The dark side of the wellness industry

From yoga mat to QAnon

Something strange is happening in the world of self-care

The same spaces that once promised inner peace, clean eating, and crystal energy… are now home to vaccine conspiracies, 5G panic, and posts about the New World Order.

Welcome to conspirituality — where wellness meets weaponised paranoia.

And no, this isn’t fringe anymore. This is yoga instructors quoting QAnon. Vegan chefs pushing white nationalism. “Detox” influencers warning that sunscreen causes cancer. It’s happening globally — from California to Cape Town.

Let’s talk about how we got here.

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The wellness-to-fascism pipeline is real

Once upon a time, wellness was all about personal healing. Juice cleanses. Moon rituals. Yoga retreats.

But then the pandemic hit. And those same spaces got hijacked by fear, doubt, and a thirst for “truth.”

Now? The algorithm is full of barefoot influencers whispering about shadow governments, vaccine microchips, and “Big Pharma lies” — in between posts about herbal teas and sound baths.

It sounds ridiculous until you realise it’s deadly serious. Because what starts as “natural remedies” can quickly slide into anti-science extremism. And what looks like harmless “health freedom” is often a gateway to far-right ideology.

As James Ball put it:

“One minute you’re doing the downward dog, the next you’re watching a video claiming the government is trying to enslave you through 15-minute cities.”

This isn’t satire. This is our feed.

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Wellness is the new recruitment tool

Forget shadowy forums and alt-right blogs. Today, extremism comes wrapped in pastel colours and spiritual hashtags.

Researchers have found QAnon recruiters deliberately infiltrating yoga Facebook groups and breathwork chats. Why? Because these communities are already primed to question authority, reject mainstream medicine, and seek alternative truths.

They’re not just spreading ideas. They’re selling them. Literally.

Dr. Joseph Mercola made over $100 million selling “natural cures” while spreading vaccine disinformation.
Pete Evans, an Aussie wellness guru, told his followers sunscreen was poison. (Australia has the highest skin cancer rate on Earth.)
And “healers” in South Africa pushed vaccine detox kits while appearing on U.S. far-right podcasts.

This isn’t enlightenment. It’s grift in a flower crown.

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Conspirituality is a global export

This isn’t just an American problem. It’s happening everywhere.

• In Germany, vegan influencer Attila Hildmann went from cooking lentils to praising Nazi ideology.

• In South Africa, multidimensional “healers” claimed vaccines contained nanotech — and sold remedies to fix it.

• In Byron Bay, yoga retreats turned into anti-vax protests.

• In the UK, a meditation circle began each session with conspiracy videos.

What connects them all? A belief that the mainstream can’t be trusted — and that salvation lies in rejecting the system entirely.

It’s not left. It’s not right. It’s a post-truth spirituality cocktail, and it’s radicalising people in real time.

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Why is this working?

Because conspiracies offer something the modern world doesn’t: certainty.

They explain your anxiety. They give you purpose. They make you feel chosen.

As sociologist Christopher T. Conner puts it:
“Authoritarianism can take root even in spaces seeking enlightenment.”

And when you combine that with declining trust in institutions, broken healthcare systems, and a monetised attention economy — it’s the perfect storm.

The result? A pipeline that starts with turmeric shots and ends in Telegram groups ranting about global elites.

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So what the hell do wellness brands do about it?

This is more than a fringe internet issue. It’s a brand safety crisis in disguise.

If you’re a wellness brand — selling supplements, mindfulness apps, retreats, or anything in that orbit — you’re now operating in a deeply polarised landscape. One where your customers might be following a gut health coach and a QAnon Telegram channel. One where “natural” has been co-opted by snake oil salesmen. Where health scepticism looks a lot like science denial.

The implication? You don’t just need a better product. You need a better ethical compass.

Wellness brands can’t afford to stay neutral. Not anymore. Not when “clean living” gets weaponised and monetised by extremists.
That means:

• Vetting your influencer partnerships like your brand depends on it (because it does).

• Standing for science, not just serenity.

• Being clear on your values — and prepared to lose customers who don’t align.

• Offering wellness that empowers without feeding paranoia.

Because if you don’t draw the line, someone else will redraw it for you.

And chances are, they won’t believe in sunscreen.