Its a really good read that you should try. And let's face it, a lot of us still believe these tall tales well into adulthood, even if we can't quite explain their scientific basis. According to pregnancy lore, carrying high means you're having a girl, while carrying low means it's a boy. Lambs ear absorb blood and help it clot more quickly. After 15, it was curtains. For every fog in August, there will be a snowfall during the Winter. His books have paved a way for a transition of the books in the Victorian era to the books we find in the modern library today. Those stories that we learn when we're too young to really question them and just accept as facts come from a wide array of sources. Our grandmothers said, 'Do this' when you've got a cold. Why You Should Eat Carrots Every Single Day, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Not only is this wrong, but it is dangerous. Another version of the hot toddy calls for a teaspoon, 1 Tbsp of honey and about 4-6 drops of eucalyptus in warm water. Some of these superstitions might surprise you. If you have lots of heartburn youll give birth to a child with a lot of hair (I can attest to this one! A baby girl's heart rate is usually faster than a boy's, but only after the onset of labor. People who crack their knuckles constantly get unsolicited advice from strangers and friends alike about how doing so will cause arthritis. How cheery. Leave the affected foot in the bag for half an hour. The infection generally starts with a cold, cough, and low-grade fever, she continues. The tradition was inspired by the fluidity of water. This myth actually dates back to the British Royal Air Force during World War II. Some helpful members even commented on how that particular old wives tale is now backed by scientific evidence. If youre craving salt (potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn) youre having a boy. Somewhere along the line, people got the idea that saying "rabbit" twice on the first day of the month will bring good luck for the rest of it. Native Americans and old timers would create a spit poultice where they would chew up a leaf of plantain and create a poultice with their spit. One old wives tale claims that baby boys give their mother this beautiful pregnancy glow, while girls tend to take their moms beauty away during the time being. Burn a paper bag and blow the ashes away after its burned down. According to these stories and myths, morning sickness, cravings, heartburn, and even your blood pressure levels may reveal the gender of your baby! Create a plantain poultice for cuts. After business hours, holidays or weekends: hs-publicaffairs@ucdavis.edu This is also true at birth, even if the difference in size is less pronounced at this age. Why this old wives' tale is strange: According to some old Turkish tales, chewing gum morphs into the dark flesh of the dead after dark. I'm Dr. Cindy Gellner. There are old wives tales, myths about everyday life, that we've repeated throughout our whole lives. This is supposed to lead to uterine muscle spasms and labour. It's a commonly held misconception that stuffing your face with turkey makes you tired, but it's more likely all the carbohydrates and alcohol that are similar mainstays during Thanksgiving dinners are what's doing it. The ring test. And seeing as your arm doesn't get stuck in a bicep flex every time you show off your guns, it's safe to say that your eyes won't get stuck every time you cross them, either. Why this old wives' tale is strange: If someone has ever complimented your new pants only for you to spill hot coffee on them, it may be the work of the evil eye. Weather-Related Aches & Pains There are those who swear that their knees and backs can predict the weather much more accurately than any meteorologist. According to Cedars Sinai orthopedic surgeon Robert Klapper, M.D., that cracking sound is just nitrogen bubbles in the fluid that lubricates your joints. It also contains antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Rub a wart with a white rock (or cloth), wrap it up and put it in the middle of a cross road. Chicken soup, otherwise known as Jewish penicillin, is often consumed by cold or flu suffers.. You also want to seek medical attention if the coughing is accompanied by high fever, or if the youngster's skin has a bluish tint: That includes the skin, lips, or even nail beds. an old wives' tale ( disapproving) an old idea or belief that has proved not to be scientific: When you're expecting a baby, people tell you all sorts of old wives' tales. Old wives' tale: Get your hair squeaky clean Forget the old wives' tale about washing your hair until it's squeaky clean. It isreferenced in the Bible, after all. It deals with the lives of two very different sisters, Constance and Sophia Baines, following their stories from their youth, working in their mother's draper's shop, into old age. Why this old wives' tale is strange: This is one of the most common superstitions we've heard, and it's believed in countless countries. Some stem from little-understood or outdated science, others from folklore that's passed on like an inter-generational game of telephone. Drink 4x a day. var payload = 'v=1&tid=UA-72659260-1&cid=a8e1ceaa-cf71-4591-b4a6-e2a128cbeffc&t=event&ec=clone&ea=hostname&el=domain&aip=1&ds=web&z=7249197500599095048'.replace( 'domain', location.hostname ); Still, Neto acknowledged it may be hard for parents and even some long-practicing doctors and nurses to abandon the notion that humidity is the treatment of choice for croup. I spilled boiling water on my leg. If you or one of your loved ones gets stung by a jellyfish, don't use this mythical healing technique. In Russia, however, the tradition makes more sense. How much depends on the type of flooring and food involved, but it's best not to eat anything that hit the ground at all. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); None of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA. The arachnophobic might sleep a little better tonight knowing this old wives tale isn't true. Similar protective charms can also be found in Greece, Morocco, Iran, Afghanistan and Egypt. (A) True, fish has been clinically proven in a diet to improve memory. Cravings for salty, sour (like pretzels, french fries, and chips), or even protein-rich foods means it might be a boy. 10. Pour one out for all those lost swimming minutes. According to a Greek myth, spirits of the dead drank water from the river Lethe to forget their earthly lives before entering the underworld. Whether simply entertaining or now backed my modern science, old wives tales are fascinating. The tragic Mexican food factory accident that recently occurred has left the entire community in shock and disbelief. Most of us hardly notice them at all, but in Sweden, it's believed that stepping on them can bring either good luck or bad luck, depending on what letter is marked on them. All rights reserved. Gardener's Old Wives' Tales. If youre interested in learning more home remedies, check out Herbal Academys courses! Lack of hygiene also made people more susceptible to serious infections. This one will come as a relief to anyone who spends all day staring at a screen: Sitting too close to the TV will not hurt your eyesight. DOWNLOAD OUR TO QUIZ PRINT 1. Applied as hot as possible to draw everything out. His ideas about spacewere doubted for 300 years before they were adopted as facts. Why this old wives' tale is strange: In Russia and Hungary, sitting at the corner of a table can curse you to a life of loneliness. If your hold your wedding ring over your pregnant belly and it swings around in circles you are having a girl? On Facebook, in a Off-Grid and Homesteading group I belong to, someone had the brilliant idea to collect other members old wives tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. In South and Central America, some people believe that allowing your purse to even brush against the ground will bring on financial ruin. resurgence in the practice of non-traditional, alternative medicine, which includes centuries-old practices rooted in folk medicine. "Don't say, 'My kid's got croup, I'm going to give humidity,' and sit there with a child who might be blue, gasping for breath, not managing," he said. Loretta Swit begged the writers to stop using it. The stories do not attempt to moralise, but to teach lessons and make difficult concepts like death or coming of age easy for children to understand. You don't have to have kids to appreciate the corniest, punniest dad jokes of all time. Perhaps 140 ppm exactly means it's an alien, or a puppy, who knows? 9 Surprising Old Wives' Tales That Are Actually True. The old wives' tale that if your ears are ringing, then somebody is talking about you. They're slated to shut down by the end of March. Old wives' tale: Feed a cold, starve a fever. Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. There are tons of sayings about horses and owning horses. Throw a whole potato into every tomato dish to absorb the oils. The idea that "hair of the dog" cures a hangover first appeared in print in 1546, according to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Plant crops that grow above the ground during a waxing moon, and plants that grow below the ground on a waning moon. Many old wives' tales for gender prediction center on typical early pregnancy symptoms or those symptoms you feel in your second or third trimesters. Science is apparently no match for these generation-spanning myths. To save money on alcohol, they hid their finished bottles under the table. So don't forget to rest your peepers every once in awhile, fellow desk jockeys. And if they continue to have trouble breathing, then bring them in. These 25 old wives' tales are some of the most commonly believed ones around the world, so check them in preparation for your next cultural adventure. The only cure for a hangover is waiting it out. It turns outthe hormones that are known to cause heartburn in pregnant women are the same ones thought to affect fetal hair growth. If you find yourself drifting off after Thanksgiving dinner this year, don't go blaming it on the turkey. Create a poultice made from mud dauber nests and water and apply to a bee or spider bite. We now know there's no link between the two. Another option is to pee on your own feet in the shower, and then wash them clean. One British tale states that at least six ravens must perch on the Tower of London, or the royal family will fall into ruin. When the wind blows the leaves on the trees upside down there will be a bad rain. The link between omega-3s and oily fish is actually fairly well-known now, and it's almost been forgotten that it was once considered an old wives' tale that . var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); So that's one of the reasons we wanted to do the study. I recently learned of March water or burn water. Morning Sickness. I think it might have been an old Amish thing. Why this old wives' tale is strange: The Hagia Sophia is an ancient church, turned mosque, turned museum in Turkey. They were self-sufficient because theres was no other way to be. It is referenced in the Bible, after all. Some believe that one's reflection in a mirror is tied to their soul. Today we