All fat is bad. Losing weight means giving up all your favorite foods. Choosing gluten-free food means eating healthy. Choosing the vegetarian route means losing weight in the long run.
We’ve all heard this health advice from either the internet or street talk. However, are these rumors or misconceptions myth or fact? Today, we embark on a myth-busting mission to separate myths from reality.
What Is a Healthy Lifestyle?
We’ve all heard of adopting a healthy lifestyle as a New Year resolution or at the top of most people’s bucket list. What does it mean? Does it mean dieting and exercising exclusively? Or, maybe we could hire a researcher from the EssayUSA essay writing service to find detailed information.
The global definition of a healthy lifestyle means balancing your mental, physical, and social well-being. It is an intricate balance that people must pay attention to each component for a holistic achievement.
For the physical demands, it means adopting good nutrition, adequate rest, stress management, and being physically fit. Moreover, healthy living means caring for your mindset, such as self-support, positive self-image, and positive thoughts.
In addition, healthy living means advocating for your spiritual wellness. A spiritual journey means embracing inner calmness and remaining open to creativity. A person expands their sense of purpose and meaning in life. All these components must work together in harmony to achieve overall wellness.
Common Myths We Debunked
The Age of Information contains different takes on healthy living from experts and casual internet users. Let’s uncover the hidden truths behind these myths to set your health record straight:
8 Glasses of Water Daily
Growing up, we knew healthy people drank eight glasses of water daily. It was a myth that forced us to carry 2-liter humungous bottles to the office.
Water is detrimental for good health. But it doesn’t necessarily mean struggling with eight glasses daily. Recent research shows that your individual water needs depend on varied factors. This includes how healthy you are and how active you are.
We lose water daily through sweat, sweating, bowel movements, and urine. It would help if you replenish the water supply by consuming water for proper bodily function. Your body derives water from other beverages such as tea, milk, juice, or food.
Therefore, there’s no scientific evidence to support the eight-glass rule. Some people might need more than eight glasses of water due to sweat rate, weather, overall health, sweat type, and physical activity.
Moreover, water isn’t the only way to stay hydrated. Eating watery foods, vegetables, or fruits such as watermelon, celery, strawberries, oranges, pineapples, or broccoli contributes to your daily water intake.
No Pain, No Gain
One common signboard erected in most gyms is ‘no pain, no gain.’ It needs to hurt these attributes to make gains in your daily exercises. That is why walking from a gym is praised as a worthy exercise while feeling beat down and exhausted.
Exercising is a rigorous and intense ritual that should be torturous to achieve your workout goals. But this is a mere exercise myth without scientific backing.
Pain about exercise refers to discomfort. It is the burning sensation felt in the muscles or lungs while exercising and sets the onset of fatigue. The burning sensation is a sign that your muscles’ need for oxygen surpasses the supply of blood delivered.
The result leads to a buildup of lactic acid. Apart from the pain, the gain aspect is two-way. Lactic acid buildup plays a significant role in increased blood flow to muscles. This helps in enhancing strength and endurance. On the other side, the delayed soreness can cause a side effect during healing. It’s when the muscle tissues repair itself and emerge stronger than before.
Detox for a Body Cleanse
Detoxing is becoming such a popular term to refer to cleansing the body after a month of unhealthy living or heavy drinking. It can be a juice mix of cucumbers, ginger, lemon, or some store-bought detox.
Most heavy consumers of these detox cleansers believe that they can wash away any toxins or impurities derived from fast-food lifestyles and alcohol consumption.
However, there isn’t much research to identify these toxins or impurities. Moreover, they can’t be measured by medical practitioners.
The marketing world is booming with supplements and products labeled ‘detox.’ These products range from:
- Smoothies
- Face masks
- Body gels
- Bath salts
- Hair brushes
Moreover, other services, such as yoga or massages, are stated to detoxify your body from harmful toxins erroneously.
Recent studies show your body doesn’t need a detox program or routine. Your body has a self-sufficient system to eliminate toxins through endotoxins and exotoxins. Maintaining a healthy diet is the most important thing to aid the liver’s detoxification process.
Thin Equals Healthy
We all have that friend who eats burgers, fries, and greasy fast foods but never gains weight. These people are the envy of society, given how many people are struggling with maintaining their body weight.
However, slimming doesn’t always equal a healthy lifestyle. Skinny people are also at risk of making poor lifestyle decisions.
A common myth in society often attributes body size to obesity and other health dangers related to being overweight. We often think thin people can eat whatever as long as they don’t gain weight.
Research shows that all fatty and high-calorie foods add up over time. This eventually raises your cholesterol while increasing your blood pressure.
Therefore, regardless of body size, all people should focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, try exercising to keep your body active. Cardio exercises such as jogging, running, walking, or skipping rope promote heart health.
Moreover, sleep is an integral part of your overall health. Poor sleep increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and other health conditions. Conduct regular checkups to monitor your health and identify any lurking health conditions.
Final Takeaway
The internet is full of information, making it hard to digest all. Moreover, it calls for discerning between myth and reality. Living a healthy lifestyle means making necessary daily changes. It involves making dietary changes and picking up exercising. It’s recommended to consult a medical practitioner about these myths to separate facts from fiction.