The ‘whoosh effect’: Beware the keto diet myth that can lead to serious issues

The ‘whoosh effect’: Beware the keto diet myth that can lead to serious issues

Holy weight loss, Batman! Spend enough time scrolling through keto-diet or weight-loss Reddit threads and you’re bound to come across the “whoosh” — an effect that many dieters explain as a sudden but significant drop in pounds. Doctors and nutrition experts have debunked the concept before, though the whoosh effect is not altogether flim-flam. Still, … Read more

Kylie Kelce slams ‘crazy’ myth about postpartum female anatomy: ‘A human just exited that door’

Kylie Kelce slams ‘crazy’ myth about postpartum female anatomy: ‘A human just exited that door’

A year after the birth of her youngest daughter, Kylie Kelce is doing what she does best: Shattering illusions of womanhood and motherhood from behind her podcast mic. The former athlete and current podcast superstar unleashed the fury of hell — or, more accurately, the fury of a mother of four — as she addressed … Read more

You’re brushing your teeth wrong — a common myth you grew up hearing can leave you ‘long in the tooth’

You’re brushing your teeth wrong — a common myth you grew up hearing can leave you ‘long in the tooth’

It’s time to brush up on your oral hygiene. For decades, Americans have been scrubbing their smiles with the wrong tools and techniques thanks to a deeply ingrained myth. This rough-around-the-edges approach is doing more harm than good, according to Chicago-based dentist Dr. Joy Poskozim. Your rough-around-the-edges technique is doing more harm than good, according … Read more

Gene Kelly’s widow debunks popular myth about his relationship with Debbie Reynolds

Gene Kelly’s widow debunks popular myth about his relationship with Debbie Reynolds

Singin’ the truth. Gene Kelly’s widow, Patricia Ward Kelly, debunked a rumor about how the late actor treated Debbie Reynolds on the set of “Singin’ in the Rain.” “It’s been circulated for decades that he worked Debbie so hard in ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ that her feet bled all over the floor — it is just not true,” Patricia … Read more

This common flight booking hack is a total myth, experts say

This common flight booking hack is a total myth, experts say

This myth might be losing steam. The long-held belief that airfare is cheaper when booked on certain days may not be true, according to travel experts. While people previously thought that the cheapest days to book flights are on Tuesdays, data from Google Flights shows that the prices don’t vary much from day to day. … Read more

The health myth many people — and experts — still believe is true after 60 years

The health myth many people — and experts — still believe is true after 60 years

Now might be a good time to walk back the myth that you need 10,000 steps a day for optimal health. A new scientific review finds that just 3,143 steps can protect against premature death, with optimal daily steps falling somewhere between 7,000 and 9,000. “The 10,000 steps/day guideline lacks evidence-based support, posing a challenge … Read more

‘Comforting, not awkward’: Relationship expert Chanel Contos busts major dating myth

‘Comforting, not awkward’: Relationship expert Chanel Contos busts major dating myth

Relationship expert Chanel Contos has busted one of the most common online dating myths she says is plaguing modern relationships, after three years of championing its importance. “We need to break the myth that talking about consent is awkward,” she says. “I think that’s a big barrier in encouraging these conversations,” she says. “I don’t … Read more

New TikTok trend could cause ‘explosive diarrhea,’ experts warn: ‘Dangerous myth’

New TikTok trend could cause ‘explosive diarrhea,’ experts warn: ‘Dangerous myth’

This TikTok trend could prove extremely sh—y. Castor oil has been hailed as a treatment for complexion problems and hair growth, but experts are warning against an unlikely side effect when ingested. On TikTok, creators claim that that the oil can “detox” the body, but buyer beware: consuming castor oil, derived from the castor bean … Read more

Huge myth about exercise finally debunked

Huge myth about exercise finally debunked

If you’ve ever wanted to hit snooze instead of getting up for that 6 am gym class you booked yourself into, now you’ve got the perfect excuse. A new study has identified the best time to workout is in the evening as getting a sweat on after 6pm has a surprising health benefit compared to … Read more

