The Zoomer Report: Medical Myths

You’ve heard these chestnuts before — possibly from your own doctor:

• Drink eight glasses of water a day.
• Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight.
• We use only 10 per cent of our brains.

But according to a report by two U.S. researchers in the British Medical Journal
these and other bits of conventional medical wisdom are either not true or not
proven.

In the report, they found that seven commonly held beliefs espoused by physicians
and the general public are myths. These include the ideas that hair and fingernails
continue to grow after death, that shaving causes hair to grow back faster or
coarser, and that mobile phones are dangerous in hospitals.

All the more reason to heed a different maxim: Don’t believe everything
you hear.

READ MORE ZOOMER REPORTS

The Zoomer Report: Hypertension Study

The Zoomer Report: Nuts

The Zoomer Report: Prostate cancer conference

About The Zoomer Report

Libby Znaimer, a prominent Canadian journalist specializing in business, politics, and lifestyle issues, is producer and host of The Zoomer Report, a special feature on topics of interest to baby boomers and the 50+. It covers everything from health and wealth to leisure and volunteerism, from the special vantage point of the generation that has changed society in its wake.

Ms. Znaimer is also Vice-President of News and Information for Classical 96.3FM and AM740. Her first book, “In Cancerland – Living Well Is The Best Revenge” – was published in October 2007 by Key Porter.

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