Monthly Archives: May 2023

Delaney Nothaft| Special to USA TODAY

You may have heard of biotin in regard to potential ways to strengthen your hair and nails. And it does! But it is also responsible for so much more like aiding in the breakdown of food.

We spoke with Kelly Morrow, MS, RDN, FAND, a registered dietitian and clinical affiliate of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Washington, and Clara Di Vincenzo, RD, LD, a registered dietitian for the Digestive Health Institute at UT Health Austin. They told us everything you need to know biotin, including information about supplements and which foods are rich in biotin.

Di Vincenzo says, Biotin is known to be essential in the strengthening of hair and nails. Morrow says that this is because Biotin is important for gene expression and the growth of new cells.

But it is also a B-vitamin that helps us metabolize or break down the food that we eat into carbohydrates, fats and proteins, which are the building blocks that help us with body processes, Di Vincenzo emphasizes.

Morrow adds, It helps keep blood sugar balanced by helping the liver to release glucose into the blood when we have gone for a long time between meals.

Di Vincenzo says, We can get adequate amounts of biotin from the food that we eat and from bacteria in our large intestine. Most people do not need a supplement. Its water soluble, so an excess amount would get excreted in the urine.

However, a biotin deficiency is possible. Both Morrow and Di Vincenzo describe some of the warning signs as:

Di Vincenzo recommends that if you have symptoms of biotin deficiency, you should follow up with your doctor and get regular blood work and evaluate for deficiency before jumping to a supplement. Food is our primary source of fuel, Di Vincenzo emphasizes. More often than not we can find the nutrients we need in foods themselves rather than supplementation, she adds.

Biotin is actually produced by bacteria in your gut, which is one source of the biotin you need. Foods that are high in biotin include:

In conclusion: supplementation with biotin supplements is generally safe, but it may not be as effective as having a balanced, nutritional diet. And if you are concerned about a biotin deficiency, you may want to have a conversation with your doctor or add biotin-rich foods to your diet, like eggs. Or beans. Or, my southwest favorite an omelet filled with beans.

More about supplements: What are dietary supplements and how can they lead to better health?

Report suggests: Take vitamins and supplements? You may be wasting your money on them.

The experts: Do collagen supplements work?

More: Everyone is talking about biotin supplements. Here's what you need to know.

Original post:

What is biotin? Foods to eat and if you should take it every day - USA TODAY

With summer creeping in, people will be looking to get out a little more and make the most of good weather while it's here.

However, it may be worth considering what vitamins you're taking, as with more sunlight, you might not need quite as much vitamin D supplementation. And likewise, you may want to bump up the number of vitamins you're taking elsewhere, such as Vitamin C which can help shield you from pollutants in the outside air.

With that in mind, Public Health Nutritionist Dr Emma Derbyshire from the Health & Food Supplements Information Service (HSIS) has named some vitamins we should prioritise.

According to the expert, these four vitamin groups may be worth taking as summer weather continues to creep in.

You may be getting more sunlight now but it is still important to maintain good levels of vitamin D.

"Levels of vitamin D will be low at the end of the winter and moving into spring," says the Public Health Nutritionist. Dr Emma Derbyshire from the Health & Food Supplements Information Service (HSIS).

"Vitamin D is important for the absorption of calcium and healthy bones and teeth as well as for immune function.

"The UK government recommends that we all take a 10 microgram daily supplement throughout the year but especially in winter through to spring."

Similarly, Vitamin C is important as you will be spending more time outside with more exposure to the outside air.

"Vitamin C protects cells from the oxidative damage caused by pollutants. [It] also helps with the absorption of iron," says the expert. "Many women are short of iron particularly during their reproductive years so boosting vitamin C intake helps to reduce the risk of iron deficiency and the tiredness and fatigues that can cause."

You can find it in citrus fruits, tomatoes and peppers as well as multivitamin and multimineral supplements

B vitamins include thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin B6, niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid, vitamin B6 (also known as pyridoxine) and biotin (vitamin B7).

And though it is a B vitamin, it is important to look at vitamin B12 independently, says Derbyshire, as it impacts so many different aspects of our health.

"Vitamin B12 is essential for several issues we need help with in the spring from immune function to tiredness and fatigue.

