TOPIC

Health: true or false?

Health: true or false?
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
Researchers say the fundamental link between higher temperatures and increased cardiovascular risk has been documented globally. Photo: Shutterstock
Australia

Hot weather is bad for your heart, Australian study finds

‘When the weather is hot, our hearts must work harder to help us cool down,’ said Professor Peng Bi, one of the study’s authors.

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Food and Drinks

How MSG got its stigma, and those challenging ‘racist myths’

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Food and Drinks

Social media says drinking Aperol Spritz causes cancer. Is it true?

Beauty

Beauty ‘nasties’: 7 ingredients to avoid for healthy skin

Beauty products are full of harmful ingredients like parabens, sulphates and alcohol being passed off under complex names – here’s why avoiding them may be the best thing you can do for your health

Ren specialises in clean skincare. Photos: Handout
Wellness

Explainer | What a juice cleanse really does your to body, according to experts

Could juicing still be part of a healthy diet, years after the fad for it died? Experts weigh up the pros and cons – read on to find out if it’s for you

Skincare

Move over, K-beauty – Ayurvedic skincare is 2024’s beauty trend to know

The latest trend to hit the high street sees traditional ingredients like saffron, turmeric, neem and ashwagandha married to modern approaches and formulations

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Beauty

Explainer | What the state of your nails says about you – and how to make a better impression

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

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. Photo: Shutterstock
Beauty

Explainer | How do dry shampoos work, and are they bad for your hair?

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

Skincare

Explainer | How to check if your skincare has expired – and the health risks of using it

It’s always better to exercise caution when it comes to skincare, so here’s what to do when you’re unsure whether a product has expired or not

Wellness

Do IV drips really boost your health, and what are the risks?

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?

IV drips are the latest in beauty hacks, according to Kim Kardashian and Adele – other stars like Hailey Bieber, Gwyneth Paltrow and Chrissy Teigen are also fans of being hooked up for a shot of nutrients and hydration. Photo: Handout
Beauty

Explainer | Going to sleep with wet hair won’t make you sick – but it’s still a bad idea

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?

While it’s a myth that going to sleep with wet hair can lead to coming down with a cold or flu, it is true that wet hair is more prone to damage. To keep your hair healthy and shiny, make the effort to dry it before bed. Photo: Shutterstock
Americas and the Caribbean

Woman who knocked on coffin during her funeral dies a week later

Five hours into her wake Bella Montoya’s son heard her ‘hitting the box’ with her left hand.

Science

Study in China finds healthy thin people eat and exercise less

Research team says its data overturns the common perception that underweight people burn off extra calories with physical activity.

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Coronavirus vaccine

Blood clots from vaccines? What about the pill? Doctors explain

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.

The AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine has been linked to blood clots. Photo: Jens Schlueter/AFP
Wellness

Dry January: why you should give your body a break from booze this month

Better skin, deeper sleep and more energy: cleansing your body by steering clear of booze is a no-brainer – but have you got what it takes?

Jennifer Lopez is one celebrity who famously doesn’t drink alcohol for health reasons. Photo: @jlo/Instagram
Wellness

Does drinking lemon water really help you lose weight?

Drinking lemon water, avoiding fats, carbs and sugars – will these fads help you lose weight and get fit?

Coronavirus pandemic

No, the coronavirus can’t be kept away by saltwater gargling or cow dung

From Singapore to Indonesia, dubious claims to prevent infection are spreading on social media and chat groups.

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Food and Drinks

Too mucha matcha? 6 of the weirdest green tea-flavoured foods

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?

Matcha ramen is just one of the many recipes concocted to capitalise on the craze for Japanese green tea-flavoured foods. Photo: Instagam
City Weekend

More than half of Hong Kong people suffered from sleep deprivation in August

More than half of Hong Kong people suffered from sleep deprivation in August, finds survey conducted on 173 working people aged between 20 and 45.

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Disease watchdog reports 146 HIV infections in first quarter of 2019

Of reported cases, 128 were men and 18 were women. There have been 9,861 HIV infections in Hong Kong since 1984.

Wellness

From low-carb to bad food: phrases that make dietitians cringe

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.

From “guilty pleasure” to “bad eating”, dietitians share their most hated phrases used around dieting and eating. Photo: Alamy
Wellness

Inside Out | If we are what we eat, then we are on the path to an early death

A study last week by The Lancet found that poor diets - both by the overindulged and the malnourished - cause one in five deaths worldwide every year, more than smoking

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Food high in trans fat, oil and calories. A study last week by The Lancet found that poor diets - both by the overindulged and the malnourished - cause one in five deaths worldwide every year, more than smoking. Photo: Shutterstock
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)

SCMP cadet eats a fried cockroach, and wins two journalism awards

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

Wellness

Free flu shots at school hailed a success as pilot scheme upgraded

Department of Health scheme to provide free shots has pushed up vaccination rate to about 55 per cent among primary pupils, health chief says.

Wellness

Got a cold? Check out these weird and wonderful remedies

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.

Jazz, smelly socks, vomiting: weird and wonderful common cold cures
Wellness

Organic-food diet linked to reduction in cancer risk, study finds

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.

A new study suggests eating a lot o forganic food can reduce the risk of getting certain cancers. Photo: Alamy
Wellness

Lots of people exercise to relieve stress. That could be a bad idea

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.

Wellness

An aspirin a day will not keep the doctor away, new study says

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.

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