That's Fit

Fish is brain food -- right? It certainly might be.

Experts typically recommend eating fish twice a week because of the omega-3 fatty acids that make it a heart-healthy source of nutrition. Now, it seems fish might be brain-healthy too.

Preliminary studies suggest that the wonder of omega-3 (docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, to be more official) also boosts brain power. Makes sense since DHA comprises much of the cell membranes in our brains. Food folks love this news and are busy adding DHA to foods like yogurt, soy milk, and eggs, while marketing their products with clever slogans. Do their food items really enhance mental performance, though?

A growing body of evidence suggests that DHA (a type of omega-3 fatty acid) and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

A recent study published in the journal Neurology summarized the findings of a four-year study of over 8,000 French men and women age 65 and older. The study suggests that daily consumption of fruits and vegetables greatly reduces the chances of dementia from all causes. Moreover, the study also suggests that weekly fish consumption -- fish is high in DHA -- was also associated with a reduced risk of dementia from all causes, including Alzheimer's disease in people who lack a specific genotype (apoE4) that, in and of itself, is a risk factor for developing Alzheimer's.

Most people have no issue eating fruits and vegetables, but not everyone enjoys fish. Fortunately, there are several other ways to still get DHA in your diet, including nutritional supplementation and healthy fortified foods.

Good nutrition is so important for pregnant women and women who are planning to get pregnant. Different nutrients stimulate your baby's development and help ensure good health. Choosing nutritious foods and including a lot of fruits and vegetables is a good way to get an assortment of vitamins and minerals. But there are a few nutrients moms-to-be must take extra measures to include in their diet:

• Folic acid
• Calcium
• Omega-3 (DHA and EPA)
• Vitamin D
  

You can get all of these nutrients from food and other natural sources. Prenatal vitamins also supply many of these nutrients, but you should check with your OB/GYN before taking any supplements. See the gallery for more sources of each nutrient. And Happy Mother's Day!

There was always that ONE dog that lived in your neighborhood when you were a kid. You know, the dog that was more K-19 than K-9, a veritable killing machine designed to destroy the lives of elementary school kids who dared step foot near their owner's property. Or, at least it seemed that way. One thing was for sure, though, that dog was aggressive, and steering clear of him sometimes meant the difference between a leisurely walk home from school and a mad dash for survival. But what is it that made that dog aggressive while so many other dogs are very friendly? According to researchers in Italy, it may be related to something that also makes some humans more aggressive.

Scientists posit that a deficiency in EPA and DHA, both of which are components of omega-3 fatty acids, may cause certain dogs and certain humans to act somewhat aggressively. Research from a number of studies, including those published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, suggests that EPA and DHA play an important role in behavior and impulse control in humans, something that the recent Italian study found may also be the case for dogs.

While external factors certainly play a role in shaping a person's behavior (as well as a dog's), this research provides an interesting theory for the nature side of the perennial nature vs. nurture argument.

There are many known benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, including, but not limited to, improved brain function, reduced risk of heart disease, improved vision, and helping to maintain a healthy immune system. There are also many known sources of omega-3; from many types of fish to dark green vegetables and walnuts. What isn't as readily known, however, is that there are actually three components of this healthy fatty acid: EPA, AHA, and DHA. For this post, we'll focus on the last of these three.

DHA, or docosahexaeonic acid ... so, let's stick with DHA, offers many health benefits all on its own, which is why it has grown to become a popular nutritional supplement. DHA plays a particularly crucial role in brain development and function. DHA has been shown to ...

• Impact the brain's structure and signaling systems;
• Promote nervous system development and optimal memory function;
• Prevent age-related memory decline; and,
• Its deficiency may be linked to a number of psychiatric disorders, such as depression.

As mentioned, DHA is available in supplement form, but this is not necessary if you are already eating a diet rich in omega-3.

Stressing out? Join the club. It seems that the more connected, the more wired, the more -- well, let's face it -- available we become, the more easily agitated we become. Some of it probably has something to do with what I just mentioned; how we can be reached by phone, fax, email, or carrier pigeon at almost any moment of the day. However, some can possibly be attributed to a deficiency in heart-smart omega-3s.

Found in cold water fish, Omega-3 (DHA) is an essential fatty acid, known to help the heart and aid in weight control. In addition to its known benefits is a discovery recently made by scientists at Toyama University in Japan. Based on their findings, a correlation was found to exist between people with low levels of DHA and violent tendencies. It appears that DHA has a direct relationship to a person's ability to control hostility during times of mental stress. And, as soon as that word (Stress) pops-up, you know that it means that our hearts are suffering, as well.

