Last week I read an article in the newspaper that made me strut around the house yelling “At Last!” What brought me to such a euphoric state? Well, it wasn’t the discovery of a drug for woman comparable to Viagra, but rather an announcement by the FDA. They say that they are now going to take a far more aggressive role in fighting deceptive ad practices. One of their first targets is the popular yogurt maker—Dannon, who agreed to pay a $21 million fine and stop making exaggerated health claims.

Marion Nestle, a New York University nutritionist stated that “The claims aren’t about health, they’re about marketing.” DUH! I’ve been ranting for years about how absurd the notion is that a newly developed food product has so many magical health properties.

Dannon’s Activia is supposed to cure irregularity, which is the latest problem that seems to affect a great majority of Americans. It used to be called constipation, but I guess that’s too harsh a word. When did this start and why are so many people suffering from irregularity? More important, why do they have to buy a specific product for their situation? It sells because it contains probiotics—a beneficial bacteria for the colon, but so do most yogurts. It also contains 19 grams of sugar, which means that it has over four teaspoons in a four-ounce container. Aren’t we supposed to be more aware of sugar content? So now you become regular but you get diabetes?

What about beans? They have lots of fiber and they’re cheap. I just bought five 15-ounce cans for $4. We all know about the power of the bean, yet there are no cutesy commercials touting their benefits with a movie star as a spokesperson sharing the great outcome they get from eating beans. There’s not even an animated bean dressed in spandex jeans circling around a group of constipated adults and sharing the latest research on the benefit of beans.

Do you think our lifestyle might have an impact on our irregularity, such as the lack of exercise, getting very little sleep and experiencing a lot of stress? It’s hard for anything to pass through when you’re overwhelmed. Perhaps the real message here is “buyer beware.” If it sounds too good to be true, leave it on the shelf.

Lighten Up Your Week:

What are you obsessed about? What can you do this week to turn it around to a more positive experience?