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The Wellness Trap: Break Free from Diet Culture, Disinformation, and Dubious Diagnoses, and Find Your True Well-Being
A searing critique of modern wellness culture and how it stands in the way of true well-being that "will change the way you think about your health—in all the best ways.” (Casey Gueren ) “It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle.” You've probably heard this phrase from any number of people in the wellness space. But as Christy Harrison reveals in her latest book, wellness culture promotes a standard of health that is often both unattainable and deeply harmful.
Many people with chronic illness understandably feel dismissed or abandoned by the healthcare system and find solace in alternative medicine, as Harrison once did. Yet the wellness industry promotes practices that often cause even more damage than the conventional approaches they’re meant to replace. From the lack of pre-market safety testing on herbal and dietary supplements, to the unfounded claims made by many wellness influencers and functional-medicine providers, to the social-media algorithms driving users down rabbit holes of wellness mis- and disinformation, it can often feel like no one is looking out for us in the face of the $4.4 trillion global wellness industry.
The Wellness Trap delves into the persistent, systemic problems with that industry, offering insight into its troubling pattern of cultural appropriation and its destructive views on mental health, and shedding light on how a growing distrust of conventional medicine has led ordinary people to turn their backs on science. Weaving together history, memoir, reporting, and practical advice, Harrison illuminates the harms of wellness culture while re-imagining our society’s relationship with well-being.
Many people with chronic illness understandably feel dismissed or abandoned by the healthcare system and find solace in alternative medicine, as Harrison once did. Yet the wellness industry promotes practices that often cause even more damage than the conventional approaches they’re meant to replace. From the lack of pre-market safety testing on herbal and dietary supplements, to the unfounded claims made by many wellness influencers and functional-medicine providers, to the social-media algorithms driving users down rabbit holes of wellness mis- and disinformation, it can often feel like no one is looking out for us in the face of the $4.4 trillion global wellness industry.
The Wellness Trap delves into the persistent, systemic problems with that industry, offering insight into its troubling pattern of cultural appropriation and its destructive views on mental health, and shedding light on how a growing distrust of conventional medicine has led ordinary people to turn their backs on science. Weaving together history, memoir, reporting, and practical advice, Harrison illuminates the harms of wellness culture while re-imagining our society’s relationship with well-being.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 25, 2023
260 people are currently reading
5255 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 256 reviews
May 9, 2023
I've always had a love/hate relationship with Christy Harrison's work. I agree with her on a macro level about things like diet culture, fat liberation, and the other big-picture topics she often talks about. But she really loves these broad, sweeping surveys of topics that are under-cited and badly researched.
My big example from this book is the chapter about online misinformation and, specifically, Section 230, which prevents companies from being held liable for what people say on their platforms. She breezily advocates for the end of this provision that protects free speech online, which anyone with even a passing understanding of tech policy and digital rights would know is a MUCH thornier proposition than "Section 230 lets Facebook publish fake news, so let's end it!" It just goes to show that CH is willing to make authoritative-sounding statements about shit she knows absolutely nothing about.
A citation in this book is equally likely to lead you back to a scientific study or an article from Vice. Actual quotes from interviews with experts are very few and far between--the book is mostly columns of text of Christy's personal opinions combined with dry historical information that is as deep as what you'd get on Wikipedia. The fact is that this book, at 250 pages, is trying to do WAY too much at once, and ends up oversimplifying in every chapter.
But that Section 230 thing is really what set me off, honestly. She didn't talk to one information professional--all she did was cite a sentence from Charlie Warzel's newsletter. If she's THIS wrong about something I do have a lot of knowledge about, I'm concerned about the other stuff she just blithely says that I don't have the background to recognize as false or oversimplified. Proceed with caution (and your own research), I guess!
My big example from this book is the chapter about online misinformation and, specifically, Section 230, which prevents companies from being held liable for what people say on their platforms. She breezily advocates for the end of this provision that protects free speech online, which anyone with even a passing understanding of tech policy and digital rights would know is a MUCH thornier proposition than "Section 230 lets Facebook publish fake news, so let's end it!" It just goes to show that CH is willing to make authoritative-sounding statements about shit she knows absolutely nothing about.
A citation in this book is equally likely to lead you back to a scientific study or an article from Vice. Actual quotes from interviews with experts are very few and far between--the book is mostly columns of text of Christy's personal opinions combined with dry historical information that is as deep as what you'd get on Wikipedia. The fact is that this book, at 250 pages, is trying to do WAY too much at once, and ends up oversimplifying in every chapter.
But that Section 230 thing is really what set me off, honestly. She didn't talk to one information professional--all she did was cite a sentence from Charlie Warzel's newsletter. If she's THIS wrong about something I do have a lot of knowledge about, I'm concerned about the other stuff she just blithely says that I don't have the background to recognize as false or oversimplified. Proceed with caution (and your own research), I guess!
May 26, 2023
Caveat here is that some of the supporting details in this feel shaky compared to Anti-Diet so reader beware (as one should for any book that purports to be non-fiction)
That said, the bigger picture ideas in here are spot on and a really good synthesis of a lot of ideas about wellness that are floating around in the internet ether. I recommend this in the same spirit that I enjoyed Cultish; not ground breaking or new but a really good summary of a line of discourse in our culture today
That said, the bigger picture ideas in here are spot on and a really good synthesis of a lot of ideas about wellness that are floating around in the internet ether. I recommend this in the same spirit that I enjoyed Cultish; not ground breaking or new but a really good summary of a line of discourse in our culture today
May 7, 2023
I have a complicated relationship with this author. I agree with a lot of her overarching views on fat liberation, anti-diet/anti-wellness industry stuff, but I often find some of the details of her opinions to strike a somewhat dissonant chord, which was definitely the case with this book. I think the concept of this book is great, and I don't disagree with many of the broader statements here, but I was often left a little underwhelmed. The focus here seems a little blurry and nebulous, like she was trying to accomplish too much, and I was left feeling like the book was a lot more shallow than I'd expected. This particularly jumped out at me with her thoughts on Section 230, which prevents companies from being held liable for what people say on their platforms. This is a topic that's been pretty buzzy in the last few years, and one which I've heard a lot of people I respect have varying opinions on. It's a really complicated, thorny subject, that I don't at all think has an easy solution, but the way that it was presented here didn't address any of that nuance at all. It left a particularly bad taste in my mouth, because her approach there felt a lot like the kind of thing she spends the rest of the book critiquing wellness influencers for--speaking broadly and with authority on subjects they're not experts in--and it immediately makes me less trustful of her other claims, even ones I already agree with. I really wish she'd whittled down the scope of this a lot more and spent more time diving deep.
August 21, 2023
She claims to be a nutritionist but in all of my 60 years of reading books by reputable nutritionist, no 1 has ever said do not take vitamins and minerals, instead it is highly recommended that you do. An unlike her, no 1 has said that it's okay to eat prepared meals. You know, those frozen foods in the freezer or those packages on the shelves that say just add water. It's getting so people don't know what real food taste like. While I have read that those who create all of these meals do not eat them. Instead, they have a maid to cook all of their delicious meals.
Wild is true that the health industry is getting out of hand by creating more and more products , she is just going overboard.
Wild is true that the health industry is getting out of hand by creating more and more products , she is just going overboard.
August 27, 2023
***100 Days of Summer Reading 2023***
Reading Prompt: Book with a picture of food on the cover
Virtual 12 sided dice roll: 7
As P.T. Barnum once said, there's a sucker born every minute. We've probably all fallen for a health scam or two. This book was just the confusion clearing thing that I needed right now. There's nothing like a health problem to send you to the internet to research and all the modern Barnums are there waiting for you.
I read this author's book Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating three years ago and appreciated her realistic analysis of diet culture. In that book, she warned that the weight loss industry was trying to rebrand themselves as “wellness" purveyors. In this one, she helps us sort the wheat from the chaff within the wellness movement. Let me tell you, there is precious little wheat and a helluva lot of chaff!
When you have a health issue that you are trying to resolve, as I do, you tend to lose perspective. Thankfully the only unnecessary purchase that I made was a bottle of vitamin C tablets. Not a tremendous loss, but as a dietitian pointed out to me, that vitamin can be easily obtained through food. I guess I'll finish the tablets, but I won't be buying more. As the author points out, there are few regulations on the supplement industry. We don't know if we're getting what we paid for. I've always tried to buy brands made in Canada to hopefully avoid adulteration concerns, but why buy unnecessary things at all? The author also points out that many of the supplement producers are owned by pharmaceutical companies. So if you're trying to avoid “big pharma," good luck with that.
I think the take away message is to try to ask yourself, “Is someone asking me to pay for something?” A supplement, a program, hypnosis, a diet, a book, the list goes on. I try to remind myself that if the thing in question actually worked, it would be front page news, splashed all over. If it's a website with no news coverage, it's most likely snake oil. Even if something gets a lot of media coverage (I'm thinking of the South Beach Diet for example), if it isn't touted by the scientific arm of the medical establishment, be wary. Doctors presumably went into their profession because they care about their patients. They can be fooled by the scammers too, but their hearts are generally in the right place.
