Topic

Health: true or false?i

Does eating carrots help you see in the dark? Does being wet and cold give you a cold? From urban myths to local remedies to old wives' tales, we check the truth of health claims

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  • Farida Irani’s Subtle Energies uses ingredients such as amla, brahmi and mograsells in products stocked at high-end spas and five-star hotels worldwide
  • Among the upstarts to know are Michelle Ranavat’s hair and skincare line, and Purearth, founded by Kavita Kohsa – Christy Turlington was ahead of the curve with her defunct Sundari brand

From nail strengtheners by Dior, Hermès, Paume and Dr’s Remedy, to Glosslab’s waterless mani-pedis that are better for nails and the environment, there are many ways to boost the health of your nails

Dry shampoos have transformed haircare for busy bees on the go, with easy powders and aerosols you can apply anywhere – but the US FDA has concerns about some products

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IV drips are the latest beauty hack touted by celebs like Kim Kardashian, Adele and Hailey Bieber – but does the therapy really offer a health boast, or is it down to the placebo effect?

Your mother may have chided you for supposedly putting your health at risk by not drying your hair before bed – but was she right, or only susceptible to old wives’ tales?

Many AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccination programmes were put on hold after a link was found to blood clots. Women have taken to Twitter to ask why, since they risk blood clots every day with hormonal contraception.

A healthy eating craze for powdered green tea-infused foods has seen bright green matcha-flavoured burgers, curry, hotpot, pasta and even beer – would you try any of it?

Many of the popular phrases used around food and diets are misleading and set us up for unhealthy eating habits. Food experts and dietitians reveal their most hated phrases and why they need to be changed.

A facility in Xichang in Sichuan province breeds 6 billion cockroaches for medicinal use, turning them into 600,000 bottles every day for treating ulcers

Cold season is here again and chances are you’ve already caught one. Here are some less mainstream ‘cures’ to try from around the world, plus a few historical treatments.

Research on nearly 70,000 French adults found that those who ate the most organic food were less likely to develop certain kinds of cancer than those who ate the least. Scientists suggest absence of pesticide residues on organic food is reason, but more study needed.

Exercise is a stress on the body just like nervousness or anxiety, so people who work long hours and then hit the gym might need to rethink their routine.

Team of researchers who spent seven years studying 19,000 elderly people in Australia and the United States have published findings in New England Journal of Medicine.

It is especially risky for men with an existing or hidden heart problem when watching their favourite teams, studies suggest – but winning ways could have an unexpected bonus for society.

It takes a lot more than camomile tea and gluten-free breakfasts to fend off mental illness; as writer’s mother found, you’ve got to have a desire to be happy before you can embrace a diet that brings wellness

When she was six, a girl hurt herself so badly she had red marks on her arms and when she was nine, she told her tutors she wanted to kill herself by jumping off a building – it was only then she was diagnosed with ADHD.  Why are children and teenagers with emotional or mental health problems having to wait up to 17 months for treatment in Hong Kong?

Many parents delay exposing children to allergenic foods, such as peanuts and eggs, to avoid them having food allergies – but eating those foods as part of a wide and varied while pregnant and breastfeeding is a better way to do this

Depression, attention deficit disorder, chronic disease – immersing yourself in the smells and sounds of nature with a slow walk in the countryside can relieve them all and do wonders to ease the pressure of city living, say eco-therapists

The type of coffee you choose and how you prepare it determines how much of its proven health benefits you gain; filter coffee lightly roasted, drunk black and unsweetened, may be your best bet