I used to visit my Grandmother every Sunday morning and stay for lunch. That was until I was about 13 years of age then I missed a few Sundays. At this point I have to tell you that I suffered from hand Warts, I had quite a few and they did not look very nice. Remember I had missed a few Sunday Visits. The next time I did visit she never said anything but she sat me down and this is what she said:

My dear Grandson you are getting older now and you will probably be taking a young lady out to the promenade, but I fear you have a problem. No good looking young lady will look at you with those horrible lookin warts I can help thee. I should have known better for this was her cure for my Warts.

She went to the kitchen and she came back with a large piece of steak. She then proceeded to rub the meat over the top of the warts. She then took me to the bottom of the garden where she had a spade. She dug a small hole in the earth and took the pice of meat she had rubbed on my hands and buried it. Then she explained to me that I had to come back every Sunday morning for the next 8 weeks dig up the meat, rub it on my warts and she promised after 8 weeks they would be gone. Well I fell for it and I followed her advice, 8 weeks went by and I still had the warts. I was polite but rather down in the dumps I said well that did not work, she looked at me with a little smile and said “no I did not think it would but at least, I got you to come and see me every Sunday for 8 weeks”. Cunning very Cunning but that was Gran.

Examples of old Old wives’ tales

Ice cream leads to nightmares.
It’s bad luck to give a pair of gloves to a friend unless you receive something in exchange.
Toes pointed up signify low blood sugar.
High heart rates lead to female fetuses.
If you step on a crack you’ll break your mother’s back/step on a line and break your mother’s spine.
Breaking a mirror will earn a person seven years of bad luck.
Don’t swallow gum or it will stay in your stomach for seven years.
Various other stories, all resulting in “seven years” of something.
It’s bad luck to open an umbrella indoors.
Making silly faces when the wind direction changes will make the silly face permanent.
Chocolate leads to acne.
Shaving your legs makes the hair grow back thicker.

Many Thanks for your indulgence
Stevetheblogger

Superstitions and Old Wives’Tales have been around since time immemorial. Superstitions are seen as beliefs with no logical or sound foundation and Old Wives’Tales, once based in truth, are now considered merely unproven, time-honored beliefs. Read on to find out if some of your beliefs might actually fall under the categories of Superstitions or Old Wives’ Tales. Following a description of each is a list of some of the more popular Superstitions and Old Wives’ Tales.

What Are Superstitions?

Some of the superstitions we hold are just for fun (e.g. an itchy palm means you’ll have luck or you have money coming your way) while others can be so deep-seated that they affect the way a person lives his or her life. For example, the superstition that if a person doesn’t get out of the bed on the same side he or she got in on, they will suffer bad luck, could lead to a compulsive need to always get into and out of bed on the same side. Why tempt fate?

Superstition can be defined as a belief in  supernatural or mystical causes for certain events or occurrences. In other words, certain things happen (good luck or bad luck) because of some uncanny, unexplainable, magical intervention, events or occurrences that could be described as nothing short of miraculous because there was no other way of explaining them. During the “Age of Enlightenment in the 1700s, Christian doctrine scorned belief in miracles, reducing them to superstitions and equating belief in miracles with belief in magic, which was considered sinful. In fact the Catechism of the Catholic Church deems superstition to sinful because it demonstrates a lack of faith in Divine Providence, which breaks the First Commandment.

While some superstitions may be suggest or represent religious practices (Voodoo for instance), most apply to views and customs about good or bad luck, the prophesying on the prospects of things that will happen based on previous events that are totally unconnected, and to spiritual beings.

A List of Superstitions

Bad Luck

·         Friday, the 13th, an unlucky day

·         The number 13

·         Breaking a mirror, which brings bad luck for 7 years

·         Black cats crossing one’s path

·         Walking under a ladder

·         Opening an umbrella inside a house or building

·         Singing at the table

·         Sleeping on a table

·         A bird coming in the window

·         Refusing to kiss under the Mistletoe

·         Goldfish in the house

·         Chasing someone with a broom

·         Dropping a dishcloth

·         Getting out of bed on a different side than you got in on

·         Rocking an empty rocking chair

·         killing an albatross brings bad luck to a ship as well as its crew and passengers

·         Wearing an opal when it’s not your birthstone

·         Giving someone a  purse or wallet without placing some money in it

·         It is bad luck to leave a house through a different door than one you entered through

