A SPIRAL IN A CIRCLE

Did the chicken come first or the egg? It is a dispute that goes on and on. The latest debating fads are the myths, the truths and the benefits of living. And since everyone wants not just to live but live right, these controversies are bound to keep us forever befuddled.

I was told that drinking eight glasses of water daily brings a glow to your face. But hardly had the radiance begun to set in, I read about its side effects- that drinking like a fish can also upset the electrolyte balance of the body. Now I’m afraid to drink even when I’m thirsty.

While on the subject of drinking, teetotalers beware! Although excessive alcohol is related to Cancer, Science has also proven that whisky can actually protect one from the dreaded disease. Your Dad may swear that liquor (for you) leads to a stroke but a tiny peg a day can actually keep it away for him. That’s not all. A smoker may be prone to lung Cancer but a non-smoker has a higher chance of becoming an Alzheimer’s victim. I just hope and pray that it is a case of ‘‘peene waalon ko peene ka bahaana chaahiye’ because how else do we decide whether to land on the frying pan or the fire?

Today I read that consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, found in mackerel, hilsa, salmon and sardines create smarter babies. Just as I had reported this to my pregnant niece I came across another article stating that tuna and halibut contain the poison methyl mercury and can harm an unborn child. Now I’m worried sick since my niece does not know the difference between a salmon and a tuna.

Everyone is aware about the protein filled fundas of ‘Andas’. But these ‘cholesterol time bombs’ are also the leading cause of food poisoning or worms. The benefits of milk are aplenty but the latest reports relate this health drink to allergies, anemia, mucous and hold your breath- Cancer! Jogging may be the greatest way to lose weight- that is if you don’t mind losing your knees too in the process. Till date I thought Homeopathy was Man’s answer to alternative medicines but a team of scientists in Switzerland have recently described them as producing nothing but a placebo effect. First the magic of microwave was amazing. Then the rumour mongers informed us microwavers that this gadget also came priced with a ‘harmful rays’ tag. Later we were asked to waive aside such wayward comments and continue microwaving. The serviceable enchantment of Cell phones died a little when there was a threat of ‘radiation exposure’ and ‘impotency’. Recently Scientists have assured us that there is no evidence whatsoever of any cancer threat or population control. So I guess the talking, the smsing, the gaming and the filming can continue without any further risks.

The other choices are as cloudy as they are endless- Coffee is good/… is bad. Tea is good/…is bad. Soya is good/… is bad. Ghee is good/…is bad. Sugar free is good/… is bad. Good cholestrol is good and bad cholesterol is bad but bad cholesterol is also sometimes good and good cholesterol is also sometimes bad or something like that- I forget which.

The truth is simple. The researchers love to keep churning their minds in the Catch 22 machine. The magazines love to keep spinning in their vicious print circle. And we love to keep rotating within our diversified span of options. A set answer is too simple for us to accept. Options create a fork in our decisions. The obvious is always too dull. We need complications to spice up our lives. We need a continuance to remain undecided in our preferences. We enjoy life only if it is punctuated by confusion and dilemma. If there are no controversies there are no choices. If there are no choices it is the end of the road and one is never ready for that end because a human mind is like the spiral in a circle- always wanting to broaden the horizon of questions. Always wanting to go on and on and on and on ……………..

Nargis Natarajan.