(The following is an excerpt from the article, and does not contain entire article)

 

https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/im-neurologist-i-never-eat-3-common-foods-can-harm-brain

 

Doctors recommend foods like berries, nuts, fish packed with omega-3 fatty acids and even dark chocolate for neurological health. They also discourage foods high in sugar and saturated fat, which can increase the risk of stroke and dementia.

 

But there are lesser-known foods that can also create a real headache, according to neurologists.

 

"While food-borne illness is often associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, some pathogens and toxins directly affect the nervous system, sometimes with severe or long-term consequences," said Dr. Mary Ann Picone, a neurologist at Holy Name Medical Center in New Jersey. 

2. Reef fish

 

Large reef fish like barracudas can contain ciguatoxins that cause ciguatera fish poisoning in humans. (iStock)

 

 

"I like eating fish, but I try to avoid eating large tropical reef fish like barracuda, grouper and Amberjack because of a neurotoxin called ciguatoxin," Chen said. 

 

Ciguatoxin is a neurotoxin produced by certain algae in coral reefs as a defense mechanism. It can travel up the food chain from herbivorous fish to carnivorous fish and eventually humans.

 

The neurological symptoms of ciguatoxin poisoning can include feelings of tingling and numbness, reverse temperature sensations where hot objects feel cold and cold objects feel hot, and vivid nightmares, Chen said.

 

Approximately 50,000 cases of ciguatera poisoning are reported worldwide annually, according to the CDC, but the numbers may be higher because it is often misdiagnosed. 

 

The toxin is heat-stable, he added, so cooking the fish won't destroy it. "This doesn't mean you can't eat fish," he said. 

 

"Just avoid or limit consumption of large predatory fish, avoid eating certain parts, like the liver or roe, and be aware of endemic areas."

 

Ciguatera is common in the Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Caribbean Sea, according to the CDC.

 

 

A general rule to follow is to never eat any fish that has human like teeth. Most Of the time you find them in the coral reefs. They are loaded with nasty stuff due to biological amplification.