REALITY CHECK
FOOD AND NUTRITION* Myth: Bananas are fattening.
Reality: Banana is a low-fat, low sodium fruit packed with potassium, magnesium and vitamin B6. One medium-sized banana has only 105 calories, which comes mainly from the sugar, making it a wonderful snack bar for refuelling before, during or after exercise.
* Myth: Milk is good to counter hyperacidity.
* Myth: Honey is a low-calorie substitute for sugar.
Reality: Honey is a sweetener with a chemical composition slightly different from sugar, hence the difference in taste. However, the calories in a teaspoon of honey are equivalent to those in a teaspoon of sugar.
* Myth: Drinking hot water with lime burns fat.
Reality: If that was true there would not be a single overweight person in the world. Hot water with lime just helps to clear your stomach but it cannot help you burn fat — only exercise can do that.
* Myth: Rice and potatoes should be totally avoided.
Reality: Potatoes by themselves are not bad; it’s what you do to them that can make them so. They are generally fried and they absorb a lot of oil. Rice need not be totally avoided, though it has starch, it also provides protein, and if combined with dhal becomes a complete protein.
* Myth: We must drink at least eight glasses of water daily for good health.
Reality: Drinking water should be dictated by thirst, your physical activity levels, and your environment. Besides, excessive water intake can lead to health problems, which may be as bad as dehydration.
* Myth: Vegetarians suffer from lack of protein.
Reality: Vegetarians who eat a balanced diet do not suffer from lack of protein. Pulses, soya, paneer, nuts and seeds, cereals [wheat, oats, and rice], dairy products [milk, cheese and yoghurt] are good sources of vegetarian protein.
* Myth: Going vegetarian is a sure way to lose weight and be healthy.
Reality: Whether you are vegetarian or non-vegetarian, if you always opt for food cooked in high fat or if your meals are low in fibre then you will definitely end up eating more portions at each meal, which will add to excess calories and cause weight gain.
*Myth: Having too many cold drinks can give you a cold or sore throat.
Reality: A cold happens only because of exposure to specific cold-causing viruses, not otherwise. The cold weather seems to cause more occurrences of cold, because people spend more time indoors, and infections are likely to spread faster inside.
*Myth: Eating sugar causes diabetes.
Reality: This is one of the most common misconceptions about diabetes. A study published in Diabetes Care reconfirmed that sugar does not cause diabetes. If you have diabetes though, you do need to watch your sugar intake.
HAIR CARE
*Myth: Scalp massage can turn around hair loss.
Reality: It’s never been scientifically proven. If it works for some, it may be due to a placebo effect.
Myth: Blow-drying causes permanent hair loss.
Reality: Blow-drying can damage, burn or dry hair, which can cause it to fall, but the hair will grow back.
Myth: Plucking out one grey hair will cause more to sprout.
Reality: Not true. Elders often use this as a threat to get youngsters who are going grey early to stop the bad habit. Plucking hair could cause a scalp infection or damage your hair roots so it would be wise not to do it.
Myth: Changing your shampoo every month keeps your hair healthy.
Reality: Considering there are shampoos available in the market today with different chemical compositions, it is important to identify a shampoo that suits your hair type. Once that is done, there is no need to change your shampoo as often as you might your wardrobe.
EXERCISE AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
*Myth: People with high blood pressure should not workout in the gym.
Reality: If you are suffering from high blood pressure and are on medication, you can exercise as long as you ensure that you do not perform any exercise in which you have to hold your breath or those that involve lifting weights above your head. Keep the weight you lift moderately heavy and stick to 15-20 repetitions. Do your exercises slowly and always cool down after the workout.
*Myth: Spicy food and stress cause stomach ulcers.
Reality: The truth is, almost all stomach ulcers are caused either by infection with a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori [H.pylori] or by use of pain medications. Spicy food and stress may aggravate ulcer symptoms in some people, but they do not cause ulcers.
Myth: Women who weight-train become muscular and start looking ‘manly’.
Reality: Women do not have sufficient levels of testosterone to build big muscles.
*Myth: Only high intensity exercise can give results.
Reality: Exercising at moderate intensity can give you the results you desire. It is just a matter of keeping the muscles confused and not allowing the body to adapt to a particular routine.
Myth: People are overweight because they have slow metabolism.
Reality: Unfortunately, a slow metabolism is no excuse for being overweight. In fact, recent studies revealed that fat people have faster metabolism and burn off more energy than slimmer people simply to keep their bodies going.
Myth: Slim people need not exercise.
Reality: Slim and fit are not synonyms. You can be thin but not necessarily fit. It is important for everyone to exercise — whether slim or over-weight — as it helps strengthens the muscles, joints, heart and other organs.
PERSONAL CARE AND HYGIENE
*Myth: Washing hands with soap and water kills germs.
Reality: Plain soaps have very little anti-microbial activity. In fact, if the soap is contaminated, washing could add more germs to your hands. This is why healthcare workers like doctors often use alcohol rubs to ensure sterility of their hands.
Myth: Massage helps one lose weight and tone up the body
Reality: A massage can only help you relax and feel rejuvenated. If it is your tired muscles you want taken care of then go to a massage therapist. But, if it is weight loss you want, go to the gym.
Myth: Natural ingredients are always non-allergic.
Reality: Allergy is individual specific. Whether it’s a natural or chemical ingredient, if you’re allergic to it, you’ll have a reaction.
SKIN CARE
*Myth: Dry skin causes wrinkles
Reality: Wrinkles are caused by exposure to sun or due to natural aging. Using a high SPF sun-screen daily, not getting tanned, and not smoking can help prevent a fair bit of wrinkling, but it is a natural part of the aging process.
Myth: The sun clears up blemishes
Reality: While the sun will temporarily dry out pimples, it interferes with healthy skin cells. This can cause a worse breakout a couple days after sun exposure.
Myth: You don’t need to use sunscreen on a cloudy day
Reality: The sun’s UV rays penetrate clouds and can still damage your skin.
Myth: Junk food, chocolates, sweets and oily food cause acne
Reality: Acne is build-up of dead skin cells within the pores of the skin, excess sebum production on the skin and proliferation of bacteria due to infrequent cleansing. But these factors have no correlation with what we eat.
Myth: Drinking a lot of water leads to beautiful skin
Reality: Lack of water is bad for skin, but drinking more water than your body needs will not improve your skin’s health.
PREGNANCY
*Myth: Having sex during pregnancy will hurt the baby.
Reality: According to Dr Roopa Nishi Viswanathan, KEM Hospital, if you have a low-risk pregnancy, there is no need for abstinence. You might be advised to avoid sex only if you have had a history of pre-term labour or are going through a high-risk pregnancy. Let your doctor be the best judge of this.
Myth: Pregnant women should avoid the use of microwaves and computers during pregnancy.
Reality: Computers are totally safe, says a study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati. As for microwaves, you are at risk of getting radiation only if there is a leak. Use them by all means but maintain a safe distance while they are on, just in case.
Myth: Pregnant women should eat for two people.
Reality: During pregnancy the calorific requirement goes up by around 20 per cent, but it certainly does not double. Proper diet combined with appropriate physical activity is vital to maintaining good health during pregnancy.
Myth: If you get a lot of heartburn during pregnancy, your baby will have a lot of hair.
Reality: During pregnancy the stomach is pushed higher by the growing baby and the expanding uterus, it becomes easier for acid to move backwards [or ‘reflux’] from the stomach into the lower oesophagus. This has nothing to do with the baby’s hair growth
