Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine recently made a list of popular medical myths endorsed by some physicians and believed by the general public. It’s things we’ve all heard, like turkey makes you sleepy and reading in dim light deteriorates your eyes.
The authors of this study, Dr. Rachel C. Vreeman and Dr. Aaron E. Carroll, say “These medical myths are a lighthearted reminder that we can be wrong and need to question what other falsehoods we unwittingly propagate as we practice medicine.’’
Here are the seven medical myths they expose:
1. People should drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
There’s no scientific evidence that supports this, especially when you probably get much of your water from the foods and other liquids we consume on a daily basis. Drinking water is still important to fend off dehydration, fatigue and tired skin. Personally, I would stick to this rule.
2. We only use 10 percent of our brains.
Studies have shown that even brain-damaged people use more that 10 percent of their brain. And many other studies show that no area of the brain is completely inactive.
Sometimes, with the people I meet, this statement is true.
3. Hair and fingernails continue to grow after death.
Obviously this is false. Sometimes after death the body becomes dehydrated and tissue starts to shrink giving the illusion of hair and fingernail growth.
4. Shaving hair causes it to grow back faster, darker or coarser.
I really thought this one was true. Here’s why it’s not: When shaved hair grows back it’s not long enough to have that tapper at the end, appearing thicker; and it seems darker because it hasn’t had much exposure to light, like previously unshaved hair.
5. Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight.
I’m glad this is not true because I do this all the time. Reading in dim light can cause eye strain, dry eyes because you blink less, and makes you squint more because dim light makes it hard to focus. While it may cause eye strain it does not ruin your eyesight.
6. Eating turkey makes people especially drowsy.
We’ve all heard that turkey contains tryptophan, an amino acid in proteins that affect sleep. However, turkey does not contain enough tryptophan to cause us to become significantly drowsy. Chicken and beef contain the same amount as turkey, while cheese and pork contain more.
What may be happening is eating a large meal makes you sleepy because your body is using most of it’s energy for digestion. We eat our big meals during Thanksgiving and Christmas where turkey is usually a big part of your meal.
7. Cell phones create considerable electromagnetic interference in hospitals.
In a few recent studies done on the subject, none have shown any significant cell phone interfere in hospitals. Cell phones used by doctors have actually made a 22% reduction in medical error because of faster communication.
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