Migraines Retreat With Diet Modifications by: Alisa Fleming

The research is clear, food intolerance, allergies, and hypersensitivities are key triggers of headaches and migraines. Although each migraine sufferer may react to a different food or group of foods, there are a few which seem to pop up as frequent offenders: dairy (including milk, cheeses, and yogurt), wheat, eggs, soy, corn, citrus, chocolate, coffee, beef, yeast, red wine, and processed foods with additives and preservatives. In the pursuit to identify these top offenders, scientists and physicians have enlisted the oligoantigenic diet. This is a hypoallergenic “elimination” diet, consisting of a selection of foods that are presumably well tolerated. During their studies, patients are told to eat only the “safe” foods outlined on their version of the oligonantigenic diet in an effort to eliminate any symptoms. Once the symptoms have gone into remission, the “high risk” foods are re-introduced into the diet one at a time to assess their potential trigger effect on symptoms. This type of diet should be undertaken with the assistance of a physician, in order to ensure adequate nutritional intake. In each of the 3 case studies listed below, some form of an oligoantigenic diet was used: 60 migraine patients followed an elimination diet after a 5-day withdrawal from their normal diet. Upon reintroduction, specific foods elicited migraine reactions in a significant percentage of patients: wheat (78%), oranges (65%), eggs (45%), tea and coffee (40% each), chocolate and milk (37% each), beef (35%), and corn, cane sugar, and yeast (33% each). When an average of ten common trigger foods were avoided, there was a dramatic decline in the number of headaches per month and 85% of patients actually became headache-free! As science would have it, an added benefit was welcomed by the 25% of these patients who also had hypertension – their blood pressure returned to normal levels. In a clinical trial 93% of 88 children who suffered frequent and severe migraines recovered on oligoantigentic diets. Most of the patients responded to several foods, which suggested the probability of an allergic rather than a metabolic cause. An added bonus… abdominal pain, behavior disorder, fits, asthma, and eczema also improved in several of these patients. A research study trialed an oligoantigenic diet on 63 children with epilepsy, 45 of which also suffered from migraines, hyperkinetic behavior, or both. The 18 children who had epilepsy alone saw no improvement on the oligoantigenic diet. However, of the 45 children with additional symptoms, 25 ceased to have seizures and 11 had fewer seizures while on this diet. Migraines, abdominal pain, and hyperkinetic behavior halted in the 25 children who stopped having seizures, and also in some of those who did not stop having seizures. Reintroduction of foods one by one confirmed that the seizures, migraines, hyperkinetic activity, and abdominal pain these children were experiencing related to 42 different “trigger” foods. So why do so many people suffer from migraines and other headaches when they consume these foods? The medical community is getting closer to an answer. Researchers in Germany have discovered a genetic mutation responsible for the “faulty wiring” and the subsequent pain. Although clinical scientists have known for a while that migraines are hereditary, the exact “defect” being passed on was previously unknown. About the author: Š Go Dairy Free (2005) - http://www.godairyfree.org/facts/conditions/migraines.aspx GoDairyFree.org was written and published by Superstar Life, Inc., a company centered on life management, growth, and enhancement. If you have any questions, or would like to submit a testimonial, recipes, or useful information, please email info@godairyfree.org

