Instant Alert: The definitive, scientific answers to 20 health questions everyone has

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   The definitive, scientific answers to 20 health questions everyone has by Lydia Ramsey on Feb 1, 2016, 9:10 AM Advertisement It seems every week there's a new study or story that contradicts everything you know about how to manage your health.  To help you parse out what works from what's merely myth, here's the definitive (at least for now) answers to some of the most pressing health questions, based on the book Your Health: What Works, What Doesn't. NEXT: 15 healthy eating habits that work according to scientists CHECK OUT: 12 healthy habits to get a better night's sleep, according to scientists Does sugar make you hyper? Short answer: No The National Institute of Health has made it pretty clear that additives and dyes added to food have effects that are "small and do not account for most cases of ADHD." The myth started back in the 1970s when a doctor wrote into the American Academy of Pediatrics that he had become aware that sugar was a leading cause of hyperactivity. But research has shown otherwise: A 1995 meta-analysis of sugar studies found that it doesn't have an effect on the behavior or cognitive performance of children.  Does cough syrup work? Short answer: No It's been a while since doctors came to agree that most over-the-counter cough medicines don't work. In 2014, Australian researchers published similar conclusions that the syrups typically contain doses of codeine and antihistamines that are too small to be effective, and can be harmful for children. Prescription cough suppressants, such as levodropopizine might have a better shot, however.    Does olive oil prevent heart disease? Short answer: Yes As if you need more of an excuse to put olive oil on everything, scientists have found a connection between eating more olive oil and a lower risk of coronary artery disease, and its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects have been well documented. And in a study of older women published in 2015 in the medical journal JAMA, Spanish scientists found that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra olive oil appeared to help reduce the participants' risk of breast cancer when compared against two other groups of women on either a low-fat diet or a Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts. See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011