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Remember the stories your grandparents told you about walking ten miles in the snow both ways? Eventually you learned to be skeptical. We’ve dug up some mythical old wives’ health stories ourselves, and put them under scrutiny. Truth is, a lot don’t hold water. Here are a few medical myths that we found to be as dusty as Pop’s old wing-tip loafers. It’s time put these relics on the shelf where they belong.
 Make sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day
Researchers from the British Medical Journal found in a December 2007 study that this belief is awash. While it’s definitely important to stay hydrated with favorites like chamomile tea, pomegranate juice, skim milk and good old tap water, the American Journal of Physiology in 2002 says that the need for 8 straight glasses of water a day is hooey.
Image by ButterflySha [creative commons, 2.0]
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 Human beings only use 10% of their brain
This one has been around for over one hundred years, so it’s no wonder that it’s such a common misconception. However, neuroscientists say there is no part of the brain that is completely inactive. While you may not be firing on all neuron cylinders at all times, 90% of your brain is never taking a nap.
Image by GeekGirly [creative commons, 2.0]
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 Eating too many carrots will turn your skin orange
This myth isn’t completely false, as it could feasibly happen if you chugged carrot juice for days on end, but really, who does that? The self-tanner-gone-bad glow is called hypercarotenemia, and it mostly shows up in the palms of the hands, says Chris Rosenbloom, chair of the nutrition department at Georgia State University.
Image by Audryjm529 [creative commons, 2.0]
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 Hair and fingernails continue to grow after death
This myth is as untrue as it is creepy and gross. It may look like fingernails and hair keep on inching out postmortem, but what you’re seeing is really dehydration causing retraction of skin around hair and nails, creating the illusion of growth. Thank anthropologist William Maples for clearing this one up. Growth of nails and hair requires energy to sustain those functions, and that just isn’t happening when you’re six feet under.
Image by scragz [creative commons, 2.0]
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 Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight
If you have a mother, you’ve probably had her scold you about pouring over books in less than bright light. She has a point, as reading in dim light causes eye strain temporarily, but it does nothing to hinder your permanent eyesight. A related misconception is that myopia, or nearsightedness, is caused by reading in dim light, but cases of myopia have increased since the days of settlers reading by candlelight. Get yourself a LED halogen light and take care of your eyes in the hour you set aside for your New Yorker.
Image by rocketjim54 [creative commons, 2.0]
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 Shaving hair makes it grow back coarser
According to studies conducted since 1928, this notion should be swept down the drain with hairballs. It is speculated that when shaved hair regrows, the fine taper that shows up on unshaven hair is gone, giving it the coarser appearance many mistake for thicker hair.
Image by … Tim [creative commons, 2.0]
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 Eating sugar causes diabetes
There is no direct correlation between sugar consumption and diabetes, says Chris Rosenbloom, chair of the nutrition department at Georgia State University. However, eating sugar in excess can make you fat, which will make you more susceptible to the disease. Noshing occasionally on Coco Puffs won’t have you reaching for the insulin any time soon, but don’t make it a habit if you want to avoid the hospitals.
Image by ☞ Russell [creative commons, 2.0]
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 Eating turkey makes you drowsy
Most people know that turkey contains a chemical called tryptophan, which is the culprit behind those drooping eyelids. However, there is just as much tryptophan in pork and cheese as there is in turkey. In fact, for tryptophan to really knock you out, you’d have to consume it on an empty stomach with no protein present, something that’s highly unlikely at great big feasts. Your post-Thanksgiving nap cravings are more likely a result of that third trip to the buffet table, causing an overextended belly and reduced blood flow to the brain. That 4th glass of Uncle Milt’s homemade wine probably isn’t helping much either.
Image by foundphotoslj [creative commons, 2.0]
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 Chocolate causes acne
“Acne is not caused by the foods you eat,” according to dermatologist Dr. Kitha Griffin. Of the 80% of teenagers who suffer from acne, it’s their raging hormones that are to blame. Someone should have told this to poor Carrie’s mother, and that town could have saved itself a whole lot of trouble, not to mention pig’s blood.
Image by oskay [creative commons, 2.0]
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 Mobile phones in hospitals are dangerous
If you’ve spent any amount of time in a hospital, you’ve noticed signs plastered every warning against the use of cellular phones on the hospital grounds. This is supposedly because the electromagnetic waves interfere with medical devices, but a Wall Street Journal article shows no more than 100 cases in which that interference occurred. A study conducted in 2007 showed no interference in 300 tests in 75 treatment rooms. On the contrary, cellular phones in hospitals can prove to be a positive thing, allowing physicians easier and quicker communication with staff.
Image by KB35 [creative commons, 2.0]
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They say that old habits die hard, and some of these beliefs are hardwired into many people’s minds. Passed down through generations, they have since been disproved, and are a great example to keep questioning what you think you believe to be true.
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on Monday, March 31st, 2008 at 4:44 pm and is filed under Health Tips, Top Lists.
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April 8th, 2008 at 8:34 am
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