Book Review Wednesday: The Gospel of Wellness by Rina Raphael

 I've always been a wellness girlie; I love the idea of a blissfully peaceful and well life; I love workout trends, mental health solutions, and everything that comes with a wellness lifestyle.

Because of that fascination, when I heard of the book "The Gospel of Wellness" I was intrigued. Written by a journalist who has reported on wellness trends in the past, it's like a first hand account of how the wellness industry came to be and has evolved over time.

I was thinking about buying this book but then I saw on the Libby app that it was available to borrow from the library so I took out the loan and read the book within a few days. It was so interesting, so enlightening and I really enjoyed reading it. Will I be unsubscribing from the wellness game? No I won't but I can appreciate more insight into it's origins.

Publisher's Summary

Journalist Rina Raphael looks at 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.

Wellness promises women the one thing they desperately desire: control.

Women are pursuing their health like never before. Whether it’s juicing, biohacking, clutching crystals, or sipping collagen, today there is something for everyone, as the wellness industry has grown from modest roots into a $4.4 trillion entity and a full-blown movement promising health and vitality in the most fashionable package. But why suddenly are we all feeling so unwell?

The truth is that deep within the underbelly of self-care―hidden beneath layers of clever marketing―wellness beckons with a far stronger, more seductive message than health alone. It promises women the one thing they desperately desire: control.

Vividly told and deeply reported, The Gospel of Wellness reveals how this obsession is a direct result of women feeling dismissed, mistreated, and overburdened. Women are told they can manage the chaos ruling their life by following a laid-out plan: eat right, exercise, meditate, then buy or do all this stuff. And while wellness may have sprung from good intentions, we are now relentlessly flooded with exploitative offerings, questionable ideas, and a mounting pressure to stay devoted to the divine doctrine of wellness. What happens when the cure becomes as bad as the disease?

With a critical eye, humor, and empathy, wellness industry journalist Rina Raphael examines how women have been led down a kale-covered path promising nothing short of salvation. She knows: Raphael was once a disciple herself―trying everything from “clean eating” to electric shock workouts―until her own awakening to the troubling consequences. Balancing the good with the bad, The Gospel of Wellness is a clear-eyed exploration of what wellness can actually offer us, knocking down the false idols and commandments that have taken hold and ultimately showing how we might shape a better future for the movement―and for our well-being.

My Thoughts

There's something so chic about this book and maybe that's just my crazy mind but I love reading from a journalist's POV and wellness is something so interesting to me so I was in heaven. It felt very 'that girl' and I enjoyed it.

The Gospel of Wellness touched on so many aspects of why we turn to wellness and how the industries have taken advantage of us. Wellness companies take on similar vibes to cults and religions... and that's been spoken about before. It's really crazy how you could get sucked into the realm of these companies and can live and breath by their ethos. 

The book takes you on a ride of the entire industry; from the beginnings, to social media, to influencers and where we're at now in time, post-pandemic. 

As a whole, wellness companies have capitalized on women's need for control, for self-care, for something to make us feel better. Instead of giving us the tools to change our lives and make them better, they're giving us products and false hope of a better future. 

As I said before, I don't think this will change much of the way I consume wellness because I really do enjoy it and I feel as if it does enrich my life more than it has a negative effect on it. However, I do think that this is a book all women who consume wellness content should read. It was extremely well researched, well written and I felt like I was talking to a friend. 

Rina Raphael's voice was kind, friendly and conversational yet you knew that she had a strong understanding and knowledge of what she was talking about.

If you love nonfiction and you love wellness, you will really enjoy The Gospel of Wellness.

xoxo
B