In the search for radiant health, it’s only natural to want answers. Real ones. Fast ones. Clear ones. Especially when we’re not feeling well, when we’re overwhelmed by conflicting information, or when we’ve been let down by the system.

And so, we reach for certainty.

The modern wellness world knows this — and it’s turned certainty into a product. A marketing strategy. A shiny, simplified solution to the complex and intimate terrain of healing.

You’ve likely seen it:

“Everyone should be gluten-free.”
“If it’s not organic, it’s toxic.”
“This supplement cures everything.”
“If you’re still sick, you’re doing it wrong.”

These bold proclamations may feel empowering at first. But in reality, they often flatten complexity, silence discernment, and replace wisdom with dogma.

This blog is an invitation to pause, breathe, and beware the absolutes.

🚩 What Absolutism Looks Like in Wellness

It’s not always loud or extreme. Sometimes it’s subtle. A tone. A trend. A caption that leaves no room for questioning.

Here are a few common patterns:

🥑 “One Right Way” Diets

One week it’s keto. The next, it’s raw veganism. Then carnivore. Then Mediterranean — but only if it’s high-fat, low-carb, nightshade-free, and intermittent-fasting-compatible.

Each new trend comes with its prophets and promises. And often, a not-so-subtle implication that if you’re not eating this way, you’re doing it wrong.

But nutrition is not a religion. It’s a dynamic relationship with your body, culture, and needs.

💊 Supplement Saviorism

A new study comes out. A molecule is isolated. Suddenly a supplement becomes the answer to aging, brain fog, cancer, depression, and spiritual enlightenment — packaged into a capsule and delivered via affiliate link.

This isn’t to say that supplements aren’t valuable — many are. But turning any one into a silver bullet erases the whole system of healing.

❌ Demonizing Nuance

If you’re not detoxing, you’re toxic. If you take meds, you’re unwell. If you trust science, you’re blind. If you trust tradition, you’re unscientific.

There’s no room for in-between. Just hard lines and louder voices.

But nuance is where truth lives.

🧘‍♀️ Spiritual Absolutism

Statements like “If you’re still sick, it’s because your vibration is low,” or “You just haven’t manifested healing yet” may sound enlightened, but they can be deeply damaging.

They place the blame solely on the person suffering — reinforcing guilt and shame rather than offering support or understanding.

🧠 Fear-Based Marketing

From social media to supplement labels, fear is everywhere:
“If you eat this, you’re poisoning yourself.”
“If you don’t do this protocol, you’re at risk.”
“If you question this method, you’re in denial.”

This kind of messaging hijacks our nervous systems and sells certainty as salvation.

But healing doesn’t thrive in fear. It grows in trust, relationship, and patience.

⚠️ Why Absolutes Can Be Harmful

We often associate wellness with wholeness, but absolutism fragments the conversation. Here’s how:

1. They Erase Individuality

Every body is different. Genetics, trauma history, environment, constitution, microbiome, life stage, emotional patterns — all play a role in what supports or hinders healing.

When someone says, “Everyone should do X,” they ignore the beautiful complexity of human variation.

2. They Lead to Shame and Blame

If you follow a protocol perfectly and still don’t feel better, the messaging often implies that you must be the problem.

But healing is rarely linear. And it’s almost never predictable.

3. They Oversimplify Science

Science, when practiced honestly, does not speak in guarantees. It speaks in trends, probabilities, emerging patterns.

Cherry-picking one small study — or misrepresenting it to sell a product — betrays the very spirit of scientific inquiry.

4. They Breed Division

Absolutism creates silos. Tribalism. “Us vs. them” dynamics in a space that should be about connection and compassion.

It discourages conversation and punishes doubt. And it often mirrors the very rigidity that many people came to holistic wellness to escape.

🧭 How to Spot a Wellness Absolute

It’s not always obvious. Some of the most dogmatic messages wear the mask of wisdom or empowerment.

Here are a few signs that an idea may be slipping into absolute territory:

❗ It claims to work for everyone

❗ It presents a single cause or cure

❗ It uses guilt or shame to motivate

❗ It dismisses complexity or context

❗ It sells urgency or fear more than trust or truth

❗ It ridicules “other” views without curiosity or nuance

Ask yourself:

Does this allow room for individual needs and differences?
Is it empowering, or fear-inducing?
Is it rooted in listening, or in selling?
Does it invite discernment — or demand allegiance?

🌱 What to Seek Instead

In place of absolutes, seek:

• Humble language – “This may help,” “Some people find…”
• Contextual awareness – “This works best for those with X condition,” or “This may need to be adapted depending on your constitution or stage of life.”
• Transparency – about studies, limitations, funding, tradition, or anecdotal evidence.
• A spacious approach – that honors you, not just protocols.
• Willingness to evolve – because true wellness requires flexibility.

✨ Radiant Health Resists Absolutes

At Journey to Radiant Health, we know that healing isn’t a formula. It’s not a checkbox. It’s a living, breathing relationship—with your body, your life, your story.

We’re not here to tell you what to believe. We’re here to encourage you to believe in your capacity to listen deeply. To honor your rhythms. To trust that your path to wellness may not look like anyone else’s — and that’s not a flaw, it’s a strength.

We hold space for both science and mystery. For both structure and spontaneity. For both herbs and laughter. For both careful discernment and open-hearted exploration.

Because radiant health doesn’t live at the extremes.
It lives in the middle. In motion. In you.

🔁 A Reflection Prompt

What is one health “absolute” you once believed — and what opened up when you released it?

📣 A Closing Invitation

Let’s turn down the volume on the wellness shouting match.
Let’s get quiet enough to hear what our bodies are actually saying.
Let’s resist the pull of dogma and reclaim the wisdom of discernment.

Because healing is not about finding the perfect answer.
It’s about cultivating the capacity to keep asking better questions.

Mark J. Kaylor is a passionate advocate for holistic health and natural remedies, with a focus on extending both lifespan and healthspan. As the founder of the Radiant Health Project and host of Radiant Health Podcast, Mark blends in-depth research with traditional wisdom to empower others on their journey to vibrant health. Through his writing and speaking, he shares insights into the transformative power of herbs, nutrition, and lifestyle practices.

Disclaimer: All information and results stated here is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The information mentioned here is not specific medical advice for any individual and is not intended to be used for self-diagnosis or treatment. This content should not substitute medical advice from a health professional. Always consult your health practitioner regarding any health or medical conditions.