Health – Encyclopedia.com https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily Your Daily Dose of History Wed, 30 Oct 2019 18:01:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.3.20 Is it True That Under Brown Eyes is Blue? https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/is-it-true-that-under-brown-eyes-is-blue/ Fri, 25 Oct 2019 00:47:12 +0000 https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/?p=590 Some people think that under brown eyes is blue. It is possible that an eye surgery designed to change brown eyes to blue is responsible for the rumor.  No matter where the rumor originated, it gave many brown eyed people who wanted blue eyes a false idea about how eyes get their color. Is it true that under brown eyes is blue? No.  Scientists say that everyone has brown eyes, even hiding under their blue ones.  To understand why blue eyes aren’t hiding behind brown ones, it’s important to understand how we get our eye color.  It isn’t just from genetics but also from how our brain perceives color. The colors that we see are formed because of how light is reflected. This means that even though it looks like a person has blue eyes, they don’t.  We only see their eye color as blue because of the way certain parts of their eye is made up.  This means that everyone has brown eyes but the way it reflects light is different.  When the light is reflected, we see eye color when we look at a person. Is it True That Under Brown Eyes is Blue? Blue eyes get their color in the same way that everything that is blue gets it color.  It absorbs less light and reflects more back than darker eyes.  When that light is scattered the wavelengths are shorter.  Shorter wavelengths show up as blue on the spectrum to the human eye.  This means that people with blue eyes reflect more light back than those with brown eyes. That’s actually what makes us see someone’s eyes as blue.  However, the makeup of the eye is important and the reason that light reflects the way it does has everything to do with melanin in the Iris.  Simply put – the more melanin the iris contains the darker the eye.  Blue, green or brown – how the eye gets it’s color is about melanin. Are brown eyes really blue?  All eyes are really brown because of melanin inside the iris.  The Iris is the colored part of the eye.  It’s muscles are used to control how much light gets thru to the pupil.  It’s made up of two layers and for almost everyone, the bottom later contains enough melanin to be brown. The top layer, or the stroma, also contains melanin but here is where there is some variance.  It’s this variance that results in different eye colors. When a person has brown eyes, it’s likely they have plenty of melanin in both the bottom and top layers of their iris.  For people who have lighter colored eyes, the top layer (and sometimes the bottom layer) has significantly less or lighter colored melanin.  People with blue eyes have little to no melanin in the top layer of their iris.  The lack of melanin makes the fibers scatter and absorb the longer wavelengths of light. This means that it is not true that under brown eyes there are blue ones but instead that under blue eyes, and all eye colors, they are actually brown.

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Is it True That Lice Like Clean Hair? https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/is-it-true-that-lice-like-clean-hair/ Thu, 24 Oct 2019 23:50:02 +0000 https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/?p=584 Rumors about lice have been circulating since the highly contagious parasite first infested a classroom. Stigma has made it nearly impossible to know if lice like clean hair or dirty hair but it seems there is a good reason for that. As it turns out, lice are less crafty and less picky than we have been led to believe.  So do lice like clean hair or dirty hair? Years ago when lice circulated through school, the kids who had it were seen as gross and disgusting.  Thousands of parents thought that keeping their kids squeaky clean would keep them from getting lice.  Most of the time that was not the case and lice spread like wildfire, regardless of how clean a kid’s hair was.  Some people began to see that lice like clean hair too and others still believed that having lice was synonymous with being dirty. Do lice like clean hair? Yes, lice like clean hair.  They also like dirty hair.  In fact, they just like hair.  Lice use strands of hair, clean or dirty, to climb.  They latch on and discreetly make their way to the hair follicle and scalp.  There, they penetrate the scalp and feast on human blood 3x per day until they lay their eggs. Some sources say that it’s easier for lice to attach to clean hair.  Other sources claim that lice aren’t picky and will attach to any hair that gets close enough for them to attach to.  This doesn’t mean that lice like clean hair.  It also doesn’t mean they like dirty hair.  The truth is lice just like accessible hair. And that means hair close to where ever the lice are. Some experts claim that active children that spend time around other kids and on sports teams are often at much higher risk to contract lice than the poor dirty kids that were previously blamed for lice infestations.  Lice spreads by close contact to any hair – clean or dirty. Can you get rid of lice with clean hair?  Lice likes clean hair because it makes it easier for them to climb in some cases.  It’s been said that lice can be killed by vigorous hair washing or by using questionable homemade concoctions.  While some of those remedies will make hair cleaner, clean hair is good for lice.  They are strong and usually have a tight grip on the hair strand they are using to get to the scalp.  This means that a simple hair washing will do little to get rid of lice. Instead it’s advised to use lice treatments provided by a doctor and to launder all of the personal belongings of the family member impacted.  According to recent studies, lice have evolved and are now immune to most over the counter treatments available.  Lice can not live more than a couple of days without a host so they don’t stay on clothes, bedding and car seats very long. It is true that lice like clean hair.  They like any hair that will get them to a person’s scalp for a meal.

