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“Cutting Out All Fats”: 40 Harmful Things That Many People Assume Are Good For Them
Interview With Expert
You should be waking up at 5 a.m. each day to maximize productivity. But a good night’s sleep is crucial, and you shouldn’t sacrifice it for anything. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! But if you’re not intermittent fasting until the afternoon, you’re going to gain weight. And don’t you dare put oat milk in your coffee if it has seed oils in it!
There’s a lot of contradictory information floating around health and wellness spaces. While being healthy was once as simple as eating a balanced diet, staying active and maintaining relationships with loved ones, people are constantly trying to complicate it to make a profit or simply confuse you. That’s why Reddit users have recently been discussing potentially harmful trends, behaviors and more that people often assume are “healthy." Keep reading to find a conversation with Kevin Pho, MD, and be sure to upvote the things you don’t trust either!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
The rat race. We should really switch to a capybara or manatee race, slow things down a bit.
RELATED:
#2
Detox anything. Your body has organs literally for this purpose.
Rosecrucian Roeth 8 months ago
Your liver is your biological detox! You only help it when it is medically necessary as per your Dr.!
#3
I'm a yoga instructor and I constantly have to remind my students that doing advanced poses without proper form isn't pushing yourself it's just asking for injuries.
Rosecrucian Roeth 8 months ago
Like any exercise, work up to the levels, don't start at the top.
To find out more about what's actually healthy and what's not, we got in touch with Kevin Pho, MD. He was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and break down which trends we should be avoiding.
"One common trend is the overuse of supplements," the expert shared. "Many people assume that because something is labeled 'natural,' it’s automatically safe and beneficial. But too much of certain vitamins or minerals—like vitamin D or iron—can actually be harmful."
"Another example is extreme dieting or detoxes," Dr. Pho continued. "These often promise quick results but can disrupt metabolism, gut health, and even mental well-being."
#4
"Pain is just weakness leaving your body"
No, pain is you damaging your body in a bad way. It's okay to be sore after exercise, but at no point should there be any pain.
Rosecrucian Roeth 8 months ago
Pain is your body telling you, enough a$$hole, you're hurting me!
#5
Cutting out all fats.
Michelle C 8 months ago
Fat is actually protective of the brain and organs otherwise. It also protects the brain against Alzheimer’s and similar diseases.
#6
Chugging a gallon of detox juice. congrats! you’re just starving with expensive pee 😂💁♀️.
geezeronthehill 8 months ago
Can't bring myself to drink something that particular, virulent shade of green. It screams poison!
So why is there so much confusion about what's healthy and what's not?
"The health information landscape is incredibly fragmented. On one side, you have doctors and scientists trying to communicate evidence-based recommendations," Dr. Pho explained. "On the other, you have influencers, celebrities, and companies promoting products and lifestyles that often prioritize profit or virality over science. Add in constantly evolving research—sometimes with conflicting results—and it’s no wonder people feel overwhelmed."
"Also, let’s be honest: fear and hope sell. A message that says 'eat more vegetables and walk every day' isn’t as flashy as 'this superfood will change your life,'" the expert continued. "But the former is what actually helps. The challenge is getting people to see through the noise."
#7
I still hear people talking about getting “a healthy tan” when they are actually (and quite obviously) burning their skin with UV radiation.
I’m not talking about general outdoor lifestyles (we all need Vitamin D), but the dedicated pursuit of a tan.
There is a cultural heritage in the UK where burning to a crisp on the beach/by the pool with no sun cream (or just low factor/oils) was a sign of social status when you got home and showed off your melanin infused skin (or even a nice bit of UV radiation scarring) in the pub or office.
“Look at my blistered arms, I can afford two weeks in Spain!”,
At best this is damaging your largest organ and prematurely aging your appearance, at worst you are drastically increasing your chance of melanoma skin cancer, but is somehow seen as wholesome and worthy of envy.
It’s sunny here today for once though, so I’m getting my shirt off!!
Rosecrucian Roeth 8 months ago
I think I may be one of the lucky ones, at least so far at 75. I worked on a farm in the 60's during my summers and with no hat and short sleeve shirts in the summer sun. So far I have not had any cancer, BUT I don't by any means think I am out of the woods. The slightest brown sport on my body gets a visit to the Dr.'s, ASAP!
#8
Waking up extremely early for no literal reasons other than “being productive” I’m not saying this is the case for everyone but a lot of these influencers seem to be depriving themselves of quality sleep by waking up at 4am everyday and going to sleep at 12am.
