Is Fish or a Can of Tuna REALLY THAT Bad for You? Your Kids?

If you are a 140 lb woman eating 1 6 oz can of Albacore Tuna = you are getting 140% of the EPA limit of Mercury exposure!  For a 65 lb. child eating 3 oz. = 150% of the EPA limit of ’safe’ mercury exposure.

In other words, there is way too much mercury to consider it “SAFE” to eat in my opinion. (Which sucks because I love tuna. And so does my daughter – which was something different to give her besides the daily PB & J.)

So about 4 years ago when I got into eating ‘organic’ & ‘healthy’ foods – I quit buying tuna and most foods from the typical grocery store.  I am delighted to see that a lot of stores these days at least have a small section with organic choices, although I look forward to a time when that is how most food is sold!

At first, I thought the can of Tuna on the shelf in the ‘healthy’ whole food store must be OK, Right?

It made me wonder what the difference was.  So I did a little searching online.

My first great discovery – a website called GOT MERCURY? – (very cute.. )  It has a ‘Mercury Calculator‘ so you can put in your weight and the type of fish (even differentiating between albacore, yellow fin, and light tuna) to find what your mercury exposure is.

There is even an ‘Advanced Calculator’ for people who consume more than 1 serving a week!  Brace yourself – you will be shocked at how much mercury you may be consuming!

Here is what I found for myself and the fish I like -

• Tilapia -  0%
• Salmon – 0%
• Scallop – 20%
• Flounder – 20%
• Crab/Shrimp – 20%
• Cod – 30%
• Light Tuna – 50%

Now the NOT so good list -  (I ate occasionally and will now be avoiding!)

• Mahi Mahi – 60%
• Halibut – 90%
• Lobster – 110%
• Yellow fin Tuna – 120%
• Albacore Tuna – 130%
• Orange Roughy – 200%

I did find this interesting the sight about Tuna -

How do I know if my tuna is chunk light or albacore? Most tuna cans are labeled as either albacore or chunk light. Albacore tuna, according to recent testing by the FDA, contains 3 times as much mercury as does chunk light. You should avoid albacore tuna if you wish to keep your blood mercury level low. There are exceptions, however. Some companies sell albacore that is troll-caught. These species are younger fish and therefore contain lower levels of mercury. According to a recent study from Oregon State University, troll-caught albacore mercury levels are similar to chunk light levels (on average. 0.14 parts per million). Data for troll-caught data in the mercury calculator above is from the OSU study. Cans of chunk light tuna typically contain skipjack tuna which is a smaller species of fish and therefore contains lower mercury levels (on average. 0.123 parts per million). You can compare the mercury levels between the two in the mercury calculator above.

For some reason – I always thought Albacore was the good one to get  – wow was I wrong!

Then I found in a Dr. Mercola article  – that Mercury is NOT the only worry-

Other Contaminants include:

• PCBs
• Radioactive substances like strontium
• Toxic metals such as cadmium, lead, chromium and arsenic

Think that Farm Raised means cleaner healthier fish?  Think again!

Factory-Farmed Fish

If you eat fish in a restaurant, it most likely came from a fish farm. Almost half of the salmon, 40 percent of the mollusks, and 65 percent of the freshwater fish consumed today are raised on fish farms. Not surprisingly, fish farming, a multimillion-dollar industry, has become one of the fastest-growing sections of the food production market.

What many people don’t know is that farmed fish face many of the same health issues as factory-farmed animals. In order to be profitable, fish farms must raise large quantities of fish in confined areas, and the overcrowding leads to disease and injuries to the fish. The fish are given antibiotics and chemicals for the parasites like sea lice, skin and gill infections and other diseases that commonly affect them.

The fish are also given drugs and hormones, and sometimes are genetically modified, to accelerate growth and change reproductive behaviors. Farmed salmon are also given chemicals, canthaxanthin and astaxanthin, to turn their flesh pink in order to make them more marketable. Wild salmon eat a diet of shrimp and krill, which contain natural chemicals that make the salmon pink. Farm-raised salmon do not eat a natural diet, so their flesh would be gray if they were not given the additives.

Unfortunately, my fish consumption is rare because of this information which is a shame because it is so good!

I didn’t realize how unhealthy Tuna was so I wanted to share what I’d learned.  We all hear that our oceans are contaminated but I was shocked at how badly.

Why this continues to happen?  Another blog….

To Your Health!

www.GreenLifeSaver.net

Is the High Fructose Corn Syrup Ad Right – Is it Harmless?

A few friends had mentioned seeing a commercial stating that High Fructose Corn Syrup was natural and harmless.  I finally saw it myself this weekend.  Wow, what I was most amazed about was the lack of information that was given.  I guess when you are trying to promote a unhealthy product, less is more.

If you haven’t seen it – a man and woman are picnicking and the woman is holding a red Popsicle.  She offers it to him and he declines because it has high fructose corn syrup in it.  When she asks him Why that is a ‘bad’ thing, he is unable to respond.  This is the crux of the commercial, he can’t verbalize WHY it has a negative effect on his health.  Because of this, she tells him that it is made from corn and it is natural.  Then finishing with something about it being OK in moderation.

