Do Toads Give You Warts

Like others, as a kid I would always pick up and explore everything in my backyard. But the one thing I was always warned never to touch were toads. We can all remember back as kids when our mothers would warn us about toads and warts and how if we were to pick these little reptiles up we would get bumps all over our hands. Some of us probably even seen some friends with warts and asked the question if they played with toads, but do they truly cause warts?????

If not what could be the cause????

The true answer is they do not cause warts. Warts are caused through viruses which we can contracted through any surface on our skin. These viruses can cause an increase in blood vessels to accumulate and raise the infected area causing that puffiness which we call warts. You can get these infections anywhere but most common are public areas such as public waiting areas, locker-rooms, and rest rooms. Most kids can catch these viruses due to low and developing immune systems and since being a kid you do everything possible to get dirty it raises the risk of these infections.

So next time your around a toad and curious..... pick him up

Pseudoscience and Supplements

Over the last few years the F.D.A. has been increasingly cracking down on the supplement industry. Most people would assume that this is for "spiking" non-anabolic substances with steroids, pro-steroids or pro-hormones. Surprisingly, the supplement did not need to "spike" any of their products. They found loopholes in which active compounds were sold and labeled exactly what they were. Some of these compounds were more anabolic than prescription grade- controlled steroids.

Now, following a recent ban I find it quite humorous to see the names given to new products. These products have zero anabolic activity yet contain key words like "drol, test, diol, or tren." All being related to illegally obtained steroids or recently banned pro-steroids that actually yield anabolic activity. Why would the companies do this? Its simple- people assume if its name is similar to the real deal then it must contain something worth while. It is deception at its finest. Some companies go far enough to place their product in what looks like a pharmacy pill bottle.

Most of the substances that claim to have an "anabolic matrix" are simply tribulus. An herb that at most will minimally increase free levels of testosterone in older men. Will that pack on the 15 pounds of muscle they may claim? No chance.

In closing, the same can be said about the diet end of supplement companies. When something is actually based on science and it is taken away, pseudoscience steps in and profits off a few unlucky suckers.

Cell phones causing cancer!?

You might have heard that electronic devices cause cancer or other health effect, in particular a cell phone. I don't know about anyone else but I never really put too much thought into it and continued to use my cell phone. Well it turns out that THIS ISN'T TRUE. In fact the risk of getting in a car accident while talking on a cell phone is greater than getting cancer from talking on it. I believe that, have you seen some of the people driving these days.
The reason that we are not at risk from cell phone use is because the frequency is so low. Not only is cancer not related but neither are any other health problems. The FDA even has laws that limit the amount of radio frequency a cell phone can give off; maybe that's why you can't get service sometimes.
If you don't believe that it does no harm to use, it doesn't even do harm to lab animals. The use of cell phones is not recommended for children, HOWEVER, there is still now cancer or health problems that have ever been related. Now we can all rest assured that we can use our cell phones as much as we want without any health risks. Driving however, watch out!

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007151.htm

No, mom, you're wrong

Has your mom or dad ever warned you not to swallow gum? If so, they probably quoted the phrase, "It takes seven years to pass through your digestive system."

Well, like most of the things posted on this blog, your parents were wrong. While gum may be sticky outside of the body, once you swallow it, it is no different from any other food. The actual truth is that gum can resist being broken down by the body; however, that does not mean the gum cannot pass through your system. If gum did stay in your system, we would probably experience "death by gum" by numerous children, including myself, who once thought these yummy colored circles were meant to be eaten--they weren't. According to our friends at Snopes.com, gum is created with 15%-30% of gum base, which is indigestible. Upon hearing this word, is it clear as to how this myth became "truth", considering digestion is linked not to just the breaking down of food/food substances.

So if anyone tries to warn you about the "harm" of swallowing gum, enlighten them and put this myth to rest!

Thanksgiving Turkey As A Sleeping Pill

You sit down to the dinner table for your Thanksgiving feast. You have one round, two and three of the delicious offerings on the table. You are finally “stuffed” and relax while watching TV. You look around and everyone looks drowsy. Why is this you might ask? Everyone blames the poor turkey.

