Anyone who is even marginally interested in taking supplements to improve their health has heard of fish oil. Fish oil is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, and it’s easy to package up into easy-to-swallow capsules. However, many people who add a daily capsule to their routine are disappointed by the results, particularly if they were hoping the product would improve their skin, hair, or nails (just some of the many purported benefits of omega-3s). But omega-3s really are effective — if you take them the right way. Let me tell you about a good sign that they really do work, what they can do for you, and how to get the results you want both inside and out.

A big clue that fish oils and omega-3 supplements are the real deal is that they have at least one drug company scared. The pharmaceutical company Amarin has spent a lot of money — over $200 million — to develop a drug to treat hyperlipidemia, or unusually high blood levels of triglycerides. The problem is the company was hoping the drug would be able to treat a lot more than that. They wanted to be able to market it to cardiovascular patients across the board, not just to those with this specific condition. But they haven’t been able to get approval for these other uses. So the company is stuck trying to recoup its losses by selling the drug for a very high price to a relatively small group of people.

But Amarin isn’t just worried about trying to convince people to pay for the drug. The company is also worried that people will realize that the drug is refined from fish oil and delivers a gram of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in every dose. Why is Amarin worried that people will realize this? Is EPA dangerous? Nope. It’s just widely available already in supplement form. You don’t need to pay exorbitant prices for this drug. You can just take a high-quality fish oil supplement instead.

To try to protect its investment, Amarin asked the US International Trade Commission (ITC) to block the import of certain fish oil products containing high concentrations of re-esterified forms of fish oil, claiming that these ingredients should be considered unapproved drugs rather than dietary ingredients (even though they come from, you guessed it, fish). Fortunately, the FDA recognized the absurdity of this claim and asked the ITC to throw the case out, which it did.

Clearly, Amarin believes that fish oil can be effective. It just wants to be able to make a profit off of it. Fish oil and other omega-3 fatty acids are great for you – and not just if you have hyperlipidemia. Let me tell you more about their benefits.

In past issues, we’ve discussed the importance of your telomeres. They have tremendous implications for health as we age. And fish oil helps protect telomeres, particularly for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, there is an inverse association between telomere shortening rate and blood levels of fish oil in CAD patients, indicating that the fish oil may offer protective effects. The study authors concurred with the American Heart Association’s guidelines recommending that CAD patients take 1 g of omega-3 fatty acids a day, whether from supplements or eating fatty fish.

Of course, you shouldn’t wait until you have CAD to let omega-3s go to work protecting your telomeres. As you may know, having healthy telomeres is one of the best protective measures against signs and problems of aging. Omega-3s will also help reduce inflammation throughout your body, which is vital for good health. And yes, these fatty acids can even help restore luster to your skin, hair, and nails.

So why are so many people who take these supplements not seeing any results, at least externally? It’s true that taking a gram of fish oil a day will help your heart and your telomeres. Unfortunately, that’s not enough to make a difference on your hair, skin, and nails. For this, you need a much higher dose — up to 3,600 mg.

That’s a lot of pills, especially if you weren’t wild about the idea of taking a fish oil-based product in the first place (some vegetarians or vegans balk at this, and other people just don’t like swallowing pills, especially since some have a fishy aftertaste). Fortunately, there is a solution: Udo’s Oil 3.6.9. This liquid product is made from organic flax, sesame, and sunflower seed oils to give you all the omega-3 fatty acids you need in a convenient form.

I first heard of Udo’s 3.6.9 many years ago from a patient. Katherine who was told by her vet to give Udo’s to her dog to restore his dry coat. After two months Katherine was amazed at how healthy her dog’s coat looked and decided to try it on herself. “Wow,” she reported. “It worked for my dog and it worked for me. Look at my hair and nails – so different, softer, healthier looking.” Udo’s can be found on Amazon.

Omega-3s and 6s are shown to be the actual building blocks of our cell membranes. EFAs help to create the skin’s natural oil barrier – so they’re important in skin hydration and overall younger looking skin. You just have to take high doses for a while to see results. In fact, take at least a tablespoon twice a day for a minimum of 60 days. You’ll be able to see a difference. After the first two months, if you feel that you’ve made advances in your health, you can reduce to one tablespoon daily. If the addition of oil upsets your digestion, try using it as part of your salad dressing with apple cider vinegar.

This may sound like a lot of oil. But because the product is liquid, you can sneak it into a lot of different foods. In addition to putting it on salads, you also can put it on oatmeal and in soups, while others slip it into smoothies. Of course, you can always just swallow it right down if you don’t mind the taste. And even if you don’t think it tastes great, I think you’ll find the results of better-moisturized skin and stronger hair and nails to be worth it.
These results are especially beneficial for perimenopausal, menopausal, postmenopausal women and those recovering from pregnancy. The hormones associated with all female transitions can often seriously impact your skin, hair, and nails. Fatty acids can help restore your glow, especially if your skin, hair, and nails are appearing dry.

