toxic

toxic

We all crave things that aren't good for us. It's just human nature. Do you know what is the leading cause of death in the U.S.? Heart disease. Yep. Heart disease. Accounting for one out of every four deaths. More than car accidents war casualties and even more than cancer.

The disturbing thing is.... We do this to ourselves.

Despite fancy gyms with all of the state of the art equipment, despite calories available for everything we put in our mouths, despite personal trainers and nutritionists and "organic" versions of basically everything we can imagine, despite mandatory health education classes, even despite that horrific documentary Super Size Me which explicitly exploits all of our favorite fast food joints, in weak moments we still find ourselves in the drive thru echoing those classic, self-immolating five words... "Can I get fries with that?"

Why did I just down Oreos, milk and pumpkin cookie butter when I really should have stuck to the trusty apple? (it's just so borringgg)

Now this is a problem. An epidemic really. But i am convinced that our dependency on hamburgers, fries, cookies and cake, soda, pie, bacon and shakes has direct ties to a much more complex issue. Ultimately, at one time or another we all want what we can't have. We crave the things (and sometimes the people) that have the biggest capacity to hurt us.

So how do we get over this? How do we stop wanting the bad and start craving things that are good for us? Long-term. You know, truth be told, I have no idea. I know that it is important. Good things can sometimes appear tasteless and dry but they keep us healthy and strong. They keep us in control. And ultimately, control is one of the best gifts we can give ourselves.

So you are hereby invited to join my control club. We'll take a trip to the farmers market fill our baskets with all sorts of superfoods full of all the best vitamins and minerals. We may have to delete some numbers and belt Taylor Swift together. (therapy at its finest).  It will be fun. Pinky promise.