Because of possible food allergies, it's usually recommended to not feed babies common food allergens such as peanuts, eggs, wheat, dairy, and seafood until they're at least one. Waiting until they're three is even better. What's more, certain varieties of fish have high levels of mercury which children shouldn't be exposed to.

New research is challenging those old beliefs. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently revised their recommendations and now states that children as young as 4-6 months could have certain foods including fish. Further research shows that babies who eat fish before reaching 9 months have a reduced risk of eczema.

So what are new parents to do? As always, it's important to introduce new foods slowly. And speak to your child's doctor before introducing any of the foods that were previously off-limits for babies. When it comes to your child's health, it's better to be cautious.

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Unless you want to ingest a hefty dose of mercury, you should not be eating swordfish, says the current issue of The Oprah Magazine (September 2008). But for most other fish, the benefits of moderate consumption outweigh any risks. This from a landmark study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which also makes these recommendations.

• Canned albacore (white) tuna contains more mercury than canned light tuna, which is why the EPA urges women of childbearing age to eat no more than six ounces of albacore a week.
• Salmon does not contain too much mercury but it does harbor some PCBs -- these are industrial compounds -- so you'd be wise to limit servings of farmed salmon to one per month. You can enjoy wild-caught salmon four or more times per month.
• To learn more about the merits and cautions of other seafood options, check out oceansalive.com.

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Sure, fish is delicious and very healthy, but is it always safe to eat? Well, in efforts to help eliminate the confusion surrounding fish consumption, the U.S. government has launched a new website called FishWatch.

FishWatch is designed to provide consumers with information about sustainable, safe, and healthy seafood. Listed on the site is a comprehensive description of more than 50 seafood species that are commonly found in U.S. waters, including each species' role in the ecosystem, its history and habitat, sustainability status, and a chronological list of important dates and events related to it.

So, if you have questions about mercury content, how to prepare a fish dish, or safe storage, visit the FishWatch website at www.fishwatch.noaa.gov .

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Exchanging your old, incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescents (CFLs) is probably one of the simplest things you can do to reduce your own personal consumption of energy. CFLs are readily available, reasonably priced, and newer versions have a much warmer light than the older-style CFLs. Some people worry about their safety, however, since the bulbs contain a small amount of mercury. As this article from Slate points out, we have little to fear from CFLs in our homes. If one does break, you simply need to follow a few simple steps.

But eventually, these long-lasting light bulbs will wear out, and tossing them into the trash just isn't a good idea, environmentally. Though the bulbs only contain about 1% of the mercury found in old-fashioned thermometers, over time, millions of light bulbs in landfills translates to too much mercury. Good recycling programs aren't in place yet (though I'm hopeful that they will be in the not-too-distant future), but until then, there are a few places you can go. You can search for a local CFL recycling program at Earth911, or you can take the bulbs to your local Ikea store. Finally, you can mail them to Recycle Pak.

It's a little extra effort, but your grandchildren's grandchildren will thank you!

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For several years now, seafood has become one of the most popular dishes for the heart healthy eater. Its high protein, low fat combination make it a choice meal, as does its high Omega-3 content. But, not all seafood is created equal, and I don't mean the difference between fish and fish sticks.

Aside from the health benefits that should be factored in when choosing seafood, you should also consider the amount of mercury each kind contains. Taking into account the good and the bad, I've created my All-Star roster for seafood:

#1) Salmon - Be sure to get wild salmon, as the farmed kind may contain chemicals from polluted water. This powerful fish contains three times the 250mg the recommended dose of Omega-3 (a whopping 1.6g), while its mercury content is kept to a minimum (0.01ppm).

#2) Rainbow Trout - Unlike salmon, you should opt for the farmed kind with this fish. Containing 1g of Omega-3, as well as a healthy dose Niacin - which is known to reduce bad cholesterol - and Vitamin B12. Mercury content is also rather low, typically in the 0.07 range.

Beginning January of this upcoming new year, adding mercury to cosmetics will be a thing of the past. At least in the state of Minnesota. They are the first state to lay down a law banning the intentional adding of mercury to makeup, among other products (such as eye drops, nasal sprays and toiletries).

The reason mercury was ever in certain cosmetics to begin with was because it was used to preserve the product and kill germs. A group called the Personal Care Products Council out of Washington believes an amount that small wouldn't end up hurting you. However Sen. John Marty, who sponsored the ban, thinks otherwise. "Every source of mercury adds to [potential damage]. We wanted to make sure it wasn't here," he said.

Mercury has been known to cause complications in the nervous system, but it usually needs to be ingested. And I'm not sure which form they're talking about, but even some mercury compounds would need to be absorbed via the gastrointestinal tract to do significant damage. Either way, so long as women (especially pregnant ones) aren't eating their makeup in the morning, you shouldn't be scared to use your old products that may or may not have mercury. After all, if your mascara hasn't killed you by now, no need to panic!

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I think there's not a whole lot of difference between practicing healthy habits for general wellness and practicing healthy habits for the prevention of breast cancer. Just check out the points made in this article about warding off the nasty disease that this year will strike about 178,000 American women.

