It’s January, which means we’re in peak “new year, new you” territory and the wellness industrial complex is firing on all cylinders. Everywhere you turn, someone has a plan, supplement, or product that will miraculously cure you and make your aching, aging body feel better.
But writer, runner, and college professor Jacqueline Alnes wants to remind us that many of these promises are too good to be true. Her new book, The Fruit Cure: The Story of Extreme Wellness Turned Sour, offers her own story as a cautionary tale.
In the spring of 2010, during her freshman year as a Division I collegiate runner, Alnes began experiencing a series of mysterious and debilitating neurological symptoms. Her vision blurred and she was prone to blackouts. At times, she was unable to run, walk, or speak. Her coach, peers, and medical professionals mostly dismissed her symptoms. She eventually quit the team, and spent two years searching for answers. Desperate, she turned to an online fruitarian community called “30 Bananas a Day.” Its proponents claimed that the raw vegan and primarily fruit diet was a cure-all for almost every…
