We’ve all been the health nut of the group at some point or another, the one who piggybacks onto a health craze that doesn’t actually do anything.
Do you have a friend who swears going gluten-free has helped her lose 20 lbs.? Or maybe one who just started CrossFit and is already trying to get you to join in too?
It’s hard not to buy into these health fads when we’re all constantly searching for the one fix-all for healthy eating, fitness, and weight loss.
But, even with all these different health fads, it’s amazing that we still don’t realize which ones aren’t actually helping us at all.
To help you sort the good from the bad, here are 7 common health misconceptions, according to Business Insider:
- Using Toilet Seat Covers: The chances of you contracting HIV or herpes from an uncovered toilet seat are slim to none. These serious viruses are extremely fragile, so they can’t survive long outside of a warm body. As far as other infections go, your skin already acts as natural protection against harmful pathogens.
- Juicing: If you’re trying to lose weight by juicing, go ahead—but you’ll be starving in about an hour! Juicing fresh fruits and veggies removes all the filling fiber and basically leaves the sugar, meaning you’ll be hungry again before you know it. Do yourself a big favor and try eating whole fruits and vegetables instead.
- Using A Standing Desk: While standing does burn more calories than sitting short-term, there’s virtually no real long-term benefit, according to a recent study. Looking at data on nearly 4,000 U.S. adults over time, the researchers found that standing desks did not lower a person’s risk of dying earlier than a person using a regular desk.
- Going Gluten-Free: Unless you’re suffering from celiac disease, gluten isn’t actually bad for your health. In terms of bloating, several studies have shown that people feel slightly bloated and gassy after eating no matter what!
- Taking Multivitamins: If you’re lacking essential vitamins, like A, E, and C, then you’re probably going to feel weak and tired. But studies show that most of us already get enough of these vitamins from food. There’s really no need to supplement with a multivitamin.
- Drinking Almond Milk: If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to dairy milk, think twice before picking up a carton of almond milk. With little to no natural protein, almond milk is pretty much devoid of all nutrients. In fact, most of the vitamins inside are added later. If you’re looking for a truly healthy alternative to full-fat dairy milk, try low-fat, skim, or soy milk.
- Taking Vitamin C For A Cold: Adding heaps of vitamin C supplements to your diet is not going to help you fight off a nasty cold. The most vitamin C you should ever be consuming in a day is about 2,000 milligrams—and that’s already a lot! Taking any extra is probably just going to result in nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, headaches, or vomiting.
Which of these health misconceptions surprised you the most? Tell us in the comments!
Photo Copyright © 2015 Ben Seidelman/Flickr
