One Fish, Two Fish, Good Fish, Bad Fish

Have you ever had that debate when eating fish, trying to decide whether you're being healthy, or harmful to your body?

It all depends on your choices, actually.

Fish is an excellent source of not only protein, but also omega-3 fatty acids that are wonderful for a myriad of important bodily functions. So, what is the catch? Some seafood varieties contain high levels of mercury, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), dioxins and other environmental contaminants.

What to do then?
It's easy!

Just make sure your seafood choices are based on a
higher ratio of good vs the bad.

Higher levels of these environmental contaminants are usually present in larger, older, predatory fish, and significantly lower in their smaller, younger prey. For example, shark and swordfish are very high, and anchovies and sardines are very low. That represents two extremes, though, so don't worry I'm sure your favorite fish is on the list, at least in moderation!
To check out your own mercury calculator (using your weight to judge the exposure to a serving of your favorite fish), go to the website www.gotmercury.org.

Now, what about the good side of fish?

Omega-3 fatty acids are important for the formation of healthy cell membranes and proper functioning of your brain and nervous system. They are involved in pretty much everything that you and your body needs to think and do.
In addition to those minor details, a healthy balance of fatty acids in the diet are protective against heart disease, depression and other mental disorders, cardiac sudden death, stroke, hormone imbalance, unhealthy cholesterol ratio, and possibly hypertension and inflammatory diseases.

If you want to reap all these benefits,
but don't want to worry about which fish to eat or not?

I would recommend taking an omega-3,6,9 supplement, up to 3g daily. Fatty acid supplements made from fish are purified to remove any heavy metals, and it's possible to get a supplement that provides for you a balance of the variety of omega fats your body needs. If you prefer to have fatty acid sources that are vegetarian, you can also choose supplements such as the oils of: flax seed, borage, evening primrose or food sources such as walnuts, hemp seeds, soybeans (I recommend edamame or tempeh), and dark leafy greens.

So, back to the fish topic:
who are the fish winners in the omega-3 content category?

Wild Salmon, Herring, Rainbow Trout, Anchovies, Pacific Oysters and Sardines, where 4 ounces or less of these varieties will give you roughly 1 gram of disease fighting and brain boosting omega 3's. If you want an easy way to boost your fish intake, but don't want to buy and cook fresh, remember that canned is inexpensive, easy to find and prepare. Remember however the importance of choosing the correct fish variety. Wild salmon is an excellent choice, "light or chunk" tuna is also good, but I would choose albacore and yellowfin tuna last due to their higher mercury levels.

Just to throw out one more hook while we're on the subject...
have you considered where your fish come from?

Sustainable fishing is not only important for our environment, but also important for the health of our bodies through the health of the fish we eat. The Monterey Bay Aquarium provides an easy to use website for interesting information and seafood variety search capabilities to see if your favorite fish is on the "good" list.

Here is their website for reference: www.mbayaq.org
To look up specific fish, look under Save The Oceans, then Seafood Watch, or go to http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp

Thankfully, the fish on the "health winner" list can also be winners on the sustainability list!

Enjoy low mercury, high omega-3 fish several times a week (in 4oz portions), stay educated about your food choices, and not only will your body thank you, but so will the environment!

Conventional vs. Organic...is it worth the cost?

Do you buy organic?
Do you know where your food comes from?
Do you know if it's grown or produced sustainably?

I hear from people the organic just isn't worth the extra cost, but are you sure?

In this short article, I will touch on the importance of organic and sustainable farming practices for the environment and our health.

Conventional vs. Organic

Industrial: post WWII vs. Traditional: 10,000 years
Nutrition: chemically made fertilizers vs. animal manure
Growth: hormones vs. natural growth cycle
Disease management: fungicides, antibiotics vs. space and minerals
Predator management: pesticides vs. rotation, bacteria and botanicals
Competition management: herbicides vs. mulching and tiling
large output vs. less output
soil depletion vs. soil maintenance
food, worker and environment contamination vs. low contamination
energy intensive vs. lower energy input

This list isn't 100% true of all conventional farms, nor of organic farms. We are seeing organic farms that have cropped up and are looking more and more conventional, but are able to stay within the boundaries of the word (and laws of) "organic".

What is more important than the definition of words are the practices of the farmer. Know where your food is coming from, and make sure you are supporting sustainable farming practices.

Now, let's cover some of the basics of farming practices.

First, fertilizers.

Fertilizers provide plants with nitrogen to grow big. Both chemical fertilizer and manure are used for this same reason, however the concentration of nitrogen is the difference.

Chemical fertilizers provide WAY more nitrogen than the plant needs, so there is a surplus. The plants leaves serve as a storage unit for this excess nitrogen, but when that storage is full, the nitrogen is left in the ground, which then allows for run off to our lakes, rivers and eventually oceans, causing havoc along the way.

