RE: Update on EFAs in a bf mother or pregnant woman

[Guest guest]

Here is an excerpt from my book Child Health Guide on this subject.

Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should take a DHA-containing

omega-3 supplement to ensure adequate levels of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

in breast milk and adequate brain development in their babies. The DHA

content of most American women's breast milk is lower than that in milk from

women in other countries, and the DHA content of a woman's breast milk

correlates with her dietary intake of DHA. Vegetarian women have the lowest

levels of DHA in their breast milk (Fidler et al., 2000). When women

supplement their diets with DHA in the form of fish oil, high-DHA eggs, or a

DHA-containing algae capsule, the content of DHA in their breast milk

increases. The increase in breast milk DHA also translates into higher DHA

levels in infants (Jensen et al., 2000). In another study, infants whose

mothers took fish oil supplements during pregnancy also had higher blood

levels of DHA at birth than a control group that did not take a supplement

(Connor et al., 1996).

It is difficult for children to get enough omega-3 fats from their diets

once they are no longer breastfeeding. Children need to have supplements of

omega-3 fats. The best sources of the omega-3 fats are cod liver oil (1

teaspoon per 50 pounds of body weight), fish oil capsules (containing 250 mg

of DHA for children over 7 years old), and DHA supplements derived from

algae (Neuromins). Chicken, eggs, and beef are also sources of omega-3 fats

if the animals eat green plants and not just grains. Therefore, only

cage-free chickens that eat green plants or algae and pasture-fed cattle are

reliable sources. Small fish (anchovies, herring, and sardines) are another

good source of omega-3 fats, but larger fish (tuna, shark, swordfish,

mackerel, and salmon) may be contaminated with mercury and harmful

pesticides. Children should not eat these larger ocean fish or farmed fish

Randall Neustaedter OMD

Classical Medicine Center

1779 Woodside Rd., 201C

Redwood City, CA 94061

650 299-9170

www.Cure-Guide.com

Author of Child Health Guide: Holistic Pediatrics for Parents, North

Atlantic Books, 2005, and The Vaccine Guide, 2002

Subscribe to my free e-newsletter by using this link.

[Guest guest]

Omega-3 Fats Improve Attention, Behavior, and Intelligence

Several studies have demonstrated that children with lower levels of omega-3

fatty acids in their bloodstream have significantly more behavioral

problems, temper tantrums, and learning, health, and sleep problems than do

those children with high proportions of those fatty acids ( et al.,

1987; s et al., 1996). In a similar study, fifty-three children with

ADHD had significantly lower proportions of key fatty acids (AA, EPA, and

DHA) in their blood than did forty-three control subjects. Children with

lower omega-3 levels had lower behavioral assessment scores (Conners' Parent

Rating Scale) and teacher scores of academic abilities (s et al.,

1995). The researchers speculated that an inefficient conversion of

polyunsaturated fatty acids to AA and DHA may have been a significant factor

in the lower levels of those fats in ADHD children.

In one study, researchers showed that children with ADHD were breastfed less

often as infants than were the control children. They assume that the high

levels of DHA in breast milk could be responsible for better performance

later in life since infants are inefficient at converting polyunsaturated

fats from other sources into the valuable omega-3 fat DHA that is essential

for brain development. Even the duration of breastfeeding has been

associated with higher intelligence and higher academic achievement in later

childhood, and with higher levels of high school attainment (Horwood and

Fergusson, 1998). A study published in 2002 also showed a significant

association between intelligence levels in adults and the duration of their

breastfeeding as infants (Mortensen et al., 2002).

The take-home message from these reports is to breastfeed your children and

maintain adequate levels of DHA throughout childhood to encourage the best

potential for successful academic performance and to reduce the possibility

of learning and behavior problems.

Randall Neustaedter OMD

Classical Medicine Center

1779 Woodside Rd., 201C

Redwood City, CA 94061

650 299-9170

www.Cure-Guide.com

Author of Child Health Guide: Holistic Pediatrics for Parents, North

Atlantic Books, 2005, and The Vaccine Guide, 2002

Subscribe to my free e-newsletter by using this link.

[Guest guest]

> Chicken, eggs, and beef are also sources of omega-3 fats

>if the animals eat green plants and not just grains. Therefore, only

>cage-free chickens that eat green plants or algae and pasture-fed cattle are

>reliable sources.

Just thinking aloud here, but why don't they mention lamb? Is it different

in the US?

Over hear in the UK lamb is free range and grass fed. In the winter they go

up on the hill farms and munch there way through the grass. If it snows,

the a farmer may take hay out to them, but if they are of the sturdy hill sheep

bred they may not even have to do that.

I have seen lamb listed as a source by some people, but not commonly. And

yet over here there is more of a chance of having grass fed lamb (if you buy

UK lamb) than 100% grass fed beef.

Cheers,

[Guest guest]

>,

>

> We hardly ever eat lamb over here (in the States). I've had it a few

times and it was quite >good, Funky taste.

Amazing! Sheep are the one animal that takes almost the least amount of

water out of the system thereby making is an environmentally friendly meat

source. They are hardy self sufficient little creatures and are easy to convert

and raise organically. They are naturally free range, and many of them are

only brought in for lambing in the colder areas, and for sheering in the

summer.

We have more sheep in Wales than people, but of course New Zealand lamb is

the same, and there are more sheep in NZ than people as that country too is

well suited to sheep.

I have the most beautiful lambs from our organic farmers next door. The fat

on them actually tastes wonderful and people who normally can't stand the

fat actually agree that when you eat it from a happy free range organic lamb.

It seems that people often got the nutrients they needed from eating the fat

of animals back in the good old days. But with so much yukky stuff in the

environment commercially reared meat doesn't have pleasant fat as the toxins

are stored there. But organic lamb is beautiful!

So I guess the reason they don't rountinely add lamb to the list in American

articles is becuase it isn't commonly eaten out there! Maybe if I was a

lamb farmer I would want to change that!

>but when I've tried to cook it it was inedible.

How did you cook it? Chops just need a brief grilling, and I love shoulder

slow roasted with a mint, coriander and yogurt marinade, just like it is

eating in the middle east!

Cheers,

in the UK