The danger of Instagram #FadDiets

The new year is here, and in a bid to make 2021 better than 2020 – which will not be that hard – many of us will look to be healthier, happier, and more in control of our lives.

In fact, 30% of UK adults have set themselves a health-based resolution to start the year, rising to 43% of millennials and 48% of Gen Z.

To kickstart this push, 23% have said they will take part in a detox or cleanse to remove toxins, lose weight, and promote health this month, spending an average of £48 on the various products and courses. 

This is the latest trend which is taking social media by a storm – succeeding Dry January of which only 4% of us will be taking part in this year.

But is it really the right approach to be taking? The Mac Twins, Lisa and Alana, do not think so. After falling foul to trends in the past, they are calling out the privileged andinsta-obsessed detox and restrictive diet culture, plaguing the health and weight loss world and resulting in many overspending and wasting money on so-called miracle ingredients such as snake oil.

Together, with a community of scientists, academics, dieticians, nutritionists, and foodies the world-over, they are challenging these harmful trends and encouraging people to put gut health first in a bid to improve overall health and wellbeing. 

They launched their venture, The Gut Stuff, back in 2017 after taking part in a groundbreaking study which indicated that, despite the fact their DNA was identical, they shared only 30% of the same bacteria in their gut. 

They now know that health is not just what or how much we eat, but that the whole community of microbes living in our guts also play a crucial role – fad diets, ‘detoxes’ simply don’t work as we are all so unique. 

Ros spoke to Lisa and Alana:

Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash