Dear List,

I've been anxious to raise a topic that's been interesting to me for
non-shell related reasons--but could be shell-related after all.

Conch-l people may or may not be aware of just how beneficial fish oil
capsules are, with their concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. The
best-demonstrated evidence-based effect of fish oil (and cardiologist Dr.
Harry Lee will probably want to comment on this) is cardiovascular.

Large-scale studies published in major medical journals (e.g., New England
Journal of Medicine and JAMA) show a 45% drop in the incidence of sudden
death and a similar decrease in myocardial infarction (heart attack). Those
are whopping effects of any substance in any large study.

It turns out that the particular fish or marine mammals high in omega-3's
eat seaweeds rich in the same. One could derive the same benefit from diet
high in seaweed. (Does it need to be fresh?)

Well, it occurs to me that there are many marine snail species that dine on
marine algae. So, does anyone know whether or which genera are high in
omega-3's?

By the way, I don't sell fish oil or own stock in any company related to
that. But being an RN, I recommend it to many as cheaper and probably safer
than many medications (ask your doctor, of course). The only
contraindications I know of are if someone is on anti-coagulant medication,
as fish oil can increase clotting time. (And some can't tolerate a little
fishy repeat).

There are other beneficial effects: anti-oxidant (which tends to prevent
cancer), anti-arthritic (something I found out for myself accidentally),
anti-depressant (some dispute on this), and probably anti-dementia (the DHA
is literally the building material of the white matter of the central
nervous  system). There are other benefits under investigation as well.

Should we bother to eat escargot for health reasons or, more likely, find
some nice Littorina littorea?

Getting hungry,

David Kirsh
Durham, NC

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