As a medical doctor I am very pleased with this book. The authors have done something very unlikely -- they wrote an fun, entertaining book that is also scientifically and medically excellent. Well researched, well-referenced and easy to use. Quite a public service!
CEC Don't Swallow Your Gum!: Myths, Half-Truths, and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health
Using solid medical research and some really funny storytelling, these two doctor-authors debunk so many commonly forwarded myths that it can save the internet. I get so many email forwards that could have been easily nipped at the bud if the sender has just read this book. Think of how much more time we'd all have, and how the internet would be free and clear of such dispelled myths!
So the next time someone sends you an email about the evils of antiperspirant, organ donations, or the advantages of peeing on jellyfish stings, just send them a copy of this book! The short chapters make for easy on-the-go reading, and the numerous citations in the index make for some interesting follow-up research.
Do you want to be able to correct your mother on the myths about citrus when she foists vitamin C tablets on you when you have the sniffles? Perhaps just rattle off some interesting tidbits of knowledge at a summer BBQ when everyone is slathering themselves with spf 1000 sunblock? This book is rife with great nuggets of medical information presented in bite-size chunks. A fun and informative collection of essays on commonly believed medical myths that will occasionally make you feel smarter than your doctor.
About: Doctors Vreeman and Carroll tackle common beliefs about health and the human body including the Five Second Rule, double dipping and how much water one should drink. The book is organized into six groups of myths: the body, diseases, sex and pregnancy, babies and children, what we eat and drink, and myths that spark debate and controversy.
Pros: Quick read, interesting, lots of myths tackled, well written, references in back.
A Few Things I Found Interesting:
* Yellow urine doesn't mean you are dehydrated, neither does being thirsty
* You can't "beat" a breathalyzer
* A mosquito's buzz is just the flapping of its wings
* Once the irritating oils are washed off, you can't get poison ivy from someone's poison ivy rash
* Putting butter on a burn is a bad idea
* Green mucus from your nose doesn't mean you need antibiotics
* Poinsettias aren't that poisonous. No people have died from poinsettia poisoning
* Vitamin C doesn't prevent colds
* Sugar does not make kids hyper
* Twins don't skip a generation
Cons: No in-text citations, would have liked to see a further reading and other resources section.
Grade B+
Just purchased this book last night and can't put it down. I sat on the couch reading and sharing these extremely interesting and witty short descriptions of misconceived myths with my unbelieving husband! I love my mother-in-law but I must admit it was fun to remind him that she is not always right! Who would have thought two research docs could be so funny!
As a healthcare provider I had originally thought I wouldn't learn anything from a book like this but was pleasantly surprised to see longheld healthcare beliefs effectively debunked in a very entertaining fashion through this book. I've also passed on this book on to my non-healthcare provider friends and they have not been able to put the book down. The simple conversational tone makes this book an enjoyable, quick read while also providing easy to understand information about your body and health.
My best friend just bought me this book to prove that the things I constantly complain about are just not true!! Once I started reading, I could not put the book down. It is easy to read, not too technical, very well researched and best of all, funny!!
I recently heard that the book was featured in USA Today and that the authors appeared on Good Morning America. If anyone has those links, please reply to this review.
Great book, I highly recommend it!
Fantastic read and a great conversation starter! We recently received this book as a gift and set set it on our coffee table- it's been sparking an incredible amount of laughter and debate ever since.
You would not believe some of the myths that we've believed as truths for so long... who knew that sugar doesn't make kids hyper or that turkey really doesn't make you tired? The research to back up each busted myth is easy to read and very interesting!
We love the book and can't wait to give it to our friends and family for upcoming birthdays and holidays. Happy Myth Busting!
Dr. Carroll and Dr. Vreeman, both from the Indiana University School of Medicine, have written a number of articles about medical myths and misunderstandings. Two years ago they explored seven myths and their historic and medical backgrounds:
People should drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
We use only 10% of our brains.
Hair and fingernails continue to grow after death.
Shaving hair causes it to grow back faster, darker, or coarser.
Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight.
Eating turkey makes people especially drowsy.
Mobile phones create considerable electromagnetic interference in hospitals.
Now they have published this delightful update to their past reseaches. The book is well written and informative -- and a joy to read. I loved it.
Robert C. Ross 2009
I was at my local book retailer recently and the great title of this book caught my eye. After reading the first several pages and paging through some other chapters, it really grabbed my attention! Two days later I purchased 6 copies (one for myself) and the rest for a doctor friend and family. This makes for great talking points and is also VERY USEFUL! Great read that I highly recommend. - Myths - Fun - Colbert Report - Medical'
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