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In 2004, I read in a book that 1 out of 6 women
had levels of mercury in their body high enough to pose danger to a developing
fetus. I thought of myself, "I wonder if my levels are high", having eaten only fish as a protein source for
over 20 years. My doctor’s heavy metal test showed my levels were twice the
“safe” level. Please read the article I wrote that ran in Oprah’s O magazine April ‘05
for my story. I suggest you get tested if you think you may have symptoms and/or eat a lot of fish. You can get a hair test kit easily by going to nrdc.org or waterkeeper.org. Detox with a doctor, nutritionist or kenisiologist,
and very importantly help stop the cause of mercury in our fish. One
of the ways is to write to your
senator and congress person.
Millions of Americans are consuming fish contaminated with mercury. 1 in 6 women have
dangerous levels of mercury
in their blood and 630,000 children each year are at risk of being born with brain
damage, attention deficit
disorder, blindness, liver, heart, kidney disease and other devastating conditions.
- Mercury is a heavy metal natural to the planet Earth but has no function in the
human body and is one of the more toxic
substances to humans, more harmful than arsenic and lead. (Watson Wellness)
- All mercury spills regardless of quantity should be treated seriously. (EPA)
- The air in a room can reach contamination levels just from ONE broken
thermometer. (EPA)
- Mercury damages cells. As a pro-oxident it binds with its membranes so the cell
can’t protect itself from damage and
eventually the cell dies. (Watson Wellness)
- Metallic mercury is toxic and exposure to excessive levels can permanently
damage or fatally injure the brain and
kidneys. (EPA)
- Methylmercury in fish is estimated 100 to 1000 times more toxic than metallic
mercury. It easily passes
through the intestines into the blood stream and moves rapidly to parts of the
body targeting the Central
Nervous System. Exposure to very small amounts can result in damage to a
developing fetus, the brain,
kidneys, and even death. (ATSDR)(EPA)
- Even low levels of mercury from mother’s consumption of methylmercury in fish
can adversely affect the brain and
nervous system. Impacts on memory, attention, language and other skills have
been found in children exposed to
moderate levels in the womb. (EPA)
- Approximately 80% of mercury released into the air is from power plants (fossil
fuel combustion), mining, and smelting
from solid waste incineration. 1100 coal burning power plants release thousands
of pounds of mercury into the air annually.
It settles in waterways where bacteria causes chemical changes that transform the
mercury into the most highly toxic
form, Methylmercury, which accumulates in the fish we eat.
(NRDC)(EPA)(ATSDR)
- About 15% of total mercury released to the soil is from fertilizers, fungicides,
and municipal solid waste (from waste
that contains batteries, electrical switches or thermometers). (ATSDR)
- Vaccines - Mercury is used as a preservative. There is an
epidemic of autism in children in the United States. Several researchers
have correlated mercury-containing vaccines with high levels of autism.
levels of autism.
- Dental amalgams (silver fillings) Contain silver, tin, zinc, and copper dissolved in
mercury. Older fillings contain 50%
mercury. Mercury vaporizes when we consume hot liquids and is inhaled or
ingested then absorbed into the tissues.
(Watson Wellness)
- Get tested. The test is a simple heavy metal blood, urine, or hair sample test
taken at your doctor’s office.
- If levels are elevated, begin a detoxification process to eliminate all mercury
from your body. This will include removing
source of mercury (fillings, fish intake), taking supplements such as vitamin C, substances called chelators
which grab onto the molecules, and other substances such as DMPS, DMSA,
Sea Algae, Chlorella, Cilantro extract,
Garlic, Lipoic Acid, Selenium, N-acetyl cysteine, some to be taken intravenously
over weeks or months. Detoxifying
your system will cause symptoms to increase for a period of time. It may take up
to a year to eliminate mercury from
the body.
I have a good friend who knows all to well about another side of mercury toxicity:
Autism. Sarah Bridges lost her son to autism after he received some of his vaccines.
We went with 8 others last year to Washington DC to tell senators we don’t want the
pharmaceutical companies to be protected from responsibility for the mercury
(Thimerisol) they use in their vaccines as a preservative.
Read Sarah's piece on autism here.
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