Health Facts You Didn’t Know Were Completely False

Have you every wondered if an apple a day truly keeps the doctor away? We have all heard these “too good to be true” phrases that may give some people false hope or fears about their health. Read on to separate the facts from fiction.

Although it is true that a daily intake of fruits and vegetable is important, apples included, it is not true that simply eating one apple each day will keep you from becoming ill. Apples are a great source of Vitamin C, calcium, and fiber, both of which are very important contributors to overall good health, but if you body becomes exposed to a virus or bacteria, an apple will not be much help in preventing a cold or the flu.

Many parents are hesitant about allowing their children to drink coffee because they fear that the caffeine in the coffee will student their child’s growth. However, there is no research that provides evidence for this concern. The research that has been done shows that caffeine consumption in adults did lead to a slight calcium absorption limit, but it was not a notable impact. In fact, a tablespoon of milk could easily offset the effects of a single cup of coffee. Have you ever been told that you should stay away from dairy products like ice cream when you are suffering from a cold? Chances are you have, and the explanation as to why had something to do with increased mucous production due to the dairy. However, this is not true, so feel free to reach for that pint of your favorite Ben & Jerry’s. Research done at the Mayo Clinic shows that “in fact, frozen dairy products can soothe a sore throat and provide calories when you otherwise may not eat.” It is believed by many people that chocolate and sugar can act as an aphrodisiac. This myth began in the mid 19th century, when it was believed that sugar would cause feeling of attraction, particularly affecting women, children, and oddly enough, the poor. An old Kellogg’s ad even suggested that candy, spices, cinnamon, cloves, and peppermint all had the same effect. However, there is no evidence to show that any of this is actually true. So go ahead, enjoy that chocolate and don’t worry about its potential effects. You have certainly been told at a certain point in your life that it’s not healthy to go out in the cold with wet hair, and that it would probably cause you to catch a cold. There is no evidence that proves this is true, but there is a more scientific explanation for why people do tend to get sick more often in the winter. This is due to the fact that in winter we tend to spend more time indoors, therefore making it significantly more likely to come across a cold inducing virus from other people. All too often we hear that sugar causes children to become hyperactive. This notion most likely originated when Dr. William Crook stated in a letter in 1974 to the American Academy of Pediatrics that “only in the past three years have I become aware that sugar…is a leading cause of hyperactivity.” His letter did not provide concrete scientific evidence of this, however. According to the National Institute of Mental Health: “the idea that refined sugar causes ADHD or makes symptoms worse is popular, but more research discounts this theory than supports it.” It is common knowledge that pregnant women go through a lot of hormonal changes during their pregnancies that cause many changes to their bodies, both physically and mentally. There is a concept that being pregnant causes women to have “baby brain” and to act a little less than intelligent than usual. Although some studies that have been done show a slight change to working memory during pregnancy, there is little to no evidence that shows a real difference in memory during pregnancy. Juicing has become a huge trend over the past few years. Many people believe that paying $10 a bottle for pre-packaged juice is the answer to all of their health concerns. However, contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that drinking a juice, particularly a highly processed bottled juice, will actually help “detox” your body. In fact, juicing removes the fiber from fruits and vegetables that contain many of the their benefits in the first place. These juice detoxes are certainly too good to be true. It is very common to set foot in a Chinese food restaurant that proudly touts the message “No MSG” on their front doors, hoping to eliminate doubts and fears potential customers may have in terms of the food safety in their restaurant. Most people have an irrational fear of having MSG (monosodium glutamate) in their food without even really knowing what it is. The scientific conclusion regarding MSG according to the American Chemical Society is: “MSG can temporarily affect a select few when consumed in huge quantities on an empty stomach, but it’s perfectly safe for the vast majority of people.” Eggs have long gotten a bad rep because of their high level of cholesterol. Many people limit their egg intake to one per day or stay away from them altogether. However, research has shown that not only is this idea a myth, eggs actually have many beneficial nutrients that help lower heart disease risk. According to Harvard School of Health’s The Nutrition Source, “A solid body of research shows that for most people, cholesterol in food has a much smaller effect on blood levels of total cholesterol and harmful LDL cholesterol than does the mix of fats in the diet. Recent research has shown that moderate egg consumption—up to one a day—does not increase heart disease risk in healthy individuals.“ How many times have you heard people talking about how eating too much sugar can cause someone to get diabetes? This myth has never been backed up by scientific research, and the American Diabetes Association has stated that since diabetes is a complex disease, just consuming a large amount of sugar cannot be the sole cause of getting diabetes. However, consuming large quantities of sugar, for example in sodas, does lead to other health issues like weight gain that increase the risk of diabetes. Yogurt is one of the food industry’s greatest marketing ploys. It is so often touted as a magic food that will aid in digestion and thus help with weight loss. We often hear that this will happen due to the good bacteria found in yogurt. The issue with this myth is that it is very misleading. Yogurt, at least the unflavored kind, is not unhealthy in itself, but the health benefits are completely exaggerated. The same can be said about frozen yogurt, which is not healthier than