Everyone, Shut Up About The Goop Lab Not Being Scientific

Ever since The Goop Lab came out on Netflix, my newsfeed has been inundated with organizations debunking Gwyneth Paltrow’s claims and throwing hands up in outrage over the media mogul’s dangerous walk on the edge of scientific balderdash and wellness snake oil. Everyone ran to their doctors and immediate sources trying to debunk every single part of the 6-episode series. And Gwyneth got what she needed: the world to talk and sprinkle more money her way.

I’m pro-science all the way, reading new studies and research abstracts at regular intervals. You can blame my science degree and the years I spent in statistics classes and labs for my insatiable hunger for new studies. I love a good scientific read and working out based on the ideal schedule that’s scientifically proven to maximize my gains. I also love to sit in an infrared sauna and pretend like it’s doing something, which is just as dubious as most things everyone is trying to debunk on The Goop Lab. But, for some reason, all the articles in the same publications telling the world about infrared saunas and cryotherapy are up in arms over some breathing exercises and an ice bath? What gives, world? Are we that adept at being hypocrites?

The thing is, you can love science and you can also love experimentation and wellness in such a way that you’re always open to new experiences. If breathing in a certain way worked for Wim Hof and Gwyneth wants to talk about it, let the damn man and woman talk. If we want to get scientific with it, we can spark more research studies that come from the discussion. But a scientific study has to come from somewhere, and just because it’s published doesn’t mean it’s valid. So, if there isn’t a study to back certain claims, we just have to wait until researchers get the funding to explore how this breathing influences our brain and physiology. But to immediately cry out, “Shame! Shame! Shame!” and throw Gwyneth under the bus because the girl wants to get off more or see if she can get more glowing skin (she can’t), is shameful behavior for us. 

All the women’s lifestyle websites that cater to telling women how to dress, make themselves up, what to eat and how to exercise should have the gall to accept the fact that Gwyneth is doing what they are. There are bigger fish to fry that actually hurt people, like garcinia extract pills and other bullshit publications spread years ago, so let’s clean that mess up before we get scared someone will try to get in touch with their inner psychic powers.

I’m not worried The Goop Labs came out, and I’m glad it did because I found it interesting. No, I don’t fall for every single claim, but it makes me look at something in a novel way, which I can appreciate.

While everyone is busy ravaging The Goop Labs series by Gwyneth Paltrow, they're forgetting one fundamental idea of beauty and growth: embracing change. #beautytips

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Nataliya Ogle

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Nataliya Ogle likes making sure others live to their full potential. She publishes articles on her primary website styletomes.com and works as a freelance writer for other women's interest sites. Her physical body is in New York but her presence can almost always be found online. The internet is her first love.

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