AARP The Magazine - January/February 2010

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: navigatortktktktktkttk :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: navigatorhealth

EATING FISH CAN EASE ARTHRITIS AND HELP PREVENT DEMENTIA—BUT A NEW STUDY RAISES OLD CONCERNS ABOUT MERCURY. HOW SAFE IS FISH? TAKE OUR TRUE-FALSE QUIZ

In the News

Mercury is a bigger problem for kids than for people 50+.

A 2004 federal advisory warned certain groups—including pregnant women and young children— against eating fish with high mercury levels, because mercury can damage the brain and nervous system in unborn babies and young children. But older people, with their fully developed systems, can tolerate higher amounts, says Donald Hensrud, M.D., a nutrition specialist with the Mayo Clinic.

Fatty fish are good for you.

Fatty fish
such as salmon
and herring are
high in unsaturated
omega- 3 fatty acids, which can lower
blood pressure, enhance immune func-
tion, and improve arthritis symptoms.
Most fish (and shellfish) are also low in
saturated fat—just avoid frying them and
adding rich sauces or lots of butter, says
Hensrud. And if your jeans are feeling
snug, fish can help you get trim: they’re
high-protein and low-calorie, says Janet
Brill, Ph. D., R.D., a nutritionist and the
author of Cholesterol Down. Worried
about sustainability? Try eco-friendly
Alaska salmon and Atlantic herring.
Learn more at blueocean.org/seafood.

All fish have roughly the same levels of mercury.

You should eat fish once a week.

TK CREDI T

Most fish
contain traces of
mercury (primarily
from industrial
pollution), but
levels vary. Large
fish that are higher in the food chain—
such as sharks, swordfish, king mack-
erel, and tilefish—accumulate more
contaminants because they consume
lots of smaller fish. Your best bet: Eat
smaller fish and shellfish (which have
lower mercury levels), such as salmon,
cod, crabs, pollack, and flounder.

Aim for at
least twice, per the American Heart
Association, particularly for fatty
fish. “At least two servings a week will
protect against the risk of dying from
heart disease and the risk of dying
from sudden cardiac death,” Hensrud
says. “The benefits of fish far outweigh
the risks.” —Leslie Quander Wooldridge

So here’s why fish is making headlines again. In August 2009 a federal study found that about a quarter of freshwater fish had mercury levels above those recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency. But there’s a catch: the study generally refers to fish caught recreationally; grocery stores typically sell commercially caught fish. And the EPA maintains that fish in most of the nation’s waters are safe. For more fishing info, find links to local advisories at epa.gov/ waterscience/ fish. —L.Q. W.