Time To Re-think Some 'Healthy' Ideas

Doctors are asking us to re-think some ideas we grew up with when it comes to health decisions.  Passed down from generation to generation, these "myths" are just assumed to be true, but some either don't hold up scientifically, and some may even be harmful.

Here are just a few:

• Taking Daily Aspirin Will Prevent a Heart Attack – The American Heart Association no longer recommends that healthy adults take a daily aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke.  Aspirin increases the risk of bleeding in the stomach or the brain and is now recommended only for people who have an existing cardiovascular disease or are at high risk of heart disease.

• Doing Sit-Ups Will Flatten Your Stomach – Merely doing sit-ups or crunches will not burn belly fat.  Fat loss is a whole-body process, and exercising one part will not reduce that particular area.  An overall exercise program combined with a healthy diet can help produce the desired effect.

• Dark Chocolate is Always Good for You – While dark chocolate definitely has benefits, the type of chocolate you choose is what's important.  Dark chocolate contains cocoa, which is bitter, so chocolate manufacturers often add other ingredients, such as fat or sugar, to make it more appetizing.  But it therefore isn't as healthy.  The consensus is that dark chocolate with 70 percent or higher cocoa content provides the greatest benefits.