These are things that we've been told over and over again throughout the years - but are any of these old wives' tales actually true? Old Wives Tales about Horses Posted on October 3, 2016 by The Equine Report By Dr. Kelly Hudspeth, DVM. Crossing your eyes requires the same type of muscle flexion that showing off your biceps does. will cure croup; onions cooked or raw should be eaten by persons . For decades, the world believed there to be a link between eating spicy foods and the formation of stomach ulcers, seeing as so many people would go to the doctor's office after a particularly hot meal complaining of burning stomach pains. Everyone knows at least one old wives' tale(or 75). The second group had mist from a tube aimed toward the face (considered equivalent to steam vapor), while the third had air at 40 per cent humidity (the normal level in homes and buildings) delivered through a mask. The stories do not attempt to moralise, but to teach lessons and make difficult concepts like death or coming of age easy for children to understand. The story goes that slaves would take medicinal doses of 100% pure gum spirits of turpentine to stay healthy, and that, in the past, school children would line up to take a spoonful of turpentine with sugar. So go ahead, swallow your gum, pluck out your gray hairs, and hit the pool after lunch with wild abandon. After an empire or two fell on a Tuesday the 13th, people decided the day was a bad omen altogether. "In a nutshell, in mild to moderate croup presenting to an emergency room, the use of humidity, even when it was optimally delivered, did not bring about any further improvement in the children's condition," said Scolnik. Breastmilk will supposedly help treat eye infections like pink eye, diaper rash and ear infections. All learning, all parenting, all relationships. And perhaps it's because it's so easy to convince yourself of the fact that bad things come in threesafter all, this notion is explored pretty much every time a celebrity passes awaythat this superstition is so widespread and believed in. As a general rule of thumb, you should never stick your chopsticks vertically into your food when dining at a Japanese restaurant. Apply a poultice of epsom salt and leave it on until it dries. In a similar fashion, a poultice made from baking soda and water works. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. 4. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. We're not sure if this superstition was just a way for parents to get their kids to cut down on their annoying gum-chewing habit or what. Loretta Swit begged the writers to stop using it. Pour one out for all those lost swimming minutes. It's been around since the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Make trumpet vine tea from the leaves to treat toenail fungus and athletes foot. There's nothing wrong with a good brunch Bloody Mary, but don't fool yourself: That morning-after drink just delays the inevitable. So don't forget to rest your peepers every once in awhile, fellow desk jockeys. (A) False, 17 Kissing toads and frogs gives you warts? Put a whole clove against your gum to treat a toothache. By Peter Mills Mar 27, 2022. This unpleasant-tasting vegetable oil is essentially a laxative. If your hold your wedding ring over your pregnant belly and it swings around in circles you are having a girl? But it's never been true. "A lot of things that we consider traditional therapies actually have no proven benefit," she said. Sprinkle black pepper around where you find mice droppings to stop them from coming back. There seems to be a mistrust of the ground in general. Why this old wives' tale is strange: Ever get a bird stuck in your living room? According to a simple definition it means a belief, usually superstitious or erroneous, passed on by word of mouth as a piece of traditional wisdom. And instead of keeping an acorn on your person and hoping for eternal life, live forever (or close to it) by eating these40 Heart Foods To Eat After 40. Eating raisins soaked in gin is supposed to help with the pain from arthritis. (A) False, 2. Trouble is, says new Canadian research, the age-old treatment really doesn't work. (The reader who submitted this one also commented on how the kids would fight over who got to eat that one oily potato!). Boys generally weigh more than girls at all stages of their life. The best thing I ever did for myself was to take control of my health, and that of my family. If the ring swings in a circle it's said the baby is a girl and if it swings in a straight line the baby is a boy. Old Wives' Tales. If you find yourself drifting off after Thanksgiving dinner this year, don't go blaming it on the turkey. Constance and Sophia Baines, the daughters of a shopkeeper, grow up in the rural town of Bursley. After 15, it was curtains. Make a thick paste from green walnut husks and water. Today, we have electricity. 