A Daily Diet Of Fish Can Give You Skin Cancer, Say Experts: Follow These Tips To Stay Safe

Fish is a healthy food and can boost overall health. But, sadly, because of pollution of our seas and rivers, many fishes contain small to large traces of mercury which could cause skin cancer.

A person's diet defines his or her health. Most health-conscious people try to include healthy foods in their diet to achieve optimum health. Consuming fish is very important for a healthy diet. They contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish is very beneficial for heart health and proper growth and development for children. Due to its many nutritional benefits, experts have especially recommended women and children to include them in their daily meal. But now, some experts are saying that including fish in your diet may increase your risk of melanoma, a type of skin cancer. This will, no doubt, come as a shock to fish lovers. But why are experts saying this about a healthy food?

Pollution Making Fish An Unhealthy Food Choice

Fish is a healthy food and can boost overall health. But, sadly, because of pollution of our seas and rivers, many fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. With the increasing environmental pollution, some fishes contain very high levels of mercury that will harm an unborn baby or a even a young child's developing nervous system. A recent study states that exposure to high levels of mercury can cause the risks of skin cancers like melanoma.

Methyl Mercury In Water Is The Culprit

Mercury is naturally found in the environment. But the naturally occurring mercury is not harmful. When mercury gets converted into methyl mercury especially in the water bodies, it becomes toxic. The conversion happens when mercury mixes with water through industrial waste. Methyl mercury gets mixed in every water bodies. Marine organisms absorb the methyl mercury as they feed in these waters and that is how mercury levels develop inside fishes. It builds up more in some type of fishes more than others. The level of mercury build up depends on what the fishes eat.

Harmful Effects Of Mercury

Mercury can accumulate in your blood stream over time. Experts say that methylmercury does not stay in the body for a very long time, it will get removed naturally. But the time span is not less than a year and by that time the harmful effects of mercury could have already affected the body. Mercury levels from the body drops bit by bit and sometime it could take years before it is completely gone.

Follow These Tips If You Are A Fish Lover

Experts have specified the following ways to make sure the fish that you are consuming is free of mercury or very low in mercury.

• Avoid eating fishes such as king mackerel, swordfish, shark or tilefish. these fishes are known to contain higher levels of mercury.
• Doctors recommend consumption of a specific amount of fish to lower the chances of melanoma. Ideally, you can consume two meals in a week just to stay safe.
• Only consume fishes that have low mercury levels.
• Before you go fish shopping, consult local advisories to find out information on which kinf of fishes are low in mercury.
• There are five fishes that are commonly known to have less mercury in them, tuna, shrimp, salmon, catfish and pollock fish. Make a note of such lists before you buy them.

Fish per se is not unhealthy. But pollution of our rivers and seas are making them unhealthy. So, follow all the recommendations and get the all benefits of this wonderful food.