Myths Debunked: The Truth Behind Old Wives' Tales

It's a Myth: While cold symptoms do often include lack of appetite, there's no medical evidence that suggests that starvation is effective at treating the sniffles. Similarly, anyone running a temperature may feel better by eating more, but no known food is going to reduce a fever.

The bottom line: Skip the starvation and overeating, and instead focus on the one thing doctors and patients can agree on: plenty of rest and fluids is the best remedy for cold and flu treatment.

It's a Myth: The fact is, colds and flu are caused by germs, not by a wet head. We catch colds by exposure to viruses. That said, in a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 40 percent of mothers surveyed said they believed sending their kids out in the cold weather would cause them to get sick, despite it being untrue.

Additionally, it's also untrue that body heat escapes from the head more than other body parts. You lose just as much through an arm or a leg as your noggin.

The bottom line: A wet head is fine when you go outside, it just might be uncomfortable.

It's a Myth: There's no evidence that cracking knuckles causes arthritis or enlarged joints. Here's proof: Dr. Donald Unger put this theory to the test when, over the course of 50 years, he cracked the knuckles of his left hand a least twice a day, leaving his right hand as a control.

"Thus, the knuckles on the left were cracked at least 36,500 times, while those on the right cracked rarely and spontaneously," he wrote in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism in 1998.

Dr. Unger's long-term study indicated no major different between the two hands and no arthritis in either hand. His findings also earned him the 2009 Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine, and hopefully dispelled the myth for good.

The bottom line: Keep cracking!

It's a Myth: Much like certain nuts and seeds, chewing gum is indigestible by human digestive systems. But, like any other food, gum progresses through the digestive system and is excreted.

“The gum base is insoluble, just like the fiber base of raw vegetables, corn, popcorn kernels, and seeds,” says Duke University gastroenterologist Nancy McGreal, MD. “Our bodies do not possess digestive enzymes to specifically break down gum base.”

The bottom line: While it's meant to be chewed and not swallowed, chewing gum doesn't stay in your stomach.

It's a Myth: The idea behind this old wives' tale is that digestion increases blood flow to the stomach, depriving muscles of the fuel needed for swimming, leading to stomach cramps, and thus increasing the risk of drowning.

While doctors and fitness experts dispel this myth, it is not entirely unfounded. It's possible that you could develop a minor cramp by doing any type of exercise after eating.

The bottom line: If you feel a cramp coming on, wait it out before diving in.

It's a Myth: Hair growth comes from the follicles under the skin; the part of hair that is visible is dead. Since hair is cut from the top layer, not the root, shaving it has no effect. Yes, the tip of the hair may feel coarse as it grows out but it's neither thicker nor darker.

The bottom line: Hair regrowth is determined by hormones and genetics, not razors and scissors.

It's a Fact: Hair in fact does grow up to 10% faster in summer months? Why? Along with an increase in UV light, the body has to work harder and faster to help cool itself, thus leading to faster cell division, an increase in hormones, and more efficient blood circulation.

The bottom line: The increase in hair growth exists, but it is pretty slight, and may not be noticeable by all.

It's a Myth: Chocolate lovers rejoice! Duke University dermatologist Diana McShane, MD, says the connection between chocolate and acne is untrue, despite what many of us have heard for years.

“Chocolate has been implicated in the role of acne for decades without any convincing data to support or refute this theory,” Dr. McShane says. So while chocolate does contain a big concentration of oils, they don't go straight to your skin.

The bottom line: While it may not promote clear skin, there's no sign to indicate chocolate causes pimples, so eat away.