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Dec 31, 2025 18 min

Beware the Wellness Industrial Complex!

from It's Been a Minute

From CBD leggings to Soulcycle, wellness is reshaping our relationships to our bodies and souls. But what even is "wellness?" Well, for one, it's a global industry worth 6 trillion dollars. And it encompasses all kinds of things – including spirituality: from the spirituality of wellness practices like yoga and reiki, to treating wellness itself like a religion. As spirituality, self-care, and capitalism swirl together, what is missing from the story? Brittany is joined by Alyssa Bereznak, GQ's Wellness Director, and Rina Raphael, author of the book The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop, and the False Promise of Self-Care, to get into what people get out of a wellness-based spiritualism and consumerism. This episode originally aired on March 17, 2025. Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus. Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub. NPR Privacy Policy

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