8 Myths From Mom: True or False?

By Danielle Samaniego, Divine Caroline

As a kid, my mom warned me about things like sitting too close to the TV, going outside with a wet head, and not letting my food digest before swimming. She even convinced me that eating Pop Rocks and drinking soda at the same time would cause my stomach to explode. While I can attest to the fact that Pop Rocks and soda do not, in fact, cause any bodily damage (other than a fun party-in-your-mouth effect), what about those other kernels of motherly advice? Is there any truth to them or were they all just scare tactics?

1. If you don’t wait an hour after eating before you go into the water, you’ll get stomach cramps and drown: False
The idea behind this is that when your blood rushes to your stomach to help you digest food, you wouldn’t have enough circulation to keep your arms and legs working properly. The tale likely gained popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, when kids enjoyed local pools and lakes with far less lifeguard supervision than we have now. As a result, parents conjured up a way to keep kids at bay after lunchtime while they got some rest in. But according to HowStuffWorks, we have plenty of blood to keep all of our other parts running just fine after a meal. Some competitive swimmers even eat something immediately before a big meet to give them the energy they need to perform well. Also, during exercise, our bodies produce adrenaline that actually helps deliver oxygen to the muscles that need it most.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Robyn L.

8:30AM PST on Dec 22, 2011

Going outside in below freezing weather with wet, exposed hair might not cause cold symptoms, but damp hair can freeze.
I did it on average of twice a year for a decade in Colorado.
Not the healthiest move for hair. But funny!

send a green star

Lika S.

2:26AM PST on Dec 15, 2011

I don't have nightmares, and it doesn't matter what I eat, or how soon before bed.

Sarah M.

3:46PM PST on Dec 10, 2011

the thing about nightmares is interesting

Victor M.

7:07PM PST on Dec 6, 2011

not useful

Lorraine S.

4:23PM PST on Dec 4, 2011

Going out with wet hair may not make you catch a cold, but it can trigger a migraine if you are susceptible, especially if it is a cold day. Colds or not, freezing your head is a bad idea.

Lisa W.

2:21PM PST on Dec 4, 2011

Great post. Heard everyone growing up.

jennifer c.

9:18AM PST on Dec 4, 2011

i remember her telling me about popping my knuckles, going outside with a wet head but that is all i can remember. i drank coffee with my mom. the eating before bed and having nightmares is very interesting.

Alexandra B.

7:50AM PST on Dec 4, 2011

While other things sound a bit comical, i actually believe that it's bad to go out with wet hair and to watch TV from a close distance.

Erika L.

4:54PM PST on Dec 3, 2011

Most of the rules my parents had were fairly sensible and if they had some kind of strange consequence tied to them, such as these myths do, my friends and I tended to be fairly skeptical about the threat, but accepted that our parents were trying to protect us or steer us toward adulthood in the way they thought best. Now that my kids are grown, I hope I did as well.

Rita B.

3:11PM PST on Dec 3, 2011

very nice to read :) thanks for sharing!