Cancer is a disease of the body’s cells that affects around half of all Australians by the age of 85. Normally cells grow and multiply in a controlled way. But if something causes a mistake to occur in…
There's no biological evidence to show that chocolate can affect your libido.
Roxanne Cooke
By Merlin Thomas, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute
There are many ways to a woman’s heart. But is a box of chocolates really one of them?
What makes chocolate romantic is entirely contextual. Valentine’s Day is traditionally the time for couples to profess…
You can mix "the grape and the grain" and avoid a hangover if you drink in moderation.
Erwyn van der Meer
As a general practitioner, I hear a lot of colourful advice from my patients about what they believe constitutes “safe” drinking and how to avoid a nasty hangover.
Some of the more pithy sayings – “beer…
If you're not meeting your weight-loss targets, you need to eat less or move more.
Flickr/lism
People who struggle to lose weight often blame their difficulty achieving a healthy weight on their “slow metabolism”. So is this a real barrier to weight loss, or is the real culprit an excess of food…
Children should be taught to play music themselves rather than just listening to it.
Naruco
What parent can pass up the chance to boost their child’s intelligence by putting on some nice classical music?
The popular idea that IQ scores can be raised by listening to Mozart is a case study in…
It just isn’t possible for someone with a normal brain to selectively use just one side of it.
vaXzine
When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, getting your body in shape often tops the list. But what about your brain?
If your left or right brain is feeling a little flabby, there’s a wide range of books…
Oysters can still play an important role in romance, even though they aren’t an aphrodisiac.
Stephen Coles
The stuff of romance novels or a secret tool to give you a boost in the bedroom? We start the year by examining the truth about oysters.
Holly gazed around in awe. Rory had brought her to a tiny waterfront…
In the developed world, where vitamin A deficiency isn't an issue, eating carrots won't help you see more clearly.
Nerdcoregirl
Getting enough vitamin A is important for healthy eyes. And carrots are a rich and natural source of this vitamin, which is basically a group of chemicals made up of retinal (the active form of vitamin…
90% of the glutamate in our diet comes from protein, not MSG.
Kevin H
By Merlin Thomas, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is widely viewed as a dangerous food toxin that is responsible for adverse reactions to Chinese food and other meals. But is it really the MSG that’s to blame?
Glutamate is…
Few antibiotics preclude drinking alcohol but it's a bad idea to get drunk when you have an infection.
DeusXFlorida
Staying off alcohol when taking antibiotics has been hallowed advice from GPs, pharmacists and well-meaning relatives for decades.
It’s difficult to work out exactly where the advice orginated, but Karl…
You won't ruin your eyes but you may get a headache.
Martin Gommel
The idea that reading in dim light ruins your eyes isn’t my favourite wives' tale about “leisure activities” causing blindness, nor is it the most obscene! In any case, it’s simply not true.
I’ll begin…
Fruit juice contains as much sugar as soft drink.
Gail M Tang
We often hear, from health experts and well-meaning parents, that soft drink is terribly unhealthy and we should opt for fruit juice instead. But apart from a few additional vitamins and minerals, there…
Being overweight or obese can increase a teen's risk of developing a number of diseases.
Cindy Shar-pei
Picture this common scenario: A mother is worried about the size of her 13-year-old daughter, who appears quite a bit heavier than the other students in her class. But the mother is reassured by her friend…
Tight underwear may increase scrotal temperature but there's no evidence to show it reduces fertility.
AAP
Most men have a preference for boxers or briefs, but which are better when it comes to fertility?
Many things can affect a man’s ability to make or transport sperm, including sexually transmitted infections…
Creativity requires communication between both hemispheres of your brain.
Flickr/lacta
Are you suffering a creativity problem? Well, pop psychology claims your “right brain” holds the key.
Whether you want to drop a few kilos, improve your profits, spice up your sex life, or take over the…
SPF50+ only increases protection by 1.3%.
Flickr/the half blood prince
It’s likely Australia’s sunscreen regulations will change this summer, enabling manufacturers to label their products as SPF50+.
The sunscreen industry has championed the proposed change, led by Standards…
The links between coffee and better health aren't strong enough to recommend another cup.
Flickr/doug8888
By Merlin Thomas, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute
Many Australians begin their day with a cup of coffee. It’s widely viewed as a tonic with revitalising properties – each cup making us feel better. But this isn’t the same as being good for our health…
Case closed: the MMR vaccine has no relationship with autism.
Few medical myths have spread as feverishly and contributed to so much preventable illness than the theory that the triple measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine might be linked to autism.
The tale…
It’s even possible to get relief from symptoms when knowingly taking a placebo.
Flickr/JLA Kliche
If you took a pill that had been prescribed to treat your illness and it alleviated your symptoms, that means the medicine worked – right?
What if you took a complementary medicine from a health food…
Over time, smokers gain as much weight as the rest of the population.
Flickr/Difei Li
One of the few positives put forward by smokers to justify their habit is that it helps keep their weight in check. And while smoking may be harmful to their health, so is obesity.
So how does this claim…
Water alone won't kill germs – it's the soap that counts.
