Gwyneth Paltrow strikes again. Each time the self-proclaimed queen of wellness dips her toes back into the limelight to share what she considers to be a helpful dosage of nutrition wisdom, we’re reminded of the fact that what she’s really doing is promoting a highly toxic and dangerous lifestyle—one that thrives upon the body insecurities of young women everywhere.

In a recent episode of Dr. Will Cole’s podcast The Art Of Being Well, Paltrow spilled the details regarding her daily eating habits and wellness routines. The 50-year-old also completed the interview while having an IV drip attached to her arm, something she says makes her feel “so good.”

The actress first detailed that she often fasts intermittently, which is also why at around 12 pm, she will just drink coffee so that it “doesn’t spike [her] blood sugar.” Paltrow also divulged that for lunch she’ll often have “bone broth” which is a stock or liquid made up from boiling animal bones and tissue.

While the Goop founder noted that she’d have it for lunch, bone broth is customarily only used as part of sauces or gravies and, you guessed it, comes with a very low calorie count. Then, for dinner, Paltrow stated that she tries and eats “paleo” and so will stick to a vegetable-heavy dinner to “support [her] detox.”

@dearmedia

#gwynethpaltrow shares her daily wellness routine on The Art Of Being Well, listen now 🎧 #wellnessroutine #healthandwellness #healthylifestyle #routines #goop #podcastclips

♬ Aesthetic - Tollan Kim

Moreover, the ultimate nepotism baby noted that throughout the day, she’ll prioritise spending one hour focusing on body movement, which she’ll then follow with a 30-minute sauna session, again re-emphasising how these actions are in-line with her “detox.”

While Paltrow’s strict dedication to all things wellness is nothing new, netizens were definitely shocked at the actress’ frankness regarding her highly limited daily food intake. One dietician took to TikTok to share their concerns with the recent podcast, noting in the caption: “So much diet culture in this ‘wellness routine’. I worry about how many people will follow this.”

@kim_nutrition

#duet with @dearmedia #gwynethpaltrow So much diet culture in this ‘wellness routine’. I worry about how many people will follow this. Please remember to eat regulalry over the day and enjoy all foods as part of a balanced diet xx #dietculture #wellness #dietitian

♬ Aesthetic - Tollan Kim

Another industry professional reiterated this point, captioning her video: “This isn’t wellness, this is disordered. This is not enough food.”

@feelgooddietitian

#duet with @dearmedia #gwynethpaltrow this isnt #wellness this is DISORDERED. THIS IS NOT ENOUGH FOOD especially for someone that is 5’9” Please stop following and listening to celebrities for your health and wellness advice. #disorderedeating #disorderedbehaviour #orthorexia #intuitiveeating #foodfreedom

♬ Aesthetic - Tollan Kim

The wellness industry can be a highly toxic place, and more so now than ever. We’ve seen an uptake in heroine chic and the concept of thin culture reemerging in 2023. So, when celebrities such as Paltrow are given a platform to spread these kinds of highly dangerous messaging, we’re simply reminded of the fact that fatphobia is still rife, and we’re taking enormous leaps backwards in regard to the body acceptance movement.

Masquerading as a solution to achy joints, lack of flexibility, and sore stomachs—the wellness industry hinges its success on selling cures to our problems, while simultaneously getting us addicted to tactics and strategies that will ultimately result in us starving ourselves.

It should be noted that Goop, Paltrow’s official launch into the wellness industry, has also been at the helm of a number of controversies. And no, we’re not talking about the vagina-scented candle—which, if anything, was more of a feminist statement than a table piece, and was also far less offensive than Kourtney Kardashian’s recent probiotic pills which promised to make your vagina smell like a sweet treat.

Although, we should mention that Paltrow has repeatedly encouraged women to “steam” their vaginas every once in a while in order to promote the rebalancing of the female hormones. Sounds like another bogus trend to me.

