If science class and medical dramas have taught us anything, it’s that the human body has a lot going on. Despite that, there are a few facts that even the most dedicated health class attendee may have missed. Here are 15 facts you probably didn’t know about your health.
1. There’s Something In Your Mouth
Most of us worry a lot about bacteria but did you know there are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people in the world?
2. You Do More When You’re Feeling Watched
Ever wonder why they put mirrors in front of the cardio section at the gym? It’s because you run work harder when you’re watching yourself. The same thing happens when you think other people are watching you, which helps explain the success of gyms in general.
3. Salt Is To Allergies What Garlic Is To Vampires
Rinsing your nose with salt water is known to help ward off your allergies.
4. Doctors Don’t Always Follow Their Own Advice
Four out of five doctors don’t get enough exercise. Despite that, thousands of people still join the healthcare industry every year. If you’re looking to be one of them, Practice Match can help you find a job without having to answer any questions about your exercise habits.
5. Food Can Lift Your Mood
Ok, so you may have known or at least suspected this one. Food can improve your overall mood and positivity. Spinach, elk, oyster, and crab have all been proven to have these effects on humans.
6. You Should Take A Walk On A Windy Day
Walking against the wind causes enough resistance to help you burn up to 50 more calories an hour. The same thing happens if you walk a body of water.
7. Your Stomach Is Pretty Powerful
The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve metal. This means your stomach lining is made of some pretty powerful stuff.
8. Teeth Are Weirdly Inefficient
Teeth are the only part of the human body that can’t repair themselves at all.
9. Sneezing Is Your Body Committing An Eviction
Your body gets rid of infected cells by sneezing. A single sneeze can send out over 100,00 virus cells. Bonus fact: the color of the snot can mean a lot.
10. You’ve Lost Some Bones
Humans have 300 bones when they’re born and 206 when they’re fully grown. This is because bones fuse together as you grow.
11. Your Liver Deserves An MVP Award
The liver is the only organ that can completely regenerate itself. It takes only a few weeks to grow back to its original size after someone donates a portion of it.
12. Your Tongue Could Identify You
You knew about fingerprints, but did you know your tongue has its own unique print?
13. Your Pets Aren’t The Only Ones Who Shed
The average human sheds about eight pounds of skin a year. Mostly in their home.
14. Gravity Makes You Shorter
Astronauts have been known to grow up to two inches in space due to the lack of gravity, which compresses you.
15. Alice In Wonderland Isn’t Just A Book
There’s a neurological disorder called Alice In Wonderland Syndrome that can make objects appear a different size than they are, make you feel like you’ve grown or shrunk, and throw off your perception of time. Less than 200 clinical cases have been reported.
Now that you know these 15 facts you’re closer than ever before to unraveling all the mysteries of the human body.
