'Bring your A-game': Gwyneth Paltrow told her detractors in May that they should not 'f*** with me'. Now, after a number of medics poked holes in goop's work, she's hitting back
Goop has hit back at the medics who accuse them of pedaling quack science - provoking a storm of backlash on Twitter.
The lifestyle website, the brainchild of actress-turned-entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow, has earned a name for promoting unusual and often controversial products and lifestyles.
Since its launch in 2008, the site has become something that people love to hate, as Paltrow's crop of wellness gurus have urged readers to steam their vaginas, take a sauna when they are ill, and buy $113 toothpaste.
But now, two of these experts have hit back at their detractors in a fierce and lengthy blog post on the goop website, titled Uncensored.
It starts with an introduction from Team Goop, which slams 'indiscriminate attacks that question the motivation and integrity of the doctors', and warns that '[b]eing dismissive... seems like the most dangerous practice of all'.
They defend a blog post published last year, which told women to place $66 jade eggs in their vaginas to help with their pelvic floor - an article which sparked a storm of reaction, with some claiming it increased the risk of infection, and others saying it is a pointless thing to spent that much money on.
The article then introduces Dr Aviva Romm, a physician on the board of directors at Yale, and Dr Steven Gundry, a peer-reviewed heart and lung expert - who directs his entire post at one specific gynecologist who disagreed with a recent article of his.
Gwyneth Paltrow shared a link to the article on Twitter, borrowing Michelle Obama's phrase 'when they go low, we go high'.
It was met with thousands of responses, most accusing Dr Gundry of 'mansplaining' and 'ego-bullying' his female detractor.
The doctors' defenses
DO CUCUMBERS CAUSE DEMENTIA? GOOP DOCTOR SLAMS HIS DETRACTORS AND EXPLAINS WHY THE VEGETABLE ISN'T SAFE
The first doctor to defend his reputation is Dr Steven Gundry, who takes a far more fierce tone than the Team Goop introduction and his colleague Dr Romm who follows.
Dr Gundry is the medical director of The International Heart and Lung Institute in California.
His post takes direct aim at Dr Jen Gunter, a San Francisco-based gynecologist who has rocketed to internet notoriety by blogging about the supposed dangers of goop's advice.
Recently, she published a take-down of Dr Gundry's claim that lectins - properties found in cucumbers and tomatoes - increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
Hitting back, he explains what it means to be a peer-reviewed professor and accuses Dr Gunter of making baseless claims that lack research.
Paltrow tweeted the link, borrowing Michelle Obama's phrase 'when they go low, we go high'
This is the top of goop's lengthy article defending its products and advice; slamming haters
'I have read Dr. Jennifer Gunter's recent diatribe online about some of goop's advice, and since one of my recommendations was mentioned, and my credentials and motives were brought into question, I believe I have the right and duty to respond,' Dr Gundry writes.
He writes that he has published 'over 300 papers, chapters, and abstracts on my research in peer-reviewed journals and have presented over 500 papers at peer-reviewed academic meetings'.
After explaining what that entails, he gives some more detail on the research into lectins, with links to research papers and an interview on Dr Oz.
Throughout, Dr Gundry chastises Dr Gunter for 'throwing F-bombs', and blusters: 'you did not do even a simple Google search of me before opening your mouth'.
He writes: 'I have been in academic medicine for forty years and up until your posting, have never seen a medical discussion start or end with the 'F-bomb,' yet yours did.
'A very wise Professor of Surgery at the University of Michigan once instructed me to never write anything that my mother or child wouldn't be proud to read. I hope, for the sake of your mother and child, that a re-reading of your article fails his test, and following his sage advice, that you will remove it.'
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ShareIS 'WELLNESS' A FAD? IT WOULDN'T BE A BAD THING, GOOP DOCTOR SAYS
Dr Aviva Romm takes a broader approach, defending goop's emphasis on wellness.
She insists it is essential in the United States, citing the high rates of diabetes, obesity, chronic diseases, and drug-related deaths.
'Let’s not forget that many common medical practices that were not too long ago considered wellness trends, at best, unscientific bunk, or at worst, dangerous, are now widely incorporated into conventional patient care,' Dr Romm adds.
'I prefer, rather than ridiculing vehicles that are actually highly effective at reaching large numbers of women who want to be well, to seek to understand what women are looking for, what the maintstream isn't providing,' she writes.
Dr Romm adds that we need to 'work together to support those vehicles in elevating their content so that women are receiving the meaningful, and evidence-based answers, they want and deserve, whenever possible'.
The backlash
Gwyneth Paltrow first stoked the flames of the wildfire that has erupted between her doctors and their haters in May.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, she issued a challenge to goop's detractors: 'If you want to f*** with me, bring your A-game.'
The internet took the bait.
Dr Gunter published a widely-shared article titled 'Dear Gwyneth Paltrow we’re not f**king with you we’re correcting you, XOXO Science'.
After a few more blog posts breaking down why she disagreed with goop's writing, goop hit back.
Goop's defending article, published on Thursday, triggered thousands of reactions.
Many criticized Paltrow for claiming to take a civilized approach.
'Wow, Gwyneth uses @MichelleObama's positive catchphrase to showcase a man with an ego bullying female scientist @DrJenGunter on @goop,' wrote one user.
Others took aim at Dr Gundry.
'I can't believe he mansplained peer review to her,' one said, referring to Dr Gundry's post.
Another mocked him for claiming medical professionals do not use swear words.
'That made me laugh. I went to UMichigan too, & have certs from Stanford & JHU. I swear in front of my mom. Big deal,' