Clearinghouse for omega-3 information

With the popularity of omega-3's and increasing research showing their positive effects on and prevention of many health conditions, I have noticed the explosion of omega-3 information on the internet and in written form. I occasionally check in with GOED (), an omega-3 industry trade organization for new trends/research about omega-3's. Under thier "Latest News" category, I noticed a link to "Omega-3 Learning For Health and Medicine" out of Purdue University (http://www.omega3learning.purdue.edu/). This is an excellent source of information for both omega-3 consumers and health care providers. Check it out!

The Economy and Health

Sometimes I may well be moved to write about a health-related topic beyond my omega-3 passion. The past couple of weeks have seen serious economic concerns surface, with a wildly fluctuating stock market, the evaporation of banks and retirement savings, and general worry all around. I thought that an intriguing article in the New York Times ("Are Bad Times Healthy" by Tara Parker-Pope, on October 7, 2008) started to address the idea that economic uncertainty and downswings (I refuse to say "recession") affect people's health, some more than others. On a personal note, these past couple of weeks have reinforced my need to maintain a strong body, mind, and spirit, remembering even more the importance of good nutrition that, yes, includes omega-3's!

First Annual Northwest Chocolate Festival

Kudos to all of the organizers, planners, volunteers, chefs, chocolatiers and presenters for an incredible First Annual Northwest Chocolate Festival (www.nwchocolatefestival.com) in Portland, Oregon, this past weekend! I had the privilege of giving one talk (The Ecology and Ethnobotany of Theobroma cacao), sharing my chocolates during the evening Gala, and tasting numerous incredible chocolate creations from the area. I learned about vegan truffles, Aztec chocolate drinks, and many amazing local chocolatiers. Keep posted for similar festivals that may be held in Seattle and Vancouver this upcoming year!

Ayurvedic omega-3 truffles?

Yes, it's true. Everybody needs omega-3's! For example, if you are Vata dominant, consider a box of Dr. Dave's Mega-O Vegetarian Orange. For the Pitta out there, lean instead towards the Dr. Dave's Mega-O Vegetarian Mint. And, last but not least, Kaphas do great with Dr. Dave's Mega-O Ginger, activating their constitution and helping on many levels. The folks at the Seattle Vida Wellness Spa (www.vidawellness.com), a health and wellness center focused on the Ayurvedic doshas, now offer these versions of Dr. Dave's Mega-O truffles. So, if you are in the area, swing by, buy a box of the relevant flavor, and take advantage of all the great services they offer!

Zingbars.com

Hello all. In the process of tasting foods out there on the market, and, when I'm out and about and hungry, I occasionally run across amazing products. Check out the Zing Nutrition Bars. These struck a chord with me because, as you can read about on their website, they too found a dearth of healthy, nutritionally-sound products out there; I was frustrated with the quality of omega-3 sources available, one of the reasons I wanted to bring you the tasty, high-dose, high-healthy Dr. Dave's Mega-O line. The founders of Zing are nutritionists and use only wholesome ingredients, AND they are delicious. Just a FYI.

Why the corn syrup?

I always encourage people (friends, family, patients, etc.) to read nutrition labels and ingredient lists. Much as Michael Pollan mentions in his books/lectures, I too am nervous when ingredients number more than a few or sound more like chemicals than food. There are also many compounds that we now know or suspect are harmful to human health. I brought an awareness of these points to the development of Dr. Dave's Mega-O truffles: my first goal was to maximize the omega-3 dose per serving, and secondly, I wanted to make the rest of the ingredients high-quality and healthy. The Dr. Dave's Mega-O Original line (using fish oil) has a very small amount of corn syrup on the inside to smooth out the texture of the truffle and keep it fresh longer. This is NOT, I stress, NOT high-fructose corn syrup, a potentially harmful compound. Rather, I use regular corn syrup and in small enough amounts to improve the taste and texture without contributing to any physiologically-relevant effects for most people. I hope this helps to answer some of the questions that have come up regarding this ingredient. And, as an aside: the Dr. Dave's Mega-O Vegetarian line does not use any corn syrup.

Check out www.festivore.com

In the spirit of spreading the word of healthy and locally-made foods, the developers of www.festivore.com have listed Dr. Dave's truffles in their chocolate section. I recommend this site and the related site, www.thefourthelement.org, to anyone interested in healthy eating, sustainability, and finding restaurants that share these ethics. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Omega-3 Dosing and Labeling

Omega-3 dosing and food labeling can be very confusing. How healthy is flax seed bread? Is 30 milligrams of omega-3 enough? A recent Wall Street Journal captured this issue nicely, I thought.

You can read the article: Fish-Oil Doses Can Be Hard To Swallow

I felt compelled to write a letter to the editor about this well-researched article. Drop me a line (dave@o3foods.com) if you would like me to send you a copy of the letter.

Dr. Dave's Mega-O Video

This is a brilliant creation by friends of mine. It is also your chance to see me speak about Dr. Dave's Mega-O truffles, including the origin of the idea and the benefits of omega-3's, not to mention witness some incredible acting. Enjoy!

Testimonials

Since Dr. Dave's Mega-O truffles made their debut a few months ago, people have been emailing me their praises. I wanted to share these with you in case that is also how YOU feel. Read on!

"The chocolates are divine!" (Food professor)

"It's like a vitamin but way better." (Singer-songwriter, athlete, age 16)

"I am finishing my daily O-3 dose (and am enjoying it immensely...). I gave one box of truffles to my assistant. Both she and I are loving them. There's nothing like being able to justify eating a pieice of chocolate with "it's good for me"!" (Attorney)

"Dear Willy Wonka. Or, would that be Dr. Willy Wonka to you?...You are brilliant. My wife is hooked." (Teacher)

"It tastes rad!" (Health food store employee)

"I (really) love these chocolates. I start my day with a truffle and a glass of soy milk, and I feel great." (Physical therapist)

Healthy Talk Radio

Many thanks to Dr. Deborah Watson and all of the listeners/callers last Friday, February 8, 2008, as we discussed the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, and how certain foods (yes, I am partly thinking of truffles) can help people meet their omega-3 needs. For those of you who were not able to listen to the program, you can access past programs on their website: www.healthytalkradio.com/index.cfm/5160.

How do I pronounce Mega-O?

Hello everyone.  Thanks for visiting this web-based clearinghouse for information about Dr. Dave's Omega-3 Foods.  I will try to keep you updated about the food products coming out of this endeavor, omega-3 tidbits, chocolate facts, etc., so STAY TUNED.

Until then, there has been some confusion about the pronunciation of the name, Mega-O.  Contrary to friend's jokes and competitor's claims, it is NOT pronounced 'mega zero.' Rather, alluding to the amazing taste and health benefits conveyed with each and every bite, I prefer and encourage Mega-O to be pronounced "mega oh!".  This is, of course, also a play on the type of fatty acids (omega-3) woven into the truffle ganache. Enough! Now, go out there and enjoy your truffle AND daily dose of omega-3's!!