True, fruit is good for you. Apples are, in fact, very healthful. They contain antioxidants called flavonoids, which may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, as well as several other chronic diseases. Apples are one of the best fruit sources for fibre, which can lower cholesterol and help weight loss.   But a lone apple isn’t enough to keep you out of the doctor’s office.

Sitting too close to the TV will not damage your eyesight

Fact! Rightly so.  There’s no optimal distance for watching TV, so sit where you like.

Sitting as close as possible to the TV screen might be uncomfortable, but it won’t hurt your eyes.  Parents who say this to their children may be reacting to their own weakening eyesight and guessing it might have been caused by their years spent huddled up next to the TV. But the culprit is simply the passage of time.

Eating spicy foods will give you ulcer

Fiction!  Not at all. Enjoy that fiery curry or spicy chili. If the food causes discomfort, visit a doctor to see if it has exacerbated an ulcer you didn’t know you had.  Hot dishes can only irritate an already existing ulcer, not cause the ulcer. Ulcers are usually caused by either Helicobacter pylori, or a habitual use of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs, NSAIDs,  such as ibuprofen and aspirin.

Intercourse in the 9th month of pregnancy can induce labour

Fact! It makes sense even though the jury is still out, but this may be true.  If you have an uncomplicated pregnancy, go for it.  After all, the seminal fluid contains chemicals called prostaglandins, which can cause uterine contractions. Sex can also introduce bacteria into the cervical canal, which can spur the release of prostaglandins. However, medical experts do no advise women to use intercourse as a method of inducing labour.

Pluck one grey hair and two will grow back in its place

Fiction!

Yanking out grey hairs will not cause more of them to grow. Over time, people inevitably get more grey hair so they blame the spreading of the silver on their plucking habit.  The pigment formation in one follicle has no influence over the pigment formation in another. With age, the pigment cells in the hair follicles either die off or lose the ability to make and transfer colour to the hair shafts.