Reversing Bad Luck

·         Turn 7 times in a clockwise circle

·         Crossing your fingers

·         Standing in a circle protects you from harm

·         Knocking twice on wood

Protection

·         Garlic protects from vampires

·         Wedding veils protect brides

Good Luck

·         An itchy palm

·         finding a horseshoe

·         Tossing salt over your shoulder

·         Saying “God Bless You” after a sneeze

·         Rabbit’s foot

·         Finding a 4-leaf clover

·         Fate is written in the stars

·         Wearing clothes inside out

·         Wearing your birthstone

·         Beginners always have good luck

·         A cricket in the house

·         Lock of hair from baby’s first hair cut

·         Gold fish in a pond

·         Wearing new clothes on Easter

·         Finding a penny and picking it up

Money and Wishes

·         There’s a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow

·         Blowing out the birthday candles in one breath means you’ll get your wish

·         When breaking a wishbone, the person with the larger piece gets his or her wish

·         Itchy palms mean money

The Prospect of Things to Come Based on Unconnected Events

·         An apple a day keeps the doctor away

·         If you step on a crack, you’ll break your mother’s back

·         Eating fish will make you smart

·         Toads cause warts

·         When the soles of your feet itch, you’ll be taking a trip

·         If a dog howls, a death will occur

·         A sailor who wears a gold earring can’t drown

·         Animals can talk at midnight on Christmas Eve

·         Dropping a fork means a woman will visit, dropping a knife means a man will visit, and dropping a spoon means a child will visit

·         Shivering means someone is casting a shadow on your grave

·         A bride wearing something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue during the wedding ceremony guarantees a happy marriage.

·         Washing a car guarantees it will rain

·         Planning a picnic or other outdoors outings requiring a sunny day will also guarantee rain.

·         Warm hands mean a cold heart, whereas cold hands mean a warm heart

What Are Old Wives Tales?

In the olden days, way before modern technology and modern medicine evolved into what it is today, women were the keepers of medical wisdom which was passed on from generation to generation. Women – especially the Old Wives who were the town’s mothers, grandmothers, midwives and healers – were responsible for delivering babies, healing sick family members and neighbors, were considered experts in nutrition, experts in children, folk medicine, herbs and even death.

Many of the Old Wives’ Tales developed from the wealth of their experience. Some of the Old Wives’ Tales, though were based in superstition, such as the Tale that eating bread crusts would make your  hair curly. Many Old Wives’Tales developed from folk cures for every day ailments (toothaches, colds), or were aimed at teaching about things like deathand natural life changes (explaining pregnancy to kids, beginning of menstruation, or menopause), or to teach children about which behaviors to avoid by associating those behaviors with dire consequences (if you touch a toad you’ll get warts).

Whole books could be written about the Old Wives’ Tales concerning pregnancy (e.g. if you carry the baby high it’s a girl, but if you carry it low it’s a boy). There are way too many pregnancy related Old Wives’ Tales to go into here, but some of the other aspects of life still offer up some really intriguing examples. When reading through this list, you may discover that many of these Old Wives’ Tales sound suspiciously like superstitions.

A List of Old Wives Tales

·         Eating bread crusts will make your hair curly

·         Don’t swallow gum  because it takes seven years to digest

·         Plucking one gray hair means two more will grow back in its place

·         Touching toads gives you warts

·         Don’t swim for an hour after eating, or you’ll get stomach cramps

·         Eating carrots improves eyesight

·         Eating chocolate cause acne

·         Carrying an acorn will bring good luck and long life.

·         Placing acorns on the windowsill will keep lightning out of the house.

·         Ring bells provide protection from demons because the noise scares them.

·         If the first calf born during the winter is white, then the winter will be particular severe.

·         Itchy or ringing right ear means someone is saying something nice about you, while if it occurs in the left ear, someone is saying something bad.

·         Cutting fingernails on Friday or Sunday is bad luck.

·         Save, burn or bury fingernails clippings to prevent bad luck.

·         Anyone dying on Good Friday will go straight to Heaven.

·         Hanging a horseshoe above a door  brings good luck to whomever lives there.

·         Don’t hang a horseshoe upside down, or all the luck will run out.

