Which Old Wives Tales, Myths & Hoaxes Are Fact or Fiction?

Chinese Gender Chart
The Chinese Gender Chart claims to have an accuracy rate of over 90%.  It is based on the age of the mother at the time of conception and the month that she conceived. Personally, this worked accurately for both of my kids but that could just be random luck. I do put much faith and belief in the Chinese horoscope, though!
Sexual Positions Determine Gender of Baby
"Intercourse with the woman on top or while both partners are in a standing position, you will have a girl."
Nope! That would be cool, though! Unfortunately, it is impossible to improve the odds for a boy or a girl by the position in which a couple has sex. The fact is that the sex of the baby is determined by the chromosome carried by the sperm. Even though the missionary position is thought to give the best odds for conception because the release of sperm is close to the cervix, there is no known evidence supporting any other position will increase the odds for a specific gender.

However, the timing of intercourse can improve your odds of conceiving a specific gender, according to some research. Sperm carrying the X chromosome (the female gene) travels (or swims) slower and lives longer than sperm carrying the Y chromosome (the male gene.) The belief is that having intercourse a couple of days before ovulation will increase the odds for a girl, while intercourse during ovulation will increase the odds of a boy. The problem is, it is difficult to determine the exact timing of ovulation. A couple can try this method but the odds are not significantly increased.

Shape of the Pregnant Belly
No joke...my own dad actually mentioned this one to me a couple months into my current pregnancy!
 

"If you are carrying high with a big, round belly, you are having a girl."

"If you are carrying low with a smaller belly that sticks straight out, it's a boy."

 

Food Cravings
People believe that if you are craving salty foods while pregnant, you can count on having a boy. "If you crave sweets, fruit, and orange juice, you are having a little girl."

Swinging a Pendulum
"Dangle a pendulum (or a ring suspended on a string) over the expectant woman's belly. If it swings from side to side, it's a girl. If it swings in a circle, it's a boy."

Heartbeat Theory
"If the fetal heart rate is under 140 BPM, it is a boy."
This is another falsity. It is true that a baby boys' heart rate is usually faster than a girls' but only after the onset of labor.

I bet you've heard some of these before! Are the following true or false?

Scroll down for the answers!

1.) Swallowing gum takes 7 years to digest.

2.) Hair grows back thicker and darker when plucked or shaved.

3.) Fear or extreme emotional stress can turn your hair gray.

4.) To remove an embedded tick, light a match, blow it out and hold the hot end onto the tick.

5.) Sleeping on your back can cause snoring

6.) Wearing a copper bracelet can soothe arthritis pain

7.) Sucking on a silver spoon can stop tearing when peeling onions

8.) If you pluck out a gray hair, you'll grow 2 more in its place.

9.) Eating spicy foods will give you an ulcer

10.) "You're sitting too close to the television! You're going to hurt your eyesight!"

****ANSWERS****

1.) False.
2.) False.
3.) True. However, it doesn't usually happen instantly. According to scientific study, a persons' psychological state has a great impact on the hormones that can effect the amount of melanin deposited in each strand of hair. The graying process can take several weeks, months, or years. On the other hand, it has been known and documented that some have become so startled or suddenly terrified (i.e. after a car accident or learning of the death of a loved one) that hair turns white or gray over shorter periods of time.
4.) This is SO false! In fact, this can burn the person or animal! The best way is to dab rubbing alcohol onto the tick, wait about 5 minutes, then take sterilized tweezers and pull the tick straight up and out being sure to remove the head along with the body.
5.) True. Gravity pulls your tongue to the back of your throat and blocks the airways.
6.) False. There is no scientific proof of this but some say it works. That could be the placebo affect causing relief.
7.) True. The gas compound, propanthial S-oxide is released when chopping onions which is a known eye and tear duct irritant. It is known that putting a slice of bread half way into your mouth will catch the fumes before reaching your eye. Other used preventives are wearing swimming goggles, dabbing vinegar on the cutting board while chopping will prevent the tearing.
8.) False. But you will eventually grow one back in its place. It takes approximately 3 months for a new hair to grow in and another 3 months before you may even notice it. Therefore, if you pull out a gray hair, you'll grow back a few more next to or nearby which makes it look as if 2 hairs have grown in its place.
9.) False. Spicy foods won't cause an ulcer but can create indigestion or acid reflux. However, eating spicy foods may irritate an ulcer if you already have one.
10.) False.

