The 10 Weirdest Health Trends of 2015, Ranked

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably noticed what a big year 2015 was for health and wellness trend. Chances are, at least a few people you know became obsessed with fermented foods or coconut oil.

If you were really paying close attention to what was #trending, you might have even started blending butter into your coffee or pouring apple cider vinegar in your hair.

As the year draws to a close, we’re reflecting on the top 10 weirdest health trends—some with staying power, and some we’re ready to forget forever. Here they are in order, from relatively mainstream to downright bizarre.

10. Kale everywhere

The already popular cruciferous veggie got even bigger in 2015. This year, kale continued to pop up everywhere—salads, smoothies, chips, Beyonce’s sweatshirt, you name it. And it isn’t likely to fall off the radar anytime soon (despite reports of “killer kale”), so expect to down many more green smoothies in 2016.

9. Fermented everything

Health-conscious people have been touting the healing powers of probiotics for a while now, but the beneficial bacteria didn’t get their real moment in the spotlight until 2015. Fermented foods skyrocketed in popularity as a way to eat your fill of probiotics, in the form of kombucha tea, kimchi and sauerkraut, and even DIY yogurt.

8. Oil pulling

Another miracle food rediscovered by the public in 2015? Coconut oil. Though it has a vast number of uses, it’s gotten the most buzz for one in particular: oil pulling.

Ayurvedic medicine recommends swishing oil around the mouth once a day for 15 minutes or so to clean and detoxify the mouth. And last year, everyone seemed to be doing it—we even tried it to see what all the fuss was about.

7. Bulletproof Coffee

Silicon Valley executive Dave Asprey got a lot of press this year for creating Bulletproof Coffee—a blend of hot coffee, grass-fed butter, and medium chain triglyceride oil. Touted as a brain-boosting breakfast replacement, the caffeinated concoction is supposed to help you hack your health and boost your productivity all day.

Surprisingly, it doesn’t taste too bad. Blending the coffee gives it a latte-like consistency, without any milk. Try it for yourself—or make your own “unicorn fuel”, a spicier version.

6. Waist training

A cursory look at any of the Kardashian sisters’ Instagrams will reveal plenty of selfies with waist trainers. Celebs are going crazy for these modern day corsets, said to squeeze in your waist, and over time, shrink it to Barbie-like proportions. Unfortunately, most experts maintain that this treatment doesn’t do anything other than make you uncomfortable.

5. Workout facials

As if creams, serums, and oils weren’t enough, aestheticians have come up with another way to fight off wrinkles and keep skin looking fresh: the workout facial. This beauty treatment is exactly what it sounds like—an exercise routine for your face. The jury’s still out on whether or not it works, but most experts concede that it can’t hurt!

4. Hair burning

After Victoria’s Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio Instagrammed a photo of a stylist burning her hair with a candle, everyone was talking about it. The Brazilian hair treatment is said to remove split ends and frizzy strands, but it’s far from safe (hello, fire hazard). Skip the burnt hair smell and opt for an all-natural mask instead.

3. “No poo”

While we’re on the topic of hair care, another big thing in 2015? Skipping shampoo and trying the “no poo” method. It’s not as gross as it sounds—”no poo” just means washing hair with apple cider vinegar and baking soda instead of conventional products. While some natural beauty gurus swear by it, our team wasn’t too impressed.

2. Breast milk as a supplement

More and more bodybuilders are putting aside the protein powders and fitness supplements and opting for something more powerful: colostrum. This “liquid gold” produced by mammal mothers before their milk comes in is packed with vitamins, minerals, and growth hormones—everything a newborn needs. Some hardcore athletes started jumping on the bandwagon in 2015, but instead of purchasing bovine colostrum, opted for human breast milk instead. Just trust us when we say this is not a good idea, okay?

1. Coffee enemas

Also not a good idea: Using coffee in an enema. Some naturopathic medicine practitioners recommend cleansing the colon with your favorite caffeinated beverage (cooled, of course) to detoxify the body. Since at least two people have died—and many more have damaged their digestive tract—following the treatment, we think we’ll pass on this one.