·         If your nose itches it means (1) a fool is going to kiss you, (2) you will get a visitor – the right nostril means a female visitor and the left nostril means a male visitor.

·         Jogging is bad for you because it jumbles up your insides.

·         Inserting knitting needs into a ball of yarn brings bad luck to the person who uses the item made from that yarn.

·         Catching a falling leaf on the first day of autumn guarantees you won’t get sick all winter.

·         When boiling milk, don’t let it run over the side of the pan or it’ll bring bad luck.

·         Wishes made over burning onions will come true.

·         Using the same pencil for studying and taking tests will ensure good grades, because the pencil remembers the answers.

·         Dropping a pair of scissors means your lover is seeing another behind your back.

·         Dropping an umbrella on the floor of a house means that someone in that house will soon die.

·         Knocking on wood 3 times keeps evil spirits from stealing your good luck.

·         The number of times that the lines on your palms form an “X” indicates the number of children you will have.

·         The number of ribbons a bride breaks when opening her wedding gifts indicates the number of children she will have.

·         Covering your mouth when yawning, prevents the soul from leaving your body.

·         Walking around in bare feet will give you worms.

·         Wearing shoes will help a baby learn to walk faster.

·         If a woman who’s just given birth gets caught in the rain, she will catch a “baby cold” which will cause her death and leave her baby motherless.

·         Hold your breath when driving by a cemetery or you will breathe in the spirit of someone who recently died and was buried there.

·         If the eyes of a dead person are left open, he or she will find someone to take with them.

·         Cranberry juice keeps your kidneys and urinary tract healthy and either fights or prevents urinary tract infections.

·         Don’t cross your eyes, they’ll stuck that way.

·         Telling lies will (1) make your nose grow longer, (2) cause a pimple on your tongue, (3) cause a sore on your lips.

·         Don’t drop a needle, you might step on it and get an infection.

·         Feed a cold and starve a fever.

·         Starve a cold and feed a fever.

(I’ll leave it to you to decide which one those to follow.)

·         If you go outside with a wet head, you’ll catch a cold.

·         Cracking your knuckles will cause arthritis.

·         Covering your mouth when sneezing will prevent your soul from escaping

·         Spicy foods cause ulcers

·         Watching too much TV or sitting too close to the TV will make you blind.

·         A watched pot never boils.

If you want to read on about pregnancy related Old Wives’ Tales, check out this website:

List of 51 pregnancy old wives tales: Your baby’s sex revealed!

http://www.hisboyscanswim.com/658/list-of-51-pregnancy-old-wives-tales-your-babys-sex-revealed

Resources

Travis, Wendy. Life Script. 10 Common Superstitions.

http://www.lifescript.com/soul/spirit/beliefs/10_common_superstitions.aspx?gclid=CITPj4C9h68CFVO9tgodwBCpBQ&trans=1&du=1&ef_id=3FdOP%40Ng%40mMAAExE%3a20120327161628%3as

Wikipedia. Superstition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstition

Wikipedia. Old Wives’ Tale.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_wives%27_tale

The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Common Superstitions.

http://www.csicop.org/superstition/library/common_superstitions/

Ford, Allison. Divine Caroline. Old Wives’ Tales: Fact or Fiction?

http://www.divinecaroline.com/22360/72592-wives-tales-fact-folklore

The Longest List of the Longest Stuff at the Longest Domain Name at Long Last. The A-Z of Old Wives’ Tales.

http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/tales110.html

2. Breaking a mirror will earn a person seven years of bad luck

3. Don’t make silly faces or your face will stay that way forever.

4. Don’t tickle an infants feet;
it will make them stutter when they get old enough to talk.

5. If your right hand itches, you will receive money; if the left itches, you will get a letter.

6. When the wind is out of the east fish bite the least; when the wind is out of the west fish bite the best.

7. Throw salt over the shoulder to dispel bad luck

8. Lightning never strikes twice in the same place

9. If the first baby calf born in the winter is white, it’s a sign that the winter will be very harsh.

10. If your right ear itches, someone is saying something nice about you. If it’s the left, someone’s saying something bad about you

11. The Friday before Easter is Good Friday. If someone dies on Good Friday, they will go directly to Heaven.

12. It’s still said that if your nose itches, a fool is about to kiss you

13. Use the same pencil for taking a test as was used for studying for the same test. The pencil will remember the answers

14. Dropping a pair of scissors means that your lover is seeing someone behind your back

15. Covering your mouth when you yawn will prevent your soul from leaving your body

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Hardly a human exists that doesn’t harbor a few apprehensions – consciously or subconsciously – about black cats, broken mirrors, spilled salt, or the number thirteen.

