New, more cautious guides to eating fish

The fish paradox: Their highly healthful essential oils most likely contain toxic pollutants. What's a thoughtful person to do?

You might want to check out the "Healthy Fish, Healthy Families" brochure and pocket guide available on the Internet at www.mercuryaction.org/fish.

The brochure provides more cautious, more comprehensive recommendations than the Food and Drag Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recently released guidelines.

Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) and the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP) released the brochure last July.

"Healthy Fish, Healthy Families" provides advice for parents to help them choose what kind of fish and how much fish they and their young children can most safely eat.

"Millions of American women and their children are at risk from mercury and PCB contamination from fish and other sources," said Katherine M. Shea, MD, an author of the new brochure.

"These pollutants can cause problems with memory, attention, language and other irreversible learning and health problems in children. These guides will help families protect themselves from mercury and PCB exposure through fish," Shea added.

New analysis by EPA scientists indicates that as many as 630,000 newborns annually are exposed to mercury levels above the EPA's safe level.

PSR/ARHP are also distributing a publication called "Fish Consumption to Promote Good Health and Minimize Contaminants: A Quick Reference Guide for Clinicians" to health care practitioners.

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