What’s really of note is the company’s blatant disregard for anyone’s wallets. In 2019, it was revealed that Goop’s London wellness summit had not only cost attendees over $1,000, but that it had also been a complete rip off, stuffed to the brim with extortionate add-ons and slightly lacklustre activities. One attendee told Page Six at the time that Paltrow was a “f*cking extortionist.”

Ultimately, the questionable nature and price tag of the Goop lifestyle is an obstacle that’ll never really go away. As long as celebrities are platformed for their supposed wisdom and bank accounts, there’ll be a willing audience ready to spend their savings.

However, the issues surrounding Paltrow’s irresponsible pedalling of unattainable, unrealistic and downright unhealthy lifestyles is something we shouldn’t let slide. Do we really want to let all of the work that’s been done fighting against these mindsets go to waste, all in the name of ‘wellness’?

Evidently on a mission to become the next business mogul of the family, Kourtney Kardashian Barker has launched her very own lifestyle brand Lemme. Following the reality star’s recent highly controversial collaboration with one of the world’s most devious fast fashion culprits Boohoo, it seems as though Kardashian Barker is now on a mission to relaunch herself as a key player within the wellness industry.

According to the company’s website, Lemme is a line of “vitamin and botanical supplements” which use “clinically-backed ingredients and formulations” to help individuals “live [their] best life.” If we’re being completely honest with ourselves, it sounds like every other vitamin and probiotic gummy brand out there—it could’ve practically been copied and pasted from the Goop website.

Some of the products on Kardashian Barker’s site include a debloat digestive, focus concentration gummy and an organic flower elixir that the team have somehow managed to brand as a glorified love potion. All I know is that if I purchase the ‘Lemme Fall In Love’ elixir for $25 and don’t have a date by Valentine’s Day, I’m going to be leaving a scathing review online.

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A post shared by Kourtney Kardashian Barker (@kourtneykardash)

While there’s a number of confusing and somewhat questionable products on Lemme, there’s one in particular that’s creating a pretty volatile stir online.

On 7 February 2023, a Reddit thread began making the rounds. The beginning line read: “Kourtney Kardashian is trying to sell you snake oil pills to turn your vagina into a ‘sweet treat’ at 30 bucks a bottle.”

Now, the product the user was referring to is called ‘Lemme Purr’. In an Instagram post promoting the gummies, Kardashian Barker writes: “Vaginal health is such an important part of a woman’s overall wellbeing (and not talked about enough) which is why we are so excited to launch this. Give your vagina the sweet treat it deserves (and turn it into a sweet treat).”

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A post shared by lemme (@lemme)

One of the main claims the Lemme founder makes is that the vitamin sweets can alter the taste of the vagina. Understandably, fans and people with vaginas were incredibly offended. It’s 2023, are we seriously still promoting the idea that women’s genitals need to have a floral odour? Smells like misogyny to me—pun intended.

Societal expectations and male standards surrounding how vaginas look and smell has been a serious source of insecurity and shame for women for decades.

One expert decided to make her feelings clear to the Lemme brand. Dr Jen Gunter, gynaecologist and author of myth-busting bestseller The Vagina Bible, called Kardashian Barker out on Instagram stating, “Anyone who suggests that your vagina isn’t fresh or needs an improved taste is a misogynist and awful person. And yes that includes you Kourtney Kardashian and your Lemme grift.”

Dr Gunter also disputes the belief that pineapples can affect the taste of your bodily fluids. Maddy Dann, 30-year-old A&E doctor told the BBC: “Every person with a vulva or vagina is going to have a different odour, it’s going to have a different scent, a different taste and a different amount of discharge.”

The expert continued: “And so what this product suggests is that every woman needs to have the same tasting, the same smelling, vagina or discharge—and that’s just not realistic.”

It’s perfectly possible for celebrities to create helpful wellness brands that support and champion us—while providing genuine avenues for pursuing a healthier lifestyle. So, why do they instead irresponsibly create products that profit off of our insecurities and subsequently uphold illogical and sexist physical expectations?