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In fact, so concerned are most people that hotels and buildings generally refuse to label a thirteenth floor (they call it 13A or fourteen, thereby avoiding the vacancies that number 13 would bring) Even in this age of information technology, emails and chain letters are still being circulated saying that if a certain message is not sent to so and so number of people, you’ll have bad luck for the rest of your life.

Westerners may scoff at the benighted superstitions of African and Asian people.  Some may be amused that Zambians believe eggs can cause sterility, that some Japanese avoid cutting their nails at night lest cat claws grow out in their place, or that Chinese voyagers never turn over the fish on their plates for fear of capsizing their ships.

Yet westerners—with the growing popularity of astrology, parapsychology, numerology, and various psychic manifestations – are rapidly becoming some of the most superstitious people on earth.  Statistics show that Americans spend more than 50 million dollars each year on astrology, one of the oldest forms of superstitious beliefs.  Hardly a newspaper or a fashion magazine exists today that doesn’t carry daily horoscope – reportedly one of their most popular features.

Few people will openly admit to being superstitious, as it implies naiveté or ignorance.  But which one of us hasn’t at one time or another wished on a birthday cake candle, pulled on a wishbone for good luck, tossed a coin into a wishing well, knocked on wood, crossed our fingers for good luck (or when we told a lie), shunned opening an umbrella in a house (lest bad luck rain on us), felt happy at finding a four-leaf clover, or said, “Gesunheit” or “God bless you” to someone who sneezed?

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Each of these actions, whether we realize it or not, stems from some ancient superstitious origin.  Their original purpose was to placate the anger, or court the favor, of various deities.

Weddings, even when held in sacred sanctuaries, include dozens of superstitious customs which stem from ancient primitive fears.  The groom must not see the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony, the bride must always wear “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” (the English add the line “and a sixpence in her shoe”); the bride and groom must cut the first slice of cake together to be assured of long life, happiness, and prosperity, must toss her bouquet to single out which single lady will marry next; and the guests must pelt the newly-weds with rice as they depart—an ancient fertility custom.

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These merely show the grip that ancient superstitions have on the modern-day human being.  Of course, it’s comforting to think you can explain the inexplicable, rationalize misfortune, or control your own destiny through a proper understanding of superstition.  In fact, the signs and omens don’t have to make sense to anyone but you.  

Question is, on what or to whom should we actually put our faith and trust in? 

————-

Earn by Writing>>> learn more HERE

The Robin. photo by Gary Tacagni.

There are many accounts of how the Robin aquired its red breast, in one account it is said that it tried to ease Christ’s pain while he was being crucified on the cross and that it was splashed by some of his blood and this is how its breast became red. An alternative legend with a religious theme is that the Robin scorched its breast fetching water for the souls held in Purgatory.

According to legend it is extremely unlucky to kill a Robin, it is said that the hand that kills a Robin will shake thereafter. In Ireland the belief is that if you kill a Robin a large growth will appear on your right hand. Anyone who kills a Robin in Yorkshire it is said, and who owns dairy cows will find there milk turns the colour of blood. Other superstitions connected with this bird is that if you harm one the same harm will be returned to you, if you break their eggs then something that you value will be broken. It is said that if a Robin flies into your house through an open window and then taps on a window with its beak a death will occur shortly afterwards. It is said that if you see a Robin sheltering in branches then it is a sign that it will rain shortly, alternately to see a Robin chirping on an open branch  is said to be a sign of good weather. Some people believe that a cat will not chase a Robin, others believe that you can make a wish on seeing the first Robin of the season, however if you take to long to make the wish and it flies off then you will have bad luck for a year.

The Hedgehog. photo by Anniko courtesy of Flickr.

In the past the Hedgehog has suffered greatly through ignorance and misunderstanding. In 1566 the Elizabethan Parliament put a three pence bounty on the head of every Hedgehog because it was believed that the Hedgehog stole milk form cows during the night. Although this was untrue it did not stop thousands of these animals being killed, thousands were also killed because it was thought that they stole eggs and broke them open to eat their contents, however it has been proved that Hedgehogs are physically incapable of cracking open a chickens egg.

The Hedgehog has also been persecuted in Africa where its skin and spines are considered a fertility charm. In China the Hedgehog is considered sacred and as such is protected, in Europe it is also protected and it is illegal to kill or confine one.

It has been said that the Hedgehog can predict a change in the direction of the wind, it is seen to do this by changing the entrance to its nest.

The ancient Egyptians believed the Hedgehog was reincarnated each year, this can probably be explained through its hibernation when it went to sleep in the autumn and awakened in the spring.

Gypsies are known to have eaten Hedgehogs by rolling them in clay and then baking them, they also believed that some parts of the animal when boiled were able to cure partial blindness, boils, baldness and leprosy.

The Cuckoo. photo by Tim Green courtesy of Flickr.

It was believed in the past that if you saw the first Cuckoo of the season you should put a stone on the top of your head and run as fast as you can, where the stone falls off you should mark the spot and return the following day, you should then turn the stone over and it is said that you should find money beneath it. At one time it was believed that if you took earth from the spot where you were standing when you heard the first cuckoo of the season, you then sprinkle this in the doorway of your house and it would keep away fleas, vermin and unwanted animals.

Another superstition was that if you heard the call of the Cuckoo on April 14th you should turn all the coins over in your pocket as April 14th was considered one of the evil days of the year. Another belief is that one of the Gods took the form of a Cuckoo and it is considered a crime and also bad luck to kill one. In the past people would work out how many years they had left to live by listening to the number of calls the Cuckoo makes.

It is said that if you hear the sound of the Cuckoo coming from the right in spring it means you will have good luck, if you hear the sound coming from the left it means bad luck. If you hear the Cuckoo on the 28th April it means you will have excellent luck. If you hear its call on the 6th of April or after mid summer it means bad luck.

Dogs. photo by mngl courtesy of Flickr.

In different parts of the country dog superstitions can have different meanings, for instance in Scotland and Lancashire, to be followed by a dog especially a black one is considered to be an omen of death, whereas to be followed by one in the West Country is a sign of good luck.

In the past it was believed that if a dog scratches itself while appearing sleepy a change in the weather will occur shortly, if a dog is seen eating grass or rolls about in the dust it is said that rain is on the way. If a dog is seen lying with its paws out in front of it and its tail pointing straight out behind it, this is believed to mean a death will occur in the direction the tail is pointing.

Dogs are said to howl if they have detected an unseen presence, in Poland and Germany it was thought that if a group of dogs howled for no apparent reason it meant that the plaugue was approaching. It is said that if a howling dog is driven away but returns to the same spot and starts howling again then this is a sign that a death will happen shortly.

Another superstition is that if a new born baby is licked by a dog it will grow up to be a quick healer from any injury suffered throughout their life. Another unusual story concerning dogs is that if you see one staring at nothing for no apparent reason, try looking between its ears as it is said you will see a ghost!

Fishermen are said to avoid taking a dog on their boat as it is considered bad luck as well as mentioning the word dog while at sea. In Scotland a strange dog entering your home means a new friendship is about to begin, while in England it is considered lucky to see three white dogs or see a spotted or black and white dog while on the way to a business meeting. In America if a Sioux Indian becomes ill they will lay with a dog and the illness is said to transfer to the animal, it is thought that this practice still takes place.

Horses. photo by Gary Tacagni.

There are many superstitions connected with horses, for instance it was thought that if a horse stepped into a wolf print it would become crippled. An interesting old wives tale concerns predicting what sex a mare carrying a foal will be, it is said that if you take a hair from the mares tail, tie a nail to it and hold it above the mares hips, if it does’nt swing the mare is not in foal, if it swings in a circle she is carrying a filly, if it swings straight she is having a colt. Other tales are that horse brasses were used to protect the horse from witches as they were said to Hag ride them to their coven meetings, bringing them home before dawn covered in sweat and exhausted much to the consternation of their owners.

