How to Spot Bad Health Advice on Social Media
Health and wellness tips are all over social media, but should you follow the advice you see?
If you spend any time at all scrolling through TikTok, Instagram, YouTube or other social media platforms, it’s more than likely that you’ve seen some type of health, wellness or self-care advice being shared. With so much advice swirling around these days, it can be hard to separate the good from the bad.
Some advice may be harmless. You may see influencers sharing inspiring meals to whip up for dinner or motivating videos that encourage you to move more. If what you see makes you feel good or spurs you to take better care of yourself, there’s not much to worry about.
What you should be wary of, however, is people who make physical or mental health claims who aren’t qualified to do so or who do so with an ulterior motive. Some people push specific supplements without having a background in nutrition, may promote exercise habits that are extreme or suggest ways to improve your mental health that are not backed by real evidence (or that ultimately make you feel worse).