Old Wives Tales, of course.

But are they tales, or do some of them hold some truth a grain or two of truth? Take the quiz below to test your own knowledge on some of the most commonly accepted thoughts out there. Then check your answers and get the explanations you seek at MSNBC.com.

1. Cell phones are dangerous to use in hospitals because they can interfere with medical equipment. True / False / Maybe So

2. It’s safe to follow “the 5 second rule” for food dropped on the floor. True / False / Maybe So

3. Cracking your knuckles can cause arthritis. True / False / Maybe So

4. Cola type soft drinks can damage your kidneys. True / False / Maybe So

5. “Double dipping” spreads germs from one chip to another. True / False / Maybe So

6. Eating locally produced honey can ease seasonal allergies. True / False / Maybe So

Some of those are pretty tricky, huh? So…how did you do?

Post from: Healthbolt

I did some maths and five months working on ‘the Bolt’ equates to around 250 posts between us. That’s a whole lot of words.

My choice for Top 5 Posts…

Doing a Hasselhoff…new medical slang and it’s companion piece Pumpkin Positive – more medical slang would be my all time favorite post to write. I simply laughed my way through it.

On the other hand, it was tears and laughter when writing Randy Pausch’s ‘The Last Lecture’ Revisited. Randy is a true inspiration.

Liberty probably ruined a lot of people’s day when she posted Dangit! Now Diet Soda is Bad for You Too?!?. Healthbolt had already highlighted What Happens To Your Body If You Drink [Regular] Coke Right Now? and now it turns out diet sodas not much better…guess that just leaves water!!!

Longevity is a theme Healthbolt has been running with lately, asking questions like Can Our Earth Support Us As We Age?, and then daring you to take the Vitality Compass quiz to see how well you will age.

And who could forget this post – A Fella’s Willy – Handle With Care – that reminded us that some parts of the human body are more fragile that others. Everything, it seems, has a breaking point.

So what’s your favorite posts?

Post from: Healthbolt

Image details: Scooping Popcorn served by picapp.com

I stumbled across an article today in the current issue of Men’s Health, and it pert near brought me to tears. Why so? Because they gave a no holds barred rundown of movie theater goodies – admittedly the reason I even attend movies sometimes – and let me tell you, it ain’t pretty.

Yes, I realize you already knew that movie theater fare doesn’t qualify as health food. But I bet you unless you’ve made a conscious effort to research this sort of thing, you’ll be astounded by the calorie and fat content of these delectable delights.

What’s more, the article also pings us with the news that it’s not possible to pay attention to both a movie and to how much we eat at the same time, so we end up taking in many extra calories that way. And serving sizes? Just an open invitation to gorge.

So, what’s the good, er, bad word, exactly? Take a look (but just remember – I warned you!):

Medium Popcorn
Calories: 825
Fat Grams: 46 (34 of which are trans fat)
Carbs: 94 g
The good news is, there is a ton of fiber in popcorn. 17 g to be exact. There’s also a decent 15 g of protein.

Large Nachos with Cheese
Calories: 1,101
Fat Grams: 54 (40 g trans fat)
Carbs: 133 g

Hot Dog
Calories: 300
Fat Grams: 18 (9 g trans fat)
Carbs: 25 g

Soft Pretzel
Calories: 483
Fat Grams: 4 (3 grams trans fat)
Carbs: 99 g
Pretzels do pack 12 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber, however.

And finally, the beloved Medium Coke with Ice:
Calories: 385
Sugar: 100 g!
Can’t resist a Coke at movies? Check out the effects Coke has on your body and maybe next time you’ll be ordering up a water.

***

So, great news, hey? Considering popcorn is the primary reason I’m easily talked into taking the kids to a flick, this is just ever so depressing.

What about you? Will knowing this keep you from heading to the movies more often? Or will you still go, but bypass the concession stand? Let us know in the comments below.

Post from: Healthbolt