Of course, if you’re already taking a fish oil or other omega-3 supplement that you’re happy with, such as Complete Daily Oils (800-791-3395), you can and should keep that up. Even at lower doses, omega-3 fatty acids are great for your telomeres and cardiovascular system. But if you want to kick your results up a notch, try increasing your dose until you hit the 3,600 mg mark. You can even do this by combining the pills and the liquid until you hit a mix that works for you.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/715449

https://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2017/10/30/ITC-declines-to-hear-Amarin-s-fish-oils-complaint

Our Mood Doesn’t Have to Decline With Age

When we think about health, physical well-being tends to get the lion’s share of attention. Yet emotional and mental health are vital as well. And while we often believe that there are many steps we can take to maintain and even improve our physical health, people often believe they are simply subject to the whims of their moods when it comes to emotional health.

In fact, people often assume that mood declines with age – and the abundance of stereotypes about grumpy seniors doesn’t help. However, while mood certainly does play an important role in well-being as we age, declines aren’t inevitable. And if you do notice your overall emotional stability starting to slip, there are many steps you can take to regain a more positive, healthy outlook.

Scientists at the German Research Center for Environmental Health have been studying mood and quality of life in aging adults, and their findings are promising. While there are certainly factors that affect mood, particularly depression and anxiety, you don’t have to assume you’ll become cranky just because you have more candles on your cake. Still, women are more likely to suffer from mood issues than men. Here's what they found.

The researchers examined information from a questionnaire that the World Health Organization developed to measure well-being. Approximately 3,600 participants with an average age of 73 took the questionnaire as part of the KORA-Age Study. The researchers divided the participants into two groups: those who scored above a 50 on the questionnaire and those who scored below 50. The good news was that 79% of participants reported a high level of subjective well-being according to the questionnaire. However, about 24% of women were in the low group, compared to only 18% of men.

The researchers found that depression, anxiety, low income, and sleep disorders were the issues most likely to have a negative effect on mood. Surprisingly, poor physical health didn’t seem related (though I still think it’s wise to keep your body active and healthy!). However, for women, an additional issue that significantly affected the likelihood of a low sense of well-being was living alone.

The researchers point out that high levels of subjective well-being have been linked to lower mortality rates, so taking steps to improve mood will do more than just make you happier. Doing so could actually help you increase the amount of time you spend living a life you enjoy!

If you suffer from a low mood, it helps to put your finger on the cause. If you do live alone, increasing your social activities can go a long way. You may want to consider getting a pet (if you feel up for caring for one) or even a roommate to keep you company. If mild anxiety or depression is the issue, there are a number of natural remedies you can try that have been shown to lift mood. However, if you know that this is a pervasive, long-term problem, you should talk to your doctor and give these remedies a try under his or her supervision.

One of my favorite remedies for anxiety is holy basil. Holy basil has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine to treat stress, and a study published in Advances in Neurobiology found that it can reduce neurotoxicity thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Protecting neurotransmitter function is often foundational to protecting mental and emotional health, and holy basil can play a key role in this. Another study, published in Phytotherapy Research, found that holy basil can combat a condition called chronic variable stress. The study indicated that holy basil can reduce the release of the stress hormone cortisol and help participants manage the effects of stress.

Another mild option for stress and anxiety is lemon balm. A review study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology highlighted the plant’s anti-anxiety effects, noting that it helps stimulate GABAA receptors, which are involved in lowering anxiety and promoting sleep. Another study, published in Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, found that stimulating GABAA receptors could improve sleep in addition to promoting anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects.

Finally, if you suffer from nervousness, passionflower may also be able to help. It’s been used by native Peruvians for centuries as a mild sedative and can also be used to treat mild anxiety and sleep issues. A small study of 198 participants with anxiety found that passionflower worked as well as two drugs in reaching minimal effectiveness. Though it’s generally considered safe, it can cause drowsiness, so it’s best used before bed. It can also stimulate contractions in pregnant women, so unfortunately for that perpetually sleep-deprived segment of the population, this isn’t a good option for them.

It’s even possible to make a tea from these three plants. Take 1 teaspoon of each of the three herbs and pour 8-16 ounces of hot water over it. Let steep for 5-10 minutes. Then strain and drink. It really does taste pleasant and can be a soothing bedtime ritual. It can be especially beneficial if anxious thoughts keep you from falling asleep easily.

These simple, natural steps can boost your mood and help you make good choices overall to live a long, healthy, happy life.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28148682.

