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You’ve been hearing health advice ever since you were a little kid. And some of it, like being encouraged to wash your hands regularly, is important, life-long stuff you need to know. But other advice, like being told you’ll catch a cold if you go outside with wet hair, falls firmly into the B.S. category (more on that one later). Given that you hear this stuff your entire life—and sometimes repeatedly—it can be hard to weed out what’s real from what’s totally ridiculous to believe. Here are some of the biggest health myths out there, plus why they’re flat-out wrong.

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The flu vaccine doesn't do anything

False. Flu vaccine effectiveness varies on any given year but, on average, "science shows that the flu vaccine is about 60 percent protective at preventing the flu," says infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. "If you do get the flu despite the vaccine, the flu you get will be less likely to be severe, and less likely to result in hospitalization, pneumonia, and death," he says.

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Cranberry juice cures UTIs

Nope. Cranberry juice and UTIs have been lumped together since forever, but the National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that cranberry products are not effective in treating a UTI if you already have one. While some research suggests that cranberry juice, extract, or pills might help prevent UTIs, there's not enough evidence for this, the NIH says.

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Flu season only happens in the winter

Many flu cases do happen in the winter, but flu season usually starts in October and can last as long as May, says the CDC. Also, you can technically get the flu at any time of year. "It may be less likely in the middle of the summer but it still can occur," Dr. Adalja says.

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You have to wash your hands in hot water

"It’s more the soap and the rubbing action that has the effect than the temperature of the water," Dr. Adalja says. "You don’t want or need to burn your hands in order to get them clean."

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STIs always cause symptoms

Many STIs are actually symptomless. "People may not even realize they have them," Dr. Wider says. "That's why STI testing is very important, as is protected sex."

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Only men need to worry about heart disease

Heart disease is "definitely not" just a man's disease, says Jennifer Haythe, MD, co-director of the Women's Center for Cardiovascular Health at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and a cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia. "It is the number one cause of death for men and women in this country—more than all cancers combined," she says.

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Some people just never get sick

Sure, some people seem to have a superhuman ability to avoid illnesses when stuff is circulating, but everyone gets sick at some point. "People are not impervious to infections," Dr. Adalja says. "This can be dangerous if someone avoids vaccines or simple illness-preventing measures because they think they can't get sick."

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Pregnant women shouldn’t get the flu shot

The opposite is true. "The fu shot is the only way you can protect your developing fetus from the flu," Dr. Adalja says. "Pregnant women are much more likely to get severe cases of the flu and die from the flu. It is the absolute highest priority that they get the flu vaccine every season."

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Young people don't have heart attacks

While older people are more likely to have heart attacks, younger people can still have them. Heart attacks are actually becoming more common in younger people (especially women), according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

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Going in and out of air conditioning can make you sick

You've heard this a million times before but, if you feel congested or start sniffling when you go in and out, it's likely due to summer allergies, pulmonologist Neil Schachter, MD, author of The Good Doctor's Guide to Colds and Flu, previously told WH. "People who have allergies—even small sensitivities—may be affected when moving from a clean-air environment into one that's full of Mother Nature's irritants," he says.

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You'd know if you had high blood pressure

There's a reason why high blood pressure (aka hypertension) is called the "silent killer"—you can't feel it. "In rare instances severely elevated blood pressure can cause symptoms of headache, visual changes, chest pain, and trouble breathing," says Dr. Haythe. "However, in most cases, there is no way to know that your blood pressure is high unless you check."

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Flip-flops are fine for your feet

They actually can be damaging if you wear them all the time. "Most flip-flops don't have adequate arch support, cushioning, or shock absorption," Manhattan-based foot doctor Jacqueline Sutera, DPM, previously told WH. Wearing them on the regular could cause pinched nerves, heel pain, tendinitis, and strained arches.

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You need to drink eight glasses of water a day

The eight glasses dogma has been around forever, but it’s misleading. “Getting enough water isn't just about drinking glasses of it but includes all the water in foods and drinks,” Los Angeles-based nutritionist Maggie Moon, RD, owner of Everyday Healthy Eating, previously told WH.

Water needs are pretty individual, but The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine generally recommends that women have around 11.5 cups of fluids a day, including from water, other beverages, and food.

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Heart attacks only cause chest pain

Chest pain is a common symptom of a heart attack, but it's not the only one. "There are many other symptoms that can fool you," Dr. Haythe says. "Shortness of breath, jaw pain or left arm pain, dizziness, indigestion, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and sweating for no reason can all be a sign that you are having a heart attack."

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You don't need to care about cholesterol until you're older

Nope. You should actually be keeping tabs on it now. "Everyone should have their cholesterol checked and screened starting at age 20," says Dr. Haythe.

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You need eight hours of sleep a night

Actually, the National Sleep Foundation recommends adults have seven to nine hours of sleep each night in order to function at their best. But everyone is different: Some only need five or six hours a night, while others feel like they need nine.

