Popular Medical Myths

People around the world love to panic and make up medical facts which are then passed on to generations after them.

1. Sugar makes children hyper
People all over the world are sure of the fact that if children eat too many sugar-coated candies, they will start jumping around and tire themselves out in no time. However, this is not true. Most children are naturally hyper and if they like to bounce up and down on the bed, it has nothing to do with the cereal they ate for breakfast.

2. Most of the body heat is lost through the head
A study was carried out on people who were subjected to very low temperatures. The verdict was that they lost most of their body heat through their heads. One fact was ignored- the soldiers were fully clothed but their heads were exposed.


3. Everybody should drinks 8 glasses of water everyday
This myth came into being because a certain Government agency during the 1940s declared that a human being should consume 8 glasses of fluid on daily basis. Over the years, the ‘fluid’ part was pushed out and replaced with ‘water’. Basically, it is okay if you do not drink 8 glasses of water every day as long as you keep yourself dehydrated.


4. If you swallow chewing gum, it will leave your system after 7 years
This myth is as ridiculous as the one which says that if you swallow a fruit seed, a tree will grow in your stomach. Even though gum does not get digested by the human digestive system, it will leave the system quite easily.


5. If you crack your knuckles, you will develop arthritis when you are older
When you crack your knuckles and hear the sound, it only means that the gas bubbles are bursting. The above mentioned myth is not true and the worst thing that can happen is that your finger joints will get weak by the time you are 70.



6. When babies teeth, they will develop a fever
Many parents are sure that when their babies start teething, they will also develop a fever. However, there is no relation between the two and if your baby happens to have a fever while he is growing a new set of teeth, you should take him to the doctor to find out the cause.


7. Cancer does not get treated
Many people feel that chemotherapy will only make them weaker and ultimately the cancer will kill them. However, fact is that while 90% of all children with leukemia died about 30 years ago, today 80% manage to win the battle against the disease. 


 
8. If your back hurts, you should lie down for a few weeks
This is quite a dangerous myth and studies reveal that if patients do not go about their lives normally and take to bed rest, the pain will actually worsen.




9. If you eat turkey, you will fall asleep
People believe that if they eat too much turkey, they will fall asleep for several hours because the meat contains tryptophan. This myth came about because people tend to get very sleepy after a heavy Thanksgiving meal but this happens because the food is laced with butter and fat and not because of the tryptophan!


 
10. If you eat before you sleep at night, you will put on weight
Fact is that if you eat a lot but do not exercise, you will put on weight but if you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. There are no two ways about it.

 

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