Paranoid, anyone?

Okay, an exercise for you, sweet readers.

Think for a few moments about Bruce Springsteen's song, Born in the USA. Now, read the actual lyrics.

Was anyone else snowed, as I was, all those years ago, into thinking this song was lovingly patriotic? Think of all the sporting events and movies that played this song at a moment of triumph and glory!

One of my favorite college professors opened the first day of class with this little exercise. The course was 'Capitalism and the Third World', and Mr. R. instilled in me a serious sense of paranoia.

In fact, I would describe myself as painfully susceptible to conspiracy theories and paranoia. My TDH is full-blooded Greek, and I never knew the power of superstition until I discovered Greek superstition. (One Christmas, my mother-in-law set a chair at the table for the dog, to make 14 chairs, in order to avoid 13). It's serious business, folks!

My point?

If you're like me, you probably feel the same sense of helplessness when you read a forwarded email about foods that cause cancer, food containers that cause cancer, cooking methods that cause cancer... only to realize you've been eating/using/cooking that way your entire life, thanks for nothing.

The most recent forward I received claimed to be from John Hopkins University, it's not, and in all capital letters warned me that using plastic containers will put me and my family on the fast track to cancer.

Even though plastic container hysteria follows a certain train of logic, I'm choosing not to get hyped up about it.

Why not?

Because I'm too busy wholeheartedly believing in another theory, one that states eating a well-balanced diet, heavy on the fruits and veggies, is my family's best defense against any disease, cancer included. In fact, it's not really a 'theory' at all, proven from all the big ones out there, i.e. American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, etc.

In this age of 'I'm So Freakin' Busy, I Can't See Straight,' let's focus on basic, good nutrition and raise a hand, (or a finger, if you're less ladylike), to the latest fads and paranoias.

In the meantime, I will be researching to see if a vitamin exists to help decrease susceptibility to paranoia :)