Mixed Messages Make My Brain Hurt

"Modern life is rubbish", as the Blur song goes. Not so much rubbish, but bloody complicated if you ask me. And mainly because of all the mixed messages reported in the media these days and the contradictions that exist amongst all the research and studies that get reported.

Not sure what I'm on about? You know, the "eat more fish for the omega-3, but not too much because of the mercury". And "get more sun for the vitamin D, but not too much because of the skin cancer threat".

Or "drink fruit juice for the vitamins and minerals, but not too much because they're full of sugar". And one for a lot of the women I know at the moment, "it's OK to have a little caffeine or alcohol while pregnant" while others say "strictly no caffeine or alcohol". Which one are we to believe?

Yeah, getting by in this mad, crazy world is hard enough as it is without all these mixed messages and contradictions. We're all just trying to do the best thing and live our lives as best we can in our own particular circumstances. But being told to "do this but don't do that", and "have x amount of this but don't have more than x amount of that" just makes your brain hurt. Well, mine anyway.

The worst part is that we're bombarded with these messages on a daily basis through the media and every one of them purports to be based on the best evidence and be the latest advice.

But sometimes they're only being reported in the media because they go against the mainstream and current thinking in that area. So the actual research might be completely faulty and based on illogical persumptions or calculations. But because it's different it gets reported on and once again we're hit with another contradicting message.

As a result of all this, you're constantly confused about which way to go and what you should do. One day you think you're doing something right, but by the next, your scratching your head because 'apparently' that something might be wrong.

Yes, I'm sick to death of all these contradictions and just wish I could turn them off. Unfortunately, the so-called 'information age' means they're everywhere and you just can't escape the latest 'recommendations' and claims. While the info age is a great thing in so many ways, this is not one of them. I just wish there was a spam filter on my life for 'mixed messages reported in the media'.

The best thing to do in response to all the contradictory information out there, by my reckoning anyway, is to live your life in moderation and don't excess on anything (if only I could practice what I preach sometimes). But most of all, and as hard as it may be sometimes, to take the so-called expert's advice with a grain of salt and not let the mixed messages stress you out too much.

Certainly on a personal level, the wife and I have had reason to question some of the experts in our lives of late so believe me when I tell you that they don't always have the answers and most of the time they are merely 'guess-timating' based on their increased experience rather than having a definite and infallible remedy for the problem at hand. Experts, Schemksperts!

Anyway, that's my latest rant from the EDM Files titled "Things that make my brain hurt". So excuse me while I get a glass of red wine for all its antioxidant values but promise I won't have too much because of the alcohol content and the increased risk of cancers.

I'll also make sure I get to bed at a reasonable hour to ensure I get the 'right' amount of sleep for proper brain functioning but of course not too much because I don't want to wake up lethargic and unable to concentrate.

(currently smacking hand into side of head to relieve the brain ache)

Til next time Nahhers,

EDM.