You’ve probably popped an antacid for heartburn, avoided milk during a cold, or reached for aspirin to protect your heart. These seem like sensible health decisions—the kinds of things everyone just knows.
These common beliefs shape what we eat, how we exercise, and how we treat illness or injuries. But while many ideas passed down have real value, some do not. Many longstanding health “rules” don’t hold up scientifically. Some are misconstrued, while others are simply wrong and may even be harmful.
Here are some common myths that need to fade away.
1. Fevers Are Bad, and You Should Lower Body Temperature
For some people, the onset of a fever sets off alarm bells, and their first instinct is to take medication to lower their temperature.
However, it’s a myth that a fever should always be lowered, Dr. Kyle Hoedebecke, a clinical adviser at Alpas Wellness, told The Epoch Times. Fever is a natural and important part of the body’s immune response to infection. The increase in body temperature helps the immune system to fight off bacteria and viruses more efficiently.
Research has found that reducing a low-to-moderate fever may delay recovery, while allowing a fever to run its course may improve outcomes. For example, despite current medical guidelines, one study found septic patients who arrived at the emergency room with a higher fever had a better chance of survival and shorter hospital stays.
“For most adults and children, a low-grade fever is not a cause for concern and doesn’t need medication unless there’s a lot of discomfort,” Hoedebecke said.
However, a fever of 103 degrees to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, or a fever in infants younger than 3 months old, requires immediate medical care, he said.
2. Taking Antacids Will Fix Your Heartburn
Heartburn’s fiery sensations in the stomach and esophagus often send people straight to the medicine cabinet for an acid-reducing drug. While these medications may help ease symptoms, experts suggest that it doesn’t mean the stomach is producing too much acid.
“Heartburn being caused by too much stomach acid is a myth,” Hoedebecke said. “High stomach acid can be a trigger for heartburn, but actually, many people with acid reflux have too little stomach acid.”
The burning sensation during a bout of heartburn happens when the lower esophageal sphincter—a group of muscles near the esophagus—relaxes, allowing stomach acid to flow back up into the esophagus. It doesn’t matter how much stomach acid there is because any amount can cause acid reflux, he said.
Consuming large portions, fatty or fried foods, alcohol, caffeine, or lying down after a meal can trigger the lower esophageal sphincter to relax.
Antacids can provide temporary relief by reducing stomach acid, but overuse can lead to medication-induced hypochlorhydria, or low stomach acid.
Too little stomach acid can increase a person’s risk of bacterial infections and impair the absorption of nutrients. It can also produce symptoms similar to heartburn.
Doctors can diagnose this condition by having the patient undergo a “hydrochloric acid challenge,” in which they take an acid-containing capsule with a meal to see whether their symptoms improve or worsen.
Because heartburn is a complex condition and can be a symptom of an underlying stomach or intestinal condition, people should consider visiting their doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment if they experience it frequently.
3. Avoid Milk When You Have a Cold
The idea that consuming dairy products during an upper respiratory illness will lead to increased mucus production has been circulating for decades.
Despite this longstanding belief, research has found no evidence that milk increases mucus production. However, it may make mucus feel thicker in the mouth or throat, which likely explains how this myth gained traction.
In an older study, researchers gave participants cow’s milk or soy milk and found that both increased sensations of thicker mucus but did not trigger increased mucus production.
Milk is a mixture of tiny fat molecules and water. When it mixes with saliva, which contains gel-like proteins called mucins, the fat droplets clump together, leaving a lingering coating-like feel in the mouth.
4. Taking Daily Aspirin Will Prevent a Heart Attack
The 2019 American Heart Association guidelines and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations no longer advise that healthy adults take aspirin every day to prevent a first heart attack or stroke.
Despite these new protocols, a January survey found that 48 percent of American adults believe the benefits of daily low-dose aspirin to prevent heart attack or stroke outweigh the risks. Nearly 20 percent of adults with no personal or family history of heart attack or stroke reported routinely taking low-dose aspirin.
“Aspirin has a serious risk of increased bleeding events, such as bleeding in the stomach or the brain,” Hoedebecke said. “Aspirin for prevention is now recommended only for people who have existing cardiovascular disease or a very high risk of heart disease.”
