Doctor-approved or internet-brewed? Exploring lesser known health fads of 2023

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Health hacks such as drinking olive oil and bone broth crop up, then fall into obscurity. All these fads make the concept of «wellness» squishy: Wait, we're drinking lettuce water? When did everyone get so concerned about their cortisol? It's easy to get overwhelmed. «Anyone who has learned anything from a conversation with their own nutritionist or maybe with their mother or just their personal life journey» can share their findings and suddenly go viral, said Emily Moquin, a food and beverage analyst at the research firm Morning Consult. Here's a roundup of the health and wellness trends in 2023.

'Ozempic' has become an umbrella term for a new class of medications that can induce weight loss, in part by quashing one's appetite and slowing the emptying of the stomach. There's Ozempic itself, an injectable diabetes medication that has become increasingly popular as people use it as an off-label tool to lose weight. There's also Wegovy, approved to treat obesity; Mounjaro, a similar diabetes drug; and others. Some consumers have tried to find unauthorized options, like supplements such as berberine. Part of what's so fascinating about drugs like Ozempic is how they affect the brain: Users have described their «food noise» — the incessant, spiraling thoughts about eating — shutting off. As more people turn to these drugs, some are also navigating stark side effects: shrinking muscle mass, intense nausea, vomiting, constipation and even, in rare cases, malnutrition.

Vapers, beware! Your fancy e-cigars contain metals, radio-active ingredients

And the hype is just beginning: Pharmaceutical companies are developing more potent drugs in this class, and a pill form of Ozempic is on the