"Spring is also a time when you might decide to cut back on the stodgier foods of winter. You might opt for a plant-rich diet which is healthy but if you cut out meat and other animal-source foods you are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency."

"Folate is vital for immune function which may have taken a battering by springtime. Its also important for reducing tiredness and fatigue, says Derbyshire.

"Top up your levels by eating kale, broccoli, spinach, chickpeas and a supplement containing folic acid."

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Excerpt from:

Best vitamins to be taking as seasons change, according to health expert - Daily Record

NEWS RELEASE

JEFFERSON PARISH, LOUISIANA

May 17, 2023FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KITTEN YOGA RETURNS TO EAST BANK REGIONAL LIBRARY

JEFFERSON, LA Kitten Yoga, a playful class in which patrons work through a yoga class while kittens scamper around the room, will occur again this June and July at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie.

This event is free of charge and open to the public. There is no registration. This event is open to patrons 12 years of age and older.

Cats and kittens from Jefferson Protection & Animal Welfare Services (JPAWS) will be on-site to meet and greet, play with and be available for adoption.

Classes will occur at the following times and dates.

Supplies to help JPAWS will be accepted. In-need items include: Royal Canin Mother and Baby Cat Wet and Dry Food, Royal Canin Kitten Wet and Dry Food, Fancy Feast Kitten Wet Food, 1ml syringes without needles, kitten milk replacement, kitten bowls, towels, hand sanitizer, Tidy Cats clay litter, dog and cat toys, Dawn dish soap, cat treats, Tiki Cat Baby and Thrive food/supplements, and gift cards to Amazon, Jefferson Feed, Petco, PetSmart and Walmart.

For more information regarding this event, contact Chris Smith, Manager of Adult Programming for the library, at 504-889-8143 or wcsmith@jefferson.lib.la.us.

For more information about Jefferson Parish, visit http://www.JeffParish.net Residents can also receive regular updates by following the Parish on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@JeffParishGov) or by texting JPALERT or JPNOTICIAS to 888-777.

###

Jefferson Parish Public Information Office

1221 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Suite 1002

Jefferson, LA 70123

JPALERT SIGN UP TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY ALERTS

Gretchen Hirt Gendron, PIO

Originally posted here:

KITTEN YOGA RETURNS TO EAST BANK REGIONAL LIBRARY ... - Jefferson Parish

There are two main types of fiber: soluble and insoluble, and both types are recommend for optimal health. According to Cabrero, it is important to note that most plant-based foods have a combination of both types of fiber, and depending on the condition you want to treat, you may want to highlight one over the other.

Soluble fiber: As the name implies, this type of fiber dissolves in water. "It acts like a sponge and can help bulk up your stool, softening it and making it easier to pass," Cabrero says. "Many soluble fibers are also fermentable fibers," and can help to create a healthy gut microbiome because "they are the food of choice for beneficial bacteria." It is associated with slowing digestion time, can help you feel fuller longer and may aid in weight management. It is also associated with a decreased risk of heart disease, improved blood sugar control and decreased cholesterol levels.

Insoluble fiber: This type of fiber does not dissolve in water but it works to bulk your stool and it can help promote regular bowel movements and prevent constipation. It is often found in plant foods that seem rough or stringy, or have a tough skin, hull, peel, pod or seeds. For this reason, insoluble fiber is often referred to as roughage, according to Cabrero. "Insoluble fiber can help regulate bowel movements by creating mechanical stimulation and triggering motility," she adds.

Food sources of fiber: Most plant foods contain a combination of both soluble and insoluble fiber and the best way to get fiber in your diet is to eat a diet diverse in fruits and vegetables. "Eat what you like and what feels more comfortable to your gut and your palate," Cabrero says. If fiber-rich foods tend to contribute to gas or bloating, Cabrero recommends "sometimes modifying textures such as cooking, blending or finely chopping, [which] can help the digestibility." Examples of foods that are a rich source of fiber include:

Excerpt from:

8 Best Fiber Supplements of 2023, Tested by Experts - Good Housekeeping

While the state of the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDAs) regulation of Cannabidiol (CBD) remains gray, the agency now sees a path forward through federal legislation. Heres what companies in the cannabis industry need to know:

