People who mean well often give awful advice against every best practice we know. Though typically it’s harmless, the wrong guidance in matters of health and wellness can be dangerous.
Please don’t follow this bad health advice, even if the most well-meaning person gives it.
Push Through Illness
America’s toxic work culture likes to pretend being sick isn’t a big deal. Managers will tell workers to come on in despite a horrible cold and even go so far as to say if they’re well enough to see a doctor, they’re well enough to work.
Don’t work when you’re sick if you can avoid it. Take care of yourself.
Pain is Normal
Everyone gets aches and pains, but if you think something is different, advocate for yourself and seek help. Don’t let people dismiss you because “pain is normal.” You may have a severe condition, and the sooner you find it, the better.
Use a Feminine Cleanse
Millions of women are duped into using feminine cleansing products that don’t work and cause more harm than good. If you’re experiencing weird symptoms, you don’t need a “cleanse.” You need to see a doctor.
Get Sunburned for a Tan
Some folks will tell you that if you have white, pasty skin, you should sit in the sun more so you can get burned, which will help you tan better. This bad health advice can lead to skin cancer – no tan is worth that.
An Alkaline Diet
New health gurus insist that our overly acidic diets cause all our health problems. They say switching to an “alkaline heavy diet” will make us healthier. There’s no evidence to back these claims.
Those are Normal “Woman Problems”
Far too many women’s health issues get written off as normal when they’re anything but. Millions of women suffer severe pain from endometritis or PCOS, yet their doctors refuse to listen and say it’s all normal.
Anything a Chiropractor Says
Far too many people relied on chiropractors for back pain, only to end up with worse medical problems because the chiropractor pinched a nerve or moved a vertebra.
We won’t go so far as to say all chiropractors give bad health advice and make things worse, but it’s better to see a real medical doctor when you’re having pain.
Stop Sweating So Much
Sweat is your body’s natural cooling mechanism. You could probably stop sweating if you stopped drinking water, but it’s not good for you.
Miracle Cures
Essential oils, healing crystals, homeopathy – all these super cures won’t cure serious illnesses. Enjoy them if you think they’re fun, but if something is wrong, go to a real doctor.
It’s All in Your Head
Some folks just can’t grasp the concept that someone else is ill. They’ll spin all sorts of fantasies to avoid dealing with the truth. The idea that your pain is all in your head is far too common, both amongst friends and family and in the medical community. You must advocate for yourself to get to the heart of what’s really wrong.
Don’t Take Meds
A lot of people don’t believe in mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. They’ll tell you that you just need to put on a happy face to get better and avoid prescription medications designed specifically to help with these problems. Don’t listen to naysayers. Trust yourself to know whether you need meds or not.
Avoid Vaccinations
The fact that millions of people now distrust proven medicine is a giant problem. One quack doctor started an entire anti-medicine trend that’s nearly impossible to stop. The truth is vaccines have saved an immeasurable amount of lives. They’ve eradicated illnesses like smallpox and polio and limit the ill effects of things like measles. Get vaccinated.
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