Fact fi nder

Sizzle or fizzle?

WE ASK THE EXPERTS TO SEPARATE FACT FROM FICTION WHEN IT COMES TO COMMON SUMMER HEALTH MYTHS

WORDS TANIA GOMEZ

If you hear something often enough, it’s easy to start believing it. In summer, there are plenty of things that do the rounds — whether it’s being told it’s possible to sweat out a hangover or you shouldn’t swim immediately after eating. We thought it was time to sort it out, once and for all.

You can’t get sunburnt on a cloudy day

Yes, you absolutely can, says Complete Skin Specialists principal dermatologist and director Dr Cara McDonald.

“Clouds don’t prevent all UV light from the sun … UVB light, which causes the classic red sunburn, is blocked somewhat by clouds but not fully, so it’s common to get unexpectedly burnt, even on cloudy days,” she says. Remember the sunscreen.

Tomatoes can soothe sunburn

While Dr McDonald admits applying tomatoes would not be her first line of treatment for sunburn, they do contain ingredients that repair. Tomatoes contain lycopene and other antioxidants that help the body repair after oxidative stress such as sunburn.

“They are also high in water content and may provide a soothing sensation when applied to the skin, so long as they are not too acidic,” she says.

She recommends aloe vera gel and regular moisturiser, as well as anti-inflammatories, to relieve sunburn pain.

You should wait half an hour after eating before swimming

People believe that eating before swimming may cause nausea or stomach cramps, which can distract or affect you in the water and that can lead to drowning.

However, the limited studies into the topic do not support the belief you need to wait any period to swim after eating, says Monash University Department of General Practice clinicianresearcher Dr Chavy Arora.

Dr Arora says a series of small studies from the 1960s looked at the effects of eating half an hour to three hours before swimming.

“There were no reports of any discomfort such as nausea or stomach cramps in those who had eaten recently. There was also no difference in the performance of the swimmers who had eaten prior to swimming, compared to the control groups,” she says.

You can catch a cold from airconditioning

“A cold is caused by a respiratory virus,” explains Manse Medical chief executive Dr Andrew Bradbeer, a respiratory and sleep physician.

“As we all know nowadays, a respiratory virus is spread in droplets or smaller particles from someone else with the virus. This spread is usually airborne, from close personal contact. So, while a cold can’t be caught from airconditioning, if you’re inside on a hot day enjoying cool air with others who may have the virus then you could end up catching a cold from them.”

Mosquitoes prefer certain blood types

Dr Arora says there are conflicting reports of what blood types mosquitoes prefer, but two studies have shown that particular mosquito species prefer human blood group O. Another study has shown that a particular female mosquito type prefers blood group B.

“However, there are multiple environmental and ecological factors that influence the likelihood of getting bitten, such as temperature, skin exposure, as well as whether people are secretors or nonsecretors (people who secrete the substances of blood types on the skin, versus those who don’t),” Dr Arora says.

Protecting yourself against mosquito bites is still key.

You can sweat away a hangover

“Contrary to popular belief, we can’t just sweat out a hangover. It’s a case of do the crime, do the time,” says exercise scientist Heath Jones, director at Active & Ageless health club.

The registered nurse says sweating through vigorous exercise might make you feel better temporarily because of the endorphin release, but you will be left further dehydrated, which will make you feel even worse.