The FDA is looking to provide a new regulatory pathway for CBD, while still committing to its enforcement of unlawful CBD marketing and sales. On January 26, 2023, the FDAissueda statement acknowledging that a new regulatory pathway for CBD is neededone that balances access to CBD products with regulatory oversight. The statement included the FDAs denial of three citizen petitions that asked the agency to conduct rulemaking to allow the marketing of CBD products as dietary supplements. The FDAs existing authorities provide limited tools for managing many of the risks associated with CBD products, andaccording to the FDAit is not apparent how CBD products could meet safety standards for dietary supplements or food additives under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). In the statement, the FDA says it is looking to Congress to develop a cross-agency strategy for the regulation of these products to protect the publics health and safety.

The FDAs recent move to shift the responsibility of CBD regulation to Congress is just the latest instance in a longstanding game of regulatory hot potato. On April 17, 2023, the Chair of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee sent aletterto the FDA Commissioner, announcing an investigation into the FDAs decision to not engage rulemaking for CBD and criticized the insufficient rationale for inaction on CBD regulations.

Current Regulation of CBDTwo Steps Forward, Three Steps Back

2018 Farm Bill

All hemp is cannabis, but not all cannabis is hemp. CBD is the second most prevalent active ingredient in cannabis (behind THC), and while it is an essential component of marijuana, it can also be derived from the hemp plant. Three hemp derivatives (hemp seed oil, hemp seed protein powder, and hulled hemp seedalso known as hemp hearts) were firstgenerally recognized as safe (GRAS)food ingredients in 2018 by the FDA. Up until April 2018, all CBD was considered a Schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) because it is a chemical component of the cannabis plant. However, the2018 U.S. Farm Billremoved hemp-derived CBD with very low levels of THC (0.3 percent or less) from the definition of marijuana in the CSA. Over the past five years, industry stakeholders have advocated for regulation of the gray area of CBD outside that limited definition of the Farm Billspecifically, regulation of cannabis-derived CBD and of hemp-derived CBD with levels of THC over 0.3 percent.

The 2018 Farm Bill explicitly preserved the FDAs authorities over hemp products, including hemp-derived CBD, meaning that hemp products must meet any applicable FDA requirements and standards, just like any other FDA-regulated product. For example, the FDAs existing authorities over foods, dietary supplements, human and animal drugs, and cosmetics apply to hemp products to the extent such hemp products fall within those categories. These products include food or beverage products labeled as containing CBD that you may see at your local grocery store. However, aside from the three GRAS hemp ingredients, the FDA has not approved any CBD ingredients for food and beverage products.

By the FDAs own admission, the FDAs existing authorities provide limited tools for managing many of the risks associated with CBD products, and it is not apparent how CBD products could meet safety standards for dietary supplements or food additives under the FD&C Act, as discussed more below. The FDA has stated that, because CBD is outside of the statutory definition of a dietary supplement, it is unlawful under the FD&C Act to introduce into interstate commerce a food (including any animal food or feed) to which CBD (an unregulated substance) has been added. This rule limits makers of food and beverage products containing cannabis-derived CBD or hemp-derived CBD with any levels of THC from shipping their products online, even if they are selling their products in states where CBD is legal.

Pathways to Regulation of CBD

The FDA has interpreted two similar provisions in the FD&C Act prohibiting marketing of hemp-derived CBD known as the exclusionary clauses: one for foods (FD&C Act 301(ll)) and one for dietary supplements (FD&C Act 321(ff)(3)(B)). The exclusionary clause for dietary supplements states that the dietary supplements do not include an article that was either approved as a new drug, antibiotic, or biologic, or authorized for investigation as a drug, antibiotic, or biological for which substantial clinical investigations have been instituted and made public.

However, a dietary supplement that would otherwise be excluded can be exempted if the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) issues a regulation (following the notice and comment process) finding the article would be lawful for use as a food or dietary supplement. But the FDA has held firm that this is not a possible route for CBD regulation because it has previously been investigated as a new drug. The FDA points to the June 2018 approval of CBD-based drugEpidiolex, which treats seizures associated with two very rare and severe pediatric epileptic syndromes.

