Food Tips - Haiti Observer Blog

Ciguatera, which goes by the catch-all label of Copper Fish, make their home in tropical climates such as Haiti. A poisonous form of algae, ciguatera has been found in 400-plus types of fish living in waters near reefs. The ciguatera algae form on coral reefs, as well as seaweed and other kinds of benign algae. Small fish who feed on these plants ingest ciguatera, made up of several strains of toxins: ciguatoxin, maitotoxin, scaritoxin, and palytoxin. Ciguatera was first recognized as a dangerous toxin in 1774.

What happens once the plant-feeding fish ingest the toxins, they then become food for larger flesh-eating fish until it reaches the apex of the food chain in bigger fish: moray eels, groupers, trigger fishes, and barracudas. These are the fish caught, brought to market, and that end up on a family's table. The problem with ciguatoxin is that it has no odor, taste, and cannot by contaminated by the usual cooking methods.

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Copper fish poisoning, caused by the ciguatoxin algae, traveling up the food chain from plant-eating to flesh-eating fish, enters the gastrointestinal tract, causing diarrhea and vomiting. It next attacks the brain, producing symptoms like muscle aches, numbness, vertigo, headaches, ataxia, paresthesia, and hallucinations.

Ciguatoxin is difficult to treat. It may clear up on its own or hang on for years. Drugs can manage symptoms, but no definitive cure exists. While in its active state, ciguatoxin must run its course, and care-givers are an important part of the support phase. Once the acute phase of the sickness has passed, medications can treat symptoms of sluggish circulation and piercing chest pains.

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Copper fish are most often associated with a poisonous form of algae, ciguatera. Ciguatera flourishes on coral reefs as well as on benign forms of algae. The ciguatera toxin, ciguatoxin is most often found in tropical waters in places like the Caribbean. Once the toxin has reached the top of the food chain, fish now carrying ciguatoxin end up as the family's dinner. What makes ciguatera so difficult to recognize is it has no odor, taste, and is unable to be dissipated through normal cooking methods.

Ciguatera poisoning is often mistaken as multiple sclerosis. Patients go to the medical clinic with a host of symptoms, both gastrointestinal and neurological. Symptoms initially manifest in the gastrointestinal tract as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Then the ciguatoxin travels to the brain, producing muscle aches, numbness, vertigo, headaches, ataxia, paresthesia, and hallucinations.

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Gourmet gift baskets can be given on many occasions throughout the year. Whether a birthday, anniversary, housewarming, holiday, or to congratulate someone, you can find a gift basket to suit the occasion and person.

For the chocoholic, a chocolate gift basket is appropriate. The basket contains dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Belgium chocolate, white chocolate, and truffles.

For those who are nuts about nuts, the nut gift basket will make them nutty with pleasure. Walnuts, cashews, pecans, pralines, and peanuts fill this basket.

The luxury basket for someone you love shows you care. Bath and body products like scented bath candles, essential bath oils, fluffy scruffs, and bath towels pamper.

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The problem for many to refuse food after it has been offered to you

Holiday parties are about to begin in a couple of weeks. Hosts go all out, putting time and effort into menus for their dinner parties. Sensing this, people, who have dietary requirements, allergies, or are health nuts often feel uncomfortable refusing their host's offering of certain foods.

Here are a few guidelines to refuse food without giving offense.

Put a smile on your face. It's hard to take offense when someone refuses with a big smile. Research has revealed smiling serves as a stress reducer and elevated-mood enhancer. Smiles are also infectious. Hosts will often return the smile and the refusal is graciously accepted.

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