The sad fact is unless you have a PhD in natural health and /or nutrition, it is hard to articulate what you’ve read and believe. I know… I still have trouble sometimes and it has been my main reading/hobby/interest/career for the last 5 years!

Having a massive interest in ‘natural’ food and ‘alternative’ health, spawned by my daughter’s miraculous recovery from JRA (Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis) using these methods, I’ve removed High Fructose Corn Syrup from my family’s diet.                                                                                                                                                                   

I’m not surprised that this commercial is out… I mean the organic food movement is getting larger.  When I began eating all organic food years ago, there was not an organic piece of produce or anything in the ‘regular’ grocery store.  Now most stores at last have some sections designated for organic products.  Most of these labels state NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, which is one of the ingredients informed consumers look to avoid.  The corn syrup producers must be very unhappy about this and are trying to fight their demise.

After watching the commercial I thought about what I would have said when asked WHY is HFCS bad?

Well, what I know is that High Fructose Corn Syrup is unhealthy because it is a sweetener which raises insulin levels, which has negative effects on the body.  Just like it is a well known fact today that sugar does this and it is best to minimize or omit it from your diet.

So what makes HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP so bad?  You can read many different articles that give you the scientific breakdown of what HFCS is and why is is unhealthy.  To read specifics, check out - What is High Fructose Corn Syrup or  Six Reasons Why Corn is Making You Fat by Joseph Mercola.

But the overall picture is this.  High Fructose Corn Syrup was created by Japanese Scientists in the 70’s. (which back before this obesity rates were very low, coincidence?)

HFCS is now the prevalent sweetener used in the US for many reasons, but mostly money.  It is cheaper. (surprise surprise)

It isn’t natural because it is modified.  High Fructose Corn Syrup is made by adding enzymes to cornstarch to change the make up.

I could go on and on, but why?  You’ll forget and it really isn’t important.  Why? Because it is just as bad for you as sugar and is more prevalent in the American diet than sugar.  And no one is arguing that we need to cut back on sugar.

I mean every knows and doesn’t fight the fact that:       

Here is a list of ways sugar can affect your health:

• Sugar can suppress the immune system.
• Sugar can upset the body’s mineral balance.
• Sugar can contribute to hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, concentration difficulties, and crankiness in children.
• Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
• Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.
• Sugar can reduce helpful high density cholesterol (HDLs).
• Sugar can promote an elevation of harmful cholesterol (LDLs).
• Sugar can cause hypoglycemia.
• Sugar contributes to a weakened defense against bacterial infection.
• Sugar can cause kidney damage.
• Sugar can increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Sugar may lead to chromium deficiency.
• Sugar can cause copper deficiency.
• Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
• Sugar can increase fasting levels of blood glucose.
• Sugar can promote tooth decay.
• Sugar can produce an acidic stomach.
• Sugar can raise adrenaline levels in children.
• Sugar can lead to periodontal disease.
• Sugar can speed the aging process, causing wrinkles and grey hair.
• Sugar can increase total cholesterol.
• Sugar can contribute to weight gain and obesity.
• High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
• Sugar can contribute to diabetes.
• Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
• Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
• Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease.
• Sugar can increase systolic blood pressure.
• Sugar causes food allergies.
• Sugar can cause free radical formation in the bloodstream.
• Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.
• Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.
• Sugar can overstress the pancreas, causing damage.
• Sugar can cause liver cells to divide, increasing the size of the liver.
• Sugar can increase the amount of fat in the liver.
• Sugar can cause depression.
• Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance.
• Sugar can cause hypertension.
• Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.
• Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha and theta brain waves, which can alter the mind’s ability to think clearly.
• Sugar can increase blood platelet adhesiveness which increases risk of blood clots and strokes.
• Sugar can increase insulin responses in those consuming high-sugar diets compared to low sugar diets.
• Sugar increases bacterial fermentation in the colon.

So it seems kind of silly that this is the Pro’s list for High Fructose Corn Syrup -

The Pro-High Fructose Corn Syrup people, namely those involved in its sale, and hhmm money, say that -

• The American Medical Association (AMA) recently concluded that “high fructose corn syrup does not appear to contribute to obesity more than other caloric sweeteners.” (Well, great they all contribute so it is not worse than sugar, that is saying something)

• Research confirms that high fructose corn syrup is safe and nutritionally the same as table sugar. (Wow, it is as nutritional as sugar, great! We just read all of the great benefits of eating sugar)

• High fructose corn syrup has the same number of calories as table sugar and is equal in sweetness. It contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients

• High fructose corn syrup offers numerous benefits. It keeps food fresh, enhances fruit and spice flavors, retains moisture in bran cereals, helps keep breakfast and energy bars moist, maintains consistent flavors in beverages and keeps ingredients evenly dispersed in condiments (these are all so important to the consumer, lets have moist stuff that lasts a long time so we can be fat and sick)

Pretty silly argument huh?

