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A new book published by Dr. Rachel C. Vreeman and Dr. Aaron E. Carroll of the Indiana University School of Medicine is seeking to expose the myths and misconceptions behind ailment and illness.

This follows an article published in the British Medical Journal which listed myths that even many medical practitioners believe to be true.

You should drink eight glasses of water a day.

Fact: Contrary to popular belief, there is actually no scientific evidence supporting this theory. Doctors believe that an adequate daily fluid intake can be met through the combined consumption of water, juice, milk and other beverages.   Humans only use ten per cent of their brains.
 
Fact: Another theory unsupported by any medical evidence or research.  In fact, brain imaging studies on brain-damaged patients has found the opposite. According to the authors of the book, “Numerous types of brain imaging studies show that no area of the brain is completely silent or inactive.”

Shaving causes hair to grow back quicker, darker and thicker

Fact: A 1928 study found no evidence of this, which has since been supported in recent study. Yet, why do we still believe this?
•    Hair seems coarse when it grows back because it lacks the “fine taper” of unshaven hair.
•    Regrowth also appears dark because it hasn’t been exposed to sunlight.

Reading in low light damages eyesight

While reading in the dark may make it difficult to read and cause eyes to dry up because of a drop in blinking, no permanent damage will occur as this is a myth grounded in misconceptions around eye strain.

Mobile phones cause hospital equipment to malfunction

When over 100 reports of reported electrical malfunction were reported in the Wall Street Journal in the nineties, hospitals quickly responded, putting up signs banning the use of mobile phones. However, when over 500 tests were conducted for an American study in 2005, an incidence of only 1.2 per cent was found.

One recent study also reported mobile phones used in a “normal way” would not interfere with medical equipment, some suggesting that use of mobiles in hospitals worked to even limit medical error by increasing communication between practitioners.

Debunking famous hoaxes the novel lifts the lid on a range of commonly misunderstood ailments making an interesting read for anyone, not just for gym junkies.

Don’t Swallow Your Gum: Myths, Half-Truths and Outright Lies about Your Body and Health, Penguin Books; RRP $24.95.

The latest buzz in health, fitness and nutrition and lifestyle from across the internet.

Swine Flu Parties

Swine flu parties are being held in order to maximize resistance according to reports heard by the chairman of the British Medical Association’s public health committee.

Dr Richard Jarvis says that people are intentionally mixing with the sick in order to contract the flu before it becomes more deadly as winter progresses.

While he admitted that getting the flu virus now was more likely to give sufferers immunity that if mutated it could become quite virulent and possibly life-threatening.

Walking Wonders 

A new study has shown that walkers wanting a moderate intensity workout should be doing at least one hundred steps a minute.

The recommended amount of physical exercise per week currently stands at 30 minutes, five days per week.

For walkers, this equates to around 3,000 steps in 30 minutes..

Sit-ups can harm the spine

Dr Richard Guyer of the Texas Back Institute is warning against sit-ups or crunches, especially for those with back problems.

When doing sit-ups or crunches, strain is dangerously placed on the back of the spine, where the most nerve endings are situated and when the back bends during exercise, opening the extended possibility of nerve damage.

The damage caused through sit-ups and crunches occurs from exercise over time and can result in the herniation of spinal disks, which can cause severe back pain, tingling, weakness, paralysis and may even require surgical attention.

Stuart M. McGill, professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo says every time someone does crunches or sit-ups, “they are one repetition close to damaging the disk.”

According the experts, the best exercises involve working abs while keeping the spine straight such as planks, leg drops or pushups.

Worried about your waist? Want to fit into those skinny jeans?  Heard of the phrase “muffin top”?
Ridding your body of unwanted fat should not just be done for appearance but also health reasons; heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke are all related to having excessive fat. 
But don’t stress just yet, the end is not nigh. Below are several tips from leading experts on how to trim down the waist and have fun whilst doing it.
The best part is that the end result will not only focus on your waist but lead to an overall whole new and improved you - toned, taut and terrific.

Nutrition

Low quantities, high frequency.
Speed up your metabolism by eating regularly and in small amounts. Eating fewer meals is not always effective because long periods without food can lead to binge eating at meal-times.  5-6 times per day is preferred, but adapt this to your personal lifestyle. Remember, bingeing is a big no-no!

What to eat: brown rice, oats, bran, whole grain/whole wheat foods, vegetables, natural fruits that are not canned or sweetened (like apples, oranges, and banana), skim milk, chicken breast and other lean meats, egg whites, and seafood
Stay away from: Okay, so this is nothing new. JUNK food= bad! Packaged and processed foods will never be as good as nutritious fruits, nuts, legumes, vegetables and lean meats. 

Low glycemic foods rock!
A small amount of glucose is converted into energy immediately after eating high glycemic foods, while the rest is converted into glycogen to be stored in muscles and liver stores. These quickly fill up, causing excess glycogen to flow onto the fat stores on your belly or any fat problem areas. Look for foods marked as “low GI” (or low glycemic index).

Exercise

Calorie burning
In order to burn that fat, calorie burning and high intensity workouts are best.
Don’t kill yourself, but test your limits. The key to improving your personal fitness is sticking to a regular exercise regime; every subsequent workout will improve your personal ability, bit by bit. Before you know it, you will be able to exercise for longer and harder than ever before.As with anything, the harder your work at it, the better the results.

Get your heart pumping!
20- 30 minutes of cardio a day can work wonders for your waistline as well as the rest of your body.  Running, jogging, cycling and other aerobic activities are excellent!

Strength training
Turn that fat into muscle. Weights are great for both the heart and the metabolism, quickly burning down that fat, decreasing chances of heart disease and adding years to your life.
For the ladies, weights’ training is a great way to increase bone strength and firm the body.

Utilise your environment.
Short distance to work? Try integrating fitness into your workday past gym-time, go for a walk instead of taking that taxi. Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.

Stress less.
People under stress are known to gain weight more easily. Counteract the effects of this through exercise, which has been proven to decrease the production of stress hormones and amp up endorphins.

But never forget that life is to be enjoyed! You can indulge every now and then, just keep moderation in mind as your mantra. Overdo it and all your hard work will go down the drain- you probably won’t need that belt anymore.