regular ice cream. Everyone who has been to college has heard the phrase “beer before liquor, makes you sicker; liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.” Many people swear by this method before a big night of drinking, however, they may be dismayed to hear that there is not much truth to this famous expression. According to behavioral neuroscientist Julia Chester, who spoked with NBC, “There is no evidence that drinking in a particular order alters how sick you get.” Drinking too much will make you sick, regardless of order. When people drink a bit too much alcohol, they can sometimes black out. After a night of heavy drinking an blacking out, it is very common for people to ask their friends to fill them in on what events transpired while they were blacked out. A lot of people claim that once they are reminded of what they did the night before, they suddenly remember these events. However, it is not possible since drinking a large amount of alcohol temporarily switches off the part of our brain that encodes memories. Many people choose to eat a large meal before a night out of drinking in order to prevent themselves from getting too drunk. On the other hand, some people avoid eating before drinking in order to be able to get more drunk. The myth that eating before alcohol consumption keeps you sober is inaccurate, since what actually happens is that food simply helps the body absorb alcohol. It slows down the alcohol rather than prevent it from entering the bloodstream. A lot of people will try to scare you from drinking too much alcohol by telling you that drinking too much can kill brain cells. This is not in fact true, because what actually happens is a bit different. When a person drinks a large amount of alcohol, the connection between brain cells is damaged, but the brain cells themselves are not actually killed. So while this myth is not exactly true, excessive drinking can still cause serious damage to the brain. After having a few drinks, it is natural to have to use the bathroom. However, many people avoid going to the bathroom after a few beers since they think this will “break the seal” and will mean that they will have to use the bathroom more often the rest of the night. Since alcohol is a diuretic, the more you drink, the more you will need to use the restroom. Going to the bathroom to “break the seal” will not make you have to go, drinking more alcohol will. One of the most common health misconceptions is that humans only have five sense. The five senses most commonly refer to touch, smell, sounds, taste, and hearing. While these are the the five senses of recognition, the human body has many more senses. Some of the senses include balance, time, temperature, and also proprioception. Proprioception refers to the body’s awareness that aids in not walking into things. Another overlooked sense is nociception, which refers to the body’s sense of pain. The idea that the majority of body heat is lost through the head is not accurate. Since body heat is lost through exposed body parts, and the head is often more exposed than most other parts of the body, then it makes sense that a good amount of body heat will be lost through the head. As quoted in WebMD Magazine,Dr. Richard Ingebretsen has stated: “most of the time when we’re outside in the cold, we’re clothed. If you don’t have a hat on, you lose heat through your head, just as you would lose heat through your legs if you were wearing shorts.” Organic food is very often marketed as the most nutritious and environmentally-friendly option at the supermarket. In fact, the chemicals that farmers use in organic produce can actually cause more damage to the environment than synthetic chemicals used for other non-organic produce. This is because farmers who farm organic food use chemicals that are naturally derived and often are worse than the synthetic chemicals. Organic food also does not actually provide any additional nutritional benefits over non-organic food. There are rumors circulating around that the HIV infection was spread to humans through human-monkey intercourse. This is not true, and although there is no concrete evidence to trace back where the HIV infection began, there are several theories that are more credible than others. In the Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives In Medicine journal, there is a theory outlined that claims HIV reached humans when hunting of monkeys for bushmeat was established. The blood-to-blood contact was probably the most reasonable explanation to the spreading of HIV. “You have to wait an hour after eating before you can go swimming!” This phrase has been uttered by mothers everywhere, with the added scare that if you do not wait an hour, you will get bad cramps and drown in the pool or ocean. This myth may come from the fact that cramping can be common while swimming, but there is no proven correlation between eating and cramping while swimming. It is suggested that if you do cramp up while swimming to just float and wait for it to pass. No doubt you have heard that you must drink eight glasses of water a day in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This myth is a strange one since there is no proof that every single person needs to drink exactly eight glasses per day. It is recommended to drink a good amount of water every day, but not every person will have the same needs. Drinking more water instead of sugary drinks like soda, sports drinks, and energy drinks can help keep you healthy, but it is important to not be obsessive about the exact amount. Many people believe that drinking carbonated water is not as hydrating as water because of its fizziness. A study was done in order to test this and the results were reported in the International Journal of Sports Medicine. Researchers had several bikers bike until they sweat off 4% of their body weight, and were then given either regular water, carbonated water, sugar water, and carbonated sugar water. In the end, the non-sugared carbonated water was just as hydrating as the regular water. In 1998, a study that only included 12 children as subjects was published in The Lancet magazine that concluded that there is a link between autism and the MMR vaccine. The study has now been proven to be very flawed and it was found that false information was added in to skew the results of the study in favor of making a conclusion. Since then, many studies have been done using millions of subjects and they have concluded that there is no link between vaccinations and autism.