My last point – if you are serious about omitting the High Fructose Corn Syrup – become a label reader. Yes, it is a pain in the ass – but your body will thank you by feeling better.  You will be amazed that all it is in.  Some examples -

bread, cereal, candy, beverages, condiments, jelly, salad dressing, sauces, snacks, soups.

Hope this helped clear some of it up for you!

To Your Health,

www.GreenLifeSaver.net

Healthy Hot Chocolate!

Love Hot chocolate?  Me too!  What I didn’t like was all the junk that is added to instant hot chocolate.

For example here are the list of ingredients for Nestle’ Instant Hot Cocoa Mix -

Product Ingredients

SUGAR, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, VEGETABLE OIL (PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COCONUT OR PALM KERNEL AND HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN)**, DAIRY PRODUCT SOLIDS, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, AND LESS THAN 2% OF CELLULOSE GUM, NONFAT MILK, SALT, SODIUM CASEINATE, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM ALUMINOSILICATE, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, GUAR GUM, ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS.

Yum? After reading that list, it makes me want to pass on the cup of cocoa even on a cold day!

Fortunately, there is an EASY & most importantly a HEALTHY Hot Chocolate recipe that even your kids will love.

With No Sugar, No Hydrogenated Oils, and No chemicals you can’t pronounce!

(Yes, it passed my 12 year-old-daughter’s test!) She even said, “It is the best hot chocolate ever!”

So here it is -

• 1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder with 70% or more cacao.
• 1 packet of Stevia powder (or 1/4 tsp. liquid)
• 1 cup of raw milk  (Click here to learn more about the benefits of raw milk)
• For special times – add a dollop of whip cream (Natural by Nature uses organic cream and only 1 gram of sugar from cane sugar with no hydrogenated oils)

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently (DO NOT let boil) stirring frequently until cocoa is just beginning to steam.  Pour into a mug and enjoy.

*Heating on low will allow the antioxidants to release from the cocoa and will not destroy all of the beneficial ingredients in the raw milk.

To save time and allow my daughter to make it, I mixed the cocoa and stevia together in a glass jar so when it is time to make it, it is a little quicker and neater.

Enjoy!

www.GreenLifeSaver.net!

Don’t Give Up Your Chocolate! Try this Healthy Version…

Dark Chocolate Goji Berries!

I found these in my local co-op from a company called Extreme Health USA.

A couple of days a week I get an urge for chocolate.  So instead of giving it up, I’ve changed what kind of chocolate I’ll eat.

For the most part, I will only eat organic dark chocolate because of the increased antioxidant properties with less of the unhealthy part – namely sugar.  These use organic evaporated cane juice instead of the refined white sugar found in most chocolate.

I love these bite size chocolate covered berries because of their taste – but check out the health benefits:

COMPARE Antioxidant Levels
FOOD	ORAC Units*
Goji Berry	25,100
Prunes	5,700
Raisins	2,830
Spinach	1,260
Brussel Sprouts	980
Broccoli	890
Oranges	750
Cherries	670
* ORAC units (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity Scale) is a measure of the ability of antioxidants to absorb oxygen “free radicals”; 3000 units is considered an industry standard for health. Extreme Health’s Goji Berry is 25,100 units.

So if you get that chocolate craving- give these a try!  They also come in other flavors like Cappuccino, milk chocolate, and pomegranate yogurt.

To Your Health!

www.GreenLifeSaver.net

NO MORE Medicine for Allergies, Depression, and More!

Before I heard about Supplements, organic food, and alternative therapies, I took many different medications. Some were prescription and some over the counter.

Here are just the ones i recall off of the top of my head:

*numerous allergy medications

*migraine medicine

*IBS medicine

*numerous antacids and GERD Medicine

*numerous different anti-depressants

*anti-anxiety medicine

*pain medication

Here are the prescription or over the counter medicines I take now:

*

*

*

I like my NOW list much better!

No, it wasn’t fast – like when taking a pill. No, it wasn’t easy – like popping a pill. No, it wasn’t as cheap as a prescription covered by your insurance.

But – I didn’t want to treat the symptoms – and continue to hurt myself with poor nutrition, no exercise, and potentially harmful medications to cover up the problems I was having.

My body wasn’t ‘acting out’ giving me these symptoms just so i would take a pill and treat the symptoms. It was telling me – things are not right. “You are not feeding and supplementing properly. You are lacking nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and digestive enzymes. You are not exercising me and making me strong. You are not letting go of the past and living in the now - this negativity is hurting you.”

So over the last 4-5 years, it has been a process. Gradually changing my ways. Am I perfect now? No – no one is.

But the proof is in my list. My body is getting healthier.

If you want it bad enough – you can make it happen. My best in your journey.

Want to read more about the supplements I take and why? Check out www.GreenLifeSaver.net.

If you want to read more about the spiritual work I’ve been doing check out my other blog Why? under ‘A New Earth’ category or better yet check out Eckhart Tolle’s site.

To Your Health!

Amy