Why is it so hard for consumers to filter out fact from hype in the health and wellness industry?
“You can’t see what’s right, until you know what’s wrong.” First of all, so much of the health and wellness industry’s services and products are fraudulent and tainted by drugs, it’s almost impossible to tell what’s real and what’s fake. Secondly, every single one of us want to live long and live well, and with wellness being 10 times more emotional than physical, individuals, and companies package and market their wellness goods to elicit a buying effect by manipulating the buyer’s emotions. Lastly, most people judge the effectiveness of a particular fitness product based on the individual’s aesthetic look, when in fact, that look is most often artificial because of the overwhelming drug use in the fitness industry. We’ve all heard the saying “Beauty is only skin deep”, the same holds true for fitness.
What is one example of an often-believed health trend that doesn't hold up?
Quick fixes on easy street! From get fit quick programs to overnight six-packs, the health and wellness industry’s number one go-to “Buy Now” button, is to guarantee super-fast results or your money back. Everything from “lose 10 pounds in 2 days” and “Abs in minutes” to “Gain 20 pounds of muscle in 6 weeks”, the industry knows people want their “fit” fast. In addition, the industry has a really good knack for showing “Just how easy it really is”. The road to wellness is a long bumpy ride which will be anything but a short trip down easy street, but the health and wellness industry will tell you it’s such a smooth ride, you’ll hardly know you’re even doing it.
Where can consumers go for reputable information?
As I stated previously, the fraud runs deep and consumers need to be extremely savvy to dodge the fraud bullet. I would suggest sticking to national health association websites like WebMd, The American Heart Association, and The Mayo Clinic, for wellness advice. Be very aware that most fitness companies will write their own reviews under many different names and websites which makes it look like a third party unbiased review of their products. When it comes to fitness instructors, give absolutely no credit to certifications, they mean nothing. If you’re ever told to work through pain, extreme soreness is the goal of your workouts, an instructor tells you they can treat your injury, and your instructor cannot specifically tell you why you are working out a certain way, leave while you can. These are signs of an incompetent instructor. Above all, ask very specific questions when it comes to wellness and never accept generic and unspecific questions. Look for detail, rational explanations, and transparency. Or, you can always call me!
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