Acidity and gas
| Belief | The facts |
|---|---|
| "Gas goes to my head and causes headaches." | Gas can't travel to the head. Headache, acidity and bloating often share causes: skipped meals, poor sleep, stress and dehydration. |
| "My body makes too much acid." | True excess acid is rare. Reflux is usually acid going the wrong way through a relaxed valve. |
| "Spicy food causes ulcers." | Ulcers are mostly caused by H. pylori and painkillers. Spice can worsen symptoms but doesn't create ulcers. |
| "Cold milk cures acidity." | Brief relief, then milk can stimulate more acid. It's not a treatment. |
Bowels
| Belief | The facts |
|---|---|
| "I must pass stool every day." | Anywhere from three times a day to three times a week can be normal. |
| "Bleeding from the back passage is just piles." | Often it is, but not always. See when it's not just piles. |
Liver and gallbladder
| Belief | The facts |
|---|---|
| "Liver detox drinks cleanse the liver." | The liver cleans itself. Some "detox" and herbal products have caused liver injury. |
| "Only fat people get fatty liver." | Slim people, especially with a larger waist or diabetes, get it too. |
| "Gallstone flushes dissolve stones." | They don't. The "stones" passed are usually soap-like lumps from the oil. |
| "Only alcohol causes pancreatitis." | Gallstones are an equally important cause. |
Tests and check-ups
| Belief | The facts |
|---|---|
| "A yearly endoscopy in a health package is a good idea." | Scopes are for symptoms, risk or age-based screening, not annual check-ups. |
| "IgG food-intolerance tests show what to avoid." | These tests aren't reliable for diagnosing food intolerance. A guided elimination approach works better. |