Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

JubilantIsJ — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:04:02 GMT

What about taking Hemp Oil vs. Krill? I've been informed that Hemp is better than Fish Oil. Is this a fact? Thanks.

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

koyanasquatsi — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:00:20 GMT

I was very glad to see that someone is talking about the issue of sustainability & environmental responsibility of our fish consumption and not just about our health only. I have been concerned as the health community has trumpeted the virtues of fish oil for heart and brain health just as fish stocks the world over are been mined beyond belief, or collapsing, such as the salmon fishery off Oregon's Coast and elsewhere. It is typical humano-centric, self-centered irresponsibility. Arrogance.

According to a professor in the Fisheries & Wildlife Dept. at Oregon State University, humans have not been able to live harmoniously with any major ecosystem on Earth we interact with. We need to stop thinking of the oceans as unlimited resources. They are not. They are finiWe have already scoured much of the Continental Shelf with bottom trawling nets, devastating the ocean floor and its various life forms. When will this 'higher life form' use their natural or God-given brains to act harmoniously with other life forms?

It seems that a more personally responsible sub-group such as health-oriented people can set an example for society by looking for and finding an environmentally-sustainable Omega-3 source or not consuming fish stocks beyond a healthy, replenishable level. I'm not against eating fish or krill, just the vacant-headed consumerism that is me-me and to Hell with the environment and social responsibility.

I appreciate the above posts and level of discussion re/ Omega-3's and health. Though the original article I linked from was mainly about environmental sustainability, fish stocks, Omega-3's, and krill, this thread was more nutritional. If the danger to Krill stocks is disproportionately from global warming, krill may be our best and most responsible source of high-quality oil for body & brain health. We should all ride our bikes more anyway, so let's work on reducing our 'carbon footprints' while eating healthfully, deliciously, and responsibly!

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

nickie.nye — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:52:14 GMT

I have been using high doses of Nordic Natural Fish Oil as a blood thinner instead of taking Plavix as I had a heart attack from a blood clot. It is a pharmaceutical grade fish oil. I use both the gel caps or the oil. From what I read in this article Krill is good for the brain but could I use it in place of the fish oil as a blood thinner?

I have stopped eating fish altogether from reading about the mercury and other toxins.

Thank you, Nickie Nye

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

Vera_203 — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:13:49 GMT

Very interesting indeed..I take a high quality fish oil (or so my ND tells me); however, after reading about your article on Krill, I'm inclined to rethink my choice of supplement.

I find this site a great way to get information in my head in the morning and I pass it on to people I meet during the day..Excellent site Dr.Mercola ;D

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

ik75243 — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 22:13:47 GMT

"I mostly agree with Dr. Mercola, he is doing a good thing and I appreciate his informing us even in issues of business, the only thing that bothers me is that he believes we evolved. I can't understand how anyone who understands the human body, how it works and the scientific understanding of design of creatures and humans and the universe can believe that it all just evolved! And if that were the case, why aren't we still evolving after all these years? And basing health issues on evolution then is a false premise, isn't it?

And if Krill is on the bottom of the food chain wouldn't that be a heads up on did our Creator really intend for us to eat them, just as shellfish are really scavengers, are they intended for human consumption? Just food for thought. "

Dear Heallthlady,

There's something called gene mutation. It occurs every few millions of years (not sure of the duration) I believe in God, but creationism/ intelligent 'design' is lunacy. It is no wonder the US is the laughing stock of the world.

If evil exists and God "created" everything then by inference God "created" evil.

Scientific understanding of design of creatures? What? There is NO scientific evidence for this claim. I think it's a pretty false premise to base your health on your religious views, especially those that contradict reality.

No offense intended.

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

awakeinwa — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 02:08:52 GMT

rationalecon.blogspot.com/.../save-earth-in-six-hard-questions-what.html

Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs are the size of a regular light bulb. Costco now sell a 6-pack 120-watt equivalent compact fluorescent bulbs for $5:

- It only consumes 20 watts of energy, basically cutting out about 100 watts worth

of heat. Yet it’s whole lot brighter and has a purer white light than regular

incandescent and emits a lot less heat.

