Guest guest Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 Hi everyone. I'm a newbie on the group, and I wondered if I could ask for your (I'm sure) various opinions on this one. I'm three months pregnant with my first baby, vegetarian (not vegan) for about 8 years now, and I have a neuroscientist friend who is really lighting into me about the need for omega 3. The most well-known source of this is, of course, fish oil. I'm taking a vegetarian (no gelatine) flaxseed oil supplement every day, but I don't want to overdo that, since I've heard that it's a uterine stimulant and can trigger early labor. I've done a little research (I *hate* reading research reports), and it seems that I need to worry about getting the " DHA " type of omega 3, which (as far as I can tell) is difficult to get from plant sources. My husband says that as far as he can tell (from his reading), the omega 3 in the flaxseed oil is converted *into* DHA by my body, but at a much lower level (I think 20%) than what I'd be getting from fish oil. My husband also tells me that there's some new source of DHA that comes from algae. This is all making my head spin. I really, really don't want to eat fish oil--much less the gelatine capsules that fish oil generally comes in--but I also don't want to deprive the squirt in my belly of anything that s/he needs. But I'm sure there are landlocked civilizations all over the world whose people have never seen a fatty, carnivorous fish, much less eaten one, whose children turn out just fine. The Germans don't traditionally eat much fish, and they seem to be doing all right. Right? Sigh. In terms of other proteins, I eat about 3-4 organic eggs per day, soy sausages, whole grain bread, organic cheese, plenty of organic milk, plus some beans and tofu (I've really gone off beans and tofu for some reason since I got pregnant--can't stomach them), some Quorn... I get hungry about every 45 minutes, and protein is the only thing that settles my stomach, so I eat an awful lot of it. So am I covered? Or do I need to up the flaxseed oil? Or do I need to eat more pumpkin seeds or something? Or is the newfangled algae thing the way to go? Any advice, experience, etc. would be much appreciated! Best, Kerri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 Hemp oil has more omega 3s than any fish, only it's slightly less digestible. Either way you're getting plenty of it. It has the perfect balance of 3's and 6's for humans, plus hemp is very easy to grow organically, is a really great thing to have around... hemp is very cool, wikipedia has a neat article on it. It doesn't have THC, the stuff that makes marijuana get people high, so no danger to the baby. I didn't take anything but a normal women's multivitamin both times I was pregnant and both my little ones are just fine... though if I go at it again I will do better. Plus my pregnancy cravings were things like brussels sprouts. Don't worry too much. KerriCary <english wrote: Hi everyone. I'm a newbie on the group, and I wondered if I could ask for your (I'm sure) various opinions on this one. I'm three months pregnant with my first baby, vegetarian (not vegan) for about 8 years now, and I have a neuroscientist friend who is really lighting into me about the need for omega 3. The most well-known source of this is, of course, fish oil. I'm taking a vegetarian (no gelatine) flaxseed oil supplement every day, but I don't want to overdo that, since I've heard that it's a uterine stimulant and can trigger early labor. I've done a little research (I *hate* reading research reports), and it seems that I need to worry about getting the " DHA " type of omega 3, which (as far as I can tell) is difficult to get from plant sources. My husband says that as far as he can tell (from his reading), the omega 3 in the flaxseed oil is converted *into* DHA by my body, but at a much lower level (I think 20%) than what I'd be getting from fish oil. My husband also tells me that there's some new source of DHA that comes from algae. This is all making my head spin. I really, really don't want to eat fish oil--much less the gelatine capsules that fish oil generally comes in--but I also don't want to deprive the squirt in my belly of anything that s/he needs. But I'm sure there are landlocked civilizations all over the world whose people have never seen a fatty, carnivorous fish, much less eaten one, whose children turn out just fine. The Germans don't traditionally eat much fish, and they seem to be doing all right. Right? Sigh. In terms of other proteins, I eat about 3-4 organic eggs per day, soy sausages, whole grain bread, organic cheese, plenty of organic milk, plus some beans and tofu (I've really gone off beans and tofu for some reason since I got pregnant--can't stomach them), some Quorn... I get hungry about every 45 minutes, and protein is the only thing that settles my stomach, so I eat an awful lot of it. So am I covered? Or do I need to up the flaxseed oil? Or do I need to eat more pumpkin seeds or something? Or is the newfangled algae thing the way to go? Any advice, experience, etc. would be much appreciated! Best, Kerri Kadee Sedtal Build a man a fire and he'll stay warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he'll stay warm the rest of his life. Everyone is raving about the all-new Mail beta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 I understand your confusion because I was confused over this issue too. My OB told me to stop taking the flaxseed oil and I did during my pregnancies. I didn't take any fish oil supplements either. I'm vegan and want to stay that way. I just ate plenty of olives and used olive oil and ate nuts and nut butters during my pregnancies. It just wasn't worth the risk of losing a baby. I take flax oil now and my children do too and I don't see any negative results from me not taking Omega 3 supplements during pregnancy. - KerriCary Wednesday, November 29, 2006 