Fish to Avoid Due to Mercury Toxicity: Natural Resources Defense Council

Learn more about mercury and its effects at the Natural Resources Defense Council web site here:

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY
Consumer Guide to Mercury in Fish


The list below shows the amount of various types of fish that a woman who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant can safely eat, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA recommendation is based on body weight and is, therefore, dependent on a person's size. The guidance below is based on a 6 oz serving of cooked fish for a 130lb/60kg woman. People with small children who want to use the list as a guide should reduce portion sizes. Adult men, and women who are not planning to become pregnant, are less at risk from mercury exposure but may wish to refer to the list for low-mercury choices. For a more personalized recommendation, use NRDC's mercury calculator.


Protecting yourself -- and the fish: Certain fish, even some that are low in mercury, make poor choices for other reasons, most often because they have been fished so extensively that their numbers are perilously low. These fish are marked with an asterisk (read more below).

HIGH MERCURY*
Eat less than four servings per month: 

Bluefish
Grouper
Mackerel (Spanish, Gulf)
Sea Bass (Chilean)
Tuna (Canned Albacore)
Tuna (Yellowfin)

HIGHEST MERCURY**

Avoid eating: 

Mackerel (King)
Marlin
Orange Roughy
Shark
Swordfish
Tilefish
Tuna (Bigeye, Ahi)



* High mercury: From 0.3 to 0.49 parts per million

** Highest mercury: More than .5 parts per million



source: http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp

Omega-3-Rich Fish Intake During Pregnancy May Boost Birth Weight for Babies: European Data

As people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity have poor absorption of fats, it is important to make up to difference by increasing the amounts of fats in the diet. Including the best source of omega 3's, fish. And if an expectant mother is undiagnosed and untreated, she is more likely to experience recurring miscarriages, premature births and low birth weights. And a gluten free diet reverses the higher risk to normal, but I aim for an even lower rate of risk.

Here is a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, that shows that eating fish at least one serving a week helped to reduce the risk of preterm birth by between 11%-13%. And eating fish three times a week allowed the baby to have a small but significant increase in birth weight, according to data from 19 European birth cohort studies. 

Preterm birth is a public health issue. If you want to know more about this subject link here. This report also mentions the benefits of omega 3's.

It is especially important to follow this advice if you are celiac or gluten sensitive and pregnant or planning to get pregnant. This advice helps to reduce the risk of premature birth and to reduce the risk of "intrauterine growth retardation" (a condition where the baby being born at term, but the baby has a low weight). Low weight at full term is much more dangerous to the future health of the baby than being born at a low weight when premature.

It is prudent to do whatever it takes to avoid having a baby with either low weight at term or pre-maturity. Start with a completely clean diet without grains, gluten, oats, or sugar. No cheating.

And look for the list of safe fish to eat from your countries health recommendations,but you can see Canada's recommendations here.

To Your Health

Dr. Barbara

Omega-3 from fish and flax backed to prevent broken hips: Study

Eating GAPS diet and protocol naturally heals the bowel and improves digestion. It naturally increases the blood levels of omega 3 which are asssociated with less inflammation and better health. And it naturally lowers the omega 6 to omega 3 ratio to a more normal, healthy ratio. The closer the ratio is to 2:1 the better. The average Canadian's ratio is a disturbing 10:1.

Here is an interesting article showing that blood levels of omega 3's with less omega 6's ( from grain and seed oils) is associated with less incidence of fractured hips in post menopausal women.

Omega-3 from fish and flax backed to prevent broken hips: Study


Consuming high levels of omega-3 fatty acidsmay reduce the risk for hip fractures in postmenopausal women, research suggests.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Omega-3-from-fish-and-flax-backed-to-prevent-broken-hips-Study


When I recommend GAPS diet for so many different conditions, it is hard to believe it could really remedy all these health problems. GAPS really reduces inflammation, and less inflammation means less disease.

To your Health.

Dr. Barbara