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GeneralGym FitnessNutrition

Which Crazy Health Trends Actually Work?

Health trends come and go, and even the most cynical among us have been curious enough to try at least one or two of these health crazes.

Published: 6/26/17

Butter in your coffee? Slime seeping through your fingers? Charcoal on your teeth (and in your refreshing beverage!)? Health trends come and go, and even the most cynical among us have been curious enough to try at least one or two of these health crazes. But this way of thinking begs the question: Do any of these new-fangled health fads actually work?


Butter in Your Coffee?

Yes, this is a thing. In fact, it’s been a thing for more than a few years now. It seems that butter in your coffee is the new “cream and sugar,” and the tried and true devotees who live and die by their morning cup of joe might not like the idea. But the health benefits of this trend are actually on point (we were shocked ourselves!)

Sure, to most people, the idea of putting butter in their coffee sounds ludicrous if not completely unhealthy. But, if you use the correct butter, it could actually be good for you! The sticking point here is that you don’t just throw any ol’ pat o’ butter in the caffeine kicker. The only butter you should put in your morning cup is grass-fed butter.

Most cows are fed corn or soy since it’s cheap for farmers to fill cows’ bellies this way. Problem is, cows aren’t supposed to eat corn or soy since they can’t digest these things properly—and this makes their milk full of the kinds of fats that are no bueno for our bodies.

But, remember, if you drink this type of coffee it’s loaded with calories (butter, ya’ll). The good news is grass-fed butter has the right kind of fats to regulate cholesterol, act as an anti-inflammatory, and it can help prevent heart disease. Another added benefit: Drinking it each morning puts your body in a routine to burn fat all day long. Yes, all day long. Score!

one of the newest health trends, bulletproof coffee

Slime to Relieve Stress?

This is not Nickelodeon-style slime poured all over your body from head to toe, but rather the kind you can squeeze between your fingers. It seems that slime is not just for the children in your life. While kids can cause stress at cataclysmic levels, it seems slime can actually relieve stress for adults, not just cause it when it’s smeared on walls, clothes, couches, etc. by those darling children.

It may take some getting used to, but once your fingers and palms get hold of the slime, and you feel it through your fingers, you can be transfixed. Playful? Sure. Whimsical? OK, we’ll give you that. But transformative? Yes, according to some science. If you think we’re kidding, or those guys and gals in the laboratories are smoking the funny stuff, just take look at the multiple-million posts annotated with the #slime hashtag on Instagram.

Charcoal is Just for the Barbecue…Right?

People have been brushing their teeth with charcoal to clean and whiten their pearly whites for a while now, but now charcoal is turning up in our beverages. Yup, a cold lemonade on a smoldering summer’s day is now laced with activated charcoal. Oh, and so is that hotdog—not that health-conscious you is eating hot dogs at a backyard barbecue. Ahem. But, while charcoal can be helpful in drawing toxins from your body—it also draws out all the nutrients from meals you’ve recently eaten and the medications you’ve taken in the same time period. So, if you want to embrace charcoal, understand its benefits and drawbacks.

Even if you’re cutting down on your salt intake, we suggest taking any health trend with a grain of salt (preferably rimmed around a margarita). Try it for yourself as long as it’s safe, and see how it makes you feel. Don’t jump on a bandwagon just because everyone is doing it. Mom always said you wouldn’t jump off a cliff  just because your friends did, right?