We live in an age of disinformation. Social media is rife with it and we are prone to believing and spreading ‘alternative facts’ about our own lives. Here are some common sayings that should be debunked.

Myth #1: Weight-gain is inevitable 

We make a lot of excuses as we get older. While some are valid, the idea that weight gain is just an inexorable part of growing older is a persistent myth that needs to be debunked. Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University have shown that many men feel that weight-gain is a result of family- and work responsibilities and is just something that happens. This is often accompanied with body-image issues and feelings of despondency. The truth is that, like any other time of your life, you can curb weight-gain with a proper exercise programme and by paying attention to what you eat. While your body may change its composition over time – there are many preventative measures that you can use to boost your overall fitness and well-being. 

Myth #2: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks

Somewhere along the line, we start believing that we can’t do new things. Such a heavy emphasis is placed on ageing in our culture that it may seem that hitting certain age milestones result in a hard cap on our skills and abilities. The truth is that learning is a valuable part of a healthy lifestyle and can help to stave off cognitive decline and depression as we get older. 

Myth #3: Drinking is a good way to relax

Drinking alcohol is often promoted as a good way to deal with stress. Had a bad day? Fix it with a few glasses of wine. Fighting with your partner? Go have a few beers with the boys. The problem is that seeing alcohol as being incredibly relaxing is not really backed by science.While alcohol does have relaxant properties, anything more than a glass of wine can actually fire up the nervous system and have the opposite effect, resulting in a stress response. 

Words by Joel Summers
Photo by Mikhail Nilov: on Pexels