For many years this has been one of the topics while eating our Thanksgiving Feast. Is the turkey really to blame for the drowsiness after the festivities? From many of my family members, interesting reasons why have come out in conversation. Excitement of the day, stuffing your face as fast as you can, just sitting around and doing nothing, just to name a few, but one reason always comes up, the TURKEY.

As to research on this interesting topic, many have different opinions. Some blame the amino acids found in turkey. But to my surprise, the turkey acting as a sleeping pill is untrue. What many blame as the true reason why turkey makes you sleepy is the L-tryptophan. They say in the brain, L-tryptophan changes to serotonin which calms us down. The only way for L-tryptophan to make us sleepy is if consumed on an empty stomach and in high amounts. Yes, we may eat a lot of turkey on Thanksgiving, but there is not enough of L-tryptophan in a turkey to work as a sleeping pill. Not to mention, our stomachs are not empty.

Scientists have come up with many explanations as to why sleepiness is after these major meals. Some argue it is our blood flow. There is more blood flow to the stomach for digestion and less to the brain. But here are some tips the experts are recommending:

1. Eat smaller portions.

2. Take breaks while eating.

3. Eat healthier meals.

4. Stop when your full.

5. Go for a walk.

So I guess I am saying take or leave these tips and I hope they did not put you to sleep.

Sitting Too Close to the TV

Throughout my childhood my mother always told me that sitting too close to the television will rot my eyes out. I did believe this especially as I got older because it just seemed to me as a commonsense thing that everyone knows and agrees on. I believed this without any scientific evidence and just accepted it much like the cases that have been presented in the book and the class to us. I never felt the need to question it and felt that it was a fact that was just accepted and was just something that is. I didn't need the scientific evidence behind it to believe it because it was something I just accepted.
I have looked at some studies to see if my mom was right and if sitting too close to the television will in fact damage your eyes. Initially there is some truth behind this commonly believed myth. In the early development and production of televisions about 70 years ago, they emanated
a certain level of radiation that with repeated and extended exposure could heighten the risk of eye problems. So in the 1950s this myth was actually true and supported by relatively reliable medical evidence and tests. So it seems in the 1950s that my mother was right.
However since it is not 1950 anymore and televisions are made completely differently then they used to be this once fact now becomes myth. The way that televisions are produced today they are built with proper shielding and even though they do give off radiation you are completely protected from it. So this once fact now with time has become a myth. While sitting and staring at the television for hours on end and as close or far away as you want may not cause eye damage anymore it can result in eye strain or be an indicator of poor vision. Eye strain can easily be avoided by not staring at the television for hours on end and many parents should take notice of their child creeping closer to the television because its an indicator of bad vision. Overall sitting too close to the television will not damage your eyes so feel free to sit as close as you want.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/07/health/07really.html

"Put on a jacket, or you'll catch a cold!"

Growing up, I can remember trying to rush outside to the bus stop, only to hear my mom yelling at me to “put on a jacket before you catch a cold!” The worst was when you had a snow day from school and all’s you could think about was waking up and running outside to make a snowman, while the only think your mother had on her mind was taking ten minutes to bundle every inch of you up before you headed out.
After looking into it, I found that there was definitely a connection between cold weather and colds. This seemed pretty logical, considering that the older I got, the more I complained about being cold and the more I wanted to take the time to put on a coat before heading out of the house. I even began to take after my mother, telling my little brother, for instance, who likes to wear shorts and short-sleeved shirts on the coldest of days, to put on a jacket before going to a friend’s. The common cold, though, isn’t caused by the cold at all; rather, the rhinovirus is to blame. Since viruses aren’t alive, temperature has absolutely no effect on them.
So, what’s the connection? The answer may depend on who is asked, but a common explanation is that since cold weather usually keeps people in the warmth of their own homes, the increased contact between individuals could account for the spreading of the virus. It seems as though your mother should have forced you out into the cold if she didn’t want to risk catching a cold as well.