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Does Vaping Cause Popcorn Lung? https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/does-vaping-cause-popcorn-lung/ Thu, 24 Oct 2019 18:06:29 +0000 https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/?p=547 Once commonplace and even endorsed by medical doctors, tobacco use has come under serious scrutiny over the last few decades by both the health industry and society at large. The previously glamorous habit is now seen as dirty and unhealthy. But the reality is people still enjoy the physical buzz and psychological comfort nicotine provides. The industry has responded by innovating new, smokeless ways of ingesting tobacco, most notably in the form of vapes or e-cigarettes. But lately researchers have uncovered disquieting information about vaping much as scientists did with smoking during the mid-twentieth century. Several viral memes circulating throughout social media have found their way into mainstream news which indicate vaping causes popcorn lung. Is it true that vaping causes popcorn lung? Unfortunately, at this time the research is inconclusive. Vaping could be a harm reduction technique to help people stop smoking but it could also be causing major damage of its own kind. Do E-Cigarettes and vaping cause popcorn lung? What are the facts when it comes to vaping and popcorn lung? Do e-cigarettes and vaping cause popcorn lung? For starters, what even is popcorn lung? Lung.org explains how about  “a decade ago, workers in a microwave popcorn factory were sickened by breathing in diacetyl—the buttery-flavored chemical in foods like popcorn, caramel and dairy products. While this flavoring may be tasty, it was linked to deaths and hundreds of cases of bronchiolitis obliterans, a serious and irreversible lung disease” more commonly known as popcorn lung. Turns out diacetyl is an ingredient in e-cigarettes and vaping products. “When inhaled, diacetyl causes bronchiolitis obliterans – more commonly referred to as “popcorn lung” – a scarring of the tiny air sacs in the lungs resulting in the thickening and narrowing of the airways. While the name “popcorn lung” may not sound like a threat, it’s a serious lung disease that causes coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, similar to the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)” says Lung.org. According to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD), a division of the NIH, there is currently no cure for popcorn lung! While treatments exist to alleviate symptoms of the condition, nothing has been found to reverse it. But just because vaping means exposing the lungs to this harmful chemical, is that definitive proof that e-cigarettes and the like cause popcorn lung? Could vaping cause popcorn lung? According to fact checking website Snopes, research is inconclusive regarding the causation of popcorn lung due to vaping. Much of the recent hysteria surrounding vaping and popcorn lung originates with a misleading viral meme, images from which were then circulated with statements from a Harvard University study which broadcast the inclusion of diacetyl in e-cigarettes. But the same study did not draw any solid conclusions. Rather, Harvard’s researchers stated that “urgent action is recommended to further evaluate the extent of this new exposure to diacetyl and related flavoring compounds in e-cigarettes.” So while no studies have proven vaping causes popcorn lung, there is legitimate cause for concern.

