Do you take great pride in the fact that you stay up-to-date on topics related to health and wellness? Are you the go-to gal all your friends flock to when they have an ailment they can’t figure out or are looking for a diagnosis before they even make a doctor’s appointment?
Well, now it is time to test your healthy know-how to see if you can decipher between what is fact and what is fiction. Don’t worry, we won’t share your answers with anyone and threaten your reputation as a health guru. No, we’ll just quietly give you evidence backed answers to some of the most asked questions so that don’t fall for the myths that are so prevalent in this health-crazed world.
So, are you ready to test your health savviness? Great. Let’s begin.
#1 True or False: I should always put on sunscreen if I am going to be out in the sun
Although you most likely answered true, the answer isn’t quite that simple. In order to get our quota of Vitamin D, it is best to spend at least 15 minutes daily in the sun’s rays. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, which in turn gives you a strong and healthy skeletal system. However, according to the National Institutes of Health’s Fact Sheet for Health Professionals, choosing a sunscreen “with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 8 or more appears to block Vitamin D-producing UV rays.”
Does this mean that you should spend hours upon hours in the sun in an effort to make your bones nice and strong? No. It simply means that at least your first 15 minutes should be sunscreen-free, after which you definitely should put some SPF on because too much sun is not good for your skin.
#2 True or False: It is always best to skip lunch when you have a party later that night in order to save yourself some of the additional calories you know you’ll eat, thereby jeopardizing your weight, and your health
While it may seem like a good idea to cut out a meal or two before you know you’re going to imbibe a little (or a lot), doing so can actually have the opposite effect. To prove this fact, researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington in the United States did a study to determine which factors affected a woman’s ability to lose weight and skipping meals was one of them.
What they found was that women who skipped meals lost almost 10 pounds less than women who ate on schedule. A couple of other factors that they noted were that keeping a food journal tended to result in more weight loss whereas eating out a lot inhibited the weight loss process.
#3 What is the temperature at which you should take something (like ibuprofen or acetaminophen) to reduce a fever?
If you’re like the majority of people, your answer was any temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, or roughly 37.77 degrees Celsius. However, that is not what top health experts recommend.
According to the Mayo Clinic’s Quick Guide to Treating a Fever, you should not treat any fever that is below 102 degrees Fahrenheit or 38.9 degrees Celsius. Up to that point, your body is actively trying to fight whatever virus or infection is plaguing it, so stopping the process can do more harm than good.
The only exception to this rule is for children who are up to three months old. Their temperature should never be allowed to go above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (which is 38 degrees Celsius) without taking immediate medical attention and calling their pediatrician for further instruction.
#4 True or False: Drinking more water will help you lose weight faster
The answer to this question is true and the reason is twofold. First, when you properly hydrate your body, it won’t retain water which causes you to drop your weight more quickly, especially when you first start increasing your intake.
Second, research also suggests that drinking adequate amounts of water speeds up the rate at which your body burns fat. A study published online in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in July, 2013 found that its participants experienced a 30% increase in calorie burn for up to 40 minutes after drinking 17 ounces of water.
They went on to say that a 1.5 liter increase in your water consumption each and every day equates to a weight loss of five pounds in one year. So, if your goal is to shed some of your extra fat without having to make drastic changes, you can do so simply by increasing the amount of water you drink on a daily basis.
#5 Yes or No: Wearing a thong can increase your risk of a yeast infection
It would make sense to think that a layer of fabric that lies that close to your “down there” areas would make you more susceptible to a yeast infection, but the truth is that wearing a thong does not increase your risk. According the health professionals behind WebMD, one of the largest and most trusted health based websites in the world, this is merely a myth and holds no real merit.
That being said, one of the best things you can do to prevent yeast infections is to wear breathable, cotton panties. So, you’ll want to keep this in mind when purchasing your thongs so you get ones that are more conducive to a healthy private area. Sleeping commando helps, too.
#6 True or False: Food that is dropped on the floor is okay for consumption as long as it is picked up within five seconds
Most everyone has heard of the five-second rule which says that you have up to five seconds to retrieve food that is fallen for purposes of eating it. Do you live by this rule? And do you also abide by it when it comes to your children? According to researchers at Clemson University, you shouldn’t.
They’ve conducted numerous studies on food safety and one study in particular about how long it takes contaminants found on an unclean surface to attach themselves to food. What they found is that the transfer of bacteria to the food source is immediate and floor tiles are the worst offender.
Think that you’re okay because the area looks clean? You’re not because certain bacteria can survive for almost four weeks. Think blowing on the food helps remove the contaminants? They found that it doesn’t remove enough to provide any valuable results.
When a piece of food falls on the floor, throw it out. There’s no need to risk getting sick over it.
#7 True or False: Drinking diet soda will help you lose weight
It certainly seems that something labeled “diet” would help you lose weight, but this is not the case when it comes to low-calorie or no calorie soda. In fact, not only does diet soda not help you lose weight, it is also harmful to your health.
In a study conducted by Purdue University, researchers found that regularly drinking diet soda often results in weight gain as it tends to interfere with your body’s normal eating and satiety signals and weight gain can lead to a number of health issues. Further, it may even put you at a higher risk of receiving a type 2 diabetes diagnosis due to the way the artificial sugars affect your body.
Your best bet is to stick with water, coffee, and tea. The less sugar you put in your body, whether real or artificial, the healthier you will be.
So, how did you do? Were you as health savvy as you thought? If you were, congratulations – you rock! And if you weren’t, at least now you know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. For now.
Cover photo: www.weheartit.com
Pleased with the tips…gonna employ them…everyday….thanks!!!