MYTHS ABOUT WATER

Water is an amazing substance - we can't live without it and in fact we are mostly made of it.

So it is not surprising that a whole bunch of half-truths and myths exist about water,especially when it comes to your health.

So here are our top 5 myths about water.

Myth 1: We should drink 8 glasses of water a day to avoid dehydration

Probably one of the most widely-believed yet false beliefs about water -no doubt encouraged by bottled water brands.
It's true that our bodies need a fair amount of water every day.According to the British Dietetic Association, most of us need the equivalent of around six to eight glasses of fluid a day, fluid not water. Much of this can be obtained from the food we eat - fruit and vegeatables are 80-90 per cent water by weight - and other drinks including milk, tea and coffee.
Obviously in hotter, sweatier conditions we need to up our intake to make up for the extra loss, but again, any non-alcoholic drink will suffice. Your body is also very good at regulating its water levels - it will get rid of excess by sweat and urine and when levels are low you will feel thirsty and compelled to drink.

Myth 2: Coffee, tea and other beverages "dehydrate" you

While it is true that caffeine has a diuretic effect (it makes you want to pee) this is very mild compared with the amount of water contained in the drink. So as explained above these drinks will contribute to your body's need for water.

Myth 3: Water is harmless (apart from drowning!)

Generally speaking water is a non-toxic substance.
But it is possible to drink too much water. In extreme cases drinking too much water can cause an electrolyte imbalance
in the body, known as "water intoxication." Athletes in extreme sports such as marathon runners have been know to suffer from this condition. Their sport causes them to sweat profusely, leading to a loss of both water and electrolytes,
including sodium. But if they drink a lot of water in a short period of time without replacing the lost electrolytes,
sodium levels in the blood fall, which can be potentially life-threatening.

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Myth 4: Bottled water is safer that tap water

Would you drink a liquid containing chemicals that may have been exposed to pesticides, man-made fertilisers and even radioactive materials and destroys the environment?
Then you will probably be happy to pay 1,500 times the going rate to drink water from a plastic bottle.
Tap water is subject to stringent health and safety requirements. It is continuously tested and safe to drink. Bottled waters often come from exactly the same sources as tap water - in fact some are tap water. Much bottled water is prepared with lower safety standards than tap water, and it consumes vast resources to bottle, ship, market and sell it. That's why it costs around 1,500 times more per drink than tap water, which is safe, cheap, convenient and by the far the most eco-friendly way to get water.

Myth 5: Water can help you lose weight

Actually there is some truth is this idea. But only some.
Going back to myth 1, drinking calorie-free and sugar-free water is a better way to get your daily fluid intake than gulping back sugary, high-calorie soft drinks. And some studies have shown that if you drink a pint of water before a meal it can help you eat less. But the key point here is that you do in fact need to eat less - the water itself does not in any way reduce your body fat.

HEALTH

Here’s a look at the 10 greatest health myths and the truth behind them.

The following experts were consulted to help bust these myths:

Dr Cyres K Mehta, ophthalmologist
Dr Vasundhara Atre, cardiac anaesthesiologist
Naini Setalvad, nutritionist
Namita Jain, fitness expert

Using antibacterial soap is the best way to kill germs and prevent infections.
Dr Atre: Although antibacterial soap is the most effective way to kill germs, it is not the best. The soap not only kills the harmful bacteria present on the skin, but also the beneficial bacteria. Furthermore, the effects of the antibacterial soap are limited; as we pick up newer germs every time we touch something, sweat, etc.

Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight
Dr Mehta: There is no evidence to show that reading in dim light will affect eyesight. There are many diseases such as cataract and glaucoma, where reading in dim light is difficult; however it will not make the diseases worse.

Eating carrots improves your eyesight.
Dr Mehta: Carrots are a good source of beta-carotene (Vitamin A), which is important for the health of the eye and retina. If the diet is deficient in Vitamin A the cornea and retina degenerate. So old people, malnourished children etc would benefit from carrots in their diet. However normal healthy adults will not improve eyesight by eating carrots.

Cracking your knuckles gives you arthritis.
Dr Mehta: It is unlikely that joint cracking is a significant cause of arthritis. Joint cracking is usually painless, and so long as it does not cause pain, most doctors agree that you are unlikely to be doing any harm. It’s usually due to the tendons or ligaments passing over the prominences of the bones. Also the slow accumulation of gases around a joint can cause the formation of tiny bubbles of gas. Joint cracking may occur when these gases are released. Of course if you have joint pain already and if you have arthritis, it could lead to more inflammation.

Using sun lotion protects you from skin cancer.
Dr Atre: Sunscreen is not very effective as most people do not follow the correct method of applying the sunscreen, and also do not reapply it after the correct time interval. Further, all commercially available sunscreens do not guard against all types of UV rays, which are responsible for causing skin cancer. Further, the chemicals present in commercial sunscreen products have also been found to be toxic and said to actually promote some forms of cancer.

Cholesterol is bad for you.
Dr Atre: Cholesterol is required in certain limits for normal body functioning. It is of two types – high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). HDL is considered ‘good cholesterol’, and should be present in high concentration in the body. LDL on the other hand is considered ‘bad cholesterol’ and should be present in low concentration. Thus, cholesterol is not bad for you.

