OPINION: Cancer survivor and eternal student of wellbeing Rebecca Wadey on cutting through the snake oil and finding practices that work.
“I’m an independent thinker” Gwyneth Paltrow declares in the latest issue of Vanity Fair, going on to espouse the benefits of unpasteurised milk (she and RFK Jr frequent the same Californian farm supplier) and suggest carcinogens carried by herbicides have a greater impact on foods in the US. On a plane in Europe recently she ate peanut M&M’s, she reveals. “I would not do that in America.”
I used to be grateful to Gwyneth for normalising wellness, making it societally acceptable and even cool to meet up for green smoothies rather than wines. As someone diagnosed with breast cancer at the tender age of 26 I too sought out people and modalities that would help put me back together again. It’s crucial to note: I took everything Western medicine had to offer me, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a double mastectomy, and credit those things with saving my life. But I also embraced alternative treatments and practices as a way to reintegrate into the world with sanity and some sense of agency over my body intact.
I love woo woo with my wellness. I’ve done enemas in Thailand, seen spiritual healers in Bali, steamed my vagina in LA, done Watsu therapy in Australia – I even interviewed Shiva Rose about her yoni eggs before Gwyneth Paltrow stocked them on Goop (and before Shiva Rose became a loud voice of the Covid anti-vax movement, which saw her move to Texas and essentially become a Trad Wife).
Post-Covid my relationship with wellness, and Gwyneth, got more complicated. Wellness became political and now along comes RFK Jr and his MAHA (Make America Healthy Again), making people comfortable with loudly espousing misinformation again. Heck, even Pete Evans is back on Instagram.
I love science as equally as I love woo. But here’s the thing; science is black and white. There’s little in between. And don’t we all want to believe in magic?
I’m a huge believer that ‘the magic’ only happens by being in the right place, at the right time, with the right practitioner. It’s so hard to get all those pieces of the puzzle lined up. So herewith my list of 'love it and loathe it'. The things that work, and don’t, for me.
Wellness practices I rate:
Yoga
Discovering I had breast cancer in my twenties and having lots of bits and pieces removed from or rearranged in my body, I ended up with not a lot of faith in it. Doctors focus on what is wrong, not what is right. So finding my own strength, and pride within a yoga practice was so important to me. By developing a yoga practice I made a conscious decision to show up for myself regularly, despite the ‘limitations’ of my body. But the most important lesson of yoga was the ability to breathe through hard things. It’s a skill I use again and again, particularly when having my annual cancer check-up.
Vegetables
I mean, duh. I know, it goes without saying. But honestly I think people overcomplicate wellbeing to the point they freak out and forget the basics. If you can get organic vegetables, in season and grown locally, great. If you can’t, don’t let that stop you eating what you can in abundance. Eat as many different vege (including fermented) as you can to help create a lovely little ecosystem in your tummy.
Adaptogens
I'm a huge fan of the plethora of strangely odoured adaptogenic powders, made from herbs and mushrooms, that I put in my morning smoothie. They set me up for the day far better than coffee. Essentially they're designed to help your body respond to stress but people respond differently to different ones; my personal favourites are ashwagandha, reishi, cordyceps and chaga. Any taste they have is disguised by putting them in a smoothie with cacao (high in magnesium and antioxidants) and honey. Yum.
Hypnotherapy
My magic happened at a health retreat in New South Wales nearly 15 years ago. With many modalities and practitioners to choose from I selected, at whim, a hypnotherapist. I told him about my ongoing anxiety over cancer recurrence and the physical toll it was taking on my body. What followed was a most profound and transformative experience that I draw on to this day. It was definitely a case of right person at the right time, but also a great reminder for me in being open to trying things.
