6 Myths and 6 Marvels

December 11, 2011 0 Comments

1)  Myth:

Swimming after eating can lead to cramps and drowning.

1)  Marvel:

Neither true nor completely wrong. After eating, blood circulation increases in the digestive tract (blood gets shunted to the stomach region) and pressure lowers from the exercising muscles. That can lead to a build-up of lactic acid in your muscles, so swimming soon after a meal could cause a sudden (though not fatal) cramp.

 

2)  Myth:

Honey speeds healing.

2)  Marvel:

Yes honey does help healing but only for mild to moderate burns. Perhaps because it creates a moist, antibacterial environment that promotes tissue growth.

 

3)  Myth:

Sleeping in an environment where air-conditioner is on can give you a chill.

3)  Marvel:  

Indeed there is a scientific reason behind giving you a chill. Air conditioners dry out the protective layer of mucus along nasal passages, which makes it easier for a virus to infect you.

 

4)  Myth:

If you go out with wet hair, you will catch a cold.

4)  Marvel:

Maybe. Some research indicates (but does not prove ) that a wet head helps cold viruses take hold by tightening blood vessels in the nose and making it harder for white blood cells to reach the viruses and fight them off.

 

5 )  Myth:

Eating chocolates causes acne.

5)  Marvel:

Good news for all you chocoholics: Eating chocolate does not cause pimples. Skin care experts agree that acne is not caused by any specific food, including French fries, candy, soda, or potato chips.

The real acne causes are a buildup of dead skin cells within the pore, an excess of skin oil (called sebum), and a proliferation of acne causing bacteria. None of these factors are triggered by the foods we eat.

Probably the biggest myth of all is that eating greasy foods causes your skin to produce more oil. Greasy foods, while not really good for your health, will not cause oily skin or produce pimples. In fact, hormonal changes within the body have the greatest impact on sebum production. The predisposition toward oily skin can also be hereditary. So if your parents have oily skin, you probably will too.

A lot of attention has been given to one study, which seems to suggest a correlation between diet and acne development. Proponents of this study say a more natural diet consisting of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins create a healthy body, in turn creating healthy, clear skin. Even this study did not link any one food to acne breakouts, but rather suggests that a nutritious diet can help the skin stay healthy too. More research needs to be done to prove a definitive link between diet and acne development.

 

If a particular food seems to cause more breakouts for you, avoid eating it. But remember, there is no direct link between any specific food to the development of pimples. So go ahead and enjoy that piece of chocolate or order of fries (in moderation, of course). Your skin will be no worse for it the next day.

 

6)  Myth:

Eating an egg raises your cholesterol levels.

6)  Marvel:                              

Not true. Dietary cholesterol found in eggs has little to do with the amount of cholesterol in your body.

The confusion can be boiled down to semantics: The same word, “cholesterol,” is used to describe two different things. Dietary cholesterol—the fat-like molecules in animal-based foods like eggs—doesn’t greatly affect the amount of cholesterol circulating in your bloodstream. Your body makes its own cholesterol, so it doesn’t need much of the kind you eat. Instead, what fuels your body’s cholesterol-making machine is certain saturated and trans fats. Eggs contain relatively small amounts of saturated fat. One large egg contains about 1.5 grams saturated fat, a fraction of the amount in the tablespoon of butter many cooks use to cook that egg in. So, cutting eggs out of your diet is a bad idea; they’re a rich source of 13 vitamins and minerals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 



 

 


 

 


 

 

 

 

 

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