While the area I live in may have made my exposure to this fruit a little slower than it was for most people, it's still a relatively new addition to the regular fruits and veggies on grocery store shelves. In a short span of time the bizarre-looking pomegranate has moved from exotic to mainstream.

The world of nutrition has its trends just like anything else, and pomegranates certainly had their day (or couple of years) in the sun. Pomegranates have been linked to health benefits for erectile dysfunction, cancer risk reduction, lung health, and other issues. And they certainly are good for you... not to mention tasty. (Though pomegranate juice can negatively interact with certain medications (such as some blood pressure meds), so check with your doctor.)

But when a food item becomes trendy, there is a bit of a halo effect; anything that has that item listed on the package automatically seems healthier and better for you. Health by association, if you will.

I like to think of myself as a fairly educated shopper when it comes to understanding nutrition labels at the grocery store (because I read so much about it) but I still find myself getting confused or overwhelmed sometimes when trying to keep everything straight. "Make sure there are no trans fats and not too much added sugar or artificial preservatives, go for organic as much as possible, how much fiber is considered enough in a serving? And what does 'low-fat' really mean? ... " The list goes on and the makers of food nutrition labels are looking to capitalize on that mess as best they can. See the gallery below for nine of the most common ways food labels try to mislead and confuse us all.

Which ones are the toughest for you to deal with?

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This morning I went to a local farmer's market. There was a new vendor selling all "whole grain" foods. I asked which of their breads were whole wheat and she told me that everything they had was made from whole wheat. I thought that was great, so I picked out a loaf of bread and, as a treat for me and my son, bought a small pack of peanut blossom cookies. I asked the women if even the cookies were whole grain and she again replied that everything on the table was. So imagine my surprise when I get home and read the ingredient list on the cookies -- the first ingredient was "enriched white flour" and that was the only type of flour in there. On one hand, I feel like I was duped. I had been so swayed by their "Whole Grain Bakery" sign and the salesperson's words, that I neglected to read the label for myself. On the other hand, they're cookies -- even with whole-wheat flour they certainly wouldn't have been "healthy." So, live and learn.

The problem I had this morning is a problem we all face every time we shop for food. Sometimes the front of the packaging can be deceiving. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has a list of "food frauds." While I don't know if I'd go so far as to call them frauds (that just seems a bit alarmist and conspiracy-theory-ish to me), the foods they list certainly are misleading. Take Kellogg's Special K Fruit and Yogurt for example: it claims the crunch of whole wheat, the smooth creaminess of yogurt, and the sweet taste of berries. Those statements are all true... but they're misleading. The cereal has more refined rice than whole wheat. The taste of yogurt comes from a sweetened yogurt powder that has been heat treated (killing all beneficial bacteria in the process), and the "berries" are actually dyed and artificially-flavored pieces of apple.

Take a peek at CSPI's list, and then be on the lookout for other foods of this type when you're grocery shopping. Unless you're buying fresh foods in their natural state, you're usually getting a little more than you bargained for. And many foods try to market themselves as healthy when they really aren't.

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Starting today I want you to begin focusing on the big picture in life. The main stream media is so full of nonsense in order to sell sensational stories that normal non-psychotic people don't know what to do with themselves. Fitness is simple. Sweat often and avoid putting too much crap in your mouth. That's it! If you make daily vigorous movement a consistency in your life and seek out healthful foods 90% of the time, you'll be great!

The daily NEWSFLASH findings like "Eat dark chocolate", "Drink wine daily", "Diet soda makes you fat" is nonsense and cruel! Most of my clients end up on my doorstep, because they've become confused. They don't know who to trust and the constant newsflash reports have sent them in circles. Avoid it if you can.

Do what you learned in kindergarten. Eat lots of fruits and veggies, lean dairy, lean meat. Avoid sugary and fat laden sweets. Go play. Sweat, grunt, breath heavy, move your body. It's truly not that confusing......so when a "breakthrough fitness flash" turns up on your TV.....turn it off.