It is said that if you change the name of a horse it will attract bad luck, also if you break a mirror in your home you can overcome the bad luck by leading a horse through the house. It is said that a horse standing with its back to a hedge is a sign that rain is on the way. If a horse is seen to neigh at the entrance to a house it is a sign that illness will befall the occupants. Carrying a rowan wood whip was said to protect the horse from a witches spell and in the past people would have a blacksmith bend a horseshoe nail into a circle as they believed that this was a powerful talisman. It is said that when the owner of a horse dies that the horse will shed tears in their passing, also placing copper pennies in a water tank will improve the behaviour of mares. Grey horses and horses with four white socks were considered unlucky, whereas if you lead a white horse through your house it will clear it of any evil lingering there. It is said that if you wear a hair from a black stallion around your wrist it will protect you from any spells cast by a witch. Another tale regarding the use of a horses hair is that if you encircle a wart with one it will be cured and the wart will disappear.

Herbs

Many herbs were used for good-luck purposes, or to ward off evil spirits. Basil was often dried, then hung in bunches or single strands over the door, windows, or the fireplace. Supposedly, this kept evil spirits (and a few unwelcome human visitors) from entering your home.

The Purslane plant serves a similar purpose — only it keeps people away when planted in the ground near your home (although not necessarily the evil spirits).

Garden Plants

Split open a persimmon seed in the fall to determine when good spring planting will arrive. If there’s a spoon shape inside the seed, the winter weather will be harsh and cold instead of mild.

When planting your garden vegetable seeds, plant two for the devil and one for yourself, since he may wreak havoc in your plants throughout the growing season.

Garden Flowers

Geraniums can protect you from experiencing snakebite if you carry the petals with you.

Fern leaves ward off back luck when placed outside your threshold.

There are many other superstitions regarding gardens and plants. While most find their way into almanacs as curious pieces of the past, many gardeners find it fun to carry on a few of the old wives tales in honor of the past (and present) garden experience.

While granny was on the mark with some cures, others were somewhat suspect. Let’s look at the truth and fallacies of some OWT.

Chicken Noodle Soup is the Best Remedy for the Common Cold – TRUE!

Granny was spot on with her cure. Researchers offer that steaming soup clears nasal congestion and provides the body with necessary hydration to flush out viral bugs. According to an ABC News report, Dr. Stephen Rennard, a pulmonary expert at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, found evidence that the soup contains anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent a cold’s wretched side effects.

A University of California study has shown amino acid cysteine to be a common by-product of chicken soup. This amino acid has the same components as acetylecysteine, an antibiotic prescribed to people with respiratory infections.

Don’t Go Out With Wet Hair, You’ll Catch a Cold – FALSE!

Many are the times I’ve ascribed a cold to a particular event such as my head getting wet and cold thereby lowering my resistance to cold germs. But what about those times I got wet from walking in the rain, and did not catch a cold.

Scientists tell us that colds are caused by over 200 different strains of viruses known as rhinoviruses. (It should be noted that colds are not caused by the same viruses responsible for influenza.) The Common Cold Unit in Salisbury, England, conducted repeated experiments in which people were left shivering in the cold and did not come down with any more colds than those who stayed warm. Finger to nose contact is the most likely means of viral transmission. Viruses are passed on from person to person through spray from coughing or sneezing. Physicians say the best way to avoid colds is to keep hands clean and keep them away from noses.

For an Upset Tummy Drink Flat Coke and Eat Crackers – TRUE!

Tell someone you have the trots or skitters and it seems to induce mirth. Diarrhea is no matter for merriment, especially for the sufferer. Health Care expert Anna Mickell tells us this most commonly caused by a virus or bacterium that has made its way into food or water. Other causes may include rich food, too much alcohol, emotional upheaval, reaction to drugs and food allergies.

Preventing dehydration is the main treatment in the initial stages of diarrhea. Mickell recommends small amounts of clear, lightly sweetened fluid every hour. Ideal fluids include flat coke, diluted lemonade and weak cordial. When the diarrhea has subsided, the patient should eat bland, non-greasy foods such as dry bread, crackers, clear soups and poached eggs.

For a Sore Throat Gargle With Warm Salt Water – TRUE!

Complain to my husband about a sore throat and you can take it to the bank that he’s going to say, “Go gargle with salt water.” The experts agree with him. (I married a genius!) Researchers at the University of Maryland state that most of sore throat cases are caused by viruses on which antibiotics would be wasted. Granny’s tried and tested remedy of a good gargle with salt water (½ teaspoon salt in 240mls warm water) every three to four hours, is not only the safest and least expensive, but probably the most effective treatment.

