While many doctors will tell you that certain indulgent habits and certain unhealthy activities or meals are okay in moderation, every once in a while, they identify things they would ‘never’ advise doing.
A Mayo Clinic-trained neurologist and TikTok content creator, Dr. Bing, MD, MPH, recently shared with his followers three things he would “never do” in order to keep his brain health in tip-top shape. They range from dietary fads to beauty trends, and it’s fascinating how each habit can impact your brain’s health over time. If you want to ensure you’re taking the best care of your brain health as possible, read more about what he had to say below.
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1. Never Follow A Carnivore Or Strictly Meat Diet
The 'Carnivore Diet' is a fad that's been around for a while but has more recently been trending on social media platforms like TikTok, as participants share the meat and animal product-based meals they eat, avoiding any fruits or vegetables.
Dr. Bing notes that following one of these diets can deprive your brain of essential nutrients and lead to terrible effects on your brain and your gut.
"I'm not anti-meat or anti-protein, but the brain thrives on a wide variety of nutrients, especially those found in plants, such as fiber, antioxidants, and polyphenols that meat alone can't provide," explains Dr. Bing.
"Fiber especially is so important for your gut microbiome and the health of your gut-brain axis. When you cut out fiber, your gut microbes can start dying off or feeding on the intestinal lining, leading to inflammation, mood instability, and impaired brain-gut signaling."
2. Never Use Tanning Beds
Over the last few decades, people have become more wary of tanning beds after learning just how harmful the UV exposure from them can be for your skin. As it turns out, they can also be bad for your brain.
Dr. Bing says in his video that spending time in tanning beds leads to an increased risk of melanoma, which is "one of the top cancers that can spread to the brain."
"I'm not a dermatologist, and I don't usually diagnose melanoma, but I have unfortunately seen too many cases of metastatic melanoma to the brain."
Once melanoma cells reach the brain, Dr. Bing says it's "stage four" of the disease and becomes "incredibly difficult" to treat. He has seen many patients deal with awful symptoms and injuries like brain lesions, only to discover that they were caused by melanoma.
"In addition to that, tanning can act like an addiction," added Dr. Bing. "UV exposure stimulates endorphin and dopamine release, which reinforces compulsive use, even when people know it's risky."
Therefore, you should save your skin and overall health by skipping a trip to the tanning salon and opting for safer alternatives like organic spray tans.
3. Never Drink Unpasturized Milk Or Juice
Some people believe that drinking unpasteurized milk from animals, meaning it's been sold in its most raw form, is healthier than the pasteurized milk you find in your average grocery store. However, Dr. Bing explains that rolling the dice and drinking these riskier beverages can lead to "serious" consequences.
"I've unfortunately seen patients develop serious brain infections from drinking raw milk and cider and being infected by things like listeria and brucella," recalled Dr. Bing.
"The cases I've seen are not just food poisoning cases. They've led to seizures, meningitis, and permanent neurological damage," he continued.
"Pasteurization is simply heating a product enough to kill dangerous bacteria without significantly altering the nutritional content."
Dr. Bing advises his viewers that if they ever experience neurological symptoms after consuming unpasteurized beverages, they should immediately contact a doctor and tell them everything, as they can sometimes be misdiagnosed.
