The Problem With One-Size-Fits-All Wellness Trends: Why Personalization Is Everything

Join Dr. James Odell for Season 2 of the Science of Self-Healing Podcast! He's the medical and executive director for BRMI, as well as a practicing naturopathic doctor for over 35 years, and he's here to share with you his extensive knowledge of medicine from a different perspective.

The Bioregulatory Medicine Institute

The Science of Self-Healing Podcast

Wellness advice is everywhere — but somehow, it doesn't always work the way it promises. If you've ever wondered why, this episode is for you.

In this episode of The Science of Self-Healing, we take an honest look at why one-size-fits-all wellness trends fall short — and what becomes possible when we replace them with something far more powerful: personalization.

We explore how your genetic makeup, stress history, nervous system, and life stage all shape the way your body responds to food, supplements, exercise, and rest. Two people can follow the exact same protocol and have completely opposite outcomes — and that's not a failure of willpower. It's biology.

Through the lens of bioregulatory medicine, we examine why symptoms are messages to decode rather than problems to suppress, and why true healing requires meeting your body exactly where it is — not where a trending protocol says it should be.

We also explore what wellness culture actually gets right, where it falls dangerously short, and how to begin building an approach that is genuinely designed around you.

The answers aren't in the next trend. They've been inside you all along. Let's talk about how to find them.

Transcript for: The Problem With One-Size-Fits-All Wellness Trends: Why Personalization Is Everything

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Science of Self-Healing podcast. For health and wellness knowledge from a different perspective. Produced by the Bioregulatory Medicine Institute, also known as BRMI. We are your source for unparalleled information about how you can naturally support your body's ability to regulate, adapt, regenerate, and self-heal. I'm your host, Dr. James Odell, the medical and executive director for BRMI, as well as a practicing naturopathic doctor for over 35 years. And remember, this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for the direct care of a qualified health professional who oversees and provides unique and individual care. The information here is to broaden our different perspectives and should not be construed as medical advice or treatment. Let's get started.

Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of The Science of Self-Healing. 

Let's start with a bit of context. Wellness information is everywhere. From social media feeds to grocery store shelves, we are constantly surrounded by promises of better health, more energy, mental clarity, longevity, and balance. New dietary trends appear weekly, food supplements are marketed as life-changing, and routines are presented as universal keys to happiness and productivity. Wellness has become a language of hope for people who feel failed by conventional systems, unheard by rushed appointments, or frustrated by symptoms that never seem to be fully resolved. 

So, what exactly is the problem with all of this? The modern wellness industry thrives on the idea that health can be simplified into a formula. If you just remove the right foods, take the right supplement, follow the right routine, or wake up early enough, wellness is supposedly guaranteed. This framing is seductive because it offers certainty in a world where health often feels unpredictable. Yet beneath the appealing language and aspirational imagery lies a fundamental flaw: wellness is not one-size-fits-all. 

In natural and integrative medicine, health has always been understood as deeply personal and context-dependent. Bodies respond differently to food, herbs, movement, stress, relationships, and environment. A practice that supports one person's healing may actively disrupt another's balance. Treating wellness as a universal prescription not only ignores this truth but can also remove the individual from their own bodily awareness, leaving them confused, discouraged, or convinced they are doing something wrong. 

This podcast explores why one-size-fits-all wellness trends persist, how they conflict with the principles of bioregulatory medicine, and what becomes possible when we return to individualized, root-cause-centered approaches. Rather than rejecting wellness altogether, the goal is to reclaim it — grounded in physiology, nervous system regulation, and respect for human diversity. 

Now, to be fair, this desire for simple answers is deeply human. When someone has lived for years with fatigue, pain, digestive issues, or anxiety, they are often desperate for clarity. We live in an era of information overload and chronic stress, where conflicting health advice is everywhere. Simplicity feels like relief. Wellness trends step into that vulnerability with confident messaging and clear rules. They offer identity as much as guidance, allowing people to feel part of a solution-oriented community. 

