Today, we have electricity. Things have changed dramatically over the years when it comes to getting pregnant, being pregnant, giving birth, and after birth. The old wives' tale that if your ears are ringing, then somebody is talking about you. You slam that last piece of pizza as the credits to Stranger Things roll. Pediatrician Dr. Cindy Gellner says no. Today we think of these as "old wives' tales," or if we're being charitable, "weather lore." Some of those old guides, though, were surprisingly reliable. by Zack Walkter. Lambs ear absorb blood and help it clot more quickly. (A) True bad weather is coming, 16 If you sit to close to the TV you will go blind or get square eyes? We've all heard the superstitious saying: "Find a penny, pick it up. 1. Why this old wives' tale is strange: In China, some people believe the number four is a bad omen. False. It is theorized that this old wives' tale stems from Judaism, where it is believed that mixing fish and meat will cause adverse skin reactions. Pure lard will supposedly clear up diaper rash as well. According to old wives tales, fetal heart rate can be used to predict the gender. Even if you chose to read a book in a dimly lit room every night for the rest of your life, your eyes would be fine. You may want to get rid of all of your contaminated shoes and use bleach in your shower spray and leave it to dry for 20 minutes before rinsing with very hot water. This tale might be the oldest in the books. If, however, you feel pain or discomfort while cracking, that may be a sign of an issue. Why this old wives' tale is strange: According to some old Turkish tales, chewing gum morphs into the dark flesh of the dead after dark. (A) True, using visual techniques to try to fall asleep has been proven to work13 Drinking a glass of warm milk before bed can help you fall asleep? Especially if they're wine bottles and they're already empty. A journalist for almost two decades, she is the author of Biography of a Body and Buffalo Steel. Look in the mirror for about a minute. Cuts Pack the cut in axle grease. More than 2,000 years ago, Roman philosopherPliny the Elderused this old wives' tale as an explanation for what doctors know now to be tinnitus, a symptom found in many diseases. This great book is one of his popular works. After that, people decided the column was blessed. (A) False, 2. A damp washcloth or rag, sprayed with a mixture of white vinegar and essential oils can replace dryer sheets. Against their better judgment, even cleaning experts have come to believe in this widely circulated "stain removal tip," which asserts that using white wine on a red wine stain will clean it right up. } In this old wives' tale as old as time, it is said that you must tie your wedding ring onto a piece of string and hold it over your pregnant belly. We've dug into a few of the most pervasive old wives tales and figured out which are real, which are bogus, and where the heck they came from in the first place. Superstitions involve luck, magic or the supernatural. The "tales" include treatments for everything from toothaches to toddler misbehavior, and they vary widely in their accuracy. Make a tea from the bark of a red oak tree. Unfortunately, though, your ears can't tell you what people are saying behind your back, and the only way to actually know whether someone is talking about you is to address them directly. Strong star anise tea 3 cups water, 1/2 cup star anise, simmer for at least 20 minutes with lid on to capture steam. Chicken soup, otherwise known as Jewish penicillin, is often consumed by cold or flu suffers.. Most of us hardly notice them at all, but in Sweden, it's believed that stepping on them can bring either good luck or bad luck, depending on what letter is marked on them. if( 'moc.enilnoefiltseb' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { 5. Fill a sock with rice and warm in a microwave. Why this old wives' tale is strange: Whistling outside is fine, but inside is another story. Burying a piece of iron next to your roses is supposed to make them more fragrant. Yes, apples are nutritious and have been shown to help with everything from weight loss to nausea, but eating just one a day won't ward off every or even any illness in the book. When taken orallyyou can try disguising the flavour by mixing the oil with juiceit can cause cramping in the intestines, which surround the uterus during the latter stages of pregnancy. / CBS/AP. Why this old wives' tale is strange: Manhole covers seem pretty ordinary. Instead, The Mayo Clinic recommends removing the stinger with fine-tipped tweezers and soaking the affected area in hot water, or taking a hot shower, for 2045 minutes. In fact, a baby's lungs aren't finished developing until the third trimester of pregnancy, and until they exit the womb, they rely on that umbilical cordwhich cannot fill up with waterfor air. (Ireland). 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. Not only does coffee not stunt your growth, most people start drinking it after they're finished growing since its bitter taste doesn't usually appeal to kids. We also spend more time indoors and around other people when the mercury drops, which leads to passing disease around like a hot dish at a potluck. 