Parents are always looking out for their children's best interest and health.
However, they tend to overdo it sometimes by stating "facts," which eventually turn out to be untrue until further notice.
Arab parents tend to excell at that game ... and although we know that they're only doing it to keep us safe, it's time a lot of these myths are busted:
1. "L halib b awwe l 3adem. Shraboun keloun"
Contrary to popular belief, milk might not actually be good for your bones.
Researchers have found that animal milk actually deteriorates your all-on-all health and does not fortify your bones.
The nutrition director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington even admitted that "the countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink the most milk."
On top of that, a research done in Sweden found that women who consumed more milk than those who drank little or no milk had a greater possibility of fracturing their bones.
Although the definitive science in terms of the effects of milk on the bones isn't in yet, it would be wise for us to look into alternative methods to strengthen our bones.
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, they include:
-Getting regular exercise, especially weight-bearing and muscle strengthening exercise.
-Getting adequate vitamin D, whether through diet, exposure to sunshine, or supplements.
-Consuming enough calcium to reduce the amount the body has to borrow from bone.
-Consuming adequate vitamin K, found in green, leafy vegetables. Not getting too much preformed vitamin A.
2. "Mafi dahra menel bet abel ma tnashif sha3rak"
Going out with your hair wet does not increase your risk of catching a cold.
In order to catch a cold "you need to be exposed to an infectious agent," says Dr. Pritish Tosh, an infectious diseases physician and researcher at the Mayo Clinic, in a Huffington Post interview.
However, you should be vigilant of the "ultra-cold weather" as it might cause hypothermia, which would affect your immune system.
3. "Hesh tekoul sekkar halla2 bthaypir"
There has been no study whatsoever that confirms the link between a high sugar income and hyperactivity.
Beware, though, even if you rule out the possibility that your child will become hyperactive, a high-sugar diet with food coloring and artificial flavorings is bad for children's oral hygiene.
4. "Ou3a tebla3 l 3elke. Baddak 7 snin ta thaddema""
They've got one thing correct: gum is indigestible.
However, just like everything else your body doesn't need or can't digest, it will get rid of it by expelling it from your system.
Go enjoy your Chiclets!
5. "Ma ba2a tekoul chocolat mesh sheyif l hboub 3a wejjak?"
Research found that chocolate does not intensify your acne nor does it lead to it.
For the experiment, the scientists at the American Medical Association fed their subjects heaps of candy bars which contained 10 times the standard amount of chocolate you'd find in a normal bar and gave fake chocolate bars to others.
After a month, they realized that there was "no difference" between the two samples.
What we do know is that a high-sugar/high-fat diet can increase sebum production and promote inflammatory responses in the body — which can lead to acne.
6. "Zih men had l microwave! Shou newe ysir ma3ak cancer?"
There are specific types of radiations that can cause cancer and your microwave doesn't emit any of them.
So rest assured and go heat up some leftovers.