The Hemp Connection [Search results for mercury] 

One of the most frequent questions women have when advised to use fish oil is whether or not they should be concerned about the mercury content. I routinely hear from clients I've worked with that they feel comfortable taking fish oil to conceive, but then once they're pregnant they become concerned about mercury and stop the supplements.

The FDA has done such a great job of warning us about the potential problems with just four kinds of fish--shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish--that Americans in general have decreased consumption of ALL fish.

With regard to fish oil supplements, the truth is, most brands of fish oil are molecularly distilled, meaning they go through a very strict purification process to remove mercury. Random tests from bottles pulled off of regular drugstore shelves have consistently shown that for the most part…fish oil supplements are safe.

Yet people continue to question the safety of fish and fish oil because they fear the mercury.

Here's an interesting twist in that logic.

Earlier this year, two studies looked at the mercury content of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a ubiquitous and controversial sweetening agent. One study discovered that nine of twenty samples of HFCS contained measurable amounts of mercury. These researchers concluded, "With respect to total mercury exposure, it may be necessary to account for this source of mercury in the diet of children and sensitive populations." I would consider women of childbearing age, including those reading this blog, to be an especially sensitive population.

A second study conducted by the Institute for Agricultural and Trade Policy found in foods they analyzed in the fall of 2008, nearly 1 of 3 of the 55 foods they sampled contained measurable amounts of mercury. The finding was most common in foods containing HFCS.

So if you're using mercury concerns as an excuse to avoid eating fish…and you're looking for ways to justify keeping sweet stuff in your diet…you may want to consider your perspective. It's the fish that's likely clean and the sweets that may be dirty.

Dufault R, LeBlanc B, Schnoll R, Cornett C, Schweitzer L, Wallinga D, Hightower J, Patrick L, Lukiw WJ. Mercury from chlor-alkali plants: measured concentrations in food product sugar. Environ Health. 2009 Jan 26;8:2.

http://www.iatp.org/iatp/press.cfm?refID=105025

I've gotten a couple of questions about fish oil lately that are very common. Thought I'd put them up in a blog post so that anyone who has these questions now has the answers now, and this post is available for future times when the questions are also asked.

1. Isn't fish oil full of mercury and therefore something to avoid?

Actually, fish oil is very heavily processed to removed the mercury. The technique used by most companies is called molecular distillation. Organizations like Consumer Reports routinely do random checks by pulling bottles off of a typical drugstore and testing the purity of the product they find. And, routinely, the findings are that the fish oil products tested are practically always pure. Of course, there's the occasional issue, but when it happens, the brand tends to be publicized and it takes care of the problem.

Brands I know and trust include: Kirkland Costco, Barlean's, Coromega, Omega 3 Brain Booster, Carlson's, and Nordic Naturals. That does not mean these are the only safe brands, these just happen to be the brands with which I am most familiar.

Look at it this way. The liability associated with not being careful to remove fish oil is so great that it would be a foolish business to not go through the trouble of distilling out the mercury.

Bottom line: Fish oil, especially if has been molecularly distilled, is relatively mercury free.

2. Is there an upper limit to fish oil?

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 4 grams of fish oil per day. I am guessing that the reason this upper limit exists is because fish oil can affect clotting time, cardiologists treat clotting disorders, and they want their demographic to be kept safe.

However…a 4 ounce serving of salmon has about 2 grams of omega-3's. I have never heard anyone, ever, suggest that we should restrict our intake of fish! So there is a bit of an inconsistency in how we disseminate this information.

Here is the advice I like to give. If you are concerned about getting too many omega-3's, and/or you have a history of blood clotting problems, it's best to be conservative. Start low and increase your dose as you gauge you are tolerating the omega-3's. If you are on any kind of medication such as coumadin, it's best to do this under the supervision of a physician, as your medication dose may need to be shifted as your body accumulates omega-3's. If you notice that you start to bruise more easily after starting fish oil supplementation, this may be an indication that your clotting time has changed and that you should drop back on your dose until you can meet with your physician.

