"usual suspect" > wrote in message
...
> ta wrote:
> >>>>I think it is because a vegetarian diet is probably going to be low
> >>>>on sulphur and zinc
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>>Could you be a little more specific? Thanks.
> >>
> >>sulphur chelates mercury, and the body needs zinc to produce
> >>metal-binding proteins.
> >
> > Thanks for clarifying. That's true, sulphur chelates mercury, but so
does
> > DMSA and vitamin C. Why wouldn't these chelating agents be sufficient?
As to
> > zinc, why wouldn't vegetarian sources of zinc suffice?
>
> Because vegetarian sources of zinc are high in phytates. Phytates bind and
tie
> up zinc and nonheme iron, preventing absorption and assimilation of both.
Just
> adding a little bit of meat to the diet increases absorption of both those
minerals.
>
> The following study found that just eating 50 or 75 grams (about an eighth
of a
> pound) of pork increased nonheme absorption by 44% to 57% (respectively on
50g
> and 75g trials).
> http://tinyurl.com/x8b2

Interesting about zinc, thanks - I was just reading something to that effect
(although my recent blood tests indicate zinc levels are aok). Also,
increasing zinc supplementation should increase the level of absorbtion:

"Vegetarians may need as much as 50% more zinc than non-vegetarians because
of the lower absorption of zinc from plant foods, so it is very important
for vegetarians to include good sources of zinc in their diet (2, 21)."

http://tinyurl.com/2vlwl

In addition to the zinc in my diet, I already supplement with colloidal
minerals (which includes zinc) and vegetarian zinc tablets.

Regarding pork, Dr. Huggins and Dr. Pinto recommend avoiding pork
altogether, due to its negative effects on the red blood cells in mercury
toxic patients:

"Dr. Olympio Pinto had recorded on videotape the changes in live red blood
cells caused by eating pork, smoking cigarettes, drinking caffeine, and
other potentially destructive habits. Of particular interest to me was the
profound reaction of a patient one hour after he ate the pork. I noted that
more than half of his red blood cells were then what are termed "ghosts".
Ghosts are red cells that have lost their hemoglobin."
(p.106, "It's All in Your Head").