August 16, 2010
Our comment: – Here is a list of foods for depression, somewhat ad hoc, but it does make the point that foods affect our mood. The article warns about wine and coffee (good idea). What’s difficult about the food-depression issue is that we all really need to examine what nutrients we are deficient in and eat more of those foods.

August 16, 2010
Our comment: – A Japanese study found that teenage boys who eat more high-Omega 3 fish, are less likely to be depressed. This is yet another bit of evidence in a field of research that is suggesting: “Take your fish oil!” ]]> http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-bloggers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-august-16-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-researchers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-july-23-2010/ http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-researchers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-july-23-2010/#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:33:16 +0000 Admin http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-researchers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-july-23-2010/

July 23, 2010
Our comment: – Here is more clinical trial evidence in support of the fish oil – depression link. Patients with depression (and not also with anxiety) faired best with just over a gram of EPA daily. ]]> http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-researchers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-july-23-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-important-lifecyle/ http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-important-lifecyle/#comments Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:22:45 +0000 Admin http://www.fishoildepression.net/?p=73 In the YouTube video below (watch it at YouTube here: Omega 3 and depression) Amanda Rose, author of Rebuild from Depression, discusses the importance of diet, particularly Omega 3 fatty acids, in building a healthy brain. Fish oil is important for a baby’s growing brain, both in utero and in infancy and childhood. It is important throughout the lifecycle as well and protects are brain from diseases of aging such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Today is a good day to start if you haven’t. We like Ascenta’s NutraSea because it has high levels of EPA and because you can look up the purity test on your batch of oil on the Ascenta website.

June 25, 2010
Our comment: – Fish oil is an anti-inflammatory and helps the conditions listed here which are largely associated with inflammation.

June 25, 2010
Our comment: – Start taking fish oil today but do not overlook other remedies, all of which can together pack a punch. Read more at the Rebuild blog. ]]> http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-bloggers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-june-25-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-bloggers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-june-19-2010/ http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-bloggers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-june-19-2010/#comments Sat, 19 Jun 2010 23:18:46 +0000 Admin http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-bloggers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-june-19-2010/

June 19, 2010
Our comment: – You need 2-4 grams of EPA, the long chain fat found in fish oil. Look at the label on your fish oil carefully.

June 19, 2010
Our comment: – The “long game” aspect of this article is very good. We want fish oil for depression, but we want a long life with excellent brain health. Low Omega 3s (the form found in fish oil) are linked to diseases of the aging brain such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. ]]> http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-bloggers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-june-19-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-depression-fish-oil/ http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-depression-fish-oil/#comments Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:00:25 +0000 Admin http://www.fishoildepression.net/?p=55 Fish oil is critical to brain health. Our brains are composed of nearly sixty percent fat and they require healthy fat to serve us well. If we do not consume enough of the fat in fish oil, we may suffer from depression. With studies in the news regularly on the importance of fish for and depression, a question is: How much fish oil is recommended for depression?

Research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that Americans should consume 3 1/2 grams of EPA and DHA every day to minimize our risk of depression, cardiac disease, and diabetes. EPA and DHA are long-chain Omega 3 fats found in fish oil. In The Omega Connection, Andrew Stoll recommends 4 grams of EPA each day for those suffering from depression. The recommendation of 4 grams of EPA daily is quite a bit but important to refill what has been missing in our diet.

EPA and DHA are particular long chain fatty acids found most commonly in fish and seafood. That is why fish oil is the most common source of these beneficial fats. In lesser amounts, these fatty acids are found in eggs enriched with Omega 3 and grass fed beef and lamb. EPA is not found in vegetarian sources of Omega 3 fats such as flax oil.

An option for meeting the goal of 3-4 grams of EPA and DHA daily is to eat more fatty fish. One 3-ounce serving of a fatty fish such as tuna may have 1-3 grams of EPA and could satisfy your fish oil need for the day.

Most people will meet their requirement with a fish oil pill. While you shop for a supplement, it is critical that you read the label on the back of the bottle. The front of the bottle may list “1000 mg of fish oil.” 1000 mg is one gram of fish oil or Omega 3. On second glance, you may notice that the oil has only 100 mg of EPA. You would require 25 servings to meet the suggested intake of fish oil for depression. Not only is that product costly, but it is hard to imagine swallowing that much fish oil.

Look at the label in detail and shoot for 4 grams of EPA and DHA from fish oil each day.

There is no krill oil on the market that has enough EPA for depression. You need a fish oil high in Omega 3 fatty acids. We recommend Ascenta’s High EPA NutraSea. It has a high EPA content and comes with the best quality guarantee in the marketplace. In fact, your bottle will have a batch number that you can look up on the Ascenta website to see the purity test results for that particular batch.