"Stop cracking your knuckles, or else you will get arthritis!"

has been a common phrase from parents trying to protect their children's hands. I was a victim of cracking my knuckles after I picked up the habit from my fellow classmates. My mother was very against me cracking my knuckles because she thought I would develop arthritis when I got older. I investigated into the popular myth and made some interesting discoveries. Just as we discussed in class, I believe the pressure placed on the knuckles when you crack them is similar to the weather and increased pain myth. Also, some disliked the popping sound from cracking knuckles, so somewhere arthritis may have been associated to discourage people from cracking their knuckles. Interestingly enough, I found out the working of a joint and what actually occurs when you crack your knuckles.

How does cracking your knuckles work? In the article, "Does cracking your knuckles cause arthritis?" Carol and Richard Eustice explain it well. Basically, a joint is where the ends of two bones meet, and at the ends of the two bones are covering of articular cartilage. The cartilage is surrounded by a joint capsule which is filled with synovial fluid. The synovial fluid contains dissolved gases, so when you crack your knuckles, the joint capsule expands, Thu, you get the cracking sound, which is gases rapidly being released fro the fluid. Since we now know what actually occurs when you crack your knuckles, let's see what studies have shown.

Studies on cracking your knuckles have shown no increased chance of arthritis of the hands. One study conducted found that knuckle cracking could cause hand swelling and lower grip strength, but no arthritis. Another study supports that cracking your knuckle was not linked to arthritis, but could cause damage to soft tissues. Even thought cracking your knuckles are not linked to arthritis, there are still undesirable effects.

Learn more about cracking knuckles from Dr. JaDean Anderson by watching this video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=bfVUUy1WUi8

"An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away"

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" originated in Wales as a Pembrokeshire proverb, "Eat an apple on going to bed, and you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread." Even though apples have nutritional value, the Old English language used the word "apple" to describe any fruit that grew on a tree. As popular as the saying may be, there is supporting evidence both for and against the claim.
Junji Takano's article "Does an apple a day still keep the doctor away" states that apples are thought to be the most restorative fruit. Even though apples have less vitamin C than oranges, kiwis, and pears, a study showed that by eating two apples a day for ten days, the amount of vitamin C in the subject's blood increased by 35%. The subjects also reported feeling better all around. Apples contain pectin, part of the dietary fiber, and when expanding, absorbs moisture and excites the intestine. In doing so, the intestine's overall condition becomes better and can more easily absorb the vitamin C.
On the flip side, Diane Kohnle's article "True or False: Does an apple a day keep the doctor away", explains why the saying does not hold true. Many fruits such as cranberries, strawberries, bananas, and grapes have the same, if not more, antioxidants than apples. Most of the apple's nutritional value is found in the skin, therefore, apple juice, apple sauce, and peeled apples lack the nutrients found in a whole apple. Apples alone cannot form a healthy diet. The only way the doctor can be kept away is by incorporating a healthy diet and exercise with the consumption of apples. Apples are a good choice for a snack, but even the healthiest of eaters can suffer from other health concerns and should visit a doctor regularly.
An apple a day does not always keep the doctor away, but it is a good snack with a high source of fiber and antioxidants. Realistically, there is no definite way to keep a doctor away and by visiting a doctor, precautionary treatments can be used to prevent the risk of diseases.

Find a Penny, Pick It Up...

I have always remembered the first time I heard the saying "find a penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck!" It was when I was much younger, and my mother was the one who relayed the superstition to me. Ever since then, every time I find a penny heads up, I repeat the saying and carry the penny with me. If I see a penny face down, I do not even bother with it. The penny superstition has such a grip on me that I now associate the fights and/or good times I share with my boyfriend to whether I had seen a penny heads up or down recently. Thinking rationally, I really do not believe that one copper coin can have so much power as to determine whether my day will be good or bad, but my question is: where did this silly phrase come from? And why is it so compelling to believe?

