There seems to be these catchy headlines that grab you and say “read me.” As you go through the article, they give you some quick top ten ways to be healthier. Seriously, why should I doubt the print, the article even features quotes from some doctor? Well, after the time spent researching many of these claims and urban legends, I found as in all stories some hint of truth, but the picture painted is from an entire different canvas.
Finding the truth is like the stockpile of mass destructive weapons in Iraq. Someone says they are there; we go to war because someone said they were there, and then we leave because there are no weapons of mass destruction to be found. This is an intense example, comparing a health article to going to war, but essentially the same concept. Anytime we make major decisions, such as what we eat or how we exercise, the decision can result in the extension or shortening of one’s life. The information we obtain should be with some skepticism before implementing anything into our daily diet or activities.
Going with the whole government aspect of truth, lets talk about the FDA. Here is a department of the government that has to make compromises all the time. Making compromises have valid legal and financial reasoning. Not the same reasoning you or I would make when deciding what to eat or drink. For example, choosing not to eat beef because you don’t want to put the hormones and chemicals in your body. When the FDA looks at it, they have to prove that the chemicals and hormones are actually being absorbed during digestion. In addition they have to prove that it is actually doing harm. Then we ignore the reports of ammonia being used to kill bacteria in meat. Yes, you read that right – they actually clean the meat with ammonia used in fast food meat.
There are more wonderful articles that tell us that it is okay to do or eat the things we want.
Well duh, of course you can. What you are really wanting from the article though is validation. So think about it. Who is responsible for decision making? The answer should be you. Just reading an article does not make you smart. What makes you smart is finding out the facts before implementing change or acceptance of a generic statement, even if a doctor endorses that article. So, challenge what was stated above and find out for yourself if it is true. Trust no one, not even me.
Hopefully the next time you read an article from MSN or Men’s Health and they say eating dark chocolate may have some benefits, think about it. Do you really think eating dark chocolate is going to help you in your overall life? Eat the chocolate because it tastes good. Don’t preach some universal lie that it is going to perhaps save your life with antioxidants. Oh, just to cover myself – if you are that one percent of one percent of one percent that chocolate saves your life, good for you.
