What Is This All About?

Wow - a LOT ha occurred since my last trip on my journey... On January 29, 2018, I experienced brain surgery on what turned out to be a TUMOR IN MY BRAIN!

While the long-time-ago-diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis has not been ruled out, what was diagnosed as a MS lesion in my brain was changed to a LOW GRADE GLIOMA tumor! It's kind of amazing what a relatively-new-to-me neurologist will discover after 10 years - and rather upsetting that three other neurologists will just stay with the original diagnosis AND try to prescribe a different MS drug. Although I am still trying to find a local primary care physician, all of my other doctors are located at the Yale-New Haven Hospital - not too far from home, but not too local, either.

So, why am I actually writing this - or, as the title says, what is this all about? Mainly, my focus that I want to share is what I have been trying to do that would only help the matters of my health.

A not-so-long time ago in a galaxy - well, this one... I have found something that is supposedly beneficially to healing cancer. Pau d'arco tea is that thing! Check out this link for the information that is already spelled out - no need for me to copy it here. I've started using the tea daily - 2-3 servings each day. It's how I start my day every day. Recently - well, today before writing this post - I made a 64 oz. bottle of tea to refrigerate. This was actuality a mix of 3 different teas... I used the pau d'arco, added Bigelow's Lemon Ginger tea that gives me the benefit of probiotics, and some green tea that is just all-around beneficial in so many ways.

Another step on my journey is to stick to a low/no carb diet. Sugar is a cancer fertilizer! There are so many recommendations out there that say low/no carb is the way to go. This isn't new to me, but certainly a diet that I haven't done in a while. I had great success with it in the past and actually like where it can take me again - in addition to what it can/might do for me in the tumor situation. Both the positive and negative of the low/no carb diet is the tie to the Atkin's diet. Almost all Atikn's products are poisoned by sucralose - something that I WILL NOT CONSUME IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM. It's not like I can't eat what I want to, though. There are plenty of better options than Atkin's products.

What's coming up for me is my journey through chemotherapy. In this case, I'm looking forward (sarcasm, intended) to the course of PCV chemotherapy. From what I've read, it could be a lot worse. This particular series involves 29 days of my life with a 'time-off' of 6-8 weeks between each session. During 2 weeks of that 29 days, my diet will be restricted due to the drug that is used during that time. I won't be able to eat most cheeses, anything fermented, and a number of other things that contain tyramine.
On the positive side is the fact that the doctors do not recommend any radiation treatment!

So, that's where my journey is currently. We'll see how things progress...

Heat(er) of the Moment

My song for this post is "Heat of the Moment" by Asia. This was definitely not the topic that I had planned on, today. I am, however, influenced to change my plans due to the heat (and the heater) of the moment.

Yesterday and Friday were so exciting! (Please note the sarcasm that can't be communicated through text...) We had to replace our water heater. Definitely an expense that I was neither expecting nor could I easily afford. We were out of the house on Friday for a good portion of the day. When we got home, we found that water heater had sprung a leak and we had a minor flood in our basement. We shut off the main water source for the water heater and started to make some calls. It was late enough in the day that we were unable to get any service from the various, local plumbers (even though they claim 24/7 service!). This turned out to be a blessing, though. Fortunately, we have some great friends and neighbors that helped us out. One of them offered to do the plumbing the next day if we were able to get a new water heater! Lowe's is right around the corner from us and they are running a 10% off sale for their water heaters. So, what would have been a minimum of $1,500 from the "emergency" plumber ended up only costing us $400 to get the new water heater and have it installed. Another friend is loaning us their dehydrator to help dry out the basement. We'll probably still have to replace the carpeting in the basement, but it could have been a whole lot worse...

How does this contribute to my journey to wellness and why am I sharing it with you? Well, wellness isn't just physical. It is also mental and spiritual. From this experience, I was able to view the benefit from the lack of emergency service from the plumbers rather than curse them. While it did cost us $400 to replace the water heater, we grew closer to two friends through their assistance to "fix the flapper" (remember that post?) rather than costing us more than 3 times than the cost of the water heater alone. So, this may not have been a step down the physical path but it was certainly progress down the spiritual and mental journey to wellness.

Time Flies When...

