Dr Emily Prpa: ‘98% of nutrition videos are complete and utter bulls**t’

“The wellness industry was built on the backs of women,” Dr Emily Prpa tells me. “And I don’t know if the wellness world would be the profitable industry that it is if women finally learned to love and accept themselves. A lot of what we’ve been sold – whether that’s the supplements we’re targeted with or the latest trends – and even the medical advice we’re given, is largely based on male data. And we’ve been let down by that – women have been left out of so much health and nutrition research – and there’s probably a hell of a lot they’ve got wrong.” It’s far from the sanitised response I was expecting from the co-host of the new wellness podcast Feel Good Formula and a refreshing antidote to much of the chatter in this flooded sector. But then Dr Prpa, an award-winning scientist, registered nutritionist and science communicator with a PhD from King’s College London, isn’t simply a mouthpiece to promote the latest wellness fad or trend. Together with co-presenter, media personality and Love Island alumna Zara McDermott and a host of special guests, Dr Prpa brings the science know-how to their weekly “girls’ chat” and a critical eye to everything in the wellness world, from supplements and skincare to nutrition and health. While both are avowed lovers of all things “wellness”, they’re also aware that it’s a space that’s both crowded, overcomplicated and, at times, bogus. “Social media has overcomplicated this because what grabs people’s attention is very binary language – everything is ‘toxic’,” she says. “But a 2024 study by Dublin City University and MyFitness Pal, which analysed thousands and thousands of social media videos, found that only 2 per cent of those peddling nutrition information were accurate. So, 98 per cent is complete and utter BS.” Shorts As a science communicator committed to cutting through the noise, it’s an issue that concerns her. “More and more people go to these platforms for their health advice,” she continues. “And trying to convey everything I need to within the three-minute limit on social media is pushing it. “What I love about the podcast is that we actually have the time to get the nuance out there,” she continues. “It’s not sexy or scroll-stopping, but it’s real – and, unfortunately, that doesn’t lend itself to social media at all.” When it comes to social media myths, there’s one she’d like to permanently erase from the internet. “I think the fear of certain foods and the call to cut things from our diet has to go,” she says. “When it comes to health and longevity, the strongest evidence suggests we should be adding to our diet, not taking things away.” She continues: “From a wellness perspective, there’s often this idea that we should always be doing more when actually we should consider doing a little bit less a lot of the time. Your body needs time to rest and be in the parasympathetic nervous system, where we can reap the benefits of the exercise we do and digest the food we’ve made look so beautiful for Instagram.” On the flipside, there’s one wellness habit she’s happy to endorse. “I love a hot-girl walk [a feel-good walk for your wellbeing] – and I’m turning it into a fart-girl walk these days,” she smiles. “A walk is so underrated. It’s one of the best things for digestion and great for the gut and energy levels.” What makes their chats unique is that both McDermott and Dr Prpa appear committed to moving away from the concept of wellness as a project of constant self-improvement. “I love speaking to real-life women about their wellness journeys,” she says. “Something might work in the lab, but does it actually work in real life? It’s nice to have the lived experience as well as the scientific evidence.” Dr Emily Prpa and Zara McDermott explore the world of wellness With so much conflicting information about how to stay healthy, Dr Prpa acknowledges that the desire to be “well” can sometimes become another source of anxiety or pressure. “My audience and Feel Good Formula’s audience are often type A people who are desperate to know if they’re doing things ‘right’,” she says. “Do we have the perfect morning or evening routine? I’m part of that world – and I love the ambition that we can be our best, amazing self. But sometimes it can take us away from the life we’re trying to improve. “I think we’re currently in this hyper-optimised, hyper-productive, perfectionism era – and wellness lends itself to that,” she says. “Perfectionism is the thief of good when it comes to health. And good is more than sufficient. We do not need to be doing cartwheels in this arena at all, even if social media would have us believe that you do.” And when it comes to the small, boring things that actually have a big impact on our health and wellbeing, Dr Prpa insists on keeping things simple. “It really comes back to the basics – the stuff my granny used to tell me and her granny before that,” she says. “Eat a whole-food diet. Exercise – you can’t out-diet a body that doesn’t move – but find something that works for you, whether it’s running, Pilates or resistance training. Ultimately, I just want people to move – don’t be afraid of calling a walk your exercise for the day. We also need to prioritise sleep – and it’s not just about getting enough hours; going to bed and waking up at the same time each day does seem to be very important in terms of our sleep quality.” She continues: “The final one, which we all fall down on, is stress management. We wear stress like it’s part of our personality, but cortisol can wreak havoc in your body and, again, you can’t out-diet the impact of stress. That also goes back to our previous conversation – about some of the ‘rules’ around wellness adding to our stress. “These are what I call my strong back four. You can have all the supplements in the world, but unless you have a strong back four, you’ll concede time and time again. It’s the foundation of our health and wellbeing.” Dr Emily Prpa on her podcast ‘Feel Good Formula’ with Zara McDermott Dr Prpa’s research focuses on the gut microbiome and how diet influences physical and mental wellbeing, so it’s no surprise that fibre is the next big wellness trend she foresees. “It’s something we’re really falling down on in the UK,” she says. “I think fibre and protein have been pitted against each other in the past, but I think fibre will stand the test of time. I’m always going to take a food-first approach to everything, but nothing surprises me any more. At some point, they might start charging us for air.” During a time when so many of us are arguably more time-poor than ever, is there a risk of people seeking certainty in the world of wellness and health when confronted with issues that are quite nuanced? “Absolutely, especially when we’re struggling with our health and are in a really vulnerable spot – we’d love to take the quick fix,” she says. “We’re looking for the silver bullet but, when it comes to health, it doesn’t exist. I think we’re always looking for a definite answer, which can be a challenge in a wellness world that changes its opinion about breakfast every Tuesday.” For readers and listeners concerned that they’re doing things “wrong”, Dr Prpa is adamant. “I think we can safely stop worrying about getting it wrong,” she says. “I honestly think we’re doing better than what we’re being told on social media, I really do. So give yourself a pat on the back – you’re doing all right.” And when it comes to taking her own advice, she’s clear on the lessons she would give her younger self. “I think younger Emily would need to hear that her body, and how she looks, is the least interesting thing about her,” she says. The ‘Feel Good Formula’ podcast is available to listen to and watch on all major platforms