What science says

It was false after all: 10 health myths that sound true—but aren't

Image: Alicja Gancarz

Health myths are everywhere! These ideas were simply passed down for so long that they became part of what we believed. But now science has stepped in to clear things up. Does cold weather make you sick? Can lemon detox your body? Is reading in low light really harmful? Let's uncover the truth behind 10 common health myths!

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Have you ever been told that cutting your hair will make it grow faster? We're sorry to say that's just a myth. Hair grows from the root, not the ends. So, trimming it won't boost growth, though it does help remove split ends that can make your hair look dry or unhealthy.

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This is one of the most common health myths. Cold weather often gets blamed, but it's not the temperature that makes you catch a cold. During winter, we tend to stay indoors with others and keep the windows closed, an environment that makes it easier for viruses to spread. That's why colds tend to be more common in winter!

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The idea that eating before bed automatically leads to weight gain is a myth. In reality, it has more to do with what you eat and how much, rather than the time of day. Often, when we eat very late at night, we're tired and more likely to reach for quick, high-calorie, heavy foods. This can disrupt sleep and lead to consuming more calories than we burn, both of which may affect weight. If it's close to bedtime, it's better to have something light and healthy in a moderate portion than to skip a meal altogether.

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Does wearing glasses weaken your vision? Myth! If an eye doctor prescribes glasses, wearing them as directed helps correct your vision; it won't make it worse. Additionally, the right glasses can help prevent or reduce headaches caused by reading or spending long hours in front of a screen.

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This myth is closely related to the previous one. If you love reading and sometimes have to do it in low light because of the situation, don't worry. According to experts, reading in low light doesn't cause permanent or irreversible eye damage. However, it's not recommended because it can make your eyes feel tired or strained, leading to discomfort or headaches.

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We're all different, and so are our bodies. The idea that everyone should drink exactly eight glasses of water a day is more of a general guideline than a rule. Staying well hydrated throughout the day is extremely important, but how much water you need depends on factors like your weight, age, climate, and overall health. We should prioritize staying consistently hydrated instead of obsessing over the number of glasses we drink.

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Some people say drinking lemon water helps eliminate toxins and cleanse the body. While adding a slice of lemon to your water is a refreshing way to stay hydrated, it doesn't have any special "detoxifying" powers. The vitamin C in citrus fruits is beneficial, but the body has its own natural detox system. The liver and kidneys are the main organs that filter waste and eliminate toxins.

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Not all fats are bad! Just like other food groups, your body needs fats to function properly. The important thing is knowing the difference between healthy fats and those that can be harmful. Foods like avocados, seeds, olive oil, fish, and nuts are rich in healthy fats. On the other hand, the fats found in processed or fried foods are the ones that can have a negative impact on your body.

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Liver diseases can be serious. While heavy and frequent consumption of alcohol and fats is a major contributor, it's not the only cause. Liver problems can also result from many other factors. These include viral infections, autoimmune diseases, genetic disorders, high blood pressure, and exposure to certain chemicals.

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There's some truth to it: breakfast is important because it replenishes our glucose and energy levels and supports proper metabolism. However, the idea that it's the most important meal of the day might be an exaggeration. Everyone's body has different needs, and all meals are important, so we shouldn't skip any of them!

WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG LINE?

A word is worth a thousand notes: 10 beautiful lyrics revealed

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A song can be great because of its music, its lyrics, or both. Maybe we heard a tune and a certain line spoke to us because it resonated with a particular situation, or because we found it to be funny or insightful. Some lyrics are celebrated since their birth, and some are discovered ages after the artist who penned them is long gone. The following 10 examples fit into the different categories listed above. Which one is which? The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind.

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As with many artists on this list, it is virtually impossible to choose just one lyric. The legendary Australian singer-songwriter simply has too many great lines spread all over his long career as a member of The Boys Next Door, The Birthday Party, Grinderman, and The Bad Seeds.

Aside from the title lyric, taken from "Brother, My Cup is Empty", we could also mention "I look at you, you look at me and deep in our hearts babe we know it; you weren't much of muse but then I wasn't much of a poet", taken from "There She Goes My Beautiful World", as two examples of Cave’s penchant for self-contempt and masochistic nature.

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Another singer-songwriter with too many amazing lyrics to choose just one is Tom Waits. His stories about life on the streets, fringe characters, and relationships are filled with wisdom and humor.

Aside from the title lyric, taken from "Heartattack & Vine", another great line that comes to mind is "She’s a diamond who wants to stay coal", taken from "Black Market Baby", and "Come down from the cross, we can use the wood", from "Come up to the house". Waits’ poetry is filled with wit, insightful remarks, sorrow, and love in equal measure.

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As we can see so far, self-deprecation is a theme among singer-songwriters, and Tom Petty was no exception to this rule. This brilliant songwriter started his career in the band Mudcrutch. One of this band’s hits, "Scare Easy", features the title lyrics.

Petty penned many classics during his career, both with the Heartbreakers, The Traveling Wilburies, and his solo albums. Out of the last group, we have selected these lines, taken from his song "Wildflowers": "You belong among the wildflowers. You belong in a boat out at sea. Sail away, kill off the hours. You belong somewhere you feel free".

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As the main lyricist in the legendary prog-rock juggernaut Pink Floyd, Roger Waters created some iconic lines along the way. The 1975 album Wish You Were Here featured long, mainly instrumental songs and shorter, more standard tunes.

The lyric from the title is taken from the song "Wish You Were Here", which is supposed to be about Syd Barret, the original frontman and chief songwriter of Pink Floyd.

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This line is taken from "Nature Boy", a song written by Eden Azbez and popularized by Nat King Cole. It first appeared in 1948 and has since become a jazz standard.

The song references a Los Angeles sub-culture called the "Nature Boys", but the famous line showcased here transcends that moment and expresses a universal truth.

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Billy Joel has written many hits over the years, but "Piano Man" remains a favorite, and for good reason. This song features strong melodies and great lyrics delivered by a young Joel full of wit and insightful stories about all the classic characters in a bar.

The song narrates the piano man’s experiences and observations at the bar where he works and its usual clients. And, as the line goes, "They’re sharing a drink they call loneliness, but it’s better than drinking alone".

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Kris Kristofferson wrote the song "Me and Bobby McGee", and Janis Joplin popularized it.

This inspiring tune, dealing with themes of love and loss, not only features the title line but also has the lyrics, "I'd trade all of my tomorrows, for one single yesterday".

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The Smashing Pumpkins are an alternative rock band from Chicago fronted by the brooding Billy Corgan. Many of their songs delve into themes of sadness, angst, and despair.

Their 1995 record, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, was a massive success and featured the song "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" as its first single. In it, Corgan wrote the iconic line, "Despite all my rage, I’m still just a rat in a cage".

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Robyn Hitchcock is an English singer-songwriter who mixes psychedelic and folk rock with a high dose of absurd and ironic humor in his music. He’s been around since the early 1970s and released a string of albums that influenced a great deal of artists, from R.E.M. to Gillian Welch and more.

His lyrics often showcase insightful observations, absurd stories, and playful metaphors, like in the one we chose, "There’s a justice in this world. And I know just what she’s called. She’s called Elaine".

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David Bowie was a chameleon with many faces that changed as he grew tired of the last one. In the mid-70s, he had grown tired of his Thin White Duke phase and decided to go to Berlin, where he created the so-called Berlin Trilogy, composed of Low, "Heroes", and Lodger.

The second of these albums, "Heroes", featured the hit song by the same name, which contained the highly inspirational lyric that we chose to finish this list, "We can be heroes, just for one day".