Mmmmm…. Fish Oil!
Codliver oil.
I still vividly remember those mornings back in grade school, wolfing down my breakfast hoping that if I ate fast enough, Grandma would forget to take that little bottle out of the fridge.
Most mornings, Grandma outsmarted me. When I had my guard down, she’d press my little body up against the fridge, force a spoonful into my mouth, and hold me there until I demonstrated I’d swallowed it. Blech!
It took 20 years to recover from the trauma, but now I genuinely thank her for it. This thoroughly old-fashioned habit (while always popular with Norwegian grandmas) is making a comeback, even here in the states. Today’s New York Times presents some very compelling results here tying fish oil (or more specifically, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids) to improvements in childhood behavioral health. According to the article, some health practitioners are even prescribing fish oil before trying medications. It concludes by advising everyone to “take fish oil only under the supervision of a health care provider”.
Hm, what? What was that? I need to ask my doctor before me or my child (if I had one) takes fish oil?
I grew up on this stuff! My family didn’t ask anyone before they fed it to me. And I turned out fine…
I thought about this a little, and came up with the following possible reasons.
1. Mercury and other ocean contaminants. So, before you take any fish oils, do be careful that the are cleaned of any such impurities.
2. Doctors think parents might begin to self-treat all misbehaving children with massive doses of fish oil in place of medications for ADHD et al. Well – don’t do that. Just increase you (or your child’s) intake of fish oils or omega-3s in a reasonable fashion, with either a single daily supplement or by increasing your intake of fatty fish, walnuts and flaxseeds (ground, of course!).
3. NYT is afraid of being sued. I’m putting my money on this one.
The bottom line is, it’s exciting to see that once again, good nutrition and a healthy diet can directly contribute to your well-being and may even positively impact behavioral conditions. So be good to yourself and eat your Omegas! After all, the most significant drug we take is the food we eat everyday.
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