The nitrogen in the leaves is stored not as nitrogen, but as nitrate. Nitrates are normal in small amounts in vegetables, but too much isn't good for the plant, nor the animals eating those leaves, whether it be you, the human consumer, or domestic animals that then get eaten eventually by the human consumer.

Why are nitrates bad again?

Nitrates turn into nitrites. Nitrites can react with hemoglobin (oxygen carrying part of the red blood cells) by oxidizing Fe2 to Fe3, which is then unable to transport oxygen. This oxygen transportation is VERY important!!!

Oh, and don't forget that nitrites can also decompose to n-nitrosamines, which can be carcinogenic. Organic produce grown with more natural forms of fertilizer that are lower in nitrogen have lower amounts of nitrites!

Secondly, proper soil management.

Proper soil management allows for good "bugs" to remain in the soil.
Microorganisms in the soil produce enzymes that help minerals become more available to plant roots. This is one reason produce grown with proper soil management techniques have higher mineral content!

Thirdly, antioxidants.

Plants that aren't given chemicals to fight for them, have to fight for themselves. How do they do that? With their own defense system called antioxidants. Yes, the antioxidants that have been talked about for years being good for you to promote heart health, prevent some cancers, slow the aging process and just fight those nasty free radicals. Plants that are stressed by their predators may not look perfect as they get part of a leaf bit here and a hole there, but they are stronger because of it! Remember perfect looking produce isn't always the healthiest!!

Bottom Line?

I recommend choosing organic, or better yet, visiting your local farmer's market, or becoming part of a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Here is a website that can help you find a local farmer to work with: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ Also, just talking to the farmers, asking them about their farming practices is important. If they have sustainable farming practices, then you can trust their produce is healthier for you and for the environment, with or without the organic symbol (which can be too expensive for some small farmers to be certified). Many farms allow people to visit and sometimes even take part in the growing and harvesting process. This isn't only great fun, but a wonderful learning experience for children.

Remember to wash your produce with soap and water and enjoy full flavored and highly nutritious organic food!!


Interesting articles about organic vs. conventional:

Modulation of Antioxidant Compounds in Organic vs. Conventional Fruit Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2002, 50, 5458-5462

Phytochemical Phenolics in Organically Grown Vegetables, Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 2005, 49, 1136-1142

Nutritional Quality of Organic vs. Conventional Fruits, Vegetables and Grains, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2001, 2, 161-173

Soil Fertility and Biodiversity in Organic Farming, Science 2002, 296, 5573, pp. 1694-1697

Effect of Diet Based on Foods from Conventional vs. Organic Production on Intake and Excretion of Flavonoids and markers of Antioxidative Defense in Humans, J. Agric. Food Chem. 2003, 51, 5671-5675

Brain Boosters and Zappers!

Your brain needs food.
Are you feeding it?

Adequate and balanced supplies of certain brain chemicals are necessary for booting up the brain to an alert state.

Nerve cells that release the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, dopamine, histamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin act together to stimulate the higher cortex and produce a sharp and attentive state.

An imbalance in the production and/or distribution of any of these chemicals will ZAP the brain’s ability to act alertly.

Brain Boosters!

Vitamin C - red bell peppers, sprouts, parsley, citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, broccoli, cabbage and leafy greens

Protein - fish, 3oz portions of lean meats, eggs, cheese - (high in B12)

Magnesium - apples, blackberries, blueberries, celery, cherries, figs, grapes, oranges, lemons, limes, papaya, peas, plus, potatoes, squash and (raw) walnuts

Carotenoids - carrots, sprouts, apricots, kale, celery, sweet potatoes, spinach, squash, colored peppers, tomatoes, oranges

Fats - good fats like in olives and olive oil, avocadoes, raw nuts and seeds

Flavonoids - onions, broccoli, cabbage, turnips, cauliflower, bean sprouts, basil, cantaloupe, peppers and mint (plus other orange colored fruits & veggies)

Vitamin E - nuts, seeds, nut oils, whole grains, grain sprouts, wheat germ and nut butters

Tea - green and peppermint tea have antioxidants and provide a nice boost!

BREATHE!!! - ...get some O2 up there!

HYDRATE! - drink water!

Brain Zappers:

· Simple sugars - Vitamin deficient, high sugar foods can deprive the brain of needed vitamins.

· No sugar - the brain functions on glucose, which your body gets from food - if you were to eat NO food that contains natural sugar (like the first couple weeks of the Atkins diet), your brain would be forced to eat ketones which is hard on the liver and produces free radicals! Gasp!

· Wrong fats - excessive saturated fats can clog blood vessels causing oxygen and vitamin deprivation.

· No Fat - your brain needs fat! It IS fat! Eating a total fat-free diet is detrimental to your brain! Nerve signals must pass through fat-rich cell membranes, and brain cell membranes need to refresh themselves with new fatty acids continuously...but not just any fatty acids - Omega-3s!!!

· Stimulants - stimulants (such as caffeine, nicotine and other drugs) produce a short-lived surge of concentration power, however it produces a chronic stress-like effect which creates harmful free radicals, disrupts sleep and sabotages the efforts of maintaining brain health as you age.

Stimulants have been shown to dim memory and possibly cause a DECREASE in brain mass! Yikes!

What do you do when you need a brain-boost?

• take a break: stretch a bit, take a little walk and a few deep breaths

• drink a glass of water

• munch on a few raw nuts and a piece of fruit or have a cup of plain yogurt

Remember - sometimes all our brain might need is a little breath of fresh air and a glass of water!

Top 5 Healthiest Things To Do

"Unhealthy Eating and Physical Inactivity are Leading Causes of Death in the U.S." -U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

More reasons for you to get healthier!

• More Energy
• Better Mental Clarity
• Stronger Immune System
• Disease Prevention
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Heart Disease
• Cancer
• Hypertension

Here are the 5 easy ways to get
and stay healthy!

Eat a Healthy Diet

• Appropriate Portions
• Healthy Choices
• Variety

Rest

• Your body and mind need adequate rest (both quantity and quality) EVERY day.

Exercise

• Do SOMETHING active everyday. The options are endless. Just get moving!

Handle Stress

• Breathe
• Enjoy the moment
• Watch your attitude
• Embrace the situation. Handle it. Move on.
• Stress hinders ALL body function. Long term stress causes long term damage.

Hydrate

• Drink at least 2 liters of water a day!
• Staying hydrated is good for digestion and elimination, preventing headaches, skin elasticity, brain alertness and physical energy.

My lunch...

I was eating my lunch today thinking about what I wanted to blog about. Then it hit me...my lunch.

What questions would you have about my lunch? Probably the question would be: Where is the protein?

My lunch consisted of:

• 1 raw ear of corn

• 1/2 a cucumber

• Salad of: about 1.5 cups of mixed greens + a handful of cherry tomatoes, 1/2 an avocado and about an ounce of raw cashews, with about a Tbsp of lemon infused olive oil on the salad for a quick and easy salad dressing.

It was a warm day so this lunch of raw veggies was just perfect!

So...if you're someone who likes numbers: This is roughly 600 calories, 43g of fat, 14g protein and 50g carbs, with 14g of fiber.

So, what do these numbers tell us?

Calories: I like lunch to be my main meal, this meal could have had more calories, but I felt completely satisfied.

Fat: These fat grams are from plant sources, cashews, avocado and olive oil, and are mostly mono unsaturated. Your body needs fat for a multitude of reasons, we just need to make sure we are giving it the KIND of fat it needs.

Protein: Protein in this meal is from the cashews (5.2g), corn (4.9g), lettuce, (1g), avocado (2g), cucumber (.8g). 14g of protein for this lunch is exactly 1/3 of the protein amount I should have a day. Are you surprised by these numbers? Remember protein is in most foods, just in different amounts. Eating a variety of foods will give you plenty of protein, believe me!

Carbohydrates: This meal was all vegetables and contained carbohydrates in everything (minus the olive oil). With all the carb-hype is this bad? Of course not. They are vegetables! Your brain and every other cell in your body needs carbohydrates to survive! Again...just give it the RIGHT carbs! Vegetables are an excellent source...as long as they aren't deep fried!

Fiber: Fiber is a carbohydrate, but deserves a separate note here. 14g of fiber is great for a meal. Especially when I didn't have any beans or whole grains which I usually incorporate into my meals. This fiber is all from the vegetables. Fiber helps fill you up and keep you feeling satisfied after a meal and slows down sugar uptake, which is important for keeping your blood sugar levels at a good steady pace.

Vitamins and Minerals: This meal provided lots of vitamins and minerals including 50% of the Daily Value of vitamin K, C, Magnesium, Manganese, Copper and great amounts of all the B and A vitamins.

I had a great lunch, which took me 10 minutes to put together (bagged lettuce is the greatest invention!), was tasty, satisfying and gave me enough calorie room for a small piece of Sharffen Berger dark chocolate for dessert!

Do you have questions about your lunch? Take a picture of it and send it to me!

My email is amyjo@foodforchange.com and we can talk about what you are and what you aren't getting from your food choices!

Welcome!

Hello!
My name is Amyjo Johnson and I'm the owner of Food for Change.

Food for Change is a nutrition and food consulting business that strives for you to lead a healthy life making educated decisions, plus have the most enjoyable food experiences you can. Check out our website: www.foodforchange.com to learn more about our company.

Thank-you for visiting my blog! I will be writing about everyday nutrition and food tips, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy reaching out to you!

If there are any nutritional needs for you personally or your company, for which I could be helpful, please do not hesitate to email me:

amyjo@foodforchange.com