Truth behind 9 old wives' tales revealed
Getty
True or false? Do carrots help you see in the dark? A host of giant barrel jellyfish are coming to our shores... and it's time to panic.
The Red Cross has warned that the old wives tale that urinating on a jellyfish sting soothes the injury doesn't work.
Joe Mulligan, of the British Red Cross, said: "A sting from a jellyfish can be extremely painful, but trying to treat it with urine isn't going to make your day any better.
"Urine just doesn't have the right chemical make-up to solve the problem. A better source of treatment is even easier at hand, salty seawater."
But are old wives right or wrong on other issues?
“Feed a cold, starve a fever”
Getty
Eat all you like: Food helps keep your strength up while eating
FALSE
Whether flu or a cold, the body needs strength to fight any infection and fasting will just weaken the body. Even if you don't feel like eating, you should try and keep your strength up through eating.
“Eating spicy food can give you ulcers”Spice is nice: Curries might even help heal ulcersFALSE
Doctors used to think spicy foods were no good for people with peptic ulcers. But modern research has showed there is evidence that the opposite is true as some studies suggest that hot peppers may actually help heal ulcers by stimulating blood flow to the wound.
“Fish is brain food”Fosters of Birmingham
What a catch: Omega-3 and omega-6 are great for your brain
TRUE
Fish oils contain omega-3 and omega-6 which are critical for health and the development of the brain.
Oxford University neuroscientist Dr Alex Richardson gave 120 primary-school children with coordination difficulties a mix of omega-3 and omega-6 over three months and the study showed improvements in school performance.
Fish oils also protect against coronary heart disease, Alzheimer's and rheumatoid arthritis.
They have anti-inflammatory properties which protect blood vessels and are also considered helpful in reducing stiffness and tenderness in joints.
“Eating carrots will make you see in the dark”Getty Images
Load of rubbish: The RAF made up the rumour
FALSE
This tale dates back to the Second World War when the Royal Air Force was trying to hide from Germany that it had developed a sophisticated radar system to track German bombers.
The RAF came up with the ruse to say the accuracy of its fighter pilots was a result of them being fed carrots.
“Eating crusts makes your hair curl”Auke Holwerda
Myth: Crusts don't make your hair curl but they are good for you
FALSE
Curly hair grows from curly follicles, and straight hair from straight follicles and has nothing to do with bread.
But crusts are rich in melanoidins which help to produce more of the 'good' bacteria we need for healthy guts.
“Wait an hour after eating before swimming”Pool in: There's no need to wait to paddle after breakfast
FALSE
Digestion diverts some blood from the muscles but for ordinary swimming they should get enough oxygen to avoid cramp.
“Copper bracelets help soothe arthritis”Getty
"It's not working": Bracelets can't cure arthritis
FALSE
There is no scientific evidence to support this tale.
Jane Tadman of the Arthritis research Campaign said: “Research shows people with arthritis do have enough copper in their bodies, so it is difficult to understand what effects these bangles can have It could be the placebo affect at work in people who report that their pain has lessened when wearing a copper bracelet.”
“Chewing parsley gets rid of garlic breath”Handy tip: Bringing parsley to a romantic meal isn't a bad idea
TRUE
Chew at least a sprig of fresh parsley, preferably more, will get rid of the garlic chicken dish you have just eaten.
Herbalist Dee Atkins said: "Parsley has been used for thousands of years to counteract garlic breath.
"Parsley contains compounds that counteract the high sulphur content of garlic which causes the unpleasant odour.”
“Don't go outside with wet hair. You'll catch a cold”Getty
No difference: You're just as likely to catch a cold with wet or dry hair
FALSE
Scientists, according to a study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, exposed two groups of people to the common cold virus.
One group was exposed to the germs in a chilly 5°C room; the other group, in a balmy 30°C room. The result? Both groups caught colds at about the same rate.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/old-wives-tales-revealed-carrots-3535602#ixzz31eysArbC
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發表於 2014-5-14 12:15:13
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