Health Briefs has heard a number of stories from
frustrated doctors who are constantly surprised by the level of misinformation
that is rampant among the public. Urban
myths and old wives tales do not go away by themselves. One doctor was dismayed when a teenaged
patient came in saying she couldn't see.
It seems she enjoyed looking directly at the sun and now she has holes
burned into the retina of both eyes. Not
looking directly into the sun? Wearing
sunglasses when out on a sunny day?
Aren't those things self-evident?
Wouldn't someone know that without having to be told? Apparently not.
Health Briefs has learned of a high level of misinformation about things most of us thought were obvious.
The Health Briefs TV show has heard doctors say that some
people still think "pulling out at the last second" is a viable way
to avoid HIV/AIDS as well as pregnancy.
This, of course, is one of the oldest myths and one we thought had been
put to rest in the 1960s. Sadly, it
hasn't, and nowadays this kind of behavior comes with risks far beyond just an
unwanted pregnancy. Then there's the
idea that consuming vast quantities of fiber can cure a case constipation when,
in reality, it can seriously compound the situation. Doctors also tell of people who put off minor
surgical procedures such as having a mole removed, but the resulting melanoma
can be fatal if neglected. And exercise
alone is not enough to lose weight if one is simply going to overeat to
compensate for the calories burned. A
good workout makes one feel hungry, and that's for a reason. The body is trying to make up for what it
lost, and that's no path to weight loss.
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