9 Surprising Facts About Your Stomach

9 Surprising Facts About Your Stomach

When it comes to the tummy, experts say myths abound. How much do you really know about your stomach?

By Colette Bouchez
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD




From those burning, churning feelings that erupt whenever we eat our favorite foods, to the bloating that keeps us from zipping up our jeans, to the gas that can make us the most unpopular person in the elevator, our stomach can be the cause of some major inconveniences, if not some outright health concerns.

Still, experts say most folks know painfully little about how their stomach and their digestive tract operates -- one reason that solving tummy troubles can seem much harder than it has to be.

"There are some very popular misconceptions concerning stomach health, most of which can really lead people astray on how to effectively deal with certain problems," says Mark Moyad, MD, director of preventive and alternative medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor.