7 False Medical Beliefs Still Accepted As True
There never seems to be a lack of health and fitness advice available. Pick up virtually any magazine or newspaper and you will always see an article or tidbit of information about what is healthy or unhealthy. Now, with everything online, the volume of this type of information is overwhelming.
With that in mind, I thought you might find these oldies but goodies interesting. Answering the question, which health tips are worth following and which are better left in the past.
“Too much salt is unhealthy.”
If you’ve heard this advice before and have never questioned its validity, it’s time to think again.
According to studies, there are actually some health conditions requiring you to increase your salt intake. Low salt levels can lead to the probability of diabetes, increased fat storage and a decrease in sex drive. So, go ahead and sprinkle some salt on your food – have no fear.
“Organic food is free of pesticides, and it is more nutritious.”
There is a list of more than 20 chemicals that have been approved to be put in organic food production by US Organic Standards.
Also, despite regulations, even organic food is susceptible to chemical flow from fields or nearby factories. If you want pure organic food, become a farmer and grow food exclusively for yourself.
“Honey is a natural sugar, better than processed sugar.”
Honey actually has more calories than sugar. Medically, honey is just as harmful as sugar and can lead to diseases like diabetes, heart problems, and liver diseases if overused.
“You use only 10% of your brain.”
Several scientists and experiments have proven that almost the entire brain is active during a person’s lifespan. The brain’s different parts are all responsible for our body’s performance and 10% of the brain could not handle the functioning of your entire body.
“Yogurt/curd can improve digestion.”
Actually, your body is already full of different kinds of bacteria. It is virtually impossible to determine that it’s the bacteria coming from yogurt that is helping. Additionally, most yogurts are sweetened, and the amount of sugar in many yogurts is harmful instead of healthy.
“Eating at night will make you fat.”
It’s time to forget the famous saying, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a peasant.” It has been proven that it does not matter. Weight gain is much more complicated than that, having more to do with the ratio of carbs, fat, and protein, coupled with how much one eats.
“You should always stretch before you begin exercising.”
Turns out stretching before a workout may actually make you less efficient. Sports science has come to a completely different opinion on stretching. The classic static stretches (think bending down to touch your toes), is not beneficial, and can actually be harmful, especially with muscles that are not warmed up. Replace that with what today is called dynamic stretching. This involves movement (think jumping jacks or jogging in place). Italian researchers found that overstretching before running of cycling may actually reduce your efficiency by as much as 5%.
That’s all the fake health news for now… stay fit!