Hoedebecke noted that in these cases, the benefits of taking aspirin outweigh the risks. However, anyone considering daily aspirin should see their doctor first to determine whether their risk factors for heart attack or stroke justify taking the medication.
5. Doing Sit-Ups Will Flatten Your Stomach
Advertisements claiming “this miracle five-minute workout will flatten your stomach fast” can sound appealing. However, doing sit-ups, crunches, or other midsection exercises alone won’t burn the belly fat hiding those six-pack abs.
Fat loss or gain is a whole-body issue, and exercising one part of your body will not reduce fat in that area, Dr. Derek Ochiai, an arthroscopic surgeon and sports medicine expert at Nirschl Orthopaedic Center in Virginia, told The Epoch Times.
“I’m a big fan of sit-ups and other core strengthening exercises for injury prevention, just not to reduce belly fat specifically,” Ochiai said.
Trimming the mid-section may require a person to adjust their diet and exercise program to promote overall weight loss.
Exercise or movement will burn additional calories, and if caloric output, or how much energy is expended, exceeds how many calories a person consumes, body fat, including belly fat, will decrease, he said.
6. You Need Intense Workouts to Get Real Health Benefits
Light to moderate physical activity, such as walking, is often dismissed as too easy or not real exercise, but this attitude is sending people to early graves, Adam Brockman, a chiropractor and doctor of naturopathy, told The Epoch Times.
Walking is an accessible form of exercise and may help lower the risks of heart disease and high blood pressure. It can also be part of a weight management program.
Brockman has seen patients lose weight, reduce the need for prescription medications, and transform other aspects of their health simply by committing themselves to daily walks.
“Walking is the foundation of human movement. Master it before you worry about anything else,” he said.
However, walking is not the most efficient form of exercise, Ochiai said. Moderate running for 30 minutes burns about twice as many calories as walking for 30 minutes. However, in terms of distance, running burns only slightly more calories per mile than walking.
“For instance, walking a mile can burn around 100 calories, but running a mile burns about 20 percent more,” Ochiai said. “Many people have joint issues that preclude running, and walking for exercise can yield a lot of benefits.”
7. Going Gluten-Free Is a Healthier Diet
Going “gluten-free” or avoiding foods that contain gluten—a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and other grains—has gained popularity because of its perceived health benefits, so much so that nearly one-third of American adults say they would prefer to reduce or avoid eating gluten.
People with celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or a wheat allergy must follow a gluten-free diet to avoid digestive problems or allergic reactions. However, research suggests that for most people, eliminating gluten will not provide meaningful health benefits and may increase the risk of nutritional deficiencies, especially B vitamins, iron, and trace minerals.
A 2017 study published in The BMJ found that gluten-free foods are often higher in fat and calories and lower in fiber and whole grains than their gluten-containing counterparts. Because it lacks whole grains, following a gluten-free diet long-term may increase the risk of heart disease.
Additionally, research has shown that many gluten-free products are highly processed. A diet high in ultra-processed food is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and death from all causes. Therefore, it is important for those following a gluten-free diet to choose foods wisely and ensure that they get enough whole fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and gluten-free grains.
8. Dark Chocolate Is Always Good for You
Dark chocolate, once considered a treat, became known as a health food in about 2022 after studies found that it may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and brain-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Recent research found that the compound theobromine, found in dark chocolate, may even help slow biological aging.
However, before filling your grocery cart with chocolate bars, it’s important to note that the type of dark chocolate you choose matters. Simply being dark does not make chocolate healthy.
Dark chocolate contains cocoa, which is rich in phenolic compounds, including flavonoids. These compounds provide health benefits but can also make high-cocoa chocolate taste bitter or acidic, which some people find off-putting. Thus, many chocolate makers add ingredients to improve the taste.
Chocolate with less cocoa is usually higher in fat and sugar. While it may taste better, it isn’t as healthy as high-cocoa chocolate and can do more harm than good.
The scientific consensus is that dark chocolate with 70 percent or higher cocoa content provides the greatest benefits. So, when choosing dark chocolate, bitter is better.
9. Running Can Damage Your Joints
Contrary to popular belief, research has found that recreational running doesn’t increase the risk of arthritis. Instead, it builds stronger leg muscles and joints, improves fitness, and may even reduce the chances of developing arthritis.