Little Bit 8 months ago
I go to sleep around 10pm and wake up at around 5am every single day because I need to pee. Once I'm awake I can't get back to sleep again no matter how tired I feel, so I might as well get up and be productive.
#9
Biologically inappropriate fad diets.
Rosecrucian Roeth 8 months ago
Most fad diets are started to increase the income of the person who invents them.
We also asked the doctor for advice on how to spot what's simply a harmful fad or trend. "Start by asking: What’s the evidence? Who’s behind this claim, and do they stand to profit? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," he told Bored Panda. "Talk to your primary care physician. They know your medical history and can help you assess whether something is right for you."
"You can also look at reputable sources—like the CDC, Mayo Clinic, or trusted medical journals," Dr. Pho continued. "On KevinMD.com, I try to spotlight voices from the front lines—clinicians who share what really works with patients, not just what’s trending."
#10
Getting IV injection/infusion therapy at med spas can be dangerous!
In fact, most healthy people don't need IV vitamins/nutrients and it can actually cause infections, or worse - electrolyte derangements and k**l them!
#11
Douching.
Thankfully more and more women are receptive to the education that this is often more harmful than helpful.
RamiRudolph 8 months ago (edited)
Ooooh, it's a cleaning thing. Here I thought it meant Being a Dóuche.
#12
I´ve heard a fair few people say they switched from cigarettes to vaping and think they made a huge improvement.
It´s good to get off cigs, but not the best replacement?
Little Bit 8 months ago
I can't believe the amount of people who think that inhaling any kind of chemical into their lungs is good for them.
"Give yourself permission to slow down. Health isn’t about extremes—it’s about sustainable habits. Walk more. Sleep well. Eat real food. Build relationships. Those don’t make headlines, but they build resilience. And that’s what real wellness looks like," Dr. Pho added. "And finally, don’t underestimate the power of asking questions. Whether it's your doctor, a pharmacist, or a credible online source—get curious. Empowered patients make better choices."
#13
Learning to “take a joke”
No, conditioning yourself to just shut up and bottle your feelings when you’re upset over something that was “just a joke” is not healthy.
I’m not saying there will never be times where you feel upset by something that maybe shouldn’t have upset you, but instead of shoving those feelings down where they’ll get packed in like gunpowder ready to go off later, explore *why* you feel upset. Sometimes, it’s legitimate; somebody was mean to you and wanted to gaslight you into thinking you’re the problem so they could get away with it. Other times, you’re having a response based on your trauma/social conditioning and you have to treat it kind of like a phobia; an irrational response that you have to learn how to manage and communicate to others, with a reminder to yourself that nobody is trying to hurt you.
Little Bit 8 months ago
"Just a joke" is a narcissistic way of somebody trying to invalidate your feelings when they have deliberately done or said something hurtful to you. Believe me, though, they can give but they can't take it. My ex-husband was a serial prankster and thought he was the funniest person on the planet hurting and humiliating others. When somebody got one over on him he would go crazy with rage.
#14
Muffins. I used to bring donuts to meetings but was asked to bring muffins instead because they’re healthier. They are twice the calories of the donuts. .
#15
Entree salads at restaurants are deceptively high in calories and fat.
Using Chili's to illustrate this point.
-The quesadilla explosion salad is 1,420 calories and 99g of fat.
-The surf and turf 10oz sirloin, shrimp, mashed potatoes, and broccoli is 750 calories and 33g fat
(sirloin and shrimp 450cal + mashed potatoes 260cal + broccoli 40cal) (Fat is 20g+13g+0g) nutrition info was sourced from Chili's website.
#17
Protein bars/shakes. I get that they have their place for people working out, but I know way too many very sedentary office workers who are very overweight, do not work out at all, and yet eat multiple protein bars a day convincing themselves that it is good for their health.
StrangeOne 8 months ago (edited)
The sedentary office job was the worst for me. I didn't know how unfit I was until I got into a physically demanding job. It took a few months to not need someone helping me do the simplest of tasks. Many of the people at my old job I noticed were dying in their 60s and very overweight.
#18
Activated charcoal toothpaste. It just wears down your teeth. Honestly I bet it’s better to just use water than charcoal. Same with those all natural no fluoride toothpastes. They aren’t good. It’s funny how much people hate fluoride when it’s just as natural as sodium which is salt. Both are just minerals. I don’t know much about the subject though.
Also people are so scared of scientific names. Like sodium is so scary to them when it’s just salt. They panic when they see acids in the ingredients. Thinking it’s toxic because acid. When lemons are acidic. Also just because something has a shorter ingredient list does not mean it’s healthier. Also from what I’ve heard European food labels don’t have to include as much infromation as ameircan ones and can often say stuff like “spices” and not name it. And can use more common vs scientific names for stuff. But I may be wrong about that. But a lot of people use that fact for fear mongering.
