
Gen Z influencers give RFK Jr.'s movement new edge
Why it matters: The distrust of Big Pharma and antiestablishment health messaging may create a convenient gateway into conservative politics for adolescents and young adults.
The big picture: Youth influencers are driven in part by concerns about chronic disease they see in their parents. The New York Times has even dubbed them "crunchy teens" for their embrace of natural living.
Case in point: Adolescents who've gained big followings on TikTok and Instagram include 17-year-old Ava Noe — a Make America Healthy Again supporter with the handle @cleanlivingwithava who has more than 27,200 followers— and 16-year-old Annika Zude, known online as @thatcrunchygirlannika, who has more than 38,600 followers.
They're joined by peers like 19-year-olds Lexi Vrachalus and Grace Price, known as the MAHA Girls, who extol followers to "detox your life" and enumerate what they claim are harmful ingredients in consumer products.
"Girls our age are looking for answers," Price told CNN. "They have this opportunity to take ownership of their health, or they're going to fall victim to Big Pharma and Big Food."
Between the line: The messaging syncs with Kennedy's agenda, down to advocacy of beef tallow and criticism of refined sugar.
And the often female influencers offer a younger twist on "MAHA moms," who push health content around raising children in homes that are free of highly processed foods and, in some cases, vaccines and other pharmaceutical interventions.
The convergence of wellness and politics was apparent at last month's Young Women's Leadership Summit, hosted by Turning Point USA, which featured influencers like Alex Clark, a millennial known for her podcast "Culture Apothecary" who testified at a Senate hearing on chronic illness, the Times reported.
"What dipped my toe into all of this was the MAHA movement," Rhaelynn Zito, a nurse, told the Times, recounting her embrace of conservative ideals, as well as skepticism of vaccines and abortions.
Health communications experts warn much of the content contains misinformation and, in some cases, comes from minors passing themselves off as experts.
"The teen MAHA influencers like Lexi and Grace do not have the expertise and training to discuss health topics online," Katrine Wallace, epidemiologist at the University of Illinois Chicago, who debunks questionable health claims, told Axios.
She pointed to their criticism of fluoride and seed oils based on research they'd done online when scientifically validated studies don't support those positions.
Health providers also worry about the unhealthy promotion of disordered eating wrapped in a veneer of health and wellness.
"It's also important to recognize that the line between empowerment and misinformation can get blurry on platforms like TikTok, where personal anecdotes often substitute for evidence," A. Susana Ramírez, associate professor of public health communication at the University of California, Merced told the publication Parents about the trend.
What to watch: Whether these teen influencers start mobilizing young voters toward Kennedy and like-minded figures.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


NBC News
6 hours ago
- NBC News
Kennedy considering firing members of preventive services task force
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is considering removing all 16 members of a highly influential advisory committee that offers guidance about preventive health services, such as cancer screenings, HIV prevention medications or tests for osteoporosis, according to two people familiar with the plan. The United States Preventive Services Task Force is a group of independent doctors, nurses and public health experts who volunteer to regularly review volumes of the latest scientific research about diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease and mental health, as well as mammograms for breast cancer. Health and Human Services' spokesperson Andrew Nixon said in an emailed statement Friday that 'no final decision has been made on how the USPSTF can better support HHS' mandate to Make America Healthy Again.' Earlier this month, Kennedy caused alarm among task force members after he abruptly postponed a scheduled meeting that was set to focus on heart disease and prevention. At the time, task force members weren't given a reason for the cancellation or whether the meeting would be rescheduled. Kennedy's plans were first reported Friday by The Wall Street Journal. The task force plays an important role in protecting access to screenings and tests because the Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as Obamacare, mandates that most private insurers provide the services that the group recommends to patients at no cost. The task force makes its recommendations using a grading scale. Under federal law, services that get an A or B grade but must be covered by insurance plans at no cost for patients. The advisory group has come under fire from conservative groups for some past decisions, including its 'A' recommendation to cover the HIV prevention pill, known as PrEP. The advisory group has come under fire from conservative groups for some past decisions, including its 'A' recommendation to cover the HIV prevention pill, known as PrEP. That recommendation led to a lawsuit from several Christian employers that ended up before the Supreme Court, where the justices decided 6-3 to uphold the Affordable Care Act provision that requires insurers to cover task force-recommended preventive services for free. However, the court agreed with the Trump administration that Kennedy has final say over decisions made by members of the task force because HHS has oversight over the group. As health secretary, he also has the authority to remove and replace members. Kennedy has made children's chronic disease a keystone of his position as the country's top health official. It's unclear which areas of health care Kennedy might target by shaking up the panel. In June, Kennedy fired all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — which makes recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about vaccines, including for children — and replaced them with eight new members. The new panel includes well-known vaccine critics.


