Many people have different beliefs and ideas about the best remedies and treatments for certain ailments. Old wives’ tales, family traditions, and religious beliefs, all dictate how individuals choose to treat their own medical conditions. Have your friends made suggestions about your health or suggested unconventional ways of treating common ailments? Were you confused about what to believe and what seemed farfetched? This article will cover 6 of the most common medical myths and whether or not they are based in reality.
1. You Have to Wait 30 Minutes After Eating to Swim
Is it true that you’ll experience severe stomach cramping if you swim less than 30 minutes after eating a meal? Or was this a myth that your parents told you to keep you out of the pool? Truth be told, cramping during any type of physical activity is most commonly caused by dehydration, not digestion. It’s recommended to wait approximately 60 to 90 minutes after eating to begin your workout. This will help avoid cramping, discomfort, and a sluggish, full feeling. This holds true for swimming, running, weight lifting, and any intense workouts. But it’s important to note that swimming directly after a snack or small meal isn’t guaranteed to cause any type of stomach ache or pains. Just be mindful of how much you eat and stay hydrated.
2. Swallowed Chewing Gum Remains in Your System for 7 years
Ideally, you should chew gum and spit it out when you’re done with it. It’s not recommended that you swallow chewing gum. But that’s only because any food substance that remains in your system for longer than 24 to 48 hours could potentially cause constipation. Chewing gum, like all other candies, will eventually break down and leave your body within 1 to 2 days. If you experience irregular bowel movements or stomach cramping due to constipation, you should see your doctor. But this is likely due to underlying digestive issues and not that wad of gum you accidently swallowed.
3. Frogs and Toads Give You Warts
If your older brother or neighbor convinced you as a kid that touching frogs or toads would give you warts, consider yourself fooled. Some people believed that the bumps on frogs and toads were actually in warts, when in fact, these bumps are glands. And glands aren’t contagious. Frogs use these glands as protection against predators. Although some glands can secrete a milky type substance, it’s not known to cause warts. Warts are actually caused by a viral-infection that is passed through skin contact of an open wound or broken skin. This open skin must come in contact with the wart virus, which can be caused by over 100 different types of HPV (human papillomavirus). With that being said, frogs and toads live most of their life on the ground, in dirt, ponds, and other foreign areas which makes handling them potentially dangerous. You won’t contract warts but you may handle bacteria and other unwanted viruses so be sure to wash your hands after handling them.
4. Shaving Causes Hair to Grow Back Thicker and Faster
Whether you’re a male or female, most of us have had to shave at least once or twice in our lives. Armpits, legs, facial hair – it’s all the same and all susceptible to the myth that shaving these hairs regularly will cause them to grow back faster and thicker than before. The truth is, no amount of shaving will cause the hair on any part of your body to grow back faster of thicker. In fact, each individual hair will grow in exactly the way it did before. What people sometimes feel and mistake for “thicker” hairs is the stubble that grows in following a close shave. Because the hair is coming straight from the follicle and isn’t at full length yet, it feels coarse and rough. This doesn’t mean it’s thicker but simply rougher to the touch. So, don’t worry ladies, shaving your legs every day is perfectly safe!
5. You Shouldn’t Allow a Concussion Patient to Fall Asleep
Concussions are extremely common especially among young children and athletes. But there are many myths surrounding concussions, including the belief that you shouldn’t allow a concussion patient to fall asleep. People feel that doing so will allow the person to slip into a coma. This is false! Sleeping is one of the body’s main ways of healing itself. Resting a concussion patient’s brain is actually one of the best things for it. This is why most doctors recommend limited television and screen time for concussion patients. These devices overstimulate the brain and can interfere with recovery. But it’s still recommended that any concussion patient seeks medical attention to determine the severity of their condition. In rare cases, internal bleeding or swelling may be present. These underlying factors, if left untreated, could eventually lead to a state of coma.
6. Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever
Do you remember those times your grandmother tried force feeding chicken soup when you were home sick with a cold? Or your mom recommended only having sports drinks and crackers to break your fever? Well, they were both wrong. Both colds and fevers cause dehydration in patients. This means restricting food and liquids will actually make both conditions much worse, not better. Your body needs strength and nourishment to fight off the infection or whatever is causing the fever. This nourishment comes from food. And no matter what type of illness you’re fighting, hydration is an important element of recovery. But, grandma wasn’t completely wrong with her chicken soup theory. Not only can the steam from the warm broth help clear your nasal passages but the soup itself is said to slow down neutrophils, the white blood cells that lead to upper respiratory symptoms.
There’s no substitute for a medical diagnosis when it comes to illness. It’s always best to err on the side of caution and consult a medical professional if you have a serious question about your health. But no matter how hard we try, some medical myths withstand the test of time. You can also learn more about detox myths at this website. Hopefully these 6 myths busted can help clarify those stories you were told as a kid.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
