Fwd: Vital Choices Newsletter: Selenium vs Senility; Omega-3s Endorsed for Mental Health; Olive Oil vs Cancer and Hypertension; Mediterranean Salmon

January 26, 2007

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Thursday, January 25, 2007

Issue 125

VOLUME 4

ISSUE 125

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Table of Contents

" Seafood Mineral " Selenium May Reduce Risk of Senility

Top Psych Panel Says Omega-3s Deter Depression, Biploar Disorder

Omega-3s in Pregnancy/Infancy Prevent Mental Problems Later

Olive Oil Earns More Cardiovascular and Anti-Cancer Kudos

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Mediterranean Salmon

It's Easy to Shop by Clicking or Calling

Visit our Main Store Page, click direct to a Product (see below), or call us, toll-free, at 1-800-608-4825.Wild SeafoodAlaska Salmon (Sockeye, King, Silver)Smoked Alaska Salmon Albacore Tuna (low-mercury, troll-caught)Alaska HalibutAlaska ScallopsAlaska Sablefish (Black Cod)Salmon Sausage BurgersSalmon Caviar (Ikura)Canned Salmon, Tuna, SardinesSalmon Dog TreatsSockeye Salmon OilCapsules or LiquidOrganic FoodsOrganic NutsOrganic BerriesOrganic ChocolateOrganic TeaOrganic Herbs SpicesOrganic EV Olive and Macadamia OilsGiftsGift CertificatesGift PacksSampler Packs, Specials, ExtrasDr. Perricone PackDr. Northrup Mom-Baby PackSampler PacksSpecial Grill PacksCedar BBQ PlanksCookbooksTo get a free catalog, click here, or call us toll-free at 1-800-608-4825.

Mom Baby Packs by Dr. Northrup

Christiane Northrup, M.D., one of America's best-loved physicians, helped us assemble 4 perfect Healthy Mom Baby combo packages full of healthy fish and berries, just for mothers and babies.

Her latest book, Mother-Daughter Wisdom: Creating a Legacy of Physical and Emotional Health (Bantam, 2005, now in paperback) explores the mother-daughter bond and its impact on womens' health. Dr. Northrup made very kind comments in her June, 2005 email newsletter: " I've been recommending Vital Choice Seafood for many years now. I have never doubted the integrity of the people running the company because I know them if you're looking for an excellent source of fish and wild berries, I highly recommend Vital Choice. "

Dr. Northrup will be honored this February by the Heal Breast Cancer Foundation (HBCF) for playing a major role in shifting global consciousness toward a holistic concept of individual and global health. Congratulations, Dr. Northrup!

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Savory Organic EVOO from Ancient Family Orchards

Our delicious Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is pressed from choice Spanish picual olives, which imparts a fruity flavor with hints of apple. The oil is pressed from the olives within hours of harvest, without heat or chemicals, to ensure optimal flavor and nutritional value.As we reported (see "Extra Virgin Olive Oil Seen Superior"), recent research results confirm that the antioxidant polyphenols abundant only in extra virgin grade olive oil provide health-protections well beyond those offered by heavily refined, "pure" grade supermarket oils.

The olives are grown in a family farm's ancient groves on the sun-drenched hills of Andalusia where the heirloom trees are hand-tended with care, using only natural pest-control techniques.

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Publisher/EditorRandy HartnellProducerCraig WeatherbySend Mail To:VitalChoices

Savings on Smoked Sockeye and Other Canned Treats

The positively seductive succulence of our premium hot-smoked sockeye salmon is also available in easy-traveling cans. And thanks to higher-volume orders driven by popular demand, we just negotiated reduced prices on this rare treat, Ventresca tuna, and other selected canned salmon and sardine products.Savor a healthy, mouth-watering meal on the go ... order now and save!

The Vital Choice Advantage

Click here to learn about the Vital Choice Advantage ... the many reasons why William Sears, M.D. - renowned as "America's Baby Doctor"- calls Vital Choice his favorite salmon source.

Vital Choice was founded by two longtime Alaska fishermen-Randy Hartnell and Dave Hamburg-who know where to get the highest quality fish. And they test it periodically to ensure your safety.

