You’ve been hearing them your whole life but that doesn’t make them true. Wear a coat or you’ll catch a cold! Chocolate causes zits! And the list of health myths goes on. When myths are repeated from generation to generation, we can’t help but accept them as fact. But when it comes to our health, we really should be able to tell truth from fiction. So we’re here to help you.

PS. Share this info with your grandparents, parents and anyone else in your life who has imposed these “words of wisdom” on you. They are busted!

10 MOST POPULAR HEALTH MYTHS BUSTED!

Myth #:  “Starve a cold, feed a fever.”

Do you starve a cold and feed a fever when you’re feeling under the weather? Or is it the other way around?

Starving is never the correct answer. When you eat a nutritional, well-balanced diet, many other factors fall in place that keep your body functioning optimally. Foods that are rich in nutrients help fight infections and may help to prevent illness. A wide array of nutrients in foods, some of which we may not even know about, are essential for wellness. When you rely on dietary supplements for good nutrition you may limit your intake to just the known nutritional compounds rather than getting the full benefit of all nutrients available in food.

Myth #2: “Reading in dim light damages your eyesight.”

10 Health Myths You Should Stop Believing AlreadyAccording to researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, reading in dim light doesn’t lead to permanent eye damage. While it may cause eyestrain and temporary dryness, you can read a menu in a dimly lit restaurant without it causing any long-term impairment. Of course, you can also wear reading glasses or multifocal contact lenses to make things clearer. 

Likewise, the common belief that sitting too close to the TV set will ruin your eyesight is yet another old wives’ tale.

Myth #3: “Can’t sleep? Drink warm milk.”

Today, there’s no scientific evidence that milk has the slightest impact on drowsiness. Milk does contain the nap-inducing amino acid tryptophan, but only in trace amounts. Eggs and cheese have more, but even an egg and cheese sandwich won’t knock you out. However, if a hot milk nightcap seems to help you catch z’s, drink up. A little placebo effect never hurt anyone.

Next page: More Myths You Probably Believe!

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