If you take the time to reflect on all the old wives tales that have been passed down for generations, it can be crazy to think that many of us still believe and practice them today. From anti-aging hacks, gender predictions, to our overall health; we’ve heard them all.
We’ve gathered some of the wildest, most common old wives tales to prove them wrong once and for all!
1. Breastfeeding is a natural form of birth control
Many women have heard this old wives tale, that as long as they’re breastfeeding their baby, they’re safe from getting pregnant. However, breastfeeding only significantly decreases fertility if very specific factors are met. These factors include: experiencing a complete lack of period since your delivery, only breastfeeding your baby for nourishment (no other food), and only breastfeeding while your child is less than six months old. If, and only if, all three of these criteria are met will you lower your chances of getting pregnant. To be pre-cautious, it’s important to practice safe sex by using condoms or going on birth control if you aren’t ready to get pregnant again.
2. Your diet doesn’t affect wrinkles
Although many myths related to skin and diet have been proven false, diet can indeed affect your aging process. If you consume a diet high in sugar and other glycemic index foods, like pasta, white bread, and potatoes, this can cause wrinkles. Eating too much can expedite a process called, glycation, which hardens protein fibers in your skin. This affects the elastin and collagen proteins in your skin and can accelerate the development of wrinkles. So if you notice your skin is aging quicker than you’d like, it’s a good idea to reflect on what you’re eating!
3. Pluck one gray hair and more will grow in its place
