There are thousands of people on social media claiming the next great wellness, fitness, or health hack each day. These tips and tricks range from basic to downright outrageous, but which are legitimate and which were created for views and clout? I’ll share what to look for and how to create change safely and effectively when it comes to your health.
The Good:
“Hot Girl Walks”
This trend has been going strong throughout this summer, and I love it! Hot girl walks are great for everyone because they are an excellent way to practice self care (yes, men need self-care too). The trend is straightforward, easy to follow, and easy to make into your own. Participants go on a 4 mile walk outside while listening to an inspirational podcast, motivational music, or simply enjoy the time in silence. The objective is to reflect on goals and gratitude. The activity is simple, but the combination of exercise, self-awareness, and mindfulness is powerful.
Remember, whether positive or negative, you are in control of the way you speak to yourself. Incorporating a mindfulness activity is proven to improve mental health and create new pathways of thinking. The brain is just like any muscle- the more it is worked in specific ways the stronger it gets in those paths. I recommend incorporating some kind of mindfulness activity into your day whether it’s during a walk or incorporated in another creative way.
While walking is a low impact exercise, 4 miles is a long way and would take approximately 90 minutes to complete. The important thing to remember is that 4 miles is the goal, not the starting point for everyone so start where you are comfortable. Maybe your best effort is the length of a few blocks, adding more every week. You can make this trend work for you while challenging yourself one step at a time.
Proceed with caution:
“Frozen honey”
I’m putting a “proceed with caution” sign on the frozen honey trend. The claim is that honey is a natural, safe, sweet treat that can be swapped with a sugary, processed option. While honey is not bad, consuming it as a regular snack is not healthy. Honey is a better sweetener than some, but it has the same effect on the body as consuming sugar. Insulin increases when eating and that amount of increase depends on how much sugar is being consumed. Snacking on honey will lead to weight gain, insulin issues, bacterial imbalances in the gut, and even skin issues. Honey is great when used in a recipe for a glaze on fresh salmon or roasted vegetables, and even in a homemade dessert. I recommend opting for fruit as a snack instead of frozen honey.
Trends I don’t love:
“Garlic in the nose”
Yes, this is a trend; poke a clove of garlic up the nose for amazing health benefits. It is reported that by doing this the body will dump mucus and kill off bacteria. Kind of wild with seemingly instant results, but is there any truth to it? Garlic is good for the immune system and does contain antiparasitic, antibacterial, and antifungal compounds. It is also helpful for prevention and treatment of some intestinal issues. However, it should not be put up the nose. The compounds in garlic irritate mucosal membranes and will cause irritation to the area. This is why there have been reports of “a bunch of mucus coming out”. You would experience a similar effect from shoving anything in your nose that doesn’t belong there. Eating garlic or consuming a concentrated form of it is the best way to experience its many benefits.
“Chlorophyll drinks”
Chlorophyll drinks are popular for supposedly being anti-cancer, promote weight loss, increase energy, improve skin health, and more! While this all sounds great, there is another way to experience these benefits that doesn’t include falling for a trend or buying more vitamins, supplements, and products. Get out your pen and paper, make notes, and buckle up. The simple way to achieve these health goals: eat more vegetables. Chlorophyll as a supplement has limited effect on your wellbeing and if you are trying to improve your health, eating a variety of colorful vegetables that have a multitude of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, fiber and chlorophyll will give you much better health benefits.
“#whatIeatinaday”
There is nothing wrong with someone sharing what he or she eats in a day on social media. The issue is when we start to compare their lifestyle and choices to our own. For example, a person prepping for a physique competition does not eat carbs and drinks little to no water the day before their show. Their body is rock solid after months, even years, of targeted training and specific meal plans. Specific situations such as this are not safe or sustainable for those of us casually scrolling through the athlete’s social media. Following an influencer’s diet is dangerous because you may over or under eat, both of which negatively impact the metabolism. This trend may be used as a point of interest, but not as guidance for your own habits.
“Sugar Veggies”
Sugar veggies is the trend of dipping vegetables into sugar to make them taste like fruit. For goodness sake, don’t dip a cucumber in sugar and hope it tastes like watermelon. Just eat watermelon. Adding sugar to anything spikes insulin response and causes immediate damage to health. Fruit naturally buffers the sugar response to avoid the negative effects of pure sugar. This is why watermelon has a sweet taste but does not trigger a bi-sugar response. Skip this trend!
Social media trends will continue to come and go, but this list will help you determine what is helpful and what current trends to skip. The best advice I can share with you is to use common sense and don’t take shortcuts when it comes to your health. Big changes are made with small, consistent steps.