Ethical Wellness FAQ
What does “ethical wellness” mean?
When we mention ethical wellness, we are referring to health & wellness products, services, and practices that are:
- Produced and marketed based on evidence-based information
- Produced with a minimum impact on the planet
- Produced in a way that doesn’t harm or exploit people and/or animals
- Produced and marketed with ethical intentions (think “people over money”)
There is a criminal amount of misinformation and malpractice when it comes to the health & wellness industry.
That is dangerous, especially in this industry.
But why is there so much misinformation and malpractice in the health industry?
One of the main reasons is because health & wellness expertise seems very out-of-reach and inaccessible (financially, academically, etc.).
This is why Human of Impact tries its best to connect you to ethical health & wellness resources that we’ve thoroughly researched and even tried ourselves.
The founder of Human of Impact – Ellyssa – studies health management and is an avid advocate for access to healthcare and ethical health & wellness practices.
If you find unethical products, services, or practices in the health & wellness field, please reach out to us so that we can evaluate further, spread awareness, and provide alternative resources to our audience.
Are natural skincare and dental care really better?
It depends on the product and your health condition.
Depending on your body and its reactions to certain substances, your doctor might recommend that you continue using doctor-recommended products that are not always made from natural ingredients.
There is nothing wrong with this!
In fact, I (the founder of Human of Impact) am severely allergic to most skincare products – including “natural” products. Even my dermatologists are surprised by the sensitivity of my skin. This is something that I can’t control and therefore nothing to be ashamed of.
“But I thought natural ingredients would be better for sensitive bodies…?”
Sometimes.
It’s important to ask yourself what “natural” means and note that:
- Many “natural” ingredients are still mixed with dozens of man-made chemicals
- Many “natural” ingredients can still be toxic at high concentrations
- Many “natural” ingredients can still be harmful to your body if mixed with other ingredients
- Many “natural” ingredients can be harmful to your body simply because your body doesn’t react to it well
Another note: There is not a “100% ethical product” for your skin, teeth, or body (yet). Why? Well, no brand is perfect.
We have to do some compromising with our bodies’ needs and with the available health & wellness brands.
“The solutions are not black and white, it’s more like a balancing act of trade-offs.”
–Amarjit Sahota, president of Organic Monitor
Are ethical & sustainable sex products worth the money?
Yes, and here are a few reasons why:
- Ethical sex products typically last longer. They carry a higher price tag because of the better materials and labor used during production.
- You save money in the long-term. Since the products are built to last, you can save lots of money in the long-term if you care for your products.
- Safer & more sustainable materials. Ethical sex products cost more money but that’s because they typically use better materials that are safer for humans and for the environment.
My favorite visual breakdown of ethical product costs is this polo shirt that was made in Bangladesh:
And as you can see, the labor only costs about 12 cents.
When you think about everything that goes into making a shirt from growing the cotton to harvesting it, spinning it, dying it, turning it into the fabric, cutting the fabric, sewing it, transporting it back and forth to multiple countries, and then getting the shirt into the store, it just seems wild that the entire process can be done so cheaply.
And then you start to think about WHO is actually paying those costs…
It’s usually you – the consumer paying for it!
But no worries! There are a few different ways that you can build an inventory of ethical and sustainable products with a tight budget.
How is self care an ethical issue?
This is a tough question for us to answer in-depth because we are not experts in psychology.
However, here is a short explanation…
We can all agree that you work better and are more helpful when your mind is rested.
From this, we can all agree that making self-care a high priority is a moral obligation for ourselves.
In fact, many psychologists find that self care is an ethical obligation to:
- maintain a healthy relationship with yourself
- maintain a healthy relationship with others
It comes down to a ripple effect…
When you are able to consciously take care of yourself and understand your decisions, then you can take better care of yourself and others.
“Self-care is never a selfish act – it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others. Anytime we can listen to true self and give the care it requires, we do it not only for ourselves, but for the many others whose lives we touch.”
― Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation
What are health ethics?
Health ethics pertains to the conscious intentions and decisions when:
- practicing medicine
- developing health & wellness products and services
- marketing health & wellness products and services
- giving advice about health & wellness topics
- creating laws in regards to a human’s body, health & wellness
Advancements in medical knowledge and in medical technologies comes with new and important moral issues and responsibilities.
What are examples of ethical issues in healthcare?
Ethical issues come up in all types of healthcare topics like:
- drug dosages
- information transparency (eg. ingredients, procedures, etc.)
- consent (eg. procedures, personal information, etc.)
- natural and synthetic ingredients
- testing on humans and animals
- new technologies in all medical fields (eg. genetics, reproduction, etc.)
- medical procedures (eg. organ transplants, blood transfusions, abortions, etc.)
- discrimination in clinical practice and research (eg. sexism, racism, homophobia, etc.)
- evidence-based and non-evidence-based commercial products
Simple Guide To Ethical Health & Wellness
Once you find some ethical wellness products that you like, ALWAYS ask a medical professional (dental, dermatologist, other physician) if the product will work for your body and medical condition(s).
- Credible doctors and scientists do NOT post their findings on media outlets. Instead, they publish their works in scientific journals. You can find some scientific journals here.
- Avoid posting “medical advice” that is not cited from a credible scientific medical journal.
- Can’t afford healthcare and need some general advice from practicing medical professionals? There are a few trustworthy (and fun!) American doctors on YouTube who can help:
- Use our ethical living directory to find brands and resources like books, films, etc. that you love in the health & wellness realm
- Avoid dental and medicinal products that contain animal products. Yep, even personal lubricant!
- Try to buy wellness products that are cruelty-free (no animal testing). It’s pretty difficult to trace this, so use this guide to help you.
- Avoid products that contain parabens, phthalates or triclosan. These are toxic chemicals that have very negative environmental impacts and health effects – from skin irritation to carcinogenicity!
- Avoid products that contain microbeads (the ones that do NOT dissolve)
- Buy wellness products that are sourced from ethical labor
- Ethical labor means that workers are paid a fair wage by a factory that’s externally accredited by a credible organization.
- Think “people before profits”
- Look for the Fair Trade Certified labels which look like this:
- Get the full list of ethical and eco-friendly certifications & labels here
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SOURCES: Psychology Today, Good Reads, IEP, macleans.ca
