Rina Raphael
@rrrins
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Journalist, Editor, & Author of The Gospel of Wellness (Macmillan) / words for @nytimes @bw @latimes @fastcompany @nbcnews / Well To Do newsletter
Los Angeles, CA
Joined February 2009
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Yo, my feature on womyn’s lands is the lead Sunday Styles piece this weekend! Check it out online or in print:
Womyn’s lands, established in the 1960s as lesbian utopias, have failed to attract a new generation of members and are at risk of dying out, partly because of their virtues: They exist in remote, off-the-grid areas
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Warren Beatty is all of our fathers asked to pick up milk from the store, comes back with a live turkey
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As soon as shots fired on Dizengoff, everyone on the street ran towards--not from--the scene to help. Men jumped outta cars. Real courage.
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🧵I sound like a broken record, but I’ll say it again: wellness is treated like fashion in the media. It’s why you’ll often find it in style sections, or subject to gift guides, celebrity profiles, & fun anecdotal “I tried it!” essays. 1/6
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Goop's London store is closing. Not a surprise to those of us who have been tracking the fall of Gwynnie's empire. As I wrote for the LA Times:
Goop-ified wellness shows increasing signs of decay as shoppers, especially Gen Z, are more critical.
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"Science-washing" is a big problem in
#wellness
--and only getting bigger.
(Uh, have you noticed your local market bursting with "immunity boosting" sodas?)
My latest feature for the
@nytimes
, feat:
@CaulfieldTim
@KCKlatt
@crackedscience
@LabMuffin
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Some exciting news (during, uh, a weird time): I'M WRITING A BOOK! I just finalized my book deal with Holt (Macmillan Publishers) for The Gospel of Wellness, an exploration & critique of the wellness industry, its role in women's lives, and the forces that gave rise to it. (!!!)
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I spent several months earlier this year investigating "precision nutrition" microbiome company Viome and its colorful founder, only for both scientists and former employees to share some shocking revelations.
My latest feature:
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Humbled by Israelis' courage and strength as they all ran towards Dizengoff shooter. Not one person ran away. I stand amazed amidst sirens.
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My latest for
@nytimes
examines the scientists & medical professionals on the brink of burnout from debunking health myths on TikTok. feat:
@LabMuffin
@AustinChiangMD
@CaulfieldTim
& more.
Huge thanks to my excellent editors
@mwjohnso
&
@farahlearned
!
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If Linda Sarsour tweets one more “solidarity” statement ...
Last week there was silence from all these thinkers on the radical left about Farrakhan calling us termites. Now all of them come out to accuse Trump. If you didn’t unequivocally condemned Farrakhan, Sarsour and Mallory, don’t you dare accuse others of this tragedy.
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I wrote about why I, a woman who attended the first Women's March in DC, am appalled by what's become of the organization. Latest for
@FastCompany
:
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I wrote about reliable scientists, doctors, & science communicators fighting back against misinfo. It's really handy to follow folks like
@LabMuffin
@foodscibabe
& and more next time you hear some random health tidbit (or listen to most podcasts).
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Biohacking bro Dave Asprey now shilling for a quantum energy healing brand to protect against "harmful EMFs."
These little gold altars "improve body’s energetic system," help u "concentrate better," and better resist stress.
"I can't tell you exactly how this works."
I bet!
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I am excited to announce that my book is out today!
"The Gospel of Wellness" covers the explosion of the wellness industry: how it stems from legitimate complaints, how seductive marketing targets hopeful consumers, and why women are opening up their wallets like never before.
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Anyway, happy to have found an awesome editor who lets me pitch these kinds of freelance pieces. But I wish there were more.
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I got called out by
@CaulfieldTim
, learned my lesson, and tried to change (and wrote a book about it!). But most media doesn't want to change because there's just too much money in giving into these dumb, non-evidence-based trends. It's an endless stream of content. 4/6
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The Goop-ification that marked the last decade of wellness consumerism shows increasing signs of decay as shoppers, especially Gen Z, exhibit a more critical eye.
