As we mark World Health Day 2025, the global conversation is shifting from illness prevention to something more nuanced — wellness. The $1.5 trillion wellness industry has made meditation mainstream, normalized therapy, and placed kombucha next to soda in supermarket aisles. But beneath this shiny exterior, experts are beginning to ask: is our obsession with wellness actually making us sicker?Today, wellness is everywhere — from TikTok routines to boardroom strategies, from luxury retreats to insurance incentives. While it’s made healthy living more accessible and aspirational, it’s also blurred the line between self-care and commercialisation. Is the culture that's supposed to heal us now quietly overwhelming us?The concept of wellness isn’t new. Dr. Halbert L. Dunn introduced it in the late 1950s, defining it as an “active, ongoing pursuit” of health — a holistic way of living that goes beyond the mere absence of disease. His vision was simple, personal, and rooted in self-defined wellbeing.Fast forward to 2025, and that same philosophy has become a cultural phenomenon — and a highly profitable one. From glow-enhancing supplements to personalised DNA-based diets, wellness today is packaged, branded, and often algorithmically marketed to anyone with a screen. And while some of these tools can be genuinely transformative, many come with a hidden cost — not just financial, but emotional and psychological.Wellness as a Culture vs. Wellness as a Commodity“Wellness as a culture is a fantastic thing to have happened to us,” says Khushboo Jain Tibrewala, a Nutritionist and Diabetes & Inflammation Specialist. “For too long, we celebrated poor habits — skipping meals, binge drinking, neglecting sleep. Now, people want to eat better, sleep better, move more, and manage their stress. That’s progress.”But the problem, Tibrewala adds, is when wellness shifts from being a way of living to a business model. “Everything is capitalised — yoga, veganism, even mindfulness. Wellness influencers, with little or no formal training, promote products they barely understand. The industry has become more about aesthetics than authenticity.”What began as a movement to foster simplicity has been complicated by commercial interests. Designer smoothie bowls, "clean girl" morning routines, and superfood fads can create unattainable standards, particularly when curated through social media filters. And this packaging often distracts us from what really matters — rest, nourishment, sunlight, movement, and meaningful connection.Is the Wellness Industry Helping Us Take Control or Taking Control of Us?To its credit, the wellness industry has democratized access to health tools. Ten years ago, meditation was a niche practice, nutrition was linked solely to weight loss, and mental health was brushed under the rug. Today, these ideas are mainstream.“Nutritionists are managing chronic conditions, fitness is no longer confined to gyms, and therapy is seen as a form of strength, not weakness,” Tibrewala shares. “The industry is not pushing an agenda — it's offering choices. But what we do with those choices is what really matters.”Still, the sheer volume of tools and voices in the wellness space can be overwhelming. From glucose monitors and cold plunges to chakra-aligning crystals and adaptogenic mushrooms — it can feel like you’re never doing enough. But as Tibrewala wisely reminds us, “The danger isn’t in having too many options. It’s in forgetting that they’re optional.”The Rise of Wellness Anxiety: When Self-Care Turns into Self-SurveillanceOne of the unintended consequences of this booming industry is what some experts now call “wellness anxiety.” The pressure to constantly optimize — our diets, our workouts, our sleep — has left many feeling more stressed than serene. In workplaces, schools, and even healthcare systems, wellbeing is increasingly monitored, quantified, and incentivized, turning it into a performance metric rather than a personal journey.“True wellness is simple, even boring,” Tibrewala notes. “Eat local, move your body, get sunlight, rest deeply. You don’t need the latest hack. You need honesty — with your body, your mind, and your habits.”How Much Should We Really Value 'Wellness' Experts And Their Routines?Alarmingly, chronic health conditions like diabetes, obesity, and hypertension are showing up in teenagers and young adults at unprecedented rates. In this context, the role of wellness “experts” becomes critical — and concerning.“We absolutely need to value experts,” says Tibrewala, “but not all wellness influencers are experts. Many lack formal training or scientific grounding. When the stakes are this high — when a teenager is diagnosed with insulin resistance or a 22-year-old has high blood pressure — we cannot afford to follow advice based on trends.”Her recommendation? Build a circle of trust: qualified professionals who not only understand the science but also bring emotional intelligence into their care — a nutritionist, therapist, physiotherapist, or GP. “True wellness needs coordination. It’s not about chasing fads but building a sustainable system of care.”On this World Health Day, perhaps the most important health decision we can make is to pause. To question. To remember that wellness isn’t a trend to follow but a foundation to build on.In its purest form, wellness is about ease — not effort. It’s not about buying more, tracking more, or hacking more. It’s about living better, with intention and simplicity. The future of health may be full of tech, tools, and trends, but the heart of it remains timeless.As Tibrewala puts it, “Trust the routines. But only after you trust the provider. That one choice can change the trajectory of your health — or your child’s — for life.”Khushboo Jain Tibrewala is a Nutritionist and Diabetes & Inflammation specialist at The Health Pantry in India