Summer Health Myths – Busted!

Do you think that having a cold from air conditioning is possible? You are wrong, but don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Actually, the majority of people thinks it is the honest truth. Stay tuned, because we are about to dispel some popular misconceptions about the AC and sea water, as well as share some interesting facts related to popular summertime topics.

#1 Butter for sunburn

When your skin is as red as a lobster and there’s no after-sun product in close proximity, you might try to look for a fool proof home remedy. Butter is believed to soothe sunburn, but in reality, applying it on your skin could make the pain worse and delay the healing process.

#2 Air conditioners

No, air conditioners won’t make you catch a cold, but it is true that extreme changes in temperature can weaken your immune system. Also, even though cold air alone won’t make you sick, there might be dangerous bacteria in some cooling equipment.

#3 Swimming on full stomach

Swimming after a nice and filling lunch doesn’t necessarily make you sick or cause you to drown. Instead, it can give you cramps when your stomach is full and has not finished digesting. Warning: if your meal included alcohol, don’t go to swim!

#4 Garlic & mosquitos

It is nothing but an urban legend that eating garlic will keep the mosquitos away. Here’s a much more effective method to get rid of the unwanted blood-suckers: place lavender oil behind your ears, because they are repelled by lavender.

#5 Sea water

Did you hear about the myth of salt-water healing wounds? It couldn’t be further from the truth. Putting salt on an open wound can be incredibly painful, and when it comes to seawater, bacteria may make things even worse, potentially causing infection.

#6 Cloudy days

Is putting on SPF sunscreen on a cloudy day necessary? Interestingly enough, even the thickest of clouds aren’t able to block out UV rays, which means you are still at risk for sunburn. Actually, some of the worst sunburns occur on cloudy days.

#7 Flip flops

Flip flops are so comfy we easily forget that they leave our feet with zero support. It’s bad for the heels, the toes and the posture, and wearing them every day could lead to tendonitis, pinched nerves, or even a hammertoe.

#8 Watermelon seeds

Yeah, it does sound a little silly, but some people are concerned that swallowed watermelon seeds will germinate in your stomach. In reality, they won’t. Instead, they could lodge inside the appendix and lead to appendicitis, but it is very unlikely to happen.

#9 Jellyfish sting

Haven’t we all heard about the infamous “pee on a jellyfish sting as pain relief” myth and bought it? Here’s the sad truth: scientists say that urine can aggravate the jellyfish’s stingers into releasing more venom. How to treat it then? With vinegar or salt water.