Health Myths A myth is a widely and commonly held but still a mistaken belief. Diet and health are so much related which explains why diet is associated with our health. Below is a list of some common myths about milk, carrot, fever, and water. 1. Drink Water According to this myth, you should drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. However, the fact is that you don’t need to count the number of cups you drink in a day. A recent study shows that people should drink water only when they are thirsty enough to stay hydrated. Water is not the only source of hydration. You may take water-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, soup and other drinks such as coffee, tea and juice. You should also drink plenty water if your urine turns dark yellow, if you urinate irregularly, are active or live in a hot environment. 2. Carrot improves eye health Though carrots are a rich source of Vitamin A which is an antioxidant important for your vision, eating carrot will not actually help improve your vision. This myth came back during the 2 nd world war. During war, British soldiers developed a new technology to help pilots shoot their enemies planes at night. To keep this a secret, the British government reported that the pilot’s success was due to the great amount of carrot they consume. Though this is a story, you can still add carrots alongside other vegetables on your meal. Foods rich in antioxidants such as carrot are very important in protecting your eyes from harmful blue light and UV light which can lead to macular degeneration and cataracts. Apart from adding carrot into your diet, here are some nutritional tips to help keep your eyes healthy:
Eat leafy vegetables- Adding dark green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach in your diet can help maintain high amounts of vitamin E, vitamin C zinc and beta-carotene which are all important for your retinal health. Stay hydrated- Drinking enough water every day is very important for your eyes and overall health. Take orange foods- Eating orange foods such as tomatoes, carrots and bell peppers can be of great benefit to your eyes. These foods are a rich source of lutein and zeaxanthin which are protective substances found in the macula of the eye. Eat fish- Eating water fish such as rainbow trout and salmon can be of great benefit to your eyes. These types of fish contain adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids which are important for your vision. Omega-3 fatty acids also have a role in inflammation helping prevent macular degeneration and dry eye.
Carrot cannot restore your vision but it can make structural changes to your eye which is important for your overall vision health. The most important thing about your eye health is eating well and frequent visit an optician to ensure your ocular health and vision are great. 3. Feed a cold, starve a fever When many of us get fever, it is very easy to avoid food. Decrease or loss of appetite is our body’s natural defense mechanism to get rid of fever. Our immune system may need to partially rest the digestive system and focus of fighting pathogens. The reason behind this is that more than 80% of our immune system is in the digestive system. To help regain our normal immune balance, we should focus mostly on fluids or liquids. Your body requires plenty of them to compensate for much water lost through mucus production and sweating. You will as well need to restore lost electrolytes for fast healing. Fevers begin as a part of our immune system attempt to fight most infections. Our bodies raise temperatures as a result of increased metabolic reactions which results in excessive sweating and more burned calories. In case you have persistent colds accompanied by fever, you may need more fluids to get rid of dehydration. Dehydration may cause mucus to dry in the respiratory system clogging the sinuses. This may lead to difficulties in coughing and breathing. Staying hydrated will help mucus flow smoothly so that our bodies are able to fight infections.
Below are a few tips to keep you hydrated:
Good nutrition- Perfect nutrition can help boost your immune system to help fight infections and feel stronger. You should focus on eating stews, green smoothies, bean soup or vegetables and steamed vegetables. You should increase your food intake when you begin to feel better. You should as well stay away from high-calorie foods such as seafood, meats, sugary items, baked goods, dairy products, and processed foods, as they might overwhelm your immune system, causing you to stay ill longer. Give it a rest- Any time you wake up and feel that something’s coming on, don’t ignore the fact that you are feeling tired. The common and big mistake for many of us is failing to slow down. You should listen to your body and in turn take care of it if you have cold. If you don’t have time for that, your cold symptoms will become worse or you may take long to recover. Increase rest or sleep is the key fast healing. Resting will not only spare others from the illness but will also make you recover quicker. 4. Drinking Milk Below are the common milk myths:
Drinking milk causes early puberty- This is a common myth though there is no scientific evidence to support it. Milk causes mucus-Though this is a common myth, the fact is that drinking milk cannot lead to asthma or production of mucus. Milk causes kidney stones- The fact is that milk drinking does not cause kidney stones.
Regular milk is less healthy than organic milk- Both conventionally produced and organic milk are high in nutrients. Chocolate milk is soda in disguise- The fact is that chocolate milk has some added sugar but has all the important nutrients present in plain milk. Cow’s milk is nutritionally equal to soy milk- The fact is that soy milk or any other soy-based beverages are not nutritionally equal to cow’s milk. Growth hormones in milk are bad- Studies show that milk from untreated cows is identical to rBST treated milk. Milk-intolerant people should avoid milk and other dairy products- The fact is that still these people can enjoy milk with not bloating or stomach upset.