While growing up, kids got advice from their parents about almost anything.Mothers would give warnings and suggestions about all topics, health included. But are all of these pieces of advice true? Old wives' tales have been passed on through the generations without much concernwhether the guidance was actually scientific. Many health care providers have commented on the validity of some of the most well-known old wives tales. Read on to see if they are actually legitimate pieces of health advice.
Old wives' tale #1: Chocolate causes acne
False. "To my knowledge, there are no studies that correlate any particular food with acne -- including chocolate," said Deborah Murren, a nurse practitioner at Student Health.According to the American Dietetic Association, teenagers seem to think that acne is caused by chocolate, while it is more likely to be caused by hormones or bacterial.
Acne is also not caused by stress or solely brought on by poor personal hygiene, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Old wives' tale #2: Don't cross your eyes; they'll stay that way.
False. "That is completely untrue," said Dr. Andrew Collins, an ophthalmologist at Blue Ridge Ophthalmology.
Multiple factors could be responsible for eyes that turn cross in (esotropia) and eyes that turn out (exotropia), according to emedicine.com. They include facial and orbital configuration and various muscle imbalances and insertions.
Old wives' tale #3: Don't crack your knuckles- it causes arthritis.
Maybe. "It depends," whether or not cracking one's knuckles can cause arthritis, said Bill Parente, a University athletic trainer.
"Arthritis is inflammation of the joint," he said. "And in some cases hypermobility at a joint can cause inflammation; in other cases it is not a big deal."
Men, women and children are all susceptible to arthritis. Those that are older than 55, overweight, have injured a joint and have family members with arthritis are more likely to contact arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
Old wives tale #4: Starve a fever. Feed a cold.
False. "The fact that some patients with a fever are not as hungry and therefore are not eating as much may be where it originated," Murren said, "However, this is not how we practice. We do not recommend this when treating a cold."
WebMD recommends various treatments for the flu and colds such as staying rested, drinking hot liquids, and eating infection-fighting foods -- none of which abide by the wives' tale. Temporary relief of symptoms can only remedy a cold, while a doctor may prescribe medicine for someone with the flu.
Old wives' tale #5: Reading in dim light will damage your eyes.
False. "Reading in dim light can strain your eyes, but it doesn't do any permanent harm," reported Collins.
The Mayo Clinic assures that although eye strain can be unpleasant and disruptive, there are no long-term consequences. Taking eye breaks, wearing appropriate eyewear, blinking, and giving eyes a mini massage are all tips that the Clinic recommends to help reduce eye strain.
Old wives tale #6: If you go outside with wet hair, you'll catch a cold.
Not neccesarily. "A cold is a viral disease," said Karin Hancher, a nurse at Student Health. "You need to be exposed to the virus to catch a cold." She suggested that the immune system could be lessened, but having wet hair would not directly cause a cold.
Over 200 different viruses have caused the common cold, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. There is no such evidence of weather, exercise, diet, or enlarged tonsils causing a cold.
Old wives tale #7: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
True. "I think that this reference is to the prevention of constipation by eating fresh fruits daily- including apples," said Murren said.
According to the 2005 federal dietary guidelines, it is recommended one should eat nine servings of fruits and vegetables everyday. In order to get a sufficient amount of nutrients, it is advised to eat a variety- including one from each of the five groups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables).
Old wives tale #8: Eating carrots is good for your eyes.
True. "The retina in the eye uses Vitamin A," Collins said. "Worldwide, Vitamin A deficiency is a fairly common cause of blindness."
The World Health organization has recognized that Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in 118 countries. During childhood, breastfeeding and supplementation are critical components in preventing Vitamin A deficiency. As one gets older, food fortification and gardens could be implemented as long-term strategies to reduce this deficiency, according to the WHO.
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