Scammed Wellness

Liver King, formally known as Brian Johnson is now an infamous health and wellness influencer who struck fame in mid 2020 with his outlandish, viral videos of eating raw liver and other meats. He has made it his life purpose to spread his nine ancestral tenants and encourage everyone to eat raw meat, just like our ancestors did. What he doesn't want you to know is that his muscular physique co...

Hello, Scammed Wellness is back and celebrating one whole year. On this week's episode your host, Curissa Groll, dives into her own personal experience with being scammed in the wellness industry, her time in a wellness MLM, and her path to becoming a dietitian. Which ultimately led her to create Scammed Wellness. This is an episode you're not going to want to miss! If you'd like to he...

In this week's episode we talk about how hair care fits into wellness, the parallels between "clean" ingredients in food and cosmetics, the current Olaplex lawsuit, and much, much more. On February 9th, 2023 a class action lawsuit was filled towards Olalplex where 28 women claimed that the products left them with severely damaged hair. We then dive further into how companies need to be more transp...

Disclaimer: The information provided in today’s episode is not intended nor should be used for diagnosing or treating a health condition or disease, and if you’re seeking personal medical advice you should consult with a board certified physician. In today's episode we discuss the rainbow diet pill, also referred to as the perfect drug cocktail that famous Hollywood movie stars, like Debbie Reynol...

Happy New Year! This week’s episode dives into the mystery regarding diet pills as we take a closer look at one shady ingredient, ephedra. This time of year the wellness industry is working harder than ever to make us feel insecure. I also discuss an evidence-based tool you can use when building your new year's resolutions, goals, or whatever you want to name them. If you or anyone you know is str...

MSG is a popular food enhancer that is responsible for giving food an umami flavor- one of the five tastes humans have. MSG was is found in many foods found in nature like meat, cheese, and vegetables. MSG is has been used in some processed foods and in popular chain restaurants like KFC. But for some people MSG can cause allergy like symptoms. For many years Asian food, specifically Chinese food...

Essential oils have been around for centuries. The only difference now is they are manufactured on a larger scale. Touted for their broad abilities and DIY home remedies. From aiding a stomachache, removing toe fungus, and curing cancer. However, the science isn't matching up to the claims, and worse the idea to capitalize on essential oils has led to some pretty risky business moves and corruptio...

What if you could take a pill that reversed aging? Well, David Sinclair, a biologist and Harvard genetics professor, had high hopes when he discovered resveratrol, a molecule found in grapes could help reverse the effects of aging like inflammation and cell growth. He claimed one day there would be a pill people could take that would solve all of our aging problems. The media had a field day...

Jillian Epperly was not a biochemist or a medical doctor. Jillian didn't even have a background in human physiology or health, but what she did have was an idea and way to promote her idea. Jillian created the detox drink known as Jilly Juice which consists of pureed cabbage, kale, water, and a lot of salt, which she claimed could cure a list of diseases and conditions. From cancer to homosexualit...

James Arthur Ray was a popular self-help guru in the early 2000s. Appearing on talks shows like Oprah and being in a popular documentary called The Secret, James’ career took off, along with his ego. In 2009 James leads a sweat lodge ceremony that ends in three deaths. In this weeks episode we break down the self-help side of wellness along with the culture appropriation that the wellness industry...

The supplement industry is another billion dollar market that’s entwined in the wellness industry. Body builders, professional athletes, to the every day person probably uses supplements. It’s even reported that half of the U.S. population is taking some type of supplement— see the end for sources. Supplements have their place, but are not a substitute for food. They’re also not regulated by the F...

Belle Gibson was one of the first mega influencers in 2013. Belle launched an app called, The Whole Pantry where she falsely claimed her recipes cured her cancer. In 2015 Belle was exposed for never having any of the cancers she claimed, and soon her empire crumbled. Listen to find out why you should always be cautious when it comes to wellness influencers. For more insight check out the links bel...