A healthy dose of reality

Is cortisol giving you belly flab? Can magnesium pills help you sleep? Is alkaline water even a thing? Actual advice, from actual experts to counter internet wisdom

- Shraddha Chowdhury

We can't blame Gwyneth Paltrow for everything. Sure, she made yoni eggs a thing, and got us thinking about candles that smell like nether regions. But most wellness trends of the past few years are our own fault. Techies convinced themselves that Soylent could hack nutrition. Asian influencers had us sold on jade rollers and gua shas.

We counted footsteps. We added lemon and cucumber to water bottles and gave up quickly.

So, what's new in trendy health advice? Medical experts mute the chatter to tell you what works and what's hiding behind the filters.

Are all problems cortisol problems now?

Seems like it, doesn't it? The stress hormone is showing up in every Reel. Influencers blame it for every junk-food craving, every hankering for dessert. It's not you, it's your elevated levels of cortisol, apparently.

There's some truth here, says Dr Sai Tarun, consultant surgical gastroenterologist at AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad. More stress does mean more cravings for unhealthy food. "It leads to a rise in visceral fat accumulation," he says, as well as muscle loss and a slower metabolism. Dr Soumen Paul, Kolkata-based consultant physician, adds that stress can undo the good work of even rigorous workouts.

Cortisol is only partly to blame for bloated tummies. "It's also influenced by your genetic background, lack of physical activity and diet," says Dr Siddhant Bhargava, fitness and nutritional scientist and co-founder of Food Darzee. And cortisol, despite all the buzz, can be safely managed. Dr Tarun recommends the usual: Lifestyle changes, stress management, good sleep and a proper diet.

Is magnesium the answer to good sleep?