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 comes from the use of anabolic steroids and hormone injections, all while cashing in on his multiple million dollar supplement companies. In this episode we learn more about Liver King's past and how his impact sends a dangerous message to the wellness community.

Resources linked down below.

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/polar-bear#:~:text=A%20single%20polar%20bear%20liver,occurs%20at%20about%20300%2C000%20IU!

2. https://www.gq.com/story/in-the-court-of-the-liver-king-brian-johnson-ancestral-supplements

https://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/index.html

5. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-019-8004-6

6. https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/anabolic-steroids

7. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/atlas-athletes-training-learning-avoid-steroids#:~:text=Avoid%20Steroids)%20program.-,The%20ATLAS%20(Athletes%20Training%20%26%20Learning%20to%20Avoid%20Steroids)%20program,%2C%20and%20performance%2Denhancing%20drugs.

Resources for help.

https://www.findtreatment.gov/

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support/contact-helpline

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 help celebrate Scammed Wellness' first birthday consider contributing to the No Kid Hungry fundraiser. You can donate following the link here,

https://www.instagram.com/linking/fundraiser?fundraiser_id=184099627646975&source_name=SHARE_LINK

Or head over to @scammedwellnesspodcast on Instagram to find the fundraiser.

Thank you again for listening! I'd love to hear your feedback or experiences. You can always reach me through DMs on the Instagram page.

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 transparent with customers and how to avoid falling into the wellness trap. After all there's a deeper lesson we can learn from a scandal!

Resources: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaplex

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/hair-history-why-hair-is_b_5567365

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2023/02/11299948/olaplex-hair-loss-lawsuit

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/9/18/17866150/natural-clean-beauty-products-feinstein-cosmetics-bill-fda

https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/beauty-personal-care/personal-care/hair-care/united-states

https://dockets.justia.com/docket/california/cacdce/2:2023cv00982/875230

https://olaplex.com/pages/testing-results?ranMID=49376&ranEAID=TnL5HPStwNw&ranSiteID=TnL5HPStwNw-NLn1SuitHbTprOYknDRcWw

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0434/1661/files/HRIPT_Fact_Sheet.pdf?v=1677775156

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 Reynolds and Judie Garland allegedly took to keep up with the demands of show business. Then we transition into Fen-Phen a popular non-approved weight loss medication that eventually led to severe heart conditions. I wrap up these scandals discussing how some weight-loss medications work, specifically with our hunger/fullness cues and digestion. With the popularity in medications like Ozempic I felt this episode was needed! Although, I have my expert views on weight-loss medication I acknowledge some of the nuance regarding weight loss medication as a treatment to weight loss and obesity. This episode was created to inform you on weight loss medications so that you can make informed decisions moving forward with your health. 

As always thank you for listening! Follow the podcast on Instagram @Scammedwellnesspodcast!

Sources: 

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/11/ozempic-hollywood-diet-drug

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3482033/

https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/23/science/how-fen-phen-a-diet-miracle-rose-and-fell.html

https://beckerlaw.com/kentucky-dangerous-drug-lawyer/diet-drugs/history/#:~:text=What%20Is%20Fen%2DPhen%3F,some%20drug%20and%20alcohol%20addictions.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2777886

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 in America has been blamed for the MSG intolerance some individuals experience. However, when looking deeper at the history of MSG and the research we learn that there's always more to the story. In this weeks episode we explore the story of taste, what the research actually says about MSG, and the unfortunate reality blaming a single ethnicity has led to. 

Support the Podcast:

If you would like to support the podcast please follow @ScammedWellnessPodcast on Instagram and/or leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify. You can also share the episode with a friend. 

As always, thank you for listening!

Resources:

Zanfirescu A, Ungurianu A, Tsatsakis AM, et al. A review of the alleged health hazards of monosodium glutamate [published correction appears in Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2020 Jul;19(4):2330]. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2019

We Can't Talk About MSG Without Talking About Racism. ​Frankie Haung. Men's Health. November 2021.

