Misconceptions About Stomach

Stomach complaints bother many people. But there are some misconceptions about the stomach. Dr. Fevzi Özgönül tells the truth of what is wrong about the stomach.

Legend: When we get fat, our stomach grows, so we get more hungry!

Real: Our stomach is a muscle bag and its size varies according to our body's energy needs. Sometimes a baby is fed with 1/2 bottle of formula, sometimes he drinks 2 bottles of formula. As in this example, sometimes even a bowl of soup is too much for us, sometimes we are not satisfied if we eat the whole table. So our stomach does not grow over time or when we get fat. The size remains the same, but because it is a muscle bag, in cases where it needs a lot of energy, these muscles relax and more food can fit inside. When we need less energy, this muscle bag contracts to prevent us from overeating and prevents us from taking in too much food.

Legend: If we reduce eating, the stomach shrinks.

Real: As I just explained, if we increase the real digestible calorie value in the food, not by reducing the food, that is, if we eat foods with higher nutritional value and make them digestible by moving, our appetite will gradually decrease and we will begin to feel full with less food. But this does not mean that our stomach has shrunk, it means that the stomach muscles do not relax much because we start to get higher energy from the food we eat. To explain with an example, when giving pocket money to a child, if we always give it with a 10 cent coin, he will open both his palms. But if we always give with one lira money, he will open one hand.

Legend: Thin people have smaller stomachs than fat people!

Real: The stomach size of a thin person and a fat person is the same. Just because a fat person has more daily energy needs, the brain leaves his stomach muscles looser, allowing more food to enter.

Legend: You can shrink your stomach by doing abdominal or stomach exercises.

Real: You do not need to enlarge or shrink your stomach. If you ensure that these meals are digested better after you eat, and most importantly, if you choose foods that have high nutritional value, that is, the nutrients that the body needs, then your stomach will open less and you will automatically feel that your stomach shrinks because you are full with less food.

Legend: Desserts made with cinnamon, sweeteners, fruits satisfy the need for sweets.

Real: The need for sweets is the body's need for sugar, that is, energy. If our digestive system does not work well, does not produce enough enzymes, does not move enough, the body cannot obtain the sugar in the foods we eat, so it wants sugar that is produced outside in the factory and does not need digestion. Just as you need a little money to sustain your life, the body's need for sugar must also be met. If we don't have sugar in our body, we die. Cinnamon can give you a pleasant taste, but there is no sugar in it, if you say sweetener, it is sweet, but it does not contain sugar that the body needs, so it is like fake money. Fruits, on the other hand, have fructose, not glucose, the sugar that the body wants, only makes you feel good temporarily. None of these contain exactly the sugar that the body needs. Nuts and vegetable dishes contain sugar, but for this the digestive system must work properly.

Legend: If you want to get rid of reflux, lose 2-3 kilos.

Real: If you want to get rid of reflux, 1- don't eat too often, let your digestive system fully digest the food you eat and ask you for a new one 2- stay away from foods such as raw salad, fruit and snacks that are difficult to digest late at night. 3- Do not go to bed right after the meal, and at least 2 hours after the meal, move a little and help the digestion of what you eat. 3- Drink base-containing beverages such as soda at least 2-3 hours after eating 4- Drink water just before the meal to reduce stomach acid. 5- Do not lie down after eating, stand in an upright position. 6- Chew a lot while eating so that the food stays in the stomach for a shorter time.

Legend: Consuming the same foods and eating before going to bed at night causes more weight!

Real: The reason you get fat is not because your body stores what you eat, but because the food you eat does not contain enough fat, protein and vitamins and minerals, or even if these are present, the body cannot maintain its current structure due to inactivity or inability to make these foods available to the body due to lack of digestive enzymes. The loosening of the connective tissue surrounding the body is due to the formation of the fat ring formed by the conversion of sugar into fat in the abdomen, hips and hips region in order to correct this relaxation. It has nothing to do with consuming the same type of food or eating late at night or eating very sweet and pastry foods. For this reason, there are many people who make these so-called mistakes and never gain weight.