Grapefruits are not a threat to society...

Well, I for one am relieved to know that grapefruit have been pardoned the onerous title "danger to society"... It interests me that these fruit are called a threat because of their interaction with certain drugs that people take. 

It has been shown that grapefruit will increase the stomach's digestive power, as a result pills taken orally will be broken down faster releasing higher doses of the drug they contain into the system. This release will supposedly happen at a higher rate as well. This can, of course, be hazardous, we all can imagine. Long gone are the days when we believed more is always better. (well maybe not long gone, most of us still believe more is better...well I do at least). 

 Anyway, it interests me that the fruit is called the threat and not the drug. Does something funny occur to you? It occurs to me. It's the fruit's fault that the drug doesn't work properly and therefore the fruit is a threat to society. But, why not say it's the drug's fault? I mean we have the power to change the drug to better suit the environments in which it is used. Why not say that pharmacologists who refuse to allow natural evolution of their products are a threat to society, for standing by products that don't suit the needs of users and endanger their lives... There is this idea that all drugs work for all people and that people should change their lives to suit the drugs they are taking. But I think that is just wrong. Drugs are the ones that should change not us. And not fruit. 

I don't like this growing culture of fear around food. We are training ourselves to believe food is dangerous, natural wholefoods are unpredictable and hazardous to our health regimes. That drugs are more important, and should thus be catered to, than a well-balanced fruit-filled diet. I do think we should change our lives, many of us, but not to suit our drugs. We should change them to free us of the drugs we are on. To break our dependence on marijuana, on alcohol. To end our dependence on oral contraceptives, anti-cholesterol pills, caffeine shots and protein shakes. To bring down the culture of pain pill poppers and supplement takers. 

 Supplement yourself with whole and healthy foods, with good sleep, with invigorating exercise and engaging breathing. Depend on good friendships for highs and lows. Build up your self-esteem with positive thinking and self-affirming actions not gym memberships and powdered meals. Throw away your television. Just do it. And as for the culture of oral contraception. Learn how your body works and take responsibility for your actions. If you're having reckless one-night sex you should be using a condom anyway. 

 Just remember it is not the grapefruit that is the threat to society.