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On this podcast we continue with our focus on Back to School and what you can do to help keep your kids at their top of their game. Today we will be talking with a Naturopathic doctor about the importance of EFA’s.
Douglas MacKay is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor who is committed to the advancement of natural and preventive medicine. He currently serves as Nordic Naturals Research Advisor, facilitating the numerous ongoing human clinical trials using Nordic Natural products. Dr. MacKay also maintains a part-time practice and was the Founder of MacKay Naturopathic Center in Dover, NH, Dr. In addition, he has written a book on natural treatments for Hepatitis, and is featured weekly on the “Natural Health Hour,” a nationally syndicated radio broadcast.
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Nice podcasts!
August 16th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
This is my first time visiting your site as well as listening to one of your podcasts.
I had to laugh at the fish oil comment about not tasting all that great…. boy is that a fact!! It’s nasty.
What I’d like to know, is how you can rid yourself of the after-taste that fish oil sometimes causes?
While pregnant, I took fish oil capsules and about an hour or two later, I would burp up fish taste. Sorry no other way to say without being graphic.
I found your site and podcasts via
http://modmom.blogspot.com/
August 16th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
I LOVE the taste of Nordic Naturals fish oil. My daughter and I chew it!
I also found your site via:
http://modmom.blogspot.com
August 16th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Great podcast by the way.
August 16th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Thanks for the great information! We are big fans of the benefits of fish oils here.
I got here via http://modmom.blogspot.com/
August 16th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
Eating healthy is so important for everyone. Thanks for a great reminder and more reasons to eat better!
August 16th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
Great information about EFA’s for children.
I wish my 4 yr old daughter would eat salmon.
She tried a Nordic fish oil supplement sample this week, coincidentally. She grimaced + said, “ew, tastes like toothpaste” + spit out the gelatin capsule. I tried one to see what she meant and I agreed it tastes like her strawberry toothpaste, then the gelatin capsule is tasteless and thick and I spit it out too. I think it would be a better product if the gelatin part + the fish oil tasted more like gummy bear vitamins.
I found this podcast via http://modmom.blogspot.com
August 17th, 2007 at 12:47 am
Wow… it took a while for the definition of “EFA” to be provided.
I have fish oil tablets that I find difficult to remember to take. If I take a parsley oil tablet at the same time I take the fish oil then there is no bad after taste.
August 17th, 2007 at 5:45 am
I liked the explanations of the reasons the body needs EFA. Mr. MacKay talked a lot about the EFA supplement but only briefly mentioned the foods you can buy and consume to get those nutrients. Wouldn’t it be better to incorporate some of those foods into your diet instead of relying on a supplement?
August 17th, 2007 at 6:46 am
This is my first time listening to these podcasts. The sound quality is good and they’re a manageable length.
I’m a vegetarian, so fish oil is not useful to me (nor are gelatin capsules), but luckily there are other options.
August 17th, 2007 at 7:02 am
Good info, thanks!
Found you through http://modmom.blogspot.com
August 17th, 2007 at 7:02 am
This was really interesting to me, though I am hesitant to jump on the supplements bandwagon. Especially for kids, I want to make sure I’m not getting them used to having their vitamins and nutrients in supplements rather than gaining them from their food. Then again, being pregnant makes me crave fruit even while taking those huge prenatal vitamins, so maybe I’m just being too hesitant. Either way, it was good to learn about the use of these nutrients – the fact that I will be passing them all to my baby in the third trimester is amazing!
August 17th, 2007 at 7:05 am
Interesting pregnancy info about omega 3’s
August 17th, 2007 at 7:47 am
Great information about strawberry flavored o3’s for kids. We’ll have to try those
August 17th, 2007 at 7:49 am
Very Cool! LOVE whole foods
August 17th, 2007 at 8:00 am
oops, forgot the website. I STILL love whole foods!
August 17th, 2007 at 8:01 am
I was going to ask the same thing as Laura(above poster) I too wanted to know about the fish oil, it’s a pretty bad after taste.
I saw your podcast from
http://modmom.blogspot.com
August 17th, 2007 at 8:16 am
interesting podcasts, thanks!
August 17th, 2007 at 8:34 am
Interesting! My family loves the fish oil, but I haven’t tried it yet- thanks for the information!
August 17th, 2007 at 8:51 am
really enjoyed your podcast. thank you for the great info.
found you on: http://modmom.blogspot.com
August 17th, 2007 at 8:55 am
This was a great pod cast it gave me lots of new info on what I should be including in my sons diet.
