Mutant Male Fish Are Turning Female

By Al Sears, MD

Recently, a team from the U.S. Geological Survey reported finding large numbers of male fish with female traits. This is nothing new - but the numbers are far higher than what has been seen before.

In some Potomac tributaries, nearly all the male smallmouth bass caught by the team were abnormal. In the Potomac itself, seven out of 13 largemouth bass had female characteristics. Some of them were even producing eggs!

This may not sound like a big deal, but it affects you more than you might think. The reason these fish are turning female is that they're being exposed to certain environmental chemicals - toxins that resemble estrogen.

Our government has been slow to admit that these estrogen look-alikes are having an effect on humans. But my clinical experience tells me that excess estrogens in our environment are causing disastrous changes in both men and women. Estrogen levels in my older male patients have roughly doubled in the last 15 years.

In men, excess estrogen causes the onset of feminine features. Once-muscular "pecs" (chest muscles) turn into soft breasts. A "spare tire" forms around their middle and their risk of prostate cancer gradually increases. It affects energy too, making them feel slow and tired.

In women, excess estrogen wreaks havoc with their emotions, making them feel burned out, irritable, and upset. I believe it also dramatically boosts the chance of developing breast and ovarian cancer.

But you can lower excess estrogen levels safely and naturally with DIM, a plant-based supplement. It's available at many nutrition stores. Start with 100 mg a day.

You can also:

. Eat more cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. They help you excrete excess estrogen.

. Eat hormone-free food and free-range animals whenever possible.

. Incorporate more estrogen-inhibiting foods - including squash, onions, green beans, cabbage, berries, citrus, pineapples, pears, grapes, figs, melons, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds - into your diet.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears is a practicing physician and an expert on heart health.]
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It's Fun to Know: About Tribute Acts

Ever gone to a concert by your favorite classic rock band or doo-wop group only to find that there were no original members on stage? Nevada has outlawed this practice, forcing musicians who can't prove they are historically linked to the original group to call themselves a "tribute act." Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Illinois have similar laws on the books.

According to BBC News, the original members of Sha Na Na, the Supremes, and the Drifters "welcomed the move." Other bands whose names have been used by tribute acts include the Platters and the Coasters.
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Word to the Wise: Malodorous

"Malodorous" (mal-OH-dur-us) - from the Latin - is another way of saying "bad-smelling."

Example, as used by Susan Strasser in Waste and Want: A Social History of Trash): "But people were accustomed to the odors of chamber pots and outdoor privies and to the stench of manure on city streets as well as in the country. Even the most refined could scarcely have been squeamish about malodorous garbage."

Michael Masterson
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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2092, 07-12-07], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.