Whole, Unrefined Salmon Oil

Vital Choice Salmon Oil (top left) vs. two standard fish oilsWe put only whole, unrefined oil from wild Alaskan sockeye salmon in our premium salmon oil supplements. Wild Alaskan sockeye salmon is one of the cleanest fish in the sea: a trait reflected in the purity of our unrefined sockeye oil, which is now certified by NSF: one of the best-respected independent labs in the U.S.Because our naturally pure salmon oil does not need to be distilled, it provides the essential omega-3 fatty acids (EPA DHA), plus 30 other natural fatty acids and astaxanthin: the potent antioxidant that gives sockeye its distinctive deep-red color.

We use fish-gelatin capsules, and now offer our Salmon oil in liquid form for kids and others who have trouble swallowing pills. Last but not least, ours is the only salmon oil supplement certified as sustainably sourced by the Marine Stewardship Council (www.msc.org).

Healthy Sausage?Salmon Makes it So

" I just tried your new Country breakfast sausage for the first time they are wonderful! I never thought a salmon sausage would be this good. Thanks! " - Dr. Bruce Felgenhauer

People are excited about our new Wild Sockeye Salmon Sausage, which comes in two succulent varieties: Savory Country Breakfast Style and Spicy Italian.

The ingredients couldn't be simpler: just Wild Alaskan sockeye salmon, 100% organic herbs and spices, organic arrowroot, natural sea salt, and water.

For tips on how to cook 'em from straight from the freezer, see our Web site.

Terrific Tuna ... It's Pure and Tasty

Our young, low-weight Pacific Albacore Tuna-fresh or canned-is simply superior!

Smaller means safer: Vital Choice troll-caught tuna weigh just 12 lbs. or less, so they contain less mercury, and more omega-3s, than the larger troll-caught tuna touted by other " minimal mercury " vendors.

No loitering allowed: Our tuna are hauled in fast, bled, and flash-frozen within about two hours. (Standard long-line-caught albacore spend 12 hours in the water.)

Better, fresher flavor, even in the can: Unlike standard canned albacore-which is cooked twice at great cost to flavor and omega-3 content-Vital Choice tuna is cooked only once (in the can) to preserve its healthful oils and fresh flavor.

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Omega-3s in Pregnancy/Infancy Prevent Mental Problems Later

Recent evidence reviews support the potential of increased intake in infants and children and adults to reduce psychiatric problems

by Craig Weatherby

As described in today's companion article, an Omega-3 Fatty Acids Subcommittee of the American Psychiatric Association just published a highly positive evidence review, which supports the hypothesis that fish fats can prevent or alleviate mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder.

And just a few weeks before, researchers at the University of Cincinnati published the positive results of their exploration of the existing evidence that omega-3 intake in infancy may reduce the risk of anxiety, aggression, and depression in adulthood (MacNamara RK, Carlson SE 2006).

The study should be required reading for obstetricians and pediatricians, as it delves deeply into the role that DHA - one of the two essential marine omega-3s in fish fat - plays in the proper development of human psyches.

Why should both obstetricians and pediatricians know about this critical information? As the paper's authors discuss, the impact of DHA on future psychiatric health includes the " perinatal " period, which extends from the 28th week (seventh month) of pregnancy to the end of the first week after birth.

They note that DHA accumulates in the brain during the dramatic expansion and maturation of the brain's cortex - the seat of higher mental functions - that occurs in perinatal period.

(The brains of developing babies also need the essential omega-6 fatty acid called arachidonic acid, but there are usually ample amounts in mothers' milk because modern diets are awash in an outright excess of arachidonic acid and its omega-6 precursors.)

The Cincinnati researchers' review starts with observations from studies in rodents and other non-primate animals, which develop several problems when they do not accumulate sufficient DHA in their brains during the perinatal period:

· Failure to form enough of the branches (dendrites) that extend from neurons (brain cells) and carry important communications inward. This process, called " neuronal arborization " , is critical to forming the complex networks among neurons deemed necessary to optimal brain function.

· Deficits in " synaptogenesis " : development of the chemical junctions (synapses) through which cells of the nervous system signal to one another and to tissue cells in muscles and organs. Synapse-development deficits result in impaired ability of the neurons to exchange two chemicals critical to mood, behavior, and coordination: the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.