Moving along, I want to talk about why individual biology matters so much here. Biological individuality is not an inconvenience to be corrected; it is the foundation of health. Our genetic makeup influences detoxification pathways, neurotransmitter balance, inflammation response, hormone metabolism, and nutrient absorption. These variations determine how a person responds to food, supplements, fasting, exercise, and stress. 

Two people can follow the same diet with entirely different results. One may experience improved energy and stable blood sugar, while the other develops fatigue, digestive distress, or mood changes. In mainstream wellness culture, these outcomes are often framed as issues of compliance or mindset. In bioregulatory medicine, they are signals that the intervention does not resonate with the individual's unique energetic pattern and physiology — because bioregulatory medicine understands that we are energetic beings, and that energy is a fundamental dimension of health. 

And this isn't a new idea. Each person's unique constitution has long been recognized in traditional systems of medicine. Whether described as metabolic types, doshas (as Ayurvedic medicine calls them), or functional patterns, the core idea remains the same: health interventions must align with the individual. Ignoring this principle in favor of universal protocols erodes the body's innate intelligence rather than supporting it. Conventional medicine has long ignored this principle, where illnesses are codified and treated with standardized pharmaceutical protocols. 

That said, it is important to acknowledge that conventional medicine plays a vital and irreplaceable role in many circumstances. Acute illness, emergency care, infection, surgery, and complex diagnostics are areas where it excels and can be life-saving. The concern raised here is not with conventional medicine as a whole, but with the tendency — shared by both mainstream and wellness cultures alike — to rely on standardized protocols when an individualized approach would better serve the patient. Integrative care works best not in opposition to conventional medicine, but alongside it, drawing on the strengths of both. 

Next, I want to mention something that often gets overlooked in wellness conversations. The body changes throughout a lifespan. A protocol that supports a young adult with robust adrenal function may be deeply depleting for someone navigating perimenopause or chronic burnout. Exercise routines that prioritize intensity over recovery may benefit one body while pushing another toward injury or inflammation. When wellness advice is presented as timeless, it fails to honor these transitions. 

Bioregulatory medicine emphasizes working with the body's current phase rather than imposing ideals rooted in a different season of life. Many practitioners use muscle testing or bioenergetic testing to determine what therapies are appropriate. Healing asks us to meet the body where it is now, not where it used to be. 

In addition, it's worth considering that many people who turn to wellness trends are already living with unresolved imbalances. Digestive dysfunction, blood sugar instability, thyroid disruption, chronic inflammation, and nervous system dysregulation are common starting points. Generic wellness advice often addresses surface behaviors without investigating these underlying patterns. Bioregulatory medicine views symptoms not as problems to suppress, but as the body's way of communicating that something deeper needs attention — and that is exactly where root-cause care begins. 

For example, intermittent fasting may appear beneficial on paper, yet for individuals with impaired stress hormone patterns or low blood sugar, it can intensify stress rather than restore balance. Juice cleanses may reduce symptoms temporarily but fail to provide the building blocks required for tissue repair and detoxification. 

Another area that tends to get overlooked is the nervous system. The nervous system governs digestion, immunity, hormone regulation, and emotional resilience. Yet it is often overlooked in favor of visible habits like diet and exercise. Practices such as meditation, breathwork, and cold exposure are frequently marketed as universally regulating, despite vastly different nervous system responses. 

For individuals with trauma histories or chronic stress, stillness or forced breath patterns may feel unsafe rather than calm. When wellness culture frames discomfort as resistance to be pushed through, it risks re-triggering old trauma. Bioregulatory medicine recognizes that regulation must precede optimization and that safety is foundational to healing. This is why thorough, individualized assessment — looking at nutrition, stress load, emotional history, and even genetics — is so essential before any protocol is recommended. 

On top of all this, wellness trends often reflect narrow cultural norms and economic privilege. Many assume access to organic foods, specialty supplements, flexible schedules, and healthcare literacy. When these assumptions go unexamined, wellness becomes exclusionary rather than supportive. 

Traditional food traditions and healing practices are frequently dismissed as outdated or unhealthy, despite their deep cultural and physiological relevance. Bioregulatory medicine honors context, recognizing that sustainable health practices must align with a person's environment, values, and resources. 