Pyramid schemes, bogus health claims, diets that get you started on your very own eating disorder, miracles promised by scammers galore. All of this complicated by the placebo effect that muddies the waters. Consumers must put their emotions on the backburner and engage their analytical abilities. It seems that we haven't progressed as far as we thought from the 19th century.
“Well-being doesn't require physical perfection or constant optimization. It doesn't necessitate being entirely symptom free or medication free. It's possible to be in a state of relative well-being even while living with chronic conditions, which are typically painted as barriers to wellness.”
I need to learn to be compassionate with myself and with those folks who are still ensnared by harmful ideas.
Reading Prompt: Book with a picture of food on the cover
Virtual 12 sided dice roll: 7
As P.T. Barnum once said, there's a sucker born every minute. We've probably all fallen for a health scam or two. This book was just the confusion clearing thing that I needed right now. There's nothing like a health problem to send you to the internet to research and all the modern Barnums are there waiting for you.
I read this author's book Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating three years ago and appreciated her realistic analysis of diet culture. In that book, she warned that the weight loss industry was trying to rebrand themselves as “wellness" purveyors. In this one, she helps us sort the wheat from the chaff within the wellness movement. Let me tell you, there is precious little wheat and a helluva lot of chaff!
When you have a health issue that you are trying to resolve, as I do, you tend to lose perspective. Thankfully the only unnecessary purchase that I made was a bottle of vitamin C tablets. Not a tremendous loss, but as a dietitian pointed out to me, that vitamin can be easily obtained through food. I guess I'll finish the tablets, but I won't be buying more. As the author points out, there are few regulations on the supplement industry. We don't know if we're getting what we paid for. I've always tried to buy brands made in Canada to hopefully avoid adulteration concerns, but why buy unnecessary things at all? The author also points out that many of the supplement producers are owned by pharmaceutical companies. So if you're trying to avoid “big pharma," good luck with that.
I think the take away message is to try to ask yourself, “Is someone asking me to pay for something?” A supplement, a program, hypnosis, a diet, a book, the list goes on. I try to remind myself that if the thing in question actually worked, it would be front page news, splashed all over. If it's a website with no news coverage, it's most likely snake oil. Even if something gets a lot of media coverage (I'm thinking of the South Beach Diet for example), if it isn't touted by the scientific arm of the medical establishment, be wary. Doctors presumably went into their profession because they care about their patients. They can be fooled by the scammers too, but their hearts are generally in the right place.
Pyramid schemes, bogus health claims, diets that get you started on your very own eating disorder, miracles promised by scammers galore. All of this complicated by the placebo effect that muddies the waters. Consumers must put their emotions on the backburner and engage their analytical abilities. It seems that we haven't progressed as far as we thought from the 19th century.
“Well-being doesn't require physical perfection or constant optimization. It doesn't necessitate being entirely symptom free or medication free. It's possible to be in a state of relative well-being even while living with chronic conditions, which are typically painted as barriers to wellness.”
I need to learn to be compassionate with myself and with those folks who are still ensnared by harmful ideas.
July 28, 2023
Terrible. I couldn't actually finish. I'll be the first to say there are issues & concerns and "traps" in the wellness industry. 100% there are. Yet this author makes broad strokes, generalizes far too much and actually agrees with Big Pharma more than she says she does (who yes, also has their hands in "Big Supplements" as well - no one's disagreeing with that, although she doesn't seem to see the connection issue there....)
She shared several stories from people, and it's awful what they've gone through in the name of health, yet it's not enough to throw the entire "wellness industry" under the bus. I mean, let's not throw the baby out with the bath water! Rather, let's use wisdom and discernment realizing both sides are flawed...
She shared several stories from people, and it's awful what they've gone through in the name of health, yet it's not enough to throw the entire "wellness industry" under the bus. I mean, let's not throw the baby out with the bath water! Rather, let's use wisdom and discernment realizing both sides are flawed...
March 14, 2023
While I wanted to love this book and it does have some good information in it. It is so politically driven and very one sided that I couldn't even finish it. I prefer if books are going to involve politics that it is unbiased and shows the pros and cons of both sides not just one side. I think if all the politic references could be taken out this book actually would be a decent read.
May 23, 2023
I keep loving Christy Harrison's insights and comments. She gives a great critique of our current society and how the quest to perfect health is actually harmful to an individual and our systems.
