There are good fats, which are needed for good health.

[Guest guest]

During researching on cancer for Vera, I found the importance of the good fats. Salmon has always been one of my favorites. I had never ate the black fat, but I do now, and love it.

Fats That Actually Do a Body Good!

By Dr. S. phsCo-Founder & Chairman, Vitacost.com

10/12/2007This week's newsletter spans the young to the old. In an article published in the October 2007 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition1, researchers from Australia and Indonesia studied the effects of micro-nutrients and essential fatty acids on cognitive function in a group of almost 800 children, ages six to ten years old. The children were randomly given a drink with micro-nutrients, including iron, zinc, folic acid, multiple B vitamins, vitamins A and C, along with DHA and EPA or a placebo six days a week for one year. Cognitive functioning was measured at baseline, again at six months and finally at the twelve month completion of the study. It was found that those children who received the micro-nutrient treatment had significant increases in tests scores for verbal learning and memory. The researchers concluded that in well nourished, school-aged children, fortification with multiple micro-nutrients can result in improved verbal learning and memory. This was a very impressive study I must say, one of the best ever to prove the benefits of supplementation as it relates to the cognitive health of children.Fish oil is well known to have many beneficial effects, but especially when it comes to cardiac function. There have been many studies in the medical literature noting that fish oil can reduce certain abnormal rhythms in the heart. In a study published in the October 2007 Journal of the American College of Cardiology2, eight dogs were given fish oil for a total of two weeks. Another eight dogs were used as controls. Cardiac arrhythmias were then induced. It was found that those dogs given the fish oil, even for a short period of time, had a 79% reduction in the development of some abnormal cardiac rhythms compared to the control group. It was found that those dogs given the fish oil had elevations in certain proteins in the heart that seemed to protect against arrhythmia. Obviously, there is no placebo effect when it comes to animals and this result has also been seen in human studies as well.There was an epidemiologic study conducted on isoflavone intake in persons at high risk of cardiovascular events that appeared in the October 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition3. A total of 126 consecutive patients were studied with an average age of 66 years old. 94% of these patients had documented coronary artery disease or stroke with 44% having diabetes. It was found that those individuals with the highest intake of isoflavones and soy protein had significantly improved blood flow compared to the group with the lowest intake of isoflavones. The researchers concluded that a greater intake of isoflavones was associated with better vascular endothelial function and lower carotid arteriosclerotic burden.Finally, there was another study published in the most recent edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition4 regarding the efficacy of zinc and the development of pneumonia in the nursing home elderly. Residents from 33 nursing homes in the Boston, Massachusetts area participated in a one year randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial regarding vitamin E supplementation. All of the participants were given daily doses of 50% of the recommended daily allowance of essential vitamins and minerals, including zinc. It was found that those subjects who had more normal levels of serum zinc had a reduced incidence of pneumonia, an almost 50% reduction in use of antibiotics, a shorter duration of pneumonia and fewer days of antibiotic use. The authors noted that zinc supplementation to maintain normal zinc levels in the elderly may help reduce the incidence of pneumonia and associated morbidity.Although the media has periodically come out with negative information about the value of vitamins and minerals, many times based on poorly conducted studies, the positive medical studies are quite substantial. The importance of proper nutrition and supplementation, even in those individuals who are well nourished, cannot be over-emphasized. I am a strong believer that all children and adults should be on a good fish oil product. Nutraceutical Sciences Institute® (NSI®) offers a very fine Mega EFA 2 (EPA & DHA) small size softgel product with a strawberry flavor that is ideal for children and pregnant women. The overall rating by customers is 4.8 – 4.9 out of 5 stars. We also offer the highest potency, pharmaceutical grade, molecularly distilled EPA and DHA softgels called Mega EFA. It is the most popular selling fish oil product at Vitacost.com and is utilized by tens of thousands of our customers with the highest ratings. I strongly encourage you go online to read some of the incredible reviews for this product. There is also an excellent liquid Mega EFA available for those who cannot swallow softgels, this is also great to include in your pet's food. Speaking of pets, you should check out the reviews for NSI® ArthriPower for Pets supplement for healthy joints; the reviews are beyond excellent. I also recommend you compare labels of NSI® Synergy PediaPower chewable for kids to your current children's multivitamin. You will find it far superior in nutrient content. In fact, I was so impressed by a recent review on this product that I copied and pasted it below for you to read. For those wanting fine quality products with isoflavones and soy protein, NSI® offers two wonderful products called Soy Select with each capsule containing 200 mg of soy extract standardized to 15% isoflavones and several new soy protein shakes. And, of course, don't forget to choose a NSI® Synergy as your core multi-vitamin for good health.