We buy these things...but do they really work?

If something is advertised as good for us, we believe it. We buy products that are supposed to make us healthier, thinner and prettier. But it has actually been proven that some of the products do not work at all and still we waste our time and money on them. 

Anti-aging creams DO NOT work

Age perfect? Yeah right...

Anti-aging creams are creams that are supposed prevent the skin from aging. They are sold as cosmetics and do not require a prescription. Recently, the German organization Stiftung Warentest published the results of an investigation into the effectiveness of anti-aging creams and those showed that anti-aging creams simply do not work, no matter how expensive they are nor how complex the chemical formula they seem to contain. Anti-aging creams are however moisturizing and do therefore produce a temporary result. These results seem to be enough for American consumers, as last year, anti-aging creams sold for more than two million dollars there. 

Meditation DOES work

Meditating can actually change the anatomy of your brain.

Man has been meditating for thousands of years, and the practice has long been believed to be very beneficial, both for body and soul. The value of meditation has been proven in the modern world, as various research has confirmed its positive effect. When practiced regularly, meditation changes certain channels of communication in the brain and some areas of the brain grow larger while others shrink. For example, the amygdala, which is responsible for the “fight or flight” response, grows smaller with regular meditation The amygdala is also the area of the brain that causes anxiety, and it is therefore clear that regular meditation can have significant effect in decreasing anxiety. Therapists and other professionals all over the world use meditation with their patients to good effect. 

Earthquake predictions DO NOT work

Earthquakes are an unpredictable phenomenon. 

Until now, it has been almost impossible to predict earthquakes because of how difficult it is to calculate the movements of the Earth’s core. Earthquakes therefore usually strike without warning. A solution to this problem is however within sight, as scientist at the Delft University in the Netherlands are developing an algorithm which, by looking at where plates meet and where the friction is the most at these plate boundaries, should be able to predict earthquakes. 

Hand sanitizers DO NOT work

Hand sanitizers definitely do you some good, but they're not as effective as washing your hands. 

Research has shown that people who wash their hands with soap regularly are less likely to contract colds, flus, or other infectious illnesses than people who exclusively use hand sanitizer. Good hand washing, where the hands are rubbed thoroughly together with soap and water is the best defense against infectious illnesses. Doctors do however recommend using hand sanitizer alongside hand washing, as even though it may not work by itself, it does undeniably have anti-viral and anti-bacterial effect. 

Cod liver oil DOES work

Nothing beats the taste of "lýsi" in the morning. 

Cod liver oil has been an inseparable part of the Icelandic diet for centuries. It has been believed to be extremely healthy for a long time, even though it is a relatively short time since scientists began researching the beneficial effect of cod liver oil. The results of Atli Arnarson’s 2014 study show a negative correlation between the use of cod liver oil and systolic blood pressure, i.e. those who use cod liver oil are less likely to have high blood pressure.

Text: Nína Hjördís Þorkelsdóttir

Translation: Áróra Einarsdóttir