It’s Time To Forget About These 16 Old Wives Tales

We’ve all heard a bunch of old wives’ tales that have no reason to exist. While hearing these may remind us of a nostalgic time when we were still kids without a worry in the world, the truth is that there is often no science to back these claims. Understanding what’s true and what isn’t is fundamental to ensure you know how to properly treat a cold, whether or not certain foods and drinks are safe to consume, and – in general – recognizing superstitions from real facts. Here are 16 old wives’ tales we should stop believing.

Raw Onions In A Room Will Stop You From Getting The Flu

The idea behind this is that raw onions can apparently absorb bacteria and germs, which will help to keep you healthy. This dates back to the 1500s when people believed that chopping up onions and leaving them in a room would prevent anyone living there from catching the plague. I smell something, and it certainly ain’t onions…

Drinking Coffee Stunts Your Growth

Now, if this were true then I’d be walking around the same height as Jiminy Cricket. There’s no evidence that this is true and honestly, we have no idea where this idea even came from. This being said, giving coffee to kids is a bad idea, considering the high amount of caffeine it contains. Opt for orange juice or common water for a healthy drink.

Swallowed Gum Takes 7 Years To Digest

Whether it’s done on purpose or by accident, at some point, we’ve all been told that swallowing gum will sit in our stomachs for 7 years. The truth is, it just passes through the same path as any other food we eat, according to Duke Health. This being said it’s always a better idea to throw your gum in the trash and teach your kids to do the same.

Tickling A Baby Will Give Them A Stutter

While tickling babies can cause hiccups and potential breathing difficulties, the myth that it can also cause them to stutter when they begin talking is entirely false. Stuttering, also known as stammering, is a speech disorder characterized by disruptions in the normal flow of speech, such as repetitions of sounds, syllables, or words. It typically develops during childhood and has various causes, including genetic factors, neurological differences, and environmental influences, but tickling is not one of them.

If You Pluck 1 Hair, 2 Grow Back In Its Place

I think we’ve all heard this, especially as young girls wanting to pluck our eyebrows to within an inch of their lives. Another popular one that simply isn’t true is that shaving your legs will make hair grow back thicker. Plucking hair does not affect the number of hair follicles in the area or the rate of hair growth. Each hair follicle produces only one hair. However, repeated plucking over time might cause damage to the hair follicle, leading to slower regrowth or potential hair loss in that area.

If You See A Cow Lying Down, Then It’s Going To Rain

To be fair, cows always seem to have that look on their faces as though they know something we don’t. But when it comes to the weather, well, they’re simply just lying down. They don’t honestly know if it is about to rain. Most of the time, not even our best meteorologists know, so how can cows have such knowledge? It seems too good to be true.

Washing Clothes On New Year’s Day Will Wash A Loved One Away

One of the more morbid old wives’ tales that hold no real weight yet so many people would still rather not chance doing their laundry on New Year’s Day “just in case”. Another tale is that eating certain foods, like black-eyed peas or grapes, on New Year’s Day brings good luck for the year ahead, even though no scientific evidence supports this belief.

Never Swim After Eating

You’ll no doubt remember being told to wait at least 30 minutes after eating before being allowed to swim; otherwise, you’ll die. Well… maybe not that extreme. Either way, Duke Health has set the record straight once and for all. Having said that, we all felt at some point that exercising while being full is not necessarily comfortable.

Going Outside With Wet Hair Will Give You A Cold

My grandmother still scolds me to this day if I ever go outside with wet hair. The truth is, if you go outside with wet hair, then you’re not going to catch a virus. The only real risk is discomfort, especially when the temperature drops. So, if, for once, you truly don’t have time to dry your hair properly, just go out with wet hair. We promise you nothing will happen.

Cracking Your Knuckles Will Give You Arthritis

According to Harvard, the only thing that cracking your knuckles does is annoy everyone around you. Cracking your knuckles is caused by the release of gas bubbles in the synovial fluid within the joints, and it does not appear to have any long-term negative effects on joint health. So happy joint cracking to all the people who enjoy this random act!

Sitting On A Cold Surface Can Lead To Piles

I could read every medical journal in existence, but I still tell others they might get haemorrhoids if they sit on a cold/wet surface. Side note – has anyone ever spelt that word right the first time without using Google? Hemorrhoids, or piles, are caused by swollen and inflamed veins in the rectum and anus, often triggered by factors such as straining during bowel movements, chronic constipation or diarrhea, pregnancy, prolonged sitting or standing, obesity, aging, and genetics.

Don’t Wash Your Hair During Your Period

I don’t know what people were smoking back in the day, but this is one of the more bizarre myths I’ve heard. Some people believe washing your hair during menstruation can cause vaginal infections. Why? How? Based on what belief system? We have no idea. As of today, there is obviously no scientific evidence suggesting a connection.

Bad Luck

From black cats crossing your path to breaking mirrors and the number 13, plenty of things are supposed to bring bad luck. Of course, this is all fake, so no need to worry next time you see a black cat. People are often responsible for their bad luck, so next time you think something awful happened to you, try to ask yourself whether you may be responsible for it.

Pee Is Good Against Jellyfish Stings

Unfortunately – or luckily? – peeing on a jellyfish sting won’t alleviate your pain. So what can you do? Start with prevention. Plenty of popular beaches will raise flags to warn you whenever dangerous animals are found in the water. You can also head to a pharmacy and ask for the best medicine to deal with jellyfish stings to always bring it with you when going for a swim.

A High Baby Bump Means It’s a Girl

Grandmas and grandpas around the world have often assessed a woman’s baby bump to determine if it is a boy or a girl. If a woman is carrying the baby high, it is said to be an indicator that the baby is a girl. A lower bump means a boy. Of course, there is absolutely no truth behind this myth. The way a woman carries a baby simply depends on how the baby is positioned in the uterus. Sorry, grandma, you will have to wait until the baby is born to find out the gender.

Sitting Too Close To The TV Damages Your Eyes

We’ve all heard it once, most likely from our parents: “If you sit too close to the TV, you will lose sight!” Well, it’s not true. Yet, it’s not entirely wrong. While you can still see, staying too close to these screens can cause eyestrain. In other words, it will cause your eyes to be tired. So, if you want to maintain a fresh look, stay further away and wear some glasses if needed.