danny
Over the years, several health myths have cropped up. You can tell that some of these are true, and some of them certainly aren’t. To separate fact from fiction, we gathered these health myths that you often hear even from doctors!
Here, these are the most common health myths and the evidence behind them.
#1 Reading at night hurt your eyes.
Reading in a poorly lit room won't harm your eyesight. Your eyes may get tired of reading in the dark, but in the long term, you will not face severe problems with vision.
#2 Nighttime snacks make you gain weight.
Late-night snacks are associated with obesity, but they are not the cause of it. They are not different from the snacks that we eat during the day or in the evening. The lack of working out can make you gain some weight.
#3 The flu vaccine infect you with the flu.
Your body may react to the vaccine with a fever, but that doesn't mean that you will get infected with flu because of the vaccine. The vaccine can contains a dead virus that can't "resurrect" and cause the illness.
#4 Vitamin supplements will make you healthier.
Vitamin supplements may be harmful to your health. In fact, a 20-year study about vitamin supplements showed that if you take a lot of them you may have a higher chance of having cancer.
#5 Pregnancy last for 9 months.
A healthy pregnancy can last more than 9 months. It can vary from 9 to 9.5 months. Studies have shown that the length of a healthy pregnancy can vary by 5 weeks.
#6 Brain cells can’t be restored.
It's known that adult brain cells can't be restored. However, it's not true. "Neurogenesis" is a process that produces new neurons in the "hippocampus" the part of the brain that is responsible for learning, long-term memory, and emotions.
#7 You will have clear skin if you drink a lot of water.
You should drink enough water, but the water itself is not a cure for acne. It's good to have a well-moisturized skin cause it regenerates faster, but drinking water can't decrease the amount of acne.
#8 Sitting with crossed legs is not okay.
Studies don't prove that sitting with crossed legs causes nerve damage. In fact, it doesn't lead to any severe damage because the blood pressure normalizes when we change our pose.
#9 Teething cause fever.
Teething can cause a fever. Even though it's a myth, many parents think that it's normal for a child to have a high fever when they are teething. Maybe, teething can sometimes cause a small fever (usually when the first tooth appears). But if you notice that your baby has a high temperature (100-100°F), it is the symptom of another illness.
#10 You can’t watch TV close up.
Watch TV from a close distance won't hurt your eyes. In fact, you might feel a little tired. Unlike adults, kids don't have trouble focusing at a close distance. Maybe this is why kids love watching cartoons right at the screen: they don't get tired.
#11 Bad breath doesn’t indicate an underlying condition.
Bad breath sometimes can be the cause of dental problems (teeth, gums, and diet). Bad breath can be a symptom when a person has issues with some organs (for example, kidneys, lungs, intestine), but it will not be the only one.
