Does chicken soup really help fight a cold?
Photos: 10 winter health myths busted
Some winter wisdom is about as factual as Frosty the Snowman. Problem is, these fictions don't just give you the warm and fuzzies: They can pack on the pounds, stuff up your nose and even increase your risk of cancer. This season, don't let these winter health myths get the best of you.
Hide Caption
1 of 11
Photos: 10 winter health myths busted
Myth: Cold air can make you sick.
It's called the common "cold," but lower temperatures alone won't make you sick. In fact, the exact opposite is true. "Cells that fight infection in body actually increase if you go out into the cold," said Dr. Rachel C. Vreeman, co-author of "Don't Swallow Your Gum! Myths, Half-Truths, and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health." It's your body's way of combating the stress of freezing temps.
Plus, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, cold viruses grow best at about 91 degrees; if you're outside in the cold, your nostrils are surely colder than that.
Health.com: 5 most common myths about the common cold
It's called the common "cold," but lower temperatures alone won't make you sick. In fact, the exact opposite is true. "Cells that fight infection in body actually increase if you go out into the cold," said Dr. Rachel C. Vreeman, co-author of "Don't Swallow Your Gum! Myths, Half-Truths, and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health." It's your body's way of combating the stress of freezing temps.
Plus, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, cold viruses grow best at about 91 degrees; if you're outside in the cold, your nostrils are surely colder than that.
Health.com: 5 most common myths about the common cold
Hide Caption
2 of 11
Photos: 10 winter health myths busted
Myth: You shouldn't exercise in the cold.
Get ready to crawl out from under your comforter and run into the great (and yes, cold) outdoors. According to research published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, in cold temperatures, race times are actually faster, and quicker paces burn more calories in less time. Plus, that harder, faster workout can spike your endorphin levels -- which, according to a review in Environmental Science and Technology, are already increased just by you being outside.
Ready to get started? Follow this guide to running in the cold.
Get ready to crawl out from under your comforter and run into the great (and yes, cold) outdoors. According to research published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, in cold temperatures, race times are actually faster, and quicker paces burn more calories in less time. Plus, that harder, faster workout can spike your endorphin levels -- which, according to a review in Environmental Science and Technology, are already increased just by you being outside.
Ready to get started? Follow this guide to running in the cold.
Hide Caption
3 of 11
Photos: 10 winter health myths busted
Myth: Allergies go away in the winter.
Allergies might be the real source behind your stuffy nose and scratchy throat this season. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, one in five people suffers from indoor/outdoor allergies, and the indoor variety can actually be worse in the winter. Pets don't spend as much time outdoors, shut windows seal in poor air quality, and many molds even thrive in the winter, Vreeman says.
If your symptoms last longer than 10 days or ease up after taking an antihistamine, it might be time to visit an allergist.
Health.com: 15 hypoallergenic dogs and cats
Allergies might be the real source behind your stuffy nose and scratchy throat this season. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, one in five people suffers from indoor/outdoor allergies, and the indoor variety can actually be worse in the winter. Pets don't spend as much time outdoors, shut windows seal in poor air quality, and many molds even thrive in the winter, Vreeman says.
If your symptoms last longer than 10 days or ease up after taking an antihistamine, it might be time to visit an allergist.
Health.com: 15 hypoallergenic dogs and cats
Hide Caption
4 of 11
Photos: 10 winter health myths busted
Myth: You don't need sunscreen in the winter.
Forget bathing suits. Department stores should stock sunscreen with the toboggan hats. "Because the Earth's surface is closer to the sun during the winter months, we are actually exposed to more harmful rays without even realizing it," said Dr. Robert Guida, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York.
What's more, snow and ice can both reflect up to 80% of harmful UV rays so that they can hit the skin twice, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. So even in winter, keep in mind these five ways to protect against skin cancer.
Forget bathing suits. Department stores should stock sunscreen with the toboggan hats. "Because the Earth's surface is closer to the sun during the winter months, we are actually exposed to more harmful rays without even realizing it," said Dr. Robert Guida, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York.
What's more, snow and ice can both reflect up to 80% of harmful UV rays so that they can hit the skin twice, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. So even in winter, keep in mind these five ways to protect against skin cancer.
Hide Caption
5 of 11
Photos: 10 winter health myths busted
Myth: You lose most of your body heat through your head.
Contrary to the findings from one 1950s Army study, most of your body heat doesn't escape through your noggin, according to Vreeman. "In the now-infamous study, volunteers visited the Arctic with their heads exposed. However, the rest of them was outfitted in gear designed to protect against the cold, so it's logical that they lost most of their body heat from their heads," she said.
If you go outside without gloves, you'll lose a disproportionate amount of heat through your hands.
Health.com: Winter skin annoyances, solved
Contrary to the findings from one 1950s Army study, most of your body heat doesn't escape through your noggin, according to Vreeman. "In the now-infamous study, volunteers visited the Arctic with their heads exposed. However, the rest of them was outfitted in gear designed to protect against the cold, so it's logical that they lost most of their body heat from their heads," she said.
If you go outside without gloves, you'll lose a disproportionate amount of heat through your hands.
Health.com: Winter skin annoyances, solved
Hide Caption
6 of 11