Since 2019, three industry trade organizations have filed citizen petitions with the FDA, each addressing longstanding industry desires to the use of CBD in dietary supplements, conventional foods, and animal food. The petitions, submitted byConsumer Healthcare Products Association,Council for Responsible Nutrition(CRN), andNatural Products Association, propose that the FDA require manufacturers of dietary supplements containing CBD to submit a new dietary ingredient notification for CBD and use appropriate labeling and claimsas opposed to using drug claims. Alternatively, the organizations propose, the FDA can clarify the definition of article for purposes of the exclusionary clause. For example, CRN asserted that hemp extracts that contain CBD should not be classified as the same article when Epidiolex involved a 99 percent pure CBD, while many commercially available hemp extract contain numerous cannabinoids other than CBD, flavonoids, terpenes, and other phytochemicals. Lastly, the organizations ask that the Secretary of HHS engage in the notice and comment process, issuing a final rule legalizing CBD.

The FDAs Desire to Find a Path ForwardJust Not Through Them

On January 26, 2023, the FDAissueda statement acknowledging that, while a new regulatory pathway for CBD is needed that balances access to CBD products with regulatory oversight, it would not be doing so through rulemaking. The statement also announced the FDAs denial of the three citizen petitions asking the agency to conduct rulemaking to allow the marketing of CBD products as dietary supplements.

The FDA continued in its statement that CBD raises various safety concerns with long-term use, and a new regulatory pathway would benefit consumers by providing safeguards and oversight to manage and minimize risks related to CBD products.

The statement notes that a high-level internal working group, chaired by Principal Deputy CommissionerJanet Woodcock, has closely examined studies related to the CBD-based drugEpidiolex. Commissioner Woodcock stated: Given the available evidence, it is not apparent how CBD products could meet safety standards for dietary supplements or food additives. For example, we have not found adequate evidence to determine how much CBD can be consumed, and for how long, before causing harm.

The FDAs concern is not without basisin a recent studypublished on April 25, 2023, in JAMA, researchers found that one of the 25 products labeled as melatonin gummies tested contained no melatonin at allit was just CBD.

Instead of pursuing rulemaking allowing the use of CBD in dietary supplements, conventional foods, or animal food, the FDA said it is looking to collaborate with Congress. The FDA said it looks forward to working with Congress to develop a cross-agency strategy for the regulation of these products to protect the publics health and safety.

Havent We Been Here Before?

Yesa few times. In 2021, bipartisan groups in both the House and Senate introduced bills that would address the regulatory gap for hemp-derived CBD. In May 2021, a bipartisan group of senators introduced the Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act, and in December 2021, a bipartisan group of representatives introduced the CBD Product Safety and Standardization Act. Both bills, which would require the FDA to develop regulations for food and beverages containing hemp-derived CBD and allow for their interstate commerce, only made it as far as referrals to their respective health committees in 2021.

On March 17, 2023, theCBD Product Safety and Standardization Act(HR 1628) was reintroduced in the House along with a new siblingtheHemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2023(HR 1629). The former proposes to authorize the regulation of interstate commerce with respect to food containing cannabidiol derived from hemp, and for other purposes; the latter proposes to make hemp, cannabidiol derived from hemp, and any other ingredient derived from hemp lawful for use under the [FD&C] Act as a dietary ingredient in a dietary supplement, and for other purposes. The new bills would direct the FDA to issue regulations establishing a maximum allowable amount of CBD per serving, labeling and packaging requirements, and conditions of intended use.

On April 17, 2023, the Chair of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, Representative James Comer (R-KY) sent aletterto the FDA Commissionerin direct response to the FDAs January statementannouncing an investigation into the FDAs decision to not engage rulemaking for CBD. Representative Comer wrote that the agencys argument that theres not a regulatory pathway to enact CBD regulations is an insufficient rationale for inaction that is directly affecting the welfare of the American public. Representative Comer listed documents and information for the FDA to provide to the committee by May 1, 2023:

The FDA has not yet responded to the request.

Next Steps for Manufacturers

Manufacturers of hemp-derived CBD products will need to closely monitor the FDAs and Congresss pathway for CBD and be careful to not violate the FD&C Act in the interim. The FDA said in the January 26th statement that it will continue its enforcement actions against CBD and other cannabis-derived products to protect the public.

James Ravitz and Marissa Hill Daleycontributed to the preparation of this Wilson Sonsini Alert.

