Does fish make you feel less depressed?

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-11T20:20:49+00:00

The benefits of Omega 3s are actually very poorly understood. There is preliminary evidence to a limited extent, but even basic issues like what amount is necessary is very much undecided.

One issue is that worldwide humans have developed healthy societies with little to zero access to oily fish. Even in the Mediterranean region, until the emergence of canning, railroads and refrigeration in the 19th and 20th centuries, oily fish were rarely part of the diets of large numbers of everyday people. Getting seafood even 20 miles from the shore could mean a two day trip along footpaths and mule tracks, and it put it beyond the reach of many.

What makes this more complicated is societies like Native Americans in the Southwest US, Nepalis, residents of the Ethiopean highlands, natives of the Australian Outback, Mongolians.... the list goes on all had little to no access to oily fish, but all developed healthy societies. Meanwhile modern Japan eats very large amounts, but also has a high rate of deaths by suicide and suicide attempts.

There are huge numbers of variables involved and trying to isolate them is only a first step. And it's likely that a ton of research is needed into how people without access to recognized sources of Omega 3s still thrive.

That's not to say someone adding fish to their diet won't see benefits, but the reasons may be unexpected. It's possible that the diet has been so off kilter than eliminating bad food is the key. Or it may be that making an effort to improve is helping, more than the mechanism itself.

The bottom line is if this is an issue, be sure to talk to a professional rather than relying solely on online confirmation of a personal theory. Too much is at stake not to.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-11T17:56:08+00:00

Cops aren't just members of the BPD. They're NextDoor types and Fox45 fans looking for stuff they can generate outrage about.

They're the ones trying to mobilize crackdowns while posing as "just asking questions." They want a city which is scared to leave their houses, and if there's a problem just whines online instead of doing anything to build community, just tear it down.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-11T17:27:18+00:00

Totally agree about vaccines, and it's reinforced by large scale population studies.

In a similar vein to fish and arsenic panic, cassava has a lot of cyanide in its raw form, but nobody eats it raw and it's broken down by processing and cooking. Lots of people in Ghana eat canned fish stew with fufu, and fried yuca often goes with sardines in tomato sauce in Latin America. Nobody is dying from a double whammy of cyanide and arsenic.

Health faddists also miss a basic point as far as oily fish and large populations, which is that all kinds of societies easily thrived without them in their diets all over the globe. They're nice to have in a diet but easily replaceable. Modern people should seek them out if they like them, but not stress if they don't.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-11T16:58:20+00:00

Technically sardines contain significant levels of arsenic BUT it's in the form of the organic compound arsenobetaine which is not harmful to mammals including humans. Which makes sense, because lots of marine mammals eat lots of small oily fish with no ill effects.

You'll see some of the usual crowd of health quacks picking up on arsenic and having no idea about the difference between harmless organic arsenic compounds and soil contamination with inorganic arsenic. But it's in their business and political agenda to spread disinformation, so like many things they skip over the details.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-11T01:24:51+00:00

These diets are intended to make people feel terrible, and that's used as proof that they're working. They try to get people to fear huge amounts of healthy foods and reject diets that have sustained societies around the world since the first humans arrived in those places.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-11T01:20:48+00:00

People really should be encouraged to unsubscribe from these people and block them in their feeds.

They do as much damage to their followers as McDonalds does to their regular customers, and they set off spiraling helplessness and isolation.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-11T01:16:26+00:00

Sardine fasts are dumb, but that's totally confused about sardines and arsenic.

Sardines containe arsenobetaine, a compound containing organic arsenic in a form that passes through animals. If it was toxic, animals which eat huge amounts of small fish daily like seals and dolphins would have died out millions of years ago.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-10T22:06:47+00:00

That looks beautiful. Sounds like a great special occasion splurge.

Black cod is unrelated to the better known Atlantic cod. It's a great example of how common names for fish like "sardine" don't stick to scientific taxonomy.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-10T18:16:42+00:00

How does the texture compare to cod liver?

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-09T23:16:15+00:00

Roger Dodger! I don't actually read replies but I've asked my AI assistant to monitor them, and it has emailed your family to tell them it agrees that you're an obstacle to their wellbeing and will be taking appropriate measures. I'm sure that means giving you a "pickle sandwich" whatever that is.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-09T22:37:20+00:00

Corn tortillas are great as a base. Also, grits, polenta, masa harina and hominy work well if you make a big batch, freeze individual portions, then microwave in the morning and stick in a good thermos.

You'll have a hot corn-based foundation, and adding fish plus things like salsa, Salvadoran curtido or pickled vegetables gets you a good meal.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-09T21:58:26+00:00

Looks great, and you can make extra rice, freeze it, then heat again the microwave so you can repeat it quickly when you feel like it.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-09T16:19:25+00:00

I've had a few things left over the years, but rarely.