We have all received countless emails warning us about everything from computer viruses to signing petitions. Some are true but most are false; or I should say "hoaxes." Besides the fact that no petition is considered in legal standing without either a written signature or an online petition that one does not provide their full name, address and phone number. The ironic thing about these spammed, hoax emails is that many are in reference to computer viruses and warnings! Why anyone still falls for these, I'll never understand. ALWAYS check your facts and confirm whether or not it is an internet hoax BEFORE sending the message along to everyone in your address book! Even folks who you wouldn't consider or label naïve still seem to get duped by such forwarded messages. I would hope, by now, that NO ONE would ever actually click a link provided by an email allegedly sent by a bank or other financial institution asking you to verify or add your personal information. That includes the IRS! The IRS would NEVER send you an email asking for information or to take a survey. Surprisingly, many still do and many also continue to be scammed by the fake lotteries and Nigeria bank schemes. Why in the world would one even think they have won a lottery from a country they've never even visited? How about believing Bill Gates will send you a huge check for forwarding emails?
For the sake and safety of you and others in your address book, take 2 minutes by visiting Snopes.com and quickly verify the information. Scroll down to find a list of other scam-busting websites, too!
No one wants to be blamed (legitimately so) for forwarding b.s. and possibly causing the spread of viruses and computer crashes to friends and family. Use the well-known saying and factual theory, "You sleep with every person your partner has ever slept with and every person each of those partners have ever slept with." Think about it.

Some of these may have actually worked for some mothers-to-be. However, don't put much faith into them. In most cases, the woman was going to go into labor anyway and she did at the time by coincidence. On the other hand, some activities may help speed the process along. I'll quickly share with you my personal experience when I was eager to begin labor. One day, when I was 38 weeks pregnant and quite uncomfortable from carrying a humongous belly, my Rottweiler, Stonci, was following me around way more than usual since the moment I woke up that morning. She took each step with me as I slowly walked down each stair and wouldn't even allow me to use the potty alone. I literally asked her, "Do you know something I don't?" I think she did. I wasn't having any contractions besides the usual Braxton Hicks ones, but between her and my gut instinct, I felt like the time was coming very soon. So, I decided to see if I could speed up the process. With the hopes of loosening my muscles and "jogging" the baby loose, I stood up with my hands on my hips and repeatedly leaned forward, backward and side to side like an athlete would to stretch. I went into labor a few hours later. Coincidence? Maybe. But, it was safe and it worked so that's all that mattered to me!
There are many old wives tales floating around to aid a woman into labor. Not all are safe or even recommended to try so always consult your doctor or midwife before attempting anything you hear or read. I have listed a few of the most commonly heard tales:

• Scrub your floors on your hands and knees (Hey, if it doesn't work, at least you will have a shiny, clean floor!)


• Drink Castor Oil (This one will probably only leave you with screamin' diarrhea and a nasty taste in your mouth!)


• Have sex! A man's semen is said to help ripen the cervix and a woman's orgasm is said to work the muscles, contract the uterus and produce the necessary hormones.


• Nipple stimulation (same as previous explanation)


• Eat really spicy food (Hello, heartburn?)


• Rub evening primrose oil onto the cervix. (Eeeww)


• Walking or a mild jog

"Chocolate, fried and greasy, fried foods cause acne."
Medical studies show no connection between diet and acne.

"Popping pimples makes them go away faster."
Popping a pimple may make it seem less noticeable but it actually pushes bacteria from the zit further into the skin and causes it to last longer.

"Makeup causes pimples."
Certain cosmetics are fine as long the products are labeled noncomedogenic or nonacnegenic, which means they won't clog pores and cause breakouts.