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 corruption. If you haven't heard of wellness multi-level marketing companies episode 7 dives into the false promise of alternative medicine and unethical business practices. A company called Young Living, started by Gary Young started in the 90s took off convincing people that essential oils were the cure to all their worries. Sadly, something more tragic lies behind the success of Young Living. Lies, unethical medical practice, false claims, and even death. 

Resources 

Stacey's story 

(Un)Well episode 1: Essential Oils . www.netflix.com. 2020. 

https://www.insider.com/woman-hospitalized-after-eating-essential-oils-had-swelling-rashes-2020-8

Young's Background 

 https://web.archive.org/web/20200729175749/https://www.businessinsider.com/young-living-gary-young-founder-essential-oils-2020-7

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._Gary_Young

Young Living 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Living

MLM Research

Marguerite DeLiema, et al. Study of Multilevel Marketing: Profiling Participants and their Experiences in Direct Sales. AARP. 2018.

Scientific Literature on Essential Oils 

Valdivieso-Ugarte M, Gomez-Llorente C, Plaza-Díaz J, Gil Á. Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Immunomodulatory Properties of Essential Oils: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2019;11(11):2786. Published 2019 Nov 15. doi:10.3390/nu11112786

PDQ Integrative, Alternative, and Complementary Therapies Editorial Board. Aromatherapy With Essential Oils (PDQ®): Patient Version. In: PDQ Cancer Information Summaries. Bethesda (MD): National Cancer Institute (US); August 16, 2022.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-essential-oils-work-heres-what-science-says/

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 with his findings and soon resveratrol made its way into wellness as the new fad food. Better yet, you could find resveratrol in wine! But what happens when research studies go wrong? When the findings aren't always what they seem? The story of resveratrol is a great example of trusting the data too soon, before it's replicated over and over by other scientist. Today's story is about one scientist who got too ahead of himself which led to criticism and conflicts of interest.....all in the name of aging and fame.

Resources:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-HEB-3860

Gupta SC, Kunnumakkara AB, Aggarwal S, Aggarwal BB. Inflammation, a Double-Edge Sword for Cancer and Other Age-Related Diseases. Front Immunol. 2018;9:2160. Published 2018 Sep 27. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2018.02160

Brenjian S, Moini A, Yamini N, et al. Resveratrol treatment in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome decreased pro-inflammatory and endoplasmic reticulum stress markers. Am J Reprod Immunol. 2020;83(1):e13186. doi:10.1111/aji.13186

Martins L.A.M., Coelho B.P., Behr G., Pettenuzzo L.F., Souza I.C.C., Moreira J.C.F., Borojevic R., Gottfried C., Guma F.C.R. Resveratrol induces pro-oxidant effects and time-dependent resistance to cytotoxicity in activated hepatic stellate cells. Cell Biochem. Biophys. 2014;68:247–257. doi: 10.1007/s12013-013-9703-8.

Salehi B, Mishra AP, Nigam M, et al. Resveratrol: A Double-Edged Sword in Health Benefits. Biomedicines. 2018;6(3):91. Published 2018 Sep 9. doi:10.3390/biomedicines6030091

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 homosexuality the deeper into the list you get the more offensive the claims. But what comes next are the waterfalls and purging which is just a fun way Jillian likes to say you'll have extreme cases of diarrhea, headaches, stomach cramps, and more. In episode 4 we break down the story of Jilly Juice and the dangers when we put our fate into the hands of non-experts and detoxes.  

References and Resources:

Jillian's book https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Jilly_Juice_Protocol_Exposing_the_Li/K_dsDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PR3&printsec=frontcover

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf

Dr. Phil episode of Jilly Juice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOrF6wz7Y6A&t=128s

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 is famous for.

Resources:

https://www.theverge.com/2013/12/4/5038930/the-death-dealer-james-arthur-sweat-lodge-deaths-in-sedona

Welton S, Minty R, O'Driscoll T, et al. Intermittent fasting and weight loss: Systematic review. Can Fam Physician. 2020;66(2):117-125.

Books mentioned 

The Science of Success: How to Attract Prosperity and Create a Life of Balance Through Proven Principles

and Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism