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People find social media has a quick fix for any health or wellness issue. Many who jump on a trend end up overwhelmed, or worse, hospitalized. Also known as “maxxing,” extreme self-improvement trends net millions of online views. Experts at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center are stepping in to help patients separate dangerous hype from actual harm.
In this story, you will meet a woman who has tried trendy tricks to look and feel better. Now, she’s checking with Dr. Alison MacKinlay, a family and lifestyle medicine physician, to make sure there’s medical evidence behind the claims, and breaking through the online noise to enjoy her better health. Dr. MacKinlay shares solid advice to consider before jumping into an online trend. And she warns that constant exposure to unregulated health trends may be bad for your physical health and fuel long-term mental health challenges, including body dysmorphia and eating disorders.
