6 Health Myths Busted
By Kate Gardner
When I was growing up, a friend's mom always made us eat the bread crusts from our sandwiches because she claimed they were the healthiest part of the bread. I'll admit I believed this until I was an adult and thought to look it up for myself. It turns out the crust isn't healthier than the rest of the bread, which got me to thinking: What other health myths deserve to be busted? Here are six busted health myths from Reader's Digest.
Carrots Are Good for Your Eyes
While carrots do contain beta-carotene (an important part of making eye-healthy Vitamin A), eating them won't have enough of an effect to change your glasses prescription. Of course, carrots are a nutritious snack that your whole body can benefit from, so this busted health myth is no reason to give up carrots.
Going Out With Wet Hair Will Make You Sick
Going outside with wet hair can't make you sick, but viruses and bacteria can. While it may seem that we get sick when we go out with wet hair, the real connection is more likely that the viruses that cause cold symptoms are more prevalent during winter months.
Drink Eight Glasses of Water Per Day
It's a catchy way to remember to drink water, but there isn't much science to support this very specific recommendation. Doctors typically say you should drink when you're thirsty and you'll be fine. There's another common theory that you should drink half as many ounces as your weight.
You Can't Get the Flu Twice in One Season
Many of us may think that once we've had the flu, we're safe from getting it again that season. Unfortunately, that's not true. The flu is caused by several different flu viruses, so it's possible to become infected with more than one during a flu season.
Eating Sugar Causes Cancer
While research shows that cancer cells do prefer sucrose for energy, there is no evidence to suggest that sugar causes cancer or encourages the growth of existing cancer cells. Of course, there are a number of reasons to cut back on sugar consumption!
Kids Are Great Sleepers
Why is "sleep like a baby" even a saying? Most parents don't need this myth busted for them, they already know that kids aren't always great sleepers. While newborns may sleep a lot, sleep cycles, developmental jumps, and physical growth can affect the quality of kids' sleep.
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