Flax Seed Oil, fish oil and vegetariansim

[Guest guest]

My physician told me, as a vegetarian, to take flax

seed oil [2 tblsp daily]. I found that I could use it

to make great and tasty mayonnaise and all my salad

dressings. It must be refrigerated or it gets rancid

very quickly.

 

That was great until I developed gall bladder disease.

Then, I a vegetarian had to severely limit my fat

intake or have surgery [not a realistic option].

Since I had no gall stones, just a recurring

infection, this vegetarian [since 1976] bowed her head

in shame and started taking fish oil [1/4 to 2 tsp

daily] which requires that you have far less fat

intake.

 

Sorry, but not a real vegetarian

 

Kathleen

Eureka, CA

 

--- AVIV <oranuri wrote:

 

> As vegetarians, we really do need to worry about

> our omega 3 intake by

> taking flax seed and borage oils. To get the amount

> of DHA recommended in

> this study, it may be necessary to take a

> supplement.

> Oran Aviv

>

> Scientists Discover How Fish Oil Protects the Brain

>

> http://health./news/124020

>

> September 9, 2005 12:56:08 PM PST

> By Karen Pallarito

> HealthDay Reporter

>

>

> FRIDAY, Sept. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Louisiana State

> University scientists

> say they have discovered how the fatty acids found

> in fish oil help protect

> the human brain from the type of cognitive decline

> associated with Alzheimer

> s disease.

 

 

Kathleen M. Pelley

[Guest guest]

Fish oil would still make you a vegetarian, it just wouldn't make you a vegan.

 

Anyone who has milk or cheese is a vegetarian, just not a vegan.

 

Fish oil ends in an animal's death, as does milk and milk products. And if

anyone argues that point, just move to farm country and see the number of calves

sold at auction for meat because the farmer can't possibly keep them all.

 

So, as far as I'm concerned, you're a vegetarian, and a smart one, too. If it's

between your life and the life of a fish, well, there ya go.

 

Rose

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

> Fish oil would still make you a vegetarian, it just wouldn't make you a vegan.

 

I think we need to be careful of definitions here, don't we. Fish oil is from

fish -

vegetarians don't consume fish.

 

> Anyone who has milk or cheese is a vegetarian, just not a vegan.

 

And some people who do NOT consume milk or cheese are not vegans either

, as I'm sure you know.

 

> Fish oil ends in an animal's death, as does milk and milk products.

 

Indeed. The difference is that the fish must be dead in order for us to consume

its oil. The cow produces milk while still alive. But this is a side issue from

the

discussion of fish oil.

 

>And if anyone argues that point, just move to farm country and see the

number of calves sold at auction for meat because the farmer can't possibly

keep them all.

 

No one would argue that point here, I think. You are preaching to the

converted. It's just a matter of vegetarians choosing which *kind* of vegetarian

they are.

 

> So, as far as I'm concerned, you're a vegetarian, and a smart one, too.

 

I think we all have to choose what we must do - especially when it comes to

health - but it doesn't change what vegetarianism means.

 

> If it's between your life and the life of a fish, well, there ya go.

 

I am in full sympathy of someone who finds that they need to take something

for the sake of their health - medications which only come in gel caps, for

example, come to mind, without which the person would die, as does the case

of diabetics and insulin. People in this dreadful situation have every right to

choose for themselves. Your comment, however, as written above, may be

found to be somewhat offensive to some vegetarians. Some consider that all

life is sacred and a flip attitude towards the life of a fish and the suggestion

(as

I read it) that it's life is of less worth than another life, might be seen to

be non-

supportive of those who take their vegetarianism very seriously indeed and

for reasons other than health.

 

Best, Pat

[Guest guest]

>. . . I developed gall bladder disease.

 

Oh misery! Total sympathy here. I don't have it - and by goodness I don't want

it either.

 

> Then, I a vegetarian had to severely limit my fat

> intake . . . this vegetarian [since 1976] bowed her head

> in shame and started taking fish oil. . .

