How to Navigate Health and Wellness Advice

Earlier this week I shared a blog post written by Jessi Haggerty, a Registered Dietitian, Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor, and Certified Personal Trainer. She shared her tips on interpreting and implementing health and diet advice. Feel free to read it directly here. I wanted to build on this concept, as I know how hard it can be to know who to trust and who has your best interest in mind.

Most of us find our information from the internet and through our trusted circle of friends, and family…who probably also at one point got their information from the internet too. With that said, there are a lot of self-proclaimed “experts” spewing their knowledge out to the world, most often without any formal education in the subjects. We can all speak from personal experiences, myself included, but at some point in time we need to recognize our scope of practice, if we have one at all, and refer people to educated professionals. Sometimes the people we look up to as “experts” are only viewed that way because they are the most knowledgeable within the group of people we are surrounded by.

As a personal trainer, I am not only training people in the physical sense, but I am often there to cheer them on and support them emotionally and mentally too. You end up wearing a lot of hats. I have a Kinesiology degree, have taken various in-person and online courses in a variety of exercise modalities as well as nutrition, and read plenty of business and personal development books, but I too don’t feel well versed enough in it all to refer to myself as an expert. There is never a subject that you can know and understand too much about.

I decided to compile a list of tips and tricks I use to navigate this crazy wellness world, as well as some go-to people I seek advice from. The best thing you can do is recognize and admit when you don’t know something and turn to someone else. 

My tips:

Ask yourself WHY. Why are you seeking and following a particular piece of advice? Why are you trying the latest superfood or wellness trend? If we stop and ask ourselves why, most times it is “because X person I follow on Instagram posted about it and they experienced positive results”. If we get to the root cause of why, hopefully we can make more informed, healthy decisions that will have long-lasting health benefits. When we ask why it can help us unpack any insecurities or struggles we have had in the past.

Someone else’s experience doesn’t equate to what yours will be. I often see influencers sharing their supplement regime or other experiences online, and say they were experiencing X, Y, and Z symptoms and now they feel better from taking this new supplement. When people watch it and can relate to even one symptom or concern they are quick to jump into trying it. We all have different needs and reactions to diets, supplements, and workouts. Just because it worked for someone else doesn’t necessarily mean it will be the best fit for you.

The number of Instagram followers someone has does NOT mean they are more experienced and educated in the topic. Having a well-followed IG account is a full-time job in and of itself! I find more people are worried about curating their accounts than they are with expanding their knowledge in what it is they actually do! Put the word “expert” in your social media bio and all of a sudden you someone we should all follow? I find influencers speak more from personal experience and gather the knowledge later on. It is not wrong, but it just makes me wary as to who I can truly trust for formal advice.

People I love to follow and/or seek advice from, and why:

Dr. Hilary Chambers: I met Dr. Hilary through a friend/client of mine who was one of her patients. We immediately clicked and I have been her patient for two years now! Hilary is extremely knowledgeable and educated, but breaks it down in a way that makes sense for the everyday person. She is science-based and relies on blood work to dictate the course of treatment. There is no guessing in her work. When we work together, the focus is on lifestyle habits, not extreme elimination and restriction and tons of supplements. She meets you where you are at so you experience success.

Alena Luciani: Alena is the owner of Training2XL. She has a Kin degree and was a varsity athlete too, so I think I naturally have gravitated towards her. She is extremely professional, knowledgeable, and genuine. Alena really is the real deal. IG and reality are one of the same. She empowers her clients to learn and educate themselves too and shares so many resources, in particular, on her Instagram stories for proper form. I have started to attend her classes in the city and love the community she has got!

Claire Yorston: Claire and I met through U of T briefly when I was teaching classes, but reconnected at an event Jessie Mundell (see below) was hosting in September 2019. After chatting at the event, I knew I needed to go back to pelvic floor physio and decided Claire is who I would see. Sometimes people are hesitant to seek out professional help from someone young, assuming they have less experience. Although the years on paper may not be many yet, Claire is by far one of the most thorough, in-depth physiotherapists I have ever seen. She knows her stuff and also provides so much education along with it. She empowers you to learn more about your own body and move pain-free. She works at The Clinic at Dovercourt and Bloor for those seeking out a physiotherapist.

Jessie Mundell: After injuring my pelvic 3.5 years ago I took a deep dive into all things pre- and post-natal fitness. I realized there was a huge gap in my knowledge in this. I was in my early twenties and hadn’t really been around many pregnant people in my classes to have had to understand how to adapt to the differing demands. Through my own healing process, I have become super passionate about sharing pelvic health for everyone not just moms. Jessie has been a huge source of education for me. She knows her stuff, keeps it real, and is so relatable. I had the pleasure of meeting her in person in September and she was everything I expected…because her IG and real-life personalities are the same!

Jessi Haggerty: I came across Jessi’s page on Instagram after someone shared one of her posts a few years ago. At that point, and honestly even now, learning about diet culture and the Health at Every Size movement is still something I am growing to understand. I have read the book, I am almost finished her online course (after starting it way too long ago!), and have since, followed more accounts on social media with similar views. Jessi has challenged my thinking and perception of clients’ bodies for the better and I am much more aware of my actions, reactions, and thoughts that go through my mind about someone else’s body when I work with them. These concepts have been new to me, but extremely beneficial in my own personal learning.

These are people who I look up to and seek advice from, but that does not always mean they will work right for your needs. Find your own circle of trusted health and wellness professionals that make sense for you. We are all individuals with different needs to be our best. It is all about awareness, education, and keeping an open mind when it comes to educating ourselves and learning new perspectives.

Yours in self-discovery,

Rachel