As if it wasn’t hard enough being a woman already, now the world is full of ‘lifestyle brands’ and ‘alternative wellness practices’ that lure you in with the promise of making you into a better you

They then confuse you, take your money, and, more often than not, leave you with a yeast infection.

By the time you wake up, broke and in need of real medical attention, it’s too late.

The ‘lure-confuse-steal’ method of marketing seems to be the foundation of Gwyneth Paltrow’s ridiculous collection of jade eggs and hangover stickers, all of which fall under the lifestyle brand ‘Goop’.

The high-end nature of the brand, and the hefty price tag, have, for the most part, kept these dangerous objects out of the hands of most people.

Then she decided to give reality TV a go.

The Goop Lab, has been described as “part-wellness dialogue, part Fear Factor for people with more money”, and it’s fast gaining a following on Netflix.

Thankfully, sanity prevails in the medical sciences, and NHS chief executive Simon Stevens has stepped in to warn the general public.

Per the BBC:

“Goop has just popped up with a new TV series, in which Gwyneth Paltrow and her team test vampire facials and back a body worker, who claims to cure both acute psychological trauma and side-effects by simply moving his hands two inches above a customer’s body,” the NHS boss said.

“Her brand peddles psychic vampire repellent, says chemical sunscreen is a bad idea, and promotes colonic irrigation and DIY coffee enema machines, despite them carrying considerable risks to health.”

He goes on to liken the show to the fake news and misinformation that has become such an intrinsic part of the internet of late.

“While fake news used to travel by word of mouth, and later the Caxton press, we all know that lies and misinformation can now be round the world at the touch of a button – before the truth has reached for its socks, never mind got its boots on,” said Mr Stevens.

“Myths and misinformation have been put on steroids by the availability of misleading claims online.

“While the term ‘fake news’ makes most people think about politics, people’s natural concern for their health, and particularly about that of their loved ones, makes this particularly fertile ground for quacks, charlatans and cranks,” he added.

A spokesperson for Goop says that the show is “transparent” when it covers “emerging topics that may be unsupported by science or may be in early stages of review”.

At the end of the day, what you do and don’t believe is up to you. Likewise, for what you choose to watch on television.

Just remember that keeping an open mind goes both ways.

Don’t let Gwyneth’s drive to grow her $250 million business, get in the way of your personal health and safety.

And, as always, don’t use those jade eggs. Never use the jade eggs.

[source:bbc]