Old Wise Tales

Old Wise Tales Meaning
Old wives' tale is an epithet used to indicate that a supposed truth is actually a superstition or something untrue, to be ridiculed. It can be said sometimes to be a type of urban legend, said to be passed down by older women to a younger generation.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away
Fruit and vegetables are important in our diets.  This old wise tale is actually true.  A 2013 study found that if all people aged over 50 in the UK ate just one apple per day, they would actually prevent – or delay – 8500 heart attacks and strokes every year.

Count sheep to fall asleep
Those old wives have been telling us for centuries to close our eyes and count sheep to fall asleep. Tthe use of visualisation or mental imagery can certainly assist in getting you to the land of nod.  It can help to distract you from thinking stressful or anxious thoughts – commonly associated with insomnia – which will make you fall asleep sooner.

Heartburn in pregnancy means you’re going to have a baby with lots of hair

Ancient wisdom predicts that if you’re pregnant and suffering from heartburn, chances are you’re going to give birth to a baby with lots of hair.  A 2007 study at John Hopkins University discovered, that a sample of women who endured heartburn did in fact give birth to babies that had more than the average amount of hair for a newborn.

Fish is brain food

It’s old wisdom that fish is good for the brain.  A recent Harvard study found that the more fish mothers ate during their second trimester of pregnancy, the better their babies did on tests when they were six months old.

Hair of the dog

Got a hangover from drinking to much last night?  Old wives tales would tell you to have another drink to alleviate the symptoms of a hangover.   Research has shown that consuming small doses of alcohol can actually relieve alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Chocolate helps to relieve premenstrual cramps

chocolate cravings you get just before you get your period, happens for a reason.  Studies suggest that chocolate contains nutrients and antioxidants such as anandamide, which can have a calming effect, and keep anxiety and moods in balance.


Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight

Is the old adage “Red sky at night, sailor’s/shepherd’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor’s/shepherd’s warning” true, or is it just one of those silly old wives’ tale? According to the Library of Congress there’s certainly a scientific explanation for it:

“When there’s a red sky at night, this means that the setting sun is sending its light through a high concentration of dust particles, indicating high pressure and stable air coming in from the west. Meaning good weather will follow … A red sunrise can mean that a high pressure system (good weather) has already passed, thus indicating that a storm system (low pressure) may be moving to the east. A morning sky that is a deep, fiery red can indicate that there is high water content in the atmosphere. So, rain could be on its way.”

Don't go outside with wet hair. You'll catch a cold
False. Getting chilled does not cause a cold. In one study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, two groups of people were exposed to viruses that cause the common cold. One group was exposed to the germs in a chilly 5°C room; the other group, in a balmy 30°C room. The result? Both groups caught colds at about the same rate.

Feed a cold, starve a fever
Fasting will weaken you just as you should be preserving your strength. Even if you don't feel like eating, at least have some chicken soup and toast or other soothing foods.

Put some brandy on your baby's gums
False. A risky remedy. Forget that old wives' tale about dabbing brandy or whiskey on a baby's gums to alleviate teething pain. Even a very small amount of alcohol can be toxic to a baby.