A lot of people like to release tension in their knuckles by cracking them. Other people believe that cracking your knuckles can cause arthritis and warn vehemently against cracking knuckles at all. According to a study that has been published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, although cracking your knuckles can be annoying or even unsettling to people around you it is not likely that you will develop arthritis more than someone who does not crack their knuckles. Growing up, every child has been warned by their parents not to swallow their chewing gum since it will take seven years to digest. Although chewing gum is indigestible, if it is swallowed, it will pass through your system just as any other food you would eat. The only time this would be problematic is if something else is swallowed that cannot be passed through the stomach at all. For example, a 4 year old girl once swallowed a piece of gum with four coins in it, which caused gastrointestinal blockage. It is true that the Vitamin A found in carrots is very beneficial for the health of the eyes and that consuming carrots and Vitamin A is especially important to those with poor vision. However, eating a bag of carrots a day will not suddenly give you great night vision or superpowers. This myth is said to have originated when the British Air Force managed to successfully take down a German airplane, and the U.K. Ministry of Food credited their excellent vision to eating a lot of carrots. Many people reach for brown sugar over white sugar believing that somehow it is a healthier option, or that it simply “isn’t as bad” as white sugar is for your health. The reason brown sugar has its color is due to the molasses that is found in sugar. White sugar is completely processed, therefore the brownish hue is completely eliminated, leaving the sugar refined, white table sugar. In terms of health, brown sugar is just as bad for you as white sugar is. How many times have you heard somebody tell you that in order to cure a bad hangover, you must drink more alcohol? This is such a common myth, particularly due to the popularity of Sunday brunch mimosas and bloody Marys that typically follow a Saturday night filled with drinking. Drinking a “hair of the dog” in order to help a hangover pass simply is not true. What that does is actually prolonging the hangover. Additionally, drinking coffee for a hangover is just as useless since it will dehydrate you even more. Dr. Robert Lustig, author of the book Fat Chance, claims in his book that sugar is just as addicting as heroin is because it stimulates the same part of the brain that tobacco, alcohol, cocaine, and heroin do. He cites sources that say that the brain reacts in the same excitable way for sugar as it does for drugs, meaning the two are equally addictive. However, scientists have no yet determined what addiction looks like in the brain, so it is difficult to know how accurate Dr. Lustig’s theory is. As children, we are often warned by adults that sitting too close to the TV can ruin your eyes. This could have been the case many years ago, since older televisions emitted radiation that could have caused eye problems after repeated exposure to the screens. However, these days, modern TV’s are made in a much safer way, and have shielding built in so as to protect from radiation emissions. These days, it is more likely that staring at a screen for too long will only cause a headache or sore and tired eyes. Many people believe that natural sweeteners such as honey or agave are a much better alternative to refined white table sugar or high fructose corn syrup. For example, people will feel much better about eating a granola bar containing honey instead of high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient. However, in the case of granola bars and candy, there is virtually no difference between the two. The other problem is the amount of added sugar, natural or not, is found in the products, since usually it is way too high. A common myth that is still heard around is “starve a fever, feed a cold.” Some people think that if you have a fever, you should not eat anything while if you have a cold you must eat something. The problem is, purposely not eating while you are sick may weaken your immune system even more and could make it harder for you to get healthy quickly. What most doctors would recommend is eating when you feel like you can and of course to drink plenty of fluids. It is commonly heard that drugs can create “holes” in the brain of the user. Both illicit hard drugs and abused prescription medicated can cause a significant change in the brain’s structure and wreak havoc on the brain’s functioning. However, there is no concrete proof that the use of drugs will actually create physical holes in one’s brain. By no means does this mean that drugs are good for the brain at all, but the holes are definitely a myth. Many people take a daily multivitamin to supplement some vitamin or mineral deficiencies. While this is a good idea if you are really missing certain vitamins or are using the multivitamins as a supplement to a healthy lifestyle, it does not mean that taking a daily multivitamin will balance out an unhealthy lifestyle by any means. Some studies have even been done that even suggest that vitamins can actually be linked to an increased risk of various cancers. It is a common misconception that high stress causes high blood pressure. It seems as though this would be a logical succession, however it is not true. Temporary acute stress does have an effect on blood pressure and does seem to increase it, but there is no evidence to prove that effects can last long term or cause hypertension. There are many other bigger factors that go into explaining high blood pressure, which include smoking, genetics, and an unhealthy diet. A good amount of people are nervous about heating up their food in a microwave because they believe that it is unsafe to do so. They believe that microwave radiation may lead to cancer, however, this myth is not in fact accurate. While certain types of radiation do cause cancer, microwave radiation does not. Radiation from the sun is a type of radiation that may lead to cancer. Additionally, microwaves do not cause disruptions in pacemakers, contrary to popular belief. Many people think that when blood is running out of oxygen, it turns blue. Some people even think that the blood that is coursing through our veins is actually blue, since our veins are blue when we look at them. The reason blood looks blue when we look at our veins is due to the fact that we are seeing the blood through several layers of tissue. This filters the color of the blood and makes it look blue, even though it is in fact red. When it runs out of oxygen blood becomes dark red and not blue. It is not true that the brain is not capable of growing new brain cells. In fact, humans are not born with all of the brain cells that they will have throughout a lifetime. As is said in The Scientist magazine, scientists who did a study on the brains of 55 subjects have found that the brain does in fact produce new brain cells in several regions of the brain. This process of new  cell growth is referred to as neurogenesis.