You are going to die! Part XXIX

Even if you avoid government, religion, pestilence, old age and move out of your own home – the things that are most likely to kill you – you still run a very likely chance of getting killed by something else. I’m not referring to animals nibbling on your flesh, getting bitten by a snake or one of those retched Kangaroos kicking you to death, no, there are far more sneakier enemies to watch out for.

One thing to be careful about is pancakes. Earlier this year (2009) a winner of a pancake-eating contest dropped dead after gorging himself on 43 of the cream and banana stuffed desserts. Boris Isayev, 48, from west Russia, collapsed to his knees and died on stage after stuffing himself with pancakes in a competition to mark the end of the region’s ‘Pancake Week’."He had really enjoyed the pancakes but then he started foaming at the mouth and went down like a sack of stones," one witness said. Witnesses apparently described Isayev as “the most active participant in the contest" adding that he "ate all the types of pancakes on offer and won fairly.” There is also more stories about people choking and dying from eating pancakes so this is not really a dish you wanna take lightly.

It is also scientifically proven that pancakes made from a mix that has sat around too long to suffer a potentially fatal anaphylactic reaction to the molds that have grown therein. One such case is a 19-year-old in Charleston, South Carolina, that collapsed in cardiopulmonary arrest and died. The same thing goes for everything you put on pancakes. Syrup, sugar and such can not only cause obesity, it might also cause similar reaction like the one told above. Although neither of this is unlikely to happen if you do not suffer from allergies, it’s yet other examples of the murderess pancake.

Another deadly menace is the Star Fruit. Star fruit is a decorative and refreshing treat and, for most of us, a healthy delicacy. But for some people with impaired kidney function, the star fruit (also known as carambola) can be deadly. Researchers from Brazil and Taiwan are studying why star fruit causes serious life-threatening reactions to some kidney patients. Apparently this fiend kills several people each year, in Brazil alone.

And does you stomach fill with gas when you eat an apple? When you eat a banana does your mouth become itchy? Does your throat swell when you eat raw peaches? When you eat raw pineapple does your throat burn or do you break out in hives? If you experience any of these conditions, you may suffer from Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) also known as pollen-food syndrome. The most severe reactions can trigger asthma or anaphylaxis shock.

And speaking of bananas, those things contain potassium and too much potassium can cause arrhythmias (heart not beating properly). This has happened before and it will happen again, are you really watching out for those bananas?

There are a lot of things out there that might kill you; one of them will succeed sooner or later. It is just a matter of time.