Posted on 07/22/2009 12:14:47 PM PDT by nickcarraway
We've all heard it before: a diet rich in fish is good for the heart. But now there's new evidence that eating a healthy dose of PETA's recently rebranded "sea kittens" can help ward off dementia as well.
(I couldn't resist posting a quick note about this study on the heels of PETA's "Sea Kitten State Park" proposal.)
One of the largest efforts to establish a clear connection between fish and brain health — and the first such study conducted in the developing world — has found that older adults in Asia and Latin America were less likely to develop dementia if they regularly consumed fish. And the more fish they ate, the more they lowered their risk.
Fish (especially of the oily variety) may be protective against dementia because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s have been shown to reduce the build-up of atherosclerotic plaques and may also prevent the accumulation of amyloid plaques in the brain characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.
The study, which included 15,000 people ages 65 and older in China, India, Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, Peru and the Dominican Republic, found that those who ate fish nearly every day were almost 20 percent less likely to develop dementia than those who ate fish just a few days a week. Adults who ate fish a few days a week were almost 20 percent less likely to develop dementia than those who ate no fish at all.
Interestingly, exactly the opposite is true for meat: the more meat we consume, the more likely we are to have dementia. (Other studies have shown that red meat in particular may indeed be bad for the brain.)
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
A large recent study shows that regular fish consumption can reduce our risk of dementia, a condition that affects 24 million people worldwide. The benefits of fish oil have been widely studied. The new study is the first to explore dementia and dietary fish intake in low to middle income countries.
The study, published in the August 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests that Omega 3 fatty acids from fish oils can help ward of dementia later in life, extending previous findings that fish oils are beneficial for brain health.
Investigators explored dementia and diet in seven countries to find the link, conducting face to face interviews and assessments of cognitive decline among 14,960 participants in China, India, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, and Peru.
With the exception of India, fish consumption was found to be associated with lower incidence of dementia in low to middle income countries. The study group included individuals over age 65. Oily fish are a good source of polyunsaturated fatty acid, known to contribute to overall health and well-being. Fish oils can help prevent heart disease, heart attack, by reducing inflammation. Omega 3 fatty acids have also been found to be neuroprotective, preserving brain function, in past studies.
Previous studies of industrialized countries have shown that omega 3 fatty acids from fish can slow cognitive decline, and is linked to lower risk of dementia with aging. Because red meat consumption is higher in industrialized societies, scientists have been unable to determine if red meat consumption contributes to dementia.
The researchers are still not certain whether red meat contributes to declining brain health and memory loss, though there was a modest increase in dementia found among older individuals who consume more red meat. The current study supports the role of omega 3 fatty acids from fish to reduce our chances of dementia. The research clarifies that dementia risk is reduced in low to middle income countries as the result of consuming fish, extending previous research in industrialized countries. Consuming more fish can reduce our risk of dementia later in life, especially combined with other healthy lifestyle factors to include regular aerobic activity.
Sea kittens. *&...
I eat Sea Kittens at least twice a week...I love them!!
PETA wants you to starve to death on grass it seems. Can I have your stereo? :)
The more that PETA talks these days, the more I wonder if it’s been infiltrated by stealth comedy team making fun of animal rights activists.
Sea kittens...lolol
Isn’t PETA the organization that breaks the necks of “rescued” puppy dogs in the backs of vans?
And then tosses the bodies into random dumpsters.
And haven’t a bunch of PETA staffers been prosecuted for animal cruelty?
I think this “Sea Kitten” thing is a PETA tactic to make kittens more killable.
If an animal doesn’t have a home, PETA wants to kill it.
Does anyone remember Sea Monkey’s that you could order from the comics? What were those things anyhow? My mom never let me order any, so I could never grow a family of fun.
They were brine shrimp.
Yes, but what if you got a disfunctional family? And they were throwing plates at each other on the table in their little castle, like the ad showed.
They have have some Genetically Modified Pigs that produce pork with as much omega 3 per pound as Fish does....
I had a friend from school how claimed he ordered them and that the Sea Monkeys looked and acted exactly like the picture showed.
He claimed he grew tired of them, so he executed them with a BB gun.
Those X-Ray glasses were a disapointment is all I know!
PathEIicA can call ‘em whatever they want — sea kittens is just fine by me.
They’re tasty and I’ll go on eating them. They’re sweet by any name.
Heck, if I were hungry enough, I’d eat REAL kittens. PETA be damned.
>> He claimed he grew tired of them, so he executed [his sea monkeys] with a BB gun.
Ew. Gross. Shot his Monkey.
When I was that age, I just spanked my Monkey to death.
That’s it!!
I’ve caught and eaten lots of cats, some of them small enough to be kittens. Those I just throw back.
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