· DHA-deprived animals suffer " cognitive deficits " , which simply means that they cannot learn and remember as well as counterparts that accumulate ample brain levels of DHA.

Increased anxiety, aggression, and depression are typical of DHA-deprived animals, and arise from the structural/functional deficits just described.

Unsurprisingly, the authors of the new review say that these findings apply to primates -- humans, apes, and monkeys -- as well as simpler animals.

Early DHA deficits damage people's mental prospects

Prematurely born ape and human babies provide perfect examples of the downsides of omega-3 inadequacies, as they typically suffer low levels of DHA in the brain's cortex, which is responsible for controlling mood, impulses, and higher mental functions.

As primate " premies " reach childhood and adolescence, they often display deficits in maturation of the so-called " gray matter " of the cortex.

What does this lack of mature gray matter, driven by low brain levels of DHA, mean in practical terms?

As the Cincinnati researchers noted, deficits in maturation of the gray matter of the cortex are associated with increased risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia.

Conversely, people diagnosed with ADHD or schizophrenia typically exhibit deficits in maturation of their cortical gray matter, while the drugs used to treat these disorders increase transmission of dopamine in the cortex and striatum: an area of the brain that controls movement, balance, and walking, whose neurons need dopamine to function.

In addition, clinical trials show that both prematurely born and full-term infants fed DHA enjoy better visual acuity and ...

[Click here for full story and sources]

" Seafood Mineral " Selenium May Reduce Risk of Senility

Age-related drop in antioxidant, anti-mercury mineral linked to increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia; Seafood is the richest source

by Craig Weatherby

Last month, we reviewed the widely overlooked connection between selenium and mercury, and its highly encouraging implications for seafood safety.

Most ocean fish are high in selenium, which binds to mercury in the body, thereby preventing it from damaging brain and other tissues. In fact it's been hypothesized that fish are high in selenium because they need to neutralize the mercury that occurs naturally in their environment, mostly from seabed geothermal vents.

This link may explain why people who eat copious amounts of ocean fish and comparatively large amounts of methylmercury -- such as the 600-plus children in the landmark Seychelles Islands study - seem to suffer no mercury-related problems. (See " Mercury-Fighting Mineral in Fish Overlooked in Heated Debate " .)

And the results of a study from France suggest that the brain benefits of seafood extend beyond those attributed to omega-3 fatty acids.

As the French authors said, " The real importance of selenium in the brain and the capacity of the brain to manage selenium depletion is just beginning to be explored. Molecular biology has recently contributed to the recognition of selenium and selenium-dependent enzymes as modulators of brain function. " (Tasnime AN et al 2007)

Mental declines linked to age-related slump in brain selenium levels

The new findings flow from analysis of data from a nine-year study among elderly residents of the town of Nantes in Western France.

The data came from an investigation called the Etude du Vielissement Arteriel (EVA). Between 1991 and 1993, researchers recruited 1,389 men and women born between 1922 and 1932, who were examined for physical health and cognitive function upon enrolling in the study.

The subjects' blood selenium levels were also measured at the beginning of the study, again between 1993 and 1995, and for the last time after nine years had passed.

After controlling for the effects of time, gender, education level, blood selenium levels at the outset, and major health factors, the analysis showed that the participants whose selenium levels dropped over the course of the study had a higher risk of cognitive decline.

Significantly, the extent of the subjects' mental decline correlated with the drop in selenium.

And among the participants whose selenium levels rose, the risk of cognitive decline was greatest among those whose selenium counts went up the least.

Selenium's role in body's own " antioxidant network " called key

Selenium is an essential component in critical antioxidant enzymes the body uses to neutralize the free radicals generated by normal metabolism and by external influences, from pro-inflammatory foods to pollutants.

The brain contains large amounts of selenium, which also plays a role in the synthesis of thyroid hormones that affect mental performance.

As the authors concluded, " These results are in agreement with the effect of antioxidant supplementation observed in some long-term studies and the lack of effect after a 6-month period in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease The preventive effect of selenium supplementation at a nutritional level needs to be evaluated with large scale-studies. " (Tasnime AN et al 2007)

We certainly need more research, but it can't hurt to make sure you're getting plenty of the overlooked anti-mercury, antioxidant mineral from seafood and multivitamin supplements, right now.

