As an alcoholic in long-term recovery, this kind of thing drives me out of my fucking mind. And it’s not just stereotypical hard drinkers who are vulnerable to this kind of chicanery--“wine moms” and GOOP acolytes and other gray-area drinkers are also sitting ducks for the message that so-called herbal detoxes can make excessive alcohol consumption just another part of their “wellness lifestyle.” I’m no dummy, and I’m a naturally skeptical person on top of that, and I was still more than willing to be convinced this kind of thing could protect my health, which also meant I suffered the emotional and psychological effects of addiction for years longer than I would have if I’d been jolted into sobriety by the hard scientific truth. The harm of this kind of messaging is so insidious and so widespread. (And yes, I will be hitting that FDA link!)
There is even a "cure" that is talked about in lifestyle community and weightlifting community about a magical bag of IV supplements that you inject into your body to reverse the negative effects of all the alcohol you just binged on the night before. *eye roll* Dr. Jen, I absolutely love, these articles! My brain loves you.
I sent this to a colleague (my successor) working in clinical research. Some of the study participants are into health fads, and some of the study participants have liver disease...
As an alcoholic in long-term recovery, this kind of thing drives me out of my fucking mind. And it’s not just stereotypical hard drinkers who are vulnerable to this kind of chicanery--“wine moms” and GOOP acolytes and other gray-area drinkers are also sitting ducks for the message that so-called herbal detoxes can make excessive alcohol consumption just another part of their “wellness lifestyle.” I’m no dummy, and I’m a naturally skeptical person on top of that, and I was still more than willing to be convinced this kind of thing could protect my health, which also meant I suffered the emotional and psychological effects of addiction for years longer than I would have if I’d been jolted into sobriety by the hard scientific truth. The harm of this kind of messaging is so insidious and so widespread. (And yes, I will be hitting that FDA link!)
There is even a "cure" that is talked about in lifestyle community and weightlifting community about a magical bag of IV supplements that you inject into your body to reverse the negative effects of all the alcohol you just binged on the night before. *eye roll* Dr. Jen, I absolutely love, these articles! My brain loves you.
I sent this to a colleague (my successor) working in clinical research. Some of the study participants are into health fads, and some of the study participants have liver disease...