If It Scares You, It Sells: Recognizing Fear-Based Nutrition Advice
While on a walk last week, listening to one of my bazillion perimenopause podcasts, the host said this (and I'm paraphrasing):
"We are conditioned to listen to fear based messages rather than recommendations. We are wired to listen to fear more than a less energetically charged message."
Just the way it was said really resonated with me, especially as a professor of nutrition to college-aged students. One of my main goals is to teach them how to cut through BS nutrition news from influencers- mostly NOT grounded in science, or, often, there is a small kernel of truth but it's totally blown out of proportion.
Just yesterday, one of my clients came to me anxious about a headline splashed in the news about something leading to cancer. When I encouraged them to read the ACTUAL study, they realized that, indeed, the headline was sensationalizing the results and it put their mind at ease.
You've probably experienced this yourself:
You know how a headline like “This One Food Is Destroying Your Gut!” grabs your attention way more than “Here’s a Balanced Approach to Digestive Health"
That’s not a coincidence.
We are hardwired to notice and respond to fear. From an evolutionary standpoint, it has kept us alive. Just watch how a toddler refuses to eat a bitter vegetable (but loves sweet foods). But as an adult? That fear-wiring gets hijacked by diet culture, wellness influencers, and “healthy food experts" (our government included, holy shit, health grifter central) who know that fear sells.
We're flooded with fear-based pseudoscience:
➡️“Sugar is poison.” (not true)
➡️“You’ll never lose weight if you eat after 7PM.” (not true)
➡️“This new study PROVES you’re doing it wrong.” (usually not true, check the actual study!)
Even when the science is shaky (or totally fabricated), fear gets louder airtime than calm, nuanced truth.
And over time, we stop trusting ourselves.
We stop trusting our bodies.
We stop asking ourselves: "What do I want for my health, really?"
Here’s the kicker:
Fear-based health messages often disconnect us from our values, our intuition, and our actual health goals. They create urgency, shame, and confusion, not clarity or empowerment.
Listen, I too get swept away by the appeal of fear and claims that tap right into my anxiety, especially about aging. Phrases like “cancer-causing foods” are both scary and clickable!
Here's what I have to remind myself:
➡️You don’t need to chase every loud headline.
➡️Your body isn’t a ticking time bomb, even though it may feel like it.
➡️You are allowed to move through the world with curiosity, not fear. You don't have to do health perfectly.
Let’s start noticing:
Who benefits from me feeling afraid? (AKA- Who is profiting off this thought?)
What happens if I pause and ask, “Is this even true?”
Can I choose grounded, boring, balanced health wisdom instead of panic?
I think you can. And your nervous system will thank you.
Warmly,
Amanda
P.S. This is the kind of stuff we talk about all the time at Happy Valley Nutrition. If you’re tired of fear-based garbage and want support that actually respects your body and your brain, we’ve got openings. Reach out anytime or just hit reply to this email--we’re here to help you tune out the noise.