Meditation, breathwork and visualisations
During an antenatal class with my first pregnancy, the teacher asked the class how they dealt with stress. Answers ranged from "make a Milo" to "run a bath". At the time I was dealing with the fact my oncologist had told me I had advanced secondary cancer and likely wouldn’t live long after my baby was born. Milo wasn't quite going to cut it. The way I survived that period of my life was through breath work, visualisations and meditation. In the nearly 18 years since (turns out the doctors were wrong, and cancer markers are no longer measured in pregnancy) I have less urgency for meditation but it will always have a part in my life.
Contrast therapy
Contrast therapy is a big trend in Aotearoa currently, with many different studios offering high-end sauna and cold-plunge facilities. Travelling to Scandinavia recently I enjoyed the more communal aspect of contrast therapy (a visit to a public sauna in Oslo saw me sitting in saunas with a variety of interesting people, plunging into the icy fjord, and witnessing conversations over flickering fireplaces as people made their way between facilities). I find cold water completely exhilarating and pride myself on the challenge of regulating my breath when submerged in it. It’s not a cheap practice here, but can be easily replicated in the colder months by working up a sweat and throwing yourself into the moana.
Acupuncture
For years my acupuncturist was a hugely important person in my life and I’m pleased to see this ‘alternative’ treatment become increasingly mainstream.
Therapy
It’s my opinion that in the year 2025 everyone should be in therapy. Obviously this isn’t practical for many but if you can afford it and are lucky enough to stumble across someone who resonates with you, you’re setting yourself up to have a better relationship with yourself and ability to deal with the chaos the modern world keeps flinging at us.
Wellness practises that are not for me:
Chiropractic treatments
Anything where they expect to visit multiple times a week at great expense is a red flag to me, and I have spent hundreds of dollars over the years at holistic chiropractic appointments recommended to me by friends where someone uses a small handheld ‘clicker’ (an activator) to give a low-force adjustment that promises a lot – and, for me, under delivers.
Kinesiology
Again, I have friends who swear by this but I’ve tried several practitioners and it was not for me. I also despise practices or practitioners who probe me about my upbringing trying to find an ‘explanation’ for my cancer in a way that suggests blame can be found through either my upbringing, my parents or my own life choices. It gives TV clairvoyant: “I’m seeing some kind of trauma aged around seven, what happened then? Were you in a car accident? Did a pet die? Did your parents smack you? Maybe you were five?” I'm all for the testing of muscle imbalances, of which I have many, but I find the weird holding-vials of potential allergens while people hover around a little too quack quack for my liking.
Intermittant (and all other) fasting
I know, people have A Lot Of Feelings about this and many swear by cramming their eating into a limited window of the day, but I hate it. Breakfast is my favourite and most-needed meal and I have to eat before I do anything else – including work, work-out, and be human.
One-size-fits-all diet plans
A huge red flag for me is people on social media who swear by some diet or other, as if something that worked for them is going to work for everyone else on the platform. We, especially women, are complex individuals. Our hormones alone make us completely diverse unique beings, what ‘works’ for us on any given day may change depending on our cycle, external stress, sleep and so forth. Do I believe that people can find an eating plan that works well for them? Of course! Do I believe that by commenting RECIPE on their Instagram so you get sent the same plan to follow is going to help you achieve any goals you have? Absolutely not.
Crap products
I do love a supplement, but I choose my brands carefully. Be mindful of what you’re purchasing as many products contain with cheap filler. For example, protein powder is an essential for me (at my age!) but they aren’t all created equally. Annoyingly (and predictably) the best quality ones are the most expensive so if in doubt and/or on a budget I would always try and get your vitamin intake from food first.
Social media ‘health influencers’
Content creators with no qualifications dispensing advice that is either a) wildly outrageous in order to cut through on an incredibly cluttered platform or b) to sell products that they get kickback on or their own businesses they are trying to monetise. Enough said.
The opinions expressed in this article should not be read as medical advice. Readers with health concerns are advised to see a medical professional.
Rebecca Wadey is the co-founder of fashion and culture platform Ensemble – read more on its Substack.
SHARE ME