Posts Tagged ‘Omega 3 fatty acids’

The Seafood Dilemma

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

We all know that seafood is a very important food group. tuna-fish-marketIn fact, it is the #1 food source for vitamins B3, B12, vitamin D, copper, zinc, iron, and other minerals. It also contains the anti-inflammatory heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids which most of us aren’t getting enough of. So why is it that we need to watch what kinds of fish we are consuming and in what portions? The answer is: mercury, and other toxins that have polluted our water supply. Besides mercury, toxins such as arsenic, lead, dioxins, DDT and PCB’s can be found in any fish we eat.

The FDA has developed a “safe” guideline to follow when trying to limit the amount of mercury you are consuming, which is .1 mcg of mercury per kilogram (2.2 lbs) of body weight per day.  For an adult weighing 175 pounds, this would be 55.7 mcg of mercury per week. Mercury is cumulative in the body, and many experts argue as to how “safe” these levels actually are, so to err on the side of caution let’s take a look at how much a 125 lb and 175lb person can eat when intake is 75% of the governments guidelines.

Seafood:                Amount in Ounces Per Week That Can be Safely Consumed

Body Weight:                        125 lbs                                                      175 lbs

Swordfish                            NONE                                                       NONE

Snapper                                NONE                                                       NONE

Bass (salt H20)                 NONE                                                           3oz

Tuna (fresh)                       3.2 oz                                                           4.5 oz

Halibut                                4.5 oz                                                           6.4 oz

Mahi Mahi                         5.5 oz                                                           7.7 oz

Haddock                              6.2 oz                                                          8.7 oz

King Crab                            11.4 oz                                                        16 oz

Salmon                   In samples taken, no detectable levels of mercury–Wild Alaskan is best.

I hope this information is helpful for your next trip to the grocery store when choosing seafood. If you’d like to increase your intake of Omega 3’s while reducing your risk of exposure to toxins, supplementing your diet with a high quality fish oil is also a healthy option. To learn more about how to eat a healthy, safe diet feel free to contact us for a consultation.

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

References: 2007, Weller, Patti ” The Power of Nutrient Dense Food”

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Benefits of Cod Liver Oil

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Omega-3 for youCod liver oil is beneficial  as a dietary supplement for many reasons:

  • It promotes heart health and normal cholesterol balance
  • Supports immune system health, mood, memory, joint health, blood sugar health and helps to relieve stress
  • Helps to increase energy level and promote cognitive function
  • Provides immune system support
  • Aids in regulating cell growth
  • Supports a strong skeletal system
  • Supports a healthy inflammatory response

Cod liver oil is able to provide all of these great health benefits because it contains Omega 3 oils.  Omega 3 fatty acids also contain DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid), EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid).  All are important and therefore when purchasing Cod Liver oil make sure what you are purchasing contains all of the above.

Essential fatty acids are essential to your health and one important item to understand is that your body does not make them on its own and therefore supplementation is recommended.  There are many brands on the market and  each distributor manufactures  fish oil differently, some better than others.  Therefore, when purchasing brands you should look for the following:

  • Make sure your brand is free of mercury, PCBs and other contaminants.
  • Confirm low oxidation levels in the fish or cod liver oil.
  • Check that your fish or cod liver oil contains vitamin E.
  • The taste test - lemon flavoring adds a fresh taste.

Fish oil is very safe to take however contraindications are below:

  • If you have been diagnosed with the relatively uncommon condition of sarcoidosis, you should rigidly avoid sunshine and vitamin D.
  • If you are allergic to shellfish, have a blood coagulation condition, or are taking anticoagulants such as Warfarin (Coumadin®), do not use fish oil.
  • Cod liver oil contains both Vitamin A and D and over consumption of any supplement is never a good thing. Therefore, you many want to get your levels checked before taking fish oil as a supplement.

 

Lori Metroka, Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

Reference:  www.mercola.com/cod-liver-oil.htm

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