The 5-second rule makes food safe to eat:
Dropping a savory bite of your favorite snack on the floor often provokes a four-letter word and sheer frustration.  To cancel out this aggravation, society has come up with the “five-second rule,” giving germaphobes everywhere the chance to eat food off the floor with a clear conscience.  Scientists put this rule to the test and unfortunately found that it is a bunch of bologna. Â
They discovered that food picks up large amounts of bacteria when in contact with hard floor surfaces, regardless of the amount of time it has been lying there.  On the bright side, food that falls on carpet doesn’t pick up as many germs, just carpet fuzz.  Lesson learned. Feel free to eat off the carpet.
You lose most of your body heat through your head:
It is widely believed that people lose most of their body heat through their heads.  I’m sure that as kids on cold winter days, we all heard our parents nagging us to cover our noggins.  But in fact, there is no unique or special relationship between the head and heat loss.  David Pollack, a senior physician in the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Care Network said, “This adage was probably based on an infant’s head size, which is a much greater percentage of the total body than an adult head,” People lose an equal amount of body heat through any uncovered body part so putting a toboggan on in the winter is equally as effective as a pair of gloves.  Â
Cold weather gives you a cold:
Although sniffles and sneezes appear to be far more common in the wintertime, the truth is that feeling cold does not affect people health-wise or make them more susceptible to catching colds. Â Colds are caused by viruses, which are more active in the winter, but people do not get colds from cold air, wintry conditions or even walking around with wet hair on a freezing day. Â The best way to stay cold-free year-round is to wash your hands.
Can your lipstick make you sick?
An investigation conducted by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in 2007 found that many lipsticks, both cheap and expensive, contained traces of lead.  Since lipstick is not meant to be consumed, it is not held to the strict lead standards that apply to things like candy.  This caused quite an uproar and frightened many consumers.  But, an article in The Wall Street Journal says, “Many color additives approved by the FDA are mineral-based and therefore contain trace levels of lead that is naturally found in soil, water and air.”  The reality is that lead in almost anything is all around us.  But, if you are startled by applying traces of lead onto your lips, you may need to stick to unpigmented lip glosses.
You should drink at least 8 glasses of water a day:
Growing up, we all learned the importance of the “food pyramid” to ensure a happy and healthy life.  One of its elements indicated that people should consume at least eight glasses of water each day.  This notion came from a 1945 National Research Council article claiming 2.5 liters of water a day was a “suitable allowance” for adults.  The article later explained that much of the water that we consume comes from other food and drinks that we consume.  People consume a sufficient amount of water through milk, juice, foods and even caffeinated drinks.  It is obviously important to stay hydrated, but don’t sweat it if eight glasses don’t make it into your routine.
Chocolate causes acne:
Although generations of adolescents have been paranoid about the negative effects of chocolate on their skin, studies have shown that there is no relationship between chocolate consumption and acne.  Because if it is full of fat and sugar, chocolate is thought to cause oily skin and therefore acne in general.  But Duke Dermatologist Diana McShane, M.D. said, “Chocolate has been implicated in the role of acne for decades without any convincing data to support or refute this theory.”  A person’s overall diet and eating habits more strongly affect acne than any one food.  Good news for all chocolate lovers, genetic, hygienic and hormonal factors also play a more important role in skin health.  So eat your heart out ladies, no need to deprive your sweet tooth.
We only use 10 percent of our brains:
It seems strange that this myth could even be taken seriously, and it is in fact completely wrong. Â “Numerous types of brain imaging studies show that no area of the brain is completely silent or inactive. Detailed probing of the brain has failed to identify the ‘nonfunctioning’ 90 percent,” wrote Carroll Vreeman, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Â Vreeman also explained that the old adage may have come from an early 20th century snake-oil salesman who used the myth to sell a tonic that he claimed would increase brain function and power.
Photos:
http://www.simplyirish.com/ProdImages/carraig-donn/merino-wool-ski-hat-p.jpg
http://www.sneeze.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Allergy_sufferer-300×30…
http://www.appforhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/box-of-chocolate.jpg
http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/Ct/lead-free-lipsti…
Sources:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/11-health-myths-that-may-surprise-you/
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/08/31/rs.12.health.myths/index.html
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23957401/ns/today-today_health/t/things-stop-worrying-about-right-now/#.T4Oav_seM-A
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=46642&page=2
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20307293_9,00.html
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2007/12/26/top-seven-health-myths.html
http://www.ivillage.com/lead-your-lipstick-making-you-sick/4-a-428853
http://www.dukehealth.org/health_library/health_articles/myth-or-fact-eating-chocolate-causes-acne