Latest for
@latimes
, feat:
@DBelardoMD
@iiiitsandrea
@Global_GWI
@TruthinAd
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I'm on an all ladies flight from LAX > DC. Lotta cheering, high-gives and sharing of snacks and mags. Women are the best!
#womensmarch
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Back in 2019, I was writing about how most mental health apps lack little, if any scientific backing. Surprised that four years later, there isn't more skepticism re: their cure-all claims.
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Not gonna lie: seeing your book featured in stores is a thrill. Very excited that the paperback release of The Gospel of Wellness is on display this week!
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Behind every great controversial man is a freaked-out Kardashian
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🧵 In a group text last night, a pal shared a recent ep. of The Huberman Lab (oof, a topic for another day!): "Optimizing Hormones for Females w/ Dr. Sara Gottfried" This guest reportedly said the patriarchy causes constipation in women, among other statements.
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“If I were an investor, I would go long on women” —
@the_wing
co-founder
@audreygelman
YUP
The Wing just raised another $75M, for a total of $117.5M in two years
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Kin Euphorics—the "functional" beverage line cofounded by model Bella Hadid—claims its ingredients "nourish" mind and body, "tune" your mood, "support" the immune system," help "long-term brain benefits," and "bring you back to your truest self." 🤔
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Rarely do reporters check with relevant experts (toxicologists, medical researchers, etc). It’s not pressed upon them to investigate wellness brands' health claims. It's why we're subject to exhausting trends that lose steam after 6 months. (No different than fad diets!) 2/6
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Also, interviewing naturopaths (who don't get to medical schools recognized by the scientific and medical community) and calling them "doctors" and "fertility experts" is pretty telling. Yeah, I'm not taking medical advice by those who push "detoxes".
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Every author matches their outfits to their book cover, correct?
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I’m often tempted to click on some ridiculous anti-Semitic
@jdforward
headline but then I remember it’ll only send me into a rage—and I can just read the general US news for that.
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New 📚alert! Just pre-ordered "Conspirituality: How New Age Conspiracy Theories Became a Health Threat" by
@derekberes
@matthewremski
&
@JulianMWalker
I was on the Conspiriuality pod this past fall and it's perhaps the ep. I get the most DMs about!
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What if we could detect the initial stages of breast cancer with something as simple as a breath test?
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Disappointing to see this LA Times "self-care" gift guide claiming health improvements without any scientific evidence that these products actually work.
cc:
@CaulfieldTim
What are some of the issues? A THREAD:
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And it's why some of us can't get hired by these outlets. Who wants a reporter who will poo poo useless supplements and every dumb "clean" trend? Wellness fear mongering + aspirational lifestyle sells. So it will stay. 5/6
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And now this entire flight is attempting to airdrop, row by row, our group photo from the capt.
#womensmarch
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“What is wrong in our current society that is making people flock to this industry? I wanted something that was empathetic and really got to why women are so drawn to wellness.”
Interview + book profile in The Times' Style magazine!
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If you can sell "wellness" to adults, you can sell it to kids.
Self-care Barbie is just tip of the iceberg. As I noted for the LA Times, there's toddler Peloton, tween crystal healing kits ... you name it.
Wellness culture gone wrong has come for kids:
Self-Care Barbie!
As hard-driving workout culture + (apparently) softer wellness culture converge, Barbie also changes with the times
But not *that* much, beyond the branding
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"She recalls how her son once attended a birthday party in which only children with parental permission slips or prior verbal consent could have soda."
Moms are dealing with next-level judgement about kids nutrition. Why is that? My latest for
@latimes
:
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Is HBO's “Not So Pretty” an eye-opening doc? Or another fear-mongering tool aimed at women? Let's just say there's a reason there was a lack of scientists and toxicologists ...
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And why your cabinet is filled to the brim with CBD creams, supplements, and "self-care" tools that don't work. Heck, even beverages! We went from bone broth > coconut water > green juice > kombucha > functional elixirs > chlorophyll water, and on and on and on. 3/6
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Glad I can check whether a source is reliable or not by simply searching their name along with my favorite experts. One search and I found that
@drjengunter
had flagged this doc for being a "shiller of supplements." So yeah, might wanna take her 💩 advice w/ a grain of salt.