Mediterranean Diet - What is it? by: Roy Barker

Well, to begin with, there isn't really any one Mediterranean Diet! There's a whole swag of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The basic Mediterranean Diet has common characteristics even if the sourrounding countries differ in culture, language and recipes to some extent. * an extensive intake of fruits, vegetables, bread and cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds * olive oil is a source of mono-unsaturated fat - common to the Mediterranean area * some dairy products, fish and even poultry are consumed in sparing to moderate amounts, and some red meat(not much) * eggs are consumed in low to moderate amount say 1 to 4 eggs a week * fortunately wine is acceptable but in low quantities ie. 1 - 3 glasses per day A good question to ask is - Does a Mediterranean-style diet follow American Heart Association dietary guidelines? Mediterranean-style diets are often close to US dietary guidelines, but not exactly. People who follow the average Mediterranean diet eat less saturated fat than those who eat the average American diet. In fact, saturated fat consumption is well within US dietary guidelines. More than half the fat calories in a Mediterranean diet come from mono-unsaturated fats (mainly from olive oil). Mono-unsaturated fat doesn't raise blood cholesterol levels the way saturated fat does. The incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean countries is lower than in the United States. Death rates are lower, too. However there are some who feel this may not be entirely due to the diet. Lifestyle factors (ie. more physical activity and extended social family support structures) may also play a part. At this stage this is just a theory. However the research tells all - the diet has existed for umpteen years. If you would like further proof of the mediterranean diet benefits resulting from research and qualified researchers you could try visiting http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/348/26/2599 or http://my.webmd.com/content/article/67/80070.htm. Both of these sites give good 'food for thought'(excuse the pun). "Olive oil plays a central role, but it is not alone," says Dimitrios Trichopoulos, MD, PhD, of Harvard School of Public Health. "It's among the divine mix of several factors that, when used in combination, help provide strong evidence of something that is very important -- eating the proper diet can significantly reduce your risk of early death." He and researchers from Greece studied some 22,000 adults, aged 20 to 86, from all regions of that country; most previous studies tracked only older people who were more likely to die during the study. The participants answered detailed questionnaires about their eating habits throughout the four-year study. Then they were rated on how closely they followed the key principles of the Mediterranean diet. Sticking to the Mediterranean diet cut the risk of death from both heart disease and cancer. For every two points higher on this 0-to-9 scale -- with top numbers going to those most closely following the Mediterranean diet -- the death rate dropped by 25%. The findings by Trichopoulos may also help explain why Asians, who typically use these other cooking oils, also have lower disease and death rates. Although they rarely use olive oil, they traditionally follow other principles of the Mediterranean diet -- lots of produce, legumes, nuts, and minimally processed grains, with little saturated fat. "The message remains the same, and is consistent with other findings: A diet lower in saturated fats and higher in monounsaturated fats, and potentially, polyunsaturates, will result in better health outcomes," says Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, of Tufts University and a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association. "If the main message that Americans get is to just increase their olive or canola oil consumption, that's unfortunate because they will increase their caloric intake and they are already getting too many calories. What they need to do is eat more fruits, vegetables, and legumes and fewer foods rich in saturated fats." Some of this information has been referenced from The New England Journal of Medicine, June 26, 2003. Dimitrios Trichopoulos, MD, PhD, professor of epidemiology, Vincent L. Gregory Professor of Cancer Prevention, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston. Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, senior scientist and director, Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Researcher Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston; spokeswoman, American Heart Association. So in a nutshell, there is sound evidence that the Mediterranean Diet can help reduce heart disease, cancer, weight gain and of course reduce the risk of early death. However, it would be a mistake to think this outcome is based on the use of Olive Oil alone. The diet is diverse and allows for taste and creativity which is often lacking in most other diets. This alone warrants further investigation from those who seek a healthy, easy diet that has flavour and is fullfilling. Remember too that just as in all worthwhile diets, moderate level exercise should not be overlooked. About the author: Publisher & author: Roy Barker. Roy has an indepth and long established background with the vitamins, minerals and health industry and has researched and experimented with many diets over a thirty year period. Roy is also the author of Safe and Easy Weightloss, a downloadable e-book based on the popular Mediterranean Diet. It can be viewed athttp://www.safe-and-easy-weightloss.com