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You should be detoxing

Your system already has a built-in detoxifier, a.k.a your liver. Products like shakes and juices marketed for “detoxing” are bogus. “The best thing you can do to ‘detox’ is to let the body do what it’s built to do and not get in the way by overeating, drinking, smoking, or consuming too much red meat, refined grains, added sugar, and saturated fat," Moon previously told WH.

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Carbs are bad

Nope. “Humans are omnivores, so while there’s more than one way to meet your nutritional needs, it’s worth noting that some of the healthiest eating patterns around, like the Mediterranean diet, prominently feature plenty of carbs in the form of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables," Moon says. The trick is to go with the right type, like whole-grain or complex carbs found in whole plants.

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Antibacterial soap and hand sanitizers are crucial

They're actually no better than "regular" soap. A study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy pitted regular and antibacterial soaps against 20 strains of bacteria, and found that there was no significant difference between the two.

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Thin = healthy

This one has been out there for a while but, luckily, less people are believing it these days. “We really have very little control over the size and shape of our bodies, and these things don't determine our health,” says Kaleigh McMordie, RDN, of Lively Table. Research suggests that overweight people who are active can be healthier and live longer than slimmer people who don’t exercise.

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Vegetarians and vegans need more protein

There's no evidence that you need meat to survive. “A well-balanced plant-based diet with a variety of plant foods is healthful and nourishing to the body," Jennifer Rodriguez, RDN, of Food Is Vida, previously told WH. "It can provide all amino acids needed when caloric needs are met for an individual.” It's just important for vegans and vegetarians to have good sources of protein like beans, lentils, chickpeas, and dried peas.

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The sugar in fruit is bad for you

Fruits naturally come with fiber to help slow down your body’s absorption of their natural sugars. “The 2015 Dietary Guidelines explicitly calls for limiting added sugars, the type of sweeteners found in cookies, cake, candy, and sweet beverages, to 10 percent of your daily calories or less," Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, of Better Is The New Perfect, previously told WH. "That recommendation doesn't include naturally sweet foods, which are sources of important vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.”

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Soy is full of female hormones

“What I want people to know is that there is a huge difference between estrogen (the hormone in your body) and phytoestrogen (the much weaker type found in soy)," Nita Sharda, RDN, of Carrots & Cake, previously told WH. "When we review the literature, there is no significant effect on human health when soy is consumed. In fact, eating two to three servings of whole soy foods a day can have a protective effect.”

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You need to go carb-free to lose weight

It's more about portions, Kristen Smith, RDN, founder of 360FamilyNutrition, previously told WH. “Don’t be afraid to eat carbohydrate-containing foods, but try to keep the portions in check," Smith says. "One of the best options for keeping portions of carbohydrates in check is to follow the USDA’s MyPlate method: Fill 1/2 of your plate with fruits and vegetables, 1/4 with whole grains, and 1/4 with a lean protein source.”

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Celebrity diets will always help you lose weight

Celebrities love to talk up their favorite diet plans, but that doesn't mean you should actually try them. For starters, they might not be giving you the full story. “You have no idea if the purported diet is really what the celebrity consumes," The Plant-Powered Dietitian Sharon Palmer, RDN, previously told WH. Even if they are telling the truth, celebrities aren't dietary experts.

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You should swap sugar for honey or maple syrup

It seems healthier to switch out your white sugar for honey, agave, or maple syrup, but...it's not really, Rebecca Clyde, RDN, owner of Nourish Nutrition, previously told WH. You may be getting a small amount of antioxidant benefits from the honey or maple syrup, but otherwise, your body metabolizes them and other sugars in a similar way.

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High-fat foods are bad for you

Research says otherwise. A lower calorie diet that includes healthy fats can help people lose more weight than a similar diet that’s low in fat, according to a study in the International Journal of Obesity. Fat helps you enjoy your food more and keeps you feeling fuller, longer—two factors that are key to weight loss you can maintain.

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Colon cleanses are good for you

You really only should do a colon cleanse if your doctor orders it, like before a colonoscopy, says Carol Thelen, CRNP, a nurse practitioner at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center. Not only is there no evidence that colon cleanses work, they can come with side effects like cramping, bloating, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

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Mixing carbs and protein will wreck your stomach

The myth that mixing different types of foods is hard on your stomach has been around for ages. The idea is that you need to eat protein-rich foods like eggs at one meal and carbohydrate-rich foods like toast at another meal, but never together. “This myth makes no scientific sense because once food reaches your stomach, your stomach acid begins breaking down all types of food," Lindsey Pine, RDN, owner of TastyBalance Nutrition, previously told WH. "In fact, it’s beneficial to mix carbs, protein and fat in the same meal or snack because you’ll get a wide range of nutrients, avoid insulin spikes, and the protein and fat will help with satiety.”

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