Sources

Tasnime AN et al. Plasma Selenium Over Time and Cognitive Decline in the Elderly. Epidemiology: Volume 18(1) January 2007 pp 52-58.

Berr C, Balansard B, Arnaud J, Roussel AM, Alperovitch A. Cognitive decline is associated with systemic oxidative stress: the EVA study. Etude du Vieillissement Arteriel. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2000 Oct;48(10):1285-91.

Berr C, Richard MJ, Roussel AM, Bonithon-Kopp C. Systemic oxidative stress and cognitive performance in the population-based EVA study. Etude du Vieillissement Arteriel. Free Radic Biol Med. 1998 May;24(7-8):1202-8.

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Top Psych Panel Says Omega-3s Deter Depression, Biploar Disorder

Expert committee probes evidence from population and clinical studies; Findings uphold hypothesis that omega-3s can deter depression and bipolar disorder

by Craig Weatherby

Population studies performed by renowned psychiatric researcher Joseph Hibbeln, M.D. and others draw strong connections between low intake of omega-3 fatty acids and increased risk of depression, anxiety, and related mood disorders.

We met Dr. Hibbeln -- Senior Clinical Investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism -- at the Seafood & Health conference in 2005.

In addition to the eye-opening paper Dr. Hibbeln co-authored with Vital Choice science advisor William E.M. Lands, Ph.D. - which concerned the fatty acid imbalance in American diets - Joe Hibbeln co-authored a recently published, comprehensive, review of the medical literature on omega-3s and psychiatric problems.

The Committee on Research on Psychiatric Treatments of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) appointed Dr. Hibbeln and 10 other prominent experts in the field to an Omega-3 Fatty Acids Subcommittee, for the purpose of reviewing the available evidence.

The committee members administered the study from the University of Arizona's College of Medicine. (Coincidentally, the university hosts Dr. Andrew Weil's innovative Program in Integrative Medicine, which was not involved in the study.)

The APA's Omega-3 Fatty Acids Subcommittee looked at evidence from two sources:

Epidemiologic (population) studies that compared people's consumption of omega-3s with rates of depression and related mood disorders. Clinical studies that compared tissue levels of omega-3s with people's psychiatric health. Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. (Meta-analyses use statistical methods to pool and analyze the results of multiple clinical trials.)

The members concluded that the preponderance of evidence supports the hypothesis that people who consume higher amounts of omega-3 EFAs -- particularly the long-chain " marine " omega-3s from fish (EPA and DHA) -- enjoy reduced risks of depression, bipolar disorder (manic-depression), and related mood disorders.

The omega-3 committee found less evidence that omega-3s affect the risk of schizophrenia or aid sufferers substantially.

As the study authors wrote, " EPA and DHA appear to have negligible risks and some potential benefit in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, but results remain inconclusive in most areas of interest in psychiatry. " (Freeman MP et al 2006)

We hope that the positive outcome of a review conducted under the auspices of America's top psychiatric organization will encourage funding for ...

[Click here for full story and sources]

Olive Oil Earns More Cardiovascular and Anti-Cancer Kudos

Study from Germany shows olive oil curbs cancer-causing DNA damage; Spanish trial finds that olive oil's featured fat lowers blood pressure

by Craig Weatherby

Twin studies from Europe offer more reasons to use olive oil in place of standard cooking oils like corn, canola, safflower, and soy.

Let's take a closer look.

Olive oil protects DNA from cancer-promoting damage

Scientists have wondered why rates of several cancers are higher in Northern Europe than Mediterranean countries where olive oil corners the culinary scene.

Researchers from Denmark and Germany joined forces to conduct a clinical trial designed to test the idea that olive oil

Key Points

Olive oil's "mono" fatty acids appear to protect DNA from cancer-inducing damage by free radicals.

Olive oil was found to reduce systolic blood pressure modestly in men unused to consuming it.makes a difference (Machowetz A et al 2007).

