Neurologist warns to avoid food which can cause ‘paralysis’ and risk of death

We all know how important it is to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Along with regular exercise, not only does this keep us in good shape, but it also helps to keep everything working internally too, fighting disease and keeping us safe.

And while there are certain foods that we should try to eat a lot of, like lean proteins, fresh fruit and vegetables, and high-fibre foods like beans, there are other things that are best avoided. One neurologist recently took to Instagram to share three foods that he would never eat in order to keep his brain healthy. This is the organ that controls all of your bodily functions, movements, thoughts and feelings, so it’s vital to keep it in good working order.

This warning was issued by Dr Baibing Chen, also known as Dr Bing on social media, a neurologist and brain health advocate who is double-board certified. He received his medical degree at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, completed a residency at the University of Mississippi and fellowships at Emory University and the University of Mississippi.

He usually shares simple and helpful brain health advice on the likes of TikTok and Instagram, and in one of his videos from May last year he stated the three foods he refuses to eat as a neurologist.

One of them is quite surprising, but it’s said to cause paralysis, blurred vision and even death in some cases.

According to the doctor, canned or tinned foods which have been heavily damaged are a big no-no. He said: “If a can is bulging, cracked or severely dented, that’s a red flag for botulinum contamination.

“This bacteria produces botulinum toxin, which is one of the most potent toxins that we know. And just a small amount can block acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction, meaning your brain can’t tell your muscles to move.”

He warned that this can result in flaccid paralysis, blurred vision, respiratory failure, and even death if it’s not treated with an antitoxin.

But the ‘scary’ thing about this is that because the toxin is tasteless and odourless, you’d never even know that it had been contaminated until the symptoms started showing. And even if the food inside is heated up before eating, this might not be enough to neutralise the toxin.

According to the Food Standards Agency, foodborne botulism is an illness that can happen when someone eats food containing the C. botulinum toxin, often because it has not been properly canned, preserved or cooked.

Luckily, thanks to the high standards of food hygiene in the UK, the chances of getting food-borne botulism from food bought in this country are ‘low’.

To avoid potentially falling victim to this condition, the FSA has echoed Dr Bing and said it’s important to not eat food from bulging, heavily rusted or deeply dented cans, even ones you’ve bought from the supermarket.

If you’re unsure if food has been properly preserved or packaged, of the use by date, or if it has been stored correctly, then don’t eat it and throw it in the bin.