Myths abound when it comes to our health. Back in the olden times, before the internet made data instantaneous, information was found in books and microfiche. If we had a strange bump on our hands, we’d have no choice but to actually go see a doctor for it. And not Google “hand cancer symptoms” only to discover that the bump was dried cupcake frosting.

Has the internet made health myths worse? Probably not. But they have made them much easier to explore! Check out five of our favorite health myths to see if they are very true, so false, or somewhere in between.

You must drink eight glasses of water a day.

And this is – false. The average person loses ten cups of water a day, a cup being eight ounces. But you regain four cups from simply eating. So you just need to drink six cups of water to make up the difference. Some nutritionists think you don’t need more than one liter a day. Others will go to their death bed swearing that eight glasses a day is the key to all good health.

The final word comes from Heinz Valtin, a doctor who specialized in kidney research for 45 years. He recently told Scientific American that the answer is no – there are no health benefits to drinking an excessive amount of water daily.

You will ruin your eyes reading in dim light.

I was a big reader as a kid. To the point that if I didn’t get my daily Judy Blume/Laura Ingalls Wilder/LM Montgomery fix, I went a little nutty. Needless to say, there was a lot of reading at night in dim light. When my eyesight went from good to “legally-blind with corrective vision” (Thank you, Lasik!) in a matter of a couple years, some blamed my excessive reading in bad light.

Where they right? Apparently not. But reading in dim light can certainly strain your eyes – it’s just that those itchy, burning tired eyes will restore themselves. No permanent damage is possible.

Pregnancy makes you crazy.

This health myth is common among my friends, who are bearing progeny like there’s no tomorrow. (It’s true – last Mother’s Day I had six friends celebrating their first one, not to mentioned the seasoned mommas among my peeps.) And most of them reported the worst emotional manipulation since kittens started starring on YouTube.

But does pregnancy make you crazy? Not permanently. But if you have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD,) new evidence shows that pregnancy hormones can make it worse. In a study that looked at women’s symptoms, researcher found that they worsened, a good one-third of the time during pregnancy.

If you pluck your hair, more grows back.

On an episode of Sex and the City, or “The Show That was Great Before the Second Sequel,” Samantha is upset over a grey hair. She goes to pluck it but decides against it. As she tells our heroine Carrie Bradshaw, “If you pluck it, ten more will come to its funeral.” Now quickly skimming over the fact that I can recite Sex and the City from memory – is Samantha’s anxiety based in truth?

No, no, and more no, according to experts. When your shaved hair grows back, it is initially short and stubbly. The longer hair is, the softer it becomes. So while it may seem like the gods are punishing you for taking a razor to unwanted hair – it’s really just the biology of your body.

Using a cell phone will give you a brain tumor.

Cell phones channel dirty electricity, and all of this dirty electricity has evolved into what experts called “electro-smog.” According to sources, electro-smog is the invisible pollution or smog in the form of EMFs from the now widespread microwave-emitting devices such as mobile phones, their masts, wireless routers and DECT phones. Wired Child is a group that provides a comprehensive guide on how to protect themselves and their children from EMFs and transients.

So will your cell phone give you a brain tumor? Frankly, it seems that the jury is still out on this. Would I invest in a device that keeps “electro-smog” away from your brain? I’m calling Verizon Wireless to order one right now. Or not.

Image: flickr4jazz

“˜Tis the season for bikinis, tank tops and baring it all. And yes, while some of our serious sisters will eschew shaving altogether, many of us will be reaching for recyclable razors. But how to get the best summertime shave with said razors? Let’s look at how to get the best shave via blade.

First, you can check out our review of some of the best natural and/or organic shaving products for women. (Men, don’t worry, we have products for you as well.) When you look for shaving products, pick products that contain ingredients like aloe vera, avocado oil, chamomile, green tea, Echinacea, rosemary, shea butter, vitamin E oil. These natural products can often be found in organic form – even better! And (un)naturally, you want to avoid common ingredients in shaving creams such as benzocaine, DEA (Dietanolamine), petroleum, parabens, stearic acid, and more.

