My Secret? Chocolate. Lots Of Chocolate.

There's lots of depressing things in the news these days, and you've read about them on this blog.

But let's take a moment to celebrate human progress--specifically, progress in the "nutritional sciences" area. Things that were once thought unhealthy eventually become healthy.

And so, a salute to the diligent researchers that have discovered that chocolate consumption helps people stay slim.

This is a cause for optimism in all our lives. I believe I will live long enough (via chocolate) to see the day that french fries, chocolate sundaes, and Guinness will extend my life.

Oh wait, the age of Guinness has already begun.

In all seriousness, here's a quote that caught my eye:

"I was pretty happy with this news myself," study author Dr. Beatrice Golomb, associate professor of medicine at the University of California-San Diego, told USA Today. "Findings show the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining ultimate weight."

That follows the research quoted in a book that I've just finished, "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes. In short, certain calories (hint: refined carbs, sugars) cause you to store fat, while others burn as energy.