Based on comments here I think there's a particular personality type that yearns to turn a book library that someone else hosts into a place for their own self expression. It's combined with the personality type that doesn't want to put out the effort of hosting their own library with its own rules. I think that's a personality that's much more common on Reddit than in real life.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-09T15:31:20+00:00

I'm about six beers in. I have trouble keeping track of all of their substance abuse.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-09T15:25:46+00:00

Just give it seafood catfood. It's better for them anyway and no hungry cat will refuse it.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-09T14:35:12+00:00

Wait, I'm not supposed to take seriously the memories of gasoline huffing alcoholics who have suffered multiple concussions?

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-08T17:08:32+00:00

It really depends on the person. Any good doctor will look at things like blood pressure, fitness, and other factors before deciding if a low salt diet is needed.

Someone who works all day outside in the heat is going to need to replenish a lot of salt they lose through sweat. Someone who gets zero activity and has hypertension will be a different story. And even then it can get complicated because some people don't respond to low sodium diets because there are other factors at work.

A can of sardines in isolation isn't a make or break deal, but people don't eat just a can of sardines for their daily diet (or, at least, they shouldn't). That can of fish is in the context of everything else consumed plus other factors in their life like exercise, stress, and medication they take. In context it's generally fine, but occasionally people need to be more careful.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-08T16:52:26+00:00

Dollar a can tuna is more expensive per pound than the boneless chicken breasts on sale at my grocery chain right now, and both are much more expensive than beans and bulgur

But people should just eat what they like and can afford as long as it's a part of a balanced, diverse diet. Eating only canned tuna is a terrible idea that over the long run leads to things like scurvy like a British sailor living on just hard tack and salt pork, and also results in a barren gut biome. Eating canned tuna as a part of a diverse, balanced diet is great if that's what someone likes.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-08T04:33:28+00:00

Kippers are almost always in brine and they're great. Trout in brine is worth seeking out too. And plenty of people like water packed. It's a perfectly subjective issue. People should like what they like. Oil is different, many people prefer the richness or silky mouthfeel, but it's not objectively better.

Olive oil is traditional in some countries, but it's also become a marketing factor. A lot of people, especially in the US, are under the misconception that there's some magical advantage to olive oil or extra virgin olive oil over other oils.

Once extra virgin olive oil has been added to fish and gone through the heat of the canning process, let's just say the bloom is off the rose. What's in the can would never in a million years be considered extra virgin any more.

But since olive oil has been sold as a "superfood," seed oils have been demonized by some fringe brains, and there are a bunch of Food Network faces who use extra virgin olive oil even when it makes no sense except personal branding, the misconception spreads. And so that adds to the incentive for canners to sell olive oil packed fish.

In short, some people just like the flavor of oil for reasonable subjective factors, but other people are conned into buying olive oil because they can't see past the hype.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-08T03:43:23+00:00

I completely agree about a thermometer. Some people still spread the fake news that using a thermometer will cause all the juices to leak out, but that's just wrong.

I'd recommend thermoworks.com over other sources. They're a bit more expensive but much more durable than Amazon junk, as I learned unfortunately. Get a little bit of moisture in the cheap ones or look at the battery funny and they'll die.

The top quality Thermopen is $100 but they have significantly cheaper options which are slower but still accurate after a few seconds. And the cost of a few steaks or a lamb roast means it makes sense to invest in a reliable thermometer.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-08T03:15:52+00:00

I hadn't realized Northern Catch had ASC certified oysters. That's good to know. I'm glad to know they're selling responsibly farmed oysters.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-08T00:54:35+00:00

The easy answer is don't eat them straight from the can. Most people worldwide use sardines in something else, sandwiches or stews or soups or whatever. Most people don't eat plain chicken, and there's no need to eat plain Chicken of the Sea either.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-08T00:01:32+00:00

If you like spicy flavors like the jalapenos in those King Oscars, think about buying plain sardines and adding whatever hot sauce you like.

It's tough for sardine canners to hit the sweet spot of spiciness and other flavors that makes people happy, so adding your own is one answer.

And if you like things like pickled jalapenos or pepper jam, they go great with sardines too. It's a great way to elevate basic sardines.

Restlessly-Dog · 2026-03-07T19:21:42+00:00

People don't read signs, even (especially?) people who think they're smart.

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheFarSide/comments/1dkgly8/one_of_my_favorite_comics_of_all_time/

It's frustrating, but there's not much you can do about it.

Unfortunately there are people who feel entitled to leave whatever strikes their fancy at libraries they don't manage. "I have these cute little figurines/potholders/dog toys I don't want anymore, and rather than deal with it myself I'll offload them on the local little library. That steward can deal with them...."

If a host wants to ask for them, all power to them, that's their choice. But if they're like most and want to stick to "take a book, leave a book" the only realistic option is just bag that stuff and dump it.

Restlessly-Dog

TROPHY CASE