“This myth has scared more people away from one of the best forms of exercise than almost any other piece of misinformation out there,” Brockman said.
Cartilage, he added, is like a sponge and needs compression and decompression from activities such as running to stay healthy and receive nutrients.
“I’ve treated marathon runners in their 70s with healthier knees than sedentary 40-year-olds,” Brockman, who also owns Complete Wellness, a chiropractic and medical center, added.
What actually causes arthritis is a combination of genetics, previous injuries, obesity, and lack of movement.
If a person has existing joint damage or biomechanical issues, running technique and footwear become crucial. But for most people, Brockman said, the benefits far outweigh any theoretical risks.
10. You Need to Stay Awake After a Concussion
The fear that brain injury could worsen or go undetected is why many believe that a person shouldn’t sleep or should be awakened and checked after suffering a concussion.
However, this advice has caused more harm than good and comes from old emergency protocols that modern concussion research has debunked, Brockman said.
The old thinking was that unconsciousness meant worsening brain injury, so keeping people awake seemed logical, he noted. However, preventing sleep interferes with the brain’s natural healing mechanisms.
“Sleep is actually crucial for brain healing after a concussion,” Brockman said. “Your brain does its most important repair work during sleep, clearing out metabolic waste and consolidating damaged neural pathways.”
Brockman has worked with numerous athletes whose recovery was prolonged simply because they were afraid to sleep normally after a head injury.
“Once we corrected this misconception and implemented proper sleep hygiene, their symptoms improved dramatically,” he said.
While sleep is safe after a concussion, if someone shows symptoms of complications, such as seizures, double vision, or worsening headache, they should not sleep but instead should seek urgent medical attention, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted.
11. Swelling After an Injury Should Be Treated
Twisting an ankle or other injuries to joints, ligaments, and tendons often leads to swelling, which many believe needs immediate and aggressive treatment. However, depending on the situation, it may be better to let the body use its healing powers.
“This myth drives me crazy because it’s led to so much unnecessary intervention over the years. Here’s what most people don’t understand—swelling isn’t always the enemy,” Brockman said.
Swelling is a natural response to injury, much like the body’s own emergency response team rushing to the scene, he said. The initial inflammatory response brings nutrients, immune cells, and growth factors to the injured area.
“I had a basketball player come in last month who had been icing his sprained ankle obsessively for two weeks, wondering why it wasn’t getting better. The problem? He was interfering with his body’s natural healing cascade,” Brockman said.
Although some inflammation is necessary for tissue repair, excessive swelling can be problematic. A 2024 study suggested that uncontrolled inflammation can lead to tissue damage, impair healing, and trigger the formation of scar tissue. Therefore, precise regulation of inflammation is crucial.
For the first 24 to 48 hours after an acute injury, gentle compression and elevation can help manage excessive swelling, Brockman said.
“But don’t go overboard with anti-inflammatory medications or aggressive icing protocols,” he said. “Your body knows what it’s doing. Trust the process while managing the extremes.”
Nonetheless, swelling around a joint can signal significant damage, Ochiai said. While initial treatment of what’s referred to as RICE—rest, ice, compression, and elevation—can help relieve symptoms, the injury should also be evaluated by a medical provider.
12. Most Chronic Diseases Are Incurable
When a person is diagnosed with a chronic disease, many believe that it’s impossible to significantly change their new, unwanted health status.
While many chronic diseases can last for a lifetime, there is growing evidence that certain conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes and early-stage heart disease, can be put into remission through lifestyle changes, Hoedebecke said.
These changes include shifting to a whole-foods diet, engaging in regular physical movement, managing stress, getting adequate sleep, and seeking social support.
The myth that certain chronic diseases cannot be reversed cuts deep because it quietly drains people of hope, Dr. Mikel Daniels, president and chief medical officer at WeTreatFeet Podiatry, told The Epoch Times.
“You meet so many patients who have internalized the message ‘this is who you are now’ after a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. Some almost shrink into it,” he said.
Identifying with their diagnosis becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, according to Daniels. It makes people less likely to engage and less willing to believe that their daily choices still matter.
Daniels urges people with potentially reversible chronic conditions to stay open to the possibility that the human body is more capable of change than we have been led to believe.