I researched on a couple of websites and found some logical explanations for the "find a penny..." saying, along with some outrageous claims. The first website I discovered described the penny phenomenon as coming from an old religious belief that metal is a gift from God. Thus, finding a penny brings good fortune and protection against evil. The website also said, which is new to me, that if you give the penny to a friend, you are passing on the good luck to that person.

An article I found on Everything.com had two possible explanations for the saying. Apparently, old Wiccan tradition was to use a pin in good luck spells. If a pin was found on the ground people thought, or maybe hoped, that it was from a spell and would bring the finder good luck. The saying was "see a pin and pick it up..." The resolution is that through the years the saying was misunderstood as "see a penny..." instead of "see a pin and..." The second illustration is another religious one. Since the penny has "In God We Trust" printed on it, believers think that finding a penny is God's message of saying the He is here, and in control, and not to worry, but to trust Him.

So far, we have seen pretty reasonable justifications, but I found one website that was completely ludicrous. The website is for asking the Penny Priestess questions about pennies. The "Penny Priestess" is a firm believer in the "Penny God," and according to her, all pennies found, whether they lie on heads or tails, is good luck. There are also claims made on this website that placing pennies around the corners of a room, or on top of a doorway, brings good fortune to the room or house.

I believe that the popularity of this superstition, as well as with others, comes from a person's desire to avoid what could possibly bring bad luck. Picking a penny up off of the ground does no harm, and if it could bring some good luck with it, why not? Besides, if you do something to possibly cause misfortune, every time some misfortune comes your way, it is easy to blame it on the tangible action instead of just the fact that good and bad things happen in life, no matter how many pennies you find, or how many cracks you avoid in the sidewalk, and so on.

Ghost Hunters - Ridiculousness at its Finest

So i am sure you've all seen an episode or at least a commercial for the Sci-fi channels original series Ghost Hunters, you know the one that seems like its filmed entirely in night vision. Well if you ever had the blessing of watching this show you might be more than surprised at how amusing it is, well at least to someone like my self who enjoys watching grown men make fools of themselves on national TV.
The show in a nutshell, for those of you who haven't seen it, is about a group of "Paranormal Investigators" how travel to notoriously "haunted" spots around the world try to capture images or otherwise prove the existence of "ghosts". This in turn sounds genuine enough, but once you see there methods it becomes quite clear why i chose this as a posting.
From the episodes ive seen, the show quickly becomes entertaining after they reach there destinations. As expected they wait for nightfall to start using the plethora of paranormal detection devices and recording equipment, but that's the boring part, the fun stuff is when the lead investigators try to taunt the ghost into showing itself, and then by some miracle one of them will start feeling cold, or perhaps feel something brush by them.
As expected at the end of each show, nothing is resolved. Any blip on a photo is "suggested" to be of paranormal origin but never proven. Any strange sounds recorded are automatically assumed to be the voices of the dead, but not a shred of actual science is ever used to back this show up. Im guessing that they believe that infrared cameras are all the proof they need, which i guess is true judging by there fan base.
My point to this is that it seems no-one cares whether or not things are real, or work, or exist as long as they can stimulate the imagination. It just bothers me that these guys are making enormous amounts of money screaming in the dark and peddling none sense, and im going to be struggling in the real market trying to make ends meet. This guy wrote a great article about the show Brian Ettkin. It really goes to show how little talent is needed to make it big in this country.

The Bermuda Triangle

For as long as I can remember, I've heard about the Bermuda Triangle. If anyone dared enter this place, they'd disappear and would never be found. How can we find out if it's real if anyone who goes there is gone forever? When documented, some explanations are very far fetched and they don't take into account any other factors which can prove the theory wrong.

Supposedly, all the triangle talk started with some magazine articles and books. When everyone reads things like this, no one questions it and people just believe it. When this happens, often times many theories and justifications flourish. Some include the lost city of Atlantis and UFO's. Stories about disappearances started to come out of the woodwork, ensuring this Bermuda Triangle [possible] myth wouldn't die. There are a bunch, so here's a link.