Fast Diet Fraud by: Dr. Donald A. Miller

Under the theory that "seeing is believing", people continue to buy books and pills for dramatic weight loss in 7 days, or 4 weeks, or some other rather short interval. What should be checked is how much weight loss remains effective in one year. There are several reasons for this caution. Recognize that the ability to store calories as fat is pro survival, when the food supply various a lot throughout a year. With steady food supplies, this is anti survival. Eat more calories than you need, of whatever type, and you will put on fat. Even excess protein consumption is stored as fat. Note that high meat diets are high in saturated fat as well as protein. Most people who try to lose weight do not make permanent changes to life style. They can lose a few pounds in the short term, but not keep them off. Many fast diet schemes are tricks, some even dangerous. Especially bad are those plans which emphasize weight loss, but ignore what component of weight is lost. WATER LOSS: many plans show quick results because they cause the body to drop water. The medical term for such pills is diuretics. Weight-wrap clothing makes one hot, and sweat. The same is achieved with steam rooms, saunas, and the like. Any professional athlete knows that a typical workout can cause the loss of 1 to 10 pounds of water, or more, which must be replaced to prevent heat stroke, even death. MUSCLE LOSS: Many plans concentrate on reducing the total calories consumed, which is great if done wisely. The dangerous plans are those that starve the body so that muscle, as well as fat, is lost. As most dieters return to pre diet food practices, the lost muscle is usually replaced with fatty tissues. Muscle mass consumes calories even when the body is at rest. Reducing muscle mass merely to lose weight means that body is less balanced for controlling weight. LOSS OF INJESTED FOOD: bowel stimulants are okay if needed for constipation, or to aid regularity, but NOT for weightloss. If you aren't eating much raw fruits and vegetables, moderate doses of dietary fiber supplements are okay. FAT OR STARCH BLOCKERS: Two criteria must be met; they must work, and be safe to the metabolism. None are known to exist. I wrote elsewhere about chitosan, a "fat magnet" that does not work. APPETITE KILLERS: They exist, but many have been removed from the marketplace. Narcotics are one such drug group. FEN-FEN or FEN-PHEN, fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine, an anorexic drug, was banned by the FDA in 1997, mainly due to heart valve damage. An alternative is to hold something nauseating under nose or tongue. FAT BURNER STIMULANTS: "Fat burners" are a fictitious part of the body. Pills to turn them up have nothing to work on. METABOLISM ACCELERATORS: Amphetamines rev up the body, and formerly were in wide use by dieters and by students who were cramming for tests, as well as speed freaks. Tolerance requires increasing doses. High doses cause sleeplessness, nervousness and euphoria, and can cause death. Usage can be followed by intense mental depression and fatigue. DON'T! Late 2003, a class of weight loss pills was taken off the market, due to deaths of athletes and dieters; Ephedra, also called Ma huang, and synthesized ephedrine. Ephedrine alkaloids are amphetamine-like compounds, used in some prescription medications, and found in some herbal teas. The side effects include increase of blood pressure and pulse rate, nerve damage, muscle injury, psychosis, stroke, impaired memory, nervousness, tremors, seizures, heart attacks, strokes. Who needs it? READ THE LABELS. Many weight loss products contain a lot of sugar, fructose, maltodextrin, thus sugar, sugar, modified corn starch. These are lousy choices for good nutrition, and can bounce blood sugar levels dangerously high, after which they can crash to dangerously low (hypoglycemia). Ingesting too much refined sugar can induce diabetes. Thus, many "nutritional diet products" are nutritional only if compared to high fat and high salt foods. FAT RESTRICTION: This should be a permanent part of a healthful food plan for anyone who is not very active physically. Prior to modern mechanization, everyone but the pampered ruling classes used a lot of calories all the time. This is why so many traditional / ethnic foods are high in fat, such as bacon and sausage, pastries, fried foods. What was good for great grand parents can be bad for us. Here's a cruel truth. A little bit of fat is far more effective than high protein or sugar foods at satisfying hunger. The trick is to avoid saturated fats and trans fats (hydrogenated oils). Smart dieters can get unsaturated fats from plant foods, such as nuts and seeds. Outdoors enthusiasts are mostly familiar with "trail foods", such as "GORP" = Good Old Raisins and Peanuts. I find that almonds and raisins chewed together are very sweet and hunger killing, so not a risk to weight control. YOUR BEST DEFENSE against fraud of any kind is self education. Don't be afraid to question what any source says, but consult several sources that have no mission to sell you anything. Government publications and Mayo Clinic advice are good examples which can be reached on the internet. About the author: Dr. Donald A. Miller is author of "Easy Health Diet"http://easyhealthdiet.com/diet.htm,"EasyExercise All Ages"http://easyhealthdiet.com/eeaa.htm,andnumerous free articles on healthhttp://easyhealthdiet.com/articles/. Seven of ten deaths are caused by preventable diseases.

