Exposing Health Myths
Top health myths and what the truth really is....
People often follow old home recipes or grandma's tales when it
comes to fixing an ailment or maintaining their appearance. While
there are cases where these remedies might work, most of them are
often based on half truths or no truth at all. Knowing the right
remedy or right symptom is important for one's health. Here we investigate
some popular health myths and what the truth really is:
Myth one: A vasectomy is a protrated and painful
procedure that could damage your sex life.
The truth: According to experts, a vasectomy is
a relatively simple and painless procedure that only takes a few
minutes to perform.
Myth two: Acne is caused by not washing properly.
The Truth: Acne is caused by the effects of hormones
on sebaceous glands. This is why it particularly affects teenagers
and can also be increased by stress. Cleaning your face too often
can actually increase acne as the body compensates to replace the
body oil washed away.
Myth three: Depressed people need to 'pull themselves
together' and then they would be fine.
The truth: Depression is an illness involving
an imbalance of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. It is
not a character flaw or a sign of personal weakness. You can't make
yourself by trying to 'snap out of it'. Counselling and medcation
may be needed to treat depression, and a doctor should be consulted.
Myth four: You should always rest during your
period.
The truth: You should do whatever makes you feel
comfortable, but don't be afraid to exercise. It is a good way of
controlling PMS by increasing endorphins, the happy hormone, and
helps cramps by increasing the supply of oxygen to the muscles.
Swimming is fine provided you wear a tampon.
Myth five: A lump in your breast means you have
breast cancer.
The truth: About 80 percent of breast lumps are
benign (non cancerous). Sometimes there can be cysts, nipple discharges
and calcification (calcium salt deposits in breast tissues) resulting
from injury or bruising, hormonal changes or infections. However,
should you find a lump you must contact a health professional straight
away, because catching cancer early significantly increases chances
of recovery.
Myth six: People are overweight because they have
slow metabolisms.
The truth: Unfortunately, a slow metabolism is
no excuse for being overweight. Studies reveal that fat people have
faster metabolisms and burn off more energy than slimmer people
simply to keep their bodies going.
Myth seven: Cholestrol is bad for you.
The Truth: Cholestrol is a fatty substance that
is made mostly by the liver. We all need some blood cholestrol as
it's used to build cells and make vital hormones - and there's good
cholestrol and bad cholestrol. Saturated fats found in food like
meat, cheese, cream, butter and processed pastries tend to raise
low density lipoprotein - or 'bad' cholestrol - and this delivers
cholestrolto the arteries. However high density lipoprotein - or
'good' cholestrol - transports cholestrol away from the arteries,
back to the liver. This can be increased by the exercise.
Myth eight: Bananas are fattening.
The truth: They are actually low in fat. there
is only half a gram of fat and 95 calories in a banana. Not only
that but they are packed with potassium, come in their own packaging,
are clean and very handy as a snack!
Myth nine: It's fine to skip breakfast.
The truth: Breakfast is a very important meal.
Although people who skip breakfast catch up on their energy requirements
later in the day, they're unlikely to get all the vitamins and minerals
that a simple breakfast can provide.
Myth ten: There is no need to worry about sexually-transmitted
infections (STIs). It only takes a course of antibiotics and you
are fine!
The truth: It is true that most sexually-transmitted
infections (STIs) can be completely cured if they are caught at
an early stage, and the treatment may be as simple as a course of
antibiotics. However, if left untreated, STIs can pose a long term
risk to your health and fertility. The infections chlamydia and
gonorrhea can both lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) if
they are not treated. This can, in turn, lead to long-term pelvic
pain, blocked Fallopian tubes, infertility and ectopic pregnancy
in women, and pain and inflammation of the testicles and the prostate
gland in men.
So, the next time you try to fix an ailment yourself, make sure
you have your facts in place, before you end up causing yourself
more pain than relief.
Looking for health
information? Get information on health issues such as women's
health and nutrition and more!
|