The news program suggests we wait for further information on the topic — the levels of PCBs found in the supplements were not higher than World Health Organization standards. We can also simply eat more fatty fish.

For people with depression taking 1-4 grams of EPA daily, more fish is not sufficient. Consumers need to select a supplement with a positive safety record. We like Ascenta’s NutraSea product because it allows consumers to look up test results for their batch of oil. When you receive your oil, you simply look up the batch number on the Ascenta website to read the lab report associated with that particular oil.

June 8, 2010
Our comment: – She recommends adding Omega 3s and B vitamins to your diet and drinking less coffee.

June 8, 2010
Our comment: – A Suite 101 article about natural remedies for depression.

June 8, 2010
Our comment: – A discussion of fish oil benefits at the Dr. Oz website. ]]> http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-bloggers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-june-8-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.fishoildepression.net/quality-fish-oil-depression/ http://www.fishoildepression.net/quality-fish-oil-depression/#comments Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:00:04 +0000 Admin http://www.fishoildepression.net/?p=39 People with depression may benefit from quality fish oil. In this video, Dr. Hyla Cass cites Hibbeln and Stohl, both researchers on Omega 3 fatty acids and depression. Hibbeln for instance has found rates of depression lower in people who live near the sea and eat a lot of fish.

In her practice, Cass recommends fish oil to her patients. For vegetarians she suggests flax oil plus a vegan form of DHA made from algae. These are less effective options, but they may work well for some people.

Cass suggests that the low fat craze in this country in the 1980s and 90s was a real bad idea. We need healthy fats.

In terms of quality, we need fish oils that are not polluted. Cass suggests fish oil from smaller fish or fish oil that has been molecularly distilled.

Patients supplemented with fish oil showed a significant decrease in MADRS and CGI-Depression scores….These results reveal that  Parkinson’s disease patients taking fish oil, with or without antidepressants, presented improvement in depressive symptoms and indicate that the intake of omega-3 can be used with an antidepressant effect or as adjuvant therapy with some other medication.

What they mean by “antidepressant effect” is that the fish oil may reduce depression even if the patient is not taking a pharmaceutical medication. It may be used as an “adjuvant therapy” as well which means that it may be taken along with anti-depressant medication to improve the patient’s mental health.

Either by itself or along with anti-depressant medication, fish oil may fight depression in patients with Parking’s disease.

Perhaps you have wondered: Is taking fish oil as effective as eating fish itself? Can you get the Omega 3 in the supplement and avoid eating a fish fillet? Researchers actually asked this question in a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:

Omega 3 Fatty acids (FAs) have been shown to be beneficial for cardiovascular health. Whether Omega 3 FAs from oily fish consumed weekly or from fish-oil capsules taken daily are equally bioavailable is not clear….These findings suggest that the consumption of equal amounts of EPA and DHA from oily fish on a weekly basis or from fish-oil capsules on a daily basis is equally effective at enriching blood lipids with Omega 3 FAs.

Some people do meet their Omega 3 need by eating fish several times a week. People requiring high doses of Omega 3 fatty acids for conditions like depression, heart disease, and diabetes will have a difficult time meeting that need with fish alone. In that case, a fish oil capsule is a very good bet. But quality matters. Our favorite for quality and for high EPA for depression is Ascenta’s NutraSea. The bottle shows you a lot number that you can look up on the Ascenta website to see the purity tests associated with that particular lot. We know of no other company that provides this quality testing information. You can find it at Amazon; it is otherwise not widely distributed in the United States.

June 1, 2010
- “Eat against depression” at Suite 101′s Holistic Nutrition articles.

June 1, 2010
- This is a general overview on Omega 3 fish oil and depression at Hubpages.

June 1, 2010
- A book review of Andrew Stoll’s great book on depression and fish oil. ]]> http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-bloggers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-june-1-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-bloggers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-may-29-2010/ http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-bloggers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-may-29-2010/#comments Sat, 29 May 2010 16:59:33 +0000 Admin http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-news/what-bloggers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-may-29-2010/

May 28, 2010
- DHA is most critical when we’re young (or pregnant and creating a young one).

May 28, 2010
- There is no recommended dose for Fibromyalgia but it’s no secret that fish oil is an anti-inflammatory.