Nutrition Detective

Why Dressing Is an Important Part of Your Salad

Do you know what the healthiest part of a salad is? It’s not a trick question. It’s the vegetables. The greater the variety of veggies you can add to a salad, the better. That’s a great way to make a salad even healthier. But do you know what won’t make a salad healthier? Leaving off the dressing.

You might be surprised to hear that. After all, asking for dressing on the side is one of the oldest dieting tricks in the book. But while you don’t want to overdo it with dressing, particularly one made with unhealthy ingredients, adding the right topper to your salad could actually make it better for you.

For a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, an Iowa State University researcher evaluated 12 college-aged women as they ate salads with varying amounts of dressing. The researcher found that the more dressing the women consumed, the more nutrients they absorbed from their salads. In particular, their absorption levels of alpha and beta carotene, lutein, lycopene, and two forms each of vitamin E and vitamin K increased. And because the gut needs alpha and beta carotene to produce vitamin A, their levels of that vitamin went up as well.

Absorption levels increased in proportion to the amount of salad dressing the women used, maxing out at 32 grams, or just over two tablespoons. However, since two tablespoons is the upper limit of the recommended amount of oil consumption according to U.S. dietary guidelines, you really don’t need to use quite that much! But you don’t need to have dry salad in the interest of health either.

It’s important to note that this study used soybean oil, which is a common base in commercial salad dressings. Soybean oil isn’t a very healthy option, even if you do get more nutrients from the vegetables. You’ll get the same nutrient-absorption effects from other oils. Consider olive oil instead, as it makes a great base for lots of homemade dressings. It’s also easy to ask for in restaurants, as most will have an olive oil-based dressing. Or just ask for some plain olive oil and some lemons or balsamic vinegar. Olive oil tastes great on a salad with a squeeze of lemon or drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

The ideal dressing is a mixture of three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and one to two tablespoons of your favorite vinegar – add seasoning as desired. There is varied and exceptional benefits in the EVOO, and the vinegar helps regulate your blood sugar. Use a tablespoon or so on your salad.

Wendy S White, Yang Zhou, Agatha Crane, Philip Dixon, Frits Quadt, Leonard M Flendrig. Modeling the dose effects of soybean oil in salad dressing on carotenoid and fat-soluble vitamin bioavailability in salad vegetables. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2017; 106 (4): 1041 DOI: 10.3945/%u200Bajcn.117.153635.

LETTERS

Q: I have heard from several people lately that they started the Paleo Diet and lost a tremendous amount of weight quickly. Do you feel this is a good diet? – Theta C., via email

Dear Theta,

Great question. I could write an entire newsletter on this one topic. That’s because the Paleo Diet has many pros and a few cons. As for the pros: The diet relies on natural, real food – not processed. Everything it recommends is fully identifiable as “food.” The biggest negative is that it isn’t flexible enough for people who don’t want to give up complex carbohydrates. My preference is to take the good from the Paleo Diet and add legumes or grains, and keep it as minimal as you desire.

The “cracker” test developed by Dr. Moalem, is very helpful to determine what your genetics tell you in regard to your carbohydrate tolerance. If your heritage is, for example, from South America, and for many generations your ancestors have eaten legumes and grains, it may be absolutely suitable for you to have two-to- three meals a week of this combination.

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/carb-tolerances.107415/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3774068/Cracker-test-reveals-need-cut-carbs.html.

Q. I have heard many discussions about whether or not cell phones have dangerous radiation. Some think they can cause cancer, brain tumors, etc. I’m wondering if the same things can be true of the health alert buttons that are worn around the neck to press in case of an emergency. – Phyllis L., via email

Dear Phyllis,

This question is a very good one and one that’s difficult to answer. As far back as 2000, some European countries began issuing warnings to consumers to not wear their phones on their person and not hold the phone close to your ear, but use speaker phone.

More recently there have been warnings in regard to blue light (very short wavelength) devices in general. Many preventative physicians recommend turning off devices when the sun goes down so as to give the body a rest, not only from the blue light emissions but from the stimulation in general.

As for your alert button, there might be some possible risk from these devices. But there’s a greater risk for you of not getting help if you need it. If you’re prone to falling, these devices could literally save your life! So I think it’s worth the potential risk they may pose.

Q. I am 75. I’ve never taken any drugs. I managed to cure myself of asthma. But for the first time in my life, I have a situation that I can’t seem to find any results for: clogged sinuses. It's not infection. And it’s not an allergy. The only thing that works is Musinex. Got any suggestions? – Edna B., via email

Dear Edna,

Yes, there is a remarkable Chinese medicine worth trying. It’s called Pe Min Kan Wan. This is an herbal combination used for more than 100 years in traditional Chinese medicine. It’s not a stimulant and does not contain ephedrine, but herbs to help relieve sinusitis. In addition to Pe Min Kan Wan, please consider Novage to irrigate your sinuses. You can find both of these on Amazon.