We all love a good wellness tip: after all, taking some time out for self-care can never do you any harm, right? Unfortunately, the booming wellness industry attracts its fair share of weirdos and money shakers, keen to take advantage of all those positive vibes. Here are some trends to avoid, and which can be downright damaging.
Eating raw meat
Celeb Heidi Montag has been spotted out and about nibbling on chunks of raw meat. Yes, really. She then followed it up with an Instagram post of herself eating raw bull testicles.
Talking about her bizarre diet, Heidi said: “Organs are very nutritious parts of animals […] Eating raw liver is going to preserve as many nutrients as possible. I have been trying to get pregnant for over a year and a half, I’m willing to try different things.”
She added: “It’s a great source of nutrients! I have felt incredible on this diet. A lot more energy, clarity, increased libido, and overall improvement on chronic pain I have had.” She went on to explain that she had been acting on advice from Doctor Paul Saladino, who has written a book called the Carnivore Code.
However, Dr Saladino is a psychiatrist who appears unqualified to offer nutritional advice. Eating uncooked meat puts you at risk of becoming infected with Salmonella and E.Coli, which can both cause serious illness. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, and stomach cramps. Official medical advice is to always cook meat well before consuming it.
V-Steaming
Gwyneth Paltrow popularised the idea of vaginal steaming on her influential website, Goop. The idea is to sit with your undercarriage over a bowl of hot water infused with mugwort herbs. According to Gwynnie, this cleanses the uterus, rebalanced female hormones, and generally recharges your energy levels. Except it doesn’t.
Health experts warn that V-steaming can provoke yeast infections, and upset the natural pH balance of the area. It can also expose you to the risk of severe burns. Besides, the female reproductive system is naturally self-cleaning. Definitely a load of old mugwort.
Consuming methylene blue
Methylene blue is an antifungal chemical which is used to clean fish tanks. However, The Independent reports on an alarming trend among influencers and fitness instructors on TikTok and Instagram, who are posing with a blue tongue—as proof of consuming the blue chemical—and extolling the ‘health benefits.’
Fitness influencer Ben Greenfield wrote: “This is one of my favourite nootropics due to its wide-ranging benefits that include: enhanced mitochondrial function, provides neuroprotective effects against brain inflammation, increased memory and cognitive function, enhance the effects of light and oxygen therapies, and much more.”
Some crackpots, sorry influencers, claim that the chemical fights aging and even cures Covid. It should really go without saying that consuming disinfectant is a really bad idea, and this is confirmed by medical professionals, who warn that the chemical can be toxic in large doses, and may interact with other medications you are taking, with serious consequences.
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