Last month, we put together a list of health facts and fallacies and asked readers to decide which are true and which are bogus. Now it’s time to see how you scored.

Here's why some beliefs about certain foods, medical conditions and treatments are surprisingly off target - and why a couple of "old wives' tales" now have scientific validation.

Unless you are allergic, having a dog or cat can make you healthier.

Answer: TRUE.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) point out that numerous studies show owning a dog or cat (or another type of pet) can have a host of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and helping depression. One of the health advantages to owning a pet is that it often increases the opportunities for exercise - for example, dog owners may take daily walks with their pooches. For more information: www.cdc.gov/healthypets

Once you have type 2 diabetes and need to take medication to regulate your blood sugar, you'll have to take the meds for the rest of your life.

Answer: FALSE.

According to statistics from the CDC, 25.8 million people, or 8.3 percent of the U.S. population, are affected by either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The vast majority have type 2 diabetes, which is primarily caused by a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits. Some people can control the condition by watching their diet; others need to also take medication daily to control blood sugar. Some type 2 diabetics, however, can actually reverse their condition completely and drop their blood sugar back to the normal range by exercising regularly, losing weight and improving their diets. In fact, a recent study published in the medical journal Diabetologia demonstrated that type 2 diabetes in some people can be reversed through lifestyle changes in one to eight weeks. It's important to note, however, that without exercise, dietary changes and weight control, the diabetes will come back. And if you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, never stop taking your medication without your doctor's approval.

If you have a bad cold, taking antibiotics will help you get over it quicker.

Answer: FALSE.

Colds are caused by viruses and antibiotics are only effective against bacteria. So antibiotics do nothing to shorten the length of a cold or make it less severe. What's more, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) warn that using antibiotics inappropriately for a cold can lead to antibiotic resistance - making it more likely those medicines will not work well for you in the future when you actually need them for a bacterial infection. Antibiotics may be appropriate if your doctor diagnoses a secondary bacterial or ear infection following a cold, however.

Stop cracking your knuckles! It will cause arthritis in your fingers later in life.

Answer: FALSE (probably).

According to Peter Bonafede, M.D., medical director of the Providence Arthritis Center at Providence Portland Medical Center, who responded to this question on the Providence Medical Center web site, the answer is "likely not". The few studies that have specifically looked at knuckle cracking haven't found a link to arthritis. Dr. Bonafede did note that some people have injured their hands from knuckle cracking, so it's not a good idea (besides, it's very annoying to the non-knuckle crackers sitting near you).

Humans only use ten percent of their brains.

Answer: FALSE.

The idea that humans use only 10 percent of their brains has been accepted as fact for about a hundred years, according to Indiana University physicians Dr. Aaron E. Carroll and Dr. Rachel C. Vreeman, authors of Don't Swallow Your Gum!: Myths, Half-Truths, and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health. However, evidence from neuroscience research shows that people use far more than 10 percent of their brains - and no one has found the supposed "non-functioning" 90 percent.

Countless moms have told their children eating carrots is good for their eyes - and they were right!

Answer: TRUE.

It turns out that this "old wives' tale" is actually sound science. According to a study published in the Journal of Food Science, carrots are rich in the phytonutrients known as carotenoids. Carotenoids (yellow, orange and red pigments synthesized by plants and found in many colored vegetables and fruits) may prevent age-related eye diseases and they've also been found to improve vision. Scientists from the University of Georgia evaluated data from multiple studies to investigate the effects of carotenoids and concluded that they play an important role in human vision, including keeping the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye, the retina, healthy.

Can't sleep? Drinking warm milk before bed will ease you into dreamland.

Answer: FALSE.

In their book Don't Swallow Your Gum!: Myths, Half-Truths, and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health, Dr. Carroll and Dr. Vreeman note that warm milk was recommended for insomnia in the Talmud over a thousand years ago. In modern times, the fact milk contains a substance called tryptophan has often been cited as a reason it supposedly induces sleepiness. However, it turns out there's no scientific evidence warm milk has enough tryptophan, or any other snooze-producing chemicals, to send you off to dreamland.

An apple a day really may keep the doctor away: eating apples regularly has important health benefits and may even reduce the risk of some cancers.

Answer: TRUE.