May 28, 2010
- “Fish oil can can help you to heal faster and save your sanity.” Indeed. Something we can all use a bit of. ]]> http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-bloggers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-may-29-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-lifestyle-fight-depression/ http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-lifestyle-fight-depression/#comments Fri, 28 May 2010 13:51:08 +0000 Admin http://www.fishoildepression.net/?p=36 Inflammation in your cells may be aggravating your depression. Listen to Dr. Whiting discuss “silent inflammation” — inflammation you cannot feel directly but may be causing degenerative disease. Whiting is ultimately selling an anti-inflammatory supplement, but there are many things your should begin to change right now to reduce the inflation in your body.

• Start a fish oil supplement. Start today. The beneficial Omega 3 fatty acid in fish oil is itself anti-inflammatory.
• Reduce your use of vegetable oils. Use olive oils for salads. Cut corn oil.
• Eat more fish. Fish has the fish oil in it of course. It also has other healthy nutrients.
• Sleep. Do not underestimate the importance of sleep and rest in reducing inflammation.
• Reduce stress and relax. Try to take some time each day to unwind. Strike a yoga pose. It matters.

They found no differences between the groups but perhaps for a good reason: some people’s bodies actually convert the fatty acid in flax into the long chain form found in fish. Some children in the study receiving flax converted the fat well and their symptoms improved. In fact, researchers found that the bipolar symptoms in the children they studied were correlated with their blood levels of Omega 3 fatty acids.

If your body converts the plant-based form of Omega 3 well, you may be able to take a plant-based oil. The problem is that you would only know if you converted it well with accurate pre-post blood work. Researchers recommend fish oil because it will improve everybody’s levels, regardless of how they metabolize plant-based oils.

May 25, 2010
- Fish oil may be particularly important as we age.

May 25, 2010
- Punch line: Take fish oil, not flax oil. ]]> http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-researchers-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-may-26-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-people-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-may-25-2010/ http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-people-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-may-25-2010/#comments Tue, 25 May 2010 18:25:26 +0000 Admin http://www.fishoildepression.net/uncategorized/what-people-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-may-25-2010/

May 25, 2010
- In contrast to the harsh review below, we have benefits that are “verified.” It takes a long time to “verify,” but the evidence does suggest fish oil may alleviate some of these ailments.

May 25, 2010
- Quality matters in fish oil. PCBs are a problem in farmed fish. Know your source.

May 25, 2010
- A harsh review. I wouldn’t wait for conclusive evidence to begin a regimen that isn’t going to hurt and very likely will help (with something..) ]]> http://www.fishoildepression.net/what-people-are-saying-about-fish-oil-for-depression-may-25-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-psychosis/ http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-psychosis/#comments Sat, 22 May 2010 14:42:24 +0000 Admin http://www.fishoildepression.net/?p=17 A 2010 study found promising results that fish oil could alleviate psychosis. In a double-blind trial, patients were given either fish oil or coconut oil. Patients did not take antipsychotic medication during the trial but could take antidepressants. As quoted in Medscape Today “At the end of the 12-month study, researchers found that the cumulative conversion rates to psychotic disorder were 4.9% in the fatty acid group and 27.5% in the placebo group.”

The study actually tracked the blood levels of Omega 3 fatty acids (the therapeutic component in fish oil) and found increased levels in patients in the study group. While this may sound obvious, many studies do not explicitly measure the levels of the study nutrient in the patients.

One physician involved in the study added there is enough evidence that fis oil be added to the treatment regime of patients with psychosis, in addition to the standard antipsychotic medication.

Medscape Today found Felice Jacka, PhD, research fellow at the University of Melbourne, excited about this finding. “The idea that you could intervene with a natural treatment that really has no side effects and is commonly available, cheaply available, and readily used is tremendously exciting,”

As consumers we need to select fish oil from reputable companies that do take measures to ensure that their product is safe and, in fact, healthful, for us to consume.

The Ascenta products displayed here — the “NutraSea” line does just that. When you purchase your fish oil you will actually be able to look up the lab results for that batch of oil to see what the levels are of mercury and dioxin.

Each of us need the proper intake of vitamins, minerals, and fats for optimal brain health. However, the typical western diet is extremely low in the beneficial fat in fish oil Omega 3. Our brains need it to be healthy and most of us do not get enough of it.

There is field of scientific research on the link between food nutrients and depression discussed in Rebuild from Depression: A Nutrient Guide. Authors Amanda Rose, Ph.D., and Annell Adams M.D. identify food nutrients with scientific evidence that they impact depression. From those nutrients, they examine the massive food database maintained by the USDA and found fifty “depression buster foods” – the food for depression with the highest content of depression-fighting nutrients.

This is the first sort of analysis of food and depression of its kind. There are many “lists” out there, some lists of foods that fight depression, but this is the first list based on a systematic analysis of over 5,000 foods.