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Is it True That Sperm is Good for Your Skin? https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/is-it-true-that-sperm-is-good-for-your-skin/ Thu, 24 Oct 2019 17:44:51 +0000 https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/?p=543 People are always trying new fads to try and improve their skin. From dietary fads to topical treatments, it seems there’s always a newly discovered ingredient that helps improve the complexion. Recently, many have been saying sperm is good for the skin but is it true that sperm is good for your skin? If so, what is the best way to use sperm for improving your skin? Researchers have since disproven the notion that sperm is good for your skin. That does not, however, mean sperm has no beneficial uses outside of pornography and making babies. Why do people think sperm is good for your skin? Marketing hype and the male ego are largely to blame for why people think sperm is good for your skin. Men would like to believe that their ejaculate is the stuff of magic and while it turns out there are healthcare applications of sperm, the science simply does not back up the myth that sperm is good for your skin. Sperm may have minor benefits for dental health. According to Bustle “semen doesn’t just contain sperm, but also vitamins like zinc and calcium, which is why some claim it may help prevent tooth decay…. While semen does contain vitamins that help keep your teeth healthy, it might not contain those vitamins in concentrated enough amounts to actually make a difference.” Many also are under the impression that this negligible combination of vitamins as well as the high protein content in sperm would provide nutritional value to the skin through topical treatment. Although the texture of sperm is not unlike a beneficial serum or gel, there is more to efficacy than texture. There are sperm facials and sperm skin creams that make big promises but are in reality nonsense. One former Cosmopolitan editor famously extolled the virtues of sperm facials but despite her praises, the reality is she was duped. Turns out there is no proven evidence that sperm can provide any benefits to the skin. Is sperm good for your skin? Sperm is not good for your skin neither in terms of treating blemishes nor creating a more youthful appearance.  Dr. Will Kirby, a respected dermatologist in Los Angeles, explained to Cosmopolitan recently that “there is nothing in semen that has demonstrable skin benefits,” Kirby said. “Anyone who says otherwise is either misinformed or purposefully misleading you.” Healthline further explained how useless sperm is in terms of treating acne specifically. “A common belief is that spermine — an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent found in sperm and cells throughout the human body — can combat blemishes. Again, no evidence exists to confirm this.” Sperm facials are usually targeted at combatting the signs of aging on the skin. Sadly, the fountain of youth is not a euphemism for the male organ. “Spermine derives from spermidine. One study published in Nature Cell Biology found that injecting spermidine directly into cells can slow down the aging process. But little is known about the effects of applying it topically.” In short, when it comes to skincare, stick to the science and skip the sperm!

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Is it True That Caffeine Stunts Your Growth? https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/is-it-true-that-caffeine-stunts-your-growth/ Thu, 24 Oct 2019 16:56:01 +0000 https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/?p=517 For years adolescents asking for a coffee have been told that caffeine stunts your growth.  Caffeine shows up in many beverages other than coffee but for some reason soda doesn’t get the same blame as coffee.  Does drinking caffeine stunt the growth of adolescents and make them shorter? In spite of the rumors that caffeine stunts your growth, it doesn’t seem to be true.  Seeing growth from only the perspective of height, research has shown that caffeine consumption does not impact how tall a person eventually ends up.  Even though research has shown there is very little truth to the idea that caffeine stunts your growth, they only evaluated it from a tangible numbers perspective. But does caffeine stunt your growth in other ways? According to many professionals, it could.  In 2019, growth is about more than height and weight, even though that is how this saying is traditionally taken.  However, it could be interpreted in a more spiritual sense.  Taking that into consideration – it could be true that caffeine stunts your growth. Why do people think caffeine stunts your growth? Most people believe this because of how quickly misinformation spreads.  Years ago a study concluded that caffeine drinkers had a higher risk of osteoporosis.  It was hypothesized that because caffeine can have a negative impact on calcium absorption it led to osteoporosis and the shortening of the bones.  Once the news was out that caffeine impacted calcium absorption and increased risk for osteoporosis, the idea that caffeine stunts your growth was born. After everyone already believed that caffeine stunts your growth it was proven that the impact caffeine has on calcium was minuscule and wouldn’t result in osteoporosis.  Even though it was proven that caffeine does not stunt your growth, the belief still exists and is widely believed. Does caffeine stunt your growth in other ways? Even though it’s been proven that caffeine doesn’t stunt your growth in terms of height, that doesn’t mean that caffeine has no impact on overall well being.  Caffeine is a stimulant and does have an impact on your nervous system.  Since your nervous system is what controls everything that happens in your organs and your body, caffeine can have an impact on them too.  Additionally, a nervous system that has become accustomed to stimulant drugs, like caffeine, can also prevent a person from achieving their goals and obtaining personal growth. Increase consumption of caffeine can cause disruptions in sleep patterns. Insomnia and restlessness are common signs that caffeine is stunting your growth.  Lack of sleep, nervousness and irritability often contribute to decreased productivity and drive.  This means that too much caffeine does stunt your growth from a personal development standpoint. Even though caffeine doesn’t keep people from growing taller, it could keep them from growing personally, professionally, spiritually and emotionally.  When considering personal growth in terms of this old saying, it’s absolutely true that caffeine stunts your growth. To some people personal growth is more important than height and to those people caffeine is often not worth the risk.  

