Hot off the Press

An important part of practicing dietetics is keeping up-to-snuff with current trends.
The newest to hit the American Dietetic Association's press release room on Tuesday, October 26th...

Polyunsaturated fats (Omega-3s), like fish oil, may reduce the risk of gum disease due to it's anti-inflammatory qualities! What does this mean for you? A 5-year long study following 9,000 adults and their dental examinations proves nutrition is at it again!

The study focused on polyunsaturated fats and their disease fighting qualities. The Omega-3 [in the form of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)] intake was recorded by participants in dietary and/or supplemental form. There was an approximately 20% reduction in gum disease prevalence in those who consumed the highest amount of dietary DHA, closely followed by with EPA. The article concluded that there was no difference in dietary intake versus supplemental and no particular serving size or amount was suggested.

I would encourage dietary form over supplemental any day. It is better absorbed by the body. How to incoporate Omega-3s into your diet? eat foods like fatty fish (salmon), nuts and/or peanut butter. The current recommendation of fatty fish intake for benefits of omega-3 and other nutrients is 2 times per week.

For more information: Article: "n-3 Fatty Acids and Periodontitis in US Adults" by Asghar Z. Naqvi, MPH, MNS; Catherine Buettner, MD, MPH; Russell S. Phillips, MD; Roger B. Davis, ScD; and Kenneth J. Mukamal, MD, MPH, MA.


Lucky for me...I just finished a healthy portion of fatty salmon this evening!

Do you like salmon? Any favorite ways to cook it?

Relaxing Read

Hey guys! Happy Saturday!

Gosh I love the weekends. I feel like they are a boost of positive energy...everyone always seems to be in a better mood, don't they?

So after my rpm and bodypump classes this morning (what a better way to start the day, right?), I thought there would be nothing better to do other than soak up the sun! While pulling into my complex, I saw the whole neighborhood out celebrating the openning of our pool! What a great idea! I gathered my two new mags I have been dying to read (Real Simple and Shape), my refreshing iced coffee and a water bottle and headed out to the the pool.

During my relaxing read I came across this great tip. I thought I'd share:
The latest edition (May 2010) of Shape, in their "Eat right news" section reads:
Shake up your Seafood
Sick of Salmon? Here's another was to get your omega-3s; cook leaner fillets, like cod, in sunflower oil. Accoding to the Journal of Food Science, doing so ups the amount of heart-healthy fats in the dish.

Smart Snacker Tid-bit: Uping the heart-healthy fats (like omega-3s) from the sunflower oil will substitute for those that you are missing in the leaner cuts of seafood. Sunflower oil is a polyunsaturated fat (fancy word for heart-healthy fat). It is high in Vitamin E and low in saturated (artery clogging) fats. It is a great alternative oil for frying.

Making Sense of things: A Closer look at your Polyunsaturated Fats:

Properties:
Soft or liquid at room temperature, Decreases harmful LDL cholesterol, Decreases total cholesterol
Types:
Omega-6
--Linoleic acid – vegetable oils (corn, sunflower, safflower, soybean, cottonseed), poultry fat
--Arachidonic acid – meats (or made from linoleic acid)
Omega-3
--Linolenic acid
--Oils (flaxseed, canola, walnut, wheat germ, soybean)
--Nuts and seeds (butternuts, walnuts, soybean kernels)
--Vegetables (soybeans)
--EPA and DHA – related to the prevention and treatment of heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis and cancer.
--Human milk
--Shellfish and fish (mackerel, salmon, anchovy, herring, lake trout, sardines, tuna)
--Or made in the body from linolenic acid
Reference



Along with this great tip, this edition had a ton of great healthy lifestyle suggestions. I love this magazine because it is very practical. Now go out and get one already ; )
Enjoy the rest of your day!



Do you have a favorite magazine with practical tips?