For generations, parents and grandparents all around the world, including those in the MENA, have been counted upon for advice on many things about life- including outdated medical advice. Without hesitation, we, as kids, have always believed what our grandparents and parents had to say even if it sounded bizarre at the time. Because the older they are, the wiser, right? Well today we’re here to go through 7 of these wives’ tales told by our grandparents and parents that are exactly just that, tales!
Check out how these common myths and sayings that we grew up with are actually far off the mark according to scientific studies, and find out why we should all stop believing them:
- Don’t swallow chewing gum or it will stay in your stomach for 7 years: Huge myth! According to The Scientific American, even though gum is mostly indigestible, it won’t stay in your stomach for more than a week? So maybe our parents meant 7 days!
Photo Credit: funny-games.biz - You will get sick if you don’t wear a jacket out in the cold: Actually, colds and pneumonia come from viruses, not winter. It’s true that viruses thrive in colder weather, but the only way the cold will make you sick is if you already have the virus in your system. You can leave your coat hanging (at your own risk) and run free in the cold!
Photo Credit: Reddit - Wait an hour after eating before you swim, or else you’ll die: False! The worse that could happen is that you could possibly cramp, but in no way will the food affect your arms and legs. Food takes hours to digest, not just one.
Photo Credit: Flickr/MRGT - The color of your blood is blue: You probably heard this explained by saying that the blood is actually blue in your veins, which is why you see it as blue, but when it reacts with oxygen it turns red. Well, red blood cells are always red– even inside your body- because of a protein called hemoglobin. The reason we see blue veins is because that’s how our skin reflects the color to our eyes.
Photo Crdit: quickmemes.com - If you swallow a watermelon seed you’ll wake up with a melon growing in your belly: Obviously this one is for the kids! Watermelons need oxygen to grow, which isn’t available in your stomach. Plus, experts say it takes about three to five days for them to germinate, and by that time, they’d already be out of your system!
Photo Credit: Reddit - Waking a sleepwalker could potentially harm them: This is not necessarily true. In fact, sleepwalkers are more likely to hurt themselves while sleeping, so waking them up could actually help them!
Photo Credit: cartoonstock.com - Sitting too close to the TV could harm your eyes: Sitting closer than necessary to the television may give you a headache, but it will not damage your vision. However, if you notice your child sitting close to the TV too often, you might need to get their eyes checked as this is a sign of near-sightedness.
Photo Credit: starecat.com
Don’t hold your parents responsibility, like you, they were taught these myths by their own parents. Thanks to the Internet, we now can on our own seek the truth. And now that you know this truth, go ahead and share the Baraka and help stop these myths from passing on to the next generation!
Don’t forget to smile 🙂 !
