People are paying increasing attention to health, so all kinds of health information and concepts are spread by word of mouth and put into practice in daily life. However, medical research has confirmed that some concepts that are almost becoming habits are actually incorrect. We list these misconceptions below, aiming to provide readers with some valuable health guidance.
Dietary Misconceptions
Misconception 1: Low-fat diets help with weight loss.
Most Americans eat low-fat foods, yet many of them are getting fatter. This is enough to prove that the above view is incorrect. A nationwide survey in the United States found that in the past 14 years, despite reducing fat in food by 7% through various means, the number of people who are overweight has increased by 9%. Even if you replace high-fat foods with low-fat foods, your weight may still increase.
This is because even though you are eating low-fat foods, you are very likely consuming more calories. That is, the fat content of the food has decreased, but you are eating more than before. For example, there is only a 40-calorie difference between half a cup of vanilla ice cream and half a cup of low-fat vanilla ice cream. But you are very likely to indulge and eat a full cup under the "low-fat" illusion, which means your total calorie intake is more than that of half a cup of regular vanilla ice cream. The total daily calorie requirement for women is between 1600 and 2000 calories. Multiply your weight by 12 to get an approximate value of your daily calorie needs.
Misconception 2: Drink 8 glasses of water a day, but be moderate.
Most people believe that drinking 8 glasses of water (2000cc) a day is good for your health. However, in recent years, some medical research departments abroad have expressed different opinions. Many experts point out that it is not necessary to drink 8 glasses of water every day, as drinking too much water can also cause problems for the body.
Drinking water and consuming calories should be the same: supplement as much as you need. Currently, there is no scientific evidence to show that drinking more water can help detoxify the body more. On the contrary, drinking too much water can easily disrupt the body's electrolyte balance (loss of large amounts of sodium and potassium ions) and lead to the easier loss of water-soluble vitamins (such as B and C vitamins). So, how much water should a normal person drink per day? Scientific research has found that, on average, the human body loses about 1800 to 2000cc of water daily through urine, sweat, or skin evaporation. Therefore, for many years, people have been saying that healthy adults need to supplement about 2000cc of water per day. However, this 2000cc of water does not have to come from drinking water alone; it should also include the water content in food. This is the correct way to maintain health.
In fact, the various foods we eat every day contain a lot of water. For example, more than 90% of most vegetables and fruits are water, and foods like eggs and fish also contain about 75% water. Roughly estimating, from one meal, we can intake at least 300 to 400cc of water from food or soup. Therefore, after deducting the 1000 to 1200cc of water obtained from food in three meals, we only need to drink another 1000 to 1200cc of water per day, which is about 2 glasses in the morning and 2 glasses in the afternoon, and that is sufficient. Experts believe that the general principle for drinking water is: not less than 500cc a day, but not more than 3000cc.
Wellness Misconceptions
Misconception 1: Sleeping is a universal remedy for beautiful skin.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the "five strains that harm the body" refers to: prolonged lying harming the Qi, prolonged sitting harming the flesh, prolonged standing harming the bones, prolonged viewing harming the blood, and prolonged walking harming the sinews. Prolonged bed rest can easily lead to a deficiency of Qi and blood. Because Qi and blood interact, when Qi moves, blood moves; when Qi stagnates, blood stops; and if Qi does not move, blood stasis will form. The blockage caused by blood stasis leads to pain in the body. The principle of "where there is free flow, there is no pain; where there is pain, there is no free flow" explains this. Some people wake up feeling as if they are carrying a mountain on their backs, without any sense of relaxation or pleasure. Besides their original chronic illnesses, oversleeping might also be a reason.
Actually, the saying "sleeping is a universal remedy for beautiful skin" is not wrong. Its true meaning is "sleep when you should sleep" and do not stay up late, especially during the 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM period, which is not to be missed.
Misconception 2: Brush your teeth immediately after a meal.
The latest research from dental experts suggests that brushing your teeth immediately after a meal is harmful to dental health. The surface of a tooth's crown has a layer of enamel. After eating, especially consuming acidic foods, the enamel becomes soft. Brushing at this time can easily damage the enamel. Over time, the enamel on the teeth gradually decreases, making people prone to dentin hypersensitivity, which causes the teeth to feel sore or painful when eating. Therefore, dental experts remind us that it is best to rinse your mouth with water after a meal and wait 1 to 2 hours before brushing.
Misconception 3: Natural is always better.
In modern society, with so much pollution, natural foods and beauty products are beneficial to human health because they are not polluted. The most typical example is aloe vera, which is both a healthy food and a great beauty product. Aloe vera does have many wonderful effects on the human body, but there are more than 500 varieties of aloe vera, only a dozen or so of which can be used for medicinal purposes, and only a few varieties are edible. Experts warn that the aloin in aloe vera has a "laxative" effect, which can easily lead to diarrhea. Different varieties of aloe vera have very different medicinal properties and effects, and people with different constitutions will have different reactions when using aloe vera.
Fitness Misconceptions
Misconception 1: High-intensity exercise for rapid weight loss.
Although high-intensity exercise also contains the word "exercise," it is not a good method for weight loss. Exercise for weight loss has its requirements: low intensity, long duration, and the ability to breathe normally and chat freely after the exercise, with a quick recovery from fatigue. Some people are eager to lose weight and try to run several kilometers at the speed of a 100-meter sprint. They are lucky if they don't collapse. Burning fat takes time; high-intensity exercise does not provide good conditions for burning fat. It will only cause muscles to thicken, put a heavy strain on the heart, and cause prolonged discomfort. For the general public without an exercise prescription, it is very likely to cause injury, which is not worth the loss.
Misconception 2: Only abdominal exercises are needed to reduce belly fat.
Frantically exercising the abdomen to reduce a "pot belly" may not be effective. The concept of energy consumption is holistic, not local. For example, when exercising for weight loss, although the face is not being exercised, it will still slim down. Only when the calories burned from exercise exceed the calories consumed will it lead to a reduction in body fat, not just in a specific area. Excessive abdominal exercise can easily lead to muscle fatigue and injury to that area. To reduce belly fat, in addition to abdominal exercises, you need to persist in full-body aerobic exercise and follow a low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet.
In the end, all types of exercise have limitations and cannot effectively train the entire body. Moreover, when a person becomes fond of a certain type of exercise, their body will adapt to it after a few weeks. This period of time yields the best results. Once the "exercise cycle" is over, the fitness effect will diminish. Fitness, like eating, requires frequent changes in routine. This not only achieves good results but also prevents boredom and maintains motivation.