Fad Diets by: Kirsten Hawkins

High-Fat, Low-Carbohydrate Diets - Millions of Americans have joined the low-carb craze and started high-fat, low-carb diets such as the Atkins Diet, and the Zone Diet. They are made up of about 60% fat, 10% carbohydrate, and 30% protein. These diets say you can eat high amounts of fat and protein while getting very low amounts of carbohydrates in the form of vegetables. The main premise of the low-carb diet is that a diet low in carbohydrates leads to a reduction in bodyŐs production of insulin. The end result is that fat and protein stores will be used for energy. So you stuff yourself full of unlimited amounts of meat, cheese, and butter, and only eat a small portion of carbohydrates. People who start the diet usually lose a great amount of weight, but itŐs not permanent weight loss. Instead of burning fat, the lose water and precious muscle tissue. Furthermore, these diets are low in several nutrients and contain excess amounts of cholesterol and saturated fats, substances that increase the risk of heart disease. Plus, regardless of what they claim, the enormous amounts of protein put a strain on your kidneys. Moderate Fat Diets - Next, there are the moderate fat diets. Moderate fat diets include diets like Weight Watchers, the USDA Food Guide Pyramid, and Jenny Craig. These diets are made up of about 25% fat, 60% carbohydrate, and 15% protein. They encourage the intake of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and essential fatty acids found in foods like olive oil and salmon. These diets are usually nutritionally balanced if the dieter eats a variety of foods from all categories. For example, Weight Watchers operates on a point system where foods get a number of points based on calorie, fiber, and fat content. Dieters get a specific amount of points they can use for the day. While itŐs not encouraged, they may choose to spend most of their points on carbohydrates instead of balancing it out. This could lead to deficiencies in nutrients such as calcium, iron, and zinc. However, if followed properly, these diets are probably the most successful for losing weight and keeping it off. Low and Very Low-Fat Diets - Finally, you have your low-fat and very low-fat diets. Diets in this category include the Dr. Dean OrnishŐs Diet and the Pritkin Plan, among others. They are made up of about 13% fat, 70% carbohydrates, and 16% protein. These diets are mostly vegetarian diets and donŐt recommend eating a lot of meat. Like the low-carb diets, you can eat unlimited amounts of certain foods. Because you canŐt eat a lot of meat, these diets are deficient in zinc, vitamin B12, and essential fatty acids. Also, it is so restrictive that people find a hard time staying on it for life and end up gaining their weight back. About the author: Kirsten Hawkins is a nutrition and health expert from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.popular-diets.com/for more great nutrition, well-being, and vitamin tips as well as reviews and comments on popular diets.

Don't Obsess About Food by: Kirsten Hawkins

One of the dangers of dieting is the 'diet mentality'. The constant need to weigh, measure, count and account for food that most dieters feel can become an obsession with food that comes close to that experienced by someone with an eating disorder. Is it possible to lose weight without becoming obsessed with food? Dr. David Katz, author of "The Way to Eat", suggests a better way. While it's important to balance the calories you eat with the calories you burn, he says, it's not necessary to obsess about food by counting every calorie. Instead, he suggests, focus on eating well for your health and permanent weight loss will follow. Dr. Katz's suggestions include replacing highly processed foods which contain added sugar, fat, starch and salt with more wholesome foods with short ingredient lists. Avoid foods with added 'flavor enhancers' like monosodium glutamate and high fructose corn syrup which tend to stimulate the appetite and make you want to eat even more. Instead, focus on healthier alternatives within food groups. That's far easier to do than you'd think. A simple change in your diet like replacing the light cream in your coffee with low-fat milk can save you 50 calories per cup. If you drink a lot of coffee, that could add up to a substantial lowering in your overall daily calorie intake - with the added bonus of giving you all the calcium and vitamin D you usually get with less than half the fat. But, you say, you just can't drink your coffee with skim milk? That's fine, too. We all have little luxuries that we think we can't live without. Take a few minutes to analyze your diet and figure out which things you just can't give up - then make adjustments in other areas to account for them. Can't live without cream in your coffee? Skip the muffin you usually have with it, or replace the butter you use on it with a low-fat margarine substitute. Eating healthy is about choices - not obsession. Here are some other suggestions to help you stop obsessing about calories and start eating healthier: 1. Toss out sugared breakfast cereals in favor of a whole-grain cereal that has little or no added sugar and drop a few berries into your bowl instead. 2. Switch to an all natural, no additive peanut butter instead of a highly processed one that contains added sugar and oils for stabilization. 3. Keep a baggie of dried fruit in your desk drawer for a high-potassium pick-me-up at mid-morning. You'll be far less inclined to overeat at lunch - and you won't find yourself yawning at 11 A.M. About the author: Kirsten Hawkins is a nutrition and health expert from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.popular-diets.com/for more great nutrition, well-being, and vitamin tips as well as reviews and comments on popular diets.

