Fish or meat for your health?

A study evaluated the health and eating habits of close to 15,000 people age 65 and older from countries around the world, including Peru, China, India, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. And the people who ate fish often -- nearly every day -- were about 20 percent less likely to be diagnosed with dementia compared with the folks who never ate fish. Also, eating one to two 6-ounce servings of omega-3-rich fish each week reduces your risk of dying from heart disease by 36 percent; may protect against Alzheimer's disease; and your all-cause mortality rate drops by 17 percent. Researchers suspect that the inflammation-fighting omega-3 fatty acids in fish produce the benefit.
If you don't care much about your brain: meat. In the study, the more meat people ate (think beef, chicken, and pork) the higher their risk of dementia.

Concerned about mercury in your fish?
Unfortunately, most fish contain some mercury, thanks to industrial processing. But the less time fish spend simply living in a mercury-laden environment or eating other fish containing mercury, the lower the contamination levels will be. So for low-mercury fish, we're talking small fish that don't eat many other fish (or fish meal) and don't have a long life span. Here are five good choices:
1. Salmon (wild): 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids per 2 ounces of fish;* 0.014 parts per million mercury concentration
2. Herring: 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids per 1 ounce of fish;* 0.044 parts per million mercury concentration
3. Sardines: 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids per 2-3 ounces of fish;* 0.016 parts per million mercury concentration
4. Trout (freshwater): 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids per 3-4 ounces of fish;* 0.072 parts per million mercury concentration
5. Pollock: 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids per 6.5 ounces of fish;* 0.041 parts per million mercury concentration
*Oil content varies widely, depending on species, season, environment, diet, and packing and cooking methods.

Here's the list of fish to avoid:
• King mackerel: 0.73 parts per million mercury concentration
• Shark: 0.99 parts per million mercury concentration
• Swordfish: 0.98 parts per million mercury concentration
• Tilefish (Gulf of Mexico): 1.45 parts per million mercury concentration
So where does the tuna fall? Pretty close to the middle of the road, actually, with mercury concentration ranging from 0.12 to 0.69 parts per million, depending on what kind of tuna you eat. And you'll need to eat anywhere from 3.5-12 ounces to get 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids, depending on how you take your tuna: Fresh tuna has the most and canned chunk light tuna has the least. But chunk light tuna also has the least mercury.

A fish-oil supplement is a surefire way to get the omega-3 fatty acids you want and need. But talk to your doctor first. Fish-oil supplements, or too much, are dangerous for certain people.

Ref:- Dietary fish and meat intake and dementia in Latin America, China, and India: a 10/66 Dementia Research Group population-based study. Albanese, E., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009 Aug;90(2):392-400.
Fish intake, contaminants, and human health: evaluating the risks and the benefits. Mozaffarian, D., Rimm, E. B., Journal of the American Medical Association 2006 Oct 18;296(15):1885-1899.
Fish consumption, fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids, and cardiovascular disease. Kris-Etherton, P. M., Harris, W. S., Appel, L. J., American Heart Association. Nutrition Committee. Circulation 2002 Nov 19;106(21):2747-2757.

Wanna curb late night snacking?

So there I am at night in-front if my computer. I’m tired, but want to carry on and get more stuff done. The more tired I get my body wants energy to keep it awake; it’s then that those cravings creep in…hmmm for something salty! So in efforts to be ‘good’ I go for a bag of 100 cal popcorn. Bad habit I’ve gotten into. Why bad? Because it’s late at night – I’m not hungry - I only want it because I’m tired. And because it’s becoming a little too regular, and this is pure carbs. Carbs are your body’s quick source of energy;- so if all I’m doing is going to sleep then my body won’t have chance to burn them off and so will store that excess energy supply …as fat! Remember that snacks can add up, and its only takes 500 cals of unused cals a day to add on 1lb/week. This can easily add up to 4/5lbs in a month and so on.
It’s that mindless eating, the strong late night cravings, when our discipline is low. It’s all OK if you know how much your body needs. It’s knowing that difference – knowing your body. For me…I either need to stop or find a better alternative.
How do I break that habit? Either decide to just go to bed. Or by having some basic knowledge about carbs/fat/cals etc and knowing that this late night snack is – carb-wise - more than my entire breakfast, or equivalent to a healthy lunch/dinner for me. THIS is the wake-up call I need to stop.
In addition, often such late night eating can lead to bloating/gas during the night. Also, it can mean we’re not hungry for breakfast and that may lead some of us to skip that meal…BAD IDEA!!
So if you have to give into that craving – try small portions of exactly what you crave. Or try healthier options such as peanut butter and apple slices, veggies & hummus dip, low fat cheese slices, cup of broth…or maybe a cup of iced water – as hunger often hides thirst. Even a diet soda can give your taste buds that flavor they’re seeking.
Try and switch your brain onto something else..what you're working on, a TV programme, what your plans are tomorrow or at the weekend. often just waiting 10mins can lessen the urge.

What food cravings do you give into late at night? And have you found ways to make them healthier or stop?