Designing the "salmon steak" of the future
As you know, I'm a big fan of Omega 3 fatty acids. They are
among the very best forms of nourishment you can give your
heart - significantly reducing the risk of stroke and heart
attacks in study after study. That's why I recommend eating
so many Omega 3-rich foods like salmon and other cold-water
fishes.
If you've been with me for a while, you also probably know
that I'm becoming more of a fan of genetically modified
foods. And if what they're reporting in a recent edition
of USA Today is true, I may end up being even more optimistic
about certain types of GM foods in the future. Here's what
I'm talking about:
Apparently, genetic scientists have found a way to insert a
gene from one animal into another in a way that radically
boosts the Omega 3 fatty acid content in the meat of the
test animal's offspring.
What's this mean? It means that if you don't like salmon,
trout, halibut, or other fish (or are allergic to them),
you may one day be able to get all the heart-healthy, life-
giving Omega 3s you need from steak, eggs, ham, or other
types of meats you find more palatable. Of course, it
remains to be seen whether these preliminary lab-animal
results can be successfully replicated to livestock species
like pigs and cows - and whether it's PERFECTLY SAFE in
every way for human consumption…
But if these things hold true (and I'm confident that they
will), the steak, bacon, and eggs I already consider nearly
perfect foods may end being the Omega 3-packed super-foods
of the future!
Of course, I'm reserving judgment about this until the
proof's on my plate, but on the face of it, I'm tempted to
give this new "super-meat" my tentative endorsement.
Naturally, I want to hear and learn more before I come to a
firm judgement - and as I do, so shall you. For the record,
though, I labor under no illusions that more and more genetic
experimentation isn't coming. It's simply inevitable. And for
now, I'm choosing to focus on the positive aspects of this
awesome new power.
Let's hope I'm right about it.
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Women benefit from spinal "tapping"
More prevalent in women than men, osteoporosis is
nevertheless a disease that's on everyone's radar screen
nowadays. Whether or not people are doing the right things
to correct and treat this degenerative bone condition,
though, is another matter. Doctors and health experts seem
divided as to the best course of action. One thing that has
shown promise in combating the condition is a high intake of
dietary silicon. And what's one of the VERY BEST sources of
easily bio-available silicon?
Beer.
That's right, tipping a pint or two is sound medicine for
anyone suffering from (or worried about) osteoporosis.
According to some recent UK research, beer consumption
yielded a significant and repeatable increase in blood
silicon levels in healthy volunteers of both sexes.
Oddly, the amount of silicon in beers examined varied
greatly. Researchers speculated that this inconsistency was
likely due to variations in the way the malted barley from
which many beers are made is processed. The silicon in beer
comes from the grain husks, which may be more or less
present from batch to batch. No link was detected between
silicon content and the type of beer, either. Ales, lagers,
stouts, and wheat beers of canned, bottled, or draft
varieties all contained plenty of silicon.
And because this element is more readily available to the
body in the soluble form found in beers, downing a pint
gives you much more usable silicon per serving than most
foods - or even supplements (if there is such a thing).
So, ladies, next time your man offers to buy you a draft,
take him up on it! It's one of the very best things you can
do for your bone and spinal heath.
Naturally engineered to love meat and beer,
William Campbell Douglass II, MD