Beer before liquor or liquor before beer? Scientists finally clear up the myth

Beer before liquor or liquor before beer? Scientists finally clear up the myth

It’s an old wino’s tale. We’ve got bad news for those who believe that drinking “liquor before beer” mitigates hangovers. German scientists have debunked this popular college student hypothesis, proving that the hooch headache hits the same no matter which order one imbibes their beverages. “Our findings dispel the traditional myths,” researchers wrote in the … Read more

What are the red Solo cup lines for? Here’s the truth behind the myth

What are the red Solo cup lines for? Here’s the truth behind the myth

Red Solo cup, I fill you up — but to which line? It’s long been thought that the lines on a Solo cup were there to help measure alcohol content — but Snopes has debunked that theory. The belief was that the bottom line designates the amount of one shot (1 ounce), the middle line … Read more

Holiday suicides are a myth — December has the fewest of any month

Holiday suicides are a myth — December has the fewest of any month

Americans generally believe that people are more suicidal during the annual holiday season. Researchers, however, say bah humbug: Contrary to widespread belief, December is the month with the fewest suicides. And, according to a new study, news outlets play a significant role in the public’s misperception. As recently as 2022 to 2023, of the news … Read more

NFL wife dispels suite myth amid Taylor Swift hysteria

NFL wife dispels suite myth amid Taylor Swift hysteria

The shot has become very familiar to NFL fans. Travis Kelce makes a play and there’s Taylor Swift in a swanky suite often surrounded by Kelce’s family or Patrick Mahomes’ wife, Brittany. But the reality is game tickets and stadium suites aren’t on the list of perks for the wives and significant others of NFL … Read more

Inside the myth of Bigfoot: Fire-red eyes, ‘putrid’ stench and bizarre ‘taser’ powers

Inside the myth of Bigfoot: Fire-red eyes, ‘putrid’ stench and bizarre ‘taser’ powers

An alleged Bigfoot sighting in Colorado seems to be a big footstep in the wrong direction, experts say. Earlier this week, Wyoming resident Laura Parker posted photos and a video online seeming to show Sasquatch traversing a rocky area before popping a squat in the southwest part of the state. “If you asked before our … Read more

Myth busted: Doctor reveals what really happens if you swallow gum

Myth busted: Doctor reveals what really happens if you swallow gum

He’s a real gumshoe. A doctor is setting the record straight once and for all about an “old wives’ tale” that says that if you swallow a piece of gum, it stays stuck in your stomach for seven years. “I’ve no idea where the myth came from — I can only imagine that it was … Read more

Organic food benefits are a myth, Harvard professor says: ‘No reliable evidence’

Organic food benefits are a myth, Harvard professor says: ‘No reliable evidence’

Eating organic has long been touted as the way to avoid pesticide consumption — but one Harvard professor is saying those claims are bogus. Robert Paarlberg, an associate professor in the Harvard Kennedy School’s Sustainability Science Program, has said that eating organic produce isn’t necessarily better. Paarlberg told the Harvard Gazette that “there is no … Read more

Alligators in the sewer myth is true: City workers find out in jaw-dropping video

Alligators in the sewer myth is true: City workers find out in jaw-dropping video

New York might not have those infamous “alligators in the sewer” — but Florida has the real thing. A work crew in Oviedo, Florida proved the NYC urban legend was a Sunshine State reality after discovering an 5-foot gator residing in a sludge-filled pipe. Footage of the scaly subterranean terror is currently stirring up a … Read more

The Myth of Adrenal Fatigue

The Myth of Adrenal Fatigue

Photo-Illustration: The Cut; Photos: Getty Are you constantly tired but struggle to fall (and stay) asleep when it’s time for bed? Have you gained weight that you can’t seem to lose? Are you grouchy and exhausted all the time? If you consult Dr. Google, he might tell you that you have adrenal fatigue. The theory … Read more