12:34 PM Omega 3 confusion Hi everyone. I'm a newbie on the group, and I wondered if I could ask for your (I'm sure) various opinions on this one. I'm three months pregnant with my first baby, vegetarian (not vegan) for about 8 years now, and I have a neuroscientist friend who is really lighting into me about the need for omega 3. The most well-known source of this is, of course, fish oil. I'm taking a vegetarian (no gelatine) flaxseed oil supplement every day, but I don't want to overdo that, since I've heard that it's a uterine stimulant and can trigger early labor. I've done a little research (I *hate* reading research reports), and it seems that I need to worry about getting the " DHA " type of omega 3, which (as far as I can tell) is difficult to get from plant sources. My husband says that as far as he can tell (from his reading), the omega 3 in the flaxseed oil is converted *into* DHA by my body, but at a much lower level (I think 20%) than what I'd be getting from fish oil. My husband also tells me that there's some new source of DHA that comes from algae. This is all making my head spin. I really, really don't want to eat fish oil--much less the gelatine capsules that fish oil generally comes in--but I also don't want to deprive the squirt in my belly of anything that s/he needs. But I'm sure there are landlocked civilizations all over the world whose people have never seen a fatty, carnivorous fish, much less eaten one, whose children turn out just fine. The Germans don't traditionally eat much fish, and they seem to be doing all right. Right? Sigh. In terms of other proteins, I eat about 3-4 organic eggs per day, soy sausages, whole grain bread, organic cheese, plenty of organic milk, plus some beans and tofu (I've really gone off beans and tofu for some reason since I got pregnant--can't stomach them), some Quorn... I get hungry about every 45 minutes, and protein is the only thing that settles my stomach, so I eat an awful lot of it. So am I covered? Or do I need to up the flaxseed oil? Or do I need to eat more pumpkin seeds or something? Or is the newfangled algae thing the way to go? Any advice, experience, etc. would be much appreciated! Best, Kerri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 During my pregnancy i wasn't really concerned about n-3s at all. And my child turned out fine! Only in the past few years have I started to eat foods with flax or hemp to get the n-3s. If I were to get pregnant again I would probably try an algae supplement along with my hemp waffles and silk enhanced soy milk. But I certainly wouldn't recommend anyone to eat fish during pregnacy (bad enough for people who aren't pregnant) but don't feed all that mercury and PCBDs, PCBs to your unborn baby. Its not worth it. Renee KerriCary <english Wednesday, November 29, 2006 12:34:06 PM Omega 3 confusion Hi everyone. I'm a newbie on the group, and I wondered if I could ask for your (I'm sure) various opinions on this one. I'm three months pregnant with my first baby, vegetarian (not vegan) for about 8 years now, and I have a neuroscientist friend who is really lighting into me about the need for omega 3. The most well-known source of this is, of course, fish oil. I'm taking a vegetarian (no gelatine) flaxseed oil supplement every day, but I don't want to overdo that, since I've heard that it's a uterine stimulant and can trigger early labor. I've done a little research (I *hate* reading research reports), and it seems that I need to worry about getting the " DHA " type of omega 3, which (as far as I can tell) is difficult to get from plant sources. My husband says that as far as he can tell (from his reading), the omega 3 in the flaxseed oil is converted *into* DHA by my body, but at a much lower level (I think 20%) than what I'd be getting from fish oil. My husband also tells me that there's some new source of DHA that comes from algae. This is all making my head spin. I really, really don't want to eat fish oil--much less the gelatine capsules that fish oil generally comes in--but I also don't want to deprive the squirt in my belly of anything that s/he needs. But I'm sure there are landlocked civilizations all over the world whose people have never seen a fatty, carnivorous fish, much less eaten one, whose children turn out just fine. The Germans don't traditionally eat much fish, and they seem to be doing all right. Right? Sigh. In terms of other proteins, I eat about 3-4 organic eggs per day, soy sausages, whole grain bread, organic cheese, plenty of organic milk, plus some beans and tofu (I've really gone off beans and tofu for some reason since I got pregnant--can' t stomach them), some Quorn... I get hungry about every 45 minutes, and protein is the only thing that settles my stomach, so I eat an awful lot of it. So am I covered? Or do I need to up the flaxseed oil? Or do I need to eat more pumpkin seeds or something? Or is the newfangled algae thing the way to go? Any advice, experience, etc. would be much appreciated! Best, Kerri ______________________________\ ____ Everyone is raving about the all-new Mail beta. http://new.mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 Kerri, Hi, I'll try not to make this too lengthy but hopefully it will be enough to help some. It is true that your body needs to convert some of the Omega-3 in flax (known as ALA or LNA in some circles) into EPA and then some of that into DHA so that your body has all three kinds. It is hard to know how much you convert because everyone converts different amounts and maybe convert better at some times than others. In general, women seem to convert better than men, most likely to provide the extra for babies in utero and later, for breastfeeding. Certain vitamins and mineral deficiencies can inhibit the conversion since they are used as co-factors, so of course it is important to eat a well-balanced diet and perhaps take a multi-vitamin to ensure adequate