Omega 3’s, Berberine, Meditation

All of these topics deserve a long analysis, but I wanted to break down a few radical nuggets for your enjoyment.

I feel it’s less risky to use naturally occurring compounds than to medicate with pharmaceuticals that change our biology and cause crazy side-effects. So, here’s a couple supps that came up this week which have amazing benefits.

Omega 3’s

Fish Oil/Cod Liver Oil/Krill Oil

I’ve used cod liver oil for a while, and I feel better when I do than when I don’t. Most recently I started taking this fish oil. What does the science show? “Patients with multiple sclerosis supplementing 1 gram of fish oil daily for 2 years significantly reduced clinical symptoms of MS.” Rhonda Patrick discussion of omega 3

Increase:

Omega 3 to omega 6 ratio in our body. Since our diets have become too heavy on omega-6, supplementing with omega 3 is probably a good plan.
Brain health through vital fatty acid availability. Besides water, our brains are mostly fat.

Decrease:

Inflammation: According to this article, “having enough omega-3s in your system provides your body with the tools necessary to combat and resolve acute inflammation almost as soon as it is triggered.”
Triglycerides

A few things to note:

Keep them fresh and in the fridge. They can get rancid.
Buy the ones that are molecularly distilled to avoid mercury.
One source says it’s ideal to take fish oil with a 2:1 ratio of EPA to DHA.
If you’re not allergic to shellfish, I’ve heard that krill oil is the best choice, and may have a similar makeup as unicorn blood.

Berberine

I’ve used this a bit before when trying to clear out some unwelcome microbes in my gut, but this week I dug into a bit more and discovered that berberine’s benefits extend far beyond weeding in the gut. It seems like a promising botanical for wellness in several areas.

Decrease:

Blood sugar – This is important because I’ve heard Peter Attia mention insulin sensitivity as one of the most important factors for life extension. It is also important for current health status.
Cholesterol
Toxin-causing bacteria and antibiotic resistant bacteria

Please note: I’ve read about risks associated with taking berberine every day for too long, so probably best to take breaks. A couple weeks on, couple weeks off.

Cool links:

Practice Meditation

Meditation helps MS symptoms. link to a cool article here

The benefits of meditation cannot be overstated. It comes up over and over when I listen to interviews with happy, successful people at the top of their game. It comes up among science geeks who have done their research and describe why it’s magic.

It seems to have become especially important in our culture to take the time out to meditate or seek mindfulness because of the over-stimulating urban environment. There’s no break for our brains, and it’s hard to filter when you’re constantly connected via smartphone notifications.

A lot of people have started with the app Headspace and moved on to their own practice from there. There’s no right or wrong way to meditate, but starting with something very simple is best. Sit still for 10-15 minutes and breathe deeply. Refocus gently to your breath to let thoughts drift away as they appear. Don’t try too hard. Just relax. It gets easier and is always worth the time. I’m trying to add this into my daily routine, either right before I go to sleep or first thing in the morning.

Increase:

Ownership and control over your thoughts and how you respond to stimuli
Blood flow to important parts of your brain
Ability to focus and appreciate

Decrease:

Inflammation
Rumination on negative thoughts and stress from them
Energy wasted from sympathetic nervous system activation

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