EPA
The USDA, FDA, and EPA’s mission of monitoring our food supply against the contamination of drugs and chemical residues has yet to be fully realized. The average can of tuna in the U.S. exceeds EPA standards and may damage the brain of infants, children, and adults (more than that in vaccinations, amalgam teeth fillings, high-fructose corn syrup and Ayervedic supplements). One in four women exceeds EPA mercury safety limits by eating as little as one meal of fish per week. Because regulations in the U.S. allow up to ten times as much mercury in fish as EPA limit allows, it is advisable for women who eat a lot of fish to get tested for mercury when considering pregnancy. Other contaminants in meat may also adversely affect fetal development. Fish (especially farmed) may also contain industrial pollutants such as dioxins and PCBs. One-third of more than sixty brands of soda tested for the carcinogen benzene exceeded safety limits. There is arsenic in American chicken products. Although banned decades ago, DDT is still found in products such as fish oil (even distilled is not pollutant free). Algae-based omega 3′s offer an organic, hygienic, and safer way to ensure DHA and EPA status without heavy metal or industrial toxin exposure.
Topic summary contributed by Sheila Buffie.
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Watch videos about EPA
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Paleolithic LessonsAn evolutionary argument for a plant-based diet is presented, in contrast to "paleo" fad diets.
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Which Brand of Tuna Has the Most Mercury?In a survey of three national brands of tuna in the United States, most cans exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s safety level for human consumption.
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Nerves of MercuryStudies of the neurobehavioral toxicity of mercury on children suggest that no level of mercury exposure can be considered safe, but pressure from the fish industry may be preventing safety limits..
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Hair Testing for Mercury Before Considering PregnancyThe EPA safety limit on mercury in fish may not sufficiently protect pregnant women in the United States. This has led to a recommendation that fish-eating women get tested for mercury before..
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Amla and Triphala Tested for MetalsBoth U.S.-made and imported Ayurvedic dietary supplements have high contamination rates of toxic metals such as mercury, though only a small fraction of the levels found in canned tuna.
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Preventing Childhood AllergiesWhat is responsible for the rising prevalence of atopic diseases such as food allergies, asthma, hay fever, and eczema?
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Fish Oil in Troubled WatersMajor fish oil manufacturers and drug stores are being sued for failing to disclose the PCB pollutants in fish oil supplements.
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Improving Mood Through DietThe purported role arachidonic acid plays in brain inflammation could explain why eliminating chicken, fish, and eggs may improve symptoms of mood disturbance, depression, anxiety and stress within..
