My health blogging experience

Pandora’s Health is two years old! In honour of this milestone, I’m going to look back at what’s changed with health and wellness, and the blogging community itself.

Blogging is one of my main hobbies. It started my journey down a writing career path, and since I started my first blog (during my second year of university), I’ve gained my MA in science journalism and gone on to work in medical advertising.

Believe me though, when you work as a writer all day, the last thing you want to do when you get home is write some more. So why am I still blogging? Why am I doing something that so many other people do, and seem to have more success with?

Well, like I just said, it’s one of my favourite hobbies. I have to be in the right mood to do it but when I am, I love writing, sourcing photos and scheduling content.

What I have learned though, from running this particular blog for two years? Let’s dive in.

The market is saturated

So many health bloggers, so little time!

Some focus on mental health, some on exercise, and some post an endless stream of gorgeous buddha bowls on Instagram. They’re doing amazingly well at this! Some health bloggers though… they post some health and wellness nonsense.

This is where I’m still trying to carve a slice of my own niche. Why? Because I still believe that someone needs to cut through swathes of advice that may not even be true. Someone needs to carry on myth busting and debunking. I’m obviously not the only person doing this (thankfully), but I’m definitely not going to stop.

Trends really do come and go

Does anyone remember activated charcoal? I vaguely do. It was, in fact, my very first post on Pandora’s Health. It seems to have all but disappeared though, and it’s not even available at Pret a Manger anymore…

And, like I predicted, vegetarian keto has become a thing. It’s generally called ‘ketotarian‘ instead of ‘veto’ but, fine. I still prefer my name for it.

Not that I’m trying it though. I love carbs and don’t believe that keto is super sustainable for most people.

The Instagram ‘game’ is real

And I refuse to play it. Whether it’s the Instagram algorithm itself (which makes barely any sense these days, and appears to be strangling smaller creators) or the follow/follow back game, I’m out.

Case in point, for a short while I was part of a group that liked each others posts, every time we posted. It’s an attempt to get past the algorithm. Eventually though, I stopped. My heart wasn’t in it and while I’m all for supporting people on the platform (I like support too after all), I felt like it wasn’t authentic. They were accounts that I wouldn’t typically follow.

When I subsequently unfollowed one blogger, I received a somewhat passive agressive “sorry you unfollowed me” comment on my next post.

This is why I don’t play games. 

It’s helped with my actual job

Like I said earlier, blogging is my hobby. Will it turn into a fully fledged, paying the bills kind of career? I can’t tell…I only use my crystal ball to predict health and wellness trends!

What I can safely say though is that it’s really helped with my job as a writer in medical advertising. Now, this job is mostly based around pharmaceuticals which is a whole different kettle of fish to wellness! That being said, by keeping an eye on health and wellness, I’ve been able to think of ideas that push my clients, or give a little extra insight at meetings and discussions.

What’s next for the blog?

Same as always, lifting the lid on health and wellness.

Thanks for reading! Sign up to Pandora’s Health for even more advice, tips and tricks about the latest trends.