So, until an actual Chill Pill is invented, you may want to talk to your doctor about trying omega-3 supplements, or take measures to consume a healthy amount through your food choices.

Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

We spent much of 2007 reviewing all sorts of Super Foods -- click here for all previous You Are What You Eat Super Food posts -- and now that we're barreling quickly into 2008, heres' a handful of super items -- some old; some new -- that are sure to get lots of attention.

Probiotics

Look for labels advertising live and active cultures and you'll get yourself some health-enhancing organisms. Found primarily in yogurt and fermented dairy products, these will help you maintain a healthy digestive tract and may even ward off cancer.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D strengthens bones and prevents and treats muscle weakness, gum disease, diabetes, insulin resistance, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, and certain cancers. Too much vitamin D can be toxic over time, though, so keep your daily intake under 2000 IU. Look for D to emerge as the vitamin of the year.

The Omega-3 Fatty Acid DHA

This omega-3 is not only good for the heart -- it can also improve mood, mental function, and vision and can cut your risk for certain cancers, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease. Try for two weekly servings of fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines) or 200 milligrams daily from supplements or fortified foods.

Nuts

Make it just a handful several times per week and nuts are a good thing. They can help cut your heart disease risk by as much as 39 percent and can lower your cancer and diabetes risk.

Curry Power

Curry powder contains the goods to help the brain get rid of amyloid plaques, which are associated with Alzheimer's disease. Curry's compounds also boost immunity.

If you're an expecting mother, you may be interested in a new study out of the University of Connecticut and Louisiana State University on the potential benefits of supplementing with DHA during pregnancy. According to the findings of the study, which were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, consuming DHA (a naturally-occurring fatty acid derived from fish oil) while carrying may boost an infant's problem-solving skills during the first year of life.

In the study, 29 pregnant women were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group A - who were given cereal-based snack bars that contained 300mg of DHA, and Group B - who were given cereal-based snack bars that did not contain the fatty acid. On average, the mothers ate five cereal bars per week.

After the babies of mothers from both groups were born, their intelligence and problem-solving skills were tested nine months later by the researchers. The infants born to the mothers who at the DHA-fortified cereal bars demonstrated signs of possessing better problem-solving skills.

Scientists are about to begin clinical trails to test whether Omega-3 works toward treating depression. The two fatty acids being tested are EPA and DHA which are naturally-occurring in certain foods like flaxseed and walnuts. Some other very rich omega-3 eatables include salmon, soybeans and tofu.

Helping curb depression has previously been considered a benefit of eating these types of food, but as this article suggests, this study will be the first to pit the two acids against each other (and a placebo). After recruiting 300 individuals to test, they should have a more conclusive idea on its effects. However, previous tests have claimed there is not a connection to depression and omega-3 (and contradictory studies to rebut those tests too).

At this point, there's a bit of conflicting literature on the topic. Who can say for sure if these results will be significantly different than the other studies? One thing is for sure though: as a society so heavily medicated for this brain condition, it would be nice to have a more natural, scientifically proven treatment for depression.

instead of holding back on eating fish and taking fish oil supplements, pregnant women should actually eat more fish in order to get those healthy oils in their system, according to a new recommendation from a coalition of nutrition experts and groups this past week.

Several federal agencies joined the coalition's suggestion that came to challenge government warnings about fish consumption by pregnant women due to mercury contamination in most volume-processed fish.

While that may be true (to a point), the health benefits of eating about 12 ounces of fish per week outweigh possible exposure to small amounts of mercury. A report from 2004 put out by the FDA and EPA is being criticized in the process here as well.

As if we all don't have good enough reasons to take Omega 3 supplements, add improved emotional functioning and associated mental disposition to that list.

A new report from the University of Pittsburgh found that fish oil can indeed have a positive effect on areas of the brain associated with emotion.

The study looked at people who had a disproportionately negative outlook (who were also more impulsive) and concluded that lower levels of omega-3 oils were present in their systems. Further, the study looked at whether the volume of gray matter in the brain could be correlated to the amount of omega-3 fatty acid consumed.

I'm a big believer in taking a daily dose of Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EFAs) every day to complement my diet as a very important complementary supplement to things I already eat and nutrition I process. Since there are so many varieties -- all with different qualities, efficacies, fillers and prices -- the choice to choose one is not that easy.

But, once you find the right one, it's great to know that high blood levels of the EFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may protect against the development of dementia and perhaps Alzheimer's disease.

There are many proven health benefits of consuming "healthy" fats like EFAs, and here's yet another excellent reason to do just that in my opinion. What brand do you take?