Description: An acclaimed physician and BBC broadcaster embarks upon a globe-spanning journey to investigate the wellness industrial complex, sorting the reality from the intentionally fuzzy sales pitch--so you don't have to.
What's the difference between a supplement and a drug? How does marketing influence our medical choices? How do we decide who to trust? And what does this all mean for your health? There has never been a more confusing time to take care of ourselves. With an open mind but a healthy dose of skepticism, Dr. Xand van Tulleken dives deep into the world of wellness--from supplements and herbalism to wearable tech, full-body MRIs in search of a disease, and the burgeoning pursuit of personalization and longevity, to answer the question - do they really work? In an investigation that combines history, science, and first-person reporting, Dr. Xand takes us on a global journey to understand the evolution of a new kind of "snake oil." From Utah, the U.S. hub of supplement production, to China, the ground zero of collagen industrialization, to Spain at the world's largest gathering of Nutraceutical manufacturers, Dr. Xand brings his distinctive and personable voice along with a genuine sense of inquiry to examine how the "wellness" industry positioned itself to rival conventional medicine--and whether it is winning, at the expense of our health. Both compelling reportage and a practical guide for twenty-first-century living, Make Me Well? empowers readers to separate evidence from illusion and offers simple, humane rules for true wellness from a doctor who needed to sort out the confusion for himself too.Review Quotes: "If you are spending money on lots of supplements. If you're sending off your blood and your poop for private testing, if you're wearing fancy tech . . . you've got to buy this book . . . It's an incredible study of what health and wellness is and what it means. It will meet you where you are. It's funny, it's scholarly. If you're his twin brother, it's very annoying. I could not recommend it more."--Dr. Chris Van Tulleken, New York Times bestselling author of Ultra-Processed People: Why We Can't Stop Eating Food That Isn't Food (and Xand's twin brother)
"Make Me Well made me laugh, made me angry--and ultimately made me feel better informed about my health. A deeply researched tour of a multibillion dollar industry that's more nutritious than any supplement you've ever seen advertised on a podcast. And he's made it funny, too."--Helen Lewis, staff writer The Atlantic and author of The Genius Myth "If anyone can drag the wellness industry into the light and make you laugh while doing it, it's Xand van Tulleken. Beautifully researched, clear-eyed and very funny--essential reading for anyone who's ever scrolled past a wellness miracle wondering whether any of it actually works. A generous guide to an industry that depends on us not asking too many questions."--Hannah Fry, Professor at the University of Cambridge "A much-needed injection of hard science into the booming global wellness industry. With the deep erudition of an actual doctor, the urgent prose of a proper public intellectual, and the story-telling nous of one of our greatest communicators, Xand van Tulleken's Make Me Well has demolished several shoddy shibboleths and pointed the way to a better, happier, healthier life. I cannot think of a more valuable public service . . . frankly I will never look at a vitamin supplement, longevity 'hack', or collagen dose the same way again."--Amol Rajan, journalist and broadcaster"I recommend Make Me Well by Xand van Tulleken. It's comprehensive, witty, scholarly but readable."--Adam Rutherford, geneticist