Q1. Can milk protect the stomach lining?
Eating spicy hotpot or drinking too much alcohol can sometimes cause a mild stomach ache all day, which is due to irritant foods damaging the stomach lining and causing inflammation. A popular belief is that milk, rich in protein and lactose, can form a protective layer in the stomach, and drinking it before consuming irritating foods can "protect" the stomach. In reality, milk does not create a protective membrane in the stomach. This misconception may stem from "gastric milk," whose effectiveness partly comes from neutralizing stomach acid and some agents that adhere to the stomach lining. The only possibility is that the calcium phosphate in milk might slightly neutralize stomach acid, but its buffering ability is weak, and regular food has a similar effect. Moreover, some doctors have found that drinking milk on an empty stomach can increase gastric acid secretion because casein in milk is hard to digest. Drinking cold milk can also irritate the gastrointestinal tract, and some people may experience discomfort or stomach pain within two hours of drinking milk. To take care of your stomach, it’s better to eat something first before drinking alcohol or eating spicy food, allowing the stomach to have some buffer and avoid direct contact with overly stimulating foods.
Q2. Does eating after exercise lead to faster absorption and easier weight gain?
During exercise, glycogen in muscles is heavily consumed. Therefore, within 1 to 3 hours after exercising, the enzyme activity for synthesizing glycogen increases significantly to quickly absorb carbohydrates and promote muscle glycogen recovery. So, "better absorption" is true. However, the conclusion that it leads to easy weight gain is incorrect. At this time, the consumed carbohydrates are prioritized for glycogen synthesis, and during and after exercise, the body's energy metabolism environment is unfavorable for converting carbohydrates into fat. Therefore, if you want to eat carbohydrate-rich foods like bread or rice, consuming them 40 minutes to one hour after exercise makes it less likely for these nutrients to turn into fat. It’s also best not to skip dinner after evening exercise and fast until the next day. Although this method can quickly reduce weight, without timely replenishment of lost glycogen and protein, muscle wasting can occur, leading to a lower basal metabolic rate in the long term. Many people feel that eating after exercise easily leads to weight gain, mainly due to overeating. Thinking that since they exercised, eating more doesn't matter, results in consuming far more calories than burned. After exercise, you can choose foods containing carbohydrates or proteins to help restore muscle glycogen and muscle synthesis, such as rice balls, bread, milk, and fruits, while still being mindful of calorie intake.
Q3. Does drinking milk when sick cause phlegm production?
Older generations often say "drinking milk causes phlegm" and worsens nasal congestion or asthma symptoms, so it's best not to drink milk when having a cold. Some people indeed feel an increase in throat mucus after drinking milk. To confirm whether milk causes phlegm, scientists have conducted various interesting studies. One study gathered over a hundred participants to assess throat mucus feelings after drinking flavored soy milk or milk. The results showed that as long as the participant believed "milk causes phlegm," they were more likely to feel mucus secretion regardless of what they drank. Another study recruited 60 volunteers, inserting a cold virus into their noses to make them sick, then had them consume milk. The study confirmed that milk does not affect mucus secretion or relate to coughing, nasal congestion, or runny nose. So where does the sticky feeling come from? Milk forms fine droplets with saliva in the mouth, making people mistakenly believe there is increased mucus. People who are naturally more sensitive to this sensation or those with inflamed throats may feel that drinking milk thickens phlegm. In conclusion, drinking milk when sick does not worsen respiratory symptoms; the manifestation of symptoms mainly depends on the type of virus.
Q4. Does eating fried foods or chocolate cause acne?
Most people believe this. However, medical textbooks do not mention that patients with acne should avoid donuts or fried chicken, as there is currently insufficient research proving that greasy or high-sugar foods stimulate acne growth. Many scientists have studied this. They proposed two hypotheses: one suggesting that high-fat and high-sugar foods increase insulin resistance, thereby stimulating the secretion of male hormones and retinoids, both of which are thought to stimulate acne growth. The other hypothesis suggests that high-fat foods increase sebum secretion, blocking pores and causing inflammation, leading to more acne. Both studies have been proven in animal experiments, but when applied to human studies, no correlation was found. Nevertheless, theoretically, dermatologists do not necessarily recommend restricting fried or high-sugar diets, but from clinical experience, some people do develop acne after eating these forbidden foods. Therefore, when hearing that patients frequently eat chocolate or fried chicken, doctors sometimes suggest temporarily avoiding them. High-fat and high-sugar diets not only make you gain weight but can also lead to more serious "three highs" problems, so reducing consumption is beneficial. When experiencing acne, pay attention to facial cleanliness, wash your face with water when feeling oily, and avoid staying up late.
Source: http://www.she-live.com/html/2012/yinshiwuqu_0215/16606.html