It is also worth pausing here to acknowledge that not all general wellness advice is without merit. Certain foundational principles do benefit the vast majority of people, regardless of their individual biology. Prioritizing adequate sleep, staying well hydrated, eating predominantly whole and minimally processed foods, moving the body regularly, and fostering meaningful social connection are evidence-supported habits that provide a reliable foundation for most people's health. The critique of one-size-fits-all thinking is not that these basics are wrong — it is that stopping there is incomplete. Once the fundamentals are in place, individualized assessment becomes the key to deeper, more sustainable healing. 

So, what actually happens when these trends fall short? When one-size-fits-all wellness fails, the impact is both physical and emotional. Restrictive diets can disrupt metabolism and hormonal balance. Excessive supplementation without assessment can sometimes burden detoxification pathways. Rigid routines can create burnout rather than vitality. 

So, where does that leave us? True wellness begins with personalization. This means evaluating the whole person — physiology, lifestyle, emotional health, stress load, and environment — and adjusting evidence-based tools selectively over time, rather than applying any single protocol universally. 

Bioregulatory medicine prioritizes nourishment, regulation, and adaptability. Wellness becomes an evolving process rather than a fixed destination. Sustainable health is built through consistency, compassion, and respect for the body's signals. 

The problem with one-size-fits-all wellness trends is not that they are entirely without value, but that they are incomplete. When treated as universal truths, they oversimplify human complexity and silence the body's wisdom. Wellness is a process and not something to force with whatever supplement or protocol is trending this week. It is a relationship that unfolds through listening, personalization, and trust. There is no single path to health. The best is the one that aligns with your unique biology, your history, and your life. 

So what does this actually look like in practice? If today's conversation resonated with you, here are a few concrete steps to consider. First, seek out a practitioner who takes a whole-person approach — whether that is a functional medicine doctor, a naturopathic physician, an integrative nutritionist, or a bioregulatory medicine practitioner. When you meet with them, ask questions like: How do you assess root causes rather than just symptoms? How will you individualize recommendations for my specific history and biology? How will we track and adjust the plan over time? Second, begin paying closer attention to your own body's signals. Hunger, fatigue, mood shifts, and digestive changes are not inconveniences — they are data. Keeping a simple journal of how you feel in response to food, sleep, exercise, and stress can be a powerful starting point. Third, approach new wellness information with healthy skepticism. If something is presented as a universal cure or a rule that applies to everyone, that is a signal to slow down and ask whether it fits your individual context. Healing is not found in the trend — it is found in the relationship you build with your own body over time. 

That's all for this podcast. Until next time. Be well.

Thank you for your time today, and remember that this podcast is made possible by the Bioregulatory Medicine Institute, also known as BRMI, a nonprofit, global, non political, non commercial institute to promote the science and art of bioregulatory medicine. We extend our gratitude to each and every one of you for listening today, and if you haven't already, make sure to visit us at brmi.online. A treasure trove of invaluable information awaits you there. Connect with us across various social media platforms as well. Come and become a member of our thriving tribe. If you've enjoyed today's episode, we invite you to show your support by rating us, leaving us a review, or sharing the podcast within your circle. Our podcast and mission flourish through sharing, and your participation means the world to us. Our organization is sustained by donations, each of which is tax deductible and fuels projects like this. Visit our website, brmi.online, to contribute or simply to explore the wealth of uncensored and impartial information we offer. No contribution is too small. In just two weeks, we'll be back delving into another captivating topic. Until then, we thank you once again for listening. May wellness and wisdom be your path. Be well.

Bioregulatory medicine is a total body (and mind) approach to health and healing that aims to help facilitate and restore natural human biological processes. It is a proven, safe, gentle, highly effective, drugless, and side-effect-free medical model designed to naturally support the body to regulate, adapt, regenerate, and self-heal. BRMI is a non-commercial 501(c)(3) foundation and will expand and flourish with your support. Our goal is to make bioregulatory medicine a household term.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for the direct care of a qualified health practitioner who oversees and provides unique and individualized care. The information provided here is to broaden our different perspectives and should not be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.