Before shaving, consider scrubbing up with a good exfoliating soap. The same goes for your bikini line, but be careful of too many suds near your delicate parts. Some soap contains fragrances which can irritate. So once or twice a week, scrub up with to remove dead skin cells. This will rouse your hair closer to the surface and make it easier to shave. Have a look at these exfoliating soaps from Alpine Naturals.

For the ultimate in at-home spa pampering, soak in a bath of warm water. You can even wet a couple of wash cloths with warm water to drape over your legs. Leave the wash cloths on for several minutes and then apply your shaving cream. To avoid ingrown hairs, be sure to shave in the same direction of your hair growth.

Want to make your own aftershave? Take one teaspoon dried chamomile, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch of ginger, and one tablespoon of vodka. Bring one cup of water to a boil. Add the chamomile, ginger and cinnamon. Steep for eight minutes and strain. Mix with vodka and chill. Spritz or swab all over your shaved parts with a clean cotton pad.

Image: suzettesuzette

The Greenest: Dr. Bronner’s Tea Tree Organic Fair Trade Shaving Soap Gel
This product has a fantastic tea tree smell. It is also the greenest of the bunch. It’s a gel, so there’s no real foam action going. But it does give a close, moisturized shave. Dr Bronner’s points out that this product is certified by the same National Organic Program that certifies food. Free of synthetic ingredients, this product is USDA Organic, Certified Fair Trade and cruelty-free.

The Best Smell: Nature’s Gate Creamy Cucumber and Mint Shave Gel
This cream is very fresh with a light peppermint smell. It’s clean smelling, and not overpowering or perfume-like. There wasn’t much lather to it, but it gives a smooth, very close shave. The only downside was that it was hard to get off. As our tester tells it, “I actually had to wash my face. Usually, I just wipe off shaving cream with a towel. But maybe that’s why it worked so well.” This product is certified organic by Quality Assurance International, Oregon Tilth and more. It is also certified vegan and cruelty free.

And the other good stuff”¦.

Depth Bay Coconut Shave Cream
This has an interesting, almost fruity scent. (Which makes it a good cross-over product for women.) It’s highly moisturizing after shaving and does allow for a close shave. This product is 70% organic, contains 100% natural aroma blend, and it is free of artificial colors and SLS. It is also 100% vegetarian.

Burt’s Bees Natural Shave Cream
Our tester was ambivalent on this product. It is musky but not too heavy. It goes on creamy but doesn’t provide the closest of shaves. My tester protested that he had to shave every day, as opposed to every other, when he used this product. 100% natural but not organic, the product contains anti-inflammatory calendula. It is free of SLSs, parabens, and phthalates, and it is also cruelty-free. For $8, it’s a good bang for your buck. Not to mention, the tube is 23% post consumer recycled material.

Burt’s Bees also has an aftershave which gets high marks from the girlfriends of our testers. Frankly, it smells great. It is ph balanced and free of parabens and phthalates.

JASONS All Natural Shaving Lotion
Unfortunately, this product didn’t fare as well as some of the others. Our tester found it grainy and seedy which wasn’t a great texture for getting a smooth shave. Also, it needed a large amount to lather properly. In fact, it hurt and wasn’t a smooth shave at all. This is because it is soap-free and propellant-free and contains several naturally sourced ingredients.

Kiss My Face Cool Mint Moisture Shave
This cream suds up rather nicely, which allows a closer shave than some of the other brands. It contains no animal ingredients, artificial colors, or unnecessary chemicals. It was smooth, easy to lather and left my face feeling fresh. As our tester tells it, “it has me look forward to my next shave!” It is not organic and by no means the “greenest” of the bunch – but does contain natural olive and coconut oils.

Avalon Organics Peppermint Moisturizing Shave Cream
This product has a yummy, minty scent and goes on like a cream. It contains organic extracts of calendula, chamomile and green tea, with organic aloe, organic sunflower and flax oils. It is free of parabens, preservatives and grapefruit seed extract with 100% vegetarian ingredients. It is not USDA Organic, but it is certified organic with Oregon Tilth, among others.

