There is no doubt that the kidneys are important to removing mercury. However, you seem to be implying that the liver does not do the same; that is quite unproven, and a growing body of evidence claims just the opposite. You might want to google a phrase like "biliary secretion of mercury." Measurements in humans have shown that the amount of mercury eliminated in the stool can be equal to the amount from the kidneys. Four possible mechanisms were proposed in that study, including via the bile. Another study in humans correlated the amount of mercury in bile, and its deposition in gallstones with increasing exposure to mercury. Experimentally, it has been shown that tying the gallbladder shut, or reducing glutathione stores in the liver reduces clearance of mercury by the body. It has also been shown that demethylation of mercury by the liver can lead to inorganic mercury accumulation in the liver. As far as herbs go, there is some evidence that garlic can protect somewhat against mercury - possibly by increasing glutathione.

In case anyone missed the PBS special The Botany of Desire based on Michael Pollan's book which premiered Wednesday, October 28, 2009, you can still watch the entire program online. It's incredible. BOTANY OF DESIRE is a documentary which tells the utterly original story of everyday plants and the way they have domesticated humankind. An interpretation of the relationship between plants and people. This two-hour documentary explores plant evolution and takes viewers from the potato fields of Peru and Idaho, the apple forests of Kazakhstan, and the tulip markets of Amsterdam. View online in it's entirety: here This is another related program by the same presenter on LINK TV (a cable access channel) which is timely: Deep Agriculture Traditional methods of agriculture in most developed nations have long ignored environmental concerns. Factors such as soil erosion, water shortage and the impact of chemicals on bio-systems have been overlooked in favour of massive crop yields and cheaper food. But what impact does this have on our health and our environment? View online in it's entirety: here __________________________ Sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and witness the evolution of an Organic Kitchen Garden.

LOL! Writersblock, I think "plain" including mayonnaise must actually be a local oddity. California hamburgers normally come with mayonnaise or hamburger sauce (akin to 1000 Island dressing, but with different proportions, sometimes idiosyncratic to the chef), but plain means no condiments, and the vegetables on the side if you don't specify. Rusty, I only heard about burgers not having mayo/sauce when I was lunching with a friend from Boston. I think mayonnaise is common throughout the West. Which drives her nuts. :) When I was a kid, the lack thereof--in kid lore--was a telling point as to why McDonald's weren't "real" hamburgers. :) (It was probably the moms who first said they weren't "real" meaning that they weren't good quality food, and the kids were just trying to figure out why.) I ran out of ketchup, a few days back, in the middle of making Sloppy Joes. I compensated. The resulting mix was very tasty, and did have some ketchup, not to mention mustard, hot BBQ sauce, onions, parsley, S&P, bell peppers, jalapeños, and even some carrots and other odds and ends. That's what's so fun about Sloppy Joes. You can put anything in. It's like a salad. It was very tasty. Reaction? Needs ketchup!

one of my all-time fav recipes is Pasta w/ Vodka Cream Sauce because from start to clean up it takes 35-45 minutes, makes few dirty dishes and for me it's o.k. to reheat for lunch. this is my go to meal when i have to cook just for myself, which is 2-3 nights and honestly i could eat it atleast 2x a week for dinners plus lunches lol. it's from cookinglight... http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1654684 Hoisin glazed beef kabobs is another fav and thou it has a few different ingredients, it is very very easy and to help clean up i do the marinade in a ziploc bag. i serve it w/ rice noodles which just soak in warm water while i'm grilling the kabobs. i use tomatoes, mushrooms, green onions/sweet onions, zucchini, green/red peppers and yellow squash on cheap wood skewers (disposable) to add more bulk to the meal. i like my grilled meat on the red side and the veggies still crisp which enables me to reheat this for lunch and it not be overcooked. http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1816367 two wonderful deserts from cookinglight i make are: Roasted Banana Bars w/ Brown Butter Frosting (has several steps and makes some dirty dishes but worth it) & Chocolate-Mint Bars (i keep these in the fridge or freezer). i like cookinglight recipes alot because they have a user rating system so before i waste time and $$ making something i can find out if it's worth it and tips on changes also. i have also found Shape & Self Magazines to often have very tasty healthy recipes. ~ liz