intake. Also, too many Omega-6 fatty acids in the diet can inhibit conversion through competition, so take care not to overdo it on the vegetable oils such as corn, sunflower, safflower (olive oil is mostly omega 9 I think so it is okay...) Vegetarian sources of LNA other than flax are canola oil, walnuts, and tofu. Chickens are good converters of LNA to both EPA and DHA. Since you do eat organic eggs, you could seek out the ones known as " omega eggs " where the chickens' diet is supplemented with flax or algae, making the eggs a good source of omega 3s. (I think some of the non-organic " omega-eggs " are acheived by supplementing the chikens' diet with fish meal, so you may want to be sure that the chickens are fed vegetarian feed). Algae is where omega3s in fish originally come from (krill eat algae, little fish eat krill, bigger fish eat little fish....). There are a couple of vegan algae-derived DHA supplements on the market. I like Dr. Fuhrman's DHA which is available at drfuhrman dot com. I think he may also has information about this subject on his website as he advocates vegetarian diets. Therefore, if you eat plant sources of omega3s and supplement with DHA and include omega eggs, as well as eat a well balanced diet and stay away from too many omega6s, I would think you could feel comfortable about covering your omega-3 bases! Hope this helps! Karen , " KerriCary " <english wrote: > > Hi everyone. I'm a newbie on the group, and I wondered if I could ask > for your (I'm sure) various opinions on this one. > > I'm three months pregnant with my first baby, vegetarian (not vegan) > for about 8 years now, and I have a neuroscientist friend who is really > lighting into me about the need for omega 3. The most well-known source > of this is, of course, fish oil. > > I'm taking a vegetarian (no gelatine) flaxseed oil supplement every > day, but I don't want to overdo that, since I've heard that it's a > uterine stimulant and can trigger early labor. > > I've done a little research (I *hate* reading research reports), and it > seems that I need to worry about getting the " DHA " type of omega 3, > which (as far as I can tell) is difficult to get from plant sources. My > husband says that as far as he can tell (from his reading), the omega 3 > in the flaxseed oil is converted *into* DHA by my body, but at a much > lower level (I think 20%) than what I'd be getting from fish oil. > > My husband also tells me that there's some new source of DHA that comes > from algae. > > This is all making my head spin. I really, really don't want to eat > fish oil--much less the gelatine capsules that fish oil generally comes > in--but I also don't want to deprive the squirt in my belly of anything > that s/he needs. > > But I'm sure there are landlocked civilizations all over the world > whose people have never seen a fatty, carnivorous fish, much less eaten > one, whose children turn out just fine. The Germans don't traditionally > eat much fish, and they seem to be doing all right. Right? Sigh. > > In terms of other proteins, I eat about 3-4 organic eggs per day, soy > sausages, whole grain bread, organic cheese, plenty of organic milk, > plus some beans and tofu (I've really gone off beans and tofu for some > reason since I got pregnant--can't stomach them), some Quorn... I get > hungry about every 45 minutes, and protein is the only thing that > settles my stomach, so I eat an awful lot of it. > > So am I covered? Or do I need to up the flaxseed oil? Or do I need to > eat more pumpkin seeds or something? Or is the newfangled algae thing > the way to go? > > Any advice, experience, etc. would be much appreciated! > > Best, > Kerri > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 Kadee, Where do you live? My understanding is that eventhough it is legal to eat hemp in the US, it cannot legally be grown in the US because of the similarity to marijuana. Foods that are made from hemp are shipped to the US from Canada. Renee Kadee M <abbey_road3012 Wednesday, November 29, 2006 3:10:15 PM Re: Omega 3 confusion Hemp oil has more omega 3s than any fish, only it's slightly less digestible. Either way you're getting plenty of it. It has the perfect balance of 3's and 6's for humans, plus hemp is very easy to grow organically, is a really great thing to have around... hemp is very cool, wikipedia has a neat article on it. It doesn't have THC, the stuff that makes marijuana get people high, so no danger to the baby. I didn't take anything but a normal women's multivitamin both times I was pregnant and both my little ones are just fine... though if I go at it again I will do better. Plus my pregnancy cravings were things like brussels sprouts. Don't worry too much. KerriCary <english@redrockcrea tive.com> wrote: Hi everyone. I'm a newbie on the group, and I wondered if I could ask for your (I'm sure) various opinions on this one. I'm three months pregnant with my first baby, vegetarian (not vegan) for about 8 years now, and I have a neuroscientist friend who is really lighting into me about the need for omega 3. The most well-known source of this is, of course, fish oil. I'm taking a vegetarian (no gelatine) flaxseed oil supplement every day, but I don't want to overdo that, since I've heard that it's a uterine stimulant and can trigger early labor. I've done a little research (I *hate* reading research reports), and it seems that I need to worry about getting the " DHA " type of omega 3, which (as far as I can tell) is difficult to get from plant sources. My husband says that as far as he can tell (from his reading), the omega 3 in the flaxseed oil is converted *into* DHA by my body, but at a much lower level (I think 20%) than what I'd be getting from fish oil. My husband also tells me that there's some new source of DHA that comes from algae. This is all making my head spin. I really, really don't want to eat fish oil--much less the gelatine capsules that fish oil