Health Myths Center Archive

Baby and Kid Myths

A Baby Who Wears Shoes or Uses an Infant Walker Will Learn to Walk Sooner
Flying During Pregnancy Is Unsafe for the Fetus
A Nursing Mother Cannot Get Pregnant
Older Children Are More Intelligent Than Their Younger Siblings
Pregnant Women Should Avoid Cats
You Can Predict Your Baby’s Gender by How You Carry the Pregnancy

Behavior Myths

Cracking Your Knuckles Can Lead to Arthritis
Depression and Suicide Rates Rise During the Holiday Season
Full Moons Sway Tides—and Minds
Licking a Wound Can Promote Healing
More Weight Is Lost By Running On An Empty Stomach
Never Wake a Sleepwalker
Using a Cell Phone Increases the Risk of a Brain Tumor
Wait a Half-hour After Lunch Before Going Back in the Water—Or You Just Might Drown
Yawning Is Contagious

Food and Drink Myths

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
Bottled Water Is Better for You Than Tap Water
Drinking Cranberry Juice Can Help Reduce Your Risk of Urinary Tract Infections
Drinking a Glass of Red Wine a Day Can Increase Longevity
Eating Carrots Improves Vision
Eating Chocolate (or Other Fatty Foods) Causes Acne
Eating Dark Chocolate Can Lower Your Risk of Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease
Eating at Night Will Make You Gain Weight
Eating Poppy Seed Pastries Can Lead To a Positive Drug Test for Heroin
Eating Turkey Makes You Drowsy
Eating Sugar Tends to Make Children Hyperactive
Eating Yogurt Can Help Reduce Your Risk of Vaginal Yeast Infections
Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever
Fresh Food Is Better Than Frozen or Canned Food
Girls Who Favor Soft Drinks Are More Likely to Have Osteoporosis Later in Life
If You Swallow Your Gum, It Will Take Seven Years to Digest
It’s Safe to Drink Your Urine
Microwaves Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
Mixing Different Types of Alcohol Increases Your Risk of Getting Sick
Women Get Drunker Than Men
You Can Cure a Hangover

More Myths

Applying Butter to a Burn Aids Healing and Relieves Pain
Being Exposed to Wet, Cold Weather Increases the Risk of Infection
Changes in the Weather Can Make Your Joints Stiff or Achy
Dark-skinned People Don’t Need Sunscreen
Different Parts of the Tongue Sense Different Tastes
Hair Dye Causes Cancer
It Is Possible for a Person to Get a Sexually Transmitted Infection from a Public Toilet Seat
Mosquitoes Are Attracted to Some People More Than Others
A Person With a Serious Head Injury or Concussion Should Be Kept Awake
Some Hiccup Remedies Actually Work
The Style of a Man’s Underwear Affects His Fertility
Surgical Hardware in the Body Sets Off Airport Metal Detectors
We Only Use 10 Percent of Our Brains
Women Who Live Together Tend to Have Synchronized Menstrual Periods
Your Heart Stops Beating When You Sneeze (and Other Common Beliefs About Sneezing)

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