Are there any actual explanations to prove that the Bermuda Triangle doesn't exist? According to the HowStuffWorks website, often abnormalities are due to "human and environmental error". These include:

1. Water weather. Apparently this area is prone to quick passing storms which can be treacherous for people passing by and never show up on a scanner.
2. Scientists have seen that the sea floor around this area is also very inconsistent and deep. It's likely these missing vessels sunk so low that no one could possibly know if they were even down there.
3. Methane gas. This gas can get trapped underwater and on the sea floor. If the gas were to escape, it can sink a ship and cover it up with sand as well, as if it were never there.
4. As silly as this one sounds, pirates may also be at fault for hijacking travelers.

It seems there are scientists and researchers trying to disprove this old story of the Bermuda Triangle. As our technology advances, it's very possible we will find out that there is nothing to be afraid of when traveling near the Bahamas. I think many people like to encourage rumors instead of trying to prove them false, so at any hint of justification, they'll latch on. Is the Bermuda Triangle real? I'm going to say it's more for entertainment. If you're interested, here is a video.


Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bermuda_Triangle.png

Videogames and My Eyes

My Mom always said to me that watching too much TV and playing too many video games will hurt my eyes. So she would always limit my time with both. As I got older I continued to follow her advice because I never had any problems with my eyes and I continued to have 20/20 eyesight. But I also started to noticed as I got older that my friends moms never told them to only play their video games for a little while or else their eyes would start to hurt. That was when I began to question what my mom always told me, because none of my friends had any eye problems.
You always see different articles in the news about how staring too long at the TV was bad for your eyes. So you always make sure that you don't sit too close to the TV or play your video games four hours and hours on end. But finally there are studies that show playing your video games can actually help out your eyes (Web MD). According to the articles I read recent studies show that when children play video games for extended periods of time it can actually help their hand eye coordination and improve their eyesight. This increase in eyesight helps the most with children and when their eyesight is not 20/20.
Finally a study that answers my life long question and proves that what my mother always told me is not true! Now that I am older and am on my own I can play my games as much as I want and I can tell anyone who says anything about it that I am improving my eyesight. And when I have children I`ll make sure that I let them play as much as they want to!

Reading in the Dark

When I was younger, I was an avid reader. Every time my mother looked at me, I had another book in my hand. Even though she liked that I was reading so much, she always worried that reading would damage my eyes, especially since I enjoyed reading in the dark so often. So every time she caught me reading with a flashlight after bedtime, she would yell at me to turn it off, lest I destroy my eyesight.
I believed her for the longest time. It made sense to me that the eyestrain would cause my eyesight to deteriorate with time, so even though I liked reading in the dark, I would do it less and less, heeding my mother's warnings. I already had to wear strong prescription lenses, and I didn't want to worsen my condition.
Although reading in the dark does strain the eyes, research has shown that it doesn't cause permanent damage to the eyes. The lighting only makes it harder to focus, making it uncomfortalbe, but it doesn't actually do harm to the eyes. In dim lighting, the words on the page may not be as clear, forcing you to pull the book closer to your face. The eyes have to adjust as a result. People report having headaches and nausea after reading in the dark, although it is caused more by staring at something too closely rather than the lighting itself. Our eyes change shape and adjust so that the change in lighting doesn't harm our resilient eyes. My mom still insists that reading in the dark is ruining my eyes, but I just let her believe what she wants. I am still careful about straining my eyes, but I still enjoy reading in the dark sometimes.

Eating Late At Night Makes You Fat

It has been commonly assumed that night is the worst time to eat. The logic being night is when the body typically slows down and therefore is more prone to gain fat. Makes sense, but is it true?

Scientists at the Oregon National Primate Research Center at Oregon Health & Science University believe they have helped dispel the myth that late-night eating causes weight gain. The research is published in the current edition of the journal Obesity Research.

