Health myths are often nothing more than old wives' tales that have been repeated and practiced for so long that is hard to distinguish between fact and fiction. For example, is it really bad for our eyes to sit too close to the TV?
If you have a fever, is the only prescription more cowbell, as SNL would have you believe? Or does the solution lie in fasting, as an old adage says? Put a cold washcloth on that burning forehead and find out. See more »
If you've been told that sugar makes kids hyper or that your cat is after your baby's air supply, you've been on the receiving end of an old wives' tale. Is there truth to be had in these grandmotherly proclamations?
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It's another one of those things your parents told you to persuade you to eat vegetables. But besides turning orange, if you ate a bunch of carrots, would you develop superhuman vision?
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In the "get well soon" world, flowers are the go-to gift. So why do some hospitals ban them from the premises? Are the uplifting blooms really bad for you?
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The maternity ward is sure to be busy on a full moon, right? Or is the so-called lunar effect about as real as werewolves?
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It doesn't exactly seem like something the human body would do -- let a large portion of itself go to complete waste. Is it true that most of your brain is on permanent hiatus?
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Many of the most well-known old wives' tales involve pregnancy. For example, can lactating mothers get pregnant? Simply put, it depends on the circumstances.
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Guessing the gender of a growing baby has always been popular -- after all, nine months is a long time to wait. But how accurate is this particular predictor?
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When you've spent the day enjoying hot dogs off the grill, is it safe to jump right into the pool and show off your butterfly stroke? Or do you need to take a breather -- a 60-minute break, to be exact?
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You're talking with a group of people when, with no apparent warning, everyone stops talking. Is it just an awkward silence or a pregnant pause? Or is this silence something more?
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When bedtime comes far too early, a child may be tempted to read under their covers by flashlight. Parents say the habit will ruin your eyes -- but is this old admonition true or false?
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When you're doubled over with a burning pain in your stomach, is your love of flamingly spicy meals to blame? Or does your passion for chili peppers have little to do with the cause of your digestive ills?
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When Marie Antoinette showed up for her date with the guillotine with gray hair, it was believed that her hair color changed overnight as she stressed about her fate. Does this old wives' tale hold truth?
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Sucking on a thumb is a normal reflex that soothes children in times of stress; it's essentially a security blanket that's attached to the body. But will this innocent gesture wreck their teeth?
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You're starving and you just dropped your chocolate on the floor. Are you the type who blurts, "Five second rule!" and gobbles it anyway, or the kind who mourns its loss? Let's look at the science behind contamination.
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When you're a kid, this frightening rumor burns through the playground like wildfire. After all, what could be worse than your own eyes exploding out of your head? But does it have any truth to it?
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Though they're indispensable to any construction project, nails have a nasty habit of getting hammered into thumbs and puncturing tires. Is a rusty nail even more dangerous?
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Children often request that moms cut the bread crusts off their PB&J sandwiches. But maybe Mom should quit following those instructions. What's so healthy about bread crusts?
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Three weeks of hard work. Is that all it takes to kick your smoking habit, taste for junk food or serial inability to stop hitting the snooze button? Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn't it?
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When you can't take your eyes of the boob tube for one entire Saturday afternoon, are you doing them irreversible damage? Your parents probably told you so, when you were a kid. Were they right?
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When your mom spooned you chicken noodle soup to help you get over a cold, she was on to something. Why is it a good idea to eat when you have a cold, and what kinds of foods bring you back to health?
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Learn more about what ails you. Here are some common symptoms.
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