As an example, here is a list of the top 10 foods commonly available at any grocery store (there are many others on the list, some of which are obscure):

• Clam
• Oyster
• Flax
• Herring
• Trout
• Brewer’s yeast
• Sardines
• Crab
• Walnuts
• Salmon

But a food list is not all you need.

A key question for you is this: What vitamins and minerals are you deficient in?

There are body signs of nutrient deficiencies. For instance, your muscle cramps might be caused by a magnesium deficiency or your stretch marks by a zinc deficiency. There are also clinical tests your doctor can perform to check your nutrient levels.

Buy the Rebuild book and buy some fish oil. Get started today.

Check out the depression book at Amazon.

Better yet, buy the book here directly from the author. These are the benefits of your direct purchase:

• Free shipping

• Immediate download of digital book “Health structures for a long life,” originally part of the Rebuild manuscript.
• A digital cookbook based on the Rebuild book will be delivered to you digitally in about one week.
• We never sell, share, or otherwise give away your email address.
  
  ]]> http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-depression/feed/ 0 http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-fish-omega-3/ http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-fish-omega-3/#comments Sat, 15 May 2010 23:14:26 +0000 Admin http://www.fishoildepression.net/?p=9 Generally speaking, food sources of a nutrient will be superior to a nutritional supplement. However, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that fish oil supplements worked as well as fish at improving the Omega 3 status of the study participants.

  Participants were placed into two groups, one which ate fish and one which took supplements in equivalent amounts. Researchers followed them for sixteen weeks and found that the supplements worked well.

  What this means for you is that if you do not like fish or do not have access to fish you do like, fish oil is a good option for you to meet your Omega 3 requirements to help fight depression. Keep in mind, however, that fish itself is rich in vitamins and minerals that you will not be getting in the fish oil bottle. From an overall dietary perspective, the actual fish is going to be your best bet (with the usual caveats about finding fish low in mercury and other toxins).

  Read more at the Rebuild blog on Omega 3 fatty acids:
  Omega 3 Round-Up

  Read more offsite on fish selection
  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on fish
  Sustainable Choices from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and from Environmental Defense (Ocean’s Alive).

  ]]> http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-fish-omega-3/feed/ 0 http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-if-you-have-a-fish-allergy/ http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-if-you-have-a-fish-allergy/#comments Tue, 11 May 2010 23:12:07 +0000 Admin http://www.fishoildepression.net/?p=7 If you have a fish allergy, should you take fish oil for depression?

  No.

  If you are allergic to fish but need to improve your Omega 3 fatty acid status, you can take a three-pronged strategy:
  
  

  1) Consume less Omega 6 oils.

  Foods high in Omega 6 such as the Omega 6 fat in vegetable oils increase your need for Omega 3. Make smarter choices about your oils in particular and this will, in essence, reduce your Omega 3 need.

  2) Add the plant-based Omega 3 (ALA )to your diet.

  Your most efficient source of Omega 3 comes from animal sources, but if you are allergic to fish, increase the plant-based sources of Omega 3s in your diet. Add flax oil or ground flax seed to any of my meals that would accommodate the flavor. Flax oil is great on salads or drizzled over grains and casseroles. Keep your flax seed oil or ground seed refrigerated to avoid rancidity and add these items to meals after they are cooked.
  

  3) Try some wild meats and liver.

  Actual EPA is going to be your best bet in fighting depression but if you are allergic to fish and seafood, you might consider eating meat from wild game or, better yet, their livers. The meat from wild game will have some EPA, although it would not be at all in the same league as fish. (Read more about grass fed beef and Omega 3s for a comparison of grass fed/wild meat and fish.)

  The more adventuresome option still is to eat the actual liver. Look for liver from cattle or sheep raised on pasture. Note the great differences in the EPA content of beef liver between steers raised on grass and those on grain: beef liver and Omega 3s.

  ]]> http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-if-you-have-a-fish-allergy/feed/ 0 http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-depression-clip-news/ http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-depression-clip-news/#comments Sat, 01 May 2010 23:18:55 +0000 Admin http://www.fishoildepression.net/?p=12 A short news report describes the link between the beneficial fat in fish oil (Omega 3) and depression. It is the fat in fish that is the most therapeutic form of Omega 3 for depression.

  Researchers do recommend that people take fairly large amounts of the form of Omega 3 known as “EPA,” 2-4 grams daily. Most of us run out of money before we hit the point of 4 grams a day.

  ]]> http://www.fishoildepression.net/fish-oil-depression-clip-news/feed/ 0