Same as her first book this is a must-read for me.
Books like this are actually what I look for when getting health advice. She combines a critical understanding of the scientific method with a great grasp of societal challenges. I feel like she is considerate of inequalities and difficult circumstances people might be in and gives compassionate yet realistic feedback. I aspire to be like her.
Nevertheless, I want to look deeper into this book and the sources as I have a lot of people telling me what I and this book stand for is bullshit. I wonder if this is because wellness and diet culture is so ingrained into us, or if this book is actually just some made up theories themselves. I do not believe the latter, but I am open to the feedback and dig deeper myself. The author does a fabulous job to explain conspiracy theories and how they work, along with transparency in all her motives and an honest explanation of the science. This alone is proof for me. But still, in true spirit of what I learned in the book, I want to make sure what she says is no conspiracy theory. Stay tuned :)
Same as her first book this is a must-read for me.
Books like this are actually what I look for when getting health advice. She combines a critical understanding of the scientific method with a great grasp of societal challenges. I feel like she is considerate of inequalities and difficult circumstances people might be in and gives compassionate yet realistic feedback. I aspire to be like her.
Nevertheless, I want to look deeper into this book and the sources as I have a lot of people telling me what I and this book stand for is bullshit. I wonder if this is because wellness and diet culture is so ingrained into us, or if this book is actually just some made up theories themselves. I do not believe the latter, but I am open to the feedback and dig deeper myself. The author does a fabulous job to explain conspiracy theories and how they work, along with transparency in all her motives and an honest explanation of the science. This alone is proof for me. But still, in true spirit of what I learned in the book, I want to make sure what she says is no conspiracy theory. Stay tuned :)
September 7, 2023
This book is more of a referendum on perfectionism and social media than a scrutiny of wellness practices. I was expecting more critical examination of data discrediting popular wellness trends and companies. Most chapters are filled with anecdotes instead. The author jumps from cleanses to MLMs to essential oils without a cohesive theme. I generally agree that these trends and products are predatory but this book doesn’t succeed in making the argument for improved life satisfaction without them. I was hoping for a more journalistic quality.
May 23, 2023
I have mixed feelings on this book, although overall I’m glad I read it. I have a more critical lens through which to look at “wellness culture”.
I thought the book was a bit too far reaching and trying to cover too many topics, and most concerning, there were some doctors who have very well researched evidence that they have shared through books, etc. that she criticized, but I still didn’t see exactly what she was criticizing. (for example criticizing Esselstyn, who is well renowned for his well researched, approaches to health and diet).
this was actually a bit disappointing after how much I enjoyed anti-diet. as other reviewers have said, I continue to have mixed feelings. I really agree with the messages of body respect, and food freedom. I feel like she was way overgeneralizing in this book. there are many paths to wellness.
I thought the book was a bit too far reaching and trying to cover too many topics, and most concerning, there were some doctors who have very well researched evidence that they have shared through books, etc. that she criticized, but I still didn’t see exactly what she was criticizing. (for example criticizing Esselstyn, who is well renowned for his well researched, approaches to health and diet).
this was actually a bit disappointing after how much I enjoyed anti-diet. as other reviewers have said, I continue to have mixed feelings. I really agree with the messages of body respect, and food freedom. I feel like she was way overgeneralizing in this book. there are many paths to wellness.
May 5, 2023
Love her first book and her podcast but I found this to be a little dry and somehow both too broad and some details too trivial. I think researchers and students will find it useful, however for people doing light reading who are already skeptical of health trends, health ideology in the media and have a good amount of common sense, this is nothing special.
May 19, 2025
Kind of dry at parts but so interesting. Would definitely recommend for anyone who fell into the 2015 vegan YouTuber era trap or honestly to anyone in this trad wife sourdough RFK era.
August 11, 2024
This book was very profound and life changing for me. Not an over exaggeration either. I have struggled with chronic illness, and jumped in and out of alternative treatments. I felt tired, fed, up confused, and just split between western and alternative routes. This book addresses all the insidious things about wellness culture, but with an empathetic and compassionate voice. Everyone should read this book, even if you think you are unaffected by wellness culture.
September 7, 2023
As a consumer of podcasts that debunk a lot of nutrition and wellness claims, much of this was a repeat of things I've already heard.
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Still, it's well-researched and gives thoughtful solutions to serious issues.
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This also added fuel to my disgust that my city is basically sponsored by doTerra.
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The author reads the audiobook, and it's a well-done production.
