Toxic Or Not?

What are the real dangers of eating Farmed Salmon and Wild Salmon? Bromley Health Management investigate.

A recent study of more than two metric tons of North American/South American and European salmon showed that PCB's and other environmental toxins were present at higher levels in farm-raised salmon than in their wild counterparts. As a result, all this week we have been watching news on the television and reading reviews in the Newspapers about the dangers of high levels of toxins found in Scottish farmed salmon. This is due, we are told, to what the fish are consuming.

Edith Maskell of Bromley Health Management states that she is "stunned that these articles are front page "news" because there have been reports about the dangers of toxins, specifically methylmercury, found in various kinds of fish, for many years, both farmed and wild" (because of the toxins which are dumped in our oceans).

A report from the Purdie University in the States dated February 2003 advises consumers to "fish for information before buying seafood to make sure the benefits outweigh the risks". "But can they?", Edith asks. "it takes 6 years to rid the body of PCB's and ONE YEAR for mercury.

She wonders whether anyone has considered the damage that toxic overload could be doing to all the major internal organs, structures and systems in the body in the mean time, "particularly to young children and pregnant and nursing Mothers."

It was concluded by a study by Hites et al at Indiana University that many of the PCB's found in fish are "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen". The same researchers found that the highest levels of toxins were found in farmed fish from Scotland and Denmark with the lowest coming from Chile and Washington.

"Let's be realistic" says Edith, "it's all very well telling us that we should "fish for information before we buy fish but if we were provided with accurate information as in, where the fish came from and what it has been fed on, would we be still be likely to buy it? "One of the problems", she continues, "is that we are encouraged to eat oily fish for the proteins and the all important Omega 3's (the good fats or essential fatty acids). They are called essential fatty acids because we absolutely must have them every day, ie they are ESSENTIAL for brain development in babies and particularly beneficial for cardiovascular health in adults, and yet, I see the results of toxic overload from many sources of pesticides, insecticides, metals and chemicals, amalgam fillings, vaccinations and cosmetic jewellery at the Clinic, every day."

The public DO owe it to themselves to be discerning, whether it is what put into their body OR attach to it. For instance, "in my experience", Edith reports, "a large proportion of allergic reactions is caused by cheap cosmetic jewellery, PARTICULARLY jewellery which pierces the body".

The Washington Post reported in December 2003 that the "US Government plans to warn women of childbearing age to limit their consumption of tuna because of concerns about mercury poisoning". It states that the Environmental Protection Agency "cautions pregnant women of child bearing age to limit their portions of shellfish to 12 ounces per week". The Food and Drugs Agency previously warned about other fish, including mackerel because of high levels of mercury but had not included tuna because it "FEARED women would substitute it with less nutritious food!" "what does that mean?" Edith asks, did they think that women weren't intelligent enough to make the decision for themselves?"

The report goes on to say that mercury levels in tuna vary. Fresh tuna apparently has higher levels canned canned light tuna. Then "incredibly" says Edith, the Washington Post goes on to say that they were informed by a FDA official that "women can safely eat tuna on a weekly basis, but those AT RISK should eat no more than six ounces a week". "Apart from the conflicting reports of how much should be eaten; aren't we ALL at risk of mercury poisoning, asks Edith?"

Methylmercury is mercury is mercury is mercury – our bodies can NOT absorb it – there are NO safe limits. The FDA may consider that 6 (or 12) ounces is a safe limit but I would be also be concerned about the possible build up over a period of time because our bodies are incapable of eliminating mercury?

The production of farmed salmon has increased almost 50% over the last 20 years and over half the salmon sold globally are raised in Northern Europe, Chile and North America. Fish are pretty high up in their food chains and have a tendency to accumulate toxins because they are fish eaters themselves. Animals who feed on plants have been demonstrated to have lower levels of toxins in their bodies. So maybe there's something to be said about being a vegetarian after all? Provided, that is, that the plants have not been sprayed with insecticides, herbicides and pesticides!!?

Sunday, 11 January 2004

© 2004 Bromley Health Management