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"We are all seeking meaning and purpose, and we all want to feel well – but our hyper-consumerist world is driving us both mad and into the arms of overnight gurus, keen to offer solutions in return for our card details."
Why ‘self care’ is gaslighting:
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And if you need some real scientific evidence, the "About Us" page has a handy cofounder astrology analysis.
I wonder if marketing teams are secretly howling with laughter when they put this stuff together.
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@jbenton
@TheMessenger
Fun fact: Our employee handbook states we're guaranteed a week and a half severance.
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I wrote about how the wellness industry has mostly ignored social support. Instead, it focused on the individual: self-soothing, self-optimization, and self-pampering. Me, myself, and my credit card were the answer.
That's slightly changing:
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There's so much sloppy health journalism today because many reporters 1) don't know how to read & evaluate studies 2) don't bother reaching out to experts who can 3) know that no one will call them out.
We can't even get 'em to check study limitations or conflict of interests.
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@GrimKim
@NellieBowles
LOL. Of course the Teen Vogue writer has an issue with this totally accurate description.
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Another DM feature on my book "The Gospel of The Wellness"! I get asked a lot about my book title, which is a bit tongue-in-cheek. So a🧵:
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The Atlantic profiled my book!
"The Gospel of Wellness argues that the industry has mushroomed in such a way because it’s filling a void that many people, and especially women, feel."
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I'm starting a health & wellness newsletter for
@FastCompany
! 🥑👟🤸🏼♂️Sign up!
.
@rrrins
is starting a newsletter! Suffer with her (without suffering) as she tries today's wildest wellness trends
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Scientists are criticizing a new Pediatrics report warning about GMO-based foods and urging parents to buy organic.
"It should be retracted," said one.
New Report Urging Parents to Buy Organic Could Hurt Americans’ Health: Experts
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Wellness travel is one of the fastest-growing tourism markets ($563 billion)
Exclusive: Equinox launches luxury travel retreats, starting with Morocco
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@jessicadefino_
“clinically tested / proven” is my pet peeve (tested by whom—the brand?), but also skincare = “self-care.” The wellness-fication of beauty has way too many vague, unregulated terms
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It seems as if the wellness industry operates a revolving door of new miracle additives, be it acai, adaptogenic mushrooms, or CBD. The cycle is further propelled by social media algorithms that reward the new, novel, and exciting.
My latest newsletter:
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Hi. I wrote about bullying my 76-year-old mom to stay indoors. (i.e., the psychology behind why baby boomers are defying health officials’ orders).
#coronavirus
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@millihill
@Always
This is wild. I’ve experienced instances of this with my writing in the last year, but never to this extent
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An excerpt from my book on the millennial allure of manifestation—and who is making a pretty profit on all that positive thinking 💰🔮💰
$2,000 workshops and ‘co-creating’ with the universe: inside the murky world of manifestation coaches.
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Oh, she's also way into "detoxes," "cleanses," and, uh, "hormone resetting" biohacking ice cream? Cool, cool.
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🚨 Jason Klop alert! In my investigation for Bloomberg Businessweek, I discovered that Viome recently pursued a FMT study with the controversial naturopath. (Ex-employees say they were shocked.)
cc:
@jonathanstea
@YoniFreedhoff
@center4inquiry
Link:
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Layoffs at Washington Post, Gannett, CNN ...
Two weeks ago I spoke at USC's School of Journalism on the state of health + wellness coverage. All these eager, excited students bursting with ideas + plans. 🧵1/4
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"Women who aren’t naturally organized often feel like failures." -
@v_solesmith
I write a lot about the pressures of perfectionism w/ health & wellness (I have a whole chapter on it my book!), but I love how Virginia tackles this issue in the home.
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Bloomberg Businessweek is on a roll these days. Last week, it was an in-depth analysis of WeightWatchers going all in on trendy obesity drugs. This week, the DailyHarvest meltdown.