Dieters need more calcium by: Marilyn Pokorney

REQUIREMENTS FOR REPRINT: You have permission to publish this article free of charge in your e-zine, newsletter, ebook, print publication or on your website ONLY if it remains unchanged and you include the copyright and author information (Resource Box) at the end. You may not use this article in any unsolicited commercial email (spam). You may retrieve this article by: Autoresponder: calciumdiet@getresponse.com Website: http://www.apluswriting.net/articles/calciumdiet.txt Words: 403 words Copyright: 2005 Marilyn Pokorney Please leave the resource box intact with an active link, and send a courtesy copy of the publication in which the article appears to: marilynp@nctc.net ------------------------------------------------------------ Women on diets need more calcium than normal to avoid bone loss, say Rutgers University researchers. Studies showed a weight loss diet of 1.5 pounds a week for 6 weeks cuts absorption of calcium. In 57 postmenopausal dieters it was discovered that those women who took 1,800 mg of calcium a day absorbed 78 percent more calcium than those who took only 1,000 mg a day. To prevent bone loss, women dieting after menopause should get 1,700 mg of calcium a day, the experts say. For people on low-fat, high fiber diets calcium requirements are also higher. Studies show that 19 percent less calcium is absorbed. It is theorized that the healthier diet moves food faster through the gastrointestinal tract. While it is common knowledge that calcium is necessary for bone-growth research shows that calcium also fights fat absorption. Studies reveal that calcium blocks fat storage in fat cells. A minimum of 1,000 mg. of calcium daily improves total cholesterol and good HDL, but lowers bad LDL. Despite the publicity of the importance of calcium for healthy bones research shows that consumption has gone down over the past 30 years. Experts recommend 1,000 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D daily for people under 50, and 1,500 mg of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D for those over 50. The safe upper limit for calcium intake has been set at 2,500 mg a day. Experts think going above that on a daily basis may invite kidney stone formation. Once started, never stop taking calcium/vitamin D supplements daily. USDA researchers found that after a 3- year study over one-third of participants stopped taking the supplements. Within one year women lost all bone-density gains and men lost their gains in two years. For those who are lactose intolerant calcium and vitamin D supplementation is even more important because it will be difficult to get the daily requirement through diet alone. For those allergic to cow's milk. Drink enough soy milk to give you 500 mg of calcium per glass as compared to 300 mg in cows milk. Studies at Creighton University in Omaha, NE, showed that 25 percent less calcium is absorbed from soy milk as cows milk. For more information on calcium and coral calcium: http://www.apluswriting.net/diettips/evitaminscalcium.htm About the author: Author: Marilyn Pokorney Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment. Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading. Website: http://www.apluswriting.net

