10 Surprising Facts About Your Body

Did you know that when your fingers pickle in water, it’s actually to give you a better grip? This is a trait that we inherited from our ancestors, although it’s not that useful today!

Reviewed and approved by psychologist Valeria Sabater.

Written by Valeria Sabater

Last update: 27 May, 2022

The purpose of this blog is to provide a space for discussing how to best care for your health, to promote your overall well-being, and to provide simple home remedies that will enhance your beauty.

We love teaching you new tips and tricks, and today we’d like to let you know about a few surprising facts about your body?

Your body is a finely tuned machine that’s something of a mystery. It’s unique and special, no doubt, and today we want to explore some of its more curious secrets.

Are you ready to learn these facts about your body?

1. Your digestion

On average, the food you eat spends between three to six hours in your stomach. The stomach can hold up to two liters of food, which is why some people take a long time to feel full.

You might be surprised to learn, however, that food can stay in the large intestine for eight to 20 hours.

Why? Some people have slower intestinal transit, so the process of digestion, synthesis, and removal can take a long time.

2. How long can you survive without food and water?

Maybe you’ve asked yourself this before. What could be worse? What would it be like to have to survive without food and water?

But you should know that the body is more resistant to a lack of food than a lack of water.

That’s why you should always try to stay well hydrated because without water there could be serious consequences.

In fact, the human body can survive around seven days without food, depending on your prior condition of health.

But without water or fluids, you can hardly last more than two to three days.

The moment your body becomes dehydrated, health problems start to appear.

3. The mysteries of your skin

The skin is a very curious part of the body. Do you know how much dead skin you can potentially shed throughout your life? More than 30 pounds!

But rather than disgusting you, that fact should be seen as something healthy, because shedding old skin and regenerating new cells keeps you looking healthy and youthful.

4. Why do fingers “pickle” when you stay in the water for a long time?

This is a classic question that children always ask. When you spend a long time in the bathtub or pool, you notice that your fingers – and even the soles of your feet – develop that classic “pickled,” wrinkled appearance.

This phenomenon is actually an attribute you’ve inherited from your ancestors.

Having wrinkled fingertips allowed earlier humans to grip small seeds or plants in wet environments.

It improved their grip. If you want to try it out, try catching marbles sitting on the bottom of your bathtub before and after your fingers become pickled.

Of course, this characteristic isn’t as useful today as it once was.

5. Strange things about your tongue

Your tongue is unique to you: no two are alike. On average it’s about 10 cm long, but the shape, grooves, and lines are completely unique, similar to your fingerprints.

Want to know something else strange? When you’re born you enter the world with millions of taste buds, but over time, you lose them.

So the early flavors you experienced during childhood could be lost forever. This is definitely our top interesting facts about your body.

6. The world of babies

Did you know that babies are born with around 300 bones? That’s a lot! But over time, some of those bones fuse together, resulting in 206 by the time you reach adulthood.

And another curious thing about babies: something that always relaxes them is the sound of a beating heart.

While in the womb for nine months, that sound accompanies them at all times, through all stages of growth.

So, if you notice that your baby isn’t sleeping well, lay its head on your chest to allow it to hear the sound of your heart.

7. Hair growth

We spend a lot of time talking about how important it is to get enough sleep at night. That’s when your lymphatic system is in detox, and growth hormones are secreted in the case of children.

Obviously, if you’re already fully grown your height won’t change, but what will happen is hair growth: between two to three nanometers a week.

8. You produce about three grams of antibodies every day

Now, this is one of the most interesting facts about your body! Your immune system is capable of producing about three grams of antibodies per day to help protect you against microorganisms, viruses, and bacteria.

If it weren’t for this, you would be sick almost all the time.

9. Do you blush often?

If you’re one of those people who blush easily and usually has a pink glow in your cheeks, you should know that in those moments, your stomach lining takes on a rosy appearance as well.

Don’t forget that famous saying that “the stomach is your second brain,” and emotions are often reflected there.

10. Your navel is a source of bacteria!

Did you know that your belly button harbors a veritable ecosystem of bacteria?

Try to remember to keep it clean – don’t forget this attractive part of your waistline!

Did you find these facts about your body interesting to read?