Whether on their own or in a group, small children are masters of playing make believe – also known as visualisation. Like all the best games, no expensive equipment or props are needed. Let alone any complicated or lengthy preparations. Simply a willingness to let their imagination run wild and enjoy the experience. 

 

But, all too soon, make believe – visualisation – is consigned to the side lines as children are told to “grow up”. And while it might not seem like it at the time, a key skill is lost before we’ve ever had the chance to fully develop it. Or appreciate just how powerful it is. Not only in terms of all the fun it involves – who didn’t like playing make believe when they were a child? – but its ability to transform our lives in an instant. If this sounds like a slight case of overkill – or over hyping (!) – bear with us, as usual, it’ll all make sense in the minute. Yes, it will! 

It’s easy to think that science, and modern medicine in particular, has all the answers. Fuelled in large part by the almost daily announcements about the latest scientific or medical breakthrough. Which are usually accompanied with the pronouncement of how it will radically change our lives – or the planet – for the better. 

 

Nowhere is this more obvious than in the case of genetics and the mapping of the human genome in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. This, we were promised, would herald a new era in modern medicine with diseases being identified years – or decades – before symptoms ever started to appear, allowing pre-emptive treatment to occur. 

 

However, despite this fanfare, this isn’t quite what seems to have happened in practice. 

It’s an easy trap to fall into and one the Little Monster in our Heads is very happy to “help” us fall into. And, once gravity has done its bit (!), it can be an incredibly difficult one to get out of, as we’ve all found out to our cost at some time or other… 

 

Playing whatever it is on a loop, over and over again. Feeling all the emotions. Re living it in all its gruesome detail in our mind’s eye. Hearing what was said – or, more likely we think was said, which isn’t necessarily the same thing (!) – and all the other details, just to make sure it “hits the spot” and hurts a bit more… 

You’ve probably seen them on your regular trips to the supermarket – and if milk, eggs, bread, breakfast cereals, fruit juice or yoghurt are on your shopping list, they may well have made it into your trolley too. After all they’re hard to miss, with the added – fortified – ingredients splashed across the front of the packaging and claiming to provide an easy way to boost your intake of that particular nutrient. Perhaps a Vitamin such as Vitamin B, C, or D. Or a Mineral, like Iron or Calcium. 

 

The question is whether improving our diets is really that simple.  

 

In other words, do fortified foods live up to the hype? 

We were struck the other day by how different our requirements are for what makes us feel safe, not only personally, but in life generally. In our homes it’s easy to see. For some, it’s simply a case of shutting the front door when they get home. Phew, home at last (!). For others, it’s much more complicated. Putting the chain on, drawing the bolt – or bolts – and the rest. Perhaps it’s more like Fort Knox, than a home, with security lights and CCTV, which has to be checked regularly just to “make sure.”