brain disease



Consumption of methyl mercury can result in microcephaly, impaired cognition, and delayed brain-nerve communication in fetuses, infants, and children. Mercury contamination has also been linked to lower IQs and brain damage in the children of mothers who ingest mercury while pregnant. Women may want to avoid polluted fish consumption for a year before they get pregnant in addition to during pregnancy itself. Methyl mercury is found in tuna and fish (see herehere and here). Ayurvedic medications have also been found to be contaminated with mercury and lead. Arsenic is fed to chickens and may be related to neuropathy as well as neurocognitive deficits in children. Getting bitewing or panoramic X-rays at the dentist may be associated with an increased risk of meningioma, the most common type of brain tumor.

Pork tapeworms larvae invading the brain is one of the most common causes of epilepsy (see also here). Pork tapeworms in the brain may also present as migraines or chronic tension headaches. The brain parasite toxoplasma is found in lamb meat; 10% of Americans may be infected with this parasite. Neurotoxic chemicals in chicken, including beta-carboline alkaloids, may also explain the link between meat consumption and the common neurological disorder essential tremor. There are neurotoxins in fish that cannot be neutralized with cooking and can cause strange reactions (like hot feels like cold, cold feels hot). Similarly, domoic acid, found in seafood, has been found to cause an unusual form of amnesia.

Aspirin naturally found in plants may explain the presence of aspirin in the bloodstream of vegetarians, and it does not appear to have the attendant risk of hemorrhagic stroke that comes with regular consumption of aspirin in pill form. The omega-3 fatty acids our brain needs for optimal health (both long and short chain) can be obtained from plant sources. Blue-green algae can produce neurotoxins and should be avoided. Cognitive deficits may be an early sign of B12 deficiency, which is more frequent in vegans AND vegetarians than omnivores.

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