Shedding New Light on Medical Myths
Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? And do you feed a cold and starve a fever, or is it the other way around? These and other medical myths abound, but they’re not what the doctor ordered. Here is the truth about popular health misconceptions. (By the way, one serving of fruit per day isn’t guaranteed to keep you healthy, and you shouldn’t starve yourself to overcome any ailment.
A low calorie diet is the best way to lose weight. Not necessarily. If you reduce your calorie intake without changing the types of foods you eat, you’re likely to lose a few pounds and then hit a weight-loss plateau. Reducing calories will slow your metabolism, which makes it more difficult to burn calories. If you stick to a diet of high-fiber and low-fat foods and add regular aerobic exercise to your routine, you may watch the pounds melt away.
There’s nothing I can do to slow the aging process down. According to an ancient proverb, you are as old as you feel. But if you feel that you’re too old for exercise, think again! Regular exercise helps you maintain muscle mass- the key to slowing down the biological aging process. Twenty minutes of moderate exercise three time a week will increase your bone density, strength, and metabolic rate. At the same time it will help lower excess body fat, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Always consult your physician before starting an exercise program.
I don’t need to worry about dehydration when I exercise in the cold. Contrary to popular belief, dehydration is a concern during winter as well as summer. Cold, dry air makes body fluids evaporate faster. And if you don’t drink fluids, most of your energy will go to cooling your body instead of making it go faster or work harder. You lose water without realizing it because sweating in cold weather isn’t as noticeable as sweating in hot weather.
Natural vitamin supplements are better than the synthetic type. Natural is not better- although it is often more expensive. Your body can’t tell the difference between a natural molecule of vitamin C and a synthetic version. Even though supplement pills appear to be an easy way to meet the nutritional requirements, they deserve a note of caution. By relying on supplements, you may miss out on other minerals and trace elements that are supplied by a well-balanced diet.