences, who co-directed this research with Prabhu.

"The patients must take the drugs continuously," said Paulson. "If they stop, the disease relapses because the leukemia stem cells are resistant to the drugs."

Current treatments are unable to kill the leukemia stem cells, Paulson noted. "These stem cells can hide from the treatment, and a small population of stem cells give rise to more leukemia cells," said Paulson. "So, targeting the stem cells is essential if you want to cure leukemia."

Read the full article at Medical Xpress.

 

NEW YORK – Too much junk food shrinks the brain while a diet high in vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids prevents that shrinkage and helps stave off age-related brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, new research has shown.

The study, which was published in the journal Neurology, tracked 104 people in the United States over 12 years. The subjects were all aged 65 and above when the study was launched in 1989.

Read the complete story from TODAY Online.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A compound produced from fish oil that appears to target leukemia stem cells could lead to a cure for the disease, according to Penn State researchers. The compound — delta-12-protaglandin J3, or D12-PGJ3 — targeted and killed the stem cells of chronic myelogenous leukemia, or CML, in mice, said Sandeep Prabhu, associate professor of immunology and molecular toxicology in the Department of Veterinary and Medical Sciences. The compound is produced from EPA — Eicosapentaenoic Acid — an Omega-3 fatty acid found in fish and in fish oil, he said.

"Research in the past on fatty acids has shown the health benefits of fatty acids on cardiovascular system and brain development, particularly in infants, but we have shown that some metabolites of Omega-3 have the ability to selectively kill the leukemia-causing stem cells in mice," said Prabhu. "The important thing is that the mice were completely cured of leukemia with no relapse."

The researchers, who released their findings in the current issue of Blood, said the compound kills cancer-causing stem cells in the mice's spleen and bone marrow. Specifically, it activates a gene — p53 — in the leukemia stem cell that programs the cell's own death. "p53 is a tumor suppressor gene that regulates the response to DNA damage and maintains genomic stability," Prabhu said.

Read the complete story from Medical Xpress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now is the time of year when most Americans resolve to make positive lifestyle changes toward better health. Often, though, these resolutions are too stringent and short-lived. When it comes to food, there's an emerging trend of Conscious Cuisine, offering consumers a path toward pleasure while preserving their health and the health of the earth. Verlasso®, the worlds first provider of harmoniously raised fish, is part of this trend, educating consumers on how salmon should be raised, to help make a more conscious choice at the fish counter.

Conscious Cuisine recognizes that most people choose food based on flavor, but are more fulfilled when they opt for foods raised with deep respect for them and the planet. Verlasso's harmonious approach to salmon farming brings one of the healthiest and most delicious choices to consumers and balances the needs for nutrition and the needs of the environment. It's low in fat and high in protein and Omega-3s. Here is an example of Conscious Cuisine that satisfies both epicureans and environmentalists: Wasabi and Sesame Broiled Verlasso Salmon with Quinoa, Roasted Red Pepper and Bok Choy ( http://www.verlasso.com/preparation/techniques/broiling ).

"With the world's population growing beyond seven billion, farmed seafood plays an increasingly important role in feeding – and satisfying – a hungry world," said Allyson Fish, director of Verlasso. "To remain a truly conscious choice, seafood farming practices must evolve to include a true consideration for the health of the ocean and its inhabitants. Verlasso strives to produce the highest-quality salmon, raised with the deepest care for the environment, as well as taste, nutrition, and economics."

Read the complete story by PR Newswire at The Wall Street Journal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the night before Christmas, many Italian-American families celebrate a traditional meal known as the Feast of the Seven Fishes. But there is another, more unfortunate tradition in New Jersey: the Department of Environmental Protection’s seafood advisories, which warn New Jerseyans, especially women of childbearing age, about the dangers of mercury and other toxins in local seafood. This year, we will have to be careful which fish we serve. Many types of fish and shellfish from waters across the state are labeled unsafe to eat.

However, thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency, we may soon not have to worry about toxic levels of mercury in the fish we eat. In a few days, President Obama is expected to announce new safeguards, designed by the EPA, to dramatically reduce mercury pollution emitted into our air and water. First proposed by then-President George H.W. Bush, these mercury standards are 20 years in the making and will protect women of childbearing age and babies from the birth defects, neurological disorders and developmental delays that are the result of mercury poisoning.

The dangers from mercury, a potent neurotoxin, are real. According to the EPA, as many as one in six women may have levels of mercury in their bodies in excess of recommended amounts. The largest emitters of mercury are coal-fired power plants — dirty, outdated sources of energy that spew a poisonous stew of pollutants into our air and water.

Many power plant operators have already updated their facilities to comply with the forthcoming standard and are asking the Obama administration to implement mercury protections on schedule. Constellation Energy Group, which in 2008 cleaned up one of the nation’s most polluting coal-fired power plants, has asked the president to announce the rule on time, saying: “It’s entirely possible to comply with these rules and remain a profitable company.”

Read the complete story from The Star-Ledger

 

 

 

 

 

And now, an excuse for using your iPhone during a restaurant meal, whatever Anna Post, the heir of the Emily Post etiquette franchise, may have to say.

With an eye to the imminent release of the first federal controls on mercury emissions from power plants, the Sierra Club has released a new smartphone app, Safe Sushi, that lists 38 varieties of seafood, from aji (horse mackerel) to uni (sea urchin roe) and measures each one’s mercury level. It is available for both the iPhone and Android-based models.

(In the case of uni, the app points out that even though the mercury levels are low, it is “unsustainably harvested” and should be avoided.)

Mercury is a neurotoxin; even in smaller doses, it can affect children’s brain development and I.Q. scores. In the 19th century, the use of mercury by haberdashers for treating felt for hats led to high levels of exposure and erratic behavior, inspiring the character of the Mad Hatter in Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland.”

Read the complete story from The New York Times.

 

 

 

 

 

WASHINGTON – The Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission has responded to the questions put forth in a  letter sent by Congressmen Ed Markey and Barney Frank regarding the rampant mislabeling of seafood.

The FTC Chairman, John Leibowitz. answered the questions the Congressmen asked him regarding their "concern that the mislabeling of seafood products, as set forth in the recent press reports, can harm consumers economically when they pay more for a less expensive and desirable fish, and also can create health risks to consumers who may be allergic to or otherwise intolerable of certain species of seafood."

Leibowitz also responded to their question concerning the FTC's opinion on the mislabeling of fish as "a violation of Section 5 of the FTCA, which outlaws unfair or deceptive trade acts or practices."

Read the letter from FTC Chair Jon Leibowitz

Read the attachments from the FTC

Read the original letter from Congressmen Ed Markey and Barney Frank

 

 

 

 

 

A new research presented at Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Congress says that consuming baked or broiled fish reduces the risk for five-year decline to mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease by almost five-fold. The results showed that people who consumed baked or broiled fish at least once a week had better preservation of grey matter volume on MRI in brain areas at risk for Alzheimer's disease.

"This is the first major study to link fish consumption with reduction in risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI)," said lead author Cyrus Raji from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

"The findings showed that consumption of baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis was positively associated with grey matter volumes in several areas of the brain. Greater hippocampal, posterior cingulated and orbital frontal cortex volumes in relation to fish consumption were recorded," he added.

The results also demonstrated increased levels of cognition in people who ate baked or broiled fish.

Read the complete story from The Times of India