- That 6-pack also cuts out over 7,230 lbs of CO2 over its lifetime. It saves 4,700 kWh of electricity, enough to light up an avg. home for 2 yrs.

- And greenhouse gases forgone equal to planting 80 trees.

- Average 10,000 hr lifetime (1-3 yrs) is lot longer than a regular bulb.

- Now, there’s a bunch of wattage options available – all a lot greener, fantastic ROI

and better all around.

- Not to mention the $564 you save over the lifetime of use.

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

awakeinwa — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 02:01:55 GMT

Wrt Bianchi's comments - doctors are people too. A friend of mine (since jr. high) is now a doctor (internal medicine), a bright guy, but is also the most close-minded and infantile people I know. Just because you're book smart doesn't mean you've learned how to learn, and have critcal thinking skills that engender a holistic view of things beyond a narrow subject matter area.

For one, I see alternative and traditional medicines having their distinct roles. One works with a good diet, excercise, to focus on prevention, and for extreme intervention, I see a regular doctor (which is rare). My family's fortunate to have great insurance which I hardly use, and spend most of our out-of-pocket resources and time focused on preventative actions and supplements.

Wrt fish oils, 'fish burping' is just a symptom of indigestion, that you're not really absorbing the omega 3s. Naturally, DHA + EPA are found in a phospholipid matrix, but because of our need to distill we remove that matrix, which means most of it isn't absorbed into the bloodstream, nor pass the blood-brain barrier, much less get absorbed into brain phospholipids. One convenient way to mitigate that is to eat it with fats (like low-fat milk). Another is to supplement with something like Krill, which is naturally clean and untouched.

Wrt running out of Krill, overconsumption is not going to cause its demise. Rather, our actions inducing global warming is an order of magnitude more harmful. It's a principle of ours to conserve; you'd do more to help save krill and our environment by swapping out your common incadescent light bulbs with compact flourescent lighting (CFLs), which cut out 100W-worth of heat and still gives you the brightness of a 120W bulb. You should recycle CFLs because it has mercury (as much as in a ball point pen; most people prob didn't know ball points had mercury).

Krill's abudance is not affected by our consumption but more because we treat Nature as a free-for-all trash can.

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

awakeinwa — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 01:47:40 GMT

Then there's Krill

Krill are small shrimp-like fish (blue whales eat 8,000lbs a day) found in great abundance, more easily replenished at the Antarctic, is low on food chain and thus are naturally pure (free of heavy metals, mercury etc.). Most importantly, they are naturally housed in a matrix of omega-3 phospholipids which our brain’s also based. Take with breakfast for better digestion; within 15 minutes you’ll feel the difference. You may be surprised how you lived without “real” fish oil for so long. It improves brain function, mental/emotional balance, memory recall, awareness / alertness. And so forth:

- For Men and Women Lipid Management - supports healthy blood lipids.

- Brain Nutrition - contains ultra-potent marine lipids which enhance brain function.Additional Benefits For Women

- Menstrual Discomforts - relieves emotional and physical menstrual discomforts.

Link below is replete with the science. Bottom line, krill’s the most natural, ultra-potent omega 3 to-date. Even though one capsule has half the average total DHA+EPA (240mg), it is an order magnitude more effective. And even though the small capsules do smell like, well, krill, there’s actually no fish burps as your body absorbs it entirely. Just don’t sniff the bottle and you should be fine J

Very highly recommended folks give Neptune krill oil a try; this is particularly safe and suitable if you’re pregnant or nursing.

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

awakeinwa — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 01:46:40 GMT

Blogged about this at rationalecon.blogspot.com/.../theres-fish-oil-then-theres-fish-oil.html

There's fish oil then there's fish oil

Another missive on fish oil, a pretty impactful one (in addition to just exercising). You may take fish oil already.

It’s certainly changed my life.

However, you may not “feel the difference” even though it’s suppose to be a naturally powerful brain booster.

Here’s some reasons why fish oil are less effective today than ever before:

- Times have changed; we now get “stripped-down” fish oil. Not the fish’s fault but our own obviously. Nowadays, we have to use molecular distillation to remove PCBs, mercury, and other heavy metals from all the fish we need but have polluted. Since the impurities’ molecular weights approximate that of the matrix of natural omega-3 fats (e.g. phospholipids, like our brain’s) that houses fish oil’s active DHA and EPA ingredients, distillation removes this natural fatty housing. This leaves a stripped down “triglyceride” form of fish oil.