Jurlique Purifying Foaming Cleanser
Jurlique recommends this product for after shaving. My testers tried it out and felt it just worked better as a straight up cleanser, not noticing any particular “after shaving” benefits. It has a very subtle floral scent. It’s pricey at $40 a bottle, but a little does go a long way. It contains several natural ingredients that come from the Jurlique sustainably farmed compound in South Australia.

Triple Razor by Preserve
This 100% recycled razor of #5 plastic has a reusable handle that is partially made from Stoneyfield yogurt cups. (It is also compatible with Personna® Acti-Flexx® and Gillette® Sensor® blades.) It’s durable and the maneuverable razor performs a close shave. It gets high marks and is worth the $8.95 for an original razor.

After checking out a few of the greener products on the market, it’s clear that many of us have been short-changing our shaving experience. After all, shaving cream is intended to prevent razor burn. But traditional creams usually involve a mixture of oil, surfactants and alcohol. No thanks!

The first natural shaving creams were made of wood alkali and animal fat. But we’ve come a long way, baby! Recently, I had the opportunity to check out some excellent girl-friendly eco-products designed to green up our hair removal regimes. And here’s what I found”¦

Triple Razor by Preserve

This 100% recycled razor of #5 plastic has a reusable handle that is partially made from Stoneyfield yogurt cups. (It is also compatible with Personna® Acti-Flexx® and Gillette® Sensor® blades.) It’s durable and the maneuverable razor performs a close shave, which is nice for certain arm-pitty areas on the body. I give it high marks and found it worth the $8.95 for an original razor.

Whish Pomegranate Shave Cream

This product smells yummy – it has an “easy” fruit scent few are going to dislike. It goes on smoothly and produces a knick-free shave. But there’s a definite waxy, sticky residue left over that actually dulled my new pedicure polish. It is free of parabens, petrochemicals, sulfates, DEA and TEAs. It also contains natural and organic ingredients and they use eco-friendly packaging. (No animal testing at Whish, either.)

Whish Hair Inhibiting Gel

This has a lovely almond scent and it felt cool and refreshing on my newly-shaved skin. But does it inhibit growth? I sampled it for two weeks, as did another green girl. At press time we were, ahem, not noticing any less hair growth. However, it does get high marks as a straight up moisturizer. Like the shave cream, it is free of parabens, petrochemicals, sulfates, DEA and TEAs.

Avalon Organics Lavender Moisturizing Shave Cream

This product contains organic extracts of calendula, chamomile and green tea, with organic aloe, organic sunflower and flax oils. It has a nice scent and goes on like a cream. It is free of parabens, preservatives and grapefruit seed extract with 100% vegetarian ingredients. It is not USDA Organic, but it is certified organic with Oregon Tilth, among others.

Kiss My Face Peaches and Cream Moisture Shave

This is certainly very peachy and creamy – using it is almost like eating a sundae, but without the guilt. And it suds up rather nicely, which allows a closer shave than some of the other brands. It contains no animal ingredients, artificial colors, or harsh chemicals. It is not organic and is by no means the “greenest” of the bunch – but does contain natural olive and coconut oils.

EOs Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream

If you like perfumed products, you will like this cream. And if you’re using it for hard-to-reach spots, it can be a good choice. But it was a bit too strongly scented for my tastes. It’s non-foaming, paraben-free, and contains natural aloe and shea butter. It is not organic, unfortunately.

Erbaviva Organic Bath Oil
And when you’re done? This Erbaviva bath oil is actually a great way to keep your gams as moisturized as possible. (You can also use olive oil!) It is made from organic carrier oils with a blend of organic and wild crafted essential oils of grapefruit, orange and jasmine. It does keep you hydrated and the smell is to die for, (as in, it’s lovely). And it is USDA Organic.

Dude! You’re clean shaven but are you green shaven?

Yes, the eco marketing of all consumer goods has reached the scratchy male whisker. Despite the notion that the greenest face is the hairiest one, not all men like sporting facial fur and not all females like going into-the-wild to make out.

What steps can you take before going under the knife? Don’t roam far from the healthy foam; don’t be a fool with the wrong disposable tool; never brace your face with a jug that’s mean to your mug.

