Medical health is one of the most misinformed and manipulated areas of life. It's an area where the coldly scientific and emotional collide, so it's understandable if specific details are misstated or distorted. When you factor in the millions that a website would make with a headline-grabbing new diet fad, it's unavoidable that you'll hear some dubious diet and exercise advice. Medical myths and facts should be separated.

This article enlisted the expertise of various health professionals who shared their recommendations for some of the most frequent health myths—and the facts behind them to help you distinguish between fact and fiction.

5 Medical Myths

1. MYTH: You should consume at least eight glasses of water each day.

There's no proof that you need to drink that much water to get enough fluids, and drinking too much water can be harmful. A well-known weight-reduction program popularized that idea, although there is no medical evidence that it aids weight loss. Drink only during times when you're thirsty and never feel compelled to drink more than you need to take care of your personal health.

2. MYTH: Only 10% of our brains are in use.

The majority of the brain isn't dozing off. The "non-functioning" 90% of the brain has yet to be discovered in detailed brain investigations. In truth, the 10% claim is a complete fabrication. You put your entire intellect to work. There are only underused brain regions when certain regions receive damage from brain trauma or disease. During even relatively ordinary actions like conversing, walking, and listening to music, brain imaging scans indicate that practically all brain regions are active.

3. MYTH: After death, hair and fingernails continue to grow.

After death, hair and fingernails stop growing. However, dehydration can cause the skin to shrink back from the hair and nails, making them appear longer. While the hair and nails retain the same length, this happens. This alteration in the body creates the optical illusion of growth. Various cell types die at multiple rates. The oxygen supply to the brain is cut off when the heart stops beating. The new cells push the older ones forward, giving the impression that the nail grows longer from the tip. It’s good to check medical information to avoid assumptions like this.

4. MYTH: The heart rate monitor is the best predictor of intensity level.

The heart rate tracker is a favorite among all the exciting devices on the cardio equipment. While your heart rate is an essential indicator of the intensity of your workout, you may not want to trust what the machine says.

The machine heart rate value should only be used as a guide because a finger pulse is not as exact as an arterial pulse. Wear a heart rate monitor that straps around your chest if you want an accurate estimate of your intensity.

5. MYTH: Egg yolks are unhealthy.

Health myths give eggs' delectable golden core a bad rap. You should rethink your belief that egg yolk's 'bad cholesterol' causes heart disease or atherosclerosis.

Perhaps because the health benefits of egg yolk were only a recent discovery, but egg yolk is advised for everyone, including patients with heart disease because it is high in HDL, which is the good cholesterol that counteracts the effects of bad cholesterol. As a result, unless allergic, one egg per day for everyone at least five days a week is a good idea.

5 Medical Facts

1. FACT: Laughter is beneficial to the heart and can enhance blood flow by 20%.

Laughter is there to improve cardiac function. Every day, make time to laugh. Laughter is beneficial to your health and the health of your heart, and you should all do it more regularly. Unfortunately, there is a significant difference between the number of times an average youngster laughs each day and the number of times an average adult laughs each day. Every day, our youngsters laugh between 300 and 400 times. Adults, on the other hand, number only 26. Free medical advice: You should freely express giggles, laughs, guffaws, and snorts.

2. FACT: Your skin works hard. Not only is it the largest organ in the body, but it also regulates your temperature and defends you against disease and infection. 

This fact shows how important skin is for your body and metabolism. The skin has a lot of different functions. It is a durable but flexible outer covering that acts as a barrier, protecting your body from harmful things in the outside world such as moisture, the cold and sun rays, as well as germs and toxic substances.

3. FACT: Always see the bright side: being a positive person can help you live a longer life.

On average, optimistic persons live 11 to 15% longer than those who are pessimistic. Women who reported being more hopeful had a 50% higher chance of living to reach 85 years old. Optimistic males were 70% more likely to live the same age as their counterparts. So it appears that focusing on the sunny side of life can even help you live longer!

4. FACT: Even when you're exhausted, exercise will give you extra energy.

Get your feet moving. You may believe that exercising is the furthest thing from your thoughts. On the other hand, regular exercise will make you feel less weary in the long run, giving you more energy. Even a single 15-minute walk can help you feel more energized, and the benefits increase as you engage in more physical activity. Begin with a tiny bit of physical activity. Build up to the suggested goal of 2 hours 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as cycling or fast walking, over weeks and months.

5. FACT: Sitting and sleeping are beneficial in moderation, but too much of either can increase your risk of premature death.

Sitting down or sleeping for an extended period raises your risk of developing chronic health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and certain malignancies. A lot of sitting and sleeping can be detrimental to your mental health. Being active is not as difficult as you may believe. There are numerous straightforward methods to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. 

Many health misconceptions have emerged over the centuries. Some have been tried, tested, and accepted as fact, while others are pure fiction. It would help if you looked into the integrity of legends. Myths about health are frequent, and they originate for various reasons. Some may be "old wives' tales" passed down from generation to generation that have escaped scrutiny outside scientific and medical communities. So, when reading medical myths and facts, always use critical thinking!

Sources: uofmhealth.org, webmd.com, verywellmind.com, bbc.com, uamshealth.com, medexpress.com, thegoodbody.com, providence.org, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, trulyexperiences.com, nhs.uk, betterhealth.vic.gov.au, medicalnewstoday.com

image sources: suc from Pixabay, PxHere, Aline Ponce from Wikimedia Commons, _DJ_ from Flickr, Michael-T from Pixabay