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Still, it's well-researched and gives thoughtful solutions to serious issues.
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This also added fuel to my disgust that my city is basically sponsored by doTerra.
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The author reads the audiobook, and it's a well-done production.
March 14, 2024
I love a good "hey can everyone get off their high horse and calm down" book.
I listened to this book, starting it while running on a treadmill. I was immediately called out: I'm someone who owns many a wellness thing. I have two yoga mats, three fitness subscriptions, a smart watch that tracks my stress and sleep, a weighted blanket, "superfoods" I eat every day (I just really like Chia seeds, ok?)... It gets worse: I own a box of essential oils that rests next to my diffuser, many lavender roller ball perfumes (and candles!), various self help books, and have paid for meditation apps.
You get the idea. I even own a tarot deck, but that's (usually) just a party trick.
I really appreciated the measured way with which the author tackled the wellness industry. It's presented as both a well-meaning beast and a fertile ground for every swindler and self aggrandized "healer" to do real (financial, emotional, physical) harm to their clientele. It tackles current limitations of the north American health care system, MLMs, medical disinformation online, doing your own "research", alternative health care providers, diet culture, confirmation bias, and a myriad of other things.
To put it another way: the book provides a well-needed sanity check around all things wellness culture. I appreciated how grounded it was in both factual info and in laying out how many "truths" touted in these circles are nothing but. The author was also very open and upfront about her own biases.
All that said, nothing can rip my weighted blanket from my cold, anemic hands.
Recommended if you, like me, have sought a myriad of things to cure your Ailments, are fascinated by quacks and snake oil salesmen, and look forward to biting your tongue next time someone brings up adrenal fatigue. 3.5 stars on Sg rounded up to 4 on GR.
I listened to this book, starting it while running on a treadmill. I was immediately called out: I'm someone who owns many a wellness thing. I have two yoga mats, three fitness subscriptions, a smart watch that tracks my stress and sleep, a weighted blanket, "superfoods" I eat every day (I just really like Chia seeds, ok?)... It gets worse: I own a box of essential oils that rests next to my diffuser, many lavender roller ball perfumes (and candles!), various self help books, and have paid for meditation apps.
You get the idea. I even own a tarot deck, but that's (usually) just a party trick.
I really appreciated the measured way with which the author tackled the wellness industry. It's presented as both a well-meaning beast and a fertile ground for every swindler and self aggrandized "healer" to do real (financial, emotional, physical) harm to their clientele. It tackles current limitations of the north American health care system, MLMs, medical disinformation online, doing your own "research", alternative health care providers, diet culture, confirmation bias, and a myriad of other things.
To put it another way: the book provides a well-needed sanity check around all things wellness culture. I appreciated how grounded it was in both factual info and in laying out how many "truths" touted in these circles are nothing but. The author was also very open and upfront about her own biases.
All that said, nothing can rip my weighted blanket from my cold, anemic hands.
Recommended if you, like me, have sought a myriad of things to cure your Ailments, are fascinated by quacks and snake oil salesmen, and look forward to biting your tongue next time someone brings up adrenal fatigue. 3.5 stars on Sg rounded up to 4 on GR.
March 26, 2025
3.5 stars.
I thought this book was going to be more about one’s relationship with food and diets. Instead it took the approach of how companies and social media are being utilized to push misinformation and disinformation about wellness and overall wellbeing. The author dives into how social media was used during COVID 19 to push anti vaccination ideologies, as well as creating bad relationships with food, among other things. This was a generally good book that I did take some things away from. If you want to learn more about how to do your own research on your own health and to make sure you’re consuming the right information this book would be good. If you find yourself believing wellness trends or advice without doing additional research, definitely read this book. Many of the advice and products pushed are part of a bigger entity behind the screen that is trying to misinform you to a. Buy products or b. Follow a certain diet (ex. Gluten free). This books points out all the people who say “do this to get clear skin!” And says actually no let’s stop and think about if this is true and accurate. Basically helping you be a more informed and educated human when it comes to your own health and not getting “trapped” as the title points out.
I thought this book was going to be more about one’s relationship with food and diets. Instead it took the approach of how companies and social media are being utilized to push misinformation and disinformation about wellness and overall wellbeing. The author dives into how social media was used during COVID 19 to push anti vaccination ideologies, as well as creating bad relationships with food, among other things. This was a generally good book that I did take some things away from. If you want to learn more about how to do your own research on your own health and to make sure you’re consuming the right information this book would be good. If you find yourself believing wellness trends or advice without doing additional research, definitely read this book. Many of the advice and products pushed are part of a bigger entity behind the screen that is trying to misinform you to a. Buy products or b. Follow a certain diet (ex. Gluten free). This books points out all the people who say “do this to get clear skin!” And says actually no let’s stop and think about if this is true and accurate. Basically helping you be a more informed and educated human when it comes to your own health and not getting “trapped” as the title points out.