Dietary Guidelines Show Need For Supplements by: Loren Baker

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines emphasize getting all of your nutrients from conventional foods, if possible, but also flag the need for some supplemental nutrients."The fact is that many people do not get all the nutrients they need from diet alone, and there are clear health benefits from getting the full recommended amounts of all vitamins and minerals. A daily multivitamin can go a long way toward filling the gaps, and an additional supplement providing more calcium and vitamin D is advisable for most people," said Annette Dickinson, Ph.D., president of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), one of the dietary supplement industry’s leading trade associations. "Additionally, supplements of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may be valuable for people who don’t eat at least two fish meals each week." According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, children and adolescents as well as adults often fall short in vitamin E, adults frequently fail to get enough vitamin C, people over age 50 should get the supplemental form of vitamin B-12, women of childbearing age need synthetic folic acid (a B vitamin), and lots of people need extra vitamin D. According to Dr. Dickinson, "The good news is that all of these supplemental nutrients can be consumed conveniently and inexpensively in the form of a daily multivitamin, for less than a dime a day." In addition, the Dietary Guidelines point out that calcium is a critical nutrient that is in short supply for practically everybody—children, teens, and adults. A multivitamin with minerals will provide some extra calcium, but to get the full amount of calcium that is recommended, people will need to use a separate supplement containing calcium (preferably with vitamin D) or consume lots of dairy products or calcium-fortified foods. While conventional foods and fortified foods and supplements are all effective ways to obtain additional nutrients, cost and calories are also factors to consider. The cost of 1,000 mg of calcium can range from 18 cents a day to $1.38 a day, depending on whether a person uses a calcium tablet, soft calcium chews, lowfat milk, a breakfast cereal with added calcium, or calcium-fortified orange juice (listed from lowest to highest cost). The number of calories that will come along with that amount of calcium ranges from negligible to over 300. "Multivitamins and calcium supplements can provide consumers with a major boost in their attempts to meet their nutrient needs while controlling cost and avoiding excess calories," said Dr. Dickinson. "The 2005 Dietary Guidelines flag important nutrient shortfalls, and ideally the Food Guide Pyramid (when it comes out) should feature a flag on top to remind people to use appropriate supplements in addition to improving their diets and adopting a healthier lifestyle. Supplements can be an integral part of an optimal diet and should always be viewed in the context of a healthy lifestyle." See below for a summary of the Dietary Guidelines comments on nutrient shortfalls. The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing dietary supplement industry ingredient suppliers and manufacturers. CRN members adhere to a strong code of ethics, comply with dosage limits and manufacture dietary supplements to high quality standards under good manufacturing practices. For more information on CRN, visit http://www.crnusa.org. 2005 Dietary Guidelines: Nutrient Shortfalls in the General Population Shortfalls for adults: calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids (as a source of vitamin A) Shortfalls for children and adolescents: calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E 2005 Dietary Guidelines: Recommendations for Special Needs Vitamin B-12 for People Over 50 Although a substantial proportion of individuals over age 50 have reduced ability to absorb naturally occurring vitamin B-12, they are able to absorb the crystalline form. Thus, all individuals over the age of 50 should be encouraged to meet their Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA, 2.4 mcg/day) for vitamin B-12 by eating foods fortified with vitamin B-12 such as fortified cereals, or by taking the crystalline form of vitamin B-12 supplements. Iron for Women Based on blood values, substantial numbers of adolescent females and women of childbearing age are iron deficient. Thus, these groups should eat foods high in heme-iron (e.g., meats) or iron-fortified foods with an enhancer of iron absorption, such as foods rich in vitamin C (e.g., orange juice). Folic Acid for Women of Childbearing Age Since folic acid reduces the risk of the neural tube defects, spina bifida and anencephaly, a daily intake of 400 mcg/day of synthetic folic acid (from fortified foods or supplements in addition to food forms of folate from a varied diet) is recommended for women of childbearing age who may become pregnant. Pregnant women should consume 600 mcg/day of synthetic folic acid (from fortified foods or supplements) in addition to food forms of folate from a varied diet. Vitamin D for the Elderly, People with Dark Skin, and People Who Avoid the Sun Adequate vitamin D status, which depends on dietary intake and cutaneous synthesis [synthesis in skin exposed to sunlight], is important for optimal calcium absorption, and it can reduce the risk for bone loss. The elderly and individuals with dark skin (because the ability to synthesize vitamin D from exposure to sunlight varies with degree of skin pigmentation) and people who get very little exposure to sunlight (e.g., housebound individuals) may need as much as 1,000 International Units per day to achieve protective blood levels of the vitamin. Fish, EPA, and DHA Evidence suggests that consuming approximately two servings of fish per week (about 8 ounces total) may reduce the risk of mortality from coronary heart disease and that consuming EPA and DHA (two long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish) may reduce the risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease in people who have already experienced a cardiac event. About the author: Vitamin Herb University is the premier online course and informational resource for dietary supplements, supplement reviews, vitamin information, herb information and drug herb interaction.