generally comes in--but I also don't want to deprive the squirt in my belly of anything that s/he needs. But I'm sure there are landlocked civilizations all over the world whose people have never seen a fatty, carnivorous fish, much less eaten one, whose children turn out just fine. The Germans don't traditionally eat much fish, and they seem to be doing all right. Right? Sigh. In terms of other proteins, I eat about 3-4 organic eggs per day, soy sausages, whole grain bread, organic cheese, plenty of organic milk, plus some beans and tofu (I've really gone off beans and tofu for some reason since I got pregnant--can' t stomach them), some Quorn... I get hungry about every 45 minutes, and protein is the only thing that settles my stomach, so I eat an awful lot of it. So am I covered? Or do I need to up the flaxseed oil? Or do I need to eat more pumpkin seeds or something? Or is the newfangled algae thing the way to go? Any advice, experience, etc. would be much appreciated! Best, Kerri Kadee Sedtal Build a man a fire and he'll stay warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he'll stay warm the rest of his life. ------------ --------- --------- --- Everyone is raving about the all-new Mail beta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 17 years ago when I was a pregnant vegetarian who hadn't eaten fish in several years I had never really heard about DHA or Omega 3, 6s or 9s. Somehow I had a really smart kid who is the youngest one in his grade, yet has all As in all top level courses and just had a Stanford coach watch him play in a soccer tournament over Thanksgiving. I wouldn't be too concerned. Or if you want to take flax, just take it every few days. Hardly any normal, traditional diet has lots of Omega 3s in it every single day, if you think about it (only major fish eaters in Alaska or places like that). BTW, has anyone found vegan flax oil pills? I haven't been able to find them. For awhile I was ordering the DHA vegan capsules (forgot the brand). But these days I put flax oil in my salad dressing and call it good. I haven't figured out a way to get it into my kids on a regular basis. But as I said, they are doing fine! Good luck with your pregnancy! Tracy On Nov 29, 2006, at 9:34 AM, KerriCary wrote: > Hi everyone. I'm a newbie on the group, and I wondered if I could ask > for your (I'm sure) various opinions on this one. > > I'm three months pregnant with my first baby, vegetarian (not vegan) > for about 8 years now, and I have a neuroscientist friend who is > really > lighting into me about the need for omega 3. The most well-known > source > of this is, of course, fish oil. > > I'm taking a vegetarian (no gelatine) flaxseed oil supplement every > day, but I don't want to overdo that, since I've heard that it's a > uterine stimulant and can trigger early labor. > > I've done a little research (I *hate* reading research reports), > and it > seems that I need to worry about getting the " DHA " type of omega 3, > which (as far as I can tell) is difficult to get from plant > sources. My > husband says that as far as he can tell (from his reading), the > omega 3 > in the flaxseed oil is converted *into* DHA by my body, but at a much > lower level (I think 20%) than what I'd be getting from fish oil. > > My husband also tells me that there's some new source of DHA that > comes > from algae. > > This is all making my head spin. I really, really don't want to eat > fish oil--much less the gelatine capsules that fish oil generally > comes > in--but I also don't want to deprive the squirt in my belly of > anything > that s/he needs. > > But I'm sure there are landlocked civilizations all over the world > whose people have never seen a fatty, carnivorous fish, much less > eaten > one, whose children turn out just fine. The Germans don't > traditionally > eat much fish, and they seem to be doing all right. Right? Sigh. > > In terms of other proteins, I eat about 3-4 organic eggs per day, soy > sausages, whole grain bread, organic cheese, plenty of organic milk, > plus some beans and tofu (I've really gone off beans and tofu for some > reason since I got pregnant--can't stomach them), some Quorn... I get > hungry about every 45 minutes, and protein is the only thing that > settles my stomach, so I eat an awful lot of it. > > So am I covered? Or do I need to up the flaxseed oil? Or do I need to > eat more pumpkin seeds or something? Or is the newfangled algae thing > the way to go? > > Any advice, experience, etc. would be much appreciated! > > Best, > Kerri > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 I live in Illinois. Silly hemp ban, it's such a useful plant!!! And if marijuana was grown in the same field as hemp it would in only a couple of generations give smokers no more than a headache. Renee Carroll <renecarol25 wrote: Kadee, Where do you live? My understanding is that eventhough it is legal to eat hemp in the US, it cannot legally be grown in the US because of the similarity to marijuana. Foods that are made from hemp are shipped to the US from Canada. Renee Kadee M <abbey_road3012 Wednesday, November 29, 2006 3:10:15 PM Re: Omega 3 confusion Hemp oil has more omega 3s than any fish, only it's slightly less digestible. Either way you're getting plenty of it. It has the perfect balance of 3's and 6's for humans, plus hemp is very easy to grow organically, is a really great thing to have around... hemp is very cool, wikipedia has a neat article on it. It doesn't have THC, the stuff that makes marijuana get people high, so no danger to the baby. I didn't take anything but a normal women's multivitamin both times I was pregnant and both my little ones are just fine... though if I go at it again I will do better. Plus my pregnancy cravings were things like brussels sprouts. Don't worry too much. KerriCary <english@redrockcrea tive.com> wrote: Hi everyone. I'm a newbie on the group, and I wondered if I could ask for