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Is That Healthy Fish
Really So Healthful?
August 19, 2003 -- ELLE Magazine's
April issue explores how the most health-conscious
eaters may be exposing themselves to dangerous levels
of mercury. For years fish has been a dietary staple
among weight-watchers and the most health-conscious
consumers. Many believe that the omega-3 fatty acids
in salmon and tuna can prevent heart disease and wrinkles
as well as make their brains both brainier and less
susceptible to depression.
However, Dr. Jane Hightower, [an Internal
medicine specialist] reports in ELLE's April issue,
that a dangerous level of mercury is found in some
very common types of fish: swordfish, shark, ahi,
canned tuna. She discusses the three-year study that
led to her concluding that too much of the wrong kind
of fish can give you a nasty case of mercury poisoning.
Hightower reports the symptoms of
mercury poisoning to include fatigue, headaches, hair
loss, and neurological problems, ranging from numbness,
muscle weakness, altered vision and hearing, slurred
speech, to convulsions and dementia.
Hightower's claim has touched off
controversy nationwide, pitting federal agencies and
fishing industry against environmentalists and health
enthusiasts. 'Virtually all fish contain traces of
methyl mercury', Hightower reveals. 'In lakes and
rivers, where pollution is often quite concentrated,
even small fish can have large amounts.'
'In oceans, it's the big predatory
species at the top of the food chain that ends up
with the most mercury; these fish may feast for years
on smaller fish before becoming fillets themselves.
Swordfish, which may be among the largest sea creatures
regularly consumed by humans, may accumulate several
million times the amount of mercury found in the surrounding
water, according to the EPA.'
Some healthy hints from Dr. Hightower:
* Eat more salmon - the fish highest
in omega-3-like salmon and sardines, contain very
low levels of mercury.
* Limit fish if you are pregnant [or trying]. Eat
no more than 12-ounces a week, and avoid swordfish,
shark, king mackerel, and tilefish.
*
* Go for variety - eat different kinds of fish.
* Think small - little fish tend to be lower in mercury.
Eating smaller portions also helps.
* Don't be afraid - occasionally bingeing on sushi
or eating swordfish all week on vacation won't hurt
you.
Source: ELLE Web site: http://elle.com/
Mar 14, 2003 09:23 ET
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Margot B: author of a book &
100's of articles on health & the environment.
Margot B & Associates consist of a staff of outstanding,
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