Though hazards of mercury in fish have been in the news for decades, this once beneficial food source is becoming increasingly dangerous with higher amounts of mercury than ever before.
Fish are a great source of the omega-3 fatty acid critical in reducing inflammation causing chronic disease as well as improving immune and brain function. But like much of our modern food supply, industries have been allowed to contaminate it with heavy metals, antibiotics, pesticides, chemicals, and other toxins that destroy health.
Though hazards of mercury in fish have been in the news for decades, many fish types are becoming increasingly dangerous containing higher amounts of mercury than ever before. Doctors again warn pregnant women and young children to stay away.
Mercury in fish mostly comes from manmade sources, namely coal burning plants. They release metallic mercury into the atmosphere, which ends up in the ocean.
Mount Sinai Medical Center’s Dr. Phillip Landrigan says, “the bacteria in the sea convert this metallic mercury, which is not terribly hazardous, into another form of mercury called methyl mercury, which is very hazardous.”
Frequent or large mercury exposure damages the brain and other organs, resulting in various devastating and often misdiagnosed illnesses.
