The Wellness Industry
This is FRESH AIR. I'm Tonya Mosley. Today, we are diving into the trillion-dollar machine that is the wellness industry. From what we eat and how we sleep
to how we age, move and think, wellness promises to optimize every corner of our lives. Writer Amy Larocca asks what's really behind all the promises of
this industry in her
new book, "How To Be Well: Navigating Our Self-care Epidemic, One Dubious Cure At A Time." In it, she dives into detoxes, colonics,
infrared wraps, sweat lodges, wellness apps and supplements to figure out what is real and what's really just good marketing. What she uncovers isn't
just a collection of trends but a vast and revealing system shaped by our beliefs about health, status, gender and worth. She's asking, who does this
culture of wellness really serve? Who does it leave behind? And why, even when we see through the sales pitch, we still buy in.
The Harding Prize
Just announced: The 2024 Harding Prize for Trustworthy Communication. 'Is snake meat the solution to
global demand for a high-protein but environmentally sustainable diet? Is stem cell therapy about to cure Parkinson's? This year's Harding Prize winners
cut through the hype and showed that we can be excited and genuinely inspired by scientific innovations without raising false hopes or making overblown
promises of what they will deliver.'
Measles in the US
From Science Vs: 'Measles is spreading
in the U.S., with hundreds of cases across more than 20 states. And tons of people online are arguing over how we should feel about it. Some say this is bad
because measles is SO contagious — and not enough people get the vaccine. But others say that measles isn't such a big deal, so why are we freaking out??
Didn't basically everyone get this virus back in the day and live to tell the tale? So we’ll find out — what is measles doing to our body (and our brain)?
And how can we stop this outbreak ... and possibly rid the world of measles. We hear from New Scientist reporter Grace Wade, Prof. Peter Kasson,
Dr. Meru Sheel and Dr. Katherine Gibney'. Free audio recording.
UFOs and the Vatican
'The Vatican should finally reveal the truth about alleged links between UFOs and the church, a
top UFO lobbyist has urged. Steve Bassett, executive director of the Paradigm Research Group, said the "truth is coming" - but it might not be the next Pope
who releases any bombshell files....'
Online Psychics in the US
'The U.S. online psychic reading market is experiencing significant growth, driven by advancements in
technology, evolving consumer preferences, and the increasing acceptance of alternative forms of spirituality. With a projected market value of USD 338 million by 2024,
the industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9% from 2024 to 2031, reaching USD 521 million by the end of the forecast period. This
growth is being propelled by a combination of emerging digital platforms, AI-powered tools, and an evolving consumer base seeking personalized and accessible psychic
services.'
Final QED
'After fifteen years of running the UK's largest celebration of science, reason and critical thinking, 2025 will see
the final QED conference. As organisers of QED, it has been our pleasure and our privilege to share in those memories. And while the curtain may be coming down,
we hope you'll join us one last time as we take over the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel for the weekend of October 25th-26th, with a free Skepticamp event on
Friday 24th October. Tickets will go on sale from 3pm UK time on May 6th, 2025.'
Placebo for Premenstrual Syndrome
A clinical trial found that open-label placebo provided with a treatment
rationale was an effective, safe, and acceptable treatment for premenstrual syndrome. 'By analysing survey data from the participants' final menstrual cycle,
the team found that those who took placebos without an explanation saw a 50 per cent reduction, on average, in the intensity of their PMS symptoms, compared with
what they reported before they took the pills. These symptoms were also half as disruptive to their lives. Those who took a placebo with an explanation reported an
even greater reduction of 79 per cent in the intensity of their symptoms and 83 per cent less disruption to their lives.'
More about Trump and Science
'75% of US Scientists who Answered Nature poll Consider Leaving:
The massive changes in US research brought about by the new administration of President Donald Trump are causing many scientists in the country to rethink
their lives and careers. More than 1,200 scientists who responded to a Nature poll — three-quarters of the total respondents — are considering leaving the
United States following the disruptions prompted by Trump. Europe and Canada were among the top choices for relocation.’ (We should welcome them with open arms—Ed.)'
Trump and Science
'Donald Trump, since his return to the White House, has upended the long-standing bipartisan consensus that the government should
fund scientific research and then mostly stay out of the way. His Administration has paused communications from health agencies, wiped data from their websites,
fired hundreds of government scientists, and proposed slashing the budget of the National Science Foundation by two-thirds.'
'Diagnosis Creep'
'Following Suzanne O'Sullivan's The Age of Diagnosis: Sickness, Health and Why Medicine Has Gone Too Far, we have another book just published on the same
theme: Searching for Normal: A New Approach to Understanding Mental Health, Distress and Neurodiversity by Sami Timimi (reviewed on March 16 in the Sunday Times).
And now the politicians have become involved. ' Health Secretary Wes Streeting has claimed doctors are
"overdiagnosing" mental health conditions. Speaking to the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Mr Streeting said the welfare system had to be "sustainable",
as he defended the government's forthcoming reforms aimed at cutting the benefits bill.'
Measles in Texas
'As a measles outbreak spreads across West Texas, Dr. Ana Montanez is fighting an uphill battle to convince some parents that vitamin A, touted by vaccine
critics as effective against the highly contagious virus, will not protect their children. … One mother, she said, told her she was giving her two children
high doses of vitamin A to ward off measles, based on an article posted by Children's Health Defense, the anti-vaccine group led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
nearly a decade before he became President Donald Trump's top health official.'
Vaccination
'If you're thinking about writing a thriller featuring an evil scientist, might I suggest selecting Andrew Wakefield as the central antagonist.
Few individuals in the history of biomedicine have done as much harm to public health. From my perspective, there seems little doubt that his
deceitful research and twisted advocacy have been a driving force behind the growth of the modern
anti-vaccine movement and the rise in outbreaks of infectious diseases, including measles-which kills almost 150,000 people every year, mostly children.
Following the advent of this anti-vaccine rhetoric, and no doubt thanks to its legacy, those numbers are rising.'
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