The wellness industry is full of tempting trends that promise amazing results, but not all of them deliver. In fact, some popular practices can be downright harmful, despite their glowing online reviews. Here are 15 wellness trends to approach with caution – their potential risks might surprise you.
1. Drinking alkaline water
Why not just drink regular bottled or tap water, you ask? Apparently, alkaline water has a higher pH level, which means it can keep you healthy by avoiding inflammation. The catch? There’s no evidence to support this claim. And, if you drink too much of it, it messes with your body’s acid-base balance, per the Cleveland Clinic. This has dangerous side effects, such as cramps, seizures, and even coma.
You may also like: People Who Lack Empathy Often Had These 15 Childhood Experiences
2. Taping your mouth before bed
Taping your mouth with a bandage or tape to keep it closed overnight so you don’t breathe through your mouth might sound like a logical way to avoid snoring and other sleep-related issues, but it’s dangerous. It can lead to lower breathing levels, which is especially risky if you suffer from a health condition such as sleep apnea. Ditch the tape and consult with your doctor if you’re engaging in mouth breathing at night or experiencing a lack of sleep.
Don’t miss out – follow Bolde for exclusive content daily
3. Cleaning your ears with hydrogen peroxide
If you hate ear wax, you might be tempted to try this trend of cleaning your ears, but don’t. Filling your ear canal with hydrogen peroxide to eliminate wax is a bad idea because it irritates your ear canal. Since wax protects your ear drums, you should leave it be and let it come out the natural way.
You may also like: 23 Habits Of Chronically Unhappy People
4. “Dry scooping” protein powder before a workout
The dry scooping trend involves consuming protein or workout powders without water. Um, why? Apparently, this TikTok trend became popular because it’s said to enable the body to absorb the powder’s compounds faster, Healthline notes. The truth? There’s no science to back it up. Plus, inhaling dry powder can cause coughing, choking, digestive issues, and lung infection.
Don’t miss out – follow Bolde for exclusive content daily
5. The 75-hard challenge
You might’ve heard from friends who’ve taken on the 75-Hard Challenge, a fitness trend involving the daily habits of 45-minute exercise sessions, drinking a gallon of water, and not having cheat meals. While it sounds like a great way to get fit and healthy, it’s way too restrictive and challenging to be healthy. Sustaining such strict practices can be difficult.
You may also like: 15 Signs You’re A Complex Thinker Whose Mind Works Differently
6. Using social media as a therapist
iStock
If you’re dealing with a mental health challenge, it can be helpful to check out what other people are saying on social media. There are various accounts on TikTok and other platforms that can give you useful tips and advice. However, relying on them to the point where you’re using them to diagnose what you’re dealing with can be dangerous. A licensed mental health professional is essential for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Don’t miss out – follow Bolde for exclusive content daily
7. Using berberine as a weight-loss drug
There’s been lots of recent hype surrounding drugs like Ozempic to lose weight, but berberine is considered a “natural” alternative. Well, according to TikTok, that is. The problem is that it’s not a herbal supplement for weight loss. It’s actually a supplement to help people with irritable bowel syndrome. Oh, and it hasn’t been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Taking it causes unpleasant side effects such as nausea and diarrhea.
You may also like: 15 Signs You’re A Complex Thinker Whose Mind Works Differently
8. Drinking tea detoxes.
Tea detoxes, known as “teatoxes,” are always hanging around wellness circles because they promise to wash out unhealthy toxins from your body. Um, your body doesn’t have to flush out toxins – your liver takes care of that. These brews usually contain lots of laxatives which cause diarrhea. If that’s not enough of a reason to avoid them, they aren’t regulated, so they could contain unhealthy ingredients that interact badly with other medicines.
Don’t miss out – follow Bolde for exclusive content daily
9. Following the baby food diet
One of the crazy food diets that have been thrown around on social media is the baby food diet. Instead of giving it to babies, adults are eating those tiny jars of low-calorie food to lose weight. While on the diet, they’re advised not to consume more than 500 calories daily, which is shocking considering that men need 2,500 calories and women need 2,000 calories per day. This diet is low in nutrients, such as protein, so while it might help one lose weight, it starves the body of what it needs to be healthy.
You may also like: If You Have Any Of These 40 Personally Traits, You’re An Extremely Toxic Person
10. Closing your fitness app rings
“Closing rings” means completing one’s daily fitness goals on fitness tracking devices like Apple Watch. It’s disguised as motivation for one to perform at their peak, but it makes overtraining seem healthy when it’s not. In fact, it can lead to injuries and reduce one’s rest, potentially leading to burnout. Without rest days, your body’s muscles can’t heal.
Don’t miss out – follow Bolde for exclusive content daily
11. Putting garlic in your nose to relieve stuffiness
Perhaps your mother gave you garlic cloves to eat when you were a kid taken down by a nasty cold, but one of the recent wellness trends is to put garlic up your nose to reduce stuffiness. While it might seem effective because it pushes mucus out of your nose (gross), it does nada to treat your cold or flu. There are also risks involved, such as getting it stuck in your nose. Now that would be an embarrassing trip to the ER.
You may also like: 16 Things Introverts Secretly Observe About Everyone They Meet
12. Filing down teeth with a nail file
Instead of heading to the dentist to fix wonky teeth, some people on social media are using nail files to file down their teeth. Others are doing this to remove plaque. Putting sharp objects anywhere near your teeth is always a bad idea! It removes enamel that protects teeth, leading to issues with sensitivity. It can even damage their nerves. Ouch!
Don’t miss out – follow Bolde for exclusive content daily
13. Watching “What you eat in a day” videos
If you’re on a weight-loss journey, you might like those online social media posts from people who record what food they eat every day. Experts caution against this trend because many of the people’s daily calories are around 900 calories, which is too little to maintain a healthy lifestyle. These types of videos encourage the negative, toxic culture of starving oneself to reach weight-loss goals. Never a good idea!
You may also like: 15 Things Introverts Do That Come Across As Rude But Really Aren’t
14. Drinking olive oil daily for your gut
Claims on TikTok state that if you drink olive oil daily, you’ll experience less bloating. Some even claim that olive oil will remove acne. As you can imagine, there’s zero science backing this and the before-and-after “evidence” you might see could be fake. The danger of following such trends is that they could cause you to ignore legit health concerns to make you visit a doctor, such as if you have irritable bowel syndrome that’s causing you to feel bloated and uncomfortable.
Don’t miss out – follow Bolde for exclusive content daily
15. Steaming your vagina
Vaginal steaming is a wellness trend that won’t go away. It’s when you steam the skin of the vulva with a blend of water and essential oils or herbs, and it’s said to relieve menstrual cramps. Some people also use it to clean their vaginas. But, the hot vapor can burn your vulvar skin. You also don’t want herbs or essential oils to mess with your vagina’s healthy bacteria, as this can cause bacterial vaginosis, an infection displaying symptoms such as an unpleasant odor, itching, and discharge.
Enjoy this piece? Give it a like and follow Bolde on MSN for more!