OK, I am aware of the irony. I am writing a post entitled "Time Flies When..." on the first day after we set the clocks ahead one hour (well, at least in most of America) thanks to daylight savings time. However, as it has been several months since I last updated this blog (7 months to the day) the concept of time flying just seems to be a fitting title. (Song: "Time" - Pink Floyd)

As of the last post, I was producing two internet radio shows. Well, due to several factors, I am no longer.

As well, I was working as an intern for one of Hartford's radio stations, The Rock 106.9 WCCC. Well, I am still with WCCC, but in a different capacity. I am now officially employed! I am only part time (about 10-15 hours per week), but part of my duties include being the board operator on Friday mornings from 6-10 am during the 'Imus in the Morning' show. I have to coordinate the satellite feed with the local commercial spots as well as read the news, weather, and traffic on WCCC's AM station, WCCC AM 1290 Beethoven Radio.

Also in the last post, I mentioned that we were in pre-production of ConnecTV, the first television show produced entirely by graduates of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. We now have four shows completed and airing on a regular basis over several cable access outlets across Connecticut. The show can also be seen on the internet at our Vimeo channel.

Time definitely flies...

Today, I renewed my commitment to The Maker's Diet. While I have been mostly following the guidelines of the diet, I haven't always been terribly strict. Well, I went back to phase one. I was really happy with the results of my first attempt to follow the Maker's Diet and I am hoping to to further improve  my health by returning to the basics.

My day started with a push ups workout. I have been following the program detailed on hundredpushups.com for the last couple of weeks. I have been pretty happy with the results so far.
I followed the workout with my daily dose of VIDACELL. This would be the only food that, while truly natural, might not truly qualify for the Maker's Diet guidelines. The benefits far outweigh what might be consequences for breaking the 'rules.'
Breakfast consisted of a 3 egg omelet made with free range eggs, raw cheese, and organic salsa. I also supplemented with Vitamin D.
After suitable time for digestion, I used a free pass to go to the YMCA and get another workout. This time, I spent 35 minutes on the elliptical machine. According to the calorie counter, I burned almost 400 calories. I also spent some time doing some resistance exercise - mostly to complement the push ups, I concentrated on back exercises.
Upon returning home, my wife and daughters were just leaving for a walk in the amazing weather, so I put the leash on Ginger and joined them!
The rest of my daily food consumption consisted of plain yogurt and a homemade lentil soup with lots of veggies.

Busy, Busy!

It is becoming more the rule than the exception that my time between posts is long...

The 4th broadcast of Journey to Wellness is now playing on ALL NOiSE RaDiO. If you missed it, you can 'tune in' via the internet or the mobile app tomorrow and Saturday, Aug. 27 (both at 10 am Eastern) to hear the show. Our 5th show is recorded and ready for broadcast starting on the following Thursday. Due to time constraints, I decided that the Journey to Wellness show would run for two weeks giving Marcus and I more time between sessions. It is a bit difficult to coordinate our schedules on a weekly basis. When each new show debuts every other Thursday, I am also uploading it to the podcast server.
My other show, Armchair All-Stars, runs on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 3:00 pm Eastern. This one runs weekly, so I need to get together with my group (sometimes consisting of just me and Chris) every week to record and edit the show for broadcast.
In addition to the two internet radio shows, I am still going in to Hartford once a week (sometimes more) for my internship at The Rock 106.9 WCCC.

Yesterday, after my recording/editing session with Chris and our special guest, Randy Rowe, I had a meeting in North Haven regarding an upcoming video project. The videos that are currently being planned will be part of a nationwide, online training program for school nurses specifically dealing with asthma management for students. This is a really exciting project to be involved with! This is an unpaid position, but major doors will be opened for me because of it.

Tomorrow is going to be another full day for me. After my internship (10am-5pm), I have a production meeting for our student-produced cable access television show - ConnecTV - at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. We are fast approaching our deadline of Sept. 1st for video pieces for inclusion in the show and we plan to tape the final show on Sept. 8th. There is a lot yet to be done, but things are moving in the right direction!

Time flies!