December 15, 2023
I didn’t want to put this book down - it is SO good. It’s well-researched and incredibly eye opening. There were so many aha moments for me since I am someone who has sought out “wellness” treatments before because I wanted to explore a “natural” approach to healing myself.
I think the biggest eye opener for me was the part about how different “cleanses” or “detoxes” are actually methods that enable disordered eating. That wasn’t clear to me before but now it’s SUPER clear how a lot of these “treatments” are just diets in disguise and encourage major restriction around food.
Also, the fact that so many companies can just make baseless claims and not face consequences is insane?? The fact that there are loopholes for these companies to basically say in a roundabout way that their product can “cure” illnesses is wild to me.
As someone who has followed different spiritual or wellness people before (and I find the lines between those are starting to get more blurred) I can’t say how many times I hear about false diagnoses like “leaky gut” and “adrenal fatigue” and other claims that aren’t real. It’s disturbing.
I think another huge takeaway is the fact that a lot of people seek these wellness treatments out because traditional western medicine failed them. I can relate to that as I was very resistant to medication for a while because I thought I should be able to “fix” my mental health issues in other natural ways which is a ton of BS. Also, the fact that most people can actually do more damage to themselves by resisting or forgoing medical treatments in favor of a “wellness” approach is extremely disturbing.
I think another great part of this book is how it talks about how people can get sucked into these types of views through amplification on social media, misinformation, laws that allow people and companies to make baseless claims without scientific proof, etc.
There’s a ton of great information about disinformation and systemic issues too. All in all, it covers so much and it was so interesting. I loved it and highly recommend it!
I think the biggest eye opener for me was the part about how different “cleanses” or “detoxes” are actually methods that enable disordered eating. That wasn’t clear to me before but now it’s SUPER clear how a lot of these “treatments” are just diets in disguise and encourage major restriction around food.
Also, the fact that so many companies can just make baseless claims and not face consequences is insane?? The fact that there are loopholes for these companies to basically say in a roundabout way that their product can “cure” illnesses is wild to me.
As someone who has followed different spiritual or wellness people before (and I find the lines between those are starting to get more blurred) I can’t say how many times I hear about false diagnoses like “leaky gut” and “adrenal fatigue” and other claims that aren’t real. It’s disturbing.
I think another huge takeaway is the fact that a lot of people seek these wellness treatments out because traditional western medicine failed them. I can relate to that as I was very resistant to medication for a while because I thought I should be able to “fix” my mental health issues in other natural ways which is a ton of BS. Also, the fact that most people can actually do more damage to themselves by resisting or forgoing medical treatments in favor of a “wellness” approach is extremely disturbing.
I think another great part of this book is how it talks about how people can get sucked into these types of views through amplification on social media, misinformation, laws that allow people and companies to make baseless claims without scientific proof, etc.
There’s a ton of great information about disinformation and systemic issues too. All in all, it covers so much and it was so interesting. I loved it and highly recommend it!
February 20, 2024
I admire any RD brave enough to write a book. The research and time required is enormous. I appreciate and agree with the author’s distaste of the supplement industry, social media influence and chiropractors. However my one issue with the book is she throws the baby out with the bath water. The author discourages gyms because they are ableist, yoga because it is cultural appropriation, vegan and plant based diets because they are elitist and pretty much any diet restriction as it is orthorexic and might trigger an eating disorder. So, okay, I’m reading along wondering can the author possibly want the public to continue to eat the current American diet of mostly processed foods? I was dying to get to the end to see what the suggestions were. And they were suggestions for regulating industries to protect consumers. 100% agree but that will never happen in America with government run by lobbyists. So where does that leave the reader curious enough to read a book about wellness and wanting to take personal responsibility for their health? It leaves them with nothing practical or doable. Again, I can understand her criticisms but it is a disservice to caution against reasonable, evidence based wellness practices (like exercise and plant based diet) without providing alternatives.
August 2, 2023
3.5 rounded up to offset the 1-star reviews from "hey babe" mlm supplement girlies who hated this book.