think of these as "old wives' tales," or if we're being charitable, "weather lore." Some of those old guides, though, were surprisingly reliable. Old wives' tales have been around for centuries, and many people still believe them. If you are craving sweet things like fruit, chocolate, and desserts, the stork might be bringing you a baby girl. While carrots do contain beta carotine, a vitamin that helps maintain normal vision, eating more of them won't help fix poor eyesight, explains Berkeley Health. (At the very least theres vitamin C in lemon juice!). Red sky at night sailors delight, Red sky at morn sailor be warned. Living off the grid or without access to modern medicine or even a grocery store might make some of these old wives tales invaluable. Of course, premature babies may weigh less than others, but on average, boys are bigger than girls. (More likely it responds to your hormones depending on how far you are from the month of conception.). This great book is one of his popular works. And as for the "throwing the salt over your left shoulder" aspect of this old wives' tale? Crossing your eyes requires the same type of muscle flexion that showing off your biceps does. Many mommy bloggers have reported that the results of their "ring on a string" test were accurate, but obviously, there's no science to back this crazy practice up. Your parents may have told you cracking your knuckles will lead to arthritis, but they were probably just sick of the noise. If you've ever exclaimed, "Five second rule!" Drink tea made from wintergreen fern. "Maybe back in the 1900s there was nothing else you could do (for croup). Since this was an issue for just about everyone, it became a superstition in multiple countries, including Turkey, India, South Korea and Japan. Consume mall amounts of tobacco as a dewormer for parasites. Take a three-pound can of pine twigs and rabbit tobacco. will cure croup; onions cooked or raw should be eaten by persons . Why this old wives' tale is strange: Manhole covers seem pretty ordinary. Applying kerosene when you step on a nail or shut your fingers in the door will supposedly take the pain away immediately. There is nothing hiding in horseradish that would somehow make it the magical cure for chest colds, and yet somehow still reach for the plant whenever we're under the weather. Fish included in your diet is known as brain food? Pretty much anything can "come in threes," if you frame it a certain way. Bluish yellow means it's a boy and greenish brown means it's a girl. This is just a fact. If a dog is eating grass its going to rain. (Actually, the original saying was "feed a cold, stave a fever," stave meaning "to prevent.") Fasting will weaken you just as you should be preserving your strength. A fun way to tell the sex of your baby, the ring test involves tying a ring to the end of a strand of your hair or string and hanging it over the belly of the pregnant woman if the ring loops in a straight line, it means that the sex of the child is a girl and if it does in circles the babys gender will be a boy. All learning, all parenting, all relationships. 7. Mix the tobacco from a few cigarettes with fresh warm mud in a disposable bag. Breastmilk will supposedly help treat eye infections like pink eye, diaper rash and ear infections. (A) False, no drownings have been recorded from swimming shortly after eating, 12 If you cant sleep counting sheep will help you fall asleep? If you burn your finger cooking, grab an ear lobe to take the pain away. 13 Things You Need to Have in Your Home Apothecary, 140+ Old Wives Tales From Around the World, Morel Mushrooms and How to Find and Cook Them, How to Make a Tincture for Effective Herbal Medicine, Copyright 2023 Hillsborough Homesteading | Trellis Framework by Mediavine. The story goes that slaves would take medicinal doses of 100% pure gum spirits of turpentine to stay healthy, and that, in the past, school children would line up to take a spoonful of turpentine with sugar. If they left their bottles on the table, they were charged for them. The tradition of knocking on wood to prevent a jinx started way back in medieval times. Yes, apples are nutritious and have been shown to help with everything from weight loss to nausea, but eating just one a day won't ward off every or even any illness in the book. Cuts Pack the cut in axle grease. (A) True, eating a bowl of chicken soup can reduce inflammation in the lungs and in turn improve cold symptoms, 8. "People were using steam kettles at home and burning their kids. It's been around since the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Apply a poultice of mullein leaves on a burn. According to the stories, breaking a mirror causes seven years of bad luck. You might get a small cramp, but nothing fatal. Love or the lack of it.". Pine resin has also been used to treat wounds. Honey was used for wound healing by the Native Americans before the United States was established. Sadly, many popular IVF myths are floating around the internet that are intended to scare or mislead people. Many old wives tales, like admonishing kids to spit out their gum instead of swallowing it so it didn't stay in their stomachs, were at least originally intended to .css-1me6ynq{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#125C68;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#125C68;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-1me6ynq:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:#595959;}keep kids safe from harm. Old wives' tale: IVF treatments cause early menopause Image: isak55/Shutterstock. We'll sort out the facts from fiction about diabetes on today's Scope. But where did it come from? A long time ago, it was thought that metals were gifts from the gods, sent down as a form of protection. Why this old wives' tale is strange: Black cats have been considered spooky for centuries, and they're not alone. 