Los Angeles Times
10 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Resonance Reimagined: The Light System is Here
Wellness is often framed as a luxury – an extra layer of care, rather than a fundamental part of health. But today, new technologies are challenging that notion by making access to restorative experiences more attainable. At the forefront is The Light System (TLS), a next-generation, non-invasive technology built to create environments that support the body's natural ability to restore and regulate itself. Backed by over 30 years of research, The Light System is an energy-based wellness technology that uses specific light and frequency emissions to support coherence in the human biofield. By creating low-stimulation environments where the body feels safe enough to relax, TLS may promote a range of benefits over time, including improved sleep, reduced physical tension, and emotional clarity. 'Our users often say they feel calmer right away and then notice other shifts later,' says Jarrod, chief operating officer of The Light System. 'Sleep improves. Energy returns. They feel lighter emotionally. It's subtle but powerful.' 'It's not a quick fix,' Jarrod adds. 'It's a new way of engaging with wellness, one that builds over time.' TLS environments are carefully designed spaces that combine tuned light frequencies with intentional interior elements. These are not treatment rooms. They are calming sanctuaries where people can simply sit or lie down for several hours in a safe, quiet setting. The technology does not treat or diagnose any condition. Instead, it works by fostering an atmosphere of deep calm, where the body's own regulatory systems may begin to operate more efficiently. 'TLS invites people to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with their natural rhythm,' says Jarrod. 'That's where real wellness begins.' TLS is currently available through select wellness spaces, with multi-hour sessions and flexible access options. For those interested in extending the experience at home, TLS also offers a selection of approved wellness products via 'We wanted TLS to be accessible,' Jarrod explains. 'Whether someone visits a center or creates a calming space at home, the experience can still support long-term well-being.' The Light System is not a treatment. It's a philosophy – one that focuses on rest, resonance, and allowing the body space to recalibrate. There are no substances, no pressure, and no expectations. 'People often tell us it's the first time they've felt safe enough to truly relax,' Jarrod shares. 'That's the environment we aim to create, where healing happens because you're simply allowed to rest.' With its non-invasive foundation, cumulative benefits, and gentle approach, The Light System is carving out a new path in wellness – one that respects stillness and allows the body to take the lead. Because wellness shouldn't be a luxury – it should be a return to what already lives within you. Follow The Light System on Instagram at: @


Fox News
13 hours ago
- Fox News
DR MARC SIEGEL: The health and times of Hulk Hogan
Health struggles or surgeries are not how we will remember Hulk Hogan, the WWE Hall of Fame wrestler and entertainer, who died on Thursday. Don't get me wrong, Hogan had plenty of health struggles, from his admitted steroid use in the 1990s, to multiple knee and hip replacement surgeries, to shoulder and multiple back surgeries, and finally a neck fusion operation which, by many accounts, was followed by a downhill slide in his health, culminating in a fatal cardiac we honor him not for overcoming pain or injury but as a cultural icon, for many a national treasure, a friend and bold, unapologetic supporter of President Donald Trump and MAGA. In a sense, Hogan is also a part of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement in that he represents returning America to a time of greater physicality and vitality. His outspoken candor was an important part of America's unsanitized identity and one that we are struggling to return came from a group of professional wrestlers who have a high incidence of steroid and drug use, suicide, and heart disease. In fact, according to a study from the University of Eastern Michigan, mortality rates for wrestlers ages 45 to 54 (men who wrestled from 1985 to 2011 during the era when Hogan was wrestling) were almost three times more likely to die prematurely than the general U.S. population. And those numbers increased the older the wrestler was. Many of these men didn't even make it to their seventies. PRO WRESTLING ICON HULK HOGAN DEAD AT 71Keep in mind the physical strain of having a large, bulky frame being repeatedly slammed, combined with frequent travel and the emotional stresses of being both an athlete and an was an inspirational figure for many. The wrestler and entertainer was known for his vitality, his outspokenness, and for going against the established norm. He drew inspiration from "Superstar" Billy Graham while still a teen in Tampa and he went on to have a larger-than-life personality of his appearance in "Rocky III" with Sylvester Stallone was legendary (Hogan played the wrestler "Thunderlips") and he was fired temporarily from the WWF (now WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment) for accepting the role even though it catapulted him to mainstream HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONMany pro-wrestlers have a problem with anabolic steroid use, and Hogan was no exception. In fact, he drew a lot of public attention to the problem when he admitted under oath in 1994, during the trial of then WWF Chairman Vince McMahon on steroid distribution charges, that he had used them for over a decade (before stopping). Hogan later admitted that the purpose was "to get big." Hulk Hogan lived in pain for decades but it didn't keep him from being a continuing role model for many, including in his later years. He came to embody physical and spiritual vitality and that is what he will really be remembered for. He was baptized in December 2023, 18 months before his death. He called it the best day of his life, surrendering to his faith. "To all my little Hulkamaniacs, say your prayers, take your vitamins and you will never go wrong," was one of his most well-known Hulk Hogan were here, he might say, live life to the fullest for long as you HERE TO READ MORE FROM DR. MARC SIEGEL