"We've all been told at one point in our lives that we should avoid late-night snacks as they will lead to weight gain. In reality, however, this belief is not based in fact. We conducted a review of previous data on the topic and found no real evidence that this was true. In addition, our research in rhesus monkeys, which are considered an excellent model for studying primate (man and monkey) obesity issues, showed that eating at night is no more likely to promote weight gain than eating during the day," said Judy Cameron, Ph.D., a senior scientist in the Divisions of Reproductive Sciences and Neuroscience at the OHSU Oregon National Primate Research Center. Cameron also is a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh.

To conduct this research, scientists studied 16 female rhesus monkeys that were placed on a high-fat diet similar in composition to the diet normally consumed by humans in the United States and other Western countries. During the study, all of the monkeys had their ovaries removed -- this simulates a menopause-like state in female monkeys similar to human female menopause. In lower animals both high fat diet and decreased ovarian function lead to weight gain.

The researchers then observed the monkeys for one year. In addition to studying their weight gain, researchers noted how much and when the animals ate, which varied dramatically among the animals observed. Specifically, the researchers found that the monkeys ate between 6 percent and 64 percent of their total calories at night. This is comparable to reports in humans who take in approximately 24 percent to 65 percent of total calories at night.

"We were not surprised to find that as a group, the monkeys in this study gained weight when they were placed on this very palatable diet," said Elinor Sullivan, an OHSU graduate student conducting research along with Cameron at the Oregon National Primate Research Center. "However, what did surprise us initially was the fact that there was no clear correlation between caloric intake and weight gain. In other words, the monkeys that ate more didn't necessarily gain more weight. In addition, while some monkeys preferred to eat during the day and others ate most of their calories at night, neither of these groups gained more weight than the other."

Initially, the research project was conducted to gather data about the role of menopause in weight gain. These results were presented at the 2003 Society for Neuroscience Meeting. The data in regard to weight gain and night eating were secondary, unexpected discoveries that occurred in the midst of gathering this information.

"Overall, this research shows that caloric intake does not specifically correlate to weight gain," added Cameron. "We're now trying to determine what the cause of weight gain is. Some of our preliminary data presented at the 2005 Society for Neuroscience Meeting shows that a person's activity level is a better predictor of weight gain and loss. In other words, for those wishing to lose weight, simply changing your diet may not be enough."

The Truth about Ouija Boards

For years, Oujia boards have been popular especially among children and young adults. Their main purpose is for connecting and communicating with "spirits" or "ghosts". Many people, including myself, have experimented with these boards at parties or on late nights spending time with friends. The participants or players place their fingers on a pointer or "planchette" and verbally ask questions out loud which are supposedly intended for a spirit. The spirit is supposed to answer by moving the planchette on the board to the given letters or "yes" or "no" responses.

Prototypes of Oujia boards have existed for a great number of years with roots in Greece from 540 B.C. and China from around 1100 B.C.. During the 1800s, businessmen Elijah Bond and Charles Kennard began selling planchettes (pointers) and boards on which the alphabet was printed. A man named William Fuld started producing these boards in 1901and marketed them under the name "Ouija". In 1966, Fuld's business was sold to Parker Brothers a.k.a Hasbro Games who currently still produces the infamous Ouija boards today.

Parker Brothers/Habsro Games makes no mystical claims directly on their Ouija product, and describes the board in the following manner on their website: “Turn out the lights...now the board and message indicator glow in the dark! How it works has been a mystery for over 30 years!” Spiritualists and occult followers claim that the board enables the user(s) to “channel” a spirit’s energy through themselves therefore enabling the planchette to move and spell out responses. According to one site, museumoftalkingboards.com, dedicated to information and sales of these boards “Ouija messages obviously come from forces beyond our control. You contact or "channel" these entities through the board. They are discarnate spirits, ghosts, or other ethereal beings who have a purpose for contacting the living”.