August 17th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Thank you for all the information on DHAs and developing children!
August 17th, 2007 at 10:09 am
The supplements seen to be a good option for parents who have concerns about mercury levels in fish.
Thanks to http://modmom.blogspot.com for cluing me in to this podcast.
August 17th, 2007 at 10:12 am
Oops! “seem,” I mean.
August 17th, 2007 at 10:13 am
I don’t eat enough fish at all. This would be a great product for me.
Thanks,
http://modmom.blogspot.com
August 17th, 2007 at 10:19 am
Thank you for all of your feedback! We appreciate all of your comments, and will do our best to address questions as they come. Regarding the after taste of some fish oil capsules, the first thing to ensure is the freshness of the product. Expiration dates are extremely important for oils. My second answer depends on the individual. Some people may love one brand, while others unfortunately experience the after taste. Try different high quality brands to find one that works for you; it may be different from your friends’ or family members’ favorite. It also helps to take the capsules with other food. Lastly, try the children’s chewables – they really do taste good!
August 17th, 2007 at 10:19 am
Enjoyed the podcast, although it was sort of a plug. I would have liked a definition of EFA sooner (was ironically racking my brain for what that stood for!). Makes me want to feed my child more sardines and salmon!
August 17th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Sorry, forgot to mention that I found you via:
http://modmom.blogspot.com
August 17th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Are there chewable fish oil capsules?
Are there vegan EFA supplements?
Found podcast via http://modmom.blogspot.com/
August 17th, 2007 at 11:43 am
I found this podcast at http://modmom.blogspot.com
I found it very information, but I have a couple of ?s : 1- what age can you give the fish oil supplement to children, he mentioned very young, but I didn’t catch a specific age.
2- Also being in my 3rd trimester I found his comments particularly poignant, but I am wondering if there is a recommendation for a supplement during pregnancy.
Cheers,
Miranda
August 17th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Great site, and I found the podcasts quite good. I use a big glass of OJ to get rid of a fishy after taste from capsules (for anyone who is interested)
I found this site via :
http://modmom.blogspot.com
August 17th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Great information!! Thanks!
August 17th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
i really like your podcast.
i found it via:
http://modmom.blogspot.com/
August 18th, 2007 at 10:10 am
I’m a first time visitor here and found your site via: http://modmom.blogspot.com. I liked listening to the Podcasts! Very interesting and informative. I’ve been taking fish oil to bring down my Cholesterol. It was recommended that I take that to try to help get my Trig’s down. As far as age to the previous commenter, I believe he said age 5.
Love these Podcasts!!
August 18th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Thanks for the info! I am so glad I took a PNV with DHA supplement duing my pregnancy. I didn’t realize how important it was to my baby when he was developing.
I found your podcast at
http://modmom.blogspot.com
August 19th, 2007 at 1:29 am
I just found this Podcast by accident. I think it is wonderful, and I will definitely be back to hear more. Thanks
August 19th, 2007 at 10:40 am
This was a great podcast! Enter me in the giveaway please!
August 19th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
I love Omega 3’s and am glad to get some info on it for my kids.
heard about you through http://www.modmom.blogspot.com
August 19th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
This was a great clip of information – and timely as my doctor had just recommended a daliy dose of fish oils for me.
I got here via http://modmom.blogspot.com .
August 19th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
We’re glad to hear all the feedback for fish oils! Regarding age and chewable EFAs (essential fatty acids) the “Children’s DHA” product from Nordic Naturals is for ages 3 and over, and it is chewable. Most of the children’s EFA products on the market are chewable or in liquid form. Also, yes, there are specific supplements for pregnancy. Prenatal EFA supplements will contain DHA as well as EPA, the two kinds of omega 3 EFAs.
August 20th, 2007 at 10:37 am
Yes, chewable EFA (essential fatty acid) supplements are available, as well as liquid forms, for children and adults. For vegans wishing to supplement EFAs, flaxseed oil is a good option, as well as hemp seed oil. They can both be taken by the spoonful, or added to salads, oatmeal, smoothies, sauces, veggies, stir-fries (after they are cooked) etc. I even drizzle them on my corn on the cob!
August 20th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Stepping back to comment on foods that are high in EFAs: Yes, it’s always smart to get what we need from foods when possible. Walnuts, flaxseeds (ground), pumpkin seeds, and of course fatty fish are all sources of omega 3 EFAs in the diet. Plus, olive oil, olives, avocado, almonds, and other nuts and seeds are all good sources of heart-healthy fats. Still, there are times when we can’t get enough nutrients from foods alone. Supplements, especially for EFAs, may still be smart.