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Is it True That Babies Are Born Without Kneecaps? https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/is-it-true-that-babies-are-born-without-kneecaps/ Thu, 24 Oct 2019 16:53:30 +0000 https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/?p=514 Have you ever heard that babies are born without kneecaps?  It’s common for people to think that babies are born without kneecaps.  This is a belief that is actually true and backed by the science of how the knee develops.  As it turns out, babies are born without kneecaps for a very good reason. Babies still have knees but they are born without kneecaps, well the bony kneecaps that we have as adults.  Experts say it actually takes a while for kneecaps to develop and they don’t even begin until after a baby is born.  This means that babies are born without kneecaps, or the patella bone. Is there a reason babies are born without kneecaps? The reason babies are born without kneecaps is actually about reproduction.  Like most things, how babies are birthed evolved with survival in mind.  Kneecaps (or the patella) are hard, bony and sharp.  This makes them less than ideal for moving thru the birth canal seamlessly.  Since babies need to be birthed, they develop in the uterus with cartilage where we have kneecaps. Cartilage is more pliable than bone. That makes birthing a baby an easier task and the reason babies are born without kneecaps a good one. Surprisingly, the patella doesn’t begin to develop right after birth.  Instead the cartilage starts to turn into bone when the baby becomes a toddler (or around 2 years old).  Babies are born with a lot more cartilage than adults have.  As they age the cartilage begins to ossify or turn into bone.  This process is not fast and takes the better part of 4 years.  This means that babies are born without kneecaps and most kids don’t have a kneecaps until they are about 6 years old. Babies are born without kneecaps  It’s beneficial for growth and development that babies are born without kneecaps.  This makes it easier for babies to come into this world and learn to navigate around it.  The flexibility of cartilage isn’t just good for babies in their kneecaps.  Since they are crawling and bumping around, having cartilage in their entire body make babies more able to adapt and grow. Specifically in their kneecaps, the slow progression of ossification helps a baby adapt slowly to moving around, first on all fours and then standing upright. Babies are born without kneecaps but you can’t really tell by just looking at them.  If you have ever cared for babies though, you’ll know that they can keep their knees bent far longer than older children and adults.  This is attributed to them having cartilage for kneecaps.  Babies need to be able to bend their knees up for being in the womb and for soothing once they arrive. Babies are born without kneecaps because they need to fit through the birth canal.  In addition to being born without patellas, babies also are born with cartilage in other parts of their body that eventually turns into bone.  This cartilage is helpful as the baby grows up, learns to experience life and develops actual kneecaps.

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Is it True That 80% of Weight Loss is Diet? https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/is-it-true-that-80-of-weight-loss-is-diet/ Thu, 24 Oct 2019 16:27:52 +0000 https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/?p=510 Is it True That 80% of Weight Loss is Diet? More and more people are trying to lose weight. Not only are New Years’ Resolutions right around the corner, but overall, the world has a weight problem. For aesthetic and health reasons, more people are trying to figure out how to lose weight. One common belief is that Is it 80% of weight loss is diet. But is it true that 80% of weight loss is diet? Scientists have been researching if it is true that 80% of weight loss is diet and we now know the answer. Is weight loss mostly about diet? Gaining weight seems so easy but weight loss is very difficult. What is the secret to losing weight? Is weight loss mostly about diet or is there another major factor that could explain how to lose weight? To understand the answer, it’s important to understand how the body gains and loses weight. The Mayo Clinic explains how weight gain and loss works very concisely. “Your weight is a balancing act, but the equation is simple: If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. And if you eat fewer calories and burn more calories through physical activity, you lose weight. Because 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound (0.45 kilogram) of fat, it’s estimated that you need to burn about 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound.” So, in order to lose weight, the human body needs to consistently consume less calories than it uses, or operate at a caloric deficit. Unfortunately, although exercise is extremely important to good health and proper muscle tone, it does not burn very many calories! As a result, weight loss is mostly about diet since that is the easiest way to operate at a caloric deficit. How much does diet play a part in weight loss? Diet plays the biggest role in weight loss. With the exception of the most elite athletes or those who perform hard physical labor for hours every day, it is extremely difficult to burn off very many calories through exercise. Humans evolved in an environment in which finding and preparing food was extremely difficult and labor intensive. That has all changed since the industrial revolution 200 years ago. Now it is easier and more convenient than ever to find highly caloric foods while remaining very sedentary. But the human body is still operating the way it evolved over thousands of years. As a result, it is difficult to burn many calories while leading a modern lifestyle. Even many gyms will have banners reminding patrons that “it’s impossible to outrun your fork.” So diet plays a huge role in weight loss. The best way to lose weight is through a diet that operates at a caloric deficit.

