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"Did you know that being too nutritious can also lead to health problems?" At a health lecture held at the community hospital, Dr. Wang's words made the residents present frown.
After the lecture, 56-year-old Aunt Chen, a senior elementary school art teacher, walked out of the venue, thinking about her usual eating habits.
Back at home, Aunty Chan shared with her family what she had learned about health today, especially about the balance between food and health.
After hearing this, her family became interested in her eating habits, and everyone decided to improve their daily diet together.
Six months later, Aunt Chen went to the hospital for a check-up because of abdominal discomfort.
After the examination, the doctor asked her about her usual eating habits.
It turned out that Aunt Chen started to eat a lot of fried mushrooms after the health lecture because she misunderstood the information mentioned in the lecture that "mushrooms are rich in nutrients";
Insist on eating mushrooms every day, hoping to supplement more trace elements.
The doctor explained that mushrooms are good, but excessive consumption can also cause problems.
Although the selenium contained in mushrooms is a beneficial antioxidant for the human body, excessive selenium intake can lead to selenium poisoning, with symptoms including hair loss, brittle nails, and even nerve damage.
Auntie Chan's case is not an isolated case.
Dr. Wang cited another case in which a middle-aged man suffered from symptoms such as dizziness and blurred vision due to long-term consumption of a large amount of animal liver containing high concentrations of vitamin A, which eventually led to vitamin A poisoning.
According to statistics, the recommended daily intake of selenium for adults is about 55 micrograms, while some mushrooms with higher selenium content may contain more than 20 micrograms of selenium per 100 grams.
Auntie Chen's daily intake of mushrooms is as high as 300 grams, far exceeding the safe intake.
In addition, the cardiovascular effects of excessive selenium intake have also begun to attract the attention of scientists.
A study of 10,000 adults showed a significantly increased risk of heart disease when blood selenium levels exceeded a certain threshold.
This suggests that even for nutrients, the principle of "in moderation" should be followed.
Dr. Wang emphasised that the importance of a balanced diet goes far beyond the nutritional value of a single food.
A healthy diet should be varied and include vegetables, fruits, meats, and whole grains, among others, to ensure that the body gets the different nutrients it needs from a variety of foods.
At the end of the lecture, Dr. Wang also reminded the residents to understand the nutrient content of each food and its appropriate intake, so as to avoid it
Blindly following trends leads to health problems.
After Auntie Chen returned home from the hospital, she began to re-examine her diet, reducing her mushroom intake and adopting a more varied diet.
This experience made her realize that while health information is beneficial, it is equally important to understand it correctly and execute it in moderation.
Through this story, we see the delicate balance between widespread health knowledge and misconceptions.
This begs the question: how to ensure the accuracy and comprehensibility of information when popularizing health knowledge, and avoid the public misinterpreting or over-interpreting the information?
In the face of this problem, we should start from many aspects.
First, providers of health education need to ensure that the information is scientific and accurate, using easy-to-understand language and examples to explain complex medical concepts.
Secondly, the public should also develop critical thinking, think independently about the health information they receive, and seek professional advice when necessary.
Finally, the media and health education institutions should strengthen the regulation of health information and avoid exaggerating or misinterpreting scientific facts, so as to ensure that the public has access to health knowledge that is both accurate and practical.
Such multiple efforts can minimize the possibility of misinformation about health knowledge and protect the public's health rights.
What do you have to say about this? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section!