A simple logic that should be applied to most things.
Part I had quite the positive response. Here's part II to how you should question everything.
Inflammation is bad for you. But, we need inflammation for the body to respond to the stress of exercise. So, inflammation isn't necessarily bad. Chronic inflammation on the other hand, isn't good.
Bench press is bad for the shoulders. Are you sure it is? It might be bad for YOU and YOUR shoulders. Try tucking your elbows. Maybe try a wider or narrower grip and see how your shoulders respond. Try retracting your shoulder blades, try prontating your shoulders, try depressing your shoulders. Try reducing the range of motion. I bet your shoulders wouldn't mind it now. If it still does, why are you benching? Just to build your chest? So choose another chest exercise then. The bench isn't the be all or end all of chest exercises (although it's well cool). In fact, in my opinion, it's not the best exercise to build your pectorals anyway. I prefer exercises like the chest press, or squeeze chest press to develop the chest. If you are wanting to get into Powerlifting, then of course you need to bench press and you have to hit the chest on your reps.
CrossFit/Powerlifting/Strongman/Strongwoman/Running/Any sport causes injuries. Yes, they do. So does living your life. You can't live a life of no injuries. Some exercises and sports may have a slightly higher prevalence of injuries. What are you gonna do, live in a bubble? No. Get on on with your life and do what you enjoy.
Depending on which activity you like, look into what injuries tend to be the most common with that activity, then look to strengthen up in that area to help prevent injury. For example, skiing is terrible for the anterior cruciate ligament, but it's so fun. So try some injury prevention by adopting exercises that help to strengthen that area such as; Petersen step ups, wall sits and side lunges.
This food is high in [insert vitamin or mineral]. I switch off when someone says that. Who cares? Loads of foods have loads of vitamins and minerals in. Get a mixture of foods into your diet, and I can bet you that each of them will be contributing to the amount of vitamins and minerals you need. You don't need 'superfoods' to do that. That is a marketing term. Unless you are deficient in that particular vitamin or mineral, or you eat only one food all week every week, then that sentence is of no importance.
[Insert food] is high in protein. Is it? What else is it high in? Fat and carbs too? If you're eating something because you wan only want protein, then we need to consider what other macronutrients it has. We have to consider the individual's goal too. Why are they wanting something that is so high in protein? Why do they want it with very little carbs or fats alongside it?
Often people say that peanuts are high in protein. They have a decent amount, at about 26g per 100g is protein. However, they also have a tonne of fat alongside that protein, at around 49g of fat per 100g. If we put that into calories, that will be 104 calories from protein (26 x 4), and 441 calories from fat (49 x 9). For someone that is looking for something high in protein and trying to cut, this isn't the best of choices. If someone is looking to bulk, that could well be a different story. Look at how we have had to put that into context, before we say whether that sentence makes any sense to someone's goal.
Another note, it makes the most sense to compare per 100g across the board. What irks the HELL out of me is when people compare different serving sizes e.g. a serving size of 20g versus a serving size of 95g can't be compared directly.
In different weights/volumes?! EVEN WORSE! ARGghhHhh! E.g. 23g per 1/2 cup, 25g per 3-oz serving... Found those 2 examples immediately on bodybuilding.com. It made me angry.
Sitting is bad for you. No it's bloody not. Staying in one position is bad for you. The position isn't the problem. The duration is. If someone is bed-ridden for a week. Standing will probably hurt, their body will probably ache in different places. Does that mean lying down is bad for you? No.
If you are desk-bound for 30 years and now your back hurts, that's because you were desk-bound for 30 years and you didn't try to reverse those effects with strength training. It has nothing to do with the position, but the duration of the same position.
What I'd suggest is to change your position intermittently throughout the day. From standing, to sitting, to standing, to walking, etc. You get what I mean.
Whilst I'm talking about this, no, it's not as bad as smoking for you. What a RIDICULOUS comparison. Smoking?! Smoking is f*cking terrible for you. Don't draw such a horrendous comparison.
Conclusion
What I'm getting at is try to avoid reading blanket statements and taking that statement for what it is, without questioning it and putting it into context.
I think you guys get the idea!
Thanks for reading.
Ben