(un)Well on Netflix: this is what you want to see

I am always quite skeptical when people recommend certain things to me. For example, for my insomnia: plant-based solutions, lavender twigs, chamomile tea… I don't really believe in it. But I also see around me that the woo-woo is becoming more and more prevalent — which I actually find only positive, you know. But as soon as people go on some sort of woo-woo trip and start doing ayahuasca, I back off again.

I really understand the whole idea behind it and I find it quite interesting. But also quite scary, because is it really good for you? If you want to get more in touch with yourself or you're in a knot with yourself, is taking hallucinogenic substances the best solution? I know people who swear by it and do it once every six months to ‘reset’ themselves. I find that quite an intense way to hit that reset button, but maybe I'm just not very heroic about it. When I want to unwind, I book a massage for myself.

This kind of ‘new concepts’ of well-being is the concept of the new Netflix docuseries (un)Well, which is now online. Six episodes, each with a different topic: essential oils, tantra sex, consumption of breast milk (what?), fasting, ayahuasca, and getting stung by bees for better well-being (WHAT?).

The nice thing about this docuseries is that it is genuinely interesting and that you hear both sides. Yes, there is absolutely a critical look at these topics, but ultimately there is not — which often happens with American docuseries — a very clear conclusion about whether you should do it or not. The final decision is yours. I think that's a good starting point and it’s definitely about interesting topics that I hear more and more about. Also fasting: I really don't understand why people do that. I can't imagine that it's good for your body, but yeah… Some people swear by it.

I haven't seen that episode yet so I can't give a definitive answer about it, but the one about essential oils is definitely a good one to start with, because you probably also got Tea Tree Oil as a tip for a rash on your skin or blemishes. But are those plant-based oils really effective, or rather: are they even good for you? In any case, I've started to look at it a bit differently. Spoiler alert: my trust has really plummeted.

I actually hope this becomes a new kind of hype like ‘What the health’ (which I found very American) does. That not everyone keeps recommending vague oils or says that I should maybe take an unknown hallucinogenic substance on a trip to get out of my slump. I'm definitely a bit too sober for that, and if you are too, definitely recommend this to your surroundings.

Image: Netflix