Not all popular recommendations are equally useful. Over the years of medicine, people have learned many things that help to prevent or effectively resist all sorts of diseases. Wash hands before meals, breathe deeply in stressful situations, sleep at least eight hours a day, drink enough liquid - this list can be continued for a long time. However, not all popular recommendations are equally useful.

Here are the top 7 myths about medicine and health, with which it's time to say goodbye.

Myth 1. Rankes and scratches need to be treated with hydrogen peroxide It is believed that peroxide disinfects and speeds up healing. In fact, a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which is often found in home first-aid kits, is practically useless from the point of view of wound treatment.

Evidence that peroxide is effective as a healing agent, scientists have not found. As for disinfecting properties, the research is still underway. However, there are already data that peroxide (as, incidentally, iodine) from the antiseptic point of view is not the best choice. The fact is that many microorganisms contain enzymes that quickly turn off the action of H2O2, so the decrease in the number of bacteria is only of a short-term nature.

However, it's not worth it to write off peroxide: it is effective for mechanical cleaning of wounds. Approximately the same as pure running water.

Myth 2. Mantoux can not be tested This is one of the most popular misconceptions. It is believed that the water that gets on the skin can affect the reaction of the body, because of which the speck of the injection will increase in size and give rise to suspected tuberculosis. However, it is not.

Injection of tuberculin is introduced into the deep layers of the skin. To penetrate there, and therefore, and affect the reaction of water can not. That is why in the recommendations of the experts there are no restrictions on the bathing after the mantle. Doctors ask only if possible not to rub and scratch the place of injection.

Myth 3. Antiviral drugs save colds Unfortunately, no. Antiviral agents that could prevent or alleviate the course of ARVI and colds do not exist to this day. The effectiveness of a limited number of drugs has been confirmed only for influenza type A. They ease the symptoms and shorten the duration of the disease for about a day, which, you see, is not so much. However, they can not respiratory infections.

In addition, antiviral tablets may be unsafe for health, and this must also be taken into account.

Myth 4. Vision spoils from reading in dim light. Eyes reading in the twilight does not really like it - it's a fact. In poor lighting, you have to strain the eye muscles and look more closely at the text. Because of this, the frequency of blinking becomes lower, and the mucous membrane is drier. As a result, the eyes get tired faster. Reading in poor lighting is really inconvenient. But this does not lead to any irreversible consequences for the visual system.

Myth 5. Before training you need stretching If you are going to run a hundred meter faster than Usain Bolt or right now to raise a record for yourself, then in addition to prepare the muscles for extreme loads will not be superfluous.

But by and large stretching is useless. It has no significant effect on either the intensity of pain after training, nor on the prevention of injuries. And in some cases, if the stretching is too intense, it also worsens the muscle strength and overall result of the exercises.

All of the above concerns only stretching, and not warm-up before training in general. Preheating for muscles is still desirable. Only in addition to pull them well, not necessarily.

Myth 6. Fresh fruit contains more nutrients than frozen Frozen fruits and vegetables have exactly the same useful properties as fresh ones. The reason is that they are frozen immediately after harvest, when the nutritional value of the green is the highest. And some frozen fruits: for example, corn, blueberries and green beans - even surpass the fresh in terms of the content of vitamins.

In any case, frozen fruits and vegetables are more useful than "fresh", which lay on the counter or in the pantry for at least a day or two: the heat and relative humidity of the air contribute to the loss of nutritional value. For example, green peas lose about half of vitamin C within 24-48 hours after collection.

Myth 7. Products with a high content of cholesterol are harmful Generally, cholesterol is not harmful, but, on the contrary, is vital. It ensures the stability of cell membranes of all living organisms on Earth. And besides, it participates in the production of vitamin D under the influence of sunlight, the production of steroid hormones, including cortisol, progesterone, estrogens and testosterone. The popular edition of HuffingtonPost once published a great article about how undeservedly demonized cholesterol.

Short extract (not only from the article, but also from other scientific studies): cholesterol contained in food is not going to destroy your health and has no effect on the state of the cardiovascular system.

When physicians talk about high cholesterol, they do not mean the amount of this substance derived from food - for example, chicken eggs. It is exclusively about cholesterol circulating in the blood, the popular American medical resource WebMDThe Dangers of High Cholesterol.

Disorders of cholesterol metabolism in the body - this is the main evil. And to prevent it, the level of cholesterol in the blood is recommended to control. It is done not by any food restrictions, but by preventive methods: by regular blood tests and consultations with the therapist who observes you.

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