StrangeOne 8 months ago
My daughter got cavities using all natural toothpaste. Fluoride is important.
#19
Those weird “healthy” versions of junk food you see in organic grocery stores. No, chips don’t suddenly become healthy because you left the skin on the potatoes. I’m sorry. Plus, if you look at the ingredients list on that stuff, it’s often longer and has more weird ingredients than the basic version. I was shocked. My husband and I lived for a while near a place that sold itself as a “healthy food” grocery store. Their fresh fruit and vegetables (actually healthy stuff) was miniscule, half an aisle. The rest was weird supplements and processed junk. It shocks me people think that stuff is healthier than fresh whole real foods.
Karen Mercury 8 months ago
Trader Joe's never has weird ingredients. I never even have to read the list, I can just trust it.
#20
Granola bars. Most of them are no better than candy bars.
Michelle C 8 months ago
My family and I make our own because we don’t want all the extra junk in our granola. We also eat it as a treat rather than as an everyday breakfast or snack.
#21
Getting only 4 hours of sleep and calling it 'grind culture.'.
Lee Gilliland 8 months ago
Three-quarters of the idiots on Capital Hill are deliberately sleep-deprived, and it shows in our laws. It's considered a status thing, God alone knows why.
#22
The plethora of skin care and beauty products that are pushed on young people.
#23
Working yourself to death.
Rosecrucian Roeth 8 months ago
Never worked myself to death but did work myself to the point where I had to make a decision to either spend time with my sons and lose $8000.00 a year in income or quit my job and take a lower income position to make sure I could take them to practice and games. I took the loss of income, was always there for them and wound up getting a position where I could make a salary plus commission. NO BRAINER!
#24
One thing that many people believe is healthy but actually isn’t is fruit juices. While they seem like a great source of vitamins, most commercial fruit juices are packed with sugar and lack the fiber found in whole fruits. This can lead to blood sugar spikes and contribute to weight gain over time.
Annik Perrot 8 months ago
In France, fruit juice has no added sugar, or it can't be called fruit juice. There are two kinds, either pure juice or watered down concentrate, and that must be specified on the container. Anything with added sugar is either called "nectar" (fruit purée with water and sugar) or "fruit drink".
#25
Staying up to date on the news.
Featherytoad 8 months ago (edited)
Not one bit of news for me today. I just can't anymore with trump and the whole f*****g admin. I do like watching the Tesler stock fall though.
#26
Doing high impact exercise when they're overweight. It doesn't help much, and there's a much bigger risk of injury. Taking a brisk walk and stretching are the best types of exercise to do when you're overweight.
#27
Waking up early if you aren't naturally a morning person.
Rosecrucian Roeth 8 months ago
Eat what you need and how much you need and anything more or less is not good............PERIOD! And if Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil recommend it, DON'T DO IT! talk to your Dr. who is a real Dr. and know what they are talking about and are not paid by the companies who sell their products to them!
#28
In the early 1900s it was thought smoking could open the lungs, and early Tour De France racers would often smoke a pack of cigarettes during the race to enhance their performance. Of course, this never worked.
Rosecrucian Roeth 8 months ago
I remember during the 70's, watching the Montreal Canadiens on Hockey Night in Canada, and during a between periods interview, the players were smoking in the dressing room. I always thought, years later, how much better these guys would have played had they not smoked. Not unlike the other sports anywhere from the 20's to the 80's, when alcohol and smoking were part of the program>
#29
Jumping into CrossFit & other intense workouts if you're older or out of shape.
It's an endorphin rush & it's awesome to see your body start getting into shape so quickly. Combine those two, and it's difficult to not just push your limits every time you go in. However, that sort of intensity takes a toll on joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons that are unaccustomed to it. Eventually that wear & tear causes injury, which (among other things) makes any exercise at all more difficult.
Some folks can do those sort of intense workouts, but for anyone looking to get into exercise, it's best to just focus on establishing a sustainable routine. It might take longer, but if you can stick with that, then results will come & you'll be more likely to keep your positive gains.
#30
Being surrounded only by people who share the same opinion. .
Luke Branwen 8 months ago
Sorry but I'm not gonna surround myself with parody humans who'd gleefuly cheer if my best friend died.
#31
Drinking as self care 😭😭.
Mtn Lungta 8 months ago
4 store mini mall in small town. One end state mental health services waiting time 4 plus months . Other end liquor vendors open 10 am to 11pm / 365. Pick one.
