Category: General Interest

It may be on the UNESCO heritage list, but global experts warn the Mediterranean diet, prized for its health benefits, is losing so much ground to the fast food culture that the decline may be irreversible.
http://startpage.lenovo.com/news/read/category/News/article/afp-global_push_to_make_mediterranean_diet_sexy_again-afp

This article explains some differences between plant and animal sources of Omega 3 fatty acids that are important to your overall health.
Dr Mercola has a great article that goes into the differences between plant and animal derived omega 3 fatty acids. The are NOT equal, they are NOT interchangeable and eating only plant based sources does not satisfy a crucial need the body has for building blocks. Here is some data from the whole article. If the link still works when you come to read this I recommend reading the whole article.
The difference between triglyceride-bound, marine animal (fish and krill oil) derived omega-3 (docosahexaenoic acid DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) versus phospholipid-bound, plant derived alpha-linolenic acid ALA.
Omega-3s EPA/DHA are considered “essential” fats as your body cannot make them and, hence, you must get them from your diet. Your body needs these polyunsaturated fats for a variety of functions, including digestion, muscle activity, blood clotting, visual acuity, memory and learning, and basic cell division and function of cell receptors.
Plant sourced Omega-3 ALA on the other hand is quite ubiquitous in the diet and therefore there is no real need to supplement. Although your body can convert some of the ALA found in plants to the DHA found in marine oils, it is very rare for it to be more than 5 percent and typically found to be 1 to 3 percent, or even as low as .1%. This is an insufficient amount to have any significant benefit.
The Key Difference between the two is that plant derived ALA Is a source of energy whereas EPA and DHA are structural elements.
According to Nils Hoem, Ph.D., a leading scientist in omega-3 phospholipids, when you look at the uptake and distribution of EPA and DHA you see something rather strange.
After eating a meal of salmon or taking a krill or fish oil, the fatty acid level in your plasma (blood) will remain elevated for more than three days afterward. “Your body works on its distribution, redistribution and re-redistribution for three days. That’s hardly consistent with being “just food,” he says.
On the other hand, the short-chain omega-3s (ALA) are rapidly absorbed, peaking a couple of hours after ingestion. Within 10 hours, they’re gone. This suggests your body is using them very differently.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/07/11/health-benefits-omega-3-fats.aspx

An interesting trailer…

I bought some a while ago and until now have not gotten around to telling you about them. I just spent a few minutes on the internet to collect some data for you and here is the result.
Contrary to what its name suggests, sea buckthorn oil does not come from the sea. It’s actually derived from sea buckthorn, a shrub that belongs to the Elaeagnaceae family and grows in the mountainous and coastal areas of Asia and Europe. Its botanical name, Hippophae rhamnoides,means “tree that makes the horse shine,” referring to its ability to improve horses’ health and make their hair shiny and smooth. 4 It was also used to cure blindness in horses.
Both sea buckthorn seed and fruit oil are rich in nutrients such as carotenoids, tocotrienols, and tocopherols. They are loaded with antioxidants like phenols, terpenes, and glucosides; vitamins A, C, and E; beta-carotene; plant sterols; and trace elements such as copper, iron, selenium, and manganese.
Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil – Topical
Packed with carotene, which may improve eyesight and prevent certain forms of cancer. This berry oil is well-known today for its healing and rejuvenating effects on the skin. When used topically, it’s a great natural cleanser and exfoliator. It can also help heal burns, cuts, wounds, sunburn, rashes, and other types of skin damage. Using sea buckthorn oil daily helps slow down the signs of aging by nourishing the tissues in your skin and body acne, rosacea (a condition in which certain facial blood vessels enlarge, giving the cheeks and nose a flushed appearance), etc., providing a moisturizing quality that may result in overall healthier skin. For this reason, the extract has been used in some cosmetic skin products, especially for facial moisturizing.
This berry also has as much vitamin E as wheat germ, three times more vitamin A than carrots, and four times more superoxide dismutase (SOD), an important enzyme that helps prevent free radical damage, than ginseng. Plus, it’s the only plant source that contains omega 3, 6, 9, and 7.
Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil – Internal
Sea Buckthorn seed oil is a true nutritional anomaly: in this oil, you will find a near 1:1 ratio of 34% linoleic acid (Omega-6) and 32% alpha linolenic acids (Omega-3). What are those? Linoleic acid helps your body maintain its cardiovascular system, and may function to reduce inflammation, high blood pressure, and cholesterol. Alpha linolenic acids help your body repair its cells, and provides the skin moisturizing qualities inherent in this oil. This oil is also naturally loaded with Vitamin E, carotenoids, and phospholipids that may aid your immune system and combat cancer-causing free radicals.
I have some of each – $40 a bottle.