The Truth Behind 5 “Old Wives Tales” You Keep Hearing

You know those things that we’ve heard over an over again in our lives that we just believe to be true? Lifehacker has dug a little deeper when it comes to these old wives tales to see how much truth is in them. The finding are pretty darn interesting. Take a look:

Being Cold Will Give You a Cold

This is actually a little bit true. Being cold will not literally give you a give, but being cold can make you more susceptible to getting sick.

You Lose Most of Your Body Heat Through Your Head

This one, for the most part, is false. According to Dr. Daniel I. Sessler of the University of Louisville medical school:

“[T]he body areas of the face, head, and upper chest are simply more sensitive to temperature changes than other areas. It might feel like putting on a hat makes you warmer, but the reality is adding any additional clothing to another part of the body will reduce just as much heat loss.”

Carrots Are Good for Your Eyesight

While carrots will certainly not magically improve your eyesight, they can help to maintain good eye health. The vitamin A in carrots is what helps your immune function, vision, reproduction and cellular communication.

“In terms of what you need on a daily basis, a half cup of raw carrots will give you more than enough Vitamin A at 184% of your daily value. If you’re not big on the orange roots, you can also find high concentrates of Vitamin A in liver, fish oils, milk, eggs, leafy green vegetables, and tomato products. If you can keep up on your Vitamin A intake, you’ll likely have fewer issues with eyesight later in life.”

Chicken Soup is Good for your When You’re Sick

Mom was right on this one. Chicken soup can actually help you heal from a cold or flu. It’s gentle on the digestive system and contains valuable nutrients to help you recover.

Cracking Your Knuckles Causes Arthritis

The sound of cracking knuckles actually has nothing to do with your finger bones. It has to do with the liquid in your joints. And because this is the case, the action won’t lead to an increased possibility of getting arthritis. However, you still might want to keep knuckle popping to a minimum:

“Although there is little evidence out there to support knuckle cracking causing arthritis, there’s still a chance it isn’t exactly good for you either. A study in The Eular Journal from 1990 found that knuckle cracking can contribute to functional hand impairment, and possibly weaken grip strength. So it’s okay to crack and pop, but don’t overdo it.”

Thanks to Lifehacker for the info!