7 things you’ve been told to do to be healthy and happy—but science says they don’t work

Being bombarded with health and happiness advice can feel overwhelming, especially when much of it turns out to be rooted in half-truths.

You’ve probably heard endless tips about how to boost your well-being—some of them might even be etched into your routine.

But as it turns out, science doesn’t back all of these “golden rules.”

Today, let’s explore seven common pieces of advice that may sound beneficial on the surface, yet research suggests they’re either overrated, misapplied, or downright ineffective.

I’m not saying you should toss all your habits, but these points might make you reconsider your approach and think twice before embracing conventional wisdom without a second thought.

Let’s dig in.

01 Rely on “low-fat everything” for better health

It used to be practically a commandment: if you want to stay healthy, you must choose the low-fat or fat-free version of every food under the sun.

Butter was swapped for margarine, whole milk for skim, and full-fat yogurt for the “light” variety.

But many of these so-called healthier alternatives are often loaded with sugar, additives, or artificial flavors to compensate for the missing fat.

According to multiple nutritional studies, consuming certain types of natural, healthy fats (like those in avocados, nuts, and olive oil) can be good for heart health and body function.

In contrast, piling on refined carbs or artificial additives to make up for lost flavor can do more harm than good.

Quality matters more than just “low-fat.”

Fats aren’t the ultimate villain—an imbalanced, artificial-heavy diet is.

02 Gulp down gallons of water daily

You’ve probably heard the advice: Drink eight glasses of water every day or risk dire health consequences.

But strict water quotas can be misleading.

While staying hydrated is important, our bodies are pretty adept at telling us when we need fluids. Plus, the eight-glasses rule rarely accounts for variations in climate, activity level, or personal health conditions.

Some people confuse thirst with hunger and end up grazing all day, but that doesn’t mean you need to chug water compulsively.

Science indicates that an overzealous approach to hydration can even lead to issues like hyponatremia (essentially an electrolyte imbalance).

A better approach is to listen to your body’s signals—thirst is a decent indicator.

Unless you’re exercising intensely or living in extreme heat, forcing yourself to guzzle water non-stop isn’t a magic bullet for wellness.

03 Think positively at all costs

Telling yourself “just be positive” whenever life hits a rough patch might sound harmless, but it can backfire.

Studies on emotional health reveal that forcing positivity often leads to suppressing valid negative emotions.

Imagine you’re feeling grief or stress — a mantra like “good vibes only” can make you bury these feelings. That way, you’ll never be able to process and resolve your emotions.

Truth is, genuine emotional well-being means acknowledging the full range of feelings, not just the happy ones.

Suppressed emotions can morph into bigger issues like anxiety or burnout down the road. It’s okay—even healthy—to admit when something isn’t going great.

Only when you accept it can you work on actual solutions or find support.

“Fake it till you make it” might be fine for a short burst of confidence, but as a long-term happiness strategy, constant forced positivity can do more harm than good.

04 Start every morning at 5 a.m. to be successful

There’s a myth swirling around that if you’re not up before sunrise, you’ll never make it in life.

It’s true that some early risers do thrive with that schedule — strolling through a quiet neighborhood, sipping coffee at dawn, knocking out tasks before the day’s hustle.

But according to research on circadian rhythms, not everyone’s biological clock is wired the same way.

Some of us are night owls who reach peak productivity later in the day, and forcing ourselves to mimic the 5 a.m. club can backfire.

Ever tried to be a morning person only to drag through your tasks half-asleep?

You might just function better if you adapt your routine to your personal energy patterns.

And yes, you can absolutely crush your goals without seeing the crack of dawn every day.

Quality sleep and alignment with your own biorhythms often trump an arbitrary wake-up time.

On that note, I’ve wrestled with a lot of mental chatter about what a “perfect morning routine” should look like.

A few months ago, I tookRudá Iandê’s “Free Your Mind” masterclass to break free from my limiting beliefs around what success is supposed to look like.

It’s not a typical productivity course — it’s about freeing your mind from the rigid ideals and self-doubt that often hold us back.

Through the exercises, I realized I’d been clinging to a morning routine that didn’t mesh with my body’s natural rhythms, all because I believed I “had to.”

Rudá Iandê’s teachings helped me rethink that.

Now I wake up at a time that suits me and, ironically, find I’m far more focused and productive throughout the day.

05 Go on strict detox cleanses

We often think that detox teas, juice fasts, or extreme cleanse kits are quick fixes to purify our body and mind.

But unless you have a specific medical issue, your body already has a pretty powerful detox system: your liver, kidneys, and immune system handle that 24/7.

There’s little scientific evidence that short-term cleanses do anything more than cause water weight loss or calorie restriction.

Worse, some extreme cleanses can lead to nutrient deficiencies, dehydration, or spikes in blood sugar, especially if they rely on sugary juices.

If you want to genuinely support your body’s detox processes, focus on a balanced diet, regular exercise, good sleep, and less stress.

It’s more sustainable and, frankly, safer than guzzling cayenne-lemon water for days on end.

06 Always “push through” stress

High achievers and self-improvement gurus often praise the “no days off” mentality—keep hustling, keep grinding, power through the stress.

But chronic stress isn’t a badge of honor — it can lead to everything from hypertension to mood disorders.

Recent research indicates that acknowledging stress and finding healthy ways to cope—like meditation, therapy, or simply unplugging—can drastically improve mental health.

For me, I learned the hard way that ignoring stress leads to feeling perpetually on edge.

Sure, you might see some short-term gains, but living in a state of constant tension eventually drains creativity, willpower, and joy.

Instead of pushing harder, you might benefit more from carving out time to relax or reevaluate your workload. Counterintuitive as it seems, slowing down in moments of overwhelm can help you leap forward in the long run.

07 Use willpower alone to fix your habits

We’ve all heard that if you’re not achieving your goals, you simply need more discipline.

But modern psychology research challenges this.

Habit formation often relies on environment design, social support, and incremental changes—pure willpower can be finicky and easily depleted.

Think about how much simpler it is to eat healthy if you remove junk food from your house, or how your workout consistency spikes if you have a friend who meets you at the gym.

These external factors can matter as much, if not more, than your internal resolve.

Sure, willpower helps you push through tough moments, but building routines and leveraging your surroundings can keep you on track when your resolve dips.

Putting it all together

From mandatory early wake-up calls to chugging water non-stop, we’ve collectively absorbed a lot of advice about achieving health and happiness.

But one-size-fits-all mantras often fail because humans are wonderfully diverse—biologically, psychologically, and in our personal circumstances.

Maybe your best friend thrives on a 5 a.m. run, but you need a relaxed mid-morning start to find your groove.

Rather than feeling guilty for not checking off every so-called “healthy” practice, it’s worth investigating what truly works for you.

Sometimes, that involves debunking myths and forging a path that respects your unique body and mind.

If you’re struggling with an avalanche of limiting beliefs or confusion on how to shape your routines, a resource like Ruda Iande’s “Free Your Mind” masterclass could be a game-changer — much like it was for me.

In the end, listening to your internal cues might be the most underrated (and scientifically valid) approach of all.

Healthy living isn’t just forcing yourself into a rigid mold. It means that you can understand your own needs, make informed choices, and find balance in a world flooded with conflicting advice.