“POV: you used to be normal but now you drink colostrum, avoid seed oils, block blue light, and get in bed by 8:00.” This caption, posted by Ava Noe (@cleanlivingwithava) on Instagram, encapsulates the rapid rise of alternative wellness culture on social media. Noe, a self-proclaimed “crunchy teen,” creates content that reflects the latest health and wellness trends circulating online, including drinking colostrum (premature breast milk) and unpasteurized milk, mouth taping for oral health, cold plunging, and a general avoidance of toxins, which to the crunchy community come in various forms, from synthetic fabrics to hormonal birth control and seed oils.
Since I joined social media in the mid-2010s, health content has made a dominant appearance on my feed and like clothing, internet lingo, aesthetics, music and other trends, health trends are constantly changing. One year everyone is drinking green tea for weight loss, the next year everyone is avoiding green tea because tea bags have microplastics. Soon after, the stair climber is “in” for a thick figure, and after you use the stair climber, red-light therapy is a one-stop-shop for acne, flushing out toxins, muscle soreness and weight loss. Science, like everything, is ever-evolving, but the rate at which these health trends were being spat out was astonishing. In the past two years, this content has made an increasing appearance on my feed until more than half of the videos on my Instagram Reels featured health and wellness advice, and this advice was also becoming increasingly alternative, aligning with modern “crunchy” health methods, like Noe’s. I wasn’t alone in this either — I noticed friends buying products I’ve seen advertised by these influencers like kefir, collagen peptides and tart cherry juice.
Influencers like Noe have played a substantial role in popularizing these wellness practices, with “crunchy” culture itself evolving significantly. Once associated with liberal-leaning politics, especially when it comes to the environment, “crunchy” is now more commonly associated with the growing conservative movement of health skepticism. Figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have contributed to this shift, particularly through his “Make America Healthy Again” campaign, whose campaign website highlights striking statistics such as “60% of U.S. adults have at least one chronic disease,” “poor diet is the leading cause of mortality in the U.S.,” and the “42% obesity rate” as motivations behind the campaign.
For many, exposure to alternative wellness trends isn’t necessarily intentional. Ally Kim, a 22-year-old student, considers herself only moderately active on Instagram, yet she frequently encounters alternative wellness content.
“I don’t really follow any accounts, but things pop up — some random woman, maybe a chef, a fitness coach or nutritionist. Maybe not even a real nutritionist — I have no idea,” Kim said. “I don’t really look too deeply into their backgrounds, but they say things that sound helpful and present them in an exciting way, like, ‘This is going to change your life.’”
Like many young adults, myself included, Kim has adopted certain wellness habits she discovered through social media, such as drinking lemon water daily for clear skin and gut health. According to The State of Consumer Health Survey, 52% of Americans reported trying a new health trend, tool or approach they discovered via social media in the past year. This figure surpasses the 42% who visited their primary care doctor for an annual exam, revealing a notable shift in how Americans are engaging with their health.
The appeal of alternative wellness trends is amplified by the high cost of healthcare in the U.S. In 2023, per capita healthcare spending was $14,570, while social media offers virtually free and accessible health advice at any time and almost anywhere. In addition to steep costs, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in swelling distrust in the United States’ medical system from public health institutions such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), suspicion of the sincerity of hospitals and pharmaceutical companies as for-profit entities, rural healthcare shortages and generally understaffed hospitals, and medical trauma. While the accessibility of health influencers advances doctors, the credibility of online advice varies widely, and its increasing prevalence raises questions about the risks and benefits of obtaining health information online.
One of the most popular alternative wellness trends taking off on social media is raw milk consumption. Rachel Ziegler (@rachelzeigler_milkhousemarket), co-owner of The Parlor Milk Market, one of Washington’s most prominent raw milk distributors, has over 24,000 Instagram followers. Her content is beautifully curated, featuring photos of her jersey cows, darling farmhouse, and her kids, often helping out around the dairy in pink overalls and cowgirl boots. The hashtag #rawmilk itself has over 233,000 posts on Instagram, reflecting a growing community of enthusiasts.
Raw milk is unpasteurized, meaning it has not been heated to high temperatures to kill harmful bacteria. The CDC argues that “choosing pasteurized milk and dairy products is the best way to safely enjoy the nutritional benefits of milk.” While mainstream health organizations warn against its consumption, many alternative wellness advocates praise its benefits, including its richer flavor.
It’s also notable that raw dairies often operate on a much smaller scale, Ziegler describes.
“The difference between raw milk and commercial pasteurized milk, they’re clean but they’re not nearly as clean as raw milk because of the amount of animals they [large, pasteurized dairy farms] are milking”.
The process of pasteurization is aimed at killing bacteria found in cow manure, but Ziegler claims it kills the nutritious properties in milk.
“If pasteurization can kill manure that has gone into the milk, it’s killing pretty much everything that is nutritious in that milk.”
Ziegler also experiences enthusiasm for raw dairy firsthand.
“We’ve had parents come in tears — their kids have eczema, allergies, and they drink raw milk, and it’s just no big deal.”
According to Ziegler, demand for raw milk has surged in recent years.
“We kept getting more and more followers, and when we hit the grocery stores, we sold out on the first day,” Ziegler said. “Most people had never had raw milk before. For us now, we’re completely accustomed to the taste of raw milk, and we would never go back to pasteurized.”
Ziegler believes social media has played a crucial role in the recent popularity of raw dairy. “Overall, social media has played a huge part. There’s been a lot more awareness, a lot more education, and people are finding it more appealing,” she says. “Everyone just wants to feel better.”
Despite the enthusiasm surrounding alternative wellness trends, some urge caution. Dr. Mike T. Nelson spoke on the potential benefits of some wellness practices but warned against the misinformation that thrives on social media. Dr. Nelson specializes in extreme human performance and is also a fitness and nutrition educator and researcher. He hosts the FLEX diet podcast, where he “gets geeky with the latest research and scientific findings in the fitness world.”
Dr. Nelson himself offers health advice online through his podcast and social media presence. That said, even though his content is research-based, it includes caveats not often found in this type of content such as, “Cause-and-effect relationships are still being studied. Don’t stress – stay informed, and make choices that work for your lifestyle”. When asked about potentially misinforming advice on social media and its apparent popularity, Dr. Nelson explained, “The reason why people are adopting these trends often seems to be incorrect, there is still a lot of fear around red meat, for example, even though most data suggests that it’s not inherently bad. Similarly, many people think sugar is ‘toxic,’ but that depends on the individual consuming it.”
Dr. Nelson highlights the oversimplification of health narratives on social media. “Platforms like TikTok and Instagram favor quick, digestible content. People have what I call ‘TikTok brain’ — they can only process something for five seconds before moving on,” he says. “The reality is, there are very few simple stories in health that are 100% true. Social media tends to push negative, fear-based messaging, which accelerates the cycle.”
While some alternative wellness trends may have merit, Nelson emphasizes the importance of evidence-based practices. “At the end of the day, the basics are always going to work. Lift some things, do cardio, eat protein, get your veggies, rest, recover, and repeat. These things aren’t sexy, but they’ll work, they always have”.
By next year, next month even, will colostrum be out and something new – ozone therapy, rocky mountain oysters, dandelion tea – in? Probably. The internet chews and spits out wellness trends like fast-fashion cycles. But the desire behind them, the search for control over our bodies, health, our lives — never really fades. Maybe, as Ziegler suggested, we all just want to feel better.
