Rina Raphael

Rina Raphael is a journalist and author whose work focuses on health, wellness, technology, and women's issues. She previously served as a senior producer and lifestyle editor at TODAY.com and NBCNews.com before transitioning to long-form investigative reporting. Raphael writes for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, and Fast Company, among other publications. She is a senior editor at Tablet Magazine.

Raphael is the author of "The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop, and the False Promise of Self-Care." The book examines the growth of the wellness industry, exploring its origins in legitimate concerns, the impact of marketing on consumers, and the reasons behind increased spending by women. It analyzes how the wellness movement has evolved, highlighting the proliferation of questionable products, marketing tactics, and the pressures placed on consumers. Drawing from personal experience, Raphael details her own journey through wellness trends, from clean eating to unconventional workouts, and her eventual reassessment of the industry's claims. The book has been recognized by major publications, with the New York Times noting Raphael's analysis of how the wellness industry has transformed ideas about nutrition and fitness, and The Atlantic describing it as a thorough examination of the modern wellness industry.

Raphael also publishes the wellness industry newsletter "Well To Do," which covers trends, news, and market analysis. She has spoken on the wellness industry at national conferences such as HLTH, the Global Wellness Summit, and the Fast Company Innovation Festival. Internationally, Raphael has presented at the QEDcon festival of critical thinking in Manchester and participated in panels on investigative journalism. She has appeared at CSICon's 50th anniversary with the Center for Inquiry, discussing America's embrace of pseudoscience.

Raphael's journalism and public speaking emphasize the importance of critical thinking in evaluating the wellness industry. She addresses how the self-care movement has shifted from sound ideas about nutrition and fitness to offerings with questionable claims, a perspective that resonates with health professionals and general audiences. Raphael has participated in panels on responsible wellness reporting at the Association of Health Care Journalists conference, reflecting her commitment to high standards in health journalism.