The news is rife with reports of high mercury levels in fish and dire warnings for women planning to breed. Lost amid these dueling studies and conflicting health requirements is a truly important question: What about sushi? Can you be healthy and still allow yourself the world's most delectable upscale treat?

Conflicting Reports:

While a certain amount of naturally-occurring mercury always showed up in fish, the 50% of American power that comes from the combustion of fossil fuels (that's coal, to you and me) has led to a sharp increase in mercury which travels from air to soil to water and finally into the biggest, bottom-feeding fish. n 2004, the FDA and EPA joined forces to recommend that women of childbearing age and young children should steer clear of Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel and Tilefish, since they have the highest levels of mercury.

Make your next trip to the grocery store a fishing expedition. Resolve to eat less red meat this year and switch to seafood instead; excess meat consumption contributes to heart disease, while omega 3-rich fish can actually reduce the risk.

Think it's just an old fishwive's tale that fish is brain food? Recent studies have concluded that regular consumption of fish makes our brains function better. Except, of course, if you're eating too much mercury-laced tuna, which could impair your mental functioning.

The news is in for 10 residents of Washington state, who volunteered themselves last year as guinea pigs in a toxic chemical study. They gave samples of hair, blood, and urine, which were examined by the Washington Toxics Coalition. And, according to an article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer - one of several publications that reported on the results - "their levels of phthalates (found in such diverse products as shower curtains and fragrances), PBDEs (found in flame retardants, mattresses and furniture), mercury, pesticides, lead and other chemicals were high enough to make both scientists and subjects sit up and take notice." The paper's headline read, "We're walking, talking toxic waste dumps."

Finally, some good news on air pollution: according to a report issued yesterday, the amount of toxic chemicals released into the air nationwide decreased by four percent from 2003 to 2004. The EPA's Toxics Release Inventory tracks what are called PBTs, or persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals - things like mercury, lead, dioxins, and pesicides.

A story in the Los Angeles Times brings new concern to an old issue: mercury in seafood. To most of us, it's not news that we need to monitor our intake of several types of fish and