How to calculate the mercury content of your diet
How to calculate the mercury content of your diet
Let’s say you ate a couple of tuna sandwiches last week and then ordered the Chilean sea bass when you went out to dinner on Friday. So how much mercury do you think you picked up?
You can easily find out with a quick check at this website: gotmercury.org
The website provides a handy resource for calculating the amount of mercury you ingest based on your weekly fish consumption. Of course, a trout caught in Oregon may not contain the same mercury level as a trout caught in Kentucky, but this site will give you a general idea.
If your weekly mercury intake turns out to be on the high side, you should know that two key nutrients might actually cut toxicity caused by this dangerous heavy metal. In the e- Alert “Mystery in the Brain” (9/24/07), I told you about an animal study that showed how a combination of selenium and Vitamin E helped reduce mercury toxicity.
Health issues linked with mercury exposure include neurological problems, immune system suppression, chronic fatigue, high blood pressure and birth defects.