5 years ago. There's even a volunteer group called the Juliet Club. Its a really good read that you should try. The Most Iconic Celebrity Best Friendships, The Most Iconic Old Hollywood Engagement Rings, The Top Dog Breeds the Year You Were Born. We have the King James version of the Bible to thank for the wording of the phrase. The old wives' tale that if your ears are ringing, then somebody is talking about you. Having spiderwebs in your house will supposedly make it warmer. Make a strong tea and soak a cloth in it and apply to sunburns. You also want to seek medical attention if the coughing is accompanied by high fever, or if the youngster's skin has a bluish tint: That includes the skin, lips, or even nail beds. Soak your foot in it daily. } else { Take a shot of apple cider vinegar (or any vinegar in a pinch) to stop a sudden asthma attack. In Cajun French people who bought warts were called traiteur or faith healer. Why not find out..? Oily Fish Really Is Brain Food. Because this type of dairycontains an amino acid associated with peaceful brain activity, the scientists broke down the different types of cheeses and their respective effects on those being studied. Well, it is believed that the Devil himself stands over your left shoulder, and that throwing salt that way will blind him and prevent him from taking over your body after you accidentally invited him in with the spillage. Is this nightmare a result of the Upside Down, or something a little harder to digest? How much depends on the type of flooring and food involved, but it's best not to eat anything that hit the ground at all. None of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA. Use a small amount of sugar to cut back the acidity of any tomato dishes. Later, the carrot-eyesight link further gained validity in the public eye when sugar supplies became scarce and, as such, the British Ministry of Food made a push for more vegetables and fewer sweets, with cartoons like "Dr. Though some old wives' tales are true, most are harmless and at least one described here is dangerous. This myth actually dates back to the British Royal Air Force during World War II. Put a clove of garlic in eatch sock. Why this old wives' tale is strange: Most people today don't put much weight on old legends of vampires and werewolves. Apply honey for a bee sting, Vinegar for a wasp. The only cure for a hangover is waiting it out. ..rubbed some burn water on it and the pain left immediately!! Each hair follicle only contains one hair, so plucking them will not cause more to grow, explains UAMS Health's Shaskank Kraleti, M.D. (A) False, 18 A floating egg in a pot is bad? It also contains antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties. This adage has been used for centuries to alert sailorsof incoming weather conditions, though it'sonly practical in areas where weather systems travelfrom west to east. "What they found was that treating croup with humidity had absolutely no effect. Strain and toss the onion for cough syrup or to treat a sore throat. If you burn your finger cooking, grab an ear lobe to take the pain away. Why this old wives' tale is strange: In Rwanda, some people believe women should never eat goat meat or they will be cursed with goat-like qualities i.e., they'll grow hair on their faces and become unbearably stubborn. Parents in the early 20th century used to swear by this unorthodox teething methodand somehow, some moms and dads still pass this parenting tip around today. We now know there's no link between the two. Why this old wives' tale is strange: Purses or wallets laying on the ground do seem like bad luck for the people who lost them. Applying any type of vinegar should take away the pain from a burn or sunburn. (A) False10 The full moon can cause strange behaviour? Although we do not know the reason a saying gets started, it is fun to see what has been passed down through the generations. It deals with the lives of two very different sisters, Constance and Sophia Baines, following their stories from their youth, working in their mother's draper's shop, into old age. You can sweeten it with honey or syrup. Place on the ear for an ear ache or the jaw for a toothache. Love is the root of everything. Drink 4x a day. (Jamaica), For ghosts, leave change outside of the house and a candle in the window. If the deer are out early grazing there is big storm coming. Soak a washcloth in vinegar and let it sit on the affected area for 3 minutes. Leave it in the stubborn hole for a while, then fluff it with a fork to get the fibers looking good as new. It dates back to the 19th century when Russian soldiers were stationed in Paris. Why this old wives' tale is strange: In China, some people believe the number four is a bad omen. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. So no, you cannot drown your fetus by taking a bath. It has antibacterial properties and seals the wound to protect it. Eighty-two percent of the women with severe heartburn during pregnancy gave birth to especially hairy babes. Some stem from little-understood or outdated science, others from folklore that's passed on like an inter-generational game of telephone. If a dog is eating grass its going to rain. I asked for solutions, he started the remedy for my health, he sent me the herbal medicine through DHL. 6 Boys are heavier babies than girls. They've been forced to shutter over safety hazards. Old wives' tales originate in the oral tradition of storytelling. Evidently, General Electric produced color TVs back in the 1960s that emitted up to 100,000 times more radiation than federal health officials considered to be safeand while the television sets were recalled almost immediately, the superstition remains. Taking large doses of vitamin C won't help prevent a cold, and there's really "no solid evidence" that it will decrease the severity of cold and flu symptoms or even shorten the duration of the illness, Conway says. Why this old wives' tale is strange: If someone has ever complimented your new pants only for you to spill hot coffee on them, it may be the work of the evil eye. / CBS/AP. Friday the 13th is the bane of almost every business' existence. 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