#32
Vitamin Water. Coca-Cola won a lawsuit claiming the branding was misleading. Their argument, iirc, was that they're Coca-Cola; nobody should expect things they make to be healthy, and it isn't their fault people are stupid.
Fluffy Cat Sleeps 8 months ago
In 2009, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and private law firms filed a lawsuit against Coca-Cola alleging false advertising of Vitaminwater. The lawsuit claimed that Vitaminwater labels made misleading health claims, despite the drinks containing 33 grams of sugar and little juice. The settlement, approved in March 2016, required Coca-Cola to: Change labels: Add "with sweeteners" and calorie counts prominently. Stop claims: Discontinue phrases like "vitamins + water = all you need" and claims about eye disease risk. Cover costs: Pay $1.2 million for plaintiffs' attorneys' fees.
#33
Trying to do a calorie deficit but just eat minimal amount to survive .
Remi (He/Him) 8 months ago
Your body goes to fasting mode and it'll actually prevent you from losing weight
#34
Pushing your body and overtraining. You can get serious injuries.
Tammy Grogloth 8 months ago
I know someone who was morbidly obese. She sought help from her doctor who told her to begin exercising for literally one minute or less and slowly add. A little over a year later she is down almost 100 pounds and did it with teeny tiny baby steps. I dread to think of what could have happened to her had she taken friends advice who told her to do things such as running on treadmill for 30 minutes to START. She did it the right way with no injuries and no starvation.
#35
Too little or not enough of many things. Extreme cutting for extended periods of time or very specific diets have side effects usually.
Unregulated words on food packages. Natural or non-processed have no actual meaning when it comes to health. The same with Fresh. You still have to wisely select foods as those words can be easily slapped on unhealthy food.
Exercise even. There is a reason why they suggest consulting with your doctor before doing vigorous exercise. Doing the same exercise over and over can be bad for you even. My dad lost 90 lbs, then one day passed out on a treadmill, hit his head and died. That doesn’t mean I don’t think people should exercise. Just that you have to be careful. .
Magenta Blu 8 months ago
ONLY IF you can afford it. Otherwise you have to eat what you can, and sadly junk food is cheaper
#36
Chiropractors.
Somebodys grandmother 8 months ago
Disagree. Chiropractors in denmark are educated, certified and have a license. We don't have problems. The states healtadministration makes sure of that
#37
“Drinking lemon water every morning doesn’t detox anything — your liver already does that.”.
Tammy Grogloth 8 months ago
But drinking lemon water every day is good if you're prone to kidney stones.
#38
Taking a bunch of random supplements.
StrangeOne 8 months ago
You're supposed to consult your doctor, gets some tests done and determine which supplements you need if you're not getting them from your regular diet. Some health conditions might be naturally depleting you of nutrients and a supplement can help with that. For example, the skin condition I was born with is caused by a deficiency in iron rooted in my DNA. (It can get difficult to explain.) Taking iron pills prevents things like anemia and helps improve the condition of how my skin regenerates and sheds, and the health of my nails and hair. But if I were to take vitamin C, that I already get enough of from all he fruits I love to eat, that can cause health problems later in the life.
#39
Wine.
My dad heard 2 drinks a day is healthy. So he was at his cardiologist and they asked how much he drinks a week and he said 14 drinks. The cardiologist was flabbergasted and told him to cut out drinking.
Little Bit 8 months ago
I think the media are largely to blame for this. I routinely read in newspapers etc one minute a glass of wine a day is bad for you, the next minute a glass of wine is good for you. Too much conflicting information.
#40
Working 40 hours a week.
Rosecrucian Roeth 8 months ago
40 hours ain't bad, but go over and then..........................
#41
Being religious.
Rosecrucian Roeth 8 months ago
Religion is the original scam,even older that the oldest profession in the world!
#42
Circumcision.
#43
Excessive protien intake. Its a complete cult.
Featherytoad 8 months ago
Higher risk of kidney stones and if it's red meat, higher risk of colon cancer and heart disease. Bon Appetit.
#44
Margarine.
WakandaPanda 8 months ago
It was invented as a food for Turkeys, but it unalived them instead !
#45
Getting up at 03:30 to do 100 pushups, drink 30 egg whites, listen to an audiobook at x2 speed etc. all for the #hustle.