Numerous studies published over the past few years have revealed that apples are indeed extraordinarily healthy foods. Research published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart showed that eating white fruit (largely apples) regularly reduced the risk of stroke by 52 percent. Another study headed by University of Iowa endocrinologist Dr. Christopher Adams found that a chemical in apple peels may block muscle atrophy as people age. In addition, Dr. Rui Hai Liu, Cornell associate professor of food science, is currently studying compounds in apples that either inhibit or kill human liver, colon and breast cancer cells in the lab.

Reading in dim light can make you squint, but it won’t do any damage to your eyesight.

Answer: TRUE.

Yes, generations of children have been warned by parents that reading in dim light will damage vision. However researchers published an article recently in the British Medical Journal affirming this is an untrue myth. Lighting that isn't optimal can decrease the rate of blinking and lead to dry eyes and might make you squint - but there's no persistent change or damage caused to your vision.

Shaving hair causes it to grow back faster, darker or coarser.

Answer: FALSE.

This common belief certainly appears to be real when you feel coarse stubble after shaving. But multiple recent studies have shown this is an illusion, according to Dr. Vreeland. When hair grows back after shaving, it does appear to be coarser. However, that's only because it doesn't have the fine taper of unshaved hair. It may also seem darker because it hasn't been exposed to the sun like the hair you shaved away.

Chicken soup has been scientifically proven to help treat cold symptoms.

Answer: TRUE.

Nobody can say grandma's chicken soup actually cures a cold, but several studies show the homemade variety does soothe symptoms. Dr. Carroll and Dr. Vreeland point out that the warm liquid may help clear mucus, but it is also possible that something in chicken soup actually fights infections. One group of researchers found that homemade chicken soup inhibited the movement of neutrophil cells association with inflammation.

Need to keep your cholesterol in check? Avoid eggs because they are loaded with cholesterol and may raise your risk of heart disease.

Answer: FALSE.

Florida State University researchers examined the relationship between cardiovascular disease risk factors and dietary intake of eggs. The results? There was no link between egg consumption and high cholesterol levels or other heart disease risk factors. This study supports previous research published in the International Journal of Obesity which found no significant difference in blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides between people who ate eggs for breakfast and those who ate bagels.

Applying hydrogen peroxide to a wound isn't a good way to avoid infection. In fact, it could make the problem worse.

Answer: TRUE.

According to the American Medical Association, hydrogen peroxide does have at least one benefit if you have a cut: it can help wash out dirt, debris and dead tissue. But don't count on it as a way to avoid infection. Several studies have found that hydrogen peroxide doesn't inhibit bacterial growth and that wounds treated with topical antibiotic ointments heal more quickly. In fact, peroxide can damage some of the healthy tissue around a wound.

Certain foods, like grapefruit, celery or cabbage soup rev up your metabolism and help you burn fat and lose weight.

Answer: FALSE.

No foods can burn fat. It is true that some drinks with caffeine may speed up your metabolism for a short time, but they don't cause you to lose weight, according to experts at the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases. For more information on diet myths: www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/myths-nutrition-physical-activity#dietmyths.

A famous episode of the l990s hit TV show "Friends" featured a plot that revealed a little known medical fact: urine is a good emergency treatment for a jellyfish sting.

Answer: FALSE.

Back in 1997, all the characters from "Friends" went to the beach where Monica suffered a jellyfish sting and Joey recalled from a documentary that urinating on the sting would relieve the pain. However, in the real world this isn't a good idea at all and could cause more discomfort. According to Dr. Christopher Holstege, a toxicologist and professor of emergency medicine at the University of Virginia, the appropriate first aid is to rinse the area with saltwater which will deactivate any jellyfish "stingers" hanging onto the skin. Fresh water changes the concentration of salts inside and outside the stingers and can have the opposite effect.

Hate those air blow dryers in public restrooms that dry out your hands? Go ahead and use the paper towels instead. Using the air dryer doesn't keep your hands any cleaner.

Answer: TRUE.

Dr. Keith Redway of the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Westminster in London has conducted extensive research on whether hand dryers that blow warm air or plain old paper towels are more sanitary. The winner? Paper towels. In fact, paper towels were found to significantly reduce the amount of bacteria on the hands.

Thanks to everyone who took this quiz last month.

We selected one participant, Allison J., at random to receive a copy of Don't Swallow Your Gum!: Myths, Half-Truths, and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health (St. Martin's Griffin).