Health Myths: The Ultimate Rules You Need To Ignore

What if 'healthy eating' was just a myth all along? Avoid carbs, cut fat, ditch processed foods—sound familiar?

Food Isn’t The Problem, Health Myths Are

I constantly see articles like “Unhealthy foods to avoid” or “Don’t eat this and that.” But in reality, the problem isn’t the food itself; these health myths create unnecessary guilt around eating.

But why are these health ‘rules’ or ‘guidelines’ created in the first place? And why are we so drawn to quick-fix trends like ‘lose weight in 3 days’ or ‘foods that burn fat’?

In this blog, we’ll debunk some of the most common health myths and explore how they shape our relationship with food—and ourselves.

Health Myths: The Intention

Most of these trends start with good intentions: to help people live healthier, longer lives. But over time, they often become warped.

Following these trends is seen as making you a ‘healthy,’ ‘productive,’ and ‘good’ person, while not following them somehow makes you ‘unhealthy’ or ‘lazy.’ This mindset itself is unhealthy.

These trends often spread on social media, promoted by influencers who may not fully understand the impact of their advice. While not all influencers have bad intentions, many are motivated by likes and popularity, leading us to follow their advice in hopes of achieving the same confidence, success, or happiness they portray.

But then, after trying your best to achieve your goals reality hits. The changes we hoped to see don’t reflect our expectations. We start feeling like we’re not ‘enough’ and that we have to try harder, leading to stress, low self-esteem, and sometimes even depression.

It’s not a happy life at all.

Health Myth #1: Eating fat will make you fat

We’ve been labeling fats as ‘unhealthy’ for years. Why? Because of a so-called ‘fat phobia’ rooted in societal judgments about larger bodies.

In today’s world, larger bodies are often unfairly seen as less beautiful or even undesirable, leading people to avoid fats altogether out of fear of gaining weight.

But here’s the truth: fats are essential for healthy living. They help our bodies absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), protect vital organs, and provide the energy we need to dance, walk, think, breathe, and live fully.

Fats are life-giving fuel.

What matters most is that you are healthy and happy. It’s time to embrace what truly supports our well-being, rather than fearing what society has wrongly demonized.

Health Myth #2: Avoid Processed foods at all costs!

Yes, processed foods might not always be the most nutrient-packed choice, but labeling them as “bad” or off-limits can create a harmful relationship with food.

Your body is intuitive—it knows what it needs and when. Ignoring your cravings often makes them louder, leading to overindulgence later.

Let’s be honest: what even counts as “healthy”?

Every food group has an article out there warning against it. If we tried to follow all that advice, we’d barely eat anything!

Fun fact: Our bodies often crave processed foods because they’re designed to trigger the brain’s pleasure centers—the dopamine reward pathway. It’s the same pathway activated by some addictive substances, like cocaine.

No wonder they’re hard to resist!

So, stop overthinking it. Listen to your cravings, enjoy the food, and remember: balance—not restriction—is the key to a healthy, happy relationship with eating.

Health Myth #3: Fresh fruit and veg are better than frozen or canned

Whether your fruit and veg are canned, frozen, or fresh, they’re all nutritionally similar. In fact, frozen and canned options can even be better in some ways. Here’s why:

• Reduced Waste: Frozen and canned produce last longer, so less ends up in the bin.
• Lower Carbon Footprint: Less waste means a smaller environmental impact.
• Saves Money: They’re often cheaper and help stretch your budget.
• Same Nutrition: They retain most of their nutrients, sometimes even more than fresh.

Did you know that around 45% of the world’s fruit and vegetables go to waste each year? For the average household, this adds up to about $2,500 annually. Imagine how many meals you could buy!

As someone living alone, I’ll choose frozen veg over fresh any day. Otherwise, I’d be broke from tossing out spoiled produce!

So next time you’re shopping, don’t overlook the frozen or canned aisle. It’s a win for your wallet, the planet, and your health!

Health Myth #4: Avoid eating before bed

Have you ever climbed into bed, stomach rumbling, only to find yourself tossing and turning? Wish you could grab a satisfying nibble but feel restricted by the myth that eating before bed isn’t healthy?

If you are feeling hungry it’s often a sign that your blood sugar levels are too low, disrupting your ability to fall asleep.

By having a small snack before bed, you allow your body to relax. It will also stabilize your blood sugar levels and satisfy your cravings until breakfast. (which by the way is also a must, not like these health myths say otherwise!)

If you’re someone who skips breakfast because you feel nauseous, going to bed hungry only adds more stress to your body. That snack won’t keep you going until lunch, leaving you feeling even more tired and sluggish throughout the day.

Great nighttime snack ideas include anything your body is craving, but for an extra benefit, try these options:

- Tart cherries
- Banana and almond butter 
- Kiwi
- Hot cereal
- Yoghurt

You can find other ideas here

Health Myth #5: Do 10,000 steps a day to be healthy

Did you know the 10,000-step goal wasn’t created based on scientific evidence but instead a marketing ploy?

Research shows little evidence to prove that it is beneficial to your health. What’s truly important is simply getting some movement into your day—without the pressure of a specific goal.

I enjoy heading to a park and immersing myself in nature. It helps me put on my creative thinking hat and gives me a much-needed space to breathe, away from the chaos of life.

Counting steps, however, can quickly become obsessive.

Speaking from experience, when I was tracking my steps, I couldn’t go anywhere without my phone. Why? I needed every step to be recorded. I wanted to prove—both to myself and to others—that I could outstep anyone.

But here’s the thing: health isn’t about arbitrary numbers. Movement matters, but it’s about what feels good for your body, not what looks good on a tracker.

So, instead of fixating on step counts, why not focus on enjoying movement in ways that truly bring you joy?

Health Myth #6: Skinny = Healthy

It is believed that being skinny makes you healthy, but that’s far from the truth.

We put so much pressure on ourselves to achieve the ‘perfect’ body shape that we forget that every body is different. Forcing it to look a certain way—especially if it’s not natural for you—can harm both your body and mind.

Once the goal for weight loss is set, it can quickly become very controlling. It starts with good intentions but often leads to misery.

In my early teens, I became fixated on how my body looked. I would watch ‘What I Eat in a Day,’ ‘Model Workouts,’ ‘Thigh Gap Workouts,’ and ‘How to Lose Weight Fast.’

Developing this mindset at such a young age is worrying—it shows how dangerous the health myth ‘skinny = healthy’ can be.

It didn’t lead me to the ‘perfect’ body. Instead, it led me to years of struggling with an eating disorder and facing near death.

It depends on your body’s natural shape and size, which is different for everyone. Some people are naturally slim, while others may have a larger frame that’s just as healthy.

Sadly, social media and society often spread the idea that you have to be skinny to be healthy.

It’s much better to accept your body’s natural shape and take care of it in a way that feels right for you, not what’s right for a myth!

Freedom Will Come

You shouldn’t believe everything you read on the internet.

While it’s a space full of intriguing ideas, it’s also open to everyone—and that means it’s filled with misleading and false information. No matter how tempting those “quick fixes” or “how-to” guides might seem, it’s essential to do your research before letting these myths take hold in your life.

Once these health myths creep in, they should never be in control. Instead, we should focus on what truly supports our well-being: balance, joy, and listening to our bodies.