Wow, it has been over a month since I last updated this blog but there is good reason for it - I promise! My journey to wellness has led me to places along the way that I could never have predicted. While I still feel that I have some 'walking' to do on the journey, the things that I have been able to achieve have been amazing. (Song: "Feels Like The First Time" - Foreigner)

As you know, I attended - and completed - phase 1 of classes at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. One result of my completion of phase 1 is that I now have two internet radio shows that are broadcast over ALL NOiSE RaDiO - one show is a direct extension of this blog, suitably called Journey to Wellness and the second is a sports talk show called Armchair All-Stars. Journey to Wellness has now seen three shows go over the internet and also has a presence on iTunes as a podcast. Armchair All-Stars is just getting underway. My co-hosts and I got into the studio this past Tuesday and recorded what should be our first show. Our original intent was for our session to be a sort of dress rehearsal, but after reviewing the recording we will likely post it for broadcast. Armchair All-Stars will also be available on iTunes once we officially launch.

A little over a week ago, I went to my 25th high school reunion. It was great to see my friends. While there were a few that weren't there that I was really hoping to see, I was glad to see everyone that did attend. If you had asked me back in 2006 to go, I would have had to decline. There is no way that I would have been able to do it. Even the condition that I was in two years ago would have made it next to impossible.

Finally, I interviewed for a job! On August 1st, I spent almost two hours on the campus of ESPN in Bristol, CT interviewing and touring the campus. It was great experience and totally a result of my journey to wellness.

Journey to Wellness - the Podcast!

It is finally live! - well, live in a recorded sort of way...

Through an interesting path on my journey to wellness, I have started a radio show/podcast! Having completed my course at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting, I am now able to host my own internet radio show through ALL NOiSE RaDiO. It seemed a logical step to bring my blog - the very blog that you find yourself reading right now - to the airwaves. I invited my good friend, Marcus Milukas, into the studio as a perpetual guest on the program. We discuss various wellness related topics over the course of a 1 hour talk radio show.
As an adjunct to the ALL NOiSE RaDiO broadcast, I have posted the individual segments (four 14 minute segments make up the hour) on a podcasting service and have submitted it (pending approval) to iTunes!

You can also visit us on facebook at Journey to Wellness.

Fix the Flapper!

Going forward, I am not going to be tying every post - well, nearly every post - to a song or album. It was fun while it lasted, but as it went on I found that it was hindering me in posting entries. If I didn't have a good song reference, I wasn't posting anything. It had taken over from the real reason for this blog. While I might, occasionally, make a song reference or two, it will no longer keep me from posting when I just can't come up with one.
What has been and will continue to be the primary focus of this blog - my personal journey to wellness - is becoming an internet radio broadcast - suitably called Journey to Wellness! My recent completion of Phase I of courses at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting comes with some privileges. In addition to lifetime use of the studios (at any of the 12 campuses), I can develop and broadcast my own radio show via ALL NOiSE RaDiO - an internet radio station powered by CSB. Actually, I have several radio shows in the works, but putting together Journey to Wellness has been a major thrill for me over the last couple of weeks. One reason for this was the fact that putting this show together resulted in a reunion with a good friend of mine, Marcus Milukas. Marcus and I reconnected through facebook a while ago and found that we live only about an hour away from each other.
Marcus is going to be a perpetual guest on Journey to Wellness. Together, we are going to discuss wellness-related topics. He is going to focus on the emotional wellness while I focus on the nutritional and physical wellness. In addition, we will be inviting various guests to discuss financial wellness, spiritual wellness, and other aspects of wellness - it all depends on the guests that we find!
I will be announcing when the show airs once I have that information so please be sure to tune in!

So...now that I am not referencing songs in every post's title, just what does the title of this post refer to? "Fix the Flapper" is my new motto and to find out what it means you will just have to listen to the show!

The Spirit of Radio

After a month of (almost) daily posting - except for Sundays - during the month of April, it has been over two weeks since my last entry. My absence can be explained by the fact that these last couple of weeks have been really busy!
I finished up Phase I at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and have been getting things started for Phase II. While Phase II is likely to be a lot less intense than Phase I, there is still work to be done - demos to record, resumes to be sent, radio shows to be broadcast... all hopefully leading to an internship and a job! When I started attending classes at CSB, I was pretty sure that I wanted to get into radio. Now, I am not so sure if I prefer radio over TV. Honestly, I like both and would be happy with a job in either field. I couldn't resist using Rush's song The Spirit of Radio as the title of this post!