My personal feeling is that in many cases, adequate omega-3 intake may help reduce the need for the medication, but the ultimate decision in each individual case must be one made between you and your physician.

I recently spoke to a gentleman whose lab has developed a test that can ascertain whether or not you have too many omega-3's in your diet. I am not completely versed on how the test works or what it measures, but if you are interested, you can get more information at www.metametrix.com.

I've been working on an article about whether or not wild salmon is really wild. It's really driving home the point that it's not an eco-friendly idea to recommend salmon as the only source of omega-3's. It's not, at all. Everything that comes from the water has them!

Tuna is a very popular, very available fish, and I get a lot of questions about it. I don't want to delve into the mercury issue here, that's something that is easily found on the Internet. But…I do want to share something I recently learned about tuna. That is, that in most cases, it is processed on the ship that caught it, and most of the fats are boiled out of it before being canned. Yup, the fats. The omega-3's. Gone.

Fortunately, there IS tuna that is not processed that way. One of the fishermen who offers a non-boiled, sustainably caught tuna is Captain Joe Malley, who runs the fishing vessel St. Jude out of Seattle. For those of you who ARE interested in mercury, he actually posts his mercury tests on his website.

My cats and I just had some for lunch. They are still licking their whiskers and looking happy. I'd be licking whiskers too, if I had them! Captain Malley definitely gets a paws up from this kitty condo!

Secondary infertility is the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term after successfully and naturally conceiving one or more children.

Secondary infertility also appears to often be a condition with a significant nutritional cause…and a fairly easy solution.

A developing fetus has no way of obtaining the important omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, that it needs for adequate brain and nervous system development, except from its mother.

And what do we do to pregnant moms? We tell them to not eat the main source of these fatty acids, fish.

Even though the FDA warning limits their advised restrictions to four fish (shark, tilefish, king mackerel, and swordfish), studies have shown that women tend to limit ALL fish consumption while pregnant.

So as their firstborn develops, mom's omega-3 stores gradually dwindle. It's highly likely, given the stressful demands of new motherhood and the continued concern that fish may not be safe while nursing, that omega-3 intake continues to be inadequate.

And since fertility is dependent on adequate omega-3's as well, it makes sense that what it required to conceive and carry the first baby to term, may be exactly what's keeping baby #2 from happening.

We've been pretty successful at inCYST with this type of infertility. It's about getting over the fear of eating fish when you're pregnant.

At this point, pretty much every reputable fish oil on the market is molecularly distilled, meaning it's clean. Random tests of bottles of fish oil pulled off of pharmacy shelves rarely find mercury. Believe me, if they did, with the popularity of fish oil, it would be all over the news.

You can't just take fish oil and expect your problems to be solved. It is important to combine this with a healthy diet free of trans fats, low in inflammatory fats (safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn, cottonseed), and rich in antioxidants.

When you DO dose the fish oil, you'll need to take more than the recommended dose on the bottle; about 1000 mg DHA. You will need to calculate the number of capsules your favorite brand provides.

This issue is actually one of the things that inspired me to create the inCYST Network. When I saw what the fish fear was potentially doing to mother, child, and unborn children, I decided it was time to step up and speak out.

I hope you find this information helpful!

Temperatures have been high already this summer. With rising mercury comes a need to stay hydrated. And it's also, when water gets boring, when you're most likely to be tempted to drink soda. We talked with Scott Lerner this morning, CEO of Solixir, a company making a unique line of beverages. It's not just his product that is interesting --Scott actually teamed up with a dietitian and an herbalist when creating Solixir.

We think you'll like his story. Not to mention his beverage! If you're intrigued after hearing his interview, you can find it nationally at Whole Foods Markets and Vitamin Shoppe outlets.

It's getting hot outside, and that likely means you're getting thirsty.

A consistency I've noticed, in the years of examining food diaries, is how we seem to write off what we drink as far as its influence on our health. Calories, caffeine, sugar, even healthy ingredients such as antioxidants, get far less credit for what they do, than similar items that we chew! This can get us in trouble when the mercury climbs, and we start to bore of plain water. It's often not the food I try to tweak in a diet, but the juice, soda, or latte that's adding extra calories and promoting an overall imbalance.