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Is it True That Kissing Burns 6.4 Calories? https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/is-it-true-that-kissing-burns-6-4-calories/ Thu, 24 Oct 2019 15:41:44 +0000 https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/?p=501 Kissing does burn calories.  How many calories kissing burns actually depends on a few factors but experts say that it a good make-out session could be as beneficial as a brisk walk in the park. Does kissing burn 6.4 calories?  It could!  And the good news is the more passionately you do it, the more calories it could burn. Kissing burns calories and has health benefits Whether or not it’s true that kissing burns 6.4 calories doesn’t change the truth about it’s health benefits.  Laying one on someone we care about actually stimulates our mood and helps improve our immunity.  It also just makes us feel cared for.  Everyone knows that after a good session of slobber swapping on the couch they feel giddy.  That doesn’t just go for teenagers in puppy love either.  Even older adults who are kissing for the 5,000th time still get a head rush and a racing heart when they get into it hot and heavy. Experts say the more we get into it the more we will get out of it.  The excitement from a good kiss increases our heart rate and blood flow.  We start to get amped up and sometimes aroused.  Getting winded while lip-locked is also a good sign that kissing is burning more calories.  Obviously a peck on the cheek isn’t a kiss that will burn 6.4 calories but a deeply passionate kiss could.  On average, a kiss actually burns between 2 and 3 calories per minute.  That means for a kiss to burn 6.4 calories, it would have to be over 3 minutes long. Does kissing burn 6.4 calories? 3 minutes doesn’t sound like a lot when it comes to kissing but it’s actually longer than you may think.  3 minute kisses usually involve a little tongue and hopefully a lot more action. According to experts, the extra action is a good thing when it comes to burning calories.  The more intense and passionate a kiss is the more likely it is to burn 6.4 calories.  When couples make out and include heavy breathing and touching, maybe even some additional stimulation, the number of calories that kissing burns does go up. Can kissing burn 6.4 calories per minute? It could under the right circumstances – but usually it involves more than just kissing.  Bryant Stamford, a professor at the University of Louisville says that if things get really really hot and heavy and you’re thrashing around, you may burn the same amount of calories while kissing as a brisk walk, which is about 4 calories per minute. Even though kissing burns calories, it is unlikely to burn 6.4 calories per minute.  Unless you’re passionately involved, headed to the bedroom and slamming each other into walls on the way, kissing probably only burns about 3 calories per minute. However, kissing for a while leads to other intimate acts like foreplay, sex and orgasm.  Combined with the calories from kissing, a half hour romp with a partner could burn more than 7 calories a minute. Kissing does burn calories but to burn 6.4 calories a minute you’d have to do quite a bit more than play tonsil hockey.

