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informative
medium-paced
I enjoy Christy Harrison's books as she cuts through the b.s. and is honest about how things are. This book was an eye-opener to how many things in the wellness industry are lies and made up to make people buy more. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone.
I had to let this one marinate a bit. I agree with a lot of the reviews that many topics aren’t exactly in-depth, but overall I really liked this audiobook and it made me think critically about social media and my relationship to it. How not to feed the mis/disinformation algorithm, how to control what ads I see, how to be tracked less online, why I am seeing disinformation in my feeds. I also understand why I see so much diet/biohack BS in my youtube recommendations, simply because I once watched a Canadian chef make vegan sushi.
One of the things I appreciate most in retrospect is that I feel so much more relaxed about not “researching” health topics all of the time on the internet. In popular culture/social media at the moment, this seems to be pushed as being of supreme and urgent importance. I’m vegetarian for ethical/squeamish/preference reasons, but my food rules mostly end there. I have friends evangelizing about gluten free diets, eliminating foods that “cause inflammation”, and intermittent fasting. Oh, and how beans are so toxic with leptins or somesuch? Anyhoo. This book seems to have mentally given me a “get out of jail free card”, that I can ignore all of that, politely decline even considering those restrictive options, and feel confident that I’m not “MISSING OUT ON SECRETS ‘THEY’ DON’T WANT US TO KNOW.” (All caps, because that’s how the muscly youtube hawkers yell at me while chugging whatever chalky-ass 8$ shake they are hawking.)
So, thank you Christie Harrison, for following the money in these wellness fads, and giving me permission to opt out of Juice Cleanses, Fasting, going gluten-free, etc. I honestly feel a little lighter, and more confident in following my intuition in what I eat and how I move my body.
Mostly irrelevant Side note: Anti-Vax nonsense (thanks to spokesmodel Jenny Macarthy) was kicking up when I was pregnant and I asked my dad* his opinion of childhood vaccine recommendations (*MD specializing in general practice/geriatrics). His answer was, “Remember how you hung out in graveyards as a goth teenager? And you would notice tombstones of an entire family, maybe 12 people, who all died within weeks of each other? Well, that was before vaccines were invented.” I bet you can guess which decision we made for our daughter. And what decisions we have been making since.
One of the things I appreciate most in retrospect is that I feel so much more relaxed about not “researching” health topics all of the time on the internet. In popular culture/social media at the moment, this seems to be pushed as being of supreme and urgent importance. I’m vegetarian for ethical/squeamish/preference reasons, but my food rules mostly end there. I have friends evangelizing about gluten free diets, eliminating foods that “cause inflammation”, and intermittent fasting. Oh, and how beans are so toxic with leptins or somesuch? Anyhoo. This book seems to have mentally given me a “get out of jail free card”, that I can ignore all of that, politely decline even considering those restrictive options, and feel confident that I’m not “MISSING OUT ON SECRETS ‘THEY’ DON’T WANT US TO KNOW.” (All caps, because that’s how the muscly youtube hawkers yell at me while chugging whatever chalky-ass 8$ shake they are hawking.)
So, thank you Christie Harrison, for following the money in these wellness fads, and giving me permission to opt out of Juice Cleanses, Fasting, going gluten-free, etc. I honestly feel a little lighter, and more confident in following my intuition in what I eat and how I move my body.
Mostly irrelevant Side note: Anti-Vax nonsense (thanks to spokesmodel Jenny Macarthy) was kicking up when I was pregnant and I asked my dad* his opinion of childhood vaccine recommendations (*MD specializing in general practice/geriatrics). His answer was, “Remember how you hung out in graveyards as a goth teenager? And you would notice tombstones of an entire family, maybe 12 people, who all died within weeks of each other? Well, that was before vaccines were invented.” I bet you can guess which decision we made for our daughter. And what decisions we have been making since.
I have mixed feelings on this book, although overall I’m glad I read it. I have a more critical lens through which to look at “wellness culture”.
I thought the book was a bit too far reaching and trying to cover too many topics, and most concerning, there were some doctors who have very well researched evidence that they have shared through books, etc. that she criticized, but I still didn’t see exactly what she was criticizing. (for example criticizing Esselstyn, who is well renowned for his well researched, approaches to health and diet).
this was actually a bit disappointing after how much I enjoyed anti-diet. as other reviewers have said, I continue to have mixed feelings. I really agree with the messages of body respect, and food freedom. I feel like she was way overgeneralizing in this book. there are many paths to wellness.
I thought the book was a bit too far reaching and trying to cover too many topics, and most concerning, there were some doctors who have very well researched evidence that they have shared through books, etc. that she criticized, but I still didn’t see exactly what she was criticizing. (for example criticizing Esselstyn, who is well renowned for his well researched, approaches to health and diet).
this was actually a bit disappointing after how much I enjoyed anti-diet. as other reviewers have said, I continue to have mixed feelings. I really agree with the messages of body respect, and food freedom. I feel like she was way overgeneralizing in this book. there are many paths to wellness.
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Concise, informative, compassionate.
At times hard to read because there is so much disinformation that I had no idea was so entrenched in our culture. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed her reading.
At times hard to read because there is so much disinformation that I had no idea was so entrenched in our culture. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed her reading.
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Medical trauma
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Cancer, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Sexism
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced