The wellness industry is booming and overflowing with gurus promising alternative cures for just about everything. While we’re all for ultimate health and wellness, in a sea of woo-woo advice, it’s important to remember many wellness remedies, treatments, and practices aren’t based on proven science and some can even be harmful. Here are 15 wellness tips that could actually be doing more harm than good.
1. Detox Diets
Medical and nutrition experts will argue that you don’t need to detox as that is the liver’s job. Detox diets and miracle cleanses aren’t backed by science and medical experts say a detox diet is a myth according to an article in Well+Good. Doing a detox diet can deprive the body of essential nutrients and negatively impact your metabolism and overall health.
2. Flawed Fasting
Many people swear by intermittent fasting for optimum health and weight loss. Extreme fasting and regularly skipping meals however can slow down the metabolism, cause nutrient deficiencies and muscle loss, and potentially lead to the development of more serious health issues.
3. H20 Overload
According to this article in Forbes, medical experts say women need to drink 2.7 liters of water daily to keep their bodies and skin hydrated. Drinking too much water however can overload the liver, cause water intoxication, and dilute the body’s essential electrolytes.
4. Avoiding Fats
There are good fats and bad fats and it’s important to understand the difference. Cutting out trans fats, which are found in fried, processed, and sugary foods is good. Not getting your fill of healthy fats from sources like olive oil, avocado, oily fish, and nuts deprives your body of omega-3 essential fatty acids needed for brain, heart, and skin health.
5. Exessive Exercise
It’s important to exercise regularly for optimum physical and mental health, however exercising to excess without giving your body and muscles adequate rest can lead to injuries, burnout, and weakened immunity.
6. Supplement Myths
Eating a well-balanced diet should be your primary source of nutrition. Relying on supplements to fill the void this can lead to imbalances and deficiencies. Some supplements also contain synthetic ingredients that are harmful to the body and taking too many supplements especially high doses of fat-soluble ones like A, D, E, and K, can overload the liver and cause toxicity and health problems.
7. Juice Cleanse
Some experts say you should eat your fruit and drink your vegetables and while we’re all in favor of green juice, going on an extreme juice cleanse can lead to a lack of protein and fiber. This can cause an imbalance in your gut, upset your digestive system, and send your energy levels and mental wellness plummeting.
8. Restricting Food
Unless you have a medical diagnosis, eliminating whole food groups can lead to nutrient deficiencies and exacerbate health problems. Diets like the infamous high-protein/low-carb can damage the kidneys, increase cholesterol, and deprive the body of essential nutrients.
9. Antibacterial Overuse
Our skin and body have good and bad bacteria. Excessive use of antibacterial soaps and sanitizers can strip the body of its natural oils, disrupt the balance of bacteria, and contribute to antibiotic resistance and weakened immunity.
10. Lemon Water
Wellness experts are quick to tell you that you should start your day with lemon water to increase hydration and aid digestion, detoxification, and weight loss. Lemon however is highly acidic and when consumed in excess can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, heartburn, nausea, and even erode your tooth enamel.
11. Apple Cider
Your parents or grandparents might have sworn by a daily shot of apple cider vinegar as the secret to longevity. Infused with bacterial cultures and yeast apple cider vinegar is said to reverse or prevent diabetes, restore gut health, and aid weight loss. Because of its acidic nature, dietitians warn against taking apple cider vinegar without diluting it in water as it can damage the esophagus and tooth enamel, and overdoing it can throw the gut’s microbiome out of balance.
12. Ear Candling
The holistic wellness practice of ear candling involves inserting a hollow, wax-covered fabric cone into the ear canal and lighting the other end. Practitioners claim it works to create a vacuum to draw out earwax, improve hearing, reduce stress, and alleviate headaches and migraines. There’s no scientific proof that ear candling has any benefits and the medical community warms it can cause burns, blockages, and ear injuries.
13. Colon Cleansing
Colon cleansing involves flushing out the large intestine with water or a water/coffee anemia. Alternative practitioners offer colon cleanses to rid the body of toxins, boost energy, and strengthen immunity. There is no scientific evidence to support any of these claims. Your digestive system knows how to get rid of waste naturally and regular colon cleanses can disrupt the natural balance of bacteria in your gut, cause dehydration and other potential health issues.
14. Egg Whites
Only eating egg whites is popular among wellness devotees as they offer protein but are low in calories. Skipping egg yolks means you are missing out on vital nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, and choline, which are essential for healthy brain function. The yolk also contains carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin which are important for eye health.
15. Sauna Treatments
Sauna treatments claim to aid detoxification, relieve stress, boost circulation, and reduce pain. Often hailed as a miracle weight loss treatment, overdoing it in the sauna can dehydrate the body and imbalance our natural electrolytes without contributing to actual fat loss. Sunbeds are also hailed as a treatment for those low in vitamin D, but excessive exposure to UV radiation can damage and age the skin cells and also increase the risk of skin cancer.