It is always best to ingest most of your nutrients through good sources of real food – making sure it is not genetically modified (GMO), and organically grown whenever possible.

When deciding what kinds of fish to eat, your choices can be confusing. You need to ensure you are eating “Wild Caught” and definitely not “Farm Raised.” “Farm Raised” fish contain many chemicals, toxins, and mercury, and these harmful agents are not processed or eliminated from the body. “Farm Raised” fish also have high levels of antibiotics, dyes, growth hormones, PCB’s, and endocrine disruptors. These toxins also build up in our bodies when we consume these fish.

To avoid the toxicity of “Farm Raised” fish, we should insist upon buying “Wild Caught” fish. “Wild Caught” fish is labeled as such at the grocery store. These fish are cleaner, have higher protein content, and they have a higher Omega 3 content.

Although “Wild Caught” fish are best, some types of fish are cleaner than others.

Please consult this chart when buying and eating fish:

Low Mercury Levels:
Anchovies                 Herring                             Sardines
Butterfish                  Mackerel                           Scallop
Catfish                      Mullet                                Shrimp
Crab                         Oyster                                Sole
Crawfish                   Perch                                 Squid
Croaker                    Plaice                                Tilapia
Flounder                  Pollock                              Trout
Haddock                  Salmon                              Whitefish
Hake                        Whiting

Moderate Mercury Levels (eat 6 or less servings per month):
Bass                         Jacksmelt                           Skate
Carp                         Snapper                              Cod
Lobster                     Tuna (canned chunk light) Mahi Mahi
Monkfish                   Halibut                               Perch
Weakfish                   Sablefish

High Mercury Levels (eat 3 or less servings per month):
Bluefish                    Tuna (canned Albacore)    Grouper
Sea Bass                  Yellowfin Tuna

Highest Mercury Levels (avoid eating):
King Mackerel          Shark                                Marlin
Swordfish                 Orange Roughy                Tilefish
Ahi Tuna

Do not avoid eating fish, just ensure you make clean choices. Ask restaurants and grocery stores if the fish is “Wild Caught,” and eat varieties that are not high in toxins.

It is reassuring to know that professional supplement companies follow the Good Standards of Manufacturing Practices, which uses a process of extracting all heavy metals from toxins in the fish source used to make fish oil supplements. Fish oil supplements should only be from sardines or anchovies, not bottom feeders, such as shrimp. If you or a family member is allergic to sardines or anchovies, contact me for alternative suggestions to the typical fish oil supplement.

*Mercury levels chart from www.nrdc.org

Here is a very important follow up to last month’s entry on nails! Although I have no intention of ever using gel nails, a local aesthetician called to my attention the problems associated with these artificial nails. She knows I am very conscientious about what chemicals people choose to expose themselves to, and I am happy to pass on the information to you!

Here are some of the risks of gel manicure products…

1) The products contain skin irritants, including certain methacrylates, which may cause skin redness, itching, and swelling. These products do not comply with the recommendations of the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, an independent industry group, to include instructions to avoid skin contact.

2) The products contain toxic chemicals. Some contain butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), which is a carcinogen. Others include the ingredient methyl pyrrolidone, which may cause reproductive harm. Both of these ingredients are included on California’s Proposition 65 list of toxic chemicals.

3) The products require UV light to “set” the gel. Although these manicures require only 4-8 minutes of exposure to the rays, manicures may be done every two weeks. You should avoid all unnecessary exposure to UV radiation!

4) Removing the gel in the required acetone solution can lead to long-term problems. Acetone is a very drying chemical, and it may cause cracking, peeling, brittle nails, and chapped skin.

Use this information to make the wise decision to steer clear of gel manicures. With all the potential side effects, these manicures are simply not worth the risk. Contact me if you are experiencing any reactions to gel manicures you have had in the past.