Saturday, April 5, 2008

9 things to stop worrying about right now - Health - TODAYshow.com

9 things to stop worrying about right now

"From eggs raising cholesterol to cold weather giving you a cold, Health magazine busts the biggest health myths out there."

Myth #7: Eggs raise your cholesterol
In the 1960s and 1970s, scientists linked blood cholesterol with heart disease — and eggs (high in cholesterol) were banished to the chicken house.

The truth: Newer studies have found that saturated and trans fats in a person's diet, not dietary cholesterol, are more likely to raise heart disease risk. (An egg has only 1.6 grams of saturated fat, compared with about 3 grams in a cup of 2 percent milk.) And, at 213 milligrams of cholesterol, one egg slips under the American Heart Association's recommendation of no more than 300 milligrams a day. "Eggs offer lean protein and vitamins A and D, and they're inexpensive and convenient," Beeson says. "If you do have an egg for breakfast, just keep an eye out for the amount of cholesterol in the other foods you eat that day."

Myth #8: Get cold, and you'll catch a cold
It must be true because your mother always said so. Right?

The truth: Mom was wrong. "Chilling doesn't hurt your immunity, unless you're so cold that your body defenses are destroyed — and that only occurs during hypothermia," Vreeman says. "And you can't get a cold unless you're exposed to a virus that causes a cold." The reason people get more colds in the winter isn't because of the temperature, but it may be a result of being cooped up in closed spaces and exposed to the spray of cold viruses. Staying warm may not prevent a cold, but staying cheerful might. A study at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh says positive people exposed to cold viruses have a 13 percent lower risk of getting a cold than gloomier souls.

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