Yep! There’s that tell-tale dark spot on my right knee — a typical “portrait” of me (holding the sign) as an elementary student. I can still feel that stinging iodine as I look at this picture 80 years later!

It seems to happen more and more lately. A headline or an intriguing photograph grabs my eye and I get sucked into some fascinating bit of information about a new over-the-counter drug or dietary supplement or food additive that promises to reduce my stress or relieve my aching joints or slow down my loss of hair or… Well, you get the idea. You’ve no doubt been bamboozled by such enticing tidings, as well.

The “sucked in” realization often comes within the first few paragraphs. Usually, it’s a sentence or two admitting that “scientists” or “doctors” or just “experts” (in general) are not clear if, and how, whatever-it-is works. There are usually testimonials pro and con and it’s left up to the potential consumer to draw his or her own conclusions.

If the product sounds like it will solve a problem that’s been bothersome, most people I know then begin their own research — which usually means doing a little more exploring, often on the internet, and then going to the tried-and-true test — asking friends and acquaintances what they know about this “new” miracle discovery.

First of all, of course, I often find that I’m more than a day late and a dollar short. What is “new” to me has often been around for a while and then my informants fall into three general categories: those who swear by whatever-it-is; those who categorically debunk it; those who are on the proverbial fence and are waiting for more evidence before trying it.

However, I do believe I am in another category altogether — the one that deals with “miracle substances” that work or don’t work because of the mental attitude of the user. It you believe firmly enough that a supplement will improve this or that aspect of your health, I think it probably will. And once you have found “evidence” to prove your belief, you aren’t likely to amend your position.

Skinned knees and mind over matter

I’m definitely guilty of that — and more — in the iodine vs. mercurochrome v.s Merthiolate debate of my childhood. First, I should say that I was the little kid who always had a least one skinned knee. I don’t think I was particularly clumsy or uncoordinated but it didn’t seem to matter if I was roller skating, riding a trike or a two-wheeler, or playing hopscotch, I remember having an inordinate number of collisions with sidewalks or curbs or what-have-yous.

Pull Quote

I quickly learned to tough it out if I could and not report home to be doctored up. Mom’s treatment always included iodine, liberally applied. And that meant Ow! Ow! Ow! And sometimes tears.

I quickly learned to tough it out if I could and not report home to be doctored up. Mom’s treatment always included iodine, liberally applied. And that meant Ow! Ow! Ow! And sometimes tears. Then my mother switched to mercurochrome as the magic elixir. And, said my mother, that was just like iodine but it didn’t sting. As always, I believed her, and if it did sting it didn’t seem so owie. Not nearly as awful as iodine. I recently read that it had a water base rather than an alcohol base, which accounted for its sting-less quality! (But it did contain mercury so its use began to be regulated in the 1960s and 70s. There’s always something, I say.)

About that same time during my knee-scab era, yet another ouch-less product was touted for minor cuts and scrapes — Merthiolate. I don’t know if Mama ever used that but, as long as it wasn’t iodine, it didn’t hurt and that was good enough for me. I have recently read, however, that all three products “hurt like anything” so, clearly, I had a mind-over-matter thing going with regard to stinging-or-sting-free antiseptics.

I should say here, too, that in retrospect, I think those skinned knees were probably related directly to my poor vision, which was corrected by glasses when I was 12 — just about the time my knees finally healed for once and for all.

And just to be clear

I do want to point out that I’m not talking about honest-to-goodness allergies and medical syndromes here which can be very serious, indeed, if not given proper (and often, immediate) attention. My cousin was born with a serious peanut allergy and wouldn’t have lived to adulthood had she not had alert and caring parents who worked with her from infancy to be proactive in her own defense. In cases like hers, “mind over matter” is not even a consideration.

For me, though — on the one hand, I truly believe I’ve lived to this elderly age by doing a few things right. Yes, genetics help. Yes, life-style helps. Yes, good luck helps. But so does using a few basic research skills or using common sense like reading labels with healthy skepticism and remembering that old adage, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

But, to me, it still stands to reason that if I believe strongly enough that this additive or that supplement to my usual diet (no matter how well-balanced and healthful) will be of benefit — especially in alleviating pain… I’m sorely tempted. And I might even give whatever-it-is a try. But not without taking time to do my “homework” first.

Ultimately, of course, it’s a “to each his own” sort of thing and, heaven only knows, in our lemming-like and information-glutted society it is becoming harder and harder to determine your own best path. Ultimately, it’s whatever floats your boat and doesn’t cause hives or your teeth to fall out, eh?