Mercury Global Warming Conversation Environmental Justice
Photo of Daphne

MERCURY INFORMATION

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 kinesiologist, 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.

MERCURY EXPOSURE AND TOXICITY: A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT

  • 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)


SOURCES OF MERCURY POLLUTION

  • 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.
  • 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)

DETOXIFICATION

  • 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.

MERCURY AND AUTISM

I have a good friend who knows all too 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.