Go here to see the original:

FDA Passes the Buck (Back) to Congress for Legislative Solution on ... - JD Supra

Christy Harrison is a journalist and registered dietitian specializing in disordered-eating recovery. certified intuitive eating counselor, and journalist who writes about food and nutrition. She is the founder and host of the Food Psych podcast. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, SELF, BuzzFeed, WIRED, Refinery29, Slate, and The Food Network.

Below, Christy shares 5 key insights from her new book, The Wellness Trap: Break Free from Diet Culture, Disinformation, and Dubious Diagnoses, and Find Your True Well-Being. Listen to the audio versionread by Christy herselfin the Next Big Idea App.

Theres a common belief in wellness culture that being well means eating almost nothing but vegetables and proteinand of course, being thin. Many influencers and alternative- or integrative-medicine providers advocate cutting out a staggering array of foodsgluten, dairy, grains, anything processed, even certain vegetablesfor supposed wellness.

But these restrictions often make people fear food and can lead to disordered eating habits. Cutting out food groups, limiting eating to small windows of the day rather than eating when youre hungry, or otherwise overhauling your menu is a big deal for most people. Such a radical switch in diet can be a major life change that can affect your relationships and interfere with your ability to take pleasure or find spontaneity in food. There are serious side effects to dietary changes. When youre following wellness cultures diet rules, they can often start to take over your life.

This includes a woman named Erin, who has struggled with psoriasis and several other chronic conditions for many years. She started working with an alternative-medicine provider, who told her she was intolerant of sugar, dairy, and vegetables and fruits from the nightshade family, among many other foods. She started to see food as dangerous, and her diet became extremely limited. She cut out sugar completely for a few years, to the point where she was even making her own ketchup from scratch. She also was prescribed a long list of supplements and other treatments. At one point, she was taking at least twenty different supplements a day. Not only did she develop an eating disorder as a result of all this restriction, but her psoriasis didnt improve at all; in fact, it got worse.

Diets like the one Erin was on generally dont have good scientific evidence behind them. Even if they did, its incredibly difficult to stay on those diets long-term without damaging your relationship with food and your mental, emotional, and social well-being. If a way of eating detracts from those aspects of your life, can it even really be called wellness?

Like too many people, Erin had had frustrating experiences with medical doctors who dismissed her concerns or didnt seem to have time for her. Shed never gotten good treatment for her psoriasis, or for other conditions including migraines and severe chronic stomach pain. So when she started working with a naturopath, it felt like finally she was going to have someone listen to her and take her symptoms seriously. She had hope that she would finally figure out what was going on.

Many people have similar reasons for being attracted to complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine. This industry accounts for a $413 billion segment, or about a tenth of the $4.4 trillion wellness industry. A 2017 report found that about half of Americans have tried some form of alternative medicine during their lifetimeabout 20 percent have used it instead of conventional medicine, and about 30 percent have used it in addition to standard medical treatment. In a healthcare system where so many people feel like theyre being given one-size-fits-all treatments and not seen as whole people, its no wonder so many of us are interested in alternatives that purport to offer something different.

Unfortunately, though, alternative and integrative therapies are in many ways untested and unregulated. They can also be downright dangerous. Take herbal and dietary supplements, for example; supplements are legally prohibited from being tested for safety and efficacy before going to market in the U.S. That is a result of a 1994 law that was enacted thanks to significant supplement-industry lobbying.

Several studies have found that some supplements sold in popular nationwide vitamin chains may be adulterated with undisclosed pharmaceuticals and other drugs not listed on the label. This can include things like weight-loss supplements laced with synthetic amphetamines. Even when a supplement is found to be unsafe, FDA recalls and warning letters to manufacturers often dont result in any changes; harmful products may remain on store shelves for months or years, with profoundly damaging effects. One study found that supplements contribute to 23,000 emergency room visits every year, with more than 2,000 of those people (9 percent) going on to be hospitalized.

Many people are wary of Big Pharma, sometimes with good reason (although sometimes those fears are being whipped up by someone trying to sell you something). But at least pharmaceutical drugs are regulated and required to be tested for safety and efficacy before going to market. With supplements, thats simply not the case.