If you look in the herbal tea section of your grocery store, you'll see lots of great alternatives. One of my personal favorites is hibiscus. It's not just a beautiful flower! It makes a delicious tea with quite a few health benefits:
--it has diuretic properties, which makes it perfect for PMS
--it is a mild antihypertensive
--one study suggested that it can help to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides
--it contains anthocyanins, those powerful antioxidants we tend to associate with blueberries
--it may have some anti-obesigenic properties

In my part of the country, especially in Spanish-speaking sections of town and REAL Mexican restaurants, we see a drink called Jamaica, which is a hibiscus-based beverage. The restaurant versions are likely too sweet to be consumed on a daily basis; here is a recipe from http://www.chow.com/, which you can probably make with far less sugar than the recipe calls for. I'd start with 1/3 of what is listed and gradually add until you like it.

Agua de Jamaica

3 quarts (12 cups) water

1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger, finely grated
1 1/2 cups dried Jamaica flowers (also known as hibiscus or flor de Jamaica)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 1 large lime)

Combine water and ginger in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.

Remove from heat and stir in Jamaica flowers and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Let steep 10 minutes.

Strain through a chinois or fine mesh sieve into a large, heat-resistant bowl or pot. Stir in lime juice and set aside to cool. Refrigerate until ready to use. Serve over ice.

Gosain S, Ircchiaya R, Sharma PC, Thareja S, Kalra A, Deep A, Bhardwaj TR. Hypolipidemic effect of ethanolic extract from the leaves of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. in hyperlipidemic rats. Acta Pol Pharm. 2010 Mar-Apr;67(2):179-84.

McKay DL, Chen CY, Saltzman E, Blumberg JB. Hibiscus sabdariffa L. tea (tisane) lowers blood pressure in prehypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. J Nutr. 2010 Feb;140(2):298-303. Epub 2009 Dec 16.

Alarcon-Aguilar FJ, Zamilpa A, Perez-Garcia MD, Almanza-Perez JC, Romero-Nuñez E, Campos-Sepulveda EA, Vazquez-Carrillo LI, Roman-Ramos R. Effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa on obesity in MSG mice. J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Oct 8;114(1):66-71. Epub 2007 Jul 27.

Chang YC, Huang KX, Huang AC, Ho YC, Wang CJ. Hibiscus anthocyanins-rich extract inhibited LDL oxidation and oxLDL-mediated macrophages apoptosis. Food Chem Toxicol. 2006 Jul;44(7):1015-23. Epub 2006 Feb 13.

I've been pretty vocal about the fact that we need to diversify our recommendations for seafood so that we don't deplete entire species in our quest for omega-3 fatty acids. In a search for options to replace the ever-popular salmon, I've learned some interesting things that we'll share on the blog. Today, I'd like to introduce you to a prehistoric Amazonian fish called paiche (pronounced pie-EE-chay). This fish is so new to culinary tables, the first one only appeared in the United States in the summer of 2010.

Fully grown, this fish can reach lengths of almost 7 feet and weights of over 200 lbs. Once overfished by natives to the point of near-extinction, the Peruvian government had placed a ban on its harvest. However, aquaculture specialists have been working to develop a means to sustainably raise this fish. Not only is this effort creating an industry beneficial to a financially disadvantaged part of the world, it is helping to replenish local waters with a vital component of the food chain that had been depleted with non-sustainable practices.

This fish is low in fat, and marketers are promoting it as a high omega-3 fish. I am working to find the exact values; this fish is so new on the market that data is not readily available. I'll update you here when the numbers actually do come in. One additional selling point of paiche is that it is farmed in the rainforest, in water that is free of mercury, antibiotics, and other toxic compounds.

Paiche's flavor has been described as subtle, like Chilean sea bass (on the Monterey Bay Aquarium's overfished list) or Atlantic cod.

Bottom line, it's good for you, it's good for the people who work to bring it to you, and it's good for the planet. When you see it in you store or on a menu, give it a try!

Bored with salmon, but still want to get your Omega 3's?

Prefer a mild-flavored, white fish?

Looking for a more sustainable option in your seafood?

Try Barramundi!

A native of the tropical waters of northern Australia, southeast Asia, and southern China, Barramundi is farmed in the U.S.

If you're worried about farmed fish, don't be. Not all farmed fish is bad. In fact, the Monterey Bay's Seafood Watch program rates U.S. farmed Barramundi a"Best Choice" because of our environmentally friendly farming practices.

Why eat it? Barramundi has 833 mg of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids per 5-oz serving and contains less than 150 calories! It's a great source of lean protein, is rich in vitamins and minerals, and is low in saturated fat. Because of U.S. farming practices, it's also free from contamination with PCBs, mercury or other contaminants.

How to buy it? You may find it called Silver Barramundi, Giant Perch, Palmer Perch, and Barra. Locally it can be found at Giant and Safeway.

How to make it? Barramundi has a sweet, mild flavor and light, flaky texture and is super easy to prepare. Below is a recipe and links to more!

Barramundi and Lemon Butter

4 Barramundi fillets

2 tsp. olive or canola oil

2 Tbsp. butter

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. fresh or bottled lemon juice

5 leaves minced fresh basil (or 3/4 tsp. dry)

Salt to taste

Gently saute the garlic in butter for about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and basil. Add salt to taste. Remove from heat. Coat fillets with olive or canola oil. Pan fry one side on high heat for 3 minutes. Flip and cook other side 1-2 more minutes or until fish is cooked through. Transfer to serving dish. Spoon sauce over fillets.

Serving Suggestion: Serve on a bed of sauteed spinach or greens, and fresh tomato salsa.

Danielle Omar, MS, RD
The Food Confidence Expert

www.foodconfidence.com

Last week our professional team finally got to hear omega-3 chemist Dr. Doug Bibus share his wisdom about omega-3 fatty acids and the potential benefit from knowing what your personal levels are.

Some of his facts:

1. Adequate omega-3 fatty acids are essential for ovaries and testes to properly function.

2. Babies develop 70% of their brain cells before they're born. Their DHA levels increase 3 to 5 times in their last trimester and again to that degree in the first 12 weeks of life.

3. Unfortunately, US babies have 1/3 the DHA levels of babies in Nigeria and Russia. (Are you as surprised and appalled as I was to learn that?) They have some of the lowest DHA levels in the world.

3. American moms have some of the lowest DHA levels in the world, which is partially related to their fears of getting mercury from eating fish. They consume, on average, less than 25% of the recommended amount of DHA per day. It's a big reason why those babies, who are depending on Mom for DHA, are having a little bit of trouble getting enough to feed those developing brains.

4. Those low DHA levels in moms are also related to the incredible increase in omega-6 fatty acids in our diet. For example, 100 years ago, the US produced.2 lbs of soybean oil per person, per year. Today, the US produces 25 lbs. per person per year and you can bet it's landing in our diets. It interferes with omega-3 metabolism in a huge way.

5. The higher the DHA levels in moms, the higher the IQ in babies, and the lower the incidence of serious behavioral issues.

You can see, it's not just about getting pregnant, but doing everything you can to make sure that baby has the best possible chance of being everything it can be.

The whole reason we have teamed up with Dr. Bibus is because we believe that his home fingerprick test for omega-3 levels could be a very important part of figuring out how to help you become pregnant, stay pregnant, produce healthy milk for baby, and have the healthiest baby possible.

Dr. Bibus has been gracious enough to allow us to offer his home fingerprick test at a discount, and we'd like to pass that discount along to you. Normally, this test sells for $175, and we're able to offer it to you for $140. If you'd like more information, please contact me at monika at afterthediet.com. If you're ready to order, click here.

We're really excited to be able to offer this test and hope to be able to more accurately identify dietary recommendations most likely to help you to meet your goals.