August 20th, 2007 at 11:02 am
Wonderful information! I got here via http://modmom.blogspot.com
August 20th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
This is great info – I take flax oil myself (to help with elevated triglyceride levels) and try to get my EFA’s through my diet since I’m a vegetarian. As we have a kid on the way, it’s great to start thinking about all of this information as it relates to children.
August 21st, 2007 at 10:14 am
I found this podcast via http://modmom.blogspot.com/, and I’m glad I did! I will be sure to tune in for future podcasts. We in Nashville are really excited to finally have a Whole Foods opening here soon.
August 21st, 2007 at 1:05 pm
We eat salmon weekly, my 2 year old loves it (most of the time). Thanks for the reminders to eat healthy, it can be tough some days.
I found out about this podcast via http://modmom.blogspot.com
Thanks!
August 21st, 2007 at 1:33 pm
I read somewhere you can start a baby as young as 6 months old on the oil, is this true?
If so can you get too much of a good thing through supplements as it’s in some formula’s cereals, etc.
I found this podcast via http://modmom.blogspot.com
August 21st, 2007 at 3:53 pm
I agree about fish oil capsules tasting gross. We are vegetarians as well, so perhaps a children’s chewable or alternative would work better. Thanks for the info though!
August 21st, 2007 at 6:29 pm
Thanks! Excellent reminder for me to take my fish oil every day. Both for me and for my son, since I’m still nursing.
We use Coromega, which is awesome for those who don’t care so much for the oil taste.
Also got here via: http://modmom.blogspot.com and am very glad I did!
August 22nd, 2007 at 9:41 am
These podcasts are a great idea! I feel like I got excellent advice during my pregnancy, but it seems like it can be difficult sometimes to know where to look for nutritional information afterwards.
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:02 pm
It is nice to find out about a co who make the fish oil and other EFAs in a child friendly capsul. I will remember to try Nordic Natural products .
Found this pod cast at
http://www.modmom.blogspot.com
August 23rd, 2007 at 2:14 am
Great info, thanks.
Found you through http://modmom.blogspot.com
August 23rd, 2007 at 9:07 am
Wow, I have never thought to look for a podcast from a grocery store. This line is very informative, though!
August 24th, 2007 at 7:39 am
Very informative podcast!! This information is especially important as our kids go back to school and are often faced with lunches/snacks that are nutritionally below-par. Making sure that our kids get the correct supplements, like those mentioned in the podcast, and ensuring that their meals contain EFA-rich foods (i.e. walnuts, salmon, enriched eggs, squash, etc.) helps kids stay alert & active throughout the day.
http://modmom.blogspot.com
August 24th, 2007 at 8:37 am
Thanks for the great info. We miss WF now that we are in southwestern Colorado.
http://modmom.blogspot.com is an amazing blog!! Sign up!
August 24th, 2007 at 9:05 am
EFA supplementation for babies? The Institute of Medicine (IOM) tells us that the adequate intake for omega-3s for infants is 0.5 g/day, which is based on average breast milk levels. (Breast milk or fortified formula should supply adequate omega-3s up to 6 months, so no supplementation should be needed for baby if mom’s intake and/or the formula is adequate. After 6 months, a combination of breast milk and complementary foods should supply adequate intake. If complementary foods and breast milk or formula are not supplying the recommended 0.5 g/day, we recommend working with your health care provider to determine the best course of action for supplementation. (Note that if supplementation is recommended, wait until at least a year for fish oil supplements due to allergy concerns. Instead, consider algal-derived DHA supplements or DHA-enriched foods.)
August 24th, 2007 at 11:40 am
This was the first time that I’ve ever listened to the Whole Food podcast, and it was so informative.
I especially was interested in the concept of the fish oils and all that they can do to help us. My granddaughter just started on hers, and loves them! Great information on the podcast…I intend to be an avid listener. Thanks!
August 24th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
Does anyone know why nordic naturals strwberry flavored fish oil dha is only for ages 3 and up? I’ve been giving these to my 2 1/2 yr old and am now really concerned after reading the back of the bottle. It is printed in red bold print. The person at the store I purchased from recommended these and knew my son was 2. Anyone?
August 29th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Essential fat supplements for toddlers: In this case, contacting the company will be the best way to find out the rationale regarding product age recommendations. http://www.NordicNaturals.com or 800-662-2544. They will be able to give more details than here, although we see no cause for alarm.
September 6th, 2007 at 9:24 am
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