- And we don’t eat fish oils with fatty meals to compensate. Low absorption of DHA and EPA result because both require binding to the right profile of fats for transport through the blood-brain barrier and for integration with our brain’s matrix of phospholipids (the 60% of brain matter that is omega-3 fats)…Phospholipids are the most natural and absorbable for our brain.

Only 30% absorption

So there’s roughly a 30% absorption rate for distilled fish oil capsules and liquids, which is boosted roughly by 5-10% by taking it with a fatty meal. Thus, if you’re taking 2 capsules a day, your body is likely, at best, using half that. Long story short, you usually have to take a lot more to feel the difference, as I do. And fish burps and digestion problems often get in the way.

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

HansMassage_203 — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 09:05:25 GMT

I was born in 1940 and my mother was living on oranges and crackers. so I was born with a severe alergy to cerials and oranges. But my father was given a fishing permit as part of the war effort to fish before and after work at the shipyard. So I survived on fish green beans and the raw cream from the dairy on the hill above us.

Maby that is why I am noted for my intelectual capacity.

Hans Albert Quistorff, LMP

Antalgic Posture Pain Specialist

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

catdancer — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 05:49:31 GMT

To Healthylady - Wow, what a surprising and sudden slap at you; I hope your feelings weren't hurt. I've been here for months but never posted, as I was a little leery of it. But I've learned a lot and there is great info to be found here. I know all you did was mention a "Creator" to merit the replies about keeping your religion to yourself and about which Krill oil ... - good grief, if that doesn't prove that evolution itself is a religion, and an intolerant one, what does? Anyway, my guess would be that the discussion of health issues suits our bodies as they are, for the obvious reason that these are the human bodies we know. And I know what you meant; it's a shame if you got run off.

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

gramasonshine — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:02:40 GMT

I would love to see Dr. Mercola interview Dr. Blaylock on this very important issue. What are

some other things that one can do to protect our brains? Where can these products be purchased?

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

authorklhop — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 07:55:14 GMT

My 6'2" son had severe leg pains and cramps as a teenager. I took him to the doctor who told me that it was "growing pains" and he would have to learn to live with it. A research scientist from England said that 75% of all humans are allergic to dairy products and that we needed Omega 3 fish oil for our joints.

I convinced my son to stop eating dairy products and take 10-15 Omega 3 capsules a day, but only because he wanted to continue playing basketball. Within 2 weeks all pain ceased, but he hated taking them. He stopped when he graduated. Now he is a basketball coach and has players who have experienced the same thing he did. (Omega 3 deficiency)

Through the years I have tried various different Omega 3 supplements and fish products. All have been rejected by my children and grandchildren. Recently I found a brand that meets most of the requirements that everyone on this blog has been talking about; purity (free of heavy metals, PCB's or dioxin), from the smaller oily fishes; mackerel, sardines and anchovies, freshness with protection against oxidation damage, absorption in the intestines instead of the stomach and easy to take with no fishy aftertaste.

I talked my son into taking a capsule one morning after eating cereal with milk (What can I say...he's a grown man now) He refused until I challenged him. He did not get sick or purp that familiar yuky taste. Now even my 6 year old granddaughter swallows the pretty large capsule without water. No fuss and no struggle. After a couple of days of taking the supplement, my 9 year old granddaughter stopped wetting the bed! I read of a child taking this supplement and ADHD symptoms seemed to vanish. Another child stopped having frequent urinary tract infections. My son's headaches have stopped and I am praying that it will help him realize how smart his parents are.

Email me if you want to know the name of the product: hopkibm@yahoo.com.

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

LORENLSMITHHughes — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:09:57 GMT

OK....I have a question to ask of all you fishing geniuses out there. Just where does hempseed oil fall on the charts and what is its chance of replacing Krill Oil as its not whale food?

re: Newest Thoughts on Brain Food

Pauletta — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:13:59 GMT

It appears many on this blog need to learn how to "play nice". I, for one, am disappointed in how this forum is evolving. Paulette