This week two expert guests teach us about our ability to focus, our memory and about natural approaches to ADD/ADHS. We’ll take your calls at 1-800-281-8255 during the show. Please help us spread the message. Tell your friends about the show and the newsletter. Thank you.

IN THE NEWS

There are a lot of good reasons to eat fish. The omega-3 fats they contain are anti-inflammatory and widely considered preventive for heart disease, cancer and arthritis. They also help the brain, eyes and well, every cell in our bodies. Unfortunately, there are cautions with fish:
• There has been concern at the highest levels about mercury the fish pick up from the water. (Mercury is very hard on the nervous system. In fact, it is the most toxic non-radioactive metal on the planet.) This link will take you to a list of the safer fish on the Natural Resources Defense Council site.
• Wild fish are better than farmed fish because growers feed fish grain rather than their natural diet. The end result is fish that are much lower in those beneficial omega-3 fats and higher in pro-inflammatory omega 6.
• Now we also have to pay attention to where the fish comes from. As you will see, according to this investigative report by ABC News, imported fish might be contaminated with everything from banned chemicals and antibiotics to just plain filth from the fish being raised in sewage. Since something like 80% of fish sold in the US is imported and the FDA only tests 1%, it seems the safest thing to do is consume US fish. If you can’t assure the origin, just don’t buy it. That will also help the American fish industry which is having trouble competing with the foreign sources that cut corners. Getting our omega-3’s largely from fish oil is sounding better all the time. I chose Nordic Naturals as a sponsor for the show because I believe they have safe and superior products.

Recent Research

Omega-3’s: Many new studies point to even more benefits of this essential fatty acid. This is just a selection from the last couple of months.¹ They lower deaths from all causes in elderly men. ² They lower triglycerides (cardio risk factor) and do so in proportion to the dose.³ The fatty acid EPA may be more beneficial for depression than the DHA fraction. ⁴ Omega-3’s reduce the risk of endometriosis (but note that Trans fats increase the risk).

My 2 cents: These new tidbits plus the impressive list above in the News should make it obvious why I include fish oil in my recommendations for supplement essentials. Fish oil, like the other supplements in my plan, create a great foundation with lots of wide-ranging fringe benefits.

SIMPLE FREE SELF TEST

Our bodies will tell us a lot if we pay attention. For example, if your pulse increases dramatically after you eat, e.g. 10 or 20 beats a minute, there was something in that food your body didn’t like. For a few days, take your pulse the first thing in the morning to establish a baseline. Check it again ½ hour after each meal for awhile. If you get a reaction, make notes about what you ate. Next time eat those foods separately to determine the culprit. You can react badly to a food and not have it raise your pulse, but if your pulse does jump, it’s definitely an indicator that you have a sensitivity to one of the ingredients.5 If you have a lot of sensitivities, I recommend probiotics because the gut lining is probably not healthy.

READER QUESTION

Q: Carrie asked: My brother is suffering from panic attacks. What can he do? He has already been to many doctors, counselors, etc.

A: Perhaps the doctors did not think to check his magnesium levels6 . Magnesium supplements typically help and are a safe and inexpensive thing to try. I looked for a recent study on the subject but was discouraged that the US studies used “Serum Magnesium” test as their guide. That doesn’t tell us how much magnesium is in the cells of the body. So, the study I listed is foreign, but it was the first I found that used the superior “Red Blood Cell” magnesium test. In my new magnesium article, there are many reasons given for being low in magnesium. Another is being acidic from eating too many refined foods.

Q: No one asked (yet): Why is the newsletter late this week?

A: No, I’m not going to start an “excuse of the week” section. I’ve just decided to send this out on Thursdays to better coordinate with our webmaster Jim’s schedule. This week I did get a wee bit behind from working on a lecture I’m giving at a convention.

Don’t suddenly stop medications. Consult your health practitioner. This newsletter is educational and not a substitute for professional advice. Please stay well and help us spread the word that prevention is the best health care reform. You can help the show, as well as family and friends, by forwarding this email to them and encouraging them to subscribe to Health e-Notes. You might also alert your FaceBook friends.

Healthy by Nature Radio Show .

My first book: Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & Other Acid Blockers. Subtitle: What to Use to Relieve Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Gastric Ailments.

New Book: Aloe Vera—Modern Science Sheds Light on an Ancient Herbal Remedy

¹Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil. 2010 Apr 10. A randomized clinical trial on n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation and all-cause mortality in elderly men at high cardiovascular risk. Einvik G, Klemsdal TO, Sandvik L, Hjerkinn EM.
²Nutr Rev. 2010 Mar;68(3):155-67. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid dose-dependently reduce fasting serum triglycerides. Musa-Veloso K, Binns MA, Kocenas AC, Poon T, Elliot JA, Rice H, Oppedal-Olsen H, Lloyd H, Lemke S.
³J Am Coll Nutr. 2009 Oct;28(5):525-42. EPA but not DHA appears to be responsible for the efficacy of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in depression: evidence from a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Martins JG.
⁴Hum Reprod. 2010 Mar 23. A prospective study of dietary fat consumption and endometriosis risk. Missmer SA, Chavarro JE, Malspeis S, Bertone-Johnson ER, Hornstein MD, Spiegelman D, Barbieri RL, Willett WC, Hankinson SE. 5A book that is out of print: The Coca Pulse Test 6Cesk Psychiatr. 1995 Jul;91(3):183-90. Incidence of latent tetany in patients with panic disorder. Táborská V.