by Dr. Craig A. Maxwell
Fish is one of the healthiest foods you can eat and serve your family. It’s a rich source of inflammation-fighting omega-3 fatty acids. However, more and more farm fish has been making its way into our food supply and unsuspecting customers have been none the wiser.
The fish you serve for dinner may look and smell healthy but something has changed just beneath the surface. Farm-raised fish may sound like an innocent term but nothing could be further from the truth.
Dangerous Chemicals in Farm Fish
Farm fish, despite the name, are not raised in vast man-made lakes or oceans with plenty of room to swim and breed naturally. They are crowded together in tiny vats with absolutely no room to swim or move. These crowded conditions are prime breeding ground for bacteria and disease.
To stave off an alarming amount of fish death rates that would surely occur in these unsanitary conditions, mega-doses of antibiotics are pumped into these helpless creatures each day. Not only is this a cruel way to raise protein for food, it also does serious damage to your health when you consume it.
Some of the toxic industrial chemicals[1. http://www.epha.org/a/991] in farm fish include:
- Antibiotics
Farm-raised fish are loaded with antibiotics to prevent the inevitable disease that would be caused by cramped living conditions. Antibiotics are great in an emergency but when they find their way into your system almost every day, they do some serious harm to your health. Chronic antibiotic exposure results in stomach ulcers, chronic candida syndrome, and leaky gut syndrome.
- Growth Hormones
Growth hormones are designed to speed up the growth process so the fish reaches your plate faster. The more fish being sold, the more profit for the company. The problem with growth hormones is the effect they have on your body when you consume farm fish containing them. According to a study published by Cornell University[2. http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/factsheet/diet/fs37.hormones.cfm], growth hormones have been proven to be carcinogenic to humans. Increased risk of breast and prostate cancer has been specifically linked to growth hormones in food. It should also be noted that these growth hormones cause early puberty in both boys and girls.
- Polychlorinated Biphenols (PCBs)
PCBs alter the function of multiple systems in the body including endocrine, nervous, digestion, and immune system. These chemicals have also been linked to the development of multiple types of cancer.
- Dioxin
The Environmental Protection Agency[3. http://www.foxriverwatch.com/cancer_pcb_pcbs_1.html] affirmed the health dangers of dioxin over 20 years ago and in 2012 added to that confirmation by admitting that even small amounts of this chemical can lead to immune system dysfunction and skin ailments.
- Dieldrin
This insecticide, designed to get rid of lice in fish, has been known to cause the body to destroy its own blood cells[4. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=315&tid=56].
- Toxaphene
Another insecticide, toxaphene has been linked to nervous system damage, kidney failure, lung dysfunction, and even death.
- Arachidonic Acid (AA)
Arachidonic Acid (AA) is an omega-6 or pro-inflammatory acid that has been associated with the development of chronic pain conditions like arthritis and gout.
Health Problems Associated with Farm-Raised Fish
When you eat farm-raised fish, it’s about as bad for you as eating a bag of chemical-laden snack chips or a greasy fast-food. The health benefits you’d usually reap from fish just aren’t there anymore. Autoimmune disease, chronic pain, neurological problems, digestive issues, kidney malfunction, and even cancer can be traced back to the toxic chemicals found in farm-raised fish.
How to Avoid Farmed Fish
One of the easiest ways to avoid farmed fish is to become a label-reader. When choosing fish for you and your family, be sure the label says, “wild caught”. Sometimes, however, you can’t even trust labels.
According to a study published in Consumer Reports, salmon purchased in the winter months labeled “wild caught” were tested and found to be farm raised. Recently, I came across a great company that absolutely guarantees the safety of your fish, meat, and other food products.
That company is VitalChoice.com. Its high-quality products come from Alaska and Alaska does not allow or sell farm-raised fish. With Vital Choice, there’s no guesswork. You know exactly what you’re getting and everything is safe to eat.
Detoxify Your System Naturally
Even if you’ve been eating farm-raised fish and other dangerous processed foods for years, there’s still hope. You can heal your body from chronic illness by eating organic whenever possible and choosing premium supplements.
Many store-bought vitamin and mineral supplements are not easily absorbed. Many also contain various fillers and artificial dyes which are not healthy. Professional-grade Diamond Nutritional’s offers superior quality you and your family can trust.
Fish is great for your health. Just be sure when you serve this wholesome food to your family that you are choosing wild-caught fish and not farm fish. Your health depends on it.
Is the Food You’re Eating Really “Natural”?
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