Old wives’ tales that passed through generations were mostly proven false by modern science. Unfortunately, some are pervasive, garnering thousands of believers despite the potential harm they could cause.
These 12 old wives’ tales remain despite all the evidence that they aren’t true.
Harming the Baby
Myths abound about what pregnant people should/shouldn’t do. One that’s been proven false but remains persistent is that raising your arms while pregnant will harm the baby. Myths like this prevent women from participating in society while pregnant.
Entrapment
Entrapment laws protect people from being manipulated by law enforcement into committing crimes. It has nothing to do with asking an undercover cop if they’re a cop.
Starve a Fever
The full rhyme goes, “starve a fever, feed a cold.” People believe not eating will reduce fevers, when sick people need all the energy they can get to fight off the cold.
The Baby’s Gender
Before we had ultrasounds to determine a baby’s gender, old wives’ tales had numerous tricks for figuring out whether the bundle of joy was a boy or a girl. The most pervasive is how the mother carries – low means a boy, high means a girl. The truth is how a mother carries has no bearing on gender.
Gum Stays in Your Stomach
Adults tell kids never to swallow gum, warning that the undigestable substance sits in your stomach for seven long years.
Knuckle Cracking Arthritis
A medical myth that refuses to go away claims cracking your knuckles causes arthritis. Several studies show it does not.
Hair Grows Thicker
Despite all the evidence it’s wrong, the myth that shaved hair grows back thicker will not go away. Shaved hair appears thicker at first because the end is blunt, but it will even out as it grows.
Opal’s Secret Powers
Opal jewelry destroys women’s lives unless it’s her birthstone. The old wives’ tale states that women born outside of October who wear opal will have bad luck with family and marriage.
Carrots Improve Eyesight
The idea that carrots improve eyesight was clever propaganda that morphed into an old wives tale. The government pushed the idea to hide their new radar technology.
Wet Hair
Never leave the house with wet hair – you’ll get sick! Germs cause illness, not wet hair.
Spiders in Sleep
Did you know you swallow up to eight spiders a night when you sleep? We hope you didn’t because it’s not true. The best part about this rumor is that it was explicitly created to showcase how false information spreads.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Far too many mothers got unexpected surprises when they found themselves expecting shortly after delivering. The myth that you can’t get pregnant while breastfeeding needs to retire.
Comforting Lies We All Believe
Even the smartest among us fall for these everyday lies.
We’re So Tired of Explaining these Basic Concepts To Others
Sometimes, people just can’t understand basic ideas. We explain these concepts to others until our faces turn blue, yet they still can’t grasp them.
Reasons Not To Have Kids
Despite all the pressure to procreate, it’s perfectly valid not to want kids. Millennials and younger generations are opting out of parenthood at record rates.
Here are their top reasons for not wanting kids.
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From medicine woman to legendary monster – discover the truth about witches and witchcraft throughout history.
Celebrating the Divine Feminine
Many cultures throughout history worshipped the divine feminine. Find out why she’s so powerful.