Apple cider vinegar, pimple patches, under-eye creams — do any of these actually work?
About a decade ago, a massage therapist in Santa Cruz, Calif., gave me a lecture on the healing properties of coconut oil.
Once a day, she said, she’d scoop a tablespoon into her mouth and swish it around for 20 minutes. Her gums had never looked healthier, she exclaimed, and she even had fewer colds.
I was in graduate school for science journalism at the time and I knew I should be skeptical. But I thought about the dull pain I sometimes felt between two of my molars, which my dentist warned could eventually turn into gum disease. Maybe this oil thing would help.
For several months, I swished and spat until my jaw hurt. And yet my gums still ached. When my dentist probed them with her metal spike at my next checkup, they didn’t look any better.
Like so many of us, I had given in to the allure of an easy fix. I knew deep down that oil swishing probably wasn’t going to do much for my oral health, but I figured I had already tried regular brushing and flossing — why not this?
In my case, my failed experiment only cost me some time. But other wellness trends can take a big bite out of your wallet — and sometimes even affect your health. This is why we provide expert- and research-backed guidance to help you avoid common traps.