Nice work
@daniellesacks
+ team!
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They responded that their items are sold in health food stores like Whole Foods and implied that those retailers research + "vet" their products for efficacy.
HAHAHA. Yup, sure, all 10,000 of 'em! Including the supplement aisle!
cc:
@LeahMcGrathRD
@CaulfieldTim
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@jennydeluxe
Pilates, stretching, foam rollers ... but honestly, finally accepting this is part of my life helped a lot. For so long, I'd torture myself about how to "fix" it and at a certain point you have to recognize your body won't always perform as you please.
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The Gospel of Wellness (out 9/20) made People magazine's Fall Must-Reads List! In this week's issue!
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The Beatles doc manages to be both boring and fascinating, peppered with awe-inspiring moments. It’s like visiting the Vatican.
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@joshrfeldman
I have accidentally called uber organic, “clean” eating moms “shtark” in their nutrition choices.
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Banned naturopath Jason Klop made headlines for his bizarro fecal transplants for autistic kids. That didn't stop "gut health" startup Viome from recruiting him for their autism study (much to ex-staffers shock). "Recruiting" as of last week.
Naturopath loses licence after selling fecal transplants for autistic kids b
@bethanylindsay
Great news! But more action needed.
"It requires different health regulating agencies in different countries to work with each other to really, really stop it."
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"Users have complained of their concealer developing rancid odors and causing skin irritations ... fueling further backlash against the brand and the clean beauty movement as a whole."
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If you haven’t heard from me lately, it’s because I’ve been busy finishing up my book! Just coming up for air to say The Gospel of Wellness is now available for pre-order! 🥑🧘🏻♀️💰
The author of 'The Gospel of Wellness' (Holt, Sept.) spoke with 'PW' about gender, the commodification of health, and America’s long history of snake oil salespeople.
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I love my US book cover, but the international editions of The Gospel of Wellness are not f'in around
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One of the wildest stories I’ve reported: “gut health” startup Viome.
This wellness company has everything: a controversial Silicon Valley tech titan, suspect science, bizarro 💩studies, banned naturopaths!
A poop-test startup says it holds the secret to preventing chronic diseases
But are its microbiome tests just wellness theater?
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I think I’ve recorded nearly 20 podcasts now for my book The Gospel of Wellness? Taping
@tabletmag
’s
@unorthodox_pod
was easily one of my faves! Ep 345: “Moving Mountains” went live last week! 🧘🏻♀️🔮🥑
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@jonathanstea
Some pseudoscientific journals would raise red flags from first glance ("alternative medicine" in title), but how can the average consumer judge the wide variety of journals as to whether poor or high quality? There are so many!
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@crackedscience
@ColleenDerkatch
@McGillOSS
@CaulfieldTim
Thanks
@crackedscience
! And yes, debunking works. Maybe not always, or all the time (and we certainly need to teach more critical thinking skills, pre-bunk, etc.) But worked on me (h/t
@CaulfieldTim
) and you should see my inbox of readers who are wisening up.
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Science-washing hogwash by "gut health" startup Viome (now available at CVS).
Pro-tip: If a brand promotes how they can "slow biological aging," they're probably selling pseudoscience.
In Bloomberg
@BW
, top scientists examine Viome's wild health claims:
✔️ Suppress harmful microbial activities in your gut and oral microbiome
✔️Strengthen gut lining and decrease risk of leaky gut
✔️Optimize your unique glycemic response to foods
✔️Slow biological aging by addressing activities contributing to inflammation throughout your body
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"Brilliantly and scientifically researched, this book is neither sanctimonious or overly cynical: Raphael is a fantastic guide through the many hidden traps awaiting women, in particular, who want to be well in a world that consistently fails us."
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My latest for
@NYTStyles
: How rent-a-grandkid startups are helping seniors feel less lonely right now
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I caved and bought
@getthemirror
and ... it’s my favorite thing ever? I feel so conflicted because after a month’s use I have to admit I’d never return to a brick-and-mortar studio—it’s just a far superior experience. And that bums me out for the industry
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