Better Mental Health Through Diet

Dr. Joseph Hibbeln is a Board-certified psychiatrist at Barton Health in South Lake Tahoe, CA, and Stateline, NV. Dr. Hibbeln’s pre-recorded Wellness Webinar, “Nutrition & Brain Health” is available at BartonHealth.org/Lecture.

WE HAVE ALL BEEN UNDER A GREAT

DEAL OF STRESS IN THE LAST YEAR. Understanding the role of food and nutrition in brain health can help us cope with stress better and even reduce symptoms of depression, irritability and anxiety.

Foods and nutrients can greatly influence our brain health. Our brains have a unique and complex metabolism and need specific foods and nutrients to function optimally. Many of these nutrients cannot be made by our bodies; they only come from our diets.

Have you ever noticed a change in your mood after eating junk food? It tastes good, but shortly afterward, you may have noticed that your mental energy got worse, that you became more irritable, more vulnerable to stress and maybe even felt depressed.

When we switch over to healthy foods – like a Mediterranean style diet – with more fruits, vegetables, healthy meats, and seafood, we introduce omega-3 fats that increase neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. The reaction occurs at a cellular level, but often results in improvement of mood and vitality; it promotes better mental energy, more life enjoyment and increased resilience to stress.

Foods that are rich in omega-3 fats include fatty fish like albacore tuna, halibut, herring, mackerel, lake trout, salmon, and sardines.

Studies have confirmed that taking supplements of omega-3s containing EPA – another essential fatty acid – and DHA can markedly reduce aggression and depression. In countries where little seafood is consumed, rates of major depression are 50 times higher and homicide deaths are 30 times higher.

In the 20th century, industrialization of food increased consumption of vegetable oils rich in omega-6 fats – like junk food – and overtook the levels of omega-3 fats in our brains and bodies. When released in the body, omega-6 fats are transformed into molecules that cause inflammation, pain and cause greater perceptions of pain. Lowering omega-6 fats and raising omega-3 fats in diets has reduced psychological and physical distress in people suffering from chronic pain.

Food and nutrients have life-changing benefits for your brain and body. You may be able to reduce stress, anxiety and improve your overall health and life on many levels by simply changing the fats in your diet.

person is the Chief Plant Operator licensed by the SWRCB TKWC URANIUM CONTAMINATION UPDATE and in this case that is the TKWC Manager. This fact is CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 true now and has been true since the TKWC was originally permitted by the State of California. These statements are reinforced by the TKPOA, TKWC Rules and Regulations - Water Service, Section 2 Governance, Paragraphs 2.1 Board of Directors. The Board shall be responsible for setting rates, adopting Rules and Regulations, hearing appeals and providing direction to the General Manager. and 2.2 Company Manager. The Company Manager shall oversee all activities of the Company to furnish Water Service, under the supervision of the General Manager.

CURRENT ISSUES

The following paragraphs will address each of the issues confronting the TKPOA property owners and the TKWC.

Uranium Contamination: The Uranium we are currently dealing with in the TKWC water supplies is a naturally occurring condition which has more than likely always been in our water supplies in minuscule amounts. For whatever reason, these levels have been increasing over the last decade or so, and it is not just our water system, which is being affected, throughout California and across the Nation water purveyors are finding elevated Uranium levels in their water supplies. In December 2000, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the Radionuclides regulation, which had been in effect since 1977 and amended in 1986. The revisions set new monitoring provisions for community water systems establishing the Maximum Contaminate Level (MCL) for Uranium at 30 parts-per-billion (ppb) and published the Radionuclides (Uranium) Rule. As a part of this rule the EPA establish the procedure for how Water Purveyors would test their water supplies for Uranium. These monitoring (testing) requirements are shown in the table below.

Less than Detection Limit (TBD) 1 sample every 9 years

Greater than Detection Limit and Less than/equal to one-half (15 ppb) the MCL (30 ppb)

Greater than one-half the MCL (15 ppb) and Less than/ equal to the MCL (30ppb)

Greater than the MCL (30ppb) 1 sample every 6 years

1 sample every 3 years

1 sample per quarter until results from 4 consecutive quarters equal to/below MCL (30 ppb)

Testing is required at each point of entry to the Distribution System per the interval determined by the last round of results from the previous testing.

In June 2020, during our annual inspection by the SWRCB they requested we start testing Well #3 on a quarterly basis. In the table below we show the testing dates for Well #3 and both the MCL in ppb and pCi/L (CA. MCL 20 pCi/L, The State of California uses Picocuries to measure Radiological results.)

July 7th, 2020

July 16th, 2020

September 1st,2020

November 12th, 2020

January 19th, 2021

*January 5th, 2021

The conversion factor for converting ppb to pCi/L is .67

Results: 30 ppb

Results: 31 ppb

Results: 31 ppb

Results: 32 ppb

Results: 30 ppb

Results: 23 ppb Results: 20.1 pCi/L

Results: 20.7 pCi/L

Results: 20.7 pCi/L

Results: 21.4 pCi/L

Results: 20.1 pCi/L

Results: 15.4 pCi/L

*The sample drawn on January 5th, 2021 was taken shortly after starting Well #3 which had not been run for approximately a month, this sample is considered erroneous, however, the SWRCB may be required to average the two samples in January when calculating our totals for the four consecutive quarters, slightly skewing the results.

In April 2021, the TKWC will draw the 4th quarterly sample and this sample will determine if we will be required to shut down our Well #3. Since Well #1 meets most of our winter water demands we have set Well #3 to only come on-line in extreme emergencies.

Well #2 has been off-line and isolated from the Distribution System since November 2020 for exceeding the MCL for Uranium, based on the SWRCB Engineers recommendation. The SWRCB issued Citation No. 01-09-21C-001 January 27th, 2021 for Radionuclide Maximum Contaminant Level Violation for Fourth Quarter 2020 for Well #2.

Until recently, we have not been able to turn the system on since we did not have anywhere to discharge the contaminated waters. We have since purchased a 21,000-gallon Baker Tank and a small portable Uranium Treatment system so we can turn the Well on and test it. The Baker Tank will collect the contaminated waters and we will remove the Uranium prior to discharging the water into the sewer. This exercise will serve two purposes; it will allow us to test the Well per the directives in our Citation from the SWRCB, and it will help us determine if we can flush the Uranium from our Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) filters. The table on page 14 shows the Uranium test results for Well #2.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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