One of the true blessings that we have here in Hawaii is the majestic and bountiful Pacific Ocean. This great provider generously provides food for the entire world in many forms. One thing we take from Hawaiian waters is the fish. What I want to explore today is some concerns about what fish to eat and how much is too much.
By and large, fish caught around the Hawaiian islands is cleaner than many other fisheries around the world. Human caused pollution is still a real problem though. From heavy metals to pesticides, the impacts are catching up with us and poisoning our food. One of the main concerns that comes up often is the high levels of Mercury that is present in fish. Mercury, first off, is a naturally occurring metal that is turned into a cancer causing agent when bacteria metabolize it and form Methylmercury.
One way to combat the intake of methyl-mercury is to not consume the largest of all fish, (swordfish, marlin, blue fin tuna), as they eat many small fish and are exposed to much more bacteria thereby increasing their levels of mercury. As with anything, moderation is the key so if you do enjoy or are blessed with catching a fish like this, then by all means... eat it and be thankful.
Pesticides and antibiotics are some other scares that the world's fisheries are experiencing. Pesticides are everywhere. Not only should we be concerning ourselves with the GMO/pesticide use on our crops and livestock , remember that all things run tot he sea. Irrigation runoff and storms are creating measurable deposits in our streams and rivers which is dumped right into the sea. I have seen images from space which show a frightening illustration of runoff after large storms in California. Th plume of dirty water extends some 50 miles out of the S.F. bay and into the Pacific! Reef fish or smaller predatory fish are more prone to this contamination as they are more likely to feed on the plankton and sea grasses near shore. Luckily, Hawaii is doing an ok job with this but as the sugar cane industry dies and creates more fallow ground, the runoff from soil is still a threat.
Antibiotics pertain to farmed fish. Some of these massive farming operations, as in Salmon and Tilapia, feed the fish a primarily grain based diet. Fish are not a naturally grain friendly animal. Plus there are sometimes hundreds of thousands of fish in one holding tank. This many fish, fed with an unnatural diet is a breeding ground for parasites and disease. Thus antibiotics are pumped into the fish and in turn we consume the antibiotics. Just as in our beef and chicken, antibiotic consumption is increasing the 'superbugs' which are diseases that modern antibiotics cannot kill! So watch that.
Consumption of fish has wonderfully positive effects on our overall health. Some have very beneficial levels of Omega-3 fatty acids as well as a clean source of protein. The variety of wild caught fish like Halibut, Salmon, and AHI give you many sustainable and healthy forms of fish that can be eaten 3-4 times per week. Sustainable Shrimp and Prawns from hawaii are lower in Omega-3's but still are a good source of protein.
If GOING WILD is not always an option, there is still some very good farm raised fish. With the research that I have done, U.S. is always the best option when it comes to farm raised. Standards are generally higher for environmental impacts, animal conditions, and water quality. Coho Salmon, Halibut, Sea Scallops, Oysters (many types), and Char are just some of the sustainably grown seafood types. Read before you buy. Look beyond the big 'all natural' labels and look for emblems of 'organic' and 'ASC Certified' to know that you are buying the best out there.
The bottom line is that you should know the food you are putting in your mouth. Just as with beef and chicken, Fish should be free of antibiotics and hormones and preferably come from a clean fishery. Good Luck and do your research!!
Baseline:
Banded Hip Distraction
Agility Warm Up; Linear and Lateral Movement, Tuck Jumps, High Knees, Skip Drills
Strength:
3X6 Pendlay Row @ 135/95
3X6 Romanian Deadlift @ 135/95
5X5 Deadlift @ 70%
*Rest :90 Between Lifts
WOD:
3 X
75 Double Unders
21 Ring Dips