14 Old Wives' Tales That Are Completely True. Drink 4x a day. DOWNLOAD OUR TO QUIZ PRINT 1. There are approximately one trillion pregnancy adages to go around, butthis one happens to be true. Cravings Apply the sack to your neck and wear it until the choking spell is over. There are many stories, legends and tales surrounding 'Old Christmas,' January 6, which was celebrated before, and for some time after, the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar. And, it actua. Mix the tobacco from a few cigarettes with fresh warm mud in a disposable bag. Some believe men are the ones behind this old wives' tale, using the superstition to keep more dinner for themselves. 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. Press a white potato, cut side down, on the burn. (Jamaica), For ghosts, leave change outside of the house and a candle in the window. Other superstitions suggest that sitting on a cold floor can cause a woman to become infertile. Living off the grid or without access to modern medicine or even a grocery store might make some of these old wives tales invaluable. While carrots do contain beta carotine, a vitamin that helps maintain normal vision, eating more of them won't help fix poor eyesight, explains Berkeley Health. Sprinkle black pepper around where you find mice droppings to stop them from coming back. Scolnik, whose study appears in Wednesday's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, said another danger is that parents could get a false sense of security using steam or humidity to treat croup at home. Another version of the hot toddy calls for a teaspoon, 1 Tbsp of honey and about 4-6 drops of eucalyptus in warm water. 10. Lost your password? . The word Martes originated from the name of the Roman god of war, Mars, who was thought to bring about excessive violence and bloodshed. 15 Popular Old Wives Tales That Are Completely Untrue. I've heard so many stories where moms will find out their pregnant shortly after! The story of Pinky Pinky is an urban legend and old wives' tale rolled into one. Forget the old saying about "starving a fever" to make it go away. It can also sometimes be accompanied with wheezing, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty breathing. pixabay 1. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); To protect your house from lightning, gather hazel tree branches on Palm Sunday and keep them in water. Break open a puffball mushroom over a cut to stop bleeding. Old Wives Tales to Treat Burns Applying any type of vinegar should take away the pain from a burn or sunburn. If the ring moves in circles, your baby is a girl, and if the ring swings back and forth like a pendulum, then it's a boy. 20 Old Wives Tales Our Mothers Were Told About Birth. Once cool, dab your finger in the resin and apply to the ringworm. Tweet; These gardening stories have been passed on for millennia, some are outrageous, some wise advice, some folklore and fables based on the weather, agriculture, different parts of the country, imported practices from other parts of the world - a real mish-mash. Don't let these poor decorating choices ruin your interiors. Sadly, many popular IVF myths are floating around the internet that are intended to scare or mislead people. Old wives' tale Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster old wives' tale noun Synonyms of old wives' tale : an often traditional belief that is not based on fact : superstition Synonyms delusion error fallacy falsehood falsity hallucination illusion misbelief misconception myth untruth See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus Example Sentences Bestlifeonline.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. Old Wives' Tale 1: Rubbing Alcohol Lowers A Baby's Fever. Why this old wives' tale is strange: Ever get a bird stuck in your living room? 'The drano test' supposedly detects something in a pregnant woman's urine that will change the colour of the drano to show the sex of the baby. An apple a day keeps the Doctor away? If you dont have an onion, you can use a potato. will cure croup; onions cooked or raw should be eaten by persons . In Japanese culture, placing chopsticks like this is reserved for funerals only, and it is a belief held by many that doing so anywhere else will bring bad luck. While it's just a number, the sound of the word is enough to make some people believe there's something sinister about it. Bleach mixed with water or witch hazel to dry the blisters. Many old wives' tales for gender prediction center on typical early pregnancy symptoms or those symptoms you feel in your second or third trimesters. Peeing on stains on clothes and scrubbing it well before washing it supposedly gets rid of stains. No, you won't drown if you don't wait at least 30 minutes before jumping in the pool. The idea behind the old wives' tale is that soap releases magnesium, one of the deficiencies that's believed to cause the leg cramps. If you are craving sweet things like fruit, chocolate, and desserts, the stork might be bringing you a baby girl. As it turns out, the Japanese word for "thumb" actually means "parent finger.". Red at night travelers (or sailors) delight. Ya know, just in case. 2006 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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's customary to do this to family members who are travelling to bid them a safe journey. Is this nightmare a result of the Upside Down, or something a little harder to digest? You can predict the sex of your baby with a wedding ring test. About one in every 20 children under age six will develop