AI Circle Daily
https://aicircle.news/archive/2026-09-23?category=health&lang=en
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Myth: your smartwatch accurately counts calories burned. A new study finds consumer-grade fitness wearables are generally inaccurate when calculating calories burned.
Take: Use steps and heart-rate trends as rough signals, not the calorie number, to decide how much to eat. Track weight and food intake instead.
Myth: if caffeine doesn't keep you awake, your sleep is fine. EEG recordings show caffeine reduces the slow brain waves tied to deep, restorative sleep.
Take: If you're sensitive, move your last coffee earlier in the day. Judge sleep by how rested you feel, not just whether you fell asleep.
Myth: as long as calories are controlled, food choice doesn't matter. Pooled data link higher ultra-processed food intake to digestive diseases, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome/diabetes and death.
Take: Check ingredient lists; the longer and less kitchen-familiar, the less often you should eat it. Every extra 100 grams counts, so start by cutting one snack a day.
Myth: once you lose weight on GLP-1 drugs, the cardiovascular protection sticks. A large study suggests benefits can disappear quickly, with a 22% higher risk of heart attack, stroke and death two years after stopping.
Take: Treat these drugs as long-term management, not a short sprint. Talk to your doctor before stopping and have diet and exercise habits in place.
Myth: if the scale doesn't move, exercise isn't working. In mice, just seven days of strength training boosted visceral fat burning before any visible weight loss.
Take: Don't rely only on the scale; track waist size, energy and strength gains. Do strength training twice a week and give it time.
Myth: long COVID fatigue and brain fog are all in your head. Brain scans suggest long COVID may damage dopamine-releasing neurons, which could explain fatigue, low motivation and memory problems.
Take: Don't push through or blame yourself; see a clinician if symptoms persist. Break tasks into small steps and keep a regular routine.
Myth: vegetables from your own garden are always safer than store-bought. Experts say 'it depends' — home gardens can also carry contamination and foodborne germ risks.
Take: Use clean water and compost, avoid raw manure, wash produce you eat raw, and wash hands before and after handling. Don't assume homegrown means germ-free.
Myth: recreational ketamine is just a temporary high with no lasting harm. Data from a UK clinic show non-prescribed ketamine use can cause bladder problems, with patients referred as young as 13.
Take: Don't treat ketamine as harmless fun. If you have frequent urination, pain or blood in urine, tell your doctor about drug use honestly — stopping earlier may limit damage.
Myth: kratom is natural, so it's safe and non-addictive. Addiction treatment centers across the US are seeing more patients dependent on kratom and its stronger compound 7-OH.
Take: 'Natural' doesn't mean safe. If you're using it and can't stop or it's disrupting your life, seek professional support rather than quitting alone.