MEDICAL MYTHS EXPERTS ADDRESS THE HEALTH QUESTIONS WE ALL ASK.

Byline: Nancy Dillon

Staff Writer

When it comes to familiar questions about health and well-being, it seems certain old wives' tales survive and spread like a stubborn virus.

Many of us perpetuate these beliefs because they seem so logical on the surface. Others embrace them because they offer a welcome sense of control in the face of random or relentless problems.

Sometimes our convictions offer enough of a placebo effect to really make a difference, doctors say. But the truth in many cases is that our intuitions don't stand up to science.

We took a list of urban legends to some leading local authorities and asked them to separate fact from fiction:

Q: Does spinach really make you stronger?

A: "Not really. Spinach is a moderately good source of dietary iron, and one of the functions of iron is to help provide oxygen to the body, including to working muscle. But consuming iron-rich foods in the absence of regular muscle-building exercise won't make you stronger (despite those old Popeye cartoons!). Building muscle strength is done through resistance-type exercises (such as weight lifting), which is and best supported with an adequate diet. A good muscle-building diet would include adequate lean protein and plenty of fruits, vegetables (including spinach) and whole grains."

-- Susan Bowerman, R.D.,

assistant director of the UCLA Center

for Human Nutrition

Q: Does blowing smoke in someone's ear help an earache?

A: "The current wisdom is that it's merely the warmth of the smoke that relieves the pain, not the smoke itself. That means this therapy can be duplicated using a hair dryer on low at a distance of at least 18 inches."

-- Michael Hall,

registered pharmacist,

Capitol Drugs, Sherman Oaks

Q: Can some surgeries cause cancer to spread?

A: "No. Surgeries themselves do not cause cancer to spread. There is, however, a general principle of cancer surgery whereby surgeons avoid cutting into or across a tumor. If, during an operation, the cancer membrane or capsule is violated, there is a possibility for local spreading of that cancer. Different types of cancers can be more aggressive than others in their abilities to grow. This is why it's important for patients to be treated by specialists in designated cancer centers. Bottom line, though, is that if you have a cancer that can be surgically removed or cured, there's absolutely no reason to avoid surgery."

-- Dr. Jason S. Cohen, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute

Q: Is there really such a thing as an ice-cream headache?

A: "Yes. Otherwise known as a "brain freeze," this headache is caused by cold material, such as ice cream, passing across the roof of the mouth. It is thought to cause a change in blood flow to the brain, causing a brief frontal headache that lasts from 20 seconds to no more than several minutes. Some research also suggests that the headache may be referred from the affected cooled teeth or palate via the trigeminal nerve to the brain, causing this brief headache. To avoid a "brain freeze," eat cold foods or cold beverages slowly and warm them up in the mouth before swallowing."

-- Dr. Alex Foxman, Beverly Hills Institute

Q: Can reading in dim light make you go blind?

A: "No. It may cause a temporary eye strain but no permanent damage. However, it's recommended that you read under appropriate lighting conditions."

-- Dr. Scott Beeve, Ophthalmology Department,

Glendale Adventist Medical Center 

Q: Does it really take years to digest a piece of gum?

A: "No. Gum is made of indigestible material and, if accidentally swallowed, will pass directly through the human digestive system, essentially unchanged, at the same rate as other foods you eat. Sugar-free gum uses sorbitol or mannitol as a sweetener. If you swallow too much sugarless gum, you may get diarrhea. If you swallow a large amount of gum at the same time, in addition to other poorly digestible material such as sunflower seed shells, there's an unlikely but possible chance this can cause an obstruction in the stomach or small intestine."

-- Dr. Alex Foxman,

Beverly Hills Institute

Q: Can diet soft drinks give you cancer? Is it the Splenda or Nutrisweet in them?

A: "A recent epidemiology study from the National Cancer Institute found no evidence of an increased risk of leukemia, lymphomas or brain tumors among the study participants who reported drinking aspartame-containing beverages. Similarly, the Food and Drug Administration has found no cancer-causing properties in the usage of Splenda. Still, most carbonated beverages contain caffeine, polyethylene glycol and a variety of other chemicals that can pose a plethora of long-term health hazards. I advise the general public to significantly limit the consumption of soft drinks."

-- Dr. Boris Bagdasarian, chairman of the Cancer Committee at Glendale Adventist Medical Center

Q: Does pulling out a gray hair cause more gray hairs to grow?

A: "No. Pulling out a gray hair will not cause any other hairs to turn gray. Neither the immediately surrounding follicles, nor those on the rest of your scalp will be induced to turn gray just because you were so bold as to pull out a gray strand. Now for the bad news: Pulling out gray hairs doesn't help in the battle against gray. The hairs will grow back gray, and the other follicles on your scalp will just continue to gray according to your predetermined genetic timetable."

-- Dr. Ken Washenik,

Bosley Medical, Beverly Hills

Q: Does cracking your knuckles cause your knuckles to enlarge?

A: "While cracking your knuckles has not been shown to cause arthritis, it has been associated with joint swelling and stiffness. This swelling results from strain and "microtears" of the joint capsule and supporting ligaments, much like a sprain. This does not occur often, but when it does, it is usually seen in people who crack their knuckles constantly over many years. The source of the sound is uncertain but is thought to be related to a suction pop of the joint fluid as the joint space is enlarged, or by a snap of stretching ligaments."

-- Dr. Michael J. Fealy, Simi Valley Hospital 

Q: Does sugar make kids hyperactive?

A: "Yes. Sugar can make children more active, but not permanently. Hyperactive children are described as children with increased movement, easily excitable, distractible and with a short attention span. Eating refined sugar and simple carbohydrates may result in rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels, leading to adrenalin release (and) resulting in a more active child. However, the adrenalin levels will also drop after eating refined sugars and may lead to a period of decreased activity."

-- Dr, Wendy Slusser, Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA

CAPTION(S):

8 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Can spinash really make you STRONGER? ... and other medical questions

(2) no caption (medical symbol - Caduceus)

(3) no caption (spinach)

(4) no caption (ice cream)

(5) no caption (ear)

(6) no caption (woman forming a bubble out of gum)

(7) no caption (side profile of a woman)

(8) no caption (knuckles)