>

> Sorry, but not a real vegetarian

 

Understood. But you would be a 'real vegetarian' if you could be one -

sometimes we don't have as much control over our choices as we would wish.

You must of course do as your physician advises.

 

Good luck!

 

Pat

[Guest guest]

Amen, Pat. Thanks for the clarification, especially concerning the

value of all lives.

Karen

[Guest guest]

Karen wrote:

 

> Amen, Pat. Thanks for the clarification, especially concerning the

> value of all lives.

 

Yes thanks Pat, I think it's important we keep a united front on this

otherwise we will be swiftly assailed by well-meaning people who want to

provide us with fish with every meal (as happens to me from time to time).

 

The gelatine is a tricky one though - agreed we are " consuming " the capsules

but not really as food or even medicine, they're only there to hold the rest

of the medication together. Surely there must be a synthetic substitute

nowadays - which brings of course the tricky business of discovering which

medicaments use the synthetic substance and which not, and whether to

believe the people who answer your questions about it.

 

Who said things were easy? - Piers

[Guest guest]

> Amen, Pat. Thanks for the clarification, especially concerning the

> value of all lives.

 

And thank *you* - you guys are the best ;=)

 

luv, pat

[Guest guest]

> . . . I think it's important we keep a united front on this

> otherwise we will be swiftly assailed by well-meaning people who want to

> provide us with fish with every meal (as happens to me from time to time).

 

Oh hey, I've just been through that Big Time over the last three days - very

very trying indeed. Sympathy there. And will they listen to one's reasons for *

not* having f*sh - from health to environment to compassion? Nope. Back to

my old promise to myself: never explain. (Hah! can't resist it, though, all the

time.)

 

> The gelatine is a tricky one though - agreed we are " consuming " the

capsules

> but not really as food or even medicine, they're only there to hold the rest

> of the medication together.

 

Agreed - and if one needs the meds, then one must of course take the meds

in its capsule. And be grateful to the fellow creature whose death supplied the

means for our life and health. For those who are into gratitude. Whatever. LOL

 

>Surely there must be a synthetic substitute

> nowadays

 

Indeed - vegetable 'gelatine' is okay - available at some healthfood stores for

supplements (er, for those who don't chuck a wobbly at the mention of the

demon word 'supplement').

 

> - which brings of course the tricky business of discovering which

> medicaments use the synthetic substance and which not,

 

Write to the pharmaceutical companies? Then persuade your physician to

prescribe the brand name of whatever med it is that can be obtained in vegan

form.

 

> and whether to

> believe the people who answer your questions about it.

 

Got no choice really. A pity, isn't it, that we are so besieged by the

carnivores

that we can't even trust them to admit that animal products are in so many

things. Does our small group - less than five per cent (of the western world, at

least) - scare them so much? Yup.

 

Ya know, my hfs owner is a vegetarian (and his daughter a vegan) and he

keeps telling it like it is - and he figures 10 per cent of us could make all

the

difference. We're a way off that so far, of course, but there's hope for the

next

generation - generations of all creatures.

 

> Who said things were easy?

 

Optimist! LOL

 

luv, pat

[Guest guest]

Pat wrote:

 

> Back to my old promise to myself: never explain. (Hah! can't resist it,

though, all the

> time.)

 

Yes I've discovered that " sit there looking dumb " may be disastrous for the

ego but pays off in the long run :-)

 

> Write to the pharmaceutical companies? Then persuade your physician to

> prescribe the brand name of whatever med it is that can be obtained in

vegan

> form.

 

Sounds like a long shot from where I am - this particular product is

self-made by the pharmacy and they couldn't even arrange different colours

of capsules when I wanted that (to distinguish different strengths). Still

I'll keep it at the back of my mind, for whenever I might feel like engaging

one of the assistants in a meaningful dialogue. Or I could just shrug and

say well, we don't know much about what goes in all the other medicines. I

know my hormone supplements are synthetic, they used to be extracted from

the pituitary of animal cadavers but it's some years since they advanced

beyond that point ...

 

Piers