Health is a goal pursued by everyone.
However, with the explosion and widespread dissemination of information, many misunderstandings about health have also emerged.
These misunderstandings may stem from traditional concepts, inaccurate information dissemination, or misleading business marketing.
This article will reveal common health misunderstandings and provide readers with accurate health knowledge to help everyone maintain better health.
1. Dietary Restrictions Can Lead to Long-Term Health Problems
Many mistakenly believe dietary restriction will help them lose weight or improve their health. However, extreme dietary restrictions can lead to malnutrition and even endanger health. Properly controlling your diet and choosing balanced nutrition is a wiser choice.
2. Alkaline Foods Improve Health by Reducing Body Acidity
While the "alkaline diet" is generally quite healthy - encouraging eating more fruits, vegetables, and plant foods while limiting processed foods - the idea that it can help neutralize acidity in the body is a myth.
The truth is this. Your blood is slightly alkaline, and your stomach is acidic to break down food. What you eat does not affect how your body alkalizes or balances acidity. Your kidneys and lungs do it -- they control the acid-base balance of your system, keeping your blood pH constant.
3. MSG Can Cause Cancer
This popular flavor enhancer has gained notoriety after being linked to various health problems, including migraines and cancer.
However, researchers have found no conclusive evidence that monosodium glutamate (MSG) harms health. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also lists MSG as a food ingredient "generally recognized as safe."
4. Overeating Sugar Can Lead to Diabetes
Contrary to common opinion, sugar is not the cause of diabetes. However, overeating sugar can make you fat, and being overweight increases your risk of type 2 diabetes.
The best way to reduce your risk of diabetes is to control your weight. This means maintaining your intake of sugary foods and watching your intake of fatty foods.
5. Fruits and Vegetables Must Be Peeled
The skins of fruits and vegetables, such as potatoes, apples, carrots, and citrus fruits, are rich in beneficial nutrients.
For example, unpeeled apples contain 332% more vitamin K, 142% more vitamin A, 115% more vitamin C, and 20% more calcium than peeled apples. Meanwhile, potatoes cooked with the skin on have 175% more vitamin C than potatoes without the skin.
6. X-Rays Can Give You Cancer
Medical X-rays use ionizing radiation to take images of your body. This provides doctors with important information for diagnosing and managing your medical condition.
The amount of radiation from X-rays is meager, and the chance of cancer from X-rays is also scant. Radiation-induced cancer is caused by high levels of exposure from industrial nuclear accidents, nuclear weapons, or radiation therapy used to treat cancer.
7. Drinking Juice is Healthier Than Eating Fruit
Although fruit juice contains vitamins and minerals found in fruits, it lacks fiber and other nutrients. Drinking too much fruit juice may increase your sugar intake, so choosing fresh fruit is better.
8. Eating Garlic Can Prevent Mosquitoes
There is no evidence eating garlic will prevent mosquitoes. A 2005 study investigated this claim and found that on days when garlic was not consumed, there were just as many bites as on days when garlic was eaten.
Mosquitoes are attracted to people who exhale large amounts of carbon dioxide; the larger you are, the more carbon dioxide you exhale. This is why pregnant women seem to be bitten more often than children. Sweat, excessive body temperature, and perfume also attract mosquitoes.
In general, if we want to stay healthy, we must abandon these misunderstandings, establish scientific health concepts, and adopt an active lifestyle. Maintaining a balance of moderate exercise, a balanced diet, good sleep, and mental health are keys to achieving your health goals.
