Monday, May 21, 2012

Tape Worms and Pork...Monsters Inside your Brain?

by Katy Green
www.shoptobegreen.com

Tape Worms and Pork...Monsters Inside your Brain?
Wash Hands
health.state.mn.us
You may have heard of tapeworms entering the brain as result of eating under-cooked pork... not to freak you out about the tainted stories of meat... according to Huffington Post and Ecorazzi it is possible to get tapeworms that eat into your brain.


Tape Worms and Pork...Monsters inside your Brain?
Always was your Hands

No, this not a B horror movie article ... the Shoptobegreen bloggers don't want to scare you but we make an effort to check our facts and we take time to verify all credible and questionable sources before we hit the publish button ...so continue reading before you viral the article or discard all of your meat (organic meat is not immune to this type of thing either..)

Brain tapeworms aka neurocysticercosis (also Cysticercosis according to the CDC) produce larvae that can latch themselves onto the cranium in the form of large white cysts. Larvae travels through a pig’s bloodstream and attaches to its muscles. Okay so it's in the pig but it may be harmful to you if you eat pork that contains the larvae cysts (not from under-cooked pork but you should never under cook pork).

In addition, the pig has to be infected in order for this to occur (source US National Library of Medicine).  Also according to the CDC, larval cysts infect brain, muscle, or other tissue, and are a major cause of adult onset seizures in most low-income countries.

Seizures are a posisble symptom from Neurocysticercosis

Furthermore, if you work with animals you have a higher chance of contracting tape worms  - if you are in contact with animal stools or with contaminated water which again is more common in certain areas of Latin America, Asia, and Africa that have poor sanitation and free-ranging pigs raised with access to human feces.


Temperature for Cooking Food
We are NOT saying that all meat sold in the USA is always safe either. 

According to multiple sources there has been an increase in Pediatric Cysticercosis and  Neurocysticercosis  - contaminated food which is occasionally eaten in the United States. For example, a person with poor hygiene who is an asymptomatic tapeworm carrier might accidentally contaminate food while preparing it for others (tapeworms may also be brought into the country from someone who travels or is relocating to America unbeknownst to the host).

Main point....observe all precautionary measures when handling, cooking or serving meat of any kind.

If you need guidance on how to cook meat properly, click here.

Or you could go Vegan but that is not 100% contamination free either...always wash your vegetables and if questionable don't eat it.

Dear Shoptobegreen Friends:
Always research anything you read and if you don't have time send us a comment and we will do our best to research it for you for FREE! Why, because we care!
Sincerely, Katy Green

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