Here are a few products your barber-in-the-hood probably never chatted you up about:

Razors:

Be kind to your face and to the planet with this innovation in shaving, the Preserve® Triple Razor. Featuring titanium-coated blades and lubrication strip for comfort, this cutting edge razor is made from recycled plastic – including Stonyfield Farm® yogurt cups. It delivers a clean, close shave for both men and women. What’s more, it comes in four fun colors with an ergonomic handle that exhibits contours and gripping regions that enhance performance and control. Unlike other plastic disposables, after the shave it is fully recyclable. The blades are easy to replace by squeezing the arms of the Razor handle, popping off the blade cartridge and pressing in a new blade. The Preserve Triple Razor package doubles as a reusable travel case and can be returned for recycling using the postage-paid label.

Each Triple Razor package comes with two of Preserve’s titanium-coated blades. Replacement blades are available wherever Preserve Triple Razors are sold.

How to master the art of shaving so you don’t cut up your face? For that, check out this E How tutorial.

For those hooked on electric razors, Procter & Gamble’s Braun division has introduced a line of Energy Star-certified shaver chargers – a world’s first. According to a review by Trend Hunter, the Smart Plugs use 64 percent less energy than standard shavers and, according to the company, will save over 12 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year, or the equivalent of removing 1,073 cars from the road, planting 1,526 acres of forest or lighting 5,861 homes for a year.

The Lotion

Only $7.95 for 11 oz., Kiss My Face Moisture Shave is a cool way to go lime green. The lotion is a natural, cooling antiseptic that also acts as an astringent with its moisturizing formula containing highly effective natural essential oils, extracts and vitamins. Features include:

- antiseptic peppermint to cool and stimulate
- emollients olive oil and coconut oil and aloe vera for healing
- antiseptic goldenseal, also for healing
- Arnica aids circulation
- Lady’s mantle is an astringent and has styptic properties
- Sage, horsetail, and orangeflower act as astringents and refreshers
- Soapwort is rich lathering, effective with acne, and like lemongrass, cleansing
- Vitamins A and E are important nutrients for healthy skin
…all in a refreshing key lime.

Another soft touch is the Baby Face Healing shaving Cream from Ken Men.

The company is on a mission to formulate the “best possible shaving cream” and admits the word foam is not on its agenda, as there already exists a myriad of shaving foams on the market. Baby Face combines essential oils to create a shaving cream which can “adhere” to hair no matter how rugged the follicle. Ken says you no longer have to bleed to be smooth! (Ingredients include: De-Ionized water, Vitamins E and F, Ascorbic acid, Tea Tree oil, Rosa Mesquita, Flax seed & Macadamia Essential Oils, Salicylic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Oleth-20, Meadow foam Seed Oil, Lime, Coconut oil extract,oils of Mentha Veridis, Aloe Vera Juice Extract, Bisabolol, Essential oils of Sage, lime, vetiver, coconut pulp, patchouli & frankincense.)

The After Splash

Are you man enough to slap your cheeks with a product called Nancy Boy? The $20 blue bottle contains a refreshing gel that won’t burn or shock your skin. As the company puts it, “our position is that alcohol-based bracing aftershaves should have gone out with Joe McCarthy. They inflame the skin you’ve just abraded by shaving and worse, dry it out mercilessly.”

According to the site, this stuff is composed mostly (75%) of aloe, the healing, moisturizing wonderplant, and the bracing, cooling effect is naturally derived from the oil of peppermint. The natural witch hazel hydrosol in the formulation is another of nature’s best skin healers and soothers, while the alcohol, present at less than 1 part per hundred, is there to help sterilize any nick you might have self-inflicted.

Aubrey Organics Men’s Stock after shave is made with organic oils and extracts with a handsome scent of cedar, sandalwood and bergamot. It leaves a cool, tingly feeling and invigorates the face and tightens the pores. It is said to leave skin smooth and smelling yummy. Think English Leather without the beating. The formula includes witch hazel extract, organic aloe, cedar oil, sandalwood and patchouli.

Main image: dotbenjamin