Publisher/Editor
Randy Hartnell
Producer
Craig Weatherby
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VitalChoices
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The Vital Choice Advantage
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Click here to learn about the Vital Choice Advantage ... the many reasons why William Sears, M.D. — renowned as "America's Baby Doctor"— calls Vital Choice his favorite salmon source.
To quote the good doctor, "Because I am very picky about what I feed my family, I was pleased to learn that the seafood products from Vital Choice had been tested and certified to be free of harmful levels of mercury and pesticides. And it was so easy to get. I simply went online, placed my order and in two days a box of fully frozen seafood and wild blueberries arrived at our door."
"Over the past year many patients in our pediatric practice have happily ordered seafood and other products from www.VitalChoice.com and they have been very pleased."
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Pure Alaskan Sockeye Oil!
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“Diets rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids fight disease and contribute to overall better health.” — National Research Council
We use only whole, unrefined oil from wild Alaskan sockeye salmon to make our premium fish oil supplements.
As a result, each softgel provides not only the omega-3 fatty acids (EPA + DHA) found in most fish oil capsules, but an additional 32 other natural fatty acids.
Our salmon oil is also rich in the potent, antioxidant pigment astaxanthin, which gives sockeye its distinctive deep-red flesh. You won't find these valuable nutritional factors in standard, refined fish oils.
This nutritional advantage is possible because wild Alaskan sockeye salmon is one of the cleanest fish in the sea: a trait reflected in the inherent safety of its oil. And, we test our oil periodically to confirm that fact.
Ours is also the only salmon oil supplement certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (www.msc.org).
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Safe Seafood is a Vital Choice
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Seeking safe seafood? We test every product periodically so that you can enjoy Vital Choice seafood with confidence.
Our wild Alaskan
salmon, halibut, sablefish and Portugese sardines are naturally low in mercury.
What about our albacore tuna? Tuna accumulate mercury as they age, which is why the EPA and FDA categorize standard canned albacore—derived from very large, mature tuna—as relatively high in mercury.
Lab tests show that on average, our succulent young Pacific albacore tuna (fresh or canned) is remarkably low in methyl mercury, with just 0.08 parts per million versus 0.34 ppm, or 75 percent less than standard canned albacore.
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Reserve a Manhattan Rendevous
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We’d love to see you at the upcoming Live Well New York exposition: a consumer event focused on healthy lifestyles.
You'll get nutritional guidance, watch demonstrations of exercise, cooking techniques, learn first hand about new medical techniques, listen to lectures from respected authorities in the areas of Nutrition, Fitness, Personal Care & Appearance and Wellness ... including Dr. Perricone.
While there, be sure and say hello to Vital Choice enthusiast and world record weight-lifter, Kara Bohigian, AKA “The Bench-Pressing Barbie.”
Click here to purchase tickets at discount rates:
$50 off VIP Admission (meet the keynote speakers at exclusive receptions following each presentation)
$10 off Keynote Admission
$5 off General Admission
April 23 to 24 — Live Well New York, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.
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N.Y. Times Calls Wild Salmon a Gamble for Consumers
Paper confirms our expose of "farmed-as-wild" labeling scam
by Randy Hartnell
Last December, we published a story titled “Buyer Beware: Trip to the Big Apple reveals a shameless salmon ‘shell game’”. The article related the dismaying results of my tour of the famed Fulton Fish Market in lower Manhattan.
There, I discovered a “farmed as wild” labeling scam that was confirmed by The New York Times when it conducted its own subsequent investigation. The results appeared in the newspaper on Sunday, April 10.
Last year’s salmon sleuthing
In November of 2004, I was in New York City with Andrew Weil, M.D., where we were to be interviewed for a TV news story. The foci of the syndicated feature were the health benefits of omega-3s, salmon as the premier healthy source, and the distinctions between wild and farmed salmon.
While touring New York’s Fulton Fish Market we came upon stacks of boxes labeled “Wild King Salmon,” in an area used by a major distributor that ships thousands of pounds of salmon every week. Because I knew fresh wild King salmon was out of season, I asked the owner the source of the salmon. To our surprise, he freely admitted that the salmon labeled “wild” was actually farmed fish.
We were left to wonder how much of the farmed salmon in the market is mislabeled as “wild.” Now, thanks to a follow up investigation by the New York Times, we know the disturbing answer ...
[Click here for full story]
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Inflammation, Cardiovascular Disease, and Omega-3s
Research confirms damaging interaction between cholesterol and inflammation
by Craig Weatherby
Doctors’ understanding of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is undergoing a sea change, as exemplified by a recently published study from Harvard University researchers who examined predictors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women.
The results highlight the shifting view of CVD, from being a condition caused solely by imbalanced cholesterol levels, to one in which inflammation plays a key role.
The authors analyzed data from the Women's Health Initiative, which followed more than 72,000 women, aged 50 to 79. They found that participating women with a white blood cell count in the high normal range—more than 6.7 billion white cells per liter of blood—had twice the risk of fatal heart disease, and were 40 percent more likely to have heart attacks, 46 percent more likely to have strokes, and 50 percent more likely to die of all causes over the next six years, compared to those with a count of 4.7 billion white cells per liter.
White blood cells are part of the body's immune defense system, and their levels measure inflammation in the body. This report adds to the growing body of evidence that inflammation play an important role in cardiovascular disease.
