Living in an information age, we are overwhelmed by pieces of health ideas, some of which are untrue and misleading. Below are five health rumors that you shall ignore.
If you are at high risk of developing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, you can benefit from aspirin. Otherwise, you may harm yourself by taking aspirin daily because it can cause a variety of side effects.
These adverse reactions may include acid reflux, poor appetite, abdominal pain, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
Aspirin is not a magical medicine for preventing and treating all diseases, and you shall talk with your GP first before taking it.
2. Vitamin C can prevent colds
Some studies have shown that long-term use of vitamin C may help recover from a cold or reduce cold-related symptoms.
However, there is no conclusive evidence that an increased intake of vitamin C can enhance immunity to prevent colds, though vitamin C does help people enhance immunity and promote wound healing.
It is noteworthy to mention that the recommended daily amount of vitamin C for adults is 2 grams.
3. Raw food is more nutritious than cooked food
It is well-known that heating can damage a number of vitamins in vegetables.
However, there are exceptions to every rule: lycopene and carotenoids after heating are easier to be absorbed by humans.
This is also the case for protein-rich food like meat, beans, cereals etc., and cooking makes them more digested and absorbed by humans.
Moreover, heat cooking can kill harmful bacteria and reduce pesticide residues.
4. Cell phones kill sperm
Cell phone exposure will not cause negative effects on sperm.
In a study designed to investigate whether the use of mobile phones affects the quality of semen, the researchers found that the total amount of semen was not associated with mobile phone use.
Similarly, another study showed that low-frequency radiation of 900 MHz for an hour did not affect sperm mobility.
5. Cancer treatment kills more than it cures
The development of new therapies and drugs have improved the cure rate and survival rate of many cancers.
Some cancers, when detected at an early stage, can be cured through active treatment.
In contrast, advanced cancer is difficult to cure. Often, a good treatment for advanced cancer is designed to alleviate painful symptoms and improve the quality of life rather than to completely cure cancer, which is unrealistic.