10 Health Myths That Are Nothing More Than Pure Fiction

3 weeks ago

Good health is perhaps the most precious thing we can own, or strive to work for. In these times of rapidly changing environment, the spread of new diseases and tons of information on the Internet, it’s vital to know what’s actually good for you, and what’s just eyewash. Here are some popular health beliefs that people believe to be more fiction than fact, and what science says about it all.

CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED AS A SUBSTITUTE OF MEDICAL ADVICE. SEEK GUIDANCE OF YOUR DOCTOR REGARDING YOUR HEALTH AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS.

Myth: That exercise leads to weight loss.

The truth is nuanced — diet matters a lot more when it comes to weight loss, and exercise is shown to be good for maintaining weight rather than losing it. People who believe this myth often get frustrated and stop exercising when they don’t lose weight. Exercise at any weight is beneficial for a host of other reasons. © Many-Obligation-4350 / Reddit
Lose weight in the kitchen. Get fit in the gym. Getting more fit helps, but it’s not how you are going to lose weight. © foilrat / Reddit

Science says: All exercise is good for you, and as long as you maintain a calorie deficit, which means spending more calories than you eat, you may be able to lose weight. In fact, certain types of exercise, like resistance training, may increase body mass due to muscle growth. Remember, exercising and not taking care of your diet may still tone you, but might not make a difference on the scales.

Myth: Applying ice to burns is good.

...it can actually do more damage. © ZarieRose / Reddit
I was looking just for that! I’ve got a big burn mark because I was taught to use ice or at least cold water. Don’t do that! Use warm (not hot) water and the burn will go away ’quietly’. I’m very clumsy, so I burn myself a lot (the oven and I had a lot of alterations). I never get burn marks since I use warm water to cook the hot burn to a normal temperature. © butwhyonearth / Reddit
Best thing is to get a water-based burn dressing. The stuff is amazing at reducing the severity of burns. EMS recommends it since it’s sterile, and the dressings don’t stick, so the gel can just be rinsed off rather than scrubbed. Water based is the key here. © Amazing-Ocelot-8599 / Reddit

Science says: Ice is bad for burns, given it could increase your risk for further damage and infection. This holds especially true if you have a deep burn that’s caused internal damage. Doctors advise against using ice-cold water as well, and suggest you go for semi-cool water.

Myth: That chronic illnesses and disabilities are rare.

I was a healthy, active, 22-year-old girl working 48 hours a week as a caregiver and I still became disabled. Now I’m 26, can’t walk more than 10 minutes without pain, and am exhausted by doing anything strenuous. It can happen to you. Don’t take your health for granted. © Nice2BeNice1312 / Reddit
And my favorites are — but how can you get that? You’re so young! Isn’t that an old person illness? © Pupastis / Reddit
The way I think about this is that so-called “rare diseases” are individually rare, but the collective pool of “rare diseases” is large enough that most people know someone with one. “Rare diseases” as a group aren’t that rare at all. © thewhaleshark / Reddit

Science says: At any given time, approximately 4% of the world’s population has one of the 6,000 identified rare diseases, and one in three adults might have a chronic illness.

Myth: That MSG is really bad for you.

The theory was started by a doctor in 1968 and has since been debunked, but lots of people still say that MSG gives them headaches, they can’t eat it, etc. I have Gen X family who think this too! kissesfromliax / Reddit
I used to get really sick from all different types of Chinese food and thought the problem was MSG when I was younger. Turns out I have celiac disease, and I was reacting to the wheat in the soy sauce. MSG is no problem at all. crankyweasels / Reddit

Science says: MSG or monosodium glutamate is added to food as a flavor enhancer, and is safe to eat in small quantities. That being said, some people do report having headaches, getting flushes and other symptoms after eating MSG, so it’s best they avoid it.

Myth: Popping your joints causes arthritis.

It’s just clearing out the gasses between your joints. © EnigmaNero / Reddit
I remember a physical therapist telling me that the only “negative” from cracking your knuckles is it possibly causing a temporary hyper-dexterity where you lose some grip strength and your hand gets more flexible. But it’s entirely temporary and too minor for most people to even register the difference. © Disastrous_Ad_70 / Reddit
The only detriment it can have to your body is if you do it so harshly that you end up straining your ligaments. Then you’re going to have trouble when you’re older, but besides that, it’s harmless. Actually, it can be beneficial because it helps increase blood flow. I’ve used that trick for when my hands go numb from carpal tunnel syndrome. © Fyre-Bringer / Reddit

Science says: The sound of your knuckles or joints popping is nitrogen bubbles bursting in the synovial fluid of joints. It does not harm to our joints, does not cause arthritis but perhaps most of the relief we feel, is also in our heads.

