Old wives' tales
January 2006

Many of us have heard of old wives' tales, or myths, that have to do with health, eyesight, behaviour, and nutrition. According to an article appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper on 19/01/2006, the majority of these myths are harmless advice, although relying on some of them may be dangerous. Many of the myths have an interesting correlation to fact and history.

"You'll catch cold if you go outside with wet hair" (No).
"Feed a cold, starve a fever" (Not really).
"Fish is brain food" (No, although fish is healthy in other ways).
"A fright can turn your hair white" (Maybe, but it won't happen right away).

Two of the most enduring myths involving eyesight are:

"Reading in bad light can damage your eyes".
It's not the dim light, it's the prolonged near activity that causes the problem, said Dr Michael Lawless, the chairman of the department of ophthalmology at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital. This includes activities done closer than arm's length, such as reading, playing video games, doing homework, or working on the computer. Studies have demonstrated a link between these activities and the development of myopia in children.

"Carrots can help you see in the dark".
Dr Lawless said that healthy people who eat carrots won't improve their night vision. Carrots contain beta carotene which is converted by the body into vitamin-A, and this assists vision, skin, hair, and immune system development. Possibly the origin of this myth is that one of the symptoms of severe deficiency in vitamin-A is night blindness (a rare occurrence in modern society).

So, there you have it -- don't put all your faith in old wives' tales! If you have a health concern, consult a health care practitioner.