Feed a Cold and Starve a Fever – MAYBE?

When you feel like death warmed over and are delirious with fever, the last thing on your mind is food. Cold and flu experts at
MyPharmacy
suggest that rather than fasting or feasting, the wisest course of action when you are ill is to eat when you are hungry. However, it is important that you eat nutritious food and supplements to help regain your strength. Drinking fluids is highly recommended. Broths not only provide fluid, but also protein and nutrients necessary for healing. Of course you can always count on Grandma’s old standby – chicken noodle soup.

For Nosebleeds Put a Wad of Paper Under Your Lip, Put Ice on the Back of Your Neck or Tip Your Head Back – FALSE!

Whatever was Gran thinking when she came up with the wad of paper under the lip? Go figure that one out? Experts tell us that because the nose has many blood vessels and is situated in a prominent position on the face, trauma to the face can cause nosebleeds. Nosebleeds can also occur when the nasal membranes dry out and crack. This problem is often encountered in dry climates or during winter months when indoor heaters dry out the air. Some anti-inflammatory medications may also cause nosebleeds.

Health care experts advise that the best way to stop a nosebleed is to squeeze or pinch the nostrils together with the thumb and index finger. Hold this position for about 5 minutes. Repeat the technique until the bleeding stops. Sit, relax and keep the head elevated. Do not lie down or put your head between your legs. Apply crushed ice to the nose and cheek areas. After a nosebleed, rest with your head elevated.

The Best Cure for a “Hangover Breakfast” – Black Coffee, Two Eggs, Tomato Juice and an Aspirin – All Mixed Together – FALSE!

Like most people, I do not like to suffer. And the best way to avoid it is not to eat or drink in excess. But people, being people, will always have gluttons for punishment. Consider some facts about the effects of alcohol on the body:

Medical experts state that the body absorbs about 90 percent of the alcohol in a drink. The rest is excreted through the breath, perspiration and urine. On average, a normal liver can process 10 grams of alcohol per hour – the equivalent of one glass of wine, half a pint of beer, or one shot of 80 proof spirits.

Alcohol is a depressant that slows down the activity of the central nervous system by replacing the water around the nervous cells in the body.

There are, however, a few things you can do to make a hangover less severe. Before drinking eat a substantial meal or have at least one glass of milk to protect your stomach lining. After drinking, have a pint of water before bedtime to minimize dehydration.

The bad news, according to experts, is that a hangover can’t be cured once you have one. Some cures may exacerbate the problem. Aspirin and ibuprofen can irritate the stomach lining. Acetaminophen can strain the liver. Copious amounts of coffee can give you a caffeine buzz. Sleep would be a better remedy. Better to drink a lot of fruit juice or eat something sweet and wait for the sugar to absorb the alcohol.

Rub Butter on a Burn – FALSE!

Drs. Rutherford and Dowshen of
KidsHealth.org
say never apply butter, grease, powder or any remedies to a first-degree burn. Before you phone for medical assistance, run cool water over the burned area or hold a clean, cold compress on the burn until the pain subsides. Remove clothing (that is not stuck to the flesh) from the burned area. If water is not available use any cold drinkable fluid, but do not use ice. If the burn area is small, loosely cover it with a sterile gauze pad or bandage. For second and third degree burns follow the instructions for first degree burns. Do not break blisters.

Cure Hiccups by Swallowing Sugar, Sucking on a Lemon, Drinking from a Far Side of a Glass – TRUE!

The medical term for hiccups (hiccoughs), according to Dr. Garry Wilkes, is known as singultus, originating from Latin, which means “the act of one catching one’s breath while sobbing.” Hiccups appear to serve no purpose in humans or other mammals. A hiccup bout is any episode that lasts for more than a few minutes. The reason many traditional remedies are effective is because they employ methods that stimulate components of the hiccup reflex.

And Finally, Laughter is Good for the Soul – TRUE

Grandma didn’t say this but researchers at the University of Maryland who have studied the influence of laughter on the body, concluded that a good guffaw has a positive effect on blood flow, the immune response and blood sugar levels. Check out the net for some more outrageous OWT and if for some reason you develop hiccups between your chuckles, you’ll know what to do.