Photo: Via Shape.
It's pretty difficult to keep tabs on what we should and shouldn't be doing when it comes to our health and beauty regimens. Seriously, the "expert advice" seems to change like a weathervane, leaving us more confused than ever. So, to ensure that you're not wasting any of your precious time trying out some so-called miracle treatment or cure, Shape magazine has taken on the top 10 counterintuitive health and beauty tips.
Personally, we were thrilled to learn that eating chocolate doesn't give us zits like we were told when we were teenagers. In fact, according to Shape contributor Charlotte Hilton Andersen, a 2007 study published in the International Journal of Cardiology states that "the flavonoids in dark chocolate can help reduce inflammation and redness, protect the skin from sun damage, and help resolve acne by improving blood flow to the skin." Of course, just make sure to keep your portion to about 1.5 ounces (about the weight of a leftover fun-sized Halloween candy bar).
Also an important, though counterintuitive, fact about holding onto water weight: If you're feeling bloated, it's actually best to drink more water, not less. When our kidneys sense that we're dehydrated, they begin to hang onto all the water they can, resulting in annoying bloat.
Click through to read more of these health and beauty truths and you just might wind up with a smaller waistline, whiter teeth, and shinier hair. (Shape)