Some of us like to think that if we eat healthy, avoid tobacco, drink in moderation and choose our parents wisely that we might cheat death once or thrice.
Then, one day we learn that our healthier lifestyle has tripped old coots and middle-aged yuppies alike. The ailment? Mercury poisoning by fish. Some folks eat so much fish that their bodies can’t shed the mercury load faster than the amounts coming in.
Imagine that. Our relentless pursuit of protein, heart-friendly nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids could turn us into modern-day mad hatters. Yep. Right here in Wisconsin.
In fact, Wisconsin scientists at the Department of Health and Family Services and the Department of Natural Resources reviewed seven examples of fish-induced mercury poisoning in 2005 in the Environmental Research journal.
In 1994, blood tests on a 40-year-old Madison man, his wife and son revealed high mercury levels. The contamination was traced to Chilean sea bass, which the family bought locally and ate twice weekly.
In 2004, tests on a 44-year-old female body-builder in Green Bay revealed “significantly elevated” mercury levels after she ate canned tuna daily.
The other five cases involved six men 55 to 65 years old, and two women, both age 59. All hailed from ordinary places like Iola, Two Rivers, Green Bay, Coleman and Rhinelander, and all tested highly positive for mercury. The men were avid anglers who fished pretty little lakes near home or up north. They told doctors they ate walleyes or northern pike at least twice weekly, as well as bass and panfish.
In all the above cases, their mercury levels returned to normal when they cut back on fish.
FULL STORY HERE: http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/...plate=printart