It's OK to skip breakfast
Naini Setalvad: It is not advisable to skip a meal, especially after 12 hours of fast, when the body metabolism is low. Skipping that meal can lead to giddiness, nausea, low energy, fainting spells and low performance at work, irritability, anxiety and symptoms of gas in the body.

One should eat proteins in excess to gain muscle mass
Naini Setalvad: It is not safe to eat more than 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

One can lose weight by eating low-fat foods
Naini Setalvad: Eating low fat foods in excess will not help in weight loss. Weight loss can be achieved by cutting down the intake of sugars, fats and processed food.


I must sweat when I exercise
Namita Jain: Sweating only occurs when one undergoes strenuous weight-training or cardiovascular exercise. Light weight-training or stretching does not lead to sweating.

SLEEP - 4

The Top 10 Myths..slips. .on.sleeep. ..

Myth 1: Sleep is a time when your body and brain shut down for rest and relaxation

No evidence shows that any major organ (including the brain) or regulatory system in the body shuts down during sleep. Some physiological processes actually become more active while you sleep. For example, secretion of certain hormones is boosted, and activity of the pathways in the brain needed for learning and memory is heightened. To sleep better you must get rid of many sleep myths including this one and only accept the sleeping facts!

Myth 2: Getting just 1 hour less sleep per night than needed will not have any effect on your daytime functioning

This lack of sleep may not make you noticeably sleepy during the day. But even slightly less sleep can affect your ability to think properly and respond quickly, and it can compromise your cardiovascular health and energy balance as well as the ability to fight infections, particularly if lack of sleep continues. If you consistently do not get enough sleep, eventually a sleep debt builds up that will make you excessively tired during the day.

Myth 3: Your body adjusts quickly to different sleep schedules

Your biological clock makes you most alert during the daytime and most drowsy at night. Thus, even if you work the night shift, you will naturally feel sleepy when night time comes. Most people can reset their biological clock, but only by appropriately timed cues—and even then, by 1–2 hours per day at best. Consequently, it can take more than a week to adjust to a dramatically altered sleep/wake cycle, such as you encounter when travelling across several time zones or switching from working the day shift to the night shift.

Myth 4: People need less sleep as they get older

Older people don’t need less sleep, but they often get less sleep or find their sleep less refreshing. That’s because as people age, they spend less time in the deep, restful stages of sleep and are more easily awakened. Older people are also more likely to have insomnia or other medical conditions that disrupt their sleep.

Myth 5: Extra sleep at night can cure you of problems with excessive daytime fatigue

Not only is the quantity of sleep important but also the quality of sleep. Some people sleep 8 or 9 hours a night but don’t feel well rested when they wake up because the quality of their sleep is poor. A number of sleep disorders and other medical conditions affect the quality of sleep. Sleeping more won’t alleviate the daytime sleepiness these disorders or conditions cause. However, many of these disorders or conditions can be treated effectively with changes in behaviour or with medical therapies.

Myth 6: You can make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends

Although this sleeping pattern will help relieve part of a sleep debt, it will not completely make up for the lack of sleep. This pattern also will not make up for impaired performance during the week because of not sleeping enough. Furthermore, sleeping later on the weekends can affect your biological clock so that it is much harder to go to sleep at the right time on Sunday nights and get up early on Monday mornings. To sleep better you really should get these sleep myths out of the way.

Myth 7: Naps are a waste of time

Although naps do not substitute for a good night’s sleep, they can be restorative and help counter some of the impaired performance that results from not getting enough sleep at night. Naps can actually help you learn how to do certain tasks quicker. But avoid taking naps later than 3 p.m., as late naps can interfere with your ability to fall asleep at night. Also, limit your naps to no longer than 1 hour because longer naps will make it harder to wake up and get back in the swing of things. If you take frequent naps during the day, you may have a sleep disorder that should be treated.

Myth 8: Snoring is a normal part of sleep

Snoring during sleep is common, particularly as a person gets older. Evidence is growing that snoring on a regular basis can make you sleepy during the day and more susceptible to diabetes and heart disease. In addition, some studies link frequent snoring to problem behaviour and poorer school achievement in children. Loud, frequent snoring can also be a sign of sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder that should be treated.

Myth 9: Children who don’t get enough sleep at night will show signs of sleepiness during the day

Unlike adults, children who don’t get enough sleep at night typically become more active than normal during the day. They also show difficulty paying attention and behaving properly. Consequently, they may be misdiagnosed as having attention deficit hyperactivity.

Myth 10: The main cause of insomnia is worry

Although worry or stress can cause a short bout of insomnia, a persistent inability to fall asleep or stay asleep at night can be caused by a number of other factors. Certain medications and sleep disorders can keep you up at night. Other common causes of insomnia are depression, anxiety disorders, and asthma, arthritis, or other medical conditions with symptoms that become more troublesome at night. Some people who have chronic insomnia also appear to be more revved up than normal, so it is harder for them to fall asleep.