Customer Reviews

Brain-Building Nutrition 2 Ed: The Healing Power of Fats and Oils

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Dr. Schmidt provides readers with a valuable resource that looks into the world of essential fatty acids (EFAs) and their effects on almost every aspect of human physiology.

In Dr. Schmidt's book, we learn that our brains are made up of nearly 60 percent fat and that we have the capability to improve our health, substantially, by including certain fats and oils in our daily diets. Dr. Schmidt covers the science behind EFAs and discusses how to get the brain-fats we need in his chapter on food and supplements. He also talks about the dangers of trans fatty acids on the brain in a chapter entitled, The French Fry Generation.

One thing I like about Dr. Schmidt's book is the fact that he addresses the benefits of using krill oil. Most of the earlier work written on EFA's mainly discussed the use of fish oil as a source for beneficial fats. As we know from all of the studies, fish oil can be helpful for protecting heart health, reducing bad cholesterol, treating depression, PMS and ADHD; however, it does not contain the choline rich phospholipids that our brains need. In his book, Dr. Schmidt discusses what can happen when we do not get enough choline. He refers to the work of Dr. Richard Wurtman, who found that the brain can actually "cannibalize" when enough choline is not provided in the diet! Dr. Schmidt also discusses phospholipid supplements in his book and mentions that the fatty acid in krill is a close match for our own brain phospholipids.

The other parts I really like about Dr. Schmidt's book are all of the studies that he includes discussing how EFA's protect the brain against neurological disorders, like Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, and Alzheimer's disease. The case study he writes about concerning the use of EFA's in reducing violence in prisoners is also quite fascinating.

Finally, the book includes a helpful question and answer section and several useful appendixes--a table of foods with the highest antioxidant content, a body mass index (BMI) table, contents of Omega-3 in marine and fresh water fish, and much more.

Despite my joy in finding this wonderful book, I still believe there is an audience out there (including me) who would like to see a newer book written where krill oil is used as the main source for EFAs in all of the case studies. Until that happens, Dr. Schmidt's book is a very, very useful reference.

~Elizabeth A. Jesse, MA, LLPC

I am not a scientist and my comment is based only on my own investigation using the internet and several books that I have purchased on this and other related subjects. I have also made it a point to seek out information from known reliable sources. I have recently been told that Chia Seeds and the oil from Chia Seeds are better than Hemp seeds or Hemp Seed oil, because they contain more Omega 3 fats and a better ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 and 9 than Hemp Seeds. I am not putting down Hemp, but from everything I have learned this is a true statement. The author, Michael Schmidt seems not to have discovered this or (I believe is misinformed). There is very little reference to Chia Seeds, and where they do exist, it seems inaccurate. Having said that, I do feel that the book is of value and he seems pretty knowledgeable in general, so I am still recommending the book.

I would be curious to know if others (perhaps more knowledgeable than me) would care to comment on the use of Chia and if the book accurately reflects it's true nutritional values. At the very least, you should do your own investigation. Salba Super Grain (100% Pure Salvia Hispanica L) - 1lb.