your (I'm sure) various opinions on this one. I'm three months pregnant with my first baby, vegetarian (not vegan) for about 8 years now, and I have a neuroscientist friend who is really lighting into me about the need for omega 3. The most well-known source of this is, of course, fish oil. I'm taking a vegetarian (no gelatine) flaxseed oil supplement every day, but I don't want to overdo that, since I've heard that it's a uterine stimulant and can trigger early labor. I've done a little research (I *hate* reading research reports), and it seems that I need to worry about getting the " DHA " type of omega 3, which (as far as I can tell) is difficult to get from plant sources. My husband says that as far as he can tell (from his reading), the omega 3 in the flaxseed oil is converted *into* DHA by my body, but at a much lower level (I think 20%) than what I'd be getting from fish oil. My husband also tells me that there's some new source of DHA that comes from algae. This is all making my head spin. I really, really don't want to eat fish oil--much less the gelatine capsules that fish oil generally comes in--but I also don't want to deprive the squirt in my belly of anything that s/he needs. But I'm sure there are landlocked civilizations all over the world whose people have never seen a fatty, carnivorous fish, much less eaten one, whose children turn out just fine. The Germans don't traditionally eat much fish, and they seem to be doing all right. Right? Sigh. In terms of other proteins, I eat about 3-4 organic eggs per day, soy sausages, whole grain bread, organic cheese, plenty of organic milk, plus some beans and tofu (I've really gone off beans and tofu for some reason since I got pregnant--can' t stomach them), some Quorn... I get hungry about every 45 minutes, and protein is the only thing that settles my stomach, so I eat an awful lot of it. So am I covered? Or do I need to up the flaxseed oil? Or do I need to eat more pumpkin seeds or something? Or is the newfangled algae thing the way to go? Any advice, experience, etc. would be much appreciated! Best, Kerri Kadee Sedtal Build a man a fire and he'll stay warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he'll stay warm the rest of his life. ------------ --------- --------- --- Everyone is raving about the all-new Mail beta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 I add a bit of flax oil into our smoothies, or drizzle it over pasta once I've dished it onto the plates. I also put it in our salad dressings, or hummus or other dips. Heather Tracy Childs wrote: > > 17 years ago when I was a pregnant vegetarian who hadn't eaten fish > in several years I had never really heard about DHA or Omega 3, 6s or > 9s. Somehow I had a really smart kid who is the youngest one in his > grade, yet has all As in all top level courses and just had a > Stanford coach watch him play in a soccer tournament over > Thanksgiving. I wouldn't be too concerned. Or if you want to take > flax, just take it every few days. Hardly any normal, traditional > diet has lots of Omega 3s in it every single day, if you think about > it (only major fish eaters in Alaska or places like that). BTW, has > anyone found vegan flax oil pills? I haven't been able to find them. > For awhile I was ordering the DHA vegan capsules (forgot the brand). > But these days I put flax oil in my salad dressing and call it good. > I haven't figured out a way to get it into my kids on a regular > basis. But as I said, they are doing fine! > > Good luck with your pregnancy! > > Tracy > > On Nov 29, 2006, at 9:34 AM, KerriCary wrote: > > > Hi everyone. I'm a newbie on the group, and I wondered if I could ask > > for your (I'm sure) various opinions on this one. > > > > I'm three months pregnant with my first baby, vegetarian (not vegan) > > for about 8 years now, and I have a neuroscientist friend who is > > really > > lighting into me about the need for omega 3. The most well-known > > source > > of this is, of course, fish oil. > > > > I'm taking a vegetarian (no gelatine) flaxseed oil supplement every > > day, but I don't want to overdo that, since I've heard that it's a > > uterine stimulant and can trigger early labor. > > > > I've done a little research (I *hate* reading research reports), > > and it > > seems that I need to worry about getting the " DHA " type of omega 3, > > which (as far as I can tell) is difficult to get from plant > > sources. My > > husband says that as far as he can tell (from his reading), the > > omega 3 > > in the flaxseed oil is converted *into* DHA by my body, but at a much > > lower level (I think 20%) than what I'd be getting from fish oil. > > > > My husband also tells me that there's some new source of DHA that > > comes > > from algae. > > > > This is all making my head spin. I really, really don't want to eat > > fish oil--much less the gelatine capsules that fish oil generally > > comes > > in--but I also don't want to deprive the squirt in my belly of > > anything > > that s/he needs. > > > > But I'm sure there are landlocked civilizations all over the world > > whose people have never seen a fatty, carnivorous fish, much less > > eaten > > one, whose children turn out just fine. The Germans don't > > traditionally > > eat much fish, and they seem to be doing all right. Right? Sigh. > > > > In terms of other proteins, I eat about 3-4 organic eggs per day, soy > > sausages, whole grain bread, organic cheese, plenty of organic milk, > > plus some beans and tofu (I've really gone off beans and tofu for some > > reason since I got pregnant--can't stomach them), some Quorn... I get > > hungry about every 45 minutes, and protein is the only thing that > > settles my stomach, so I eat an awful lot of it. > > > > So am I covered? Or do I need to up the flaxseed oil? Or do I need to > > eat more pumpkin seeds or something? Or is the newfangled algae thing > > the way to go? > > > > Any