Critics explain the Ouija phenomenon as stemming from ideomotor action also known as automatism. This means that users subconsciously direct the path of the planchette to produce a desired word or response that is their subconscious thoughts. The Penn&Teller: Bullshit! show attempted to clear up the mysticism surrounding Ouija boards. They ran an experiment using unbiased participants and directed them to ask “yes or no” questions. The participants were then blindfolded and the board was turned 180 degrees without their knowledge. The participants asked their questions, and the planchette pointed to bare areas of the board where the participants believed the "Yes" and "No" responses were located, although they were not.

So, do you believe in the power of the Ouija board?If you’re still not sure…why not go and ask it?

You lose most of your body heat through your head

Have you ever watched football game in winter and seen all the players on the sidelines with massive amounts of steam coming off their heads?
Have you ever been told that you better cover up in the Winter and make sure your head is covered because you lose most of your body heat through your head?

I have and I will be the first to admit that I believed that myth myself, not that you should cover up in Winter, that you lose most of your body heat via your head. Like all myths just a bit of research lead me to the answers about both how this myth was started and the proof that it is just a myth. While your head is an obviously integral part of your body that you can't live without and Neuroscience has come to show us that it consumes roughly twenty percent of your bodily calories even though it is only two percent of your body weight, a staggering amount if you think about it, losing most of your body heat through your head is complete nonsense.

The myth was started years ago by a military study conducted on the loss of temperatures in soldiers exposed to extreme cold, those poor grunts. The study reported extreme loss of heat through their heads and the myth was born. What the study didn't report was that the soldiers were clothed everywhere but there heads causing the results to be drastically skewed. Science and medicine will show you that we lose about ten percent of our body heat through our melons and the other ninety percent through the various other parts of our bodies. So make sure you cover your entire body this winter.

Going Outside with Wet Hair Causes Colds

All growing up I heard claims that going outside into the cold with wet hair would get you a cold. I knew that once I got a shower, I couldn’t go outside for some time in fear of catching a cold. Now that I’m a little older I stopped following these rules because I don’t get sick too often and I figure I’ll take my chances. However, many people still believe and follow this myth including my girlfriend. When she gets out of the shower she makes me close any windows in my room in fear of letting any cold air in. She is still in belief that having a wet head and being in cold air will cause her to get sick.

It seems that the scientific world has proven all of our moms wrong once again. Wet hair does not cause colds. The common cold is caused by an infection, not cold weather. Germs cause infections and germs are spread from person to person through sneezing, coughing, etc. “In 1958, a paper in the American Journal of Hygiene (Volume 68) reported that more than 400 volunteers were exposed to viruses that cause colds. Some were exposed to very cold temperatures while wearing heavy coats, some to 60 degree temperatures while wearing underwear, and some to a very warm 80 degrees. All had the same rate of infection” (Mirkin). Some viruses survive better in the cold causing a greater abundance of viruses during the winter months. However, the only way to catch a cold is through direct contact. Due to people’s habit of spending most of the winter inside, there is more contact between people causing the virus to spread easier. Whether you have wet hair or not, your susceptibility to the common cold is equal (U.S. Department of Health And Human Services) and solely relies on your contact with the virus.

All in all, our immune systems can handle the cold weather just as well as they can in warm weather. If extremely cold conditions occur you will start to shake and tire your body, weakening your immune system. Simply walking outside into the cold with wet hair will have no effect on your immune system’s ability to fight off viruses. This myth that has survived for many years has probably been caused by correlation and causation. Although people have gotten sick after going outside in the cold with wet hair, people have also gotten sick from going outside in the cold without wet hair. People will look for reasons for their sicknesses other then the facts; they came in contact with a virus. They will also take more notice to getting sick when it supports their hypothesis and ignore the cases where it does not. Although the wet hair and common cold are independent of each other, it is human nature to try to relate them. I try to explain this to my girlfriend but she still likes to believe that she will get sick if her hair is wet in the cold so I let her believe what she wants to believe. I, however, will go outside with wet hair whenever I please.

