I’m a gardener. This summer, I once again came to a realization I’ve come to before: in order for plants and flowers to grow and be strong and healthy, the soil needs to be amended. Nutrients are essential. One of my little garden patches had been neglected in recent years and when I sowed some seeds in the spring, it took a long time for them to sprout. When the plants finally started growing, they were a pale green, not the deep and healthy green of the plants throughout the rest of my gardens. They weren’t as strong and healthy as they should have been.
Oh, right! said I as I thumped myself on the head, I need to amend the soil next year. I need to add nutrients.
We plants of the human variety also need vitamins and nutrients to grow into healthy children and adults. Moms-to-be and moms of young ones want their children to be the best they can be and good nutrition is essential for healthy growth and development.
One of the essential nutrients we need is DHA, or Docosahexaenoic Acid – “a polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid found throughout the body. It’s a major structural fat in the brain and retina, accounting for up to 97% of the omega-3 fats in the brain and up to 93% of the omega-3 fats in the retina. It’s also a key component of the heart.” Studies show it is essential for brain health and development, eye health and heart health. (Quote from here.)
I’ve known about omega-3s for quite a while and also know that fish are a rich source of DHA. DHA comes from algae and fish eat algae.
But I’ve been a vegetarian for more than 30 years, so fish oil is a not a possibility for me. I recently learned about life’sDHA® , which is a vegetarian, sustainable source of DHA, grown from controlled microalgae sources. It delivers DHA omega-3s in a vegetarian capsule. You can read more on this site.
It’s a supplement that gives vegetarians, but not just vegetarians, all the benefits of fish oil – but from algae, not fish.
Since research shows that DHA supports brain and eye health throughout life, it seems like a (forgive the pun) no-brainer to me. And I love that it’s a vegetarian source of an essential nutrient.
life’sDHA® is an ingredient in foods, beverages and supplements throughout the world. Look for the life’sDHA® logo on product packaging to know you’re getting a vegetarian source of DHA omega-3.
This post sponsor – life’sDHA® – educated me on the importance of nutrients – including DHA omega-3 – for all stages of life.
Happy Tuesday.
Sounds like a great product! I’m going to look at my nutritional needs again the Fall and make changes to amend my soil!! :) Hugs!
Hugs right back at ya, Linda.
As we age we do need to take care of ourselves better. Thank you for the info, I am going to read more about this.
You’re welcome, Doris.
Great analogy….amending the soil! It’s nice to know there are alternatives for vegetarians. I’ve been taking omega-3’s for years ….suggestions from doctors. Enjoy your day….it’s raining here again! ;)
It’s beautiful here – we might get rain later in the week.
Do vegetarians eat fish?
Some do. I don’t. I used to many years ago, but about 8 or 9 years ago, I stopped eating any fish.
Myra, the only “vegetarians” to eat fish, in my experience, have been French friends…for some reason I cannot comprehend.
There is always something new to learn when it comes to nutrition and supplements. As personal beliefs and physical requirements change, a whole world of new considerations can come into play. Vegetarians look for non-animal based supplements and capsules without gelatin, which used to be more difficult to come by than they are today. In my world, all supplements must be “dry” or “allergy formula” and not a fat-based delivery system. I need to check this product out.
Not sure why they eat fish, either! I had to gradually phase things out, but I haven’t had any red meat since 1986.
Claudia, are you an ova-lacto vegetarian? My daughter and I are pescatarian so we eat fish and seafood, as well as dairy and eggs…no meat or poultry. She became a pescatarian in high school and I did so to support her. We’re the only non-meat eaters in the family, but whoever hosts the family get-togethers always makes sure there are many choices for us. One Christmas, my brother made a wonderful vegetable burguignon from Julia Child’s recipe for boeuf burguignon but without the beef or beef stock. It was so good, even the meat eaters were eating large servings of it.
Yes. I do eat dairy, but I try to keep it to a minimum. If I cut out dairy, then I guess I will change from being a vegetarian to a vegan. I drink almond milk, but I do use butter and I love cheese. In an ideal world, I’d stop even doing that, but….
Thanks so much for the info, Claudia☺ Love your photos ♥
summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com
You are very welcome, Summer!
It is always nice to see vegetarian supplements and recipes. I love that content. I find vegetarian information on the Internet to be elusive (particularly with weeknight recipes and supplements for women).
As I told a “meat-obsessed” (his words, not mine) friend, I cannot justify months (and in certain cases, years) of animal suffering for 20 minutes of “pleasure” while eating an animal. He now eats less meat.
I so agree with what you told your friend, Ali. Good for you!
I think this may be the century we finally learn that human beings were really designed to eat mostly, and probably only, plants. Although personally I hope scientists will cut us a lot of slack for dairy products and eggs, because I love my omelets, and my Greek yogurt, and just about every cheese on the planet. The rest of the animal side I could give up pretty easily. There’s just so much information out there, and we humans are such complicated biochemical organisms, and there are still mountains more to be discovered. But I tend to think that something Michael Pollan said, in one of his books, is probably right. After doing years of research into nutrition, health, agriculture etc, he said he can – very generally – boil down most of what he learned to 7 words. EAT FOOD. NOT TOO MUCH. MOSTLY PLANTS. This is a good basic guideline, I think…
I do, too.