Posted : 2014
Author : Oendrila De
Man has always been drawn to the making of and believing in
myths, even when it comes to health, even though we live in a time when medical
science has achieved new advancements through one breakthrough after the other.
This is largely because of the effort to find cures for the incurable diseases,
the fear in their mind about new, more complex ones and the ignorance about the
new products that hit the market every day. That is what has given birth to
some of the most popular urban legends regarding diseases and cures. Here are
some of the urban medical legends. How many of these are really true? Let’s
find out:
Status: Not proven
Rubbing Vick VapoRub on the feet and covering with socks
supposedly cures even severe cough, 100% of times, and works better than
prescription drugs. Though it’s widely claimed that the Canada Research
Institute has established this, the truth is that the subject has not been
researched or tested, and has not been proven or disapproved. The idea probably
developed from the old belief that internal irritant might be countered by
external application of products with mild irritants, such as garlic, mustard
or camphor, and VapoRub, too has irritants. There are many reflexes that cause
cough, which may or may not be triggered by different ways. There is no good
reason to believe that VapoRub is a definite cure.
2. John Hopkins suggests dietary and lifestyle changes to eliminate
cancer
Status: False
A forwarded email is viral all over the internet that
suggests that bringing changes in lifestyle and food habits not only prevents
cancer but also eliminates it. In fact, the content of the email starts with
the negative effects of chemotherapy. It is assumed by laymen that bringing
dietary and lifestyle improvements, such as eating less proteins, acids, or
carbohydrates, and more of fish, avoiding plastic and microwave, etc. works
better than chemotherapy, which is against current medical science. This
misleading article has, in fact, been disapproved by John Hopkins.
3. Freezing or microwaving plastic containers can release
carcinogenic Dioxin
Status: False
This net lore was generated from the rumour about John
Hopkins’ cancer prevention paper that was supposed to have made such a claim.
John Hopkins has dismissed this. While freezing actually works against the
release of chemicals, there is also no proof that plastic has dioxin that can
be released either by microwaving or by freezing.
4. Bottle water left in car can develop breast-cancer
causing dioxin
Status: Research under process, false as written
Sheryl Crow had reportedly warned against drinking water
from heated plastic bottles, as per her nutritionist’s advice, which made this
rumour even more famous. But, Crow later confirmed that she had not blamed
bottled water for her cancer. While studies have shown that even the tested
bottles might leach compounds into the water content, the substances have so
far been found in miniscule amounts only, which cause no harm to the body.
Studies are still being pursued in this regard. Besides, plastic is not
believed to contain dioxin that can be leached into the water. No evidence has
been found to relate car heat, plastic and dioxin. The real concern is, in
fact, germ-related, and it is best to not refill and reuse empty plastic
bottles, especially disposable ones.
5. Lemon, Asparagus, Jackfruit and Graviola cure cancer
Status: False
The constant shares on Facebook are doing nothing but raise
false hopes in the minds of people. Though these fruits and vegetables have
been found to have cancer-fighting potential, but, nothing more has been
proven. Perhaps the most popular of these supposedly anti-carcinogenic fruits
is graviola or soursop fruit with cytotoxic properties. Though scientists
believe that its properties will allow it to be used some day for safe attack
on cancer, there is no test done yet on the human body. In fact, its juice is
not recommended to be used on its own for reversing cancer or killing cancer
cells.
6. Food and beverages contaminated with HIV causes AIDS
Status: False
Several anecdotes keep appearing on the internet about how
people have consumed pineapples, tomato ketchup, Pepsi, Paani-Puri, etc.,
contaminated with HIV-infected blood or semen, have caught AIDS. The list of
such food is increasing every day. The truth is, AIDS is not a food-borne
disease. In fact, HIV cannot survive outside human body, and is also destroyed
by air, heat and stomach acids, according to Centers for Disease Control.
7. Ogling a busty woman has health benefits for men
Status: False
Several articles can be found about how National Institute
of Health has proven that ogling at a woman’s bust can increase the life-span
of a male. However, there is no such research on the subject. This is probably
just faux-journalism, or an effort to justify objectification of women in
public.
8. Performing Fellatio can help a woman decrease breast
cancer risks
Status: False
This is another one of the spoofs, first published to look
like a CNN publication by Associated Press, though 24 hours after its
publication, it was mentioned that the article was meant for ‘entertainment
purposes only’.
9. Flesh- eating bananas
Status: False
It was rumoured that some non-existent Manheim Research
Institute had theorized that bananas imported from Costa Rica carried necrotizing
fasciitis, or flesh-eating bacteria. While the medical condition is a rare one
caused by Group A Streptococcus Bacterium that causes strep throat, the disease
can be spread through direct contact with open wounds or secretion from an
infected person, only, as per Centers for Disease Control. Though
theoretically, the bacteria can be transmitted through prepared food by an
infected person, experts agree that bananas cannot carry such bacteria.
10. Instant noodles can cause cancer
Status: False
Internet folklore has it that instant noodles have wax
coating that can cause cancer. Besides, they come in Styrofoam containers, too,
are lined with carcinogenic wax. Noodles do not stick together because of the
process of cutting the dough and because they are steamed and fried before
being packed. If there had been wax, it would eventually melt away while
cooking. The polystyrene foam containers are well capable of heat retention, as
well as holding the noodles and liquids. Besides, even if there was any trace
of wax, it has no connection with cancer. However, these are not good enough
reasons o binge on the fatty, sodium- filled instant noodles.
It is advisable to not blindly believe in the urban medical
legends, and consult experts before experimenting with the body or being scared
to death about some potential health hazard.
~Blog Admin~
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