Today, as a sort of reward for finishing Phase I, I purchased a new pair of shoes for myself. In a previous post, I mentioned Vibram's FiveFingers. Originally I decided to pass on the FiveFingers, but I kept wanting to take another look at them. Additionally, I kept seeing other people wearing them. While I don't pay a lot of attention to the shoes that other people are wearing, these shoes are pretty noticeable. Well, I went back to the store to give them another shot. I tried on two different pairs - one that I had tried on my previous trip and a new style that wasn't previously available. I ended up buying (and loving!) the FiveFingers Bikila LS. I am really looking forward to going for a walk wearing these shoes! I think that they are going to be a major part of my journey to wellness.

A-Z Challenge - 'Z'

As you might imagine, coming up with a topic that begins with Z is not the easiest thing to do. Compounded with the fact that my personal challenge is to somehow incorporate my a-z challenge topics with my journey to wellness and it becomes even harder. In fact, I actually had a couple of options in mind for the letter Z but I decided on the use of Z in the popular phrase 'catch some ZZZZ's' for my topic today.

To catch some ZZZZ's means to get some sleep. According to The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins, this phrase traces its origins to the common use of the 'ZZZZ' or 'zzzz' in cartoons to indicate a sleeping character.

An example of 'Z' indicating sleep - note the final panel.

 Sleep is an absolute necessity on my journey to wellness. When I first started treatments in the hospital, my wake/sleep schedule became completely messed up. Fatigue had a major role in that - I would sleep anytime that I needed to - but having to take a dose of medication every six hours meant that I would be awake at times that I would not normally be. The combination of sleeping due to fatigue and waking at odd times (and being unable to fall back to sleep right away) was not a good one.
Though I am no longer dosing with medication at odd hours, I still have bouts of fatigue that just demand that I am frequently dozing at odd hours. I absolutely refuse to take any sleep aids. One doctor recommended (and was rather upset when I refused) that I do so in order to restore a more normal sleep schedule. I just didn't think that I needed any sort of pharmaceutical assistance with it. The last thing that I want to do it to become dependent on a drug for something as natural as sleep. The further recommendation to take a stimulant in the morning so that I could stay awake through the day and 'would be tired at an appropriate time' cemented my decision to avoid drug-assisted sleep.

A-Z Challenge - 'Y'

Yogurt is my topic for today - the second to last post in April's A-Z challenge. Yogurt plays a slightly smaller role in my journey to wellness now than it did even a couple of months ago only because it has taken a back seat to my homemade kefir (check out my post - Wouldn't It Be Nice - for the start of my kefir adventures). Like kefir, yogurt is a cultured milk product and is beneficial for digestion.

Early on my journey to wellness I attempted making yogurt at home with varying degrees of success. Yogurt doesn't take a lot of effort but it does take patience and warmth - and a little yogurt to get the process started. The only available heat source I have that suited my needs - well, the yogurt's needs - is my Crock-Pot. Sometimes it got too warm in the Crock-Pot for the culture and the yogurt didn't always come out right. At $7.50 per gallon of raw milk, I didn't really relish the potential of having a failed batch as a result of too much heat. As a result, I gave up on making my own yogurt until such time as I could acquire a yogurt maker designed for the purpose. They don't cost much, but kitchen space is a premium so I have held off on getting a new gadget. Making kefir is so much easier and requires no heat above room temperature, so that is now my primary source of probiotics.
The best commercial yogurt that I could find is from Stonyfield Farm though Deerfield Farm - the source of my raw milk - also makes yogurt regularly. When I get yogurt, it is from one of these two sources. In both cases though, the milk is pasteurized prior to being cultured.

A-Z Challenge - 'X'

Today's post is one that doesn't impact my journey to wellness too greatly as I have not come to a decision as to how I feel about 'xylitol.'  Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that metabolizes differently than sugar. According to Xylitol.org, xylitol is "a naturally occurring carbohydrate. It is found in fibrous vegetables and fruit. It also occurs naturally in our bodies – in fact, an average size adult manufactures up to 15 grams of xylitol daily during normal metabolism. Pure xylitol is a white crystalline substance that looks and tastes like sugar."
My uncertainty stems from the fact that in order for xylitol to be used as a sweetener it needs to be extracted from a source. How it is extracted - what process and/or chemicals might be used - is a mystery to me at this point. Additionally, the food that it is added to would have to be processed to some degree. On the upside, there are some known benefits to using xylitol - specifically as a cavity fighter.