The suggestions seem pretty familiar, don't they? That's because they're generally good for the body. And so it's simple, really. Just live a clean life, shoot for good health, and you'll have a fairly good shot at warding off all sorts of unwanted illness, like breast cancer.

In a nutshell, here's what tops this article's list of healthy habits:

• Maintain a healthy weight. A 2005 study showed women who gained weight after a breast cancer diagnosis had an increased risk of recurrence. Other studies show overweight women have a greater chance of a first-time breast cancer diagnosis. And countless studies indicate excess weight is bad for the heart, cholesterol, bones, joints, and more. Body Mass Index (BMI), although not a perfect measure, can help you chart your healthy weight.

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Eating fish is good for you. Is it good for the environment too? Not always. But a growing number of aquariums and fish conversation programs are offering "guilt-free" guides to help you make the best choices when it comes to buying fish and other seafood.

Fish that are abundant, well-managed, fished, or farmed make the guilt-free list. According to the National Seafood Guide 2007, published by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, here are some of the keepers:

Arctic Char (farmed)
Bay Scallops (farmed)
Catfish (farmed)
Clams (farmed)
Mussels and Oysters (farmed)
Pacific Halibut
Rainbow Trout (farmed)
Salmon (Alaska wild)
Spiny Lobster (U.S.)
Striped Bass (farmed or wild)
Tilipia (U.S.)

Now this list is not exhaustive. You can find more information here. You'll also get a peek at fish that are both high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in environmental contaminants -- like anchovies, oysters, and sardines.

Note: Young children, pregnant women, and anyone who wishes to watch their mercury consumption should always avoid seafood with high mercury levels -- such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish.

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A new study has poked the ongoing debate on whether the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal causes neurological disorders in some children. The biggest condition that comes up regularly is autism, although many experts have now stated that vaccinations containing thimerosal have no effect on potential autism.

The latest study comes from the federal government in an attempt to reassure parents about the safety of vaccination shots given to their kids.

But, this study was different -- it concentrated on neurological disorders, but did not include autism at all. However, a federal study that will look at autism causes is due soon, according to federal health authorities. In this most recent study, there was no clear link between between early exposure to the preservative thimerosal and any brain functions in kids aged 7 to 10.

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Cod's out, tuna's out and Atlantic salmon's off the menu - mercury and PCB's have made most of us order the chicken instead. We all know we should eat plenty of fish, but what is there left to buy?

You can go ahead and eat a fish called Kona Kampachi. It seems that chefs from around the world will agree that there isn't a better fish in the sea than this one. It has twice a much omega-3 fatty acids as Atlantic salmon and has undetectable levels of mercury. This mild, versatile fish is raised sustainably on farms off the Kona coast and is also called Hawaiian yellowtail.

At many fine establishments, you'll find it served raw (sashimi style) or slow cooked and paired with Japanese mushrooms, ginger, and tofu. Even better -- for those who love to cook -- Eddybles has a great recipe for Macadamia crusted Kona Kampachi with Jicama Slaw (pictured) that you can cook at home.

The prized fish's only blemish is its cost. It's pricey at upwards of $20 per pound but as with everything in the marketplace, increased supply driven by demand will eventually drive the price down.

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The levels of the toxic element mercury has been well-documented in certain parts of global oceans due to the amount of industrial pollution that occurs on some seaboards. It's enough to put some off seafood to be honest. But, there are those that would like to see things improved.

The state of New York and other Northeastern U.S. states want to to see stricter national rules on mercury emissions -- and they've joined up in a pact to see what they can collectively do about it.

One of the charges from the collective states says that airborne mercury emissions drift from coal-fired plants in the Midwest and drop into their lakes, ponds and rivers. The problem? Fish absorb the neurotoxin and end up recirculating it back into the food chain when seafood is consumed. Not good, right?

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Over the past few years, the debate about the safety of amalgam dental fillings - the silver kind which contain the toxic metal mercury - has grown.

A good friend of mine recently had all her silver tooth fillings drilled out, then underwent two rounds of intravenous chelation therapy and colon hydrotherapy to remove the released mercury from her system. On the other hand, my dentist has advised me that the worst way to deal with silver fillings is to drill them, a practice which would release more toxic materials and vapors into my body than simply living with the filllings in my mouth. As the debate continues in the health communtiy, I wonder if we'll ever know which approach is most sound?

The US Food and Drug Administration recently reviewed 34 studies of amalgam tooth fillings that contain the toxic metal mercury, and yesterday announced its conclusion that the use of such fillings is not harmful. Of course this will not convince anyone who strongly believes otherwise - chief among them proponents of naturopathy - and some concerned individuals have already alleged that this government conclusion is driven by politics and not concerns for the health of U.S. citizens. In fairness to these amalgam filling opponents, here is a link to holisticmed.com with a list of arguments against mercury filllings and their opinions as to their dangers.

Regardless of the FDA's conclusion that mercury fillings are safe in the mouth, its sister agency the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) does advise against using mercury in voodoo rituals, a practice which the EPA is not keen on regulating, since it may violate the U.S. guarantee of freedom of religion.

[Photo by d&e.]