No evidence exists that feeding children a high-sugar diet will induce hyperactivity, despite the common belief that it does, according to Dr. Bryan Burke, an associate professor of General Pediatrics and Neonatology at UAMS. “By the same token I kind of like this old wives’ tale, despite it being wrong, because a high-sugar diet has […]
Medical Myths
Can Some People be Carriers of Diseases Without Ever Appearing Sick?
Infections are transmitted by different types of “germs,” including bacteria and viruses. Some germs can cause asymptomatic infection, which means that the person can have the ‘germ’ in their body, but they don’t have any symptoms of the disease or they have very mild symptoms and don’t really feel sick, according to the Division of Infectious Diseases […]
Does Your Heart Stop for an Instant When You Sneeze?
You sneeze and your body reacts. Your eyes squeeze closed and your heart seems to jump. Did your heart just stop? According to the UAMS’ Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, your heart doesn’t exactly stop. When you sneeze, the intrathoracic pressure in your body momentarily increases. This will decrease the blood flow back […]
Will Taking Vitamin C Help You Avoid Getting a Cold?
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is good for preventing scurvy, which British sailors discovered in the mid-1700s. However, it won’t prevent colds or relieve any of the symptoms associated with them, according to the UAMS College of Pharmacy. Many people are convinced that taking large quantities of vitamin C will keep them from […]
Do a Person’s Hair and Fingernails Continue to Grow After Death?
Hair and fingernails may appear longer after death, but not because they are still growing. Instead, a persons fingernails and hair may appear longer because the skin around them has retracted, according to the Dermatology Clinic at UAMS. After death, dehydration causes the skin and other soft tissues to shrink. This occurs while the hair and […]