In honor of today being the first day of summer, we’re busting five of the most common summertime MYTHS . . .

1.  “You can catch a cold from air conditioning.”  Not exactly . . . at least not from the temperature alone.  But there IS some evidence that running the AC constantly can dry out your nasal passages and make it slightly easier for viruses to enter your body.

2.  “Any drink will rehydrate you on a hot day.”  Drinks with a bunch of sugar or alcohol can actually DE-hydrate you.  So if you’re outside on a hot day, make sure you’re drinking lots of water and not counting on soda or beer just because there’s water in it.

3.  “You can’t get a sunburn on a cloudy day.”  Clouds don’t block out UV rays, so you can still burn even when it’s cloudy.

4.  “Eating garlic will keep mosquitoes away.”  Garlic and other gimmicks like essential oils, ultrasonic devices, and smartphone apps all have little if any scientific evidence showing they’ll protect you.  Stick with bug sprays containing DEET or Picaridin if you want to avoid mosquitoes.

5.  “A dip in the pool can double as a shower.”  No way.  Pools are usually filled with bacteria capable of causing diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and infections.  In fact, you should shower BEFORE getting into the water . . . AND after.

(U.S. News & World Report / New York Times)