I am a Maintenance Phase devotee so there wasn't much new information here. I do think the author swung too far afield with some of these topics and it ended up diluting her message. I also didn't love some of the evidence she used to back up her arguments--the ending argument that we are in a "solitude epidemic" from being so connected on our phones was thought-provoking, but an interesting choice to include. It just feels a little too close to the same type of academic research/data mining work that fuels bunk wellness fads like smaller plate sizes and healthy "nudges" like putting fruit at eye level in cafeterias. The solitude hypothesis primarily comes from one researcher, and while they most likely do good work, we should be skeptical of big claims from social science researchers like this. I just felt like there were much better data sources to rely on instead of something like that. idk maybe its just my grad school methodology brain talking.
But anyway, it was interesting and I hope it maybe made other readers more skeptical about wellness trends and fads.
I am a Maintenance Phase devotee so there wasn't much new information here. I do think the author swung too far afield with some of these topics and it ended up diluting her message. I also didn't love some of the evidence she used to back up her arguments--the ending argument that we are in a "solitude epidemic" from being so connected on our phones was thought-provoking, but an interesting choice to include. It just feels a little too close to the same type of academic research/data mining work that fuels bunk wellness fads like smaller plate sizes and healthy "nudges" like putting fruit at eye level in cafeterias. The solitude hypothesis primarily comes from one researcher, and while they most likely do good work, we should be skeptical of big claims from social science researchers like this. I just felt like there were much better data sources to rely on instead of something like that. idk maybe its just my grad school methodology brain talking.
But anyway, it was interesting and I hope it maybe made other readers more skeptical about wellness trends and fads.
January 11, 2024
I will start by saying I am DEF into the wellness movement and read a ton of wellness books. I took this out to get a different POV because I think exposure to other perspectives is important, but this really didn’t do it for me. Not just because the author directly refutes things that have truly worked for me (and that bums me out because I wouldn’t want others to think they aren’t very possible, helpful options for them based on her word alone)- but also because many of her claims aren’t backed up well with good research. The book comes off like she had bad experiences with her mental and physical health, wanted to warn others to not have a similar bad experience, and then decided to cover way too many topics in the meantime and not deeply discuss any of them. Also- her writing itself was very dry. So yea would not recommend, and again, I get that I’m bias because I’m a wellness nut. But I wanted to be wowed by her expose of influencers and MLMs and instead I was annoyed she discounted nutritional interventions, the positive impact of the placebo, and my fav MANIFESTING!! Girl let me live my life
May 11, 2023
I love what Harrison stands for and thought Anti Diet was brilliant. This one fell a little short for me.
The overall message is good and I could see my own story reflected in a lot of the examples. However, I do feel like some of the topics went down unnecessary rabbitholes.
I also had a bit of an issue how she discussed alternative medicine. I agree with having some skepticism but she seemed to write off this like acupuncture and chiropractor and naturopaths entirely instead of promoting just having discernment. I didn't get an unbiased viewpoint that I would expect from a journalist.
And the problem with books like this is that the people who need to read them the most probably won't.
The overall message is good and I could see my own story reflected in a lot of the examples. However, I do feel like some of the topics went down unnecessary rabbitholes.
I also had a bit of an issue how she discussed alternative medicine. I agree with having some skepticism but she seemed to write off this like acupuncture and chiropractor and naturopaths entirely instead of promoting just having discernment. I didn't get an unbiased viewpoint that I would expect from a journalist.
And the problem with books like this is that the people who need to read them the most probably won't.
January 3, 2025
Going to start family drama at Christmas about this book! No but for real this book was so incredible and helped me understand so much of what I was presented from a very young age as law is actually bs. This was a very healing experience and I’m currently trying to release the concept that “health” is something that we HAVE to put as the ultimate goal for ourselves. Also fuck RFK Jr fr fr
October 7, 2023
I don’t know about this one, said some important things with some important evidence but mostly not information I hadn’t already heard.
was also filled with some really bold sweeping claims and didn’t do the nuances of health and medical sciences and herbal medicine justice.
was also filled with some really bold sweeping claims and didn’t do the nuances of health and medical sciences and herbal medicine justice.
November 17, 2025
4.5 stars! Great book. As someone who has existed in the wellness space for many years and have only recently become more skeptical, this book was awesome. It helped me understand some of the research and gave language to things I had been seeing but not understanding. Some of it was probably a little harsh or also jaded toward anti-wellness culture but overall was great.
I love to find the mix of varying opinions on any topic and this was a great read for that.
I love to find the mix of varying opinions on any topic and this was a great read for that.
November 21, 2023
Read for book club —
Someone said “this could be a podcast” and I ultimately agree. I do think it is a great read for anyone interested in breaking down the capitalistic and cultural significance of “health” and wellness. Definitely a must read for most (y’all need to break down your antifatness and healthism, I am begging you) but if you have read extensively on the subject, it may be too beginner friendly to offer any new information.
Someone said “this could be a podcast” and I ultimately agree. I do think it is a great read for anyone interested in breaking down the capitalistic and cultural significance of “health” and wellness. Definitely a must read for most (y’all need to break down your antifatness and healthism, I am begging you) but if you have read extensively on the subject, it may be too beginner friendly to offer any new information.
July 16, 2023
"Wellness culture is a trap. Keeping us stuck in a narrow view of what it means to be well and exposing us to much that is harmful. Weight stigma, scams, conspiracy theories, damaging approaches to mental health, false diagnoses. To break free from that trap and find our way to true well-being, whatever that may look like for each of us, we can learn to be discerning about the information we consume and engage in practices that support us mentally and emotionally, not just physically."
At first I thought it was a mistake to read the comments before listening, but really they just set my expectations lower, and I was pleasantly surprised. It likely helped that I agreed and was open to much of what Harrison said so I didn't keep encountering defensiveness and dissonance.
I grew up in a family who leaned into alternative medicine and had some fearful beliefs around conventional medicine, so a lot of this really landed personally as I reflected on my own health journey. But I consider myself to have a fairly balanced and healthy view now about different streams of medicine, and appreciate that it's an ongoing process of learning, unlearning, adapting and healing.
"Solutions to the many problems that wellness culture presents have to be systemic and collective, not just individual and private."
Audiobook: 9h 58m
At first I thought it was a mistake to read the comments before listening, but really they just set my expectations lower, and I was pleasantly surprised. It likely helped that I agreed and was open to much of what Harrison said so I didn't keep encountering defensiveness and dissonance.
I grew up in a family who leaned into alternative medicine and had some fearful beliefs around conventional medicine, so a lot of this really landed personally as I reflected on my own health journey. But I consider myself to have a fairly balanced and healthy view now about different streams of medicine, and appreciate that it's an ongoing process of learning, unlearning, adapting and healing.
"Solutions to the many problems that wellness culture presents have to be systemic and collective, not just individual and private."
Audiobook: 9h 58m
February 24, 2024
Not quite as life changing as her other book, the Anti Diet, for me. But still very intriguing! Some interesting things to me:
"But in reality, food and exercise are far less important for collective well-being than they're made out to be. Several studies have shown that, apart from genetics, what primarily determines the health of a population are social factors. About 70 percent of health outcomes are attributable to socioeconomic factors, access to quality of healthcare, and the physical environment. Only 10 percent of population health outcomes are attributable to diet and exercise combined....In other words, the vast majority of factors affecting our collective well-being have nothing to do with food and exercies -- or with individual behaviors at all -- and everything to do with the conditions in which we live."
"Ultimately, we need change at the systemic and cultural levels to create the conditions for true well-being -- a state not of striving for "perfect" physical and mental health, but rather one of social support, economic security, just and eqitable treatment, purpose, and satisfaction in life. Because that's what everyone deserves."
"But in reality, food and exercise are far less important for collective well-being than they're made out to be. Several studies have shown that, apart from genetics, what primarily determines the health of a population are social factors. About 70 percent of health outcomes are attributable to socioeconomic factors, access to quality of healthcare, and the physical environment. Only 10 percent of population health outcomes are attributable to diet and exercise combined....In other words, the vast majority of factors affecting our collective well-being have nothing to do with food and exercies -- or with individual behaviors at all -- and everything to do with the conditions in which we live."
"Ultimately, we need change at the systemic and cultural levels to create the conditions for true well-being -- a state not of striving for "perfect" physical and mental health, but rather one of social support, economic security, just and eqitable treatment, purpose, and satisfaction in life. Because that's what everyone deserves."
July 27, 2023
She tried to cover too much in a weak way, and the parts did not flow well together. It was okay, but pretty skimmable.
July 9, 2023
Meh. I largely agreed with her central hypotheses, and yet I still wasn't into this book. First, I felt the author bit off WAY, WAY more than she could feasibly chew adequately. One of her critiques of our digital age is that we receive news without nuance, but I thought every chapter was guilty of this same crime. Frequently topics were quickly picked up and just as rapidly put down, and some transitions were just downright weird. I had high hopes for learning and adjusting some of my own attitudes around wellness culture, but I'm largely disappointed.
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