A-Z Challenge - 'W'

Today's topic for the A-Z challenge is 'walking.' Since the onset of my symptoms, something as simple as walking has often been a struggle for me - though considerably less of an issue now than even one year ago.

I was admitted to the hospital in September of 2006 when I attempted to walk a short distance from the courthouse in Middletown to Russell Library - a grand total of 0.2 miles, though with a slight incline. I experienced an extreme shortness of breath and barely made it. Prior to that, walking in a straight line without some sort of support was an issue.
In the hospital, I was immediately put on a corticosteroid similar to prednisone and issued a pair of red socks - the steroid was used to reduce swelling and the socks indicated that I was not allowed to walk without assistance (they were afraid that I would fall and hurt myself).
The prednisone-like steroid caused me to gain a lot of weight over the almost 5 months that I was taking it. While steroid helped me in one aspect, it hurt me in other aspects. After coming off of it, I had odd issues - super-sensitive teeth, no appetite at all (just the smell of food made me sick) - in addition to the problems that go along with obesity.

Prior to October 2008 (you may recall from previous posts that this is when I started taking VIDACELL), my walking was limited to flat surfaces with hand rails for support and then only for short periods. Grocery shopping with a shopping cart to lean on was a decent option. After October 2008, walking became a regular part of my journey to wellness.

Walking for fitness and walking for mobility are two different entities yet very similar. The first is something that we all should do more often yet it seems like a chore for many of us. The second is something that we easily take for granted.

A-Z Challenge - 'V'

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you likely know what my topic is for today - VIDACELL! I credit VIDACELL for kicking off my journey to wellness. October 2008 is when I began using it and it definitely turned me in the right direction.

Rather than repeat everything that I have said about VIDACELL in this blog, I encourage you to go back and read about it. The first post that mentions VIDACELL was posted on January 5th, 2010 (over a year after I began using it!) called "New Year..."

I am amazed at my own progress when I go back and read the previous posts. In this regard, simply blogging about my journey to wellness has been a considerable benefit for me. On days when I don't feel particularly  good about my progress, I can go back and read about my life from a month or year ago to see how far I have come.

A-Z Challenge - 'U'

Today's topic for the a-z challenge is 'ultraviolet light.' This is a bit of a two-fer for me as UV light is the primary source (or, should be) of vitamin D. The kicker is that UV light is also implicated in causing skin cancer. It is a fine line that we walk between getting adequate vitamin D and being at risk for skin cancer! One thing that I have been a lot more aware of is sun exposure. As a part of my journey to wellness, I have been trying to get some more activity outdoors - gardening, walking the dog, playing with the kids - whenever the sun is shining. Here in the Northeast, sunshine is sometimes hard to come by.

The important thing to remember is that we don't need to suffer sunburn in order to get adequate vitamin D production - all it takes is about 15-20 minutes in the sun around noon. Of course, the use of sunscreen will negate the vitamin D production so unless you are planning on spending hours in the sun, don't use them (have you ever considered the fact that more cases of cancer have been reported since we began using sunscreen than in the years previous to it?). One guideline for getting out of the sun is to watch your skin coloration. Once it just starts to turn pink, you are done - tanning is not required for adequate vitamin D.

A-Z Challenge - 'T'

My a-z challenge topic for today is 'toxin.' My journey to wellness became a necessity thanks to - I believe - toxins. As I have stated several times, I do not believe that multiple sclerosis is responsible for my symptoms. Rather, I truly believe that I am suffering from the toxic effects of aspartame and sucralose among other things. Prior to the onset of my symptoms I was living a fairly clean life except for a considerable consumption of processed foods. I didn't use artificial sweeteners very much at all. I just didn't like the aftertaste of Splenda (sucralose), Equal (aspartame), or NutraSweet (aspartame) so I avoided using them. Splenda was a bit more palatable so when I did use a sweetener on a rare occasion, that was my choice. Then, the Coca-Cola Company released Coke Zero sweetened with aspartame (after the failure of their Splenda-sweetened Diet Coke) and I was undone. The taste was exactly like their regular Coke - without the nasty aspartame aftertaste. Honestly, I ended up drinking way too much of it. Within a few months, my symptoms started.