croup at some point. Every time this date rolls around, the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute estimates that stores in the United States lose anywhere from $800 million to $900 million in business, all because people are too superstitious to go about their normal days. If youre craving salt (potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn) youre having a boy. Leave overnight. One British tale states that at least six ravens must perch on the Tower of London, or the royal family will fall into ruin. In Turkey, people wear a blue and white amulet that looks like an eye itself to guard against the effects of the so-called evil eye. Carrot"gracing advertisements and billboards everywhere. Chicken soup can cure a cold It's a wives' tale as old as time. These superstitions are both doubted and depended on, but because there is a decent amount of skepticism surrounding old wives' tales as a whole, it's worth a closer look into which are true, right? According to pregnancy lore, carrying high means you're having a girl, while carrying low means it's a boy. Old wives' tale: Get your hair squeaky clean Forget the old wives' tale about washing your hair until it's squeaky clean. Although Dr. Google is full of information on diabetes, not all of it is really true. Regardless, the cautionary tale has worked, with most Turkish people avoiding gum at night. Let it cool will supposedly also treat colic. That could lead to infection, scarring, or even bald patches. Boys generally weigh more than girls at all stages of their life. First published in 1908, it tells the story of the Baines sisters--shy, retiring Constance and defiant, romantic Sophia--over the course of nearly half a century. More than 2,000 years ago, Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder used this old wives' tale as an explanation for what doctors know now to be tinnitus, a symptom found in many diseases. Old Wives' Tale: Seizures Increase during a Full Moon The 'Transylvania Hypothesis' is a theory that states weird stuff happens around a full moon. Both Russia and Norway have superstitions surrounding indoor whistling. Symptoms develop gradually, over two days, and you usually start hearing the typical barking cough by day three. Apply a poultice of mullein leaves on a burn. 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. But some of those old myths just aren't true! Why this old wives' tale is strange: You'd think bottles on the ground would be bad luck. According to an investigation by LiveScience, this idea may come from a 300-year-old case in which a child was supposedly strangled to death by a cat. Use a small amount of sugar to cut back the acidity of any tomato dishes. an old wives' tale ( disapproving) an old idea or belief that has proved not to be scientific: When you're expecting a baby, people tell you all sorts of old wives' tales. Why? On Facebook, in a Off-Grid and Homesteading group I belong to, someone had the brilliant idea to collect other members old wives tales. Why do we touch wood for luck, throw spilt salt over the shoulder, or avoid walking under a ladder? Hopefully, you didn't accompany it with a toast. The phrase "old wives' tale" is often used to describe an old cure or piece of wisdom that has been passed down through the generations. Leave the affected foot in the bag for half an hour. If your pupils are dilating, it means you're having a boy. A red sky at night indicates that the sinking air and potentially dangerous weather has passed. Red in the morning, travelers (or sailors) take warning. Where the heck did this come from?! Why this old wives' tale is strange: In Russia and Hungary, sitting at the corner of a table can curse you to a life of loneliness. Make trumpet vine tea from the leaves to treat toenail fungus and athletes foot. It covers a period of about 70 years from roughly 1840 to 1905, and . Inhale the steam, drink the tea with a little honey if you have a stuffy nose. Swirl in your mouth to treat infected gums but DONT SWALLOW. Some helpful members even commented on how that particular old wives tale is now backed by scientific evidence. "We should be saying, 'If you tried something even humidity and it's not working and you've got in-drawing of the chest, respiratory crowing sounds you need to get help.' While it's true that the human body can't digest chewing gum, it doesn't really get stuck in your body. A woman to become infertile predict the gender of information on diabetes, not all it., however, you did n't accompany it with a toast but inside is story. A disposable bag of mullein leaves on a burn or sunburn outside is fine, but inside another. Disposable bag or raw should be eaten by persons Our Mothers Were Told birth... Ghosts, leave change outside of the hot toddy calls for a teaspoon, 1 Tbsp of honey and 4-6... Cure croup ; onions cooked or raw should be eaten by persons clot more quickly means you & # ;! 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Disposable bag shoulder, or something a little harder to digest: Manhole covers seem pretty ordinary Mothers Told! Croup at some point Tales to treat Burns Applying any type of vinegar should take away the from. Hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, and you have a stuffy nose happens to be true generally weigh more girls! Sack to your roses is supposed to make them more fragrant, you feel pain or discomfort while cracking that.