Rate it: scaremongering or science?

They used to say smoking was good for us. Aided digestion and all that. Now we know it's anything but.White bread and other bland food was the only thing that would help ulcers. Now we know for a fact that it's a dose of antibiotics that gets rid of them for once and for all.

Other truths are less clear though...

• Coffee is good for us Vs Coffee is bad for us.
• Small amounts of alcohol are ok Vs No amount of alcohol is ok
• We should drink eight glasses of water a day Vs Drinking so much water flushes out essential bacteria
• Vitamin supplements boost health Vs vitamin supplements can cause cancer

Hair dye can cause cancer. So say the latest research anyway.

I find myself increasingly tuning out of these sort of findings - which seem to be reported by an increasingly hysterical media. My reading of Panicology and other similar books has just made me more skeptical.

How do we know what to believe? Do these kind of research findings put you off a certain treatment or product?

I'd love to know what you all think. Will you stop taking your vitamins or colouring your hair?