advice, experience, etc. would be much appreciated! > > > > Best, > > Kerri > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 I don't know much about DHA but I know that olive oil has Omega 3 and 6 and so does walnuts and walnut oil but if your family has allergies you shouldn't eat any kind of nuts while pregnant cuz you could pass on the allergy to the baby (at least that's one theory). I also read that flaxseed can be dangerous in pregnancy but not sure why. Here in Switzerland there are 2 brands of margarine that have Omega 3 and 6 in them (Becel and Balance). Anyways, congratulations on the pregnancy and good luck with everything. Amy ______________________________\ ____ Everyone is raving about the all-new Mail beta. http://new.mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2006 Report Share Posted December 1, 2006 I know I already replied once to this post, but I did come across an article which provides and excellent answer to this question (it is a little long but extremely thorough) on Dr. Fuhrman's website, it is much clearer than what I was trying to say: Fatty Acids and Fish Oil Food sources of omega-3 fats The American diet is unquestionably low in Omega-3 fat and too high in Omega-6 fat. Omega 3 fats are healthy fats that reduce inflammation, inhibit cancer development and protect our blood vessels. The basic building block of omega-3 fat is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA can be found in most nuts and seeds, but are particularly rich in flaxseeds, hempseeds, walnuts and leafy green vegetables. Most people do not get enough (ALA) in their diet. Flaxseeds and hempseeds are the foods with the highest concentration of this much- needed fat. Besides omega-3 fats, these seeds also contain very high levels of photochemicals, anti-oxidents and fibers that have been shown to have beneficial effects that inhibit prostate, breast and colon cancer. However, these protective nutrients and cancer-fighting lignans are not present in significant quantity in the oil, only in the whole seed. The whole seeds are tiny and difficult to chew, if ingested whole they typically pass through the body undigested, causing their beneficial nutrients to be lost. Therefore, it is best to buy ground flax or hemp seeds or grind the whole seeds before eating. Ground seeds are also susceptible to rancidity. In my house, we grind a pound at a time using our VitaMix and then store the ground seeds in the freezer to maintain stability of the fats until use. Every morning we just scoop what we need out of the container and put the rest back into the freezer. If you are buying ground seeds, once you open the vacuum sealed package, store it in the freezer. Flax seeds or hemp seeds can also be ground in an inexpensive coffee grinder. The short-chain Omega-3 fats found in seeds, nuts and greens are the building block of the longer chain fat DHA, that our body needs for proper functioning of our brain, nervous system, and immune system. Besides our own production, DHA is also found in fish and fish oil. EPA and DHA are highly beneficial Proponents of fish have long touted the benefits of docoshexanoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid shown to exert significant health benefits. DHA has been shown to protect against dementia, depression, inflammatory diseases and have benefits for the heart, including anti-arrhythmic effects. Low DHA levels are associated with: Heart Disease Depression Schizophrenia Cancer Anxiety/Panic Alzheimer's disease Hyperactivity Attention Deficit Disorder Dyslexia Allergies Autoimmune Illnesses Dermatologic Disorders Inflammatory Bowel Disease Scientists have known for many years that humans can convert short-chain omega-3 fat (ALA) from seeds and greens into the valuable DHA. The question is can we achieve optimal levels without the consumption of fish? Studies show that people have varying ability to convert ALA into DHA, and apparently the answer is that some people eating sufficient ALA from greens, flax and walnuts can achieve adequate levels and others, even if careful to consume more ALA cannot. Conversion of ALA by the body to these more active longer-chain metabolites is inefficient: < 5-10% for EPA and 2-5% for DHA1. Men generally convert less than women. The less fish eaten the more reliant on this conversion and the higher levels of ALA (short- chain fat) is required to produce sufficient levels of DHA. Thus, the total n-3 requirements are higher for vegetarians and those who do not eat any fish. Because of the higher Omega-3 fat requirement for vegetarians and those not eating much fish, nutritional advisors typically encourages the consume high amounts of flax seed oil to permit the conversion of enough DHA. I do not agree with this advice. First of all oil is empty calorie food with little or no vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and flavonoids that were present in the original seeds. To encourage health seekers to consume three tablespoons of flax oil a day is adding 360 low nutrient calories to your daily diet. Furthermore we have a significant collection of data that indicates that the consumption of high doses of ALA from flax oil may increase, not decrease the risk of prostate cancer2. Whereas flax seed consumption has been shown in multiple studies to lower the risk of both breast cancer and prostate cancer3; in contrast, flax oil and high ALA consumption has been linked to increased risk. Should we consume fish and/or fish oil? The amount of DHA can vary significantly in various fish. Some salmon (especially farm raised) has very little DHA, for example. More importantly, several studies have indicated that both fish and fish oil supplements are prone to contamination with toxic materials. For example fish and fish oils have been shown to contain large concentrations of dioxins and PCBs because the dumping of toxic waste and raw sewage into our oceans has taken a toll. Lipid