Myth: Antidepressants are “happy pills.”

For many people, it is just an assist to climb a little farther out of the pit. © Purlz1st / Reddit
Definitely true, though I usually joke and call my antidepressants my happy pills—but really they just dull the “edge” of the anxiety enough so that the healthy measures I do put in place actually work. Like you said, the assist to get out of the hole! © blacktreefalls / Reddit
It’s a “function somewhat normally” pill. © No_Candy_213 / Reddit

Science says: Antidepressants are not made to induce happiness, they are supposed to help people suffering with depression alleviate their most severe symptoms, and help them lead a normal life. Like every medicine, antidepressants have certain limitations as well, and the dosage is something that patients and their doctors need to work together on.

Myth: Detoxing is good for you.

Your liver and kidneys do that just fine. © GalacticMayor / Reddit
And if your liver and kidneys aren’t doing that for you, you need the care of several specialists to figure out what’s killing you, NOT an influencer’s “health gummies.” © notasandpiper / Reddit
Yeah, I mean, really doing a “detox” should just be eating healthier food to not put so much stress on your organs. © funnyfacemcgee / Reddit

Science says: Your liver is your in-built detox machine. Going on detox diets to eliminate “toxins” is not recommended, and some of these fad diets may limit nutrition, causing more harm than good. Going on a detox diet can also cause digestive issues and an upset stomach. Eating a healthy diet on the whole, and taking age-specific multivitamins (on doctors’ orders) can be more than enough to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Myth: Lifting weights will make women big and bulky.

Weightlifting is not going to make you big and bulky. Go lift the weights A LOT. Lift like an NFL linebacker, PLEASE. Unless you’re slamming testosterone, eating 5000 calories/day, and lifting HEAVY for years, it isn’t going to happen. Lifting is just going to make you really fit. Don’t worry about getting huge; you won’t. © JadeBlueAfterBurn / Reddit
So true, my friends always ask me how I get toned, and I have to swear to them up and down that it is weights. I walk to maintain my weight and lift weights for toning. I love weights so much; I don’t get a runner’s high, but I do get a high from weightlifting. Watching yourself get stronger and crush your goals is so fulfilling, I can’t recommend it to women enough. © Fluid_Analysis_6116 / Reddit

Science says: Lifting weights does not make women bulky, because women lack testosterone, which is the hormone needed to build bigger muscles. Lifting weights is likely to tone your body, and make you stronger, and more confident.

Myth: That juice cleanses are good for you.

I am fully convinced that people feel better because they’re actually hydrating well and getting vitamins that their diets previously lacked. © AppleJamnPB / Reddit
Indeed. The body already has a way to get rid of toxins: the liver and kidneys. And if those are failing, you’re going to need a lot more medical help than a juice cleanse. © jezreelite / Reddit

Science says: While juicing may have some health benefits, especially if you add more of vegetables to the mixture, juice cleanses may cause health issues because of nutritional deficits. Research suggests juice cleanses may also cause eating disorders.

Myth: That breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Actually, this started from a man called Edward Bernays, the father of public relations. He’s the reason we eat bacon during breakfast, and he is the one that popularized a “hearty breakfast” is the most important meal of the day.
Bacon company came to him to market their bacon. So he came up with the plan to talk to a doctor and ask, isn’t it better to have a hearty breakfast? The doctor said yes, and then Bernays asked if he would write (and sign off on) the opinion that a heart breakfast is important! Then the doctor spread this information to thousands of other doctors, and they spread the information as well.
© Unknown author / Reddit

Science says: From the founder of Kellogg’s to marketing guru Edward Bernays, making breakfast very important became a part of the normal psyche. As far as how important breakfast truly is, there are some health benefits to eating it, but there is no cause-and-effect proved till now. Research says eating or skipping breakfast doesn’t seem to affect calorie intake or weight.

Remember to take popular health beliefs with a pinch of salt, and make sure to get some research done before you join a fad. Meanwhile, here is what your hands might be telling you, about your health.