'It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle.'
You've probably heard this phrase from any number of people and companies in the wellness space to distance themselves from what has become a four-letter word.
But, as Christy Harrison, author of the revolutionary book Anti-Diet, will reveal in her latest book, the wellness industry is simply the modern guise of diet culture.
In this new age of wellness, many famous figures have cashed in on the same underpinnings of diet culture that disproportionately harm women and people of colour and are often derived from the cultural traditions of Indigenous peoples, and ultimately don't actually promote health. The Wellness Trap goes beyond demystifying what's wrong with the wellness world and delves into the persistent, systemic problems of the industry and especially its effects on marginalized populations and the social determinants of health. As we experience a growing amount of physical and mental-health trauma, society has become increasingly vulnerable to bogus ideas about health for which conventional medicine lacks satisfying treatments.
Weaving together history, memoir, reporting, and practical advice with a deft hand, Harrison leads the way in a radical re-thinking of wellness and provides a vision - and a roadmap - to create a truly health-promoting society.
Praise for The Wellness Trap:
'Before you start your next diet, supplement, or wellness practice, read this book!'
-Judith Matz, LCSW, author of The Diet Survivor's Handbook
'Wellness seems like a great goal - who doesn't want to be well, right? But after reading The Wellness Trap, you'll see how it is used to distort science and make false promises. With nuance and compassion, Christy deconstructs the history of the idea and shows us how to be well, without being manipulated.'
-Alan Levinovitz, author of Natural
'In this remarkable book, Christy Harrison blows the lid off the wellness industry and exposes its flaws, untruths, and toxicity. This book is a life-changer!'
-Elyse Resch, MS, RDN, CEDS-S, Co-author of Intuitive Eating
'Harrison's work is a gift and I am so grateful to have this on my bookshelf.'
-Virginia Sole-Smith, author of Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture
