Gwyneth Paltrow and celebrity diets are not the key to health
CBC Radio | Posted: January 14, 2015 5:00 AM | Last Updated: February 19, 2015
Gwyneth Paltrow is a celebrity but is she savvy on the science? Timothy Caulfield, a researcher on health and science policy chronicles his futile attempts to follow the fabulous ... only to find their detoxes, diets and dramas not only won't help ... they might hurt.
She may be one of Hollywood's hottest stars... but does Gwyneth Paltrow really have all the answers when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle? The many readers of her weekly newsletter "Goop" would seem to think so. Ditto the fans of her cookbooks, and everyone else trying to emulate her seemingly centred and satisfied life.
When it comes to dishing out health and lifestyle advice, certain celebrities must make officials at Health Canada envious for their ability to command attention, and change behaviours.
And, according to Timothy Caulfield, that may not be the healthiest thing going for society today.
The human body has organs, including the kidneys, liver, skin and colon, that take care of the detoxifcation process. When you pee, you are detoxifying. - Timothy Caulfield, author of "Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?"
Timothy Caulfield is the Research Director at the University of Alberta's Health Law and Science Policy Group. And he's the author of a new book, titled, "Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything? When Celebrity Culture and Science Clash."
What do you think? Is celebrity culture and science clashing? Do you follow the advice of celebrities when it comes to a healthy lifestyle? And if that includes exercise and a healthy diet then what's the harm?
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This segment was produced by The Current's Gord Westmacott.