4 types of food that seem harmless but can destroy the brain
A neurologist reveals four seemingly familiar foods that pose a risk of causing paralysis, seizures and irreversible brain damage.
Quick summary:
Dented canned foods may contain dangerous neurotoxins.
Large tropical predatory fish harbor toxins that cannot be eliminated by heat.
Raw or undercooked pork can cause parasitic infections that attack the brain.
Unpasteurized milk is a source of many bacteria that are harmful to the nervous system.
Doctors often advise avoiding processed foods, sugar, and saturated fats, which increase the risk of chronic diseases, including stroke and dementia. But there are other foods that get less warning but are extremely dangerous for brain health, according to one neurologist.
Below are 4 types of food that this doctor affirms "never put into the body":
1. Canned food is deformed
Any food can that shows signs of bulging, cracking or severe dents could be a warning sign of botulinum poisoning, one of the most potent neurotoxins known.
Even a small amount of this toxin can block signals between the brain and muscles, causing paralysis, blurred vision, even respiratory arrest and death.
More dangerously, botulinum toxin is odorless, tasteless, colorless, and heating may not destroy it.
2. Predatory fish in the tropics, the bigger the more poisonous
Although his doctor recommends eating omega-3-rich fish like salmon, sardines, or brook trout, he steers clear of large tropical fish like barracuda, grouper, sturgeon, conger eel, and amberjack.
They may contain ciguatoxin, a neurotoxin produced by coral that is not destroyed by heat and has no unusual smell or taste.
Symptoms of poisoning include: cold, burning sensation, dizziness, nightmares, hallucinations... In some cases, patients are misdiagnosed due to non-specific symptoms.
3. Raw or undercooked pork
Undercooked pork can be a source of tapeworm eggs, which can lead to neurocysticercosis, a condition in which the larvae invade the brain, causing seizures, increased intracranial pressure and dementia-like symptoms.
Although rare in developed countries, the doctor said he had seen many cases in the United States.
Special warning for those who frequently travel to developing countries or live in places with poor sanitation: cook pork thoroughly and wash your hands thoroughly.
4. Unpasteurized milk
Unlike pasteurized milk, raw milk is an ideal environment for dangerous bacteria like listeria, E. coli, and salmonella.
Although only a small fraction of the population consumes it, the rate of illness and hospitalization due to unpasteurized milk is dozens of times higher than that of regular milk.
Children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are the most severely affected groups, even leading to seizures, meningitis and coma.
Doctors also assert that views such as "raw milk helps reduce allergies, cancer or lactose intolerance" have no scientific basis.
While diet is a personal choice, according to the neurologist, being aware of the hidden dangers behind familiar foods can be an important step in protecting the brain from irreversible damage.
