Weird Medical Facts

Curious Treatments and Strange Facts to Remember

May 11, 2008 Debbie Roome

Here is an assortment of trivia that will enlighten, entertain and lead to some interesting conversations.

Potato Peels and Burns

The best treatment for burns is to run them under cold water for at least five minutes. In India, traditional treatments include the application of honey and boiled potato skins. Honey has mild antibacterial properties and boiled potato skins maintain a moist environment over the burn. Severe burns should always be treated by a medical expert.

Vinegar and Jellyfish

Jellyfish wash up on many beaches in the world and have one thing in common – they sting. Most of them are small and relatively harmless but the sting can still cause great discomfort. The application of vinegar by spray bottle or pouring can block the action of the stinging cells, so bringing a measure of relief.

Spicy Food and Runny Noses

Eating curry and spicy food is a sure way to get a runny nose. This is because these foods contain ingredients such as jalapenos, chilies and peppers. Capsaican is a chemical in these items that irritates the body’s membranes into overproducing mucous - so resulting in a runny nose.

Kopi Luwak

Luwaks are small civet-like animals that live in Sumatra. Slightly bigger than a domestic cat, they are tree-dwellers and love to eat whole, ripe, coffee cherries. While passing through the luwak’s digestive system, the bean inside the cherry undergoes chemical treatments and fermentations. The beans are excreted whole and are collected from the forest floor, cleaned, roasted and ground just like any other coffee beans. The resulting coffee is said to be very smooth and has a rich, heavy flavour with hints of caramel or chocolate. It is also horrendously expensive.

Beans and Gas

Beans are notorious gas producers. They contain high levels of sugars that the human body cannot digest and when coupled with bacteria in the gut, they produce large amounts of gas. Other gas producers include broccoli, cabbage, onion, cucumbers, peanuts, eggs and raisins.

Fart Gas Composition

While on the subject, fart gas is mostly nitrogen with hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane and oxygen making up the balance. The smell comes from hydrogen sulfide gas which makes up less than 1% of the total mix.

Mood Food

Chocolate is a natural mood enhancer. The reason for this is that it contains a substance by the name of phenylethylamine(PEA). PEA belongs to the group of chemicals known as endorphins which have a stimulating effect on the brain. Normal effects include a sense of happiness and well being as well as an increase in positive energy. PEA is also found in cheese and certain kinds of sausages.

Hairy Facts

When drugs or poisons are ingested, they enter the person’s bloodstream and leave trace amounts in the hair follicles. As the hair grows, they remain stored in the core of the hair shaft. They cannot be removed by washing, bleaching or any other means.

The copyright of the article Weird Medical Facts in General Medicine is owned by Debbie Roome. Permission to republish Weird Medical Facts in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.