Don’t sit on cold stones, you’ll get cystitis!
The verdict
Urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria, not by cold from below. There is no evidence that cold stones cause cystitis – though it is hardly comfortable.
On the wall
More warnings
Don’t keep your mobile in your pocket, the radiation will give you a brain tumour!
Verdict: A large review commissioned by the WHO in 2024 found no link between mobile phones and brain tumours, even though almost everyone has had a mobile for decades.
Don’t swim straight after eating, you’ll get cramp and drown!
Verdict: No research has shown that people drown from swimming on a full stomach. A gentle swim after lunch is perfectly fine.
Don’t swallow the apple pips, a tree will grow in your tummy!
Verdict: The stomach is far too dark and acidic for anything to sprout. The pips come out again, usually quite unbothered.
Verdict: There is no evidence that coffee stunts growth. Children still shouldn’t have much caffeine – but for other reasons.