These things that we think are signs of good health are actually wrong!

Many people judge their health status based on their physical performance. However, what many people think is a good physical performance is not necessarily correct.

1. The more you drink, the better your liver function?

wrong!

Wang Dong, chief physician of hepatobiliary surgery at Peking University People's Hospital, said that the metabolism and elimination of alcohol in the body requires the presence of two enzymes: alcohol dehydrogenase, which converts alcohol into acetaldehyde; and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, which is responsible for oxidizing acetaldehyde into carbon dioxide and water and excreting it out of the body. A small part of the former exists in the gastrointestinal tract, and most of it exists in the liver, while the latter only exists in the liver. Therefore, the speed of alcohol metabolism, that is, the so-called "drinking capacity", is indeed a test of our liver function.

The content of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase in the human body has large individual differences. People with lower acetaldehyde dehydrogenase levels in the liver have a slow metabolism of acetaldehyde in the body, and acetaldehyde is easily accumulated in the blood, which will cause capillary dilation, manifested as flushing of the face or even flushing of the skin, which is usually called "facial flushing"; while those with higher acetaldehyde dehydrogenase levels convert acetaldehyde faster, and are not prone to "facial flushing" and symptoms of drunkenness, which are the so-called people with a high alcohol tolerance that we usually "envy".

Whether it is "blushing" or "pale" after drinking, the harm of alcohol to the human body is objective. People with a low alcohol tolerance will get drunk as soon as they drink, so the total amount of alcohol they consume is relatively small, while people with a high alcohol tolerance will often consume more alcohol because they "can't get drunk". In fact, alcoholic liver disease is more common in people who can drink a lot, and it is more dangerous for those who "blush" after drinking but still insist on drinking and hope to develop the so-called "alcohol tolerance". ①

2. Holding urine for a long time means good kidney function?

wrong!

Some people say that the longer you hold your urine, the better your kidneys are. But in fact, holding your urine has nothing to do with kidney function. Huang Long, attending physician of the Department of Nephrology and Rheumatology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology, said that holding your urine for a longer time is not a criterion for good kidneys.

Holding urine for a long time will make the bladder lose its "elasticity", leading to incomplete urination or urinary incontinence, inducing urinary tract infection, increasing the incidence of urinary stones, and inducing bladder cancer. Moreover, when holding urine, the bladder is always under high pressure, and urine will flow back up and flow back to the kidneys. This will not only cause hydronephrosis, but also affect kidney function in the long run and lead to kidney failure. ②

3. Are whiter teeth healthier?

wrong!

Many people believe that white teeth are a sign of health. Lu Weiqing, deputy chief physician of the Department of Stomatology at Shanghai Tongji Hospital, once said that many people have always mistakenly believed that the whiter the teeth, the better. In fact, the quality of teeth cannot be judged only by color. It should also be judged from many aspects such as the development of tooth enamel and the strength of teeth.

"Chinese people have yellow skin, so the color of teeth that matches their skin color is natural and harmonious." He Yanping, a member of the Chinese Academy of Stomatology and a practicing dentist, said that the surface of teeth is covered with a layer of enamel, which is transparent or translucent. The higher the degree of calcification, the more transparent the enamel. Dentin is light yellow. When the enamel is fully calcified, the dentin will appear, so healthy teeth look light yellow. When the degree of calcification of the enamel is lower, the transparency is lower, and it will appear abnormally white or milky white. ④

4. Myopia has improved, and my eyes have become younger?

wrong!

Li Jianjing, deputy chief physician of the Department of Ophthalmology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, said that as people age, the function of the ciliary muscles of the eye will gradually decline, and the ability to adjust will also decrease. Generally, people will experience aging of their vision when they are 40 to 50 years old, commonly known as presbyopia, which is medically called old eyesight. The main manifestation is that you need reading glasses to see clearly when you look at close objects.

However, some people find that after they reach the age of 60, they can suddenly see clearly without wearing reading glasses. Is this really a case of eyes “rejuvenating”?

At this time, the elderly need to be alert, because this is likely to be caused by cataracts. There is a type of cataract, medically known as nuclear age-related cataract, which is mainly manifested by the increase in density, yellowing, and hardening of the lens nucleus, which temporarily manifests the refractive state of the eyeball as myopia. However, as the cataract gradually develops, the eyes will become unclear in both near and far vision. ⑤

5. Does a faster heartbeat mean a stronger heart?

not necessarily!

Guo Yifang, deputy director of Hebei Provincial People's Hospital and director of the geriatrics department, said that the heart rate of an adult ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. However, more and more studies have found that the healthiest range is 50 to 80 beats per minute.

This means that if the heart rate is always over 80 beats per minute, it is considered fast. Compared with people with a heart rate of 50 to 80 beats per minute, people with a heart rate of over 80 beats per minute are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, so they need to be paid attention to.

If your heartbeat is always too fast, especially when it exceeds 100 beats per minute, you should consult a doctor to see if it is caused by certain diseases , such as arrhythmia, anemia, hyperthyroidism, heart failure, myocarditis, etc. After excluding these reasons, you should review whether your lifestyle habits are unhealthy.

By changing unhealthy lifestyle habits, most people can keep their heart rate at a lower level. ⑥

6. Rarely getting sick means strong immunity?

not necessarily!

Tao Ning, an associate researcher at the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that the causes of illness are complex and diverse. Some diseases are caused by problems with one's own body functions, while others are caused by infection with foreign pathogens.

We cannot simply say that not getting sick or getting sick less often means strong immunity. If protective measures are taken well and pathogens are isolated, the chance of infection can also be reduced.

It is worth noting that an overreaction of the immune system is not a good thing either. Some diseases are called autoimmune diseases, which are problems caused by the immune system attacking its own healthy cells.

This article is compiled from:

①2020-03-19 Wang Dong, a liver and gallbladder disease expert, "Rumors debunked: The more alcohol you drink, the better your liver's detoxification function, and the less likely you are to get liver disease"

②2022-03-02 The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology "The longer you hold your urine, the better your kidneys will be? That's totally wrong!"

③2014-04-17 Health Times "Whitening toothpaste has limited effect"

④2019-09-20 Sichuan Online "Are whiter teeth really healthier? Doctor: Most people don't need whitening after cleaning their teeth"

⑤2016-08-30 Health Times "Presbyopia Rejuvenation Check Cataract"

⑥2023-03-01 Guo Yifang's Heart Frontier "How fast is the best heart rate? Is it too fast if it is always over 80 times? How to deal with it? "

⑦2023-12-15 Scientific rumor refutation: "Is it because of strong immunity that I didn't get sick during the peak flu season? You may not understand your own immunity"