Dr Oz: Busting Summer Health Myths
Your mother meant well when she gave you advice about summer health, but are those family tales truths or myths? Dr Oz wanted to get to the bottom of questions about swimming, jellyfish, brain freeze, sunscreen, and more. Plus, learn how grapes can solve a major summer problem.
Dr Oz: Is Swimming After Eating Safe?
Dr Oz talked about how you can use grapes to repel mosquitoes so they don’t ruin your summer fun. (82088316@N05 / flickr)
Dr Oz asked award-winning lifeguard Tom O’Neill to explain whether it’s really true that you have to wait half an hour after eating before you can get in the pool.
Tom said that this is a myth that has been passed on for years. But eating and digestion do not affect your ability to swim. Dr Oz mentioned that the only thing you might notice is a leg cramp.
Dr Oz: Should I Urinate On a Jellyfish Sting?
Denise joined Dr Oz and Tom to talk about the time she got a jellyfish sting while on vacation with her husband. Based on a Friends rerun, her husband thought he should urinate on the sting to relieve the pain.
But Denise wanted everyone to know that this only made the pain worse. What should you do instead of urinating on a jellyfish sting? Use a credit card to remove the jellyfish. Get out of the water and rinse the sting with salt water to reduce the pain. Tap water will make it worse.
Dr Oz: Is Ice Cream Brain Freeze Real?
Natasha Case from Coolhous knows all about ice cream, and as a result she is an expert on the science of brain freeze. She told Dr Oz’s audience that blood vessels in the tongue expand when we eat ice cream, sending a pain signal to the brain.
But you can prevent this from happening to you by pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth, which will help the tongue warm up again so you can get back to your ice cream.
Dr Oz: Sunscreen Expiration Date + Shelf Life
Is it okay to use last year’s sunscreen instead of buying a new bottle? Dermatologist Dr Debra Wattenberg joined Dr Oz to talk about sunscreen expiration dates.
She said that most sunscreens have a shelf life of two or three years. So if you are storing it in a cool, dry place and it’s not past the expiration date, it’s safe to use. But be sure you are applying enough. Dr Wattenberg said it takes about a shot glass of sunscreen to cover your whole body, and you need to put it on 15-20 minutes before going out in the sun.
Dr Oz: Base Tan To Prevent a Sunburn?
If you are spending a lot of time outdoors during the summer, you may have heard that a base tan could help you prevent from getting burned. But Dr Wattenberg noted that this is a myth. Any type of tan is bad for your skin, so don’t forget the SPF.
Dr Oz: Grapes Repel Mosquitoes
Lastly, viewers spoke with Dr Oz about whether mosquitoes are attracted to sweet blood. This is a myth, but what we do know is that mosquitoes are drawn to some body odors more than others.
They are particularly attuned to scents of perfume, mint, and cheese. However, there is one smell they seem to absolutely hate: Grapes. Enjoy them as a snack outdoors, or just leave them around like you would a Citronella candle.
What is your favorite summer health tip from Dr Oz?
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