Gwyneth Paltrow: How to be Consistently Out of Touch
- Hannah Davis
- Mar 4, 2021
- 3 min read
Last week, I awoke to a news alert that embodied the absurdness of 2021. The news alert from the BBC stated: ‘Gwyneth Paltrow: NHS boss urges caution over star’s long Covid regime’. The article outlined the bizarre feud between the NHS and Paltrow which began when the actor, turned wellness expert, explained how she was coping with her long Covid symptoms in her traditional, extreme way. The NHS warned against Paltrow’s questionable health advice. It is not the first time that her recommendations have been questioned as Paltrow has a history of suggesting putting jade egg’s in your vagina (gynaecologists advise against this as it could cause Toxic Shock Syndrome) and using magic stickers to help with everyday stress and anxiety.
Paltrow contacted Covid-19 and unfortunately is suffering with long Covid. Her symptoms consist of ‘some long-tail fatigue and brain fog’, something which I am sure many others are struggling with after contracting Covid-19. As such, many people will be on the lookout for helpful treatments and advice for dealing with unpleasant long Covid symptoms. Luckily, Paltrow was happy to share her advice! As advised by a ‘functional medicine practitioner’ (a questionable precursor to Doctor) Paltrow has adopted ‘intuitive fasting’, eats mainly keto and plant-based, and consumes no sugar or alcohol. This is not the most surprising diet for Paltrow who commonly tries new lifestyles, diets, and cleanses. I do not think many people would be surprised to learn that she tries to eat mainly meat and vegetables and avoids sugar.
However, she is essentially advising dieting as advice to deal with long Covid symptoms. She is doling out advice that is not scientifically proven to help and may cause more problems for some people desperately hoping to receive advice to help with their symptoms. For example, she states that she fasts until 11 AM every day and follows ‘intuitive fasting’. Whether she is aware of her impact or not, she is encouraging vulnerable people to follow guidelines that tell them when and what to eat. As Dr. Alexis Conason (@theantidietplan) puts it "’Intuitive Fasting’ is such a weird way to spell ‘disordered eating’". Such recommendations could lead to worrying and unhealthy eating habits.
However, her dangerous advice is only the first part of the problem. The second is the immense privilege that this routine speaks to. Once again, Paltrow does not recognise her privilege and how unrealistic her advice is for an average person. Following a ketogenic and plant-based diet to help with symptoms of long Covid is not a viable option for many people, due to the expense of purely eating meat and plant-based foods. Following a plant-based and keto lifestyle is a privilege and recommending it as an (unverified) remedy to long Covid demonstrated Paltrow’s lack of awareness. Her immense privilege is similarly shown as she recommends the wonders of "doing an infrared sauna" in the mornings and advises purchasing an infrared sauna blanket costing $500.
Luckily, Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director for England, has warned against her methods, stating that they were "not the solutions we’d recommend in the NHS" and that "we need to take long Covid seriously and apply serious science". He concludes by suggesting that influences, such as Paltrow, have a "duty of care". After several instances of misinformation and lies being told by Paltrow and her company Goop, so much so that Goop unenthusiastically hired a fact-checker in 2018, it is time that she recognised the impact of her words and advice.
Want to hear more about Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop? Check out these episodes of Culture Hang:
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