Rosecrucian Roeth 8 months ago
I get up at 0330 because I am awake and can't get back to sleep :)
#46
Used to not think this, but self medicating with weed while having certain mental illnesses. The way my therapist and psych both explained it was they didn’t care if I used, however they would advise me not to self medicate with it. It’s harder to know what dosage youre consuming and there’s so many different strands. Medication works best when it’s taken consistently at the same time and same amount everyday, and it’s near impossible for that to be the case with weed, even if bought from dispensaries. Dont get me wrong though, I think weed is extremely helpful for certain disorders and diseases, and it should be 100% legal, however it should just be used with caution when dealing with mental illnesses!
Jihana 8 months ago
I was on jury duty once for a case of attempted murder. Poor guy had bipolar disorder since he was a teenager, his father had it too. He knew about it, he was getting treatment for it but one day he started to feel off, he wrote an email to his doctor asking if he could increase the dosage. When that didn't help he went to the hospital THREE TIMES asking to get admitted, but they sent him away. So he started smoking weed in an attempt to self medicate. What he did not know was that the weed interfered with his medication, so one day slid into a psychosis. He saw a random woman on the street and a voice told him she was the devil and he needed to k**l her. A witness said that he kicked her head like a soccer ball. The victim miraculously survived with minor injuries. Poor guy actually did everything right but he just had such bad luck. He looked absolutely miserable during the trial, I felt so bad for him I could barely look at him.
#49
Orange Juice. It's amazingly hard on your stomach.
#50
Natural flavors, its very obscure and there are thousands of things it can actually be.
#51
Carnivore diet.
Michelle C 8 months ago
I know exactly one person who has to do something similar to this due to a confirmed autoimmune disorder; Jordan Peterson‘s daughter Mikhalia Peterson Fuller has a mono-diet of beef prescribed by her doctor due to the autoimmune condition. I have never heard of another case like it.
#52
Ironically enough being overly health conscious especially food wise.
RamiRudolph 8 months ago
Care to elaborate? I'm currently tracking the calories, carbs, sugar and saturated fats that I eat. That's not being overly conscious, is it?
#53
Fat-free yoghurt. Often full of sugar instead.
Stop worrying about fat, it's the sugar that'll get you.
#54
Agave.
It's nature's high fructose corn syrup 😂.
Louise Clarke 8 months ago
Also it's been negatively effecting the bat population. The bats eat the agave plant.
#56
Raw milk.
Rosecrucian Roeth 8 months ago
Grew up on milk straight from the cow and I have been healthy all my life. You would more than likely be grossed out by the way I lived my childhood on a farm in rural Nova Scotia. It gave me resistance to so much that I have rarely been sick through out my life. Maybe luck, maybe not...........hey who cares, at this point in my life I sure don't.
#57
Repeatedly catching covid. You aren't building last immunity, you're just increasing your chances of long-term ill health.
Rosecrucian Roeth 8 months ago
Don't think you really have a choice unless you are being careless on purpose.
#58
Thinking about what other people are thinking about and then also concluding that you are right about the fact that they have thought what you thought they had thought based on a loose theory that only works if described by yourself.
#60
Can we remember the Nutella craze? How obsessed the world was with how healthy it was to have hazelnuts in the morning (but ignore it's half sugar).
#61
Milk.
Its such a misconception that "it gives you strong bones" Yes, it has calcium in it but the amount you would have to drink daily to actually absorb enough "calcium" you need would be sooo much lol we need calcium and its in other foods but a good ol American dinner with a glass of milk growing up wont do much other than give you unnecessary mucus.
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LillieMean 8 months ago
How much protein is in a healthy diet. Large amounts of protein put a strain on the kidneys and if the protein is mainly of animal origin it increases cholesterol levels and the risk of colon cancer. A person who exercises at a normal level does not need expensive protein supplements, ten eggs, or giant steaks.
Susie Elle 8 months ago (edited)
EDIT: deleted because I realized I was just repeating what you already said lmao
Load More Replies... SlightlyTarnished 8 months ago
This post is just random people spouting things, no supporting evidence, just opinions.
Lee Gilliland 8 months ago
The worst things you can do to your body involve following the latest food and exercise trends.
LillieMean 8 months ago
How much protein is in a healthy diet. Large amounts of protein put a strain on the kidneys and if the protein is mainly of animal origin it increases cholesterol levels and the risk of colon cancer. A person who exercises at a normal level does not need expensive protein supplements, ten eggs, or giant steaks.
Susie Elle 8 months ago (edited)
EDIT: deleted because I realized I was just repeating what you already said lmao
Load More Replies... SlightlyTarnished 8 months ago
This post is just random people spouting things, no supporting evidence, just opinions.
Lee Gilliland 8 months ago
The worst things you can do to your body involve following the latest food and exercise trends.
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