It's interesting that in the comments section of the article are many people claiming that they disagree with these being myths.

That is the problem with health. It can be very subjective and the human brain is hard wired to see patterns (even when there aren't any there). As a result we fall for confirmation bias, anecdotal biases, placebo effects and even ideological biases.

All of the above myths are scientifically based

1) I can go many winters without catching a cold. I could live on Antarctica for years without coming in to contact with the cold virus. It is not about temperature. It is about straining your body so that the body's immune system gets overloaded having to deal with germs already in your body procreating out of the immune system's control. Though your immune system already responds to the germs already present or introduced, not being able to build as quickly the antibodies does allow the disease to grow out of initial control.

Analogy: Like a fire brigade going to a blaze. If a bushfire starts spreading uncontrollably, the fire brigade needs back up to help control and extinguish the blaze.

2) If someone seriously does not believe that a weak immune system does not increase the risks of catching a cold, please pack your frickin' bags and leave the country now. Australian aborigines spent up to 70,000 years on this continent with a disease-free society. As such, their bodies did not evolve to build up an immunity to fight introduced diseases that the first fleeters had after sailing in filthy conditions for 6 months of the year.

To this day, it is the elderly and aborigines who are requested to either take care or take use of the free flu vaccinations to try and build up an immunity to the cycle of influenza in Australia.

3) There is only mild reasoning for the sweating out of the cold germ. The germ is found in our body, making up mostly of water. Superstitiously, we have this idea that sweating out the water will in turn take the germs with it. But the only reason we would be sweating is if our body was overheating, either as a result of hot weather or physical exertion. Either way, we may be straining our body and putting our immune system under pressure, making recovery more difficult.

As for using blankets routine, normally catching a cold is during the colder months (when we are inside with other people more often). Using blankets is simply to ward off the chill of cold weather. Cold weather compromises our body's stress level.

4) I don't care much for the flu vaccination. People can have the influenza vaccination if they desire. I am neither for or against the use of such.

5) Vitamin C and zinc are good for the body and help the immune system function properly.

6) You can catch colds any time of year. My brief cold was the result of using ice on my body to cool myself down during the brief heat wave. Stress on the body hinders the body's proper function.

7) Milk contains sugar in many cases. Sugar is found to slow the blood stream and prevents the body from effectively getting antibodies to the area that is infected with a virus. Cutting out sugar during a common cold should speed up the body's ability to counter the cold. Milk does not contain much sugar, and should be okay to continue drinking.

8) You will have the highest probability of infecting someone else or becoming infected with the common cold if you are in close proximity to the person with a germ. The virus can last up to an hour outside the body. Some influenza viruses last up to 24 hours on hard surfaces outside the body. Kissing, breathing near someone, or inhaling the air near someone with a cold is likely to allow you to get infected.

And if you are really that naive to think it is not a concern to kiss someone with a cold because you are not kissing their nose, please take note of the proximity of the nose to the mouth. Please take not of how the nose breathes in and exhales air. Please take not of how your mouth and nose interact to breathe and exhale air, mixing up germs in the process.

9) Basic hygiene is essential in helping to prevent the spread of the common cold. Only a moron would suggest that walking around with a runny nose of mucous is preferable compared to blowing your nose into a tissue and disposing of it. You would also need to wash your face more often to minimise the germ on your face.

10) Starving a fever is not really a conscious act. When sick, we are more reluctant to eat because our body does not seem to be signaling that you are feeling hungry. I have had a few common colds that have left me going on a fasting period where I don't feel hungry for hours longer than usual. After making a meal, it is surprising how fast I eat the meal, not realising how hungry I was.

The influenza virus probably leads us not to eat as it is previous experience that leads us to think that we might throw up our meals after consumption. So, we scale back how much we eat until we know that we can handle the food.

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Thank you listverse for once again showing the lack of merit has your information.

UnSubRocky wrote on Mar 26^th, 2018 at 10:21pm:


The only reason I used listverse was because it happened to group together the most common myths. All reputable scientific sources will confirm that these are myths.

UnSubRocky wrote on Mar 26^th, 2018 at 10:21pm:


This statement alone shows your complete lack of understanding of how the immune system works.

NO ONES immune system can protect it against diseases the body is not used to. It dosn't matter how strong you claim your immune system is. You can be the strongest healthiest person in the world but small pox will still kill you unless you have been vaccinated against it.

It dosn't matter how healthy you are, how warm or cold it is, if you come into contact with the cold virus you will catch a cold.