Concentrated lemon juice poses many health risks. (Illustration photo).
When lemon juice is... "miracle drug"
Worried about her rapidly increasing waistline after Tet, Ms. Nguyen Thuy Hang in Dong Ve ward ( Thanh Hoa city) searched the internet for weight loss methods, including drinking concentrated lemon juice in the morning to help "dissolve visceral fat". Without consulting a doctor, she mixed 8 to 10 lemons with a cup of warm water and drank it all at once when she woke up. After only 10 minutes, she felt severe stomach pain, dizziness, cold limbs, and had to be taken to the emergency room. At the hospital, the doctor diagnosed her with severe stomach irritation, signs of mucosal congestion and electrolyte imbalance. After nearly a week of IV fluids and monitoring, her condition stabilized. "I simply thought that lemon helps to lose weight naturally, I didn't expect it to be this harmful to my health," Ms. Hang said in shock.
Hearing from an acquaintance, Mrs. Tran Thi Lanh in Lam Son town (Tho Xuan) started the habit of mixing strong lemon juice to drink instead of filtered water every day with the hope of "purifying the liver" and "preventing kidney stones". At first, she felt lighter and urinated better, so she trusted it even more. But after 2 months, she began to feel tooth sensitivity and pain when chewing food, especially hot and cold foods. When she went to the dentist, the doctor concluded that her tooth enamel was severely eroded due to long-term exposure to acid, requiring restoration in many places.
Drinking too much lemon juice also caused her to often feel nauseous and have mild digestive disorders. Her case is a clear proof that even seemingly “healthy” foods need to be used in the right dosage and with knowledge, especially for the elderly.
Another case is Mr. Tran Van Huu in Tan Phong town (Quang Xuong) who had a mild stomach ache. A colleague advised him to drink warm lemon water every morning to "neutralize gastric juice" and "reduce HP bacteria". Believing in natural methods, Mr. Huu persistently woke up early, mixed a few fresh lemons with warm water, and drank it on an empty stomach for more than a month. At first, he felt better and had a better appetite, but then he began to experience a burning sensation, bloating, and prolonged nausea. When he went to the provincial General Hospital for examination, the endoscopy results showed that the stomach lining was severely damaged, with signs of widespread inflammation. The doctor concluded that the cause was due to the concentrated amount of citric acid combined with the habit of drinking on an empty stomach, which eroded the stomach's protective layer, causing the disease to progress more quickly. "I just thought that lemon water was good, but I didn't expect to bring more illness to my body," Mr. Huu shared.
The three cases mentioned above all stem from one thing in common: absolute trust in word of mouth or unverified sharing on social networks. From the desire to improve health, lose weight or purify the body, they have applied the method of drinking lemon water in an extreme way, not suitable for their physical condition and completely without medical advice. As a result, not only did they not achieve the desired effect, but they also brought on serious health problems. This shows that, although it is a familiar ingredient with many benefits, lemon water also needs to be used correctly, at the right time and in the right dosage. More importantly, any method related to health needs to be based on science , professional advice and listening to your body, instead of following temporary "miracle" trends that are full of risks.
Don't turn good habits into dangers
It is undeniable that lemon is a fruit rich in vitamin C, which has the effect of increasing resistance, supporting digestion and beautifying the skin. However, that does not mean that everyone can use lemon juice arbitrarily. Nutrition experts recommend that if used incorrectly, drinking on an empty stomach, mixing it too concentrated, using it instead of filtered water every day, lemon juice not only does not have any effect but also becomes the culprit causing the body to fall into a state of serious imbalance.
According to doctors from the Department of Gastroenterology, Provincial General Hospital, many people were hospitalized for stomach ulcers, dehydration, low blood pressure, and even physical exhaustion due to applying detox recipes using lemon juice by word of mouth. They often started with the desire to improve their health quickly without carefully researching, consulting a doctor, or considering their own physical condition. From here, a simple drink that should only be a dietary supplement has been "deified" as a cure-all.
More importantly, the mentality of “self-treatment at home” is becoming popular in the community today when many people tend to seek “natural”, “safe”, “drug-free” solutions while ignoring medical recommendations. Trends such as “drinking lemon water every morning to purify the body”, “7-day detox with lemon water and honey”, or “quick weight loss with fresh lemon” all hit the psychology of wanting to be healthy quickly and inexpensively. However, the simplicity and familiarity of the ingredients make it easy for users to fall into subjectivity, underestimating the dosage and conditions of use.
In reality, no food or drink can replace a balanced diet, healthy lifestyle and reasonable exercise. Health care is a process that requires understanding, patience and science, instead of waiting for a "miracle method". In modern life, where true and false information are mixed, each individual needs to be more alert to health trends that spread quickly on social networks. Because sometimes, just a seemingly harmless glass of water can become the "last drop of acid" that causes damage to the body if used incorrectly. Do not let temporary trends be exchanged for long-term consequences. Health, after all, always requires alertness and science in every small choice every day.
Article and photos: Tran Hang
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/dung-de-trao-luu-nhat-thoi-dat-mui-250697.htm
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