AIBU to think "Wellness gurus" are mostly spouting bollocks?

[WellnessWally]

I was referred to Nuffield Health for their joint pain programme and had my "Health MOT" with the lady I had assumed was a physio (she runs the twice-weekly exercise class). Retrospectively, I think she was more a salesperson, as I had to hear all about their ongoing fees, children's membership etc. but that's perhaps another issue.

During the health MOT, I'd had to disclose other medical conditions - for me, mainly migraines. She asked me how much liquid I drank a day, and I said about 5 cups of tea. She acted as though I said I regularly shot heroin into my eyeballs. She told me that tea was no good and caffeine was dehydrating, and I wasn't getting ANY water at all. I know a little bit about this, so I said that actually yes, if you have pure caffeine it's dehydrating, but the amount of water in tea more than makes up for that. (Many studies have shown this.) She was insistent that I needed water or would become very ill. I said that I'd managed to survive so far - and it had probably been about two weeks since I had an actual glass of water.

Then she really pissed me off by telling me that's why I get migraines. I said to her that they were hormonal, I can pin the day of the month I'm going to get them and they are (hard-won) well-managed with medication. My daughter and my dad also get them, so there's a strong genetic link and it has nothing to do with caffeine. She disagreed.

I'm just so sick of people with no GCSEs in science spouting quasi-medical bollocks in what was basically a medical setting (I was referred by my GP). I'm not looking forward to seeing this woman twice a week for the next twelve weeks - though open to her being a better exercise leader - perhaps that's her strength.

But Wellness people - please, please stop spouting bollocks about clean eating and protein and caffeine and ultra-processed foods, unless you have the science to back it up (and I don't mean "watched a video on TikTok").

Rant over.

I do not doubt caffeine is a migraine trigger for some people but a scientific experiment (with a sample size of 4!) on own family shows:

• DD(10) drinks no caffeine - gets migraines
• DF (75) drinks moderate caffeine - gets migraines
• DB (35) drinks no caffeine - gets migraines
• DD (14) drinks a small amount of caffeine - gets no migraines

How much water do they drink?

I get that WOO Wellbeing types are a pain in the arse. But I also think you're having a bit of an extreme reaction to a healthcare professional telling you to drink some water. She didn't tell you to start knitting lentils or have your chakras cleansed.

Your attitude towards a woman you know nothing about is pretty shitty - I can practically guarantee she does have her science GCSE’s and she apparently knows more than you do about the benefits of drinking water

Absolutely the same for me. My migraines ceased COMPLETELY when I hit menopause - not a single one after that in 15 years. I'd had them monthly - always at the same time as my period - before that.

I agree with everything you've said!

stop spouting bollocks about clean eating and protein and caffeine and ultra-processed foods

I mean, do you really need a PHD to justify talking common sense and having read and found enough information about that?

Your migraines can't be that bad, if you are not desperately trying anything to get rid of them. Real migraines are debilitating. Yes, there are triggers, but some things make them worst.

If you call absolute common sense "spouting bollocks", you are just as bad if not worst 😂And the reason people repeat the same common sense is because others don't even bother trying.

If you stop responding to it, the Health MOT Woowoo salesperson will either go away or just post to herself on and on.

Ok, then why don't you provide links to papers which support your argument. Specifically, I am interested in studies which stipulate water requirements (preferably RCTs). Or, perhaps, a copy of nursing degree curriculum which demonstrates that nutrition and hydration is included. Just anything really to substantiate any of your claims.

I’m not “crippled by migraines”. I usually get one a month, around ovulation, and I take a triptan when I feel the prodrome, and generally get on with my life. It only came up because she asked me if I had any prescription medication.

She also saw a strawberry birthmark on my hand and diagnosed it as psoriasis.

I of course have no idea if she has GCSEs but she certainly was not a qualified scientist. Her advice was not in line with actual - you know - facts.

I was referred on the NHS for a muscle / hip pain that wasn’t healing and no, I didn’t do my due diligence on her qualifications before accepting the initial appointment!

I'm just so sick of people with no GCSEs in science spouting quasi-medical bollocks

😂

They believe in the method. I know a few people who are big into their health and fitness, body and mind, they look great so something is working.
I am just lazy and unmotivated, not enough to care, if we all took better care of ourselves than we do, there would be a lot less sick people around.

To be fair a doctor would have told you to drink water too.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/water-drinks-nutrition/

The doctor may advise you to drink plenty but it doesn’t have to be water

Hello!

I am from a family with a history of migraines. While caffeine can be a trigger, there are millions of the things. Those family members who suffer with migraines did the York Test, which requires a small blood sample, and in return, you get a long list of foods and drinks that have been tested against. We all have the same main two triggers, but then we have slightly different ones, too. Generally, if we avoid all of our triggers, we don't get migraines (though I do from stress, someone else does with hormones).

It might not just be the caffeine; it could be something that you're all eating/drinking (e.g. milk, eggs, wheat), so I'd recommend the York Test (or an equivalent). Growing up with migraines is rubbish and I wouldn't recommend it!

Caffeine eases my migraine symptoms. I've had them since I was a little kid.

The consultant at the National Migraine Centre (world leading) didn’t. She said most people never find out their trigger(s) and you can drive yourself mad trying to.

I’m very well tuned to a migraine and not an idiot. I would definitely have noticed a correlation between dehydration and migraines! (I have noticed a previous correlation between dehydration and UTIs).

If you are a migraineuse who is well-read on the topic, it’s borderline offensive to be told what’s likely causing them. Like people who get cancer and are told to go on a juice diet.

Indeed. I’ve looked up the Nuffield Health one and it is nothing more than a sales tactic as they take basic readings you can do at home. On the other hand, the health 360 does appear to be carried out by professionals.

it had probably been about two weeks since I had an actual glass of water.

What do you drink at the gym?

Unless you are doing a lot at the gym you don’t need to drink at the gym . An hour HIT class unless it’s summer , if you are well hydrated before and have a cuppa later you won’t get dehydrated from it even if you do sweat !

this is exactly the sort of thing OP is on about - people making assertive and judgemental statements that are factually dubious

Bollocks.
There are many different types of migraines and many different triggers.
Mine are triggered by deviating from my sleep routine ( and yes, Ive had them for 40 years, started as a child and was under a nurologist ). I NEED caffine once the aura starts or I get a 3 day extravaganza of pain, delirium and projectile vomiting.
My brother's triggers are citrus and dark chocolate.
My mum is light sensitive.
I agree with you @WellnessWally .

Isn't Science one of the required GCSEs along with Maths and English? It was at my school in the early 2000s anyway.

OP I voted YABU because a suggestion to drink more water is hardly wellness guru territory.

I had migraines for 30 years, I saw different doctors over that time. Medical advice strongly supports drinking water. I can point you to specific studies.

It’s not so much that dehydration is a cause, although it very much can be, it’s more that drinking more water can decrease frequency, length or severity of attacks.

Caffeine is used to treat migraine because it’s a vasoconstrictor. Research finds that it can both trigger and relieve migraine.

Nothing wrong with drinking water but it's not a magical cure for migraine for most people. I identified 2 triggers for my migraines : hormonal and about to be ill with something else. That would account for about 25%, the other 75% who knows. But I know it wasn't dehydration or chocolate which were the usual suggestions .

Lots of us are so old that it wasn’t required.

Your GP referred you to a gym?

So she is presumably a personal trainer? With some level of training.