Does Spinach Really Make You Stronger?

Dr. Paul Trotman, also known as Dr. Know, is fascinating. He investigates medical concerns to find the real answers. We've all heard medical myths such as, how safe is your bathroom, mixing your drinks makes for a worse hangover, and wait thirty minutes after you eat to go swimming. Typically, the general public does not have the resources to look into these mysteries (or we're simply lazy to learn the truth), so we simply believe what we hear.

I remember my mother telling me to wait thirty minutes after eating before jumping into the pool. According to Dr. Trotman,"this myth was disproved in the '60s, but still gets trotted out. The very worst you can expect is a stitch, i.e., a short, sharp pain in the side, in which case you should stop swimming and get out of the water". To all the kids out there, when mom tells you to relax and stay out of the water after eating, just tell her you'll get out if you get a 'stitch'!

I believe I heard this one from a talk show one day: The bathroom is the dirtiest room in the house. It makes sense to believe this, especially because that's where we go when we're dirty and that's where the toilet is. Dr Know actually gave the dirtiest room award to the kitchen. He says the "chopping board and the sink" are amongst the real germ holders. To keep it safe, I recommend thoroughly cleaning your bathroom and kitchen very often!

When doing my own investigation about medical myths (via the internet of course), I came across an interesting myth: does spinach really make you stronger? Growing up as a child of the 80's, I certainly believed Popeye's theory about getting stronger by eating spinach. According to Susan Bowerman, R.D., assistant director of the UCLA Center, these old cartoons are not factual. Although it is a good source of dietary iron and helps provide oxygen to the body, "consuming iron-rich foods in the absence of regular muscle-building exercise won't make you stronger". I wonder how man other childhood cartoons were wrong!

Last, but certainly not least, is my favorite myth: does it really take years to digest a piece of gum? This one reminds me of a Hallmark card I just read (and laughed out loud to). It is a birthday card that basically says the gum you swallowed as a kid is finally starting to digest. If my memory serves me correct, there's a picture of a little girl on the cover. Anyway, let me break the myth again because Susan Bowerman, R.D. says, "No. Gum is made of indigestible material and, if accidentally swallowed, will pass directly through the human digestive system, essentially unchanged, at the same rate as other foods you eat."

The list of medical myths is endless. It makes me think of whisper down the lane; I mean, how did these mysteries even begin? An informative website is www.health.discovery.com. Answers from intelligent and dedicated doctors and nutritionists regarding your deepest health concerns can be found here.