They recruited 182 healthy men from Northern, Central and Southern regions of Europe for a rigorous (double-blind, randomized, controlled crossover) clinical trial in which the researchers tested the ability of olive oil to protect DNA and RNA from damage by free radicals.

Damage to DNA and RNA can lead to cancer because it results in mutations in cells.

Every day for two weeks, they gave the men 25 milliliters - a little under one ounce -- of olive oil.

The German-Danish team then measured the proportions of damaged DNA and RNA in the participants at the beginning and end of the brief trial. This was done by testing their urine for the chemicals produced when free radicals oxidize DNA and RNA.

The men's urine was tested at the beginning of the study, and as expected, the results indicated that the men from Southern regions had the lowest levels of damaged DNA and RNA.

After two weeks of ingesting the prescribed olive oils, levels of damaged RNA remained unchanged, but the levels of damaged DNA in all of the men had dropped by 13 percent.

As the researchers said, " These findings support the idea that ingestion of olive oil is beneficial and can reduce the rate of oxidation of DNA. " (Machowetz A et al 2007)

The outcome suggests that the monounsaturated fatty acid (oleic acid) that predominates in olive oil and macadamia nut oil protects DNA from damage.

In this study, the benefits of olive oil seemed unconnected to its polyphenol antioxidant content. But only extra virgin olive oil -- which is the kind highest in polyphenols, by far -- provides critical arterial benefits related directly to its antioxidant content (see " Extra Virgin Olive Oil Confirmed as Best Cardiac Prevention Choice " ).

Spaniards say olive oil lowers systolic blood pressure

Researchers led by Isabel Bondia-Pons of the University of Barcelona enrolled 110 healthy men from Germany, Finland and Denmark and 45 men from Spain and Italy (Bondia-Pons I et al 2007).

The men were assigned, randomly, to consume just under one ounce (25 milliliters) of one of three similar olive oils daily for three weeks. After a two-week " washout " period, the men switched olive oils for another three weeks and then ...

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"HealthWise" Enrollment Ending ... Act Soon to Save!

Our HealthWise customer-rewards program provides discounts and FREE Vital Choice products, for healthful, deliciously satisfying eating in 2007!

It couldn't be simpler, or more rewarding:

• Use the Gift Code HW2007 to place your first HealthWise order, on which you'll receive an automatic 5 percent discount. You must place this qualifying order by midnight, January 31, 2007.

• If you place 9 qualifying orders by the last day of 2007 we'll apply a credit to your Vital Choice account* equal to the average value of those 9 orders. And you'll receive another HealthWise credit if you place another 9 qualifying orders before the end of 2007!

(*If you don't have an account, just add some items to your cart, check out, and follow the instructions on your screen.)Your HealthWise credit(s) will apply automatically to subsequent orders, until you've used it up. For example, if the average value of your first 9 qualifying orders (see Rules, below) equaled $200, your account would receive a $200 credit, which would apply automatically to your subsequent purchases.

For the full Rules and Restrictions, click here, and feel free call us toll-free at 800-608-4825 with any questions.

To get started, click here and get shopping!

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Vital Recipes

Mediterranean Salmon

We chose today's recipe to fit the good news about olive oil reported in this issue of Vital Choices.

While the current studies shows that all grades of olive oil deter DNA damage and lower blood pressure, others demonstrate that unrefined, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) offers greater cardiovascular benefits by far.

The superiority of EVOO versus " pure " and " virgin " grades stems from EVOO's high levels of powerful polyphenol antioxidants -- believed virtually unique to olives - which are virtually absent from misleadingly named pure grade (chemically extracted and refined) olive oil.

Mediterranean Salmon

Prep time 10 minutes, total 25 minutes

Serves 4

½ cup organic extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

4 cloves garlic, pressed

4 (6 oz each) wild salmon fillets

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoons sea salt

½ tsp garlic powder

Mix olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Place fillets in a shallow baking dish. Rub fillets with garlic, then pour the vinegar and oil over them, turning once to coat. Season with cilantro, basil, and garlic salt. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

Preheat broiler.

Place the salmon about 6 inches from the heat source, and broil for 15 minutes, turning once, or until browned on both sides and easily flaked with a fork. Brush occasionally with the sauce from the pan.

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