Toxins are everywhere. They are not just present in food as artificial sweeteners. Artificial colors and flavors, mono-sodium glutamate, bisphenol A (BPA - found in plastics), and mercury are just a few examples of toxins that we are regularly exposed to. Eating foods as close to their natural state as possible - organic is preferred (but don't assume that 'organic' equates to 'good for you' - as processing can turn nutritious foods into toxic sludge.

A-Z Challenge - 'S'

'Soaked and sprouted' is the topic of the day for the A-Z Challenge. Grains, nuts, and seeds are commonly used in many recipes and processed foods. The problem is that grains, nuts, and seeds are all loaded with anti-nutrients like phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors that can not only render these otherwise nutritious foods useless and even toxic. By properly preparing these grains, nuts, and seeds prior to eating them, we would likely avoid a lot of problems. Soaking and/or sprouting will neutralize the phytic acid and the enzyme inhibitors. In most cases, the nutritional value also improves after sprouting!
Soaking and dehydrating nuts like almonds and peanuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds has become a regular part of my journey to wellness. As I write this entry, I am running some soaked pumpkin seeds through the dehydrator. I soaked them for the last 24 hours in a solution of filtered water, sea salt, cayenne pepper, and turmeric. This makes a really nice, slightly spicy snack.

I recommend the Sproutman's Kitchen Garden Cookbook: 250 flourless, Dairyless, Low Temperature, Low Fat, Low Salt, Living Food Vegetarian Recipes for more information about sprouting.

A-Z Challenge - 'R'

My journey to wellness is pretty much all about recovery, so guess what my topic is for today... That's right - raw milk! OK, so it may be cheating to technically talk about milk on 'r' day by tagging it with 'raw' but there really is a difference between raw and pasteurized milk.

A-Z Challenge - 'Q'

Today's topic was a no-brainer - quinoa! Quinoa - pronounced keen-wah - is an amazingly versatile food. It is loaded with nutrients - 8g protein, 39g carbohydrate (5g of which is fiber), and 4g fat in a one cup serving.

Quinoa is a relatively recent discovery for me on my journey to wellness. It is one of the recommended additions to The Maker's Diet during phase three and I really hadn't even heard of it prior to reading the book. Looking back in this blog, I have made 5 previous mentions of quinoa and, rather than repeat writing about my discovery process in this post, I will simply direct you to those entries:

• Went away (from blogging) for a while, but now I am back. - 05/11/10
• Quinoa for breakfast - 05/12/10
• Convenient? - 05/25/10
• Bread - If... - 08/11/10
• Incense and Peppermint - 08/12/10

 Mind you, 3 of these five posts have little to do with quinoa...

A-Z Challenge - 'P'

Previous to Friday, if you had personally posed the question, "What is your P topic potentially going to be?" I would possibly have been planning to proselytize the properties of peppermint or perhaps the benefits of proper prior planning and how it impacts production quality - preventing poor production, specifically.
OK, well enough of that...

Seriously, though I hadn't planned on today's topic being a movie called Peaceful Warrior until I watched it on Friday. I borrowed it from the library last Wednesday and I had some time on Friday at home alone, so I popped it into the DVD player. I really didn't know what to expect. I knew that it was based on a true story and that there was also a book - Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives.
The movie and the message were both excellent. I wish that I could recommend this to everybody, but the language was less than family-friendly. If foul language doesn't bother you or you can ignore it knowing that the message is worth it, go ahead and give this movie a chance. I am definitely going to incorporate some of the principles into my journey to wellness.

A-Z Challenge - 'O'

I considered a couple of topics beginning with O for today's post. I decided on 'omega-3.' Prior to my need to walk on my journey to wellness - when I thought I was healthy - I had been researching omega-3s. A co-worker who suffered from bipolar disorder had been taking an omega-3 supplement to help with his depression. While depression was never an issue for me, I was interested in learning more about the benefits of omega-3s so I read The Omega-3 Connection by Andrew Stoll as recommended by my co-worker.
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential in our diets because the human body is incapable of making them. People consuming proper ratios of omega-3s to omega-6 fatty acids have shown improvements in overall health.
Unfortunately, while omega-6 fatty acids re also essential, the ratio of 3s to 6s is far out of whack in the standard American diet. As well, due to the popularity of the low-fat craze, overall consumption of essential fatty acids have also taken a hit.

Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids are flax seeds, grass fed beef and raw milk from pastured cows, and wild caught fish including salmon, anchovies, and tuna.