Studies examining links between CVD and inflammation have focused mostly on a molecule called C-reactive protein (CRP) as a marker of inflammation. This study also measured CRP levels, and found that white blood cell readings were just as good as an indicator of risk. The risk of CVD among women with elevated levels of both inflammation markers—white blood cells and CRP—was seven times higher than in women with lower levels of both markers.
The finding itself is not new, but its application to women is. The real significance of this study is that it adds momentum to a shift in our understanding of cardiovascular disease, with implications for prevention and treatment, and the role omega-3s may play in the future. Hang on for a ride though the world of recent CVD research.
Inflammation, and cardiovascular disease (CVD)
Doctors once viewed the risk of heart attacks primarily as a “clogged drains” plumbing problem, in which fatty ...
[Click here for full story]
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Berries Seen Reducing Brain Damage from Strokes
Study supports stroke-protective power of colorful plant foods
by Craig Weatherby
Need an incentive to eat berries and spinach? Confirming the results of prior animal studies, researchers have found that rats fed diets enriched with antioxidant-rich blueberries, spinach or spirulina (a supplemental algae) experienced less brain cell loss and improved recovery of movement following a stroke.
As the scientists said, “We found that animals which received blueberry, spinach, or spirulina enriched diets had a significant reduction in the volume of infarction [blockage of blood circulation] in the cerebral cortex and an increase in post-stroke locomotor activity. In conclusion, our data suggest that chronic treatment with blueberry, spinach, or spirulina reduces ischemia/reperfusion-induced apoptosis [disintegration of cells] and cerebral infarction.”
In plain English, lead researcher Paul Bickford, Ph.D. described the results ...
[Click here for full story]
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DHA Helps Heal Arteries in High-Cholesterol Kids
Study illuminates heart-protective function of key omega-3 in fish fat
by Craig Weatherby
One of the saddest side effects of America’s high-calorie, high-fat, super-sedentary lifestyle is its impact on children.
In addition to unprecedented rates of “adult” diabetes in children, we are seeing warning signs of cardiovascular disease in children, including imbalanced cholesterol levels, and dysfunction in the endothelial cells lining their arteries. Researchers in Britain, where diets and lifestyles resemble ours, found that the arteries in 20 per cent of 11-to-14 year olds they examined showed signs deterioration.
Childhood cholesterol levels were not well-established until fairly recently but experts now believe that high cholesterol in children may be common. Recent UK research revealed that 20 per cent of a group of 11-14 year olds were already experiencing deterioration in their micro-vascular health.
Vascular deterioration or imbalanced cholesterol levels will raise a child's chances of later developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). We lack research showing that statins—drugs that lower cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation, and improve vascular endothelial cell function—are safe for children, so ...
[Click here for full story]
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Dr. Perricone Opens First Retail Store, in NYC
Display of “super foods” features Vital Choice Wild Red salmon
by Randy Hartnell
When my wife Carla and I were in New York City to visit our daughter—a student at the Parsons School of Design—we stopped into the very first N.V. Perricone, M.D. retail store, which opened on April 5th.
Located in the heart of Manhattan’s midtown shopping district, Dr. Perricone’s visually striking flagship store at Madison Avenue and 67th Street offers visitors a chance to explore his pioneering, science-based approach to health and beauty.
We were pleased and gratified to see ...
[Click here for full story]
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Spanish Sablefish, 3 Passover Recipes, South Asian Salmon, and Dr. Weil’s Sardine Spread
If you observe Passover, we have three pareve recipes: one for our newly Kosher-certified fresh/frozen salmon, and two for our Kosher-certified canned salmon and tuna.
We’ve been hearing that you need more sablefish recipes, so try this zesty Iberian approach to this spectacularly rich, delicious fish, which has more omega-3s than salmon.
Last, but not least, we offer Dr. Andrew Weil’s simple recipe for making great sardine sandwiches. Enjoy!
Passover Salmon Croquettes
Makes 12-14 patties.
2 6.5 oz. cans Vital Choice skinless-boneless Wild Red salmon*
2 eggs, beaten
1 small onion, chopped finely
4 tbsp matzoh meal
salt and pepper to taste
- Separate salmon, saving juice. Shred salmon into fine pieces and put into a mixing bowl, adding the juice from the can. Add beaten eggs, onions, salt, pepper, and matzoh meal. Mix all ingredients well.
- Heat frying pan on medium heat. Form mixture into patties and fry on both sides until well browned.
- Serve hot or cooled.
*certified Kosher OU
Passover Tuna in Bell Peppers
Serves 3 to 4
Dressing
1/2 cup low-sodium tomato juice
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
Pinch black pepper, or to taste
In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients.
Tuna Salad
2 6 oz. cans Vital Choice Albacore tuna*, drained
2 tbsp. green or red pepper, minced
2 small carrots, shredded
2 green peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
In another bowl, combine the tuna, carrot, and minced pepper. Pour the dressing into the tuna salad and mix thoroughly. Fill the green pepper halves.
*Vital Choice albacore is certified Kosher OU B.Y. and M.T. (full oversight). Our albacore was shown to average less than one-third the mercury present in commercially available albacore: 0.14 ppm versus 0.5 ppm.
Passover Grilled or Baked Salmon Fillets with Citrus-Nut Sauce
This pareve (i.e., no meat or dairy products or derivatives) Kosher-for-Passover recipe comes from Evelyn Rose, and appeared in the 26 March 1999 edition of the Jewish Chronicle, UK. As Ms. Rose wrote: "Over the years, salmon has become ...
[Click here for full story]
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