The End of the World 2012

I first heard about 2012 on the History Channel during one of their specials. Apparently, the Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012. Since the Mayan calendar ends it leads everyone to believe that this is when the world ends or when Doomsday will occur. The popularity of this notion spread like wildfire. I cannot even begin to count how many news specials and TV show series I've seen that talk about how "the end of the world is approaching!!" Should the world believe that this one prediction about the destruction of the entire human race? Is the presence of wars and natural diasters warning signs of the end of the world? Did the Mayans predict the 'end' many many years ago ?

I teach youth group at my church and this was one of the topics that came up during our lesson. I was suprised about the number of kids in the youth group that had a genuine fear in the end of the world and when it is supposed to happen. It became really upsetting when they started to talk about what they would have accomplished by that year. Its hard not to feel scared and anticipate a horrible ending. It frustrated me that these kids were expecting this to actually happen.

Recently a movie entitled, "2012" came out in theaters. I decided before its release that I would not give into the sensationalism like the rest of the population. However, I did go see it and it was a good movie. The movie, of course. had a love story tied in it along with family troubles etc. The special effects were awesome, perhaps a little far fetched. But is it true? Is the end of the world 2012? How can anyone get true facts if we are bombarded by news specials about the topic. Being strong in my faith tend to look towards the bible for some type of guidance regarding this subject of the end of the world. The bible says:

"Then, the Arrival of the Son of Man! It will fill the skies - no one will miss it. Unready people all over the world, outsiders to the splendor and power, will raise a huge lament as they watch the Son of Man blazing out of heaven. At that same moment, he'll dispatch his angels with a trumpet-blast summons, pulling in God's chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole.
"But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven's angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows" (Matthew 24:1-8; 30-31; 36, The Message).

I don't know about everyone else but angels flying down with their trumpets sounds a lot better than fires, floods, and the ground collasping at your feet. And most importantly, the last part of the bible verse emphasizes the idea that no one knows when the end will come. Which is true? Christians will stick to what the bible says and everyone else who is still skeptical will have to find other sources of verification.

The lectures in class talk about evidence. Do we really have any hard scientific evidence that 2012 is really the end of time? It is hard to test the theory of the Mayan calendar. This idea could be pure speculation.The theory of 2012 cannot be tested, which leads me to believe that it may not even happen. So what is the answer? Is it 2012? I guess we will have to wait until Decemeber 21, 2012 comes around. Until that day comes, the world will be on the edge of their seats waiting.

Vitamin C & My Mom

My Mom used to always tell me to take a vitamin c supplement when I had a cold.  She used to hand me these large pills when she detected a sniffle or when cold season was around. I always felt good feeling that the magic vitamin c was doing something to help me fend off or even overcome my cold.  When I was older, living on my own and couldn't afford the $30 bottles of love I would faithfully drink orange juice hoping for the same effect.  It seemed that every time I took my C or drank my juice the cold would go away a few days later.  I don't remember what happened if I forgot to take the supplement.

In the past few years I have purposely stopped taking vitamin c when i've had a cold, just to see what would happen.  Turns out I still get over my colds in the same amount of time, as far as I can tell.  Also seems that a scientific consensus has been building and shows that vitamin c has no greater effect than placebos for the common cold (WebMd). In fact large doses can actually cause health problems (slate).  Does anyone remember Airborne?  Wasn't it invented by some elementary school teacher who claimed her pupils were infecting her constantly and fizzy vitamin c concoctions were a sure fire prevention?  Looks like she used fake evidence in a phoney lab to back up her potion's claims (consumerist).

In the end it looks like our own bodies' immune systems do best at miraculously curing ourselves from colds and they don't need any help except for a balanced diet and some exercise. The perceived effects of vitamin c are likely what psychologists call a cognitive determinant of a questionable belief or a confirmatory bias (Thomas Gilovich).  In other words when people look for evidence they tend to look for information that confirms their ideas. So now when I visit my mother and she offers me my vitamin c supplement I think of it as her way of saying that she loves me and cares about me.

But I found a great cure for headaches!