When you feel let down by the conventional healthcare system, you may think theres no harm in trying supplements or other alternative, wellness-oriented treatments, which are framed as being natural, holistic, and gentle. Unfortunately, theyre not as harmless as theyre made out to be.

I interviewed a woman named Jennifer, who struggled for several years with digestive issues including constipation, bloating, and pain. Feeling frustrated by a lack of answers from conventional healthcare providers, she turned to a functional-medicine nurse practitioner, who put her on a strict diet and supplement regimen, believing her issues stemmed from a supposed gluten intolerancea common belief in many corners of wellness culture.

At first, Jennifer felt heard and understood by this provider, but then she had another bad flareup of her digestive issuesexcept this time, she started experiencing a new kind of pain that was sharp and persistent. She mentioned this to the functional-medicine nurse practitioner, who chalked it up to systemic inflammation and said, essentially, thats just how it goes.

Feeling dismissed yet again, Jennifer sought out another providerthis time, a mainstream physician who specialized in digestive disorders. This new gastroenterologist actually did an abdominal examsomething the functional-medicine practitioner had never doneand thought maybe it was her gallbladder, so he sent her for an ultrasound the following day. What they found was far worse: it turned out to be a rare but aggressive type of tumor, located in her pancreas and interfering with critical blood vessels. She ended up having surgery the day before her 38th birthday, and the surgeon told her that if they hadnt removed it, she wouldnt have lived to see 45.

Of course, this is an extreme case, but Jennifers experience highlights a troubling issue with wellness approaches: many supposedly holistic providers can get so laserfocused on what they think is at the root of a persons problema food intolerance, a supposed fungal infection or parasite, a leaky gutthat they might overlook basic aspects of patient care and miss whats actually going on for their clients. And that can have deeply damaging and even deadly consequences.

Back in the early 2000s, while first dabbling in wellness approaches, alternative and integrative medicine were still on the fringes. Two decades later, theyve exploded in popularity. Many wellness influencers have racked up millions of followers by promoting bizarre, non-evidence-based food restrictions and other out-there treatments. Celery juice is being hawked as a cure-all, people with perfectly normal blood sugar are being encouraged to wear continuous glucose monitors, and everyone is being made to fear gluten, even though celiac disease only affects one percent or less of the population.

Social media isnt to blame for everything, but it does have a lot to do with the spread of these and other weird ideas about wellness. Even casually viewing or liking wellness influencers pages can cause sophisticated algorithms to serve up increasingly extreme diets and harmful practices. The algorithms are designed to maximize engagementto keep us on the platforms for as long as possible so that we can be served more ads. Unfortunately, what does that best is novel and controversial information. Thats why extreme and unsubstantiated diet claims get amplified more than benign and commonplace posts about nutrition, leading users down rabbit holes of misinformation and disinformation. Recent reports have shown that teen girls who sign up for platforms like Instagram and TikTok that are seeking healthy-eating or weight-loss advice end up getting pushed to pro-eating-disorder content pretty quickly.

But its not just young girls who sufferits all of us. Beyond even the algorithms, social media flattens sources of information, so that doctors and scientists are presented in very much the same way as an influencer speaking solely from their own experience. The influencer who has more followers lends them the appearance of trustworthiness. Sometimes its not even an influencer per se, but just a regular person whose testimonial about a certain wellness practice goes viral. Theres certainly nothing wrong with sharing personal experiences; its powerful and important in many instances. It can help others find connections and support that they arent getting from the healthcare system. In matters of wellness, however, it can be dangerous to model your own behavior on a social media personality whose only real evidence is this worked for me.

This flattening of information sources also creates a relativism that can easily be exploited by purveyors of mis- and disinformation. Not only does social media often give greater reach to influencers who may not know what theyre talking about, but it also places well-conducted scientific research on the same footing as anecdotes and non-peer-reviewed preprint studies. This then blurs them all together in one endless scroll. In the process, it can create the illusion that all of these sources are equally valid, which may allow false information to gain traction.

Lest this all sound too bleak, know that there are some helpful strategies for navigating wellness culture. Individual behavior alone is not enough to free us from the wellness trap. We need change at the cultural, institutional, and policy levels to help undo the harms of wellness culture and create a society that truly supports wellbeing for everyone. As an individual though, there are a number of actionable things you can start doing right now to help keep from getting ensnared in the wellness trap.

