Dietitian names most famous prejudices about health
Illustrative photo (filter.mkip.gov.ua)
Human physiology is one of the fundamental sciences that underpins numerous branches of modern medicine. Despite significant scientific progress, misconceptions in physiology have existed, continue to exist, and will likely not completely disappear in the future. These persistent misconceptions, which endure despite the compelling achievements of modern science, should not be underestimated.
Dietitian Oleh Shvets highlights the most prevalent myths about health that existed during the Soviet era.
Main myths about health during soviet times
Digestive system physiology
All human body systems have complex functions, and the digestive system is one of the most intricate examples. Numerous nervous structures, hormones, enzymes, bacteria, and specialized organs are involved in the digestion process. Normal digestion is supported by a range of essential physiological processes, which are sometimes mistakenly perceived as signs of pathology and causes of symptoms.
Stomach acid
"High acidity" is often seen as the cause of many symptoms and diseases, such as heartburn, gastritis, and ulcers of the stomach and duodenum. However, normal stomach acidity is naturally very low in pH (between 1.5 and 2.5), indicating high acidity. This is necessary to kill bacteria that enter the body with food and for proper digestion. Conversely, low acidity is a sign of stomach dysfunction. Heartburn occurs due to the backflow of acidic stomach contents into the esophagus, and ulcers and gastritis are infectious diseases or side effects of certain medications (mostly anti-inflammatory drugs).
In normal conditions, stomach acid is highly acidic.
Drinking water or other beverages with meals
A common misconception is that drinking water during meals weakens the digestive ability of stomach acid. In reality, digestion in the stomach is only the first stage. Solid food remains there much longer than liquid, so the effectiveness of stomach acid is not diminished.
Whether to drink during meals is a personal choice and has no significant impact on digestion.
Gallbladder stasis as sign of pathology
Many ultrasound reports mention gallbladder fullness and bile stasis. However, this is a normal physiological function of the gallbladder. When a person does not eat, bile produced by the liver accumulates in the gallbladder. Once food consumption begins, the gallbladder contracts under the influence of hormones, and bile is released into the intestines.
The presence of bile in the gallbladder on an empty stomach is normal.
Pancreas failing due to overeating
This hypothesis is used in marketing strategies for selling enzyme supplements. However, the pancreas produces ten times more enzymes than necessary to digest a regular meal. To overload it, one would need to consume ten times more food than usual. In real life, it is difficult to exhaust the functional reserve of the pancreas.
Enzyme supplements do not help with overeating.
Physiological digestion in intestines and microflora
Modern research has shown that there is no single normal composition of intestinal microflora. The stool analysis for dysbacteriosis is considered outdated and does not provide significant clinical information. Instead, healthy eating, avoiding harmful habits, and refraining from uncontrolled antibiotic use contribute to an optimal gut microbiome.
The term "normal microflora" is outdated, and the analysis for dysbacteriosis cannot reliably determine the "normality" of the bacterial composition in the intestines.
Constipation and lengthening of colon
Lengthening of the sigmoid colon (dolichosigma) or the presence of additional intestinal loops is often noted in imaging studies. These anatomical features are quite common and usually do not pose a health risk.
Increasing the intake of plant-based dietary fibers, and consuming more fluids, along with regular physical activity and improved bowel habits, are effective for constipation associated with dolichosigma or additional intestinal loops.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
