"Healthy"

(trigger alert)

I hate this word.

I understand it can mean a lot of different things. Like, "Your daughter's checkup was fantastic; she is very healthy!" But you know what I am talking about.

Specifically, the phrase "healthy eating".

It just makes me angry. The H word is imposed onto so many things and banned from so many others. For example, lettuce is "healthy". However, cookies are "not healthy". It can even get nitpicky. Chocolate is one of those on-the-fence foods and dark chocolate is considered "healthier". Really??

It is also insidious when it comes to diet talk. How many times have you heard, "Oh, I'm not on a diet. I am just trying to eat healthier." My mom says this ALL the time. It drives me batty because all she is really doing is restricting. She never eats dessert and barely snacks and eats pretty much the same exact thing every day.

I think people don't realize how dangerous this can be. Last night, I was watching one of my favorite shows, Top Chef. The contestants were charged with making some picnic-type foods "healthier". One contestant was criticized for making a homemade roll and a judge said, "Bread is just empty calories". I was so angry I had to turn off the show.

What is your opinion on this word? Will you be more vigilant about how you use it or how you hear it used in daily life?