peroxide contamination occurring with aging of the oil further complicates the supposed health benefits of fish oil consumption. Fish and fish oils also contains mercury. Data from the Center for Disease Control indicates that one in 12 women of childbearing age in the United States has unsafe mercury levels, and their threshold for safety is high. The major contributor to body mercury load is fish and fish oils, not dental fillings. Multiple studies have illustrated most of the body's mercury load is from the consumption of fish. In spite of the toxicity and risk of consuming fish, most health authorities still advise the regular consumption of fish. This is because they consider the health benefits demonstrated from an avalanche of scientific studies showing benefits from DHA on the prevention of various diseases, including cancer and heart disease. Not all the studies on people who consume more fish are favorable. Mercury levels from consuming fish have been linked with infertility, neurologic and mental disorders, high blood pressure, and endocrine disorders. Mercury levels from fish consumption have also been directly linked to the risk of heart attack. In an international case controlled study, mercury levels were assessed in 684 European men within 24 hours of a first myocardial infarction and in 724 control subjects without a heart attack. A strong dose response pattern was observed with a more than doubling of the risk for heart attack patients in the highest fifth of mercury levels compared to the lowest. Mercury containing fish and fish oil is obviously not the ideal way to decrease ones risk of heart attack. So epidemiologic data on fish intake and fish-oil consumption is contradictory and inconsistent; with some studies showing a worsening of cardiac events that increase as fish consumption increases. Given the contamination issues with both fish and fish oils and the rancidity of fish oil we cannot consider fish or fish oils, health food. The studies showing an anti-cancer benefit from consuming fish are marred by other studies showing an increased risk of cancer, such as cancer of the breast from eating more fish4. This referenced study was huge and compelling; they followed over 23,000 women and found a doubling of breast cancer in women eating more fish compared to those consuming little or no fish. These inconsistencies and the data linking fish consumption to breast cancer is explained by the pollution in fish and some populations obviously consume more polluted fish than others. DHA is definitely a beneficial fat, but we have to reconsider the source of how we find it. Fish are highly polluted, compared to other foods. We have to seriously take a closer look at the typical recommendations of health authorities to consume more fish. After many years of reviewing the evidence and recording mercury levels in patients that invariably correlate well with their fish consumption, I recommend consuming little or no fish and advice strongly against consuming any of those species of fish notoriously high in mercury such as shark, swordfish, mackerel, pike and bluefish. If you avoid fish and instead consume fish oil, you may still have a problem. One problem with fish oils is that much of the fat has already turned rancid. If you have ever cut open a capsule and tasted it, you will find it can taste like gasoline. Many people complain of burping, indigestion and of fish breath. I have also observed that rancidity of this fish fat places a stress on the liver. Patients of mine with abnormal liver function noted on their blood tests when consuming fish oil have had these tests return to normal when the fish oils were stopped. Searching for a healthful alternatives to fish oil When I draw blood tests for fatty acid analysis on many of my patients, I find that a large percentage of individuals who do not eat fish regularly do not have optimal levels of DHA. I often see patients eating otherwise excellent diets with itchy dry skin, seborrheac dermatitis and other signs of DHA deficiency. How can we assure optimal production of DHA fat for all, if we are hesitant about recommending and consuming fish or refined oils? Fortunately, vegetable derived DHA is an alternative. Laboratory cultivated DHA is made from micro-algae and is a pure form of DHA without rancidity. It is grown in the laboratory, not collected in the wild. It has no mercury or other toxins. Even algae-derived DHA can develop rancidity. Over the last few years, I have worked with a manufacturer to eliminate rancidity and, improve taste and digestibility of these oils. Out of necessity for my patients, I made DHA derived from freeze dried algae to preserve freshness. Dr. Fuhrman's DHA Purity contains 30 ml of pure, all vegan, DHA concentrated liquid. The DHA comes from algae grown under sanitary laboratory conditions. In conjunction with a high nutrient, plant-based diet, I advise all people take one of these supplements daily. Other Supplement Recommendations My recommendations regarding nutritional supplementation are clear and simple: Take one tablespoon of ground flax seeds per day Take 0.5 ml DHA Purity liquid per day Take two Dr. Fuhrman's Gentle Care Formula per day This keeps the supplemental recommendations simple and inexpensive for most of my patients who follow my Eat To Live plan. One bottle of my Gentle Care Formula lasts 3 months, and one bottle of my DHA Purity lasts 2 months. This is a small price to pay for health security assuring all your nutritional bases are covered from minimal supplementation. References: Davis, B. C. and P. M. Kris-Etherton. Achieving optimal essential fatty acid status in vegetarians: current knowledge and practical implications. Am J Clin Nutr 2003;78(3 Suppl):640S-646S. Brenna, J. T. Efficiency of conversion of alpha-linolenic acid to long chain n-3 fatty acids in man. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2002;5(2):127-32. Brouwer IA, Katan MB, Zock PL. Dietary alpha-linolenic acid is associated with reduced risk of fatal coronary heart disease, but increased prostate cancer risk: a meta-analysis. J Nutr 2004 Apr;134(4):919-22 Demark-Wahnefried W, Price DT, Polascik TJ, et al. Pilot study of dietary fat restriction and flaxseed supplementation in men with prostate cancer before surgery: exploring the effects on hormonal levels, prostate-specific antigen, and histopathologic features Urology 2001 Jul;58(1):47-52. Stripp C, Overvad K, Christensen J, et al. Fish intake is positively associated with breast cancer incidence rate. J Nutr 2003;133(11):3664-9. 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Guest guest Posted December 1, 2006 Report Share Posted December 1, 2006 Dear Kerri Normally, vegetarian baby will be more healthy than others cos their mummy looking for more sources of healthy food escpecially during pregnancy such as u n me n i believe such as many other vegetarian mummy. so, it good for you to eat good balance and think positively instead of worrying too much cos beside food transfer to your baby, your emotion and mind will also influence the baby. i eat as much as possible all kind of foods during my pregnancy, means all kinds of fruits, all kinds of vegetable i could get no matter how i dislike them,and i believe by eating all kinds of those food that your eyes can see, it will bring much more nutricient to your body and with the support of positive thinking and calm emotion, your baby will be much more adorable and healthy than any other baby your ever seen before congratulation, dear --- KerriCary <english wrote: > Hi everyone. I'm a newbie on the group, and I > wondered if I could ask > for your (I'm sure) various opinions on this one. > > I'm three months pregnant with my first baby, > vegetarian (not vegan) > for about 8 years now, and I have a neuroscientist > friend who is really > lighting into me about the need for omega 3. The > most well-known source > of this is, of course, fish oil. > > I'm taking a vegetarian (no gelatine) flaxseed oil > supplement every > day, but I don't want to overdo that, since I've > heard that it's a > uterine stimulant and can trigger early labor. > > I've done a little research (I *hate* reading > research reports), and it > seems that I need to worry about getting the " DHA " > type of omega 3, > which (as far as I can tell) is difficult to get > from plant sources. My > husband says that as far as he can tell (from his > reading), the omega 3 > in the flaxseed oil is converted *into* DHA by my > body, but at a much > lower level (I think 20%) than what I'd be getting > from fish oil. > > My husband also tells me that there's some new > source of DHA that comes > from algae. > > This is all making my head spin. I really, really > don't want to eat > fish oil--much less the gelatine capsules that fish > oil generally comes > in--but I also don't want to deprive the squirt in > my belly of anything > that s/he needs. > > But I'm sure there are landlocked civilizations all > over the world > whose people have never seen a fatty, carnivorous > fish, much less eaten > one, whose children turn out just fine. The Germans > don't traditionally > eat much fish, and they seem to be doing all right. > Right? Sigh. > > In terms of other proteins, I eat about 3-4 organic > eggs per day, soy > sausages, whole grain bread, organic cheese, plenty > of organic milk, > plus some beans and tofu (I've really gone off beans > and tofu for some > reason since I got pregnant--can't stomach them), > some Quorn... I get > hungry about every 45 minutes, and protein is the > only thing that > settles my stomach, so I eat an awful lot of it. > > So am I covered? Or do I need to up the flaxseed > oil? Or do I need to > eat more pumpkin seeds or something? Or is the > newfangled algae thing > the way to go? > > Any advice, experience, etc. would be much > appreciated! > > Best, > Kerri > > ______________________________\ ____ Everyone is raving about the all-new Mail beta. http://new.mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Wow, thanks so much for all the advice... especially Karen, very useful information. My husband likes technical details, so he very much appreciated your posts. I'm (most recently) from Arizona, but I'm currently living in England, and I haven't yet seen the Omega-3 eggs in the shops here. We get our organic eggs from a local farmer through an organic delivery service (www.abel-cole.com), and they don't seem to offer them. So unfortunately, that's not an option. However, I was able to find the algae form and am now taking those in addition to a little flaxseed. I found it online at http://www.healthspan.co.uk/. My sister (also veg) checked at a Whole Foods in Baltimore, but they don't carry them yet, although the staff were familiar with them and said they'd ask about it. So she's looking for them to start carrying them soon. Thanks for the information, everyone. I'm so happy to finally be in my 2nd trimester... the sickness is fading, and yesterday I actually craved (and was able to stomach with pleasure) fruit for the first time in months, and inhaled two delicious smoothies on my way home. Yay! ...kerri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Kerri- No problem! Say, I didn't know you were living in England... one thing I did not mention is the plant purslane. It is one of the best plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Generally in the US it is considered a weed, but it is a commonly eaten leafy green vegetable in Europe and Asia. I didn't see it when I last was in England but I wasn't really looking, either... I have heard it is eaten regularly there. You should definitely keep an eye out for it! Next summer I am hoping to grow some in my garden... Good Luck! Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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