One is to try to approach alternative and integrative medicine, and the wellness industry in general, with as much critical thinking and skepticism as you would conventional medicine. Dont assume that alternative medicine or supplements are any less problematic and profit-driven than their conventional counterparts. This goes even if theyre framed as being natural or holistic. In many cases, wellness recommendations are based on claims that are highly speculative or downright false. Its completely understandable to want relief from symptoms, and to feel unheard or underserved by the conventional healthcare systembut remember that the wellness industry capitalizes on those feelings.

To help get back in touch with your natural skepticism, consider taking a step back or even a full-on break from social media, and recognize how it pushes us toward increasingly extreme content that isnt necessarily backed by good evidence. You might reflect on how social media pulled you down rabbit holes you hadnt planned on visiting. You can also spend some time getting back in touch with your own deeply held beliefs and values, without the influence of algorithms.

In addition to setting limits on technology, it can be helpful to set boundaries with the people in your life. This may include, perhaps, conveying to any wellnessculture adherents in your life that you love and support them, but that youre on a different path. If friends and family members cant stop talking about their latest wellness plan, candida cleanse, or autoimmune protocol, you might share with them that those types of things have been harmful to you. You can also express that you would rather not discuss the topics of health and wellness.

Finally, when you do come across wellness information online, you can use a method called SIFT, developed by a researcher at the University of Washington named Mike Caulfield, who studies digital media literacy. SIFT stands for its four steps:

SIFT is meant to help people think twice before reflexively sharing or acting upon unverified information. The process involves quickly moving away from the actual content of the misinformation and focusing on the context so that youre not wasting precious time trying to dissect dubious sources. The goal of disinformation is to capture attention, and critical thinking is deep attention, Caulfield wrote in 2018. Whenever you give your attention to a bad actor, you allow them to steal your attention from better treatments of an issue, and give them the opportunity to warp your perspective. So instead of doing a deep dive into misinformation to try to understand it from the insidewhich is what we might traditionally view as critical thinkingyoure better off seeking out other, more credible sources to put the information into context.

To listen to the audio version read by author Christy Harrison, download the Next Big Idea App today:

Continue reading here:

The Wellness Trap: Break Free from Diet Culture, Disinformation, and Dubious Diagnoses, and Find Your True Well-Being - Next Big Idea Club Magazine

Editors Note: In Hey, Health Coach, Sarah Hays Coomer answers reader questions about the intersection of health and overall well-being. Have a question? Send her a message (and dont forget to use a sleuthy pseudonym!).

Hey, Health Coach,

My teenage boys (ages 14 and 17) dont like eating vegetables. They only eat raw carrots, gem squash and cucumbers. Can I give them veggie pills for extra nutrients?

L

Watching kids turn down healthy fruits and vegetables can be so frustrating. It can be worrying, too, especially for a parent who loves their kids.

Research shows that picky eating can stem from many sources, including an ancient evolutionary tendency to avoid consuming unknown (and possibly toxic) substances in the wild, childrens unique personality styles and parental feeding practices.

Whatever the cause of your teens preferences, your instinct to look for alternative sources of nutritionrather than trying to force them to eat things they actively dont likeseems well-advised. Picky eating habits tend to develop when parents either punish, bribe or reward their children regarding their eating behaviors.

This dynamic can feel like a catch-22, though. Do you push or give up? What about your responsibility to keep them healthy? Food is one of few ways kids can exert their autonomy in a world where they have limited control over their surroundings. Every parent has to approach this dilemma based on the dynamics of their own family, but, in my experience as a coach, if you force kids to eat, their resistance is likely to become even more entrenched.

Your sons have specific boundaries around which vegetables theyll eat, but they are willingly choosing to eat carrots, gem squash and cucumbers. As they say here in Nashvillethat aint nothing. It gives you a place to start, and, since they do like some vegetables, odds are theyll learn to enjoy more of them eventually.

Fruit and vegetable pills are one option for bridging a nutritional gap until a persons tastes expand, and there are lots of things you can do to support their health in the meantime.

Read this article:

Fruit And Vegetable Supplements: A 2023 Guide Forbes Health - Forbes