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7 Health Facts That Are Actually Fictions

I want to believe ...

You may try to live a healthy lifestyle, but there could be one or two health myths that have been repeated so many times, you’ve mistaken them for facts. We all have. Below are some of the most common myths about food, beauty, and exercise that we need to forget.

Spicy Foods Lead to Ulcers

You’ve probably heard that dishes that are particularly spicy can damage the stomach lining and lead to ulcers, but according to Real Simple, this is a myth. The publication notes that a study found no changes to the participant's stomach lining after feeding them a meal of ground jalapeños.

Milk Makes Mucus Worse

When you have a head cold you’ve probably been told by someone to avoid milk as it makes mucus worse. But according to ABC, milk does not increase mucus production and allergy specialist Dr. Ray Mullins told the publication that despite many feeling their symptoms are worsened by the consumption of milk, there is no science to back this up.

No Pain No Gain is BS

When you go to the gym and feel the burn, you probably congratulate yourself because after all, if there’s no pain, there’s no gain. There are even stickers and shirts with this slogan, so it must be true, right? But according to Everyday Health, this statement is a myth.

Jennifer Solomon, a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, has this to say on the topic: "Never exercise through pain unless you have a known injury, and it is part of a supervised rehabilitation program. In most cases, pain is a warning of an injury.”

Sitting Close to the TV Will Damage Eyesight

It’s annoying when someone is hogging the TV, which is probably why your parents told you it would damage your eyesight, but according to Real Simple, this is another myth. When it comes to TV, you can sit where you like, and the real reason for poor eyesight is often age; after 40 the lenses of eyes become less flexible and it's harder to focus at close range.

Plucking Gray Hairs Only Makes it Worst

When you’re in your early 30s and suddenly spot a gray hair your immediate thought is probably to pluck it and be done. But then that nagging saying of how plucking gray hairs makes more appear, pops into your head. Well, according to Real Simple, this is a myth and the publication claims that the pigment formation in one follicle does not impact the pigment in another.

Snacking is Bad For You

When you were younger, your mom told you snacking was bad to ensure you ate your dinner, but it's not true. According to Age UK, snacking is not bad for you, and eating every 3 to four hours is absolutely fine, as long as you are making the right choices (unfortunately eating chocolate every 3 hours is still bad).

Crunches Will Rid You of Belly Fat

For many of us, the problem area when it comes to excess weight is around the middle section, and there is a belief that doing crunches will get rid of it. Not so fast, says Everday Health, because you need to also restrict your calories if you want to shed belly fat. And one pound of belly fat is reportedly 3,500 calories.

[Image via Shutterstock]

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