Dr. Friedman’s Health Blog

Summer Health Myths, Busted!

By: Dr. David Friedman

You need 8 glasses of water a day to avoid dehydration.   This is not true.  The human body is aprox 70% water and this fluid is vital to the function of all our organ systems.  A good rule of thumb this summer is to  drink half your body weight in ounces.  For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should consume 75 ounces of water per day.  Also, if you drink coffee or alcohol, these beverages will dehydrate you.  Drink an additional 8 ounces of water for every cup of caffeinated coffee or alcoholic beverage you consume.   One way to know if you are dehydrated is to monitor your urine color. Lighter urine color—like lemonade—means you’re generally well-hydrated. If it’s darker, like apple juice, you are most likely dehydrated.

Peeing on a jellyfish sting will ease the pain. Though it may sound convenient, and gross, urine hasn’t been proven to lessen the pain of a jellyfish sting. What works? Vinegar.  The acidity of vinegar removes the sting and reduces the swelling.   If you are the unfortunate victim and a jellyfish sting, soak a paper towel in regular white vinegar and hold it on the sting for 20 minutes.  However, if you have athletes foot, urine has been shown to help.  Your pee has  the antimicrobial ingredient urea, a substance also found in over the counter treatments for athlete’s foot.  So next time you are in the shower and find urine trouble with Athletes foot, you’ll have haPEE  feet if you pee on them!

Eating garlic will help ward off mosquitoes. Garlic may keep vampires at bay, but unfortunately it won’t keep mosquitoes away. Researchers at the University of Connecticut tested the theory without success.  But there is an easy mosquito hack. Purchase some “Bounce” dryer sheets and tuck one in your your shirt or pants. The scent of this dryer sheet repeals the little blood sucking buggers.

The safest place to be in a lightning storm is in a car because it has rubber tires. Actually, you will be safer in a car but it’s not because of the rubber tires.  A car’s frame is like a metal cage, if struck, lightning will flow around its outside. If you are driving in a car, don’t touch the metal door handles or the radio, which is wired to the outside antenna.

If water is stuck in your ear, stand on one food and tilt your head.   This is false.  Your ear canal is curved, so just tilting your head often isn’t enough to release the water. A better move is to tilt your head so the waterlogged ear faces down. Place the tip of your index finger in the cup-like spot at the bottom of your ear, and position your thumb behind the ear on the cartilage above your earlobe. Hold firmly and wiggle your ear to straighten the ear canal and dislodge the water.

Soak an open wound in the sea because saltwater will help it heal.  The sea is full of bacteria, which can enter your cut and cause sores and fever. A better option is to spit on the wound. A digestive enzyme in saliva can clean wounds and kill microorganisms.  Then apply a bandage.

Don’t swim within 30 minutes of eating. 
Mom might have been right when she gave you this advice. More blood is drawn to your GI tract after eating, which can cause minor cramps.  Listen to your body. If you swim and feel ill, sit and wait it out.

BeautyCHEWS

About the Author

Dr. David Friedman is the author of the award-winning, #1 national best-selling book Food Sanity, How to Eat in a World of Fads and Fiction. He's a  Doctor of Naturopathy, Chiropractic Neurologist, Clinical Nutritionist, Board Certified Alternative Medical Practitioner, and Board Certified in Integrative Medicine.  Dr. Friedman is a syndicated television health expert and host of To Your Good Health Radio, which has changed the face of talk radio by incorporating entertainment, shock value, and solutions to everyday health and wellness issues.
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