Coconut oil pulling, apple cider vinegar, garlic supplements and lemon water.

I tried all of these sorts of health fads over the summer in hopes of having a healthy and clean system.

But did they really work? Was sliced garlic in tea with lemon, honey and apple cider vinegar really worth the effort? Did the Vitamin E, C and B I remembered to take religiously really make a difference?

In some ways yes, in others no.

Over summer, I had more than enough time on my hands to make these weird concoctions I was turned on to by FitnessGuruChick29 on Pinterest, or whoever.

But since returning to Chico I haven’t really continued my attempts to someday be the picture of good health.

I don’t really even feel the difference from the good chunk of time I invested in these trending health fads.

I suppose I do drink more now; that might have something to do with it. And my skin was clearer over summer, but I wasn’t wearing makeup everyday then either.

Even now I think to myself: I was drinking vinegar and eating raw garlic? Wow.

The simple fact of it is, following trends or taking the advice of amateur bloggers is not the way to stay healthy.

No one has the secret to the ideal image of health.

Julianna Eveland can be reached at [email protected] or @janeca12 on Twitter.