We’ve rounded up some of the biggest misconceptions about women’s health—and why they’re flat-out wrong.

When it comes to advice about your health and well-being, it can be tricky to figure out if the information you’re getting is accurate, misunderstood or even dangerously outdated—especially those “facts” you’ve heard over and over again, from numerous sources.

“There are so many myths out there about women and women’s health,” says Dr. Yasmin Majeed, a family physician and associate clinical professor at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine. “It can be difficult to know what’s true,” she says. With that in mind, we went to the experts to find out the truth behind these seven popular health misconceptions.

Myth 1: Carbohydrates are bad

They have a bad reputation, but carbohydrates are actually essential for good health. “Carbs are important because they provide energy for your brain and nervous system, as well as your muscle tissues,” says Maude Morin, a registered dietitian with JM Nutrition. They are a type of macronutrient that occurs naturally in fruits, vegetables, milk, grains and beans. It’s the highly refined carbohydrate-containing foods that are problematic. White bread, pastries and sweetened beverages, for example, are linked to several chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes. The healthiest sources of carbohydrates—which include minimally processed whole grains, beans and produce—support good health by providing key minerals, vitamins, phytonutrients and fibre. “If we say carbohydrates, from any source, are bad, then we end up ruling out an entire category of very healthy foods that your body needs,” says Morin.

Myth 2: Temperature fluctuations can make you sick

If you seem to always come down with a cold when the AC is cranked up, or the heat gets turned on, it makes sense that you might blame it on your HVAC system. But this line of thinking doesn’t quite add up. First, colds and flus are caused by viruses, and these can be passed around regardless of how cool your house is in the summertime or how cozy and warm it is in the winter. Plus, moving between the warm and cold air has zero effect on your immune system and how it fights off viruses and bacteria, says Dr. Majeed.

That said, the warm or cool air circulating does have the potential to be dry, which can irritate eyes and airways, cause head- aches and ramp up allergies (all of which can make you feel sick). And, if HVAC filters aren’t maintained properly, they can become a breeding ground for mould and more. “Some viruses can accumulate on dirty filters and that could be a risk,” says Dr. Majeed. At home, make sure your filters are replaced regularly, she says.

Myth 3: You need to drink eight glasses of water a day

Proper hydration
is needed for digesting food, regulating body temperature, support- ing brain function and more. “But for the average woman, this number could be too little,” says Morin. Here’s why: The Dietitians of Canada recommends that women 19 and older drink 9 cups of fluids daily, but hydration requirements vary from person to person. Your activity level, whether you’ve been sick with a virus, the season (if you’re sweating a lot, you’ll need to replenish all that lost hydration, for example) and your diet will
all impact how much water you need to drink.

Eating fruits and vegetables with a high-water content, like oranges, watermelon, lettuce and cucumbers, counts toward your fluid intake. “Coffee, tea, smoothies with coconut water or almond milk and other beverages all contribute to the total, too,” says Morin. Plus, if you’re toting around an oversize stainless steel straw cup, that alone could hold 40 oz (or 5 cups) of fluids—more than half of the recommended goal. But if you’ve been exercising hard, or spending time in a hot environment, and are wondering if you need more fluids, signs of dehydration can include headache, fatigue, dizziness and thirst, of course. And if the colour of your urine is dark yellow or amber (instead of pale yellow), that is another sign that you need to hydrate.

Myth 4: It's normal to pee a bit when you laugh

Urinary incontinence is very common, but it's not a necessary or normal part of getting older. As many as 3.3 million Canadians experience some form of pee leaks when they laugh, cough, jump in a fitness class or lift a heavy bag of groceries, for example. And according to one survey, that includes 33 percent of women over the age of 40.

Pee leaks happen when the muscles and nerves that help the bladder to hold or pass urine aren’t working properly. There are different types of incontinence, but many women experience stress incontinence (where there is pressure on the bladder due to weak pelvic floor muscles), or urge incontinence (a sudden and intense need to pee that makes it hard to get to the bathroom in time), or a combination of the two, called mixed incontinence.

Fortunately, there is a range of treatment options, which can include pelvic floor exercises, eliminating foods and drinks that can be triggering (like carbonated water), and medications. “I want to emphasize that you should not ignore this, it’s not normal— see your doctor,” says Dr. Majeed. There’s no need to suffer in silence.

Myth 5: If you’re not interested in sex, there’s something wrong with you

When it comes to libido, there’s no such thing as normal. What makes your sex drive either “healthy” or a problem is all relative to your wants and needs. What causes dips in desire is complicated. Libido can plummet in the months and years after having babies, then rise again when those little ones stop keeping you up at night. During peri- menopause, women experience a natural dip in sex hormones and problems with lubrication, which can make sex less pleasurable. And in the years in between, since the desire for sex is both psychological and physical, there can be a wide range of reasons for a dry spell.

For starters, many medications, including ones for allergies, diabetes, depression and high blood pressure, as well as some oral contraceptives, can have the side effect of diminished desire. Many life- style factors can also affect both long-term libido and micro swings in sexual interest. Your diet, stress levels and sleep patterns can all count. According to a study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, being tired is such a turn-off for some women that even just one more hour of shut- eye can lead to higher levels of sexual desire the following day. And then there’s the relationship piece of the puzzle: whether or not you feel supported by and engaged with your partner. “For women, emotional connection can really matter in having a high or low libido,” says Dr. Majeed. It’s perfectly fine to not want to have sex, but if your slump is bothersome, talk to your doctor because there are treatment options available (including couples counselling, modifying your medications, and hormone therapy).

Myth 6: Heart disease mostly affects men, so women don’t have to worry about it

For women, heart disease and stroke are the number one causes of premature death, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have a complete understanding of our risk factors for heart disease or the signs of a heart attack.

Smoking, having diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and a family history of the disease can all increase everyone’s risk of developing heart disease. But women have some additional unique factors that can increase risk, including pregnancy-related problems (like gestational diabetes), taking hormonal contraceptives and dips in estrogen levels during menopause. And then, we may not even recognize a heart attack when it happens because the signs are different. Men often experience chest pains, or pain in their left arm. “Those are the symptoms most people are familiar with,” says Dr. Majeed. “In women, however, it can be vague symptoms like excessive fatigue, short- ness of breath, abdominal pain or vomiting,” she says.

Myth 7: It's healthier to have a base tan

This is a myth that just won't quit, says Dr. Monica Li, a cosmetic and medical dermatologist and assistant professor in the department of dermatology and skin science at the University of British Columbia. A recent survey found that nearly one in four adults still believe that getting a base tan helps to protect their skin, but unfortunately a golden glow doesn’t work that way. Your tanned skin only provides an SPF (sun protection factor) of less than four, which gives you an up- to-fourfold increased time in the sun before a burn will develop— and that’s not much coverage. “When the skin shows a tan, it’s already damaged,” says Dr. Li. “A tan means skin cells are producing extra pigment to try to offset DNA damage that has taken place,” she says. And that damage is cumulative over your lifetime, meaning that the more you tan, the more likely you are to be damaging your skin, which then increases your risk of developing skin cancer, in addition to wrinkles and brown spots.

“If you really want some extra colour, use a tanning lotion, gel or spray,” suggests Dr. Li. These products are safe and work to produce the same tan you would get after a day at the beach. And then be sure to use your sun- screen, with a minimum of SPF 30, over top of your faux glow, covering all exposed skin, and reapplying often, especially after sweating or swimming.

The good news is that eight in 10 cases of premature heart disease and stroke are prevent- able through living a healthy life- style. You can reduce your risk by eating well, staying active, managing stress, maintaining a healthy weight and quitting smoking. “I would really encourage women to prioritize their health and not ignore any warning signs,” says Dr. Majeed.

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