Fish Oil

Blepharitis, usually identified by a sufferer's red, irritated eyelids, is becoming more common. And while doctors aren't sure why, it can be controlled with vigilance, according to Dr. Laura K. Green, residency program director of cornea, cataract and refractive surgery at the Krieger Eye Institute at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. She said there are some simple things sufferers can do at home, such as keeping the eyelids clean, that can help ease the irritation. What is blepharitis and what causes it?

With catch limits on Atlantic menhaden being tightened to end overfishing, a new study is getting under way to look at just how many of the little oily fish need to be left in the water to maintain the health of other fish in the Chesapeake Bay and along the East Coast. Under a $320,000 grant from the Lenfest Foundation , fisheries scientists from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science plan to investigate where the balance needs to be struck between fishing for menhaden and preserving them for their value in the ecosystem.

Q. My latest tests show a cholesterol of 251 (not unusual for me), an HDL of 60 and LDL of 128. I am worried because my triglycerides went from 82 or 88 in the past to 313 this time, with no change of diet. My cholesterol/HDL ratio is good. I already take Lopressor and Dyazide. Now the doctor wants to add Lipitor, but I am reluctant. I've heard that fish can help with some types of blood fats, but I dislike it and couldn't bring myself to eat it regularly. Would fish oil capsules be of any benefit?

As fish farming grows to feed a world hungry for protein, there's a hitch - the seas are being scoured of the little wild fish to feed the big captive ones destined for the dinner table. Researchers in Baltimore think they may have hit upon a remedy, one that moves aquaculture closer to truly being sustainable. Working at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, a branch of the University System of Maryland, scientists have developed a plant-based fish food that even finny meat eaters like striped bass gobble up. The fish raised on such a nearly vegetarian diet also are healthier to eat, they say, with fewer of the worrisome chemical contaminants that show up in wild or even many farm-raised fish.

A few weeks ago on the evening news there was a segment suggesting the use of omega-3 fatty acid for the treatment of depression. How much is needed, and where can I get more information? Researchers reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry last year that 1 gram of fish oil daily reduced symptoms of depression in people who had not responded to standard drug therapy. Fish oil is a rich source of omega-3 fats. We recently heard from a reader about her experience: "I have been taking salmon oil to combat depression since August 2002.

Q. My cat, Whiskers, broke out with dry, flaky skin. We were sent to a veterinary dermatologist, who prescribed expensive medicine. Then I picked up a book about home remedies and read that people with psoriasis can use fish oil and olive oil. I gave this to Whiskers, and it worked. A. Veterinarians often prescribe medicines containing fish oil for dry, flaky skin in both dogs and cats. It works because of the favorable balance of omega-3 fatty acids in the fish oil. These fats have anti-inflammatory action that seems beneficial against eczema and certain other skin irritations.

First, fish oil was credited with reducing the risk of sudden death after heart attacks. Then it was linked to decreases in depression, possible improvements in children's brain development, and even possible protection against Alzheimer's disease and cervical cancer. It has looked so promising, in fact, that researchers have pursued a seemingly endless array of fish oil's positive health associations. Such optimism may have been premature. A study in the June 15 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association found that for certain high-risk cardiac patients, fish-oil supplements may do more harm than good.

Jason Eric Cohen, an attorney whose interest in bodybuilding led him to found a fish-oil food supplement business, died of melanoma Sunday at his Owings Mills home. He was 38. "He was charismatic and a character you wanted to be around," said Jonathan Kagan, a close friend and an Annapolis attorney. Born in Baltimore and raised in the Bonnie Ridge section, he was a 1986 graduate of Pikesville High School, where he wrestled as a freshman on the varsity team.

September meals still hold summer's warmth. Lighter dishes in the form of fish and shellfish continue to find their way onto the table, yet nights are cool and beg for red wine.  Red wine with fish? It can be done, and successfully too. It just takes knowing your elements and how to combine them, alchemy fashion. Tannins in red wine often react with fish oil to produce a bitter, metallic, copper penny taste on the palate. The fish ends up tasting quite fishy and the wine turns into liquid aluminum foil.

As fish farming grows to feed a world hungry for protein, there's a hitch - the seas are being scoured of the little wild fish to feed the big captive ones destined for the dinner table. Researchers in Baltimore think they may have hit upon a remedy, one that moves aquaculture closer to truly being sustainable. Working at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, a branch of the University System of Maryland, scientists have developed a plant-based fish food that even finny meat eaters like striped bass gobble up. The fish raised on such a nearly vegetarian diet also are healthier to eat, they say, with fewer of the worrisome chemical contaminants that show up in wild or even many farm-raised fish.

Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler says he's considering going to court if the interstate panel that regulates Atlantic coast fishing for menhaden doesn't cut back enough the catch of a Virginia-based fleet that takes the lion's share of the forage fish. Speaking at a Chesapeake Bay scientific symposium in Baltimore on Monday, Gansler said he was "working with" the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission as it ponders tightening harvest limits on menhaden. Called by some "the most important fish in the sea," menhaden are a food source for many other fish and wildlife, including ospreys and striped bass, Maryland's state fish.

Blepharitis, usually identified by a sufferer's red, irritated eyelids, is becoming more common. And while doctors aren't sure why, it can be controlled with vigilance, according to Dr. Laura K. Green, residency program director of cornea, cataract and refractive surgery at the Krieger Eye Institute at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. She said there are some simple things sufferers can do at home, such as keeping the eyelids clean, that can help ease the irritation. What is blepharitis and what causes it?

September meals still hold summer's warmth. Lighter dishes in the form of fish and shellfish continue to find their way onto the table, yet nights are cool and beg for red wine.  Red wine with fish? It can be done, and successfully too. It just takes knowing your elements and how to combine them, alchemy fashion. Tannins in red wine often react with fish oil to produce a bitter, metallic, copper penny taste on the palate. The fish ends up tasting quite fishy and the wine turns into liquid aluminum foil.

I cannot take statin-type drugs. Is there a natural way to get triglycerides down? Triglycerides have just been shown to increase the risk of heart attacks (Journal of the American Medical Association, July 18). Fish oil is a natural way to lower this risk factor for heart disease. I have been fascinated with letters from people reporting that Lipitor weakened their muscles. I believe Lipitor triggered my ALS. Until last month, my doctors wouldn't listen to me, but then a report from the World Health Organization showed a link.

Jason Eric Cohen, an attorney whose interest in bodybuilding led him to found a fish-oil food supplement business, died of melanoma Sunday at his Owings Mills home. He was 38. "He was charismatic and a character you wanted to be around," said Jonathan Kagan, a close friend and an Annapolis attorney. Born in Baltimore and raised in the Bonnie Ridge section, he was a 1986 graduate of Pikesville High School, where he wrestled as a freshman on the varsity team.

My blood pressure is slightly elevated. I take a water pill to control it, and my doctor suggested that I restrict salt. I went on an extremely salt-restricted diet for a month and had no change in my blood pressure. My doctor now says I can eat normally. I learned recently that only half the adult population is sensitive to salt so that it makes their blood pressure rise. Please tell people that they should run this experiment themselves before spending the rest of their lives hunting for low-salt foods.

My wife has recently developed diabetes and watches her sugar intake carefully. She uses Equal to sweeten her coffee or iced tea. We read that Equal might be helpful against arthritis pain, but her doctor has never heard of this. He prescribed Vioxx, but it is too expensive. Aspirin and ibuprofen are cheap, but they give her heartburn. Is it true that Equal might work? If so, how much does it take? Research published in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (May 1998) showed that aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)