Seriously? Well, yes. And make you a little nutty, too. Warnings, warnings, warnings, everywhere!
Is every person who thinks she is lacto-intolerant really intolerant, or does she just eat too much ice cream? Does every person who has gone off gluten really have a gluten allergy?
Every time our new Consumer Reports arrives in the mail, my family starts to scout the issue for warnings. A few months ago, a family member (I won’t mention which member) informed me that WE (italics and bold type are mine) should be washing our reusable supermarket bags every time we come home from the store because we could get sick from what was left from the last trip.
My reply was, “My constitution can take it. If you’re concerned, by all means, feel free to wash the bags every time.” Do I wash the bags? Sure, they can get pretty messy. But NOT every time.
Personally, I think getting stressed about kind of news flash is a waste of my energy. So are some others from this month:
More Kids May Be at Risk for High Blood Pressure
Study: Red meat increases colon cancer risk
Researchers Determine Average US Penis Size
These articles are either self-evident, or really, really old news.
On the other hand, obesity is rampant in this country, and everyone knows it, yet they still overeat. Everyone knows that smoking will shorten your life, yet people still smoke. No matter how many articles run in the newspaper and stories are on the television. (I always wonder how many obese people sit and watch “The Biggest Loser,” instead of taking a walk for a half hour.)
My attitude — use your common sense. For more info, check out this article:
The Nocebo Effect: Media Reports May Trigger Symptoms of a Disease
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130506095305.htm