Flickr/CafeMama
By Merlin Thomas, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute
Despite decades of medical breakthroughs and growing health budgets, the simple act of washing our hands remains one of the most important things we can do to protect ourselves from disease.
The principle…
High intake of antioxidants won't slow the ageing process and may increase your risk of some cancers.
Dan Machold
As Australians' life expectancy nudges past 80 years, it’s no surprise that we’re searching for ways to add youthfulness and vitality to our later years.
It’s a nice idea that a good dose of blueberries…
Teething doesn't cause fever but a high temperature shouldn't be ignored.
Any parent can tell you that infant teething makes for a trying time. Restless nights, feeding problems and irritability can all be part and parcel when an intant’s baby teeth erupt through their gums…
There aren't any miracle cures but there are a number of treatments that can reduce its severity.
Flickr/Algo
Switch on daytime television on any given day and you’d be forgiven for thinking there was a cure for the debilitating and dreaded condition, osteoarthritis.
Unfortunately, there’s not. And that’s not…
Minimise bed rest and take short walks around the house if you've got low back pain.
Severe low back pain is a common and dreaded problem that rivals only hay fever, asthma, hypertension and dermatitis as Australia’s leading cause of long-term illness.
The instinctive response to severe…
While it may make you unpopular, cracking your knuckles won't cause arthritis.
Flickr/orijinal
For some it’s a morning ritual – cracking your knuckles before beginning the day. For others, it’s a way to pass time while pondering a thought or reading something particularly interesting online.
But…
Hookahs are actually more dangerous because users are likely to puff more frequently.
After decades of successful anti-tobacco campaigns, we’re all familiar with the risks of smoking. But how do the health harms of cigarettes compare with those of other smoking devices?
The hookah, also…
When you’re sick with a cold, you’re likely to be told to rest and drink plenty of fluids – water, juice, tea and the old favourite, chicken soup.
This has been the prevailing advice for generations and…
It's wise to rug up outdoors but it won't stop you getting a cold.
Flickr/foshydog
By Merlin Thomas, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute
Colds are more common in the cold winter months. But does the weather have anything to do with why we get sick?
These days, we use other terms such as “virus” or “the flu” to describe our sniffles because…
Light or "lite" can refer to the colour, weight or kilojoule content of a product.
Flickr/Trusty pics
How much can you believe about claims made on food packaging? For any mention of the word “light” or “lite”, feel free to add your own definition – that will have about as much credibility as any claim…
The tongue can register all tastes in all locations but with varying sensitivity.
The myth that the four common tastes of sweet, sour, salty and bitter are located at different regions of the tongue has existed for more than a century.
It arose from studies in the late 19th and early…
There's no evidence to prove it works, but does that matter?
Flickr/Akane86
By Merlin Thomas, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute
Of all the homemade winter cure-alls, chicken soup is the best known and most loved. In fact the term “chicken soup” has become idiomatic for all things restorative; benefiting every possible problem from…
Historically, lefties have had a rough trot.
Flickr/Incurable Hippie
Left handers have copped their share of bad publicity in the past.
The term used to describe left handers in English is “sinistral”, which is derived from the word “sinister”.
And it’s no better in other…
Exercise decreases hunger in the long term.
Puuikibeach/Flickr
It’s time to ignore any advice you’ve heard about your sweat and hard work in the gym sabotaging your weight loss efforts by causing you to eat more. Every little bit of exercise can help shift unwanted…
Even when we rest, all the sections of our brain show some level of activity.
flickr/wellunwell
The thought that most of us only use 10% of our brain is appealing because it means we have a whole lot of untapped potential waiting to be harnessed. Unfortunately, that figure is off by about 90%.
This…
Men's testosterone decline isn't quite the same as menopause.
Andres Thor
Feeling tired and grumpy? Maybe a litte emotional? If you’re a middle-aged male, these symptoms might be hormone-related, but no, you’re not going through man opause.
It’s true that signs of men’s low…
A full English breakfast just doesn't cut it.
Iban
Piping hot cups of coffee. A fat laden fried breakfast. Going for a run. Or maybe just going back to bed. There are plenty of claims about how you can cure a hangover. So, what’s the reality?
If you’ve…
It's how much you eat, not when you eat it, that affects weight management.
If only a cure to world hunger was as easy as dishing out late-night sandwiches to the starving masses, and seeing them gain weight by eating at night.
The reality is that it’s not when you eat, but how…
Any parent would tell you that seeing children fuelling up on sugar-laden cake, lollies and soft drinks at a birthday party is a sure-fire recipe for a bunch of rampaging hyperactive kids.
The connection…
It's more likely to be the accompanying potatoes or your natural post-lunch dip.
tuchodi/flickr
By Merlin Thomas, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute
It has been long-rumoured that gobbling up turkey meat has a mysterious soporific effect, rendering its consumers progressively drowsier. Sounds like a good story, and certainly one that’s worth checking…
You don't need eight of these a day to be healthy.
We have all heard the popular advice that we should drink at least eight glasses of water a day, so it may be a surprise that this is more myth than fact.
Of course our bodies need water, otherwise we…