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Is it True That Milk Causes Acne? https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/is-it-true-that-milk-causes-acne/ Wed, 23 Oct 2019 19:29:03 +0000 https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/?p=532 More and more people today are suffering from acne. Once a skin ailment that plagued mainly adolescents, many adults now report having acne well into middle age and beyond. With so many people seeking treatment for their acne, many are also looking to the root causes behind their unsightly blemishes in an effort to prevent breakouts. One common belief is that milk causes acne. Is it true that milk causes acne? A variety of research by dermatologists, beauty editors and nutritionists have gone into determining if it’s true that milk causes acne. Unfortunately, the findings are unclear and contradictory. While some studies indicate milk causes acne, other studies find there is a correlation between acne and ingredients commonly found in dairy products in which case the milk itself is not the cause of acne. Other studies indicate no relationship between milk and acne at all. Why do people think milk causes acne? If it’s not fully known if milk causes acne, why do people think milk causes acne? One reason is because milk may cause acne, in which case the belief is right. However, even if milk does not cause acne, there is good reason for people to think milk causes acne. The Western diet, and American in particular, is notable for its use of dairy products which many other global cuisines do not. Drinking a glass of milk instead of wine or water is a particularly American dietary habit. Is it a coincidence that the United States and other western countries cite higher instances of acne? Many adults are also finding that they are lactose intolerant and so should avoid dairy. As a result, dairy is now often maligned as a generally unhealthy food. Since beauty magazines are quick to jump on such bandwagons, many popular outlets like Vogue extoll a dairy-free diet as a cure for acne. Does milk cause acne? The National Center for Biotechnology Information analyzed scientific literature related to research into the link between drinking milk and acne. The group found that “any dairy, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, was associated with an increased [rate] for acne in individuals aged 7–30 years.” But does this mean milk alone is responsible for acne? The milk itself may not necessarily be the true root cause. One reason dairy products could cause acne is not the milk itself but the “hormones that cows make when they are pregnant, which wind up in their milk. People who have higher levels of those hormones in their blood tend to have more acne,” according to WebMd. If that were the case, an organic diet focused on avoiding dairy containing growth hormones could alleviate acne but still include milk. But it’s possible that “proteins [intrinsic to cow milk].. release a hormone similar to insulin, called IGF-1. This hormone is known to trigger breakouts. Sometimes the hormones in milk can also interact with our own hormones, confusing our body’s endocrine system and signaling breakouts” according to Healthline. Yet another possibility is that the sugar and grease used in many dairy-rich foods like ice cream or cheese are the true culprit behind acne.

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Is it True That Your Blood is Blue? https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/is-it-true-that-your-blood-is-blue/ Sat, 12 Oct 2019 23:39:18 +0000 https://www.encyclopedia.com/daily/?p=426 Myths like this one are so strong even teachers believe that blood is blue.  No matter how many people claim that blood is blue and regardless of what seemingly valid evidence they present, they are wrong.  It is not true that your blood, or any blood of a human is blue. Why do people think blood is blue? To anyone who has ever had a cut, it may seem silly to think blood is blue.  All of us who have seen blood have seen it while it was red, so why would anyone think that blood is really blue?  It could have stemmed from the idea that only oxygenated blood is bright red and while that is true, blood is never blue inside the body.  It does change colors when it’s depleted of oxygen, but it actually becomes are darker red, almost purple after it’s done it’s job. Another common reason stated that people believe our blood is actually blue stems from how we learned about veins and arteries in school.  For clarity, most all textbooks labeled arteries red and veins blue.  Some researchers say that labeling contributes to why people could believe their blood is blue.  It’s also been speculated that people believe blood is blue because when they look at the veins in their arm, they see blue.  It’s understandable that people would believe blood is blue when they see these kinds of associations in books and on their own arm, however, the truth about blood is very simple. Is blood really blue? The proof that blood is not blue lies in what it contains.  Blood cells contain hemoglobin, which actually reacts with the oxygen to produce the red color we see when it leaves our body.  Since blood is never really depleted of all it’s oxygen and hemoglobin also remains, blood is always red.  Even though it’s always red, the color of red varies.  Sometimes it’s bright red and sometimes is brick red, other times it could look more like the color of a beet.  No matter the oxygen content or where in the body the blood travels it’s always red, and never blue. It make take some convincing to change anyone’s mind who already believes that their blood is really blue.  Many of them believe that because they can see the blueness of their veins that the blood inside must be turning them blue.  However, it’s actually the way their tissue and skin diffuse the light that makes their veins appear blue. Blood does have a specific function in the body and it does change colors, however it does not ever turn as blue as our veins. Blood that is returning to the heart to be oxygenated is the closest to a blue color that blood will ever get. Researchers say that it’s more likely to be a deep reddish purple than blue.  In spite of the proof, the myth about blood being blue still continues to run rampant. However, according to everything science has to say, that myth is busted and our blood is not blue.  

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