7 Misconceptions about Public Health

When we keep hearing something over and over again, our mind tends to accept it as an unwavering truth. This is the fertile ground where misconceptions take place and keep spreading like fire in a dense forest. Because, as time goes by, we hardly question their existence on scientific grounds. The same stands true for public health. 

For centuries, medical science has evolved to a massive magnitude. However, not all of its discoveries reach out to the public. That is the biggest reason why people stick to the health tips which have long been outdated or never existed in the first place.

The worst thing about subscribing to the health myths is that you may be unknowingly inflicting negative effects on your body. So it is about the time we should unveil the 7 most anticipated health-related misconception without much ado:

1. Consuming a lot of vitamin C cures cold

Owing to the longstanding obesity issues, the debate about diet has particularly gained ground in developed countries. According to a careful estimation, nearly half of the American adult population takes the multivitamin pills. That is a staggering number.

A robust immune system fights against a variety of diseases, which also include cold. So, generally, when people catch a cold, they indulge in the excessive consumption of vitamin C to strengthen their immune mechanism. It seems as simple as finding the difference between public health and medicine, isn’t it? Not really.

Contrary to the common assumption, this is a flawed tactic. Health experts say that an average adult can take a mild quantity of vitamin C, up to 2000 milligrams, in a day. That is about it. Once this threshold is crossed, you could be in for several side effects in the form of diarrhea, headache, vomiting, etc.

2. Multivitamins boost health

On the surface, it might look like a healthy thing to do. But the scientific evidence does not stand in line with this trend of blind pill-popping. Well-Documented research unveils that multivitamins have little to no effect on our bodies.

To top it off, some doctors have rung alarm bells over the poor regulation of the supplement industry. When a consumer is never quite sure about the number of vitamins being consumed by him, it is akin to inviting health issues.

3. It is not unhygienic to pick up food from the floor within five seconds

This argument is gross to the point of stupidity. The reason being, bacteria take only a fraction of a second to completely pollute the food. This takes any period of so-called “safe duration” out of the equation.

The only difference is that the particles of moist food are likely to attract more bacteria compared to dry food. So next time you drop something on the floor, pick it up but only for trashing.

4. Ear candling provides relief from infections and ear wax

Ear candling is exactly what it sounds like. A lit candle, with the help of a cone, is put into the ear of the patient. Some quarters of the opinion, the act is an extremely efficient way to do away with ear wax and many harmful infections.

This is the classic example of how deep-seated a misconception can be. Even in this day and age, when technology has revolutionized the field of medical science, people are still having a hard time giving up on such baseless mumbo-jumbo.

A thorough study conducted by a well-reputed organization has found ear candling to be an ineffective activity. What is worse, ear candling may account for burning your scalp, hair, face, etc.

5. Getting chickenpox more than once is impossible

This is arguably the most popular misconception we have covered so far. Typically, parents believe that it is good for their kids to get chickenpox early in the piece so that they can stay protected from shingles for the rest of their lives. So much so, it even led to the trend of chickenpox parties.

Science does not approve of this notion at all. In fact, kids with chickenpox are quite likely to get infected again in the future. That is exactly why a vaccine was created in the 1990s. The purpose of this discovery was to keep chicken pox at a safe distance after getting effected for the first time. Sadly, the misconception has not run out of steam. Hence, people rarely opt for the vaccine.

6. Cracking knuckles is bad for joints

Apart from being considered annoying, knuckle cracking is also discouraged because it weakens joints. Well, there is no worthwhile evidence to support this claim. If anything, knuckle cracking reflects the strength of your joints. In other words, a weak cracking mechanism could be a sign of poor joints.

7. Microwave drains nutrients from food

Being entirely dependent on technology is never good. Because it can damage our health. However, there are times when some devices are bashed for no apparent reason. This misconception serves as an epic example of that.

True, the microwave does integrate some of the nutrients of the food. But that stands true for every other cooking method as well. Since microwaving is so time-bound, it is perhaps better than the rest of the cooking sources when it comes to keeping the vitamins intact.

The final verdict

Unfortunately, misconceptions creep into society in one way or the other. In the current era of information overload, these misconceptions are spreading at an alarming speed. Therefore, it is recommended to be on your toes because you cannot afford to take liberty with the most precious asset, namely, health.