A searing critique of modern wellness culture and how it stands in the
way of true well-being that "will change the way you think about your
health--in all the best ways." (Casey Gueren)
"It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle." You've probably heard this phrase
from any number of people in the wellness space. But as Christy Harrison
reveals in her latest book, wellness culture promotes a standard of
health that is often both unattainable and deeply harmful.
Many people with chronic illness understandably feel dismissed or
abandoned by the healthcare system and find solace in alternative
medicine, as Harrison once did. Yet the wellness industry promotes
practices that often cause even more damage than the conventional
approaches they're meant to replace. From the lack of pre-market safety
testing on herbal and dietary supplements, to the unfounded claims made
by many wellness influencers and functional-medicine providers, to the
social-media algorithms driving users down rabbit holes of wellness mis-
and disinformation, it can often feel like no one is looking out for us
in the face of the $4.4 trillion global wellness industry.
The Wellness Trap delves into the persistent, systemic problems with
that industry, offering insight into its troubling pattern of cultural
appropriation and its destructive views on mental health, and shedding
light on how a growing distrust of conventional medicine has led
ordinary people to turn their backs on science. Weaving together
history, memoir, reporting, and practical advice, Harrison illuminates
the harms of wellness culture while re-imagining our society's
relationship with well-being.
