As a health writer, I’ve watched wellness trends come and go, each one claiming to be as life-changing as the last.
“I read that [insert detox drink or mushroom coffee here] is really good for you,” people have said to me with promising smiles, time and time again. But they didn’t actually read the information anywhere. Most likely, they watched a conventionally attractive woman in a matching athleisure set sing the elixir’s praises on Instagram while plugging a brand-affiliated discount code. Or, they watched someone hop on camera to share their personal reasons for disavowing once universally accepted, scientifically-backed health advice like wearing sunscreen or getting vaccinated from infectious diseases like COVID-19 and took the opinion as fact.
Netflix’s new original series Apple Cider Vinegar, marketed as a “true-ish story, based on a lie,” explores just how detrimental those embellishments can be. The show is a fictional retelling of wellness influencer Belle Gibson’s real fall from grace. As an ambitious entrepreneur, she establishes an online following, mobile app, and…
