uncovering the truth

I hear things from time to time that people are convinced is absolute truth (because they heard it from a "reliable" source). I like to check things out. Here are a few things I've heard recently that I thought I'd give you, my blog readers, the low-down on:

1. It's illegal to drive without shoes on. Not true. I've heard this literally dozens of times. A quick Google search is all you need to dispel this myth. Currently, according to my research, there are no U.S. states that require footwear while driving a car.

2. The average person eats eight spiders a year while sleeping. Not true. Experts tell us that spiders are smart enough to avoid a humid hole which is breathing. They are trying to get their food, they tend to go to the light at night, where insects gather, not to dark wet breathing places such as a mouth. You can all sleep more comfortably now.

3. It's impossible to eat a tablespoon of cinnamon. From what I have seen online (and from my kids experimenting with it themselves), this one seems to be TRUE. Try it for yourself sometime.

4. If you stare at the sun, you could go blind. How many times did you hear that one from your mother? Well, she was right. Direct sunlight can damage the retina--light-sensitive nerve endings in the back of the eye, causing impaired vision or blindness.

5. If you go swimming less than an hour after eating, you could get cramps and drown. Not true. Not once has a drowning death been attributed to "swimming with a full stomach."

6. Eating turkey will make you sleepy. This one is popular around Thanksgiving. It's said that because of the amino acid, tryptophan, you'll likely become very sleepy after a big Thanksgiving meal. It's not true. See, turkey also contains protein, which negates the effects of tryptophan, but we generally don't ingest enough at one sitting to feel it.

Just trying to keep you informed!