Wellness guru

A health and wellness guru (or "wellness influencer") is a media personality, such as a celebrity doctor or influencer, who has a significant following of people seeking health advice. In the United States, the term has evolved to describe any public figure whose advice on health and wellness are widely followed. Many of these promoters do not have medical or professional credentials, although they may collaborate with practitioners. They are frequently celebrities from popular entertainment who have become spokespersons for health topics.

Historical influences

Wellness promoters and the holistic health movement draw on various influences. One strand has roots in American culture of the 1960s and 1970s, wherein Americans developed a fascination with Eastern culture and philosophy. In fact, the original term "guru" comes from Eastern religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism. The movement thus drew heavily on various Eastern healing systems, such as Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. It also attempts to create a sort of neoshamanism, drawing from indigenous healing traditions, particularly those from Native American cultures.

Nineteenth-century Western heterodox medical systems like homeopathy, osteopathy, chiropractic, and naturopathy also serve as antecedents to the modern health and wellness guru phenomenon. Other influences include the natural birthing movement and the environmental movement.

Wellness promoters' educational backgrounds can vary significantly. Some, like Andrew Weil and Deepak Chopra, have medical degrees from established institutions. Others have training in fields like nutrition, psychology, physical fitness,or personal experience. However, many popular figures in the field lack medical or professional credentials.

Marketing and promotion

Wellness promoters make their knowledge and guidance available to the public in various ways. They utilize various types of mass media, including books, podcasts, and television appearances, with self-help books and their accompanying videos being a prominent promotional strategy. Websites like Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop are another common vehicle. Health and wellness gurus may market specific exercise videos and programs, engage in public speaking, and/or give lectures. Wellness centers, such as Parsley Health and the Chopra Center for Well Being, offer programs, courses, and therapies. Social media has significantly changed how people access health and wellness information as anyone can create a wellness program by sharing photos or videos of food or fitness routines.

Public response

Criticism

The accessibility of mass content on the internet and social media has allowed self-proclaimed experts and health and wellness gurus to gain attention and influence public opinion by sharing oft-misleading information about health and nutrition. These wellness guru figures, many of whom display dubious ethical standards, compete for attention with credible nutrition professionals and scientists who adhere to evidence-based practices. Gurus attract followers through compelling narratives, often monetising content without significant consequence for spreading false information. Credentialed experts, such as registered dietitian nutritionists, face challenges competing in the online space while adhering to evidence. For example, Gwyneth Paltrow advocating for controversial practices like inserting jade eggs vaginally has been labelled unnecessary and risky. Critics, such as health and law expert Timothy Caulfield, have called the idea that the body needs detoxifying completely ridiculous from a scientific perspective. Jennifer Gunter, an OB/GYN, has stated that Goop's theories negatively impact her patients, leading them to adopt potentially harmful practices and undergo unnecessary testing.

Potential benefits

Some sources acknowledge the potential benefits of wellness promotion and note that advice such as promotion of exercise, balanced eating, and relaxation can be beneficial. Wellness gurus often impart commentary on larger social issues, potentially increasing viewer awareness to them.

Examples

• Arianna Huffington's personal experience of collapsing from exhaustion and chronic burnout in 2007 was a wake-up call that led her to redefine success. She subsequently became a strong advocate for sleep, emphasizing that quality sleep is crucial for mental clarity, energy, and overall health.
• Gwyneth Paltrow is an actress who transitioned into a health "expert" and founded the website Goop. Initially, Goop focused on celebrity lifestyle and travel, but it later shifted its emphasis to internal health and well-being, detailing Paltrow's exercise regimens and cleanses.
• Andrew Weil is a biomedically trained physician who earned his M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1968. He became disillusioned with conventional biomedicine after encountering opposition to his research and subsequently investigated indigenous healing systems and medicinal plants, leading him to adopt practices like yoga, vegetarianism, and meditation.
• Deepak Chopra, a biomedically trained physician with board certifications in internal medicine and endocrinology, became disillusioned with his successful conventional medical career. His conversion to Transcendental Meditation (TM), which he credits with helping him cease drinking and smoking, led him to Ayurvedic medicine and quantum healing method.

Sources

• Shally-Jensen, Michael (2019). Alternative Healing in American History: An Encyclopedia from Acupuncture to Yoga. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. pp. 344–352. ISBN 979-8-216-04482-6. Search this book on

Further reading

• Baker, Stephanie Alice (2022). "Wellness Gurus, Internet Celebrities and Influencers". Wellness Culture. pp. 75–113. doi:10.1108/978-1-80262-465-620221004. ISBN 978-1-80262-468-7. Search this book on
• Rojek, Chris; Baker, Stephanie Alice (21 May 2019). "The scandal that should force us to reconsider wellness advice from influencers". The Conversation.
• Raphael, Rina (2022). The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop, and the False Promise of Self-Care. Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 978-1-250-79301-0. Search this book on
• Gillespie-Hoffman, Samantha (August 2024). Praying to TikTok, Seeking the Self: How Rhetoric Reveals and Conceals the World's Most Powerful Guru of the Postindustrial Age (Thesis).
• Baker, Stephanie Alice (2022). "Wellness as a Gateway to Misinformation, Disinformation and Conspiracy". Wellness Culture. pp. 115–151. doi:10.1108/978-1-80262-465-620221005. ISBN 978-1-80262-468-7. Search this book on

See also

• Influencer
• Wellness (alternative medicine)
• Guru

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