We’ve been fed loads of lies from substances to solutions we were told were good for us only to discover years later, they weren’t. These miracle fixes were intended to cure everything from coughs and colds to cancer.
Achieving and maintaining optimal health and wellness has long been a fascination of humanity. In the last few hundred years, a vast amount of progress has been made, however, the journey hasn’t been an easy one. Grave mistakes have occurred trying to navigate the sea of professional advice while heeding information that has been given from sources who, oftentimes, have monetary interests.
While we know that tobacco is extremely dangerous and is linked to a multitude of health issues, for quite some time it was promoted as having health benefits. From its discovery in the 1400’s, tobacco was promoted as aiding with headaches, colds, warding off disease and boosting energy; vintage posters even depict doctors recommending certain brands of cigarettes to their patients! Today, we know that tobacco is highly addictive, carcinogenic and its use comes with an array of nasty side effects.
Tobacco isn’t the only deceptive culprit. Some of the more recent health habits that caused physical harm include ingesting shark cartilage, popular between the 1950s and 1990s, to prevent and treat cancer. As recently as 1992, a book entitled “Sharks Don’t Get Cancer: How Shark Cartilage Could Save Your Life” was published. Research from John Hopkins University reveals the dangers and today, we now know that – not only do sharks get cancer – the cartilage doesn’t work as a treatment and can, in fact, cause a bad taste, nausea, vomiting, constipation, low blood pressure and fatigue.
Today, the list of harmful substances once thought to be healing is ever-evolving and includes: brominated flame retardants, lead, asbestos, mercury, DDT, Triclosan, Bisphenol-A, PCB’s and so many more.
For more unusual health cures now deemed extremely unhealthy, enjoy the infographic by Grey Haze below.
