hey hey, barrebabes!

i hope this finds you healthy and well. today i have for you a few words about my take on "wellness," whatever the heck that actually means. happy reading!

i wanna be well

but i have some beef with the fitness and wellness industry, of which i am a part. it's a multi-billion dollar industry that seems to mostly consist of a lot of pretty and often quite white & privileged people telling others how to "live better" (yup, also me).

while there are plenty of well-meaning and knowledgable practitioners out there (me again), i see a lot of selling of snake oil, guru culture and charlatanism out there, so i offer to you a few tips/cautions that have served me in my own quests for "wellness," which, when you think about it, is a bougie, vague, catch-all term for everything you can buy that signals virtue, from dangerous detoxes to super cray eating & exercise regimens to very expensive supplements and skin care products. i'm a sucker for better living through internet holistic health, too, so i thought i'd share how i filter the onslaught of my instagram advertisements:

- know the difference between a health issue prevention strategy and a preventative health practice. especially know the difference between a public health issue and a preventative health practice. what i mean is, i might exercise a lot, fast occasionally, drink warm ginger tea and take vitamin D, all of which will help protect me from chronic disease, but these things won't help me not get sick with a disease like covid (or malaria, which i've totally had and it super sucks). while i don't run for a pill every time something hurts and rarely go to the doctor, vaccines and antibiotics save lives. medicating ailments that can be alleviated through lifestyle adjustments is a totally different issue!
- become familiar with the term "scope of practice" as it relates to credentials. be suspicious of those acting outside their scope. doctors do the diagnosing and prescribing. it's their job. i create & lead the awesome workouts, show you tools to connect you to your body, and refer you to appropriate practitioners as needed. that's my job.
- understand that doctors are humans with high level degrees. just because someone is a doctor doesn't mean they know everything, or even very much, about you/what you should be eating/how you should be moving. on the other hand, they are people who have learned a lot about the human body and probably have a more informed opinion than your average instagram yoga babe. the point is, listen to your body and intuition over anyone you meet on the internet!
- most people giving you advice about diet, exercise, etc. are just sharing what has worked for them. and just because someone looks the part doesn't mean they know jack about how to change your body. be wary of quick fixes, gurus and programs that seem too good to be true. take only what resonates with you and forget the rest. don't give your power away to anyone - you don't truly need their validation.

thanks for reading, babes, and for sharing your energies with me in all your ways. you are beautiful and awesome and i can't wait to move with you again!
with love & planks,
annie