Woman, 64, nearly dies of 'toxic SQUASH syndrome' after drinking trendy ... trends now
An elderly woman suffered a severe drop in blood pressure and body temperature after being poisoned by a trendy fruit juice.
The unnamed patient, 64, suffered sudden weakness, nausea and vomiting just minutes after drinking calabash juice. The trendy drink has risen in popularity in recent years for its purported ability to reduce stress.
The woman was admitted to a local ER diagnosed with 'toxic squash syndrome' - a rare but potentially deadly disease that occurs when a person consumes a dangerous amount of cucurbitacin, a naturally occurring toxin in calabash.
Her blood pressure rapidly dropped to a dangerously low level and she could have died if she did not quickly seek out medical attention.
The report is revealed as physicians also warn against other popular wellness trends, like taping a person's mouth shut while sleeping to enhance breathing.
An unnamed woman suffered 'toxic squash poisoning' after she drank calabash juice. She noted that the drink was more bitter than usual. Her symptoms came about fast and dropped her blood pressure to dangerously low levels. She would survive after five days in the hospital (file photo)
The story was reported as a case report in the Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine.
While the woman regularly enjoyed the beverage - she noted to doctors that it was more bitter this time.
This is a sign that there were higher levels of the toxic chemicals - which are found in gourds like pumpkins, cucumbers and calabash.
The toxin interrupts the ability for the body's cells to send signals to one another - disrupting normal bodily functions and causing potentially deadly complications.
