You need to drink sixty-four ounces of water every day.
It’s been in the news lately that studies recently have shown that you really don’t need to drink eight eight-ounce glasses of water per day. It won’t hurt you, but for a healthy individual the 8 by 8 doesn’t seem to improve the body’s function. Similarly, it is okay to hydrate with beverages other than water. Even coffee has been shown to actually have hydrating properties!
It is never safe to swim after eating.
There is no reason why someone shouldn’t head back into the water after a light meal. The fear that someone will develop muscle cramps after eating has proven time and time again to be an old wives tale. In fact, swimming without enough fuel is in itself a potentially dangerous proposition. That being said, it is a good idea to wait after a heavy meal before jumping back in.
Of course, a child should never be left unattended while swimming, no matter what is—or isn’t—in their bellies!
Getting cold can make you sick.
“Put a coat on! You’ll catch your death of cold!” We’ve all heard this at one time or another, but it simply isn’t true. A dip in the thermometer won’t make you sick; viruses (and bacteria, etc.) do. Cold and flu season are in the chillier months because people tend to spend more time inside, in close quarters, thus increasing the opportunity for germs to spread.
Eating carrots improves your vision.
While it is true that carrots contain beta-carotene which in converted into Vitamin A by your body, and Vitamin A is important for healthy eyesight, it is not true that eating carrots will improve your eyesight. The fact is that a modern diet in all likelihood already has plenty of Vitamin A. Eating more of it won’t sharpen your vision.
Feed a cold, starve a fever.
I don’t know where this one came from, but it’s not accurate. Do what your body tells you to do—if you’re hungry, by all means eat! Even if you have a fever! And stuffing yourself full of food isn’t going to cure your cold any faster.
