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Health and wellness are complicated subjects, so it’s no surprise that many faulty or outdated beliefs persist years after they’ve been disproved.
No matter how many times they’ve been debunked, these seven health myths feel like they’ve been around forever. Here's why you should put them aside once and for all.
Sources: Wakefield AJ, Murch SH, et a. RETRACTED:... + 23
- Wakefield AJ, Murch SH, et a. RETRACTED: Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children. The Lancet. February 28, 2998. 351(9103): p637-641.
- Sarah Boseley. Andrew Wakefield found 'irresponsible' by GMC over MMR vaccine scare. The Guardian. January 28, 2010.
- Di Pietrantonj C, Rivetti A, et al. Vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 Apr 20;4(4):CD004407.
- Jain A, Marshall J, et al. Autism Occurrence by MMR Vaccine Status Among US Children With Older Siblings With and Without Autism. JAMA. 2015;313(15):1534–1540.
- Koszowski B, Goniewicz ML, et al. Genetycznie modyfikowany tytoń--szansa czy zagrozenie dla palaczy? [Genetically modified tobacco--chance or threat for smokers?]. Przegl Lek. 2007;64(10):908-12.
- American Academy of Environmental Medicine. Genetically Modified Foods. May 8, 2009.
- National Academies Sciences Engineering Medicine. Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects- New Report. May 17, 2016.
- La Berge AF. How the ideology of low fat conquered america. J Hist Med Allied Sci. 2008 Apr;63(2):139-77.
- Álvarez-Pérez J, Sánchez-Villegas A, et al. PREDIMED Study Investigators. Influence of a Mediterranean Dietary Pattern on Body Fat Distribution: Results of the PREDIMED-Canarias Intervention Randomized Trial. J Am Coll Nutr. 2016 Aug;35(6):568-580.
- Science Daily. Mediterranean diet high in healthy fat does not lead to weight gain, according to randomized trial. June 7, 2016.
- Mayo Clinic. Counting calories: Get back to weight-loss basics. August 24, 2022.
- Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Fats and Cholesterol. Accessed November 22, 2022.
- Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Carbohydrates.
- Celiac Disease Foundation. What is Gluten? January 26, 2021.
- Harvard Health Publishing. Ditch the gluten, improve your health? April 14, 2022.
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. What Is Gluten and What Does It Do? Accessed November 22, 2022.
- Ramírez-Campillo R, Andrade DC, et al. Regional fat changes induced by localized muscle endurance resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2013 Aug;27(8):2219-24.
- American Council on Exercise. Myths and Misconceptions: Spot Reduction and Feeling the Burn. November 25, 2013.
- NIH: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. “Detoxes” and “Cleanses”: What You Need To Know. Last updated September 2019.
- Obert J, Pearlman M, et al. Popular Weight Loss Strategies: a Review of Four Weight Loss Techniques. Nutrition and Obesity. November 2017.
- Klein AV, Kiat H. Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2015 Dec;28(6):675-86.
- InformedHealth.org. How does the liver work? Last updated August 22, 2016.
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Your Sexual Health. Last reviewed July 2022.
- Forbes MK, Eaton NR, Krueger RF. Sexual Quality of Life and Aging: A Prospective Study of a Nationally Representative Sample. J Sex Res. 2017 Feb;54(2):137-148.
