Social media has become all-pervasive in the lives of most people, so much so that many are making decisions that impact their health based on what they are seeing on their feeds.
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Health trends have been a big part of social media for a while. However, it is not just doctors and professional healthcare workers who share advice, but also influencers seeking to amplify their reach.
This has given rise to various trends involving, among other things, gut health. Understandably, not all of them deliver on the promised good health. Taking to Instagram on May 30, Dr Saurabh Sethi, a California-based gastroenterologist trained in AIIMS, Harvard, and Stanford Universities, highlighted six such trends that one would do well to avoid.
1. Fibre maxxing
Fibre is one of the most important macronutrients that the body needs. It helps to slow down digestion, feed the healthy gut microbiome, and improve blood sugar control and bowel movement, among other things.
While the body needs to have sufficient fibre, suddenly increasing its intake is not good for health, especially if it is not accompanied by sufficient water. Fibre maxxing is a viral trend in which people try to meet their daily fibre requirement and even go beyond it.
According to Dr Sethi, “Dumping 50g of psyllium, inulin, and chia into one smoothie isn’t ‘healthy’ – it’s a bloating disaster. Your microbiome needs weeks to adapt.” The best thing to do is to take it slow and gradually increase one’s fibre intake if they are lacking in the first place.
2. Cooking everything in beef tallow
The second popular health trend is boycotting seed oils and cooking everything in fats sourced from animals, such as beef tallow.
“Tallow is approximately 50 percent saturated fat,” cautioned Dr Sethi. “At high doses, it shifts your microbiome toward harmful bacteria and impairs your gut barrier.” While the health impact of cooking in beef tallow depends on the amount consumed, cooking everything is definitely past the safe zone, he shared.
3. Raw milk for gut health
Drinking raw milk, which is unpasteurised, has become a popular trend on TikTok, shared Dr Sethi. Discovered in the nineteenth century, pasteurisation involves heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time in order to kill harmful bacteria that might be present in it.
According to the gastroenterologist, the harm done to the gut from dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria is much worse than any probiotic benefit that one may receive from drinking raw milk. The latter is especially dangerous for children and pregnant women.
4. Chlorophyll water for gut detox
Not every part of the body needs to be externally detoxed regularly, especially the gut. According to Dr Sethi, the evidence of drinking chlorophyll water is “almost nonexistent,” and it is better to have green vegetables instead.
5. The BeanTok challenge
Yet another TikTok trend, the BeanTok challenge is one in which participants try to eat two cups of beans every day for 30 days straight. “The fibre is genuinely great, but jumping straight to two cups causes bloating for most people,” cautioned Dr Sethi. “Build up slowly.”
6. Parasite cleanses
Parasite cleanses are dietary regimens designed to detox the gut and get rid of harmful parasites that may be present inside us. “Most digestive symptoms in developed countries are not parasites,” noted Dr Sethi. “These harsh herbal formulas irritate your gut and cause nutrient deficiencies.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
