One More Amazing Effect of Fish Oil

The latest news is that fish oil may help reduce risk of psychosis or schizophrenia. The study involved people with a family history of psychosis or who had mild psychotic symptoms. The positive effects of the fish oil capsules with omega-3 fatty acids may result from changes in cell membranes and interactions with neurotransmitters in the brain.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been in the news for a few years for their beneficial impact on heart health and general brain health. Found in many types of fish, some doctors recommend supplements, especially for those with certain heart conditions. Caution is suggested in selecting the type of fish as some contain higher levels of toxins than others. Coldwater fish, such as salmon and trout, are recommended for their levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts and flaxseed also contain high levels. And don’t miss brussel sprouts, kale and algae.

Some foods endure in their goodness. And, science finds them over and over again.
Read more about omega-3.

Do you take your omega-3 in natural foods, supplements or both? Tell us about it.

Don't Get Too Stressed Watching the Super Bowl

Are you ready for this? Experts say that getting too riled up can wreak havoc. In fact, some say it can kill you. While on the face of it, this news seems a bit crazy, the research is rather convincing. We know high stress plays a role in elevated levels of all things bad for you. Add to this all the eating of wings, chips and other artery thickening products, not to mention the beer and other libations. If you are already at risk (especially if you don't know it), the formula can be disastrous as you scream, jump and otherwise feel large amounts of anger about the emerging results on Super Bowl Sunday.

"Spectator risk," Dr. Stephen Siegel, a cardiologist at New York University Langone Medical Center, calls it. The study took place at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

The big advice from those who published this study that looked not only at Super Bowl results in the 1980s, but at 2006 World Soccer cup results (and if you think we get excited about our sports here in the U.S., you don't know from excitement and emotion that the rest of the world experiences about soccer) is to relax and enjoy the game. "Don't spend your life savings on betting on it!" The incidences of heart attacks, and fatal ones at that, increased in the hours and days immediately following those events.

As for the science of it all, researchers say that the body releases large amounts of catecholamines (also called epinephrine and norepinephrine) into the bloodsteam at times of stress. "These chemicals can trigger atherosclerotic plaques to rupture, resulting in an acute heart attack or can trigger life-threatening arrhythmias resulting in sudden cardiac death," he said. "Individuals with preexisting heart conditions and those with risk factors for heart disease are at increased risk for such events," says Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

So, as you gather round the TV this Sunday, do some deep breathing first and remember that it is just a game, at least for most of us. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees have a bit more skin in the game, so they can be forgiven for having high levels of stress at kickoff time (4:25 MT).

Tell us about how invested you get in Super Bowl. Are you feeling palpitations? Or are you among the millions who don't care one bit.

Turn TV Watching from a Death Sentence to a Fitness Tool

The latest bad news about watching television comes out of Australia. For every hour you watch, researchers say, you increase your risk of heart disease by eighteen percent. I immediately turned off my TV when I read this. For Americans and Australians alike, watching TV now occupies upwards of four hours a day. Aside from work and sleep, it captures more of our time and attention than anything else. Of course, it is not what you are watching that makes it dangerous (although we know there is ongoing research about violent subject matter, especially vis-à-vis children and teens), it is the fact that you are not doing something else that involves physical movement during those four hours, even if you are the jittery type. Unfortunately, shouting at the football team or lifting chips to your mouth do not count!

Lead researcher on the study, David Dunstan, reports that “we tend to underestimate the value of incidental, non-sweaty activity throughout the day when we are not sleeping or exercising – the more you move, the greater the benefits for health.” This study suggests that while exercising is indeed critical for health, so, too are the thousands of small movements – up and down, in and out, across, over, under – that we do daily. Adding more of these to those four hours, and shutting off TV, the study says, will add to your overall health and reduce risk of heart disease and probably dozens of other things.

The prescription is simple enough, get moving. The video gaming industry finds innovative ways to incorporate people into virtual games. Take Wii by Nintendo, for example. Have you tried Wii, the virtual gaming system that hooks up to your television and allows you to “participate?” The basic package comes loaded with several sports, such as bowling, tennis, baseball, golfing and boxing.

I was skeptical when the grandkids unbundled their Wii paraphernalia last Christmas, but I must say I am a fan, especially of boxing. There is absolutely no need to have any experience in real life with any of these sports to play and have fun. The instructions are simple and the movements can be as dramatic or restrained as you prefer or need. But, if you join in, I can guarantee a lot of fun and quite a bit of physical movement. Watch out, though, it seemed so “real” that I nearly knocked over the TV my first time!