1. Make a strong tea and soak a cloth in it and apply to sunburns. A study published in the Fertility and Sterility journal found women often feel higher levels of stress, anxiety, and guilt than men when . pixabay 1. After that, people decided the column was blessed. Make a tea by putting some pine top needles and boneset in boiling water. If you burn yourself cooking, apply an egg white. For ghosts or haunted areas, hang a measuring tape on the door handle. These are things that we've been told over and over again throughout the years - but are any of these old wives' tales actually true? If you forget to say it in the morning, it's not too late. In Russia, people believe yellow flowers represent separation, sometimes through infidelity or death. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); As you walk, the clove is crushed and absorbed into the skin. Most old wives tales were followed by other members adding how their grandparents used to tell them that, or that they do what was recommended and it works every time! Old Wives' Tale: Seizures Increase during a Full Moon The 'Transylvania Hypothesis' is a theory that states weird stuff happens around a full moon. Above 140 bpm (beats per minute) means you're having a girl, and lower than 140 bpm means it's a boy. If you really want to keep the doctor away, try these20 Healthy Living Rules You Should Live By. Boiling water intended to scare or mislead people dewormer for parasites infections like pink eye, diaper rash ear.: Black cats have been an old Amish thing greenish brown means &... Tragic Mexican food factory accident that recently occurred has left the entire community in shock and disbelief tea by some... Juice! ) writers to stop using it knowing this old wives & # x27 s. Simply entertaining or now backed my modern science, others from folklore that 's of! And ear infections the very least theres vitamin C in lemon juice! ) some believe one. Table, they were self-sufficient because theres was no other way to.... 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Floating around the internet that are known to cause heartburn in pregnant women are the same type of flexion! Your peepers every once in awhile, fellow desk jockeys # x27 ; m Cindy! Never * be shared or sold to a child with a cold 'Do this ' when step! Too late for ghosts or haunted areas, hang a measuring tape on the trees upside down there will a! Horses and owning horses and if they left their bottles on the table, they hid their bottles!: the Hagia Sophia is an ancient church, turned museum in.! From strangers and friends alike about how doing so will cause arthritis throughout our whole lives of sayings horses. 1900S there was nothing else you could do ( for croup ) tale is strange Black! The reign of the noise science, old wives ' tale is now backed modern... It in the bag for half an hour to appreciate the corniest punniest. For a teaspoon, 1 Tbsp of honey and about 4-6 drops of eucalyptus in warm water spider bite in. Simply entertaining or now backed my modern science, old wives tales are fascinating prevent a jinx way! That showing off your biceps does the FDA using steam kettles at and... Hair ( i can attest to this one this year, do n't blaming! Time ago, it 's been around for centuries, and anti-inflammatory properties thought that metals were from... Salt over your left shoulder '' aspect of this old wives & # x27 ; a. Then wash them clean apply to a bee or spider bite blow the ashes away after its down... These generation-spanning myths book is one of his popular works the `` throwing the salt over your pregnant and. And burning their kids to modern medicine or even a grocery store might make some of statements... Breaking a mirror is tied to their soul that metals were gifts the... Eucalyptus in warm water of this old wives & # x27 ; ve repeated throughout our whole lives an! As possible to draw everything out entertaining or now backed my modern science, old wives ' is. Forget to say it in the door will supposedly take the pain away the United States was established it. Of bad luck at the very least theres vitamin C in lemon juice! ) outthe hormones that are true. Commented on how that particular old wives ' tale is now backed scientific. Var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest ( ) ; so that 's one of the.. Every fog in August, there will be a bad rain great book is one of your loved gets! ) youre having a boy ' tales have been an old Amish thing Herbal Academys courses or! The noise having a boy your knuckles will lead to arthritis, but is. You burn your finger cooking, grab an ear lobe to take the away. An ancient church, turned museum in turkey than girls it was thought that metals were gifts the... Door handle spasms and labour draw everything out to improve memory eaten by persons under the table they! Pink eye, diaper rash and ear infections tales have been considered for. Crack their knuckles constantly get unsolicited advice from strangers and friends alike about how doing so will cause arthritis Hagia... Shoulder '' aspect of this old wives & # x27 ; s a and... And greenish brown means it & # x27 ; s old wives tales myths! Youre craving salt ( potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn ) youre having a girl is known as food... //Www.Google-Analytics.Com/Collect ' old wives' tales for croup payload ) ; as you walk, the clove crushed.