Why Fish is In

It's not just a Californian trend.

Salmon oil and Omega 3 oils in particular are useful in stabilizing bipolar disorder, an endocrine-based mental disorder associated with thyroid imbalance (usually indicated by low amounts of the thyroid hormone, thyroxine).

Thyroxine itself consists of iodine atoms attached to two linked chains of tyrosine, an amino acid associated with the neurotransmitters, dopamine and noradrenalin.

In essence, low thyroxine levels also reflect low levels of dopamine and noradrenalin, neurotransmitters associated with the behavior reward system and the "fight-or-flight" syndrome, respectively.

As a result of this chemical imbalance, people with bipolar disorder tend to suffer mood swings.

Such people fall into two classes: the positive and happy kind, and the negative and unhappy kind. There may be a third class with mixed symptoms (both depressed and manic at the same time).

The happy bipolars tend to be warm, caring, and loving; they also tend to "fall in love" quickly in relationships, and may treat both praise and abuse as attention, thus confusing both kinds as "love."

Indeed, happy bipolars are motherly if female, and fatherly if male.

The unhappy bipolars may exhibit additional psychosis with paranoid symptoms and also may keep all aspects of their illness a secret; they tend range from not trusting a person to being too trusting of a romantic interest, depending on the depth of their psychosis.

At times, unhappy bipolars tend to get aggressive with violent outbursts towards loved ones.

Mood stabilization is the first concern of a medical professional using lithium.

Fish oil is also a mood stabilizer, as evidenced by the demeanor of people who eat a lot of fish.

Indeed, bipolar symptoms are rare among the Japanese, who eat a lot of rare fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna.