10 Food Myths Put to the Test

[snopes]

Time to put some of the most common food-related beliefs to the test.

http://www.rd.com/slideshows/10-food...t-to-the-test/

[Buckle Up]

My understanding of the "apple a day" myth was actually not referring to general overall health, but to the prevention of constipation via the fiber in apples. I don't have a cite for that; it's something my mother told me, but as an intelligent woman and a nurse, I never doubted her on it. And, maybe this is TMI, but she had a vested interest in this subject because her father actually died on the toilet, straining so hard that he induced a heart attack. He was obsessed with having a bowel movement every day.

[geminilee]

I talked over # 8, feed a cold starve a fever, once with one of my doctors. He said "Drown 'em both". Getting liquids in is the most important part. Not that food isn't important, but it is definitely secondary to keeping hydrated.

[Esprise Me]

I'm not so sure about #10. Does he mean there's no evidence that ginger (in any form) can help with nausea, or no evidence that ginger TEA will help? Because if it's the former, that's definitely not true. One could argue that the effects are minimal, prophylactic only, or still subject to debate, but there is certainly evidence:
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ginger-000246.htm
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/200...oot-out-nausea
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gin...nausea/an02018
http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/content/84/3/367

[Dasla]

Originally Posted by geminilee

I talked over # 8, feed a cold starve a fever, once with one of my doctors. He said "Drown 'em both".

...with alcohol..hic.

Although I have heard about fluids being important, it has something to do with helping the immune system work. Although was from a newspaper article and not from any of my subjects in my degree in biology. So take that how you want.

[Barbara]

I believe an apple a day will keep the doctor away, provided you throw it hard enough.

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

Originally Posted by Dasla

...with alcohol..hic.

Although I have heard about fluids being important, it has something to do with helping the immune system work. Although was from a newspaper article and not from any of my subjects in my degree in biology. So take that how you want.

My doctor once told me that water is the best expectorant.

[UrbanLegends101]

Originally Posted by Dasla

...with alcohol..hic.

.

I've heard the best thing for a cold was a fifth of Jack Daniels.

Drink the entire fifth, you pass out and when you wake up three days later, the cold is gone.

I don't know about the headache, though.

[snopes]

Food Myths: from eggs to alcohol

http://www.usatoday.com/video/news/f.../1384898836001

[NobodyAtAll]

Originally Posted by UrbanLegends101

I've heard the best thing for a cold was a fifth of Jack Daniels.

Drink the entire fifth, you pass out and when you wake up three days later, the cold is gone.

I don't know about the headache, though.

In our family it was the 'Two Hat' method for a cold. Put your hat on the bedpost. Drink lemon, honey and brandy in hot tea until you see two hats.

You can see how old this is. Who has a bedpost anymore?

[Lainie]

I do. Four of them. At least I think there are four . . . wait, how much wine have I had?

[Richard W]

Originally Posted by UrbanLegends101

I've heard the best thing for a cold was a fifth of Jack Daniels.

Whisky macs (whisky and ginger wine) are the best drink when you have a cold.

Plus few enough people drink them these days that it makes you look interesting. The last time I ordered one in the pub, there were still people talking about it at the bar when I went back for another half an hour later, and somebody said "Look, that's the drink I was talking about".

[NobodyAtAll]

Originally Posted by Lainie

I do. Four of them. At least I think there are four . . . wait, how much wine have I had?

Oh, cool, Lainie, I do not. I haven't since I was a kid. I do have a hat.

[Lainie]

My bed is like this one (although I didn't pay that much for it when I bought it nearly 20 years ago ).