Health advice is everywhere, and TikTok is no exception. Viral posts about the latest trends are attractive, but they can also be potentially dangerous. So how do you tell the difference?
Take a closer look at some of TikTok’s most popular health trends, from the “12-3-30” method to liquid chlorophyll drops, to see if they are safe and if they work.
If you are interested in trying one of these health trends, especially if you are taking medication or have an underlying medical condition, it is advisable to consult your doctor first. When it comes to your health, the best way to protect yourself is to be an informed consumer.
Very satisfied
“Prophy”
This combo is what it sounds like: protein powder and coffee. Whether you’re adding a scoop of protein powder to your coffee or a shot of espresso to your protein shake, this one-two punch of protein and caffeine is a healthy, pre-training boost, or a more nutritious start. The day when breakfast is “coffee only”. One major warning: Use protein powder without caffeine or other additives. If your protein shake or powder contains caffeine, aim for less than 300 mg of caffeine throughout the combo (half if you’re sensitive to caffeine).
Nature’s cereal
Nature’s cereal, which is basically a large bowl of fresh fruit, is a mixture of berries and coconut water. The recipe is half a cup of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries and 6 ounces of coconut water. Any combination of fruit counts — up to 1.5 cups. And be sure to skip the sweet coconut water. Consider adding a little crushed ice to keep it extra cold. Take out the cereal spoon and you’re ready to go.
Think of Nature’s Cereal as part of a healthy snack or meal. Not rich enough in nutrients and calories to boost the energy of a complete diet. It’s also a great way to tame your sweet teeth.
“12-3-30”
These numbers, which are simple enough sound activity, represent the treadmill settings. Set the slope to 12, set the speed to 3 mph, and set the time to 30 minutes.
But like all other fitness routines, it’s important to work on it rather than jump right in. This is especially true if you tend to sit down. I want to avoid injuries caused by overuse. For example, if you are new to fitness (especially a treadmill), start without a slope and walk for 15 minutes. You can gradually increase both the slope and the duration for your own comfort.
Why does “12-3-30” work? Your muscles work harder on slopes, providing shorter and more efficient workouts. It is also ideal for energy boosting and muscle building. However, if you use a treadmill, it is considered “high impact” (hard surface), so it is advisable to rotate this activity with low impact aerobic exercise (such as biking or elliptical).
Don’t do this
Dolly scoop
Dry scoops that swallow dry protein powder scoops are becoming popular. But that’s not a good idea. There is no benefit and the risk can be high. for example:
- Accidental inhalation of powder into the lungs can cause lung inflammation and infections
- Heart problems such as rapid heartbeat, palpitations, or arrhythmias that can lead to a heart attack can occur (especially if the protein powder has a different “energy booster”).
Garlic blows his nose
I caught a cold? Skip the advice of sticking garlic in your nose to relieve stuffy nose. It’s useless and can actually make you feel sick.
Some people mistakenly think that removing the cloves produces a lot of mucus. What is really happening is that garlic cloves increase the buildup of mucus. Therefore, removing it will release excess mucus.
Garlic is strongly irritating and can irritate the back of the nose. In addition, anything that gets stuck in the nose is at risk of getting stuck, broken, and causing common nasal trauma (such as bleeding or skin damage).
Please continue with caution
Frozen honey
This sounds like a good way to tame your sweet teeth, but you’re still giving your body another name for “sugar.”
Honey is not sucrose (white sugar), but pure fructose (half the sugar in sucrose). Fructose is a type of sugar found in fruits, but it is completely different from fruits. Fruits contain water and fiber to slow the digestion of this natural sugar. Depending on how much you eat, frozen honey can cause digestive problems such as stomach cramps, bloating, and diarrhea.
And since frozen honey falls off very easily, your part is probably much larger than you think. A tablespoon of honey contains 17 grams of sugar! Comparing this with the USDA guidelines for additional sugar intake (24 grams per day for women and 32 grams for men), it’s closer than you might think. This sugar load can lead to rapid fluctuations in blood glucose levels, especially for diabetic or pre-diabetic patients. Most healthy people will be able to handle a small amount of frozen honey (a tablespoon or so) without any problems.
Your best bet is to stick to the honey with the food and add it as a drizzle.
Liquid chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a naturally occurring pigment in plants (which makes plants green) and has been used as a health promoter since the 1950s. However, there is no convincing evidence of people’s health benefits. Some studies claim that it can help with illnesses from bad breath and constipation to cancer prevention and weight loss.
So what are the drawbacks? First, there are no medication recommendations, so think for yourself about the “appropriate” amount to support your health. Second, what you get with chlorophyll drops is not pure. This is a semi-synthetic water-soluble chlorophyll called “chlorophyllin”.
There have been reports of skin rashes and the risk of sunburn. And some people have minor digestive upsets.
Chlorophyll drops look safe enough for some people, but be aware of the negatives that can occur. Plants need it more than we do! And fresh or frozen produce is much cheaper and safer.
Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom is a health editor for NBC News. Follow her on her Twitter @ drfernstrom.
