-
Eating after 8pm will make you put on weight
Creditor - John Davey
If you eat high fat meals you'll put on weight, regardless of the time you eat them, so rock on with the late night snacking in front of the TV - just make sure the snacks are healthy!
-
Feed a cold, starve a fever
Creditor - Alpha
If this is something your Gran or Mum used to tell you growing up, we're sorry to say they were wrong. Eating something such as chicken soup when you have a cold will not cure you. The only thing that will cure a cold is plenty of rest and fluids while your body fights the virus.
-
Cracking your knuckles will cause arthritis
Creditor - Steven Depolo
Apart from annoying friends and family, there's no evidence that repeatedly cracking your knuckles is dangerous, or will cause arthritis. The cracking is often caused by the snapping of tendons or trapped air in the joint, this is not harmful.
-
If you swallow chewing gum it will take 7 years to digest
Creditor - Pascua Theus
Remember all those times you panicked or caused someone else to panic at school when they swallowed their chewing gum? You'll be pleased to know that any swallowed chewing gum will have left your stomach in the same way as other food, 30 - 120 minutes after swallowing it. Gum may stick to other things, but it will not stick to your insides.
-
Skipping breakfast is OK
Creditor - Meg Lessard
The saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day is actually true. Eating breakfast kick starts your metabolism and gives you more energy to start your day, break out the Coco Pops!
-
You can catch a cold from being out in the cold too long
Creditor - Jrm Llvr
Being cold for any period of time has nothing to do with whether you catch a cold or not, you can even go outside with wet hair on the days you are running late. A cold is a virus, so actually, being inside closer to people and germs, rather than outside, makes it more likely that you will catch a cold.
-
You don't need to wear sunscreen when it's cloudy
Creditor - Robert Neff
UV rays can penetrate clouds and therefore can still damage your skin and cause sunburn, especially in the summer when the sun is at its strongest. Always wear sunscreen to protect your skin, even on cloudy days.
-
Sitting too close to the television will ruin your eyes
Creditor - Paul Townsend
Remember this saying being popular in your house growing up? If you've been sitting in front of a television screen for too long your eyes may feel sore. However this is only temporary eyestrain; after some rest your eyes will return to normal.
-
Vitamin C prevents colds
Creditor - Denise Cross
"I don't feel well Mum" ..."Well take an orange to school, you need Vitamin C." Medical studies have found no link between the amount of Vitamin C in someone's diet and the likelihood of them catching colds.
-
If your mucus turns green when you're ill, you need antibiotics
Creditor - mcfarlando
As disgusting as this is, and while it's true that green mucus is a sign of an infection, it doesn't mean that you need antibiotics. The infection could still only be viral so antibiotics would make no difference.
