Stop the Noise

Lately, we’ve gotten a lot of questions about health topics from TikTok and Instagram from influencers that may or may not have the educational backing to talk about these subjects, which sparked this blog. We thought we’d help you weed out the “noise” of the health and wellness industry” and help you navigate facts from fads. There’s a lot of “fad” around health and wellness. Influencers are telling you what they do and what works for them and the latest nutritional discovery - but are these claims true? Where is the backing? Are these educational facts or just opinions?  And what if that doesn’t work for you? (Ahem also they may get paid to talk about this stuff so beware!) There’s a lot of “stuff” on the internet that claims weight loss, more energy, better sleep, less stress etc. However, it’s essential to be able to distinguish what’s true from what’s not and also remember that what works for someone may not work for you.

Here are a five things to think about when you read about these trends and how to sort through the noise.

1. Where is the science? Does this person claim that this miracle substance helped boost their energy tenfold and lose 5lbs  in just one day? Hmmm, it seems too good to be true. Look at the facts.  Do they source where they’re getting their information from? If they do, check out the source. Is it from a scientific paper or resource ending in “.org, .gov” or is it from another Instagram post, influencer or magazine? Know the source. If it’s reputable, it may be worth discovering more information; if it’s not, you may want to reconsider. 

2. What is the background of the person claiming the information? If the information you’re receiving from TikTok is from a doctor or educator with a background and/or degree in that subject, then it may be worth exploring. If it’s from an influencer with no real background in the subject but just an opinion based on their experience, then you may want to do more research on the subject.

3. You don’t HAVE to do these things for results. Some health and wellness routines can be overwhelming and include a 12 step skin care routine in the morning, followed by meditation for an hour, red light therapy, cold plunging and fasting etc. So jealous of those that have time for that first of all, but this may not be in your wheelhouse or be even possible (sure isn’t for us!!!) so don’t try and reinvent the wheel or think that this is the only way to feel better. You have to do what works for you otherwise, it just won’t happen. 

4. Consult your doctor before trying ANYTHING. If there is a claim that a certain supplement does something beneficial for your health it may be true BUT ensure that it’s safe for you to take especially if you’re on any current medications. 

5. Third party tested. Especially if they’re supplements, you want to ensure that they are third party tested. Meaning, a product has been evaluated by an independent organization that is not affiliated with the manufacturer or seller. This organization tests the product to ensure that it meets certain quality, safety, and performance standards. Having a product that’s third party tested is crucial because it means that there is objectivity to the product, they also ensure quality assurance, safety and consumer safety. You can see that it’s third party tested right on the label. 

So go ahead and scroll and keep following your people, however just ensure that whatever claims they are making, you put your educator hat on and ensure that these claims aren’t just opinions, but actual facts that are backed up.