In a 2002
German revise,
researchers found that the burning process produces a novel type of
cancer-fighting antioxidant in bread that is eight times more plentiful in the crust than in the crumb. Breads simply labeled "
wheat" are frequently made with a combination of enriched white flour and
whole-wheat flour and have less fiber.
If You are Go Out With Wet Hair, You'll Catch a Cold:The truth is: You will suffer cold but will be just fine
healthwise, says
Jim Sears, a board-certified pediatrician in
San Clemente, California, and a cohost of the daytime-TV show The
Doctors. Half the group stayed in a
temperate room while the rest took a bath and stood dripping wet in a entry for half an hour, then got undressed but wore wet socks for a few more hours. The wet group did not catch any more
colds than the dry. Sears's conclusion: "Feeling cold doesn't affect your immune system."
If You Cross Your Eyes, They will Stay That Way:The truth is: "There's no harm in charitable eye crossing," says
W. Walker Motley, an assistant
professor of ophthalmology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. But if you notice your
child doing this a lot, he might have other
vision problems.
You Should supply a Cold and Starve a Fever:The truth is: In both cases, eat and drink, then drink some more. "Staying hydrated is the most significant thing to do, because you lose a lot of fluids when you're ill," says Sears, who adds that there's no need for special beverages containing
electrolytes (like Gatorade) except you are severely
dehydrated from
vomiting or
diarrhea.
chewing gum Stays in Your Stomach for Seven Years:The truth is: Your Little Leaguer's wad of Big League Chew won't (literally) stick about until high school graduation. "As with most nonfood objects that
kids swallow, fluids carry gum through the intestinal tract, and within days it passes," says
David Pollack, a older physician in the Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia Care Network. And even although gum isn't easily broken down in the digestive system, it probably won't cause a
stomachache, either.
An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away:The truth is: A handful of
blueberries a day will keep the doctor away more efficiently. Blueberries are a
nutritional jackpot, rich in
antioxidants and fiber, and they are also easy to toss into cereal and yogurt. That said, eating a mixture of
fruits and
vegetables is important to prevent many
chronic illnesses, such as
heart disease, high blood pressure, and
diabetes, down the road.
You Lose 75 Percent of Your Body Heat throughout Your Head:The truth is: "This proverb was probably based on an infant's head size, which is a much greater percentage of the total body than an
adult head," says Pollack. That's why it is important to make sure an infant's head residue covered in cold
weather. But for an adult, the figure is additional like 10 percent. And keep in mind that heat escapes from any uncovered area (
feet, arms, hands), so putting on a hat is no more important than slipping on gloves.
To Get Rid of Hiccups, Have Someone Startle You:The truth is: Mainly home remedies, like holding your
breath or drinking from a glass of water backward, haven't been
medically proven to be effective, says Pollack. However, you can try this trick dating back to 1971, when it was available in The
New England Journal of Medicine: Swallow one teaspoon of white granulated
sugar. According to the study, this method resulted in the cessation of hiccups in 19 out of 20 afflicted patients. Sweet.
Eating Fish Makes You Smart:The truth is: For kids up to age three or four, this is certainly the case. Fish, especially oily ones, such as salmon, are filled with
omega-3 fatty acids, including
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). "DHA is particularly beneficial in the first two years of life for
brain development, cognition, and visual acuity," says Beverly Hills pediatrician
Scott W. Cohen, the author of
Eat, Sleep, Poop: A Common Sense Guide to Your Baby's First Year ($16, amazon.com). And a 2008 study in
Clinical Pediatrics showed an increase in vocabulary and comprehension for four-year-olds who be given daily DHA supplements. Omega-3 options for the fish-phobic? Try avocados, walnuts, and canola oil.
You Shouldn't Swim for an Hour once Eating: The truth is: Splash away. "After you eat, more
blood flows to the digestive system and away from the muscles," says
Cohen. "The thinking was that if you exercised persistently right after eating, that lack of blood would cause you to cramp up and drown." But that won't happen. Sears concurs: "You might have less energy to swim energetically, but it shouldn't slow down your ability to tread water or play."
Every Child must Needs a Daily Multivitamin: The truth is: Children who are only
breast-fed during their first year should be given a
vitamin D supplement. After that, a
multivitamin won't injure anyone, but many experts say that even if your child is in a picky phase, there's no need to
sneak Fred, Wilma, and company into his applesauce. "Even mainly fussy eaters grow normally," Cohen says. "Your kids will finally get what they need, even if it seems as if they're subsisting on air and sunlight."
Warm Milk Will Help You go down Asleep:The truth is:
Milk contains small amounts of
tryptophan (the same amino acid in turkey), "but you would have to drink
gallons to get any soporific result," says
Michael Breus, a clinical
psychologist in
Scottsdale, Arizona, who specializes in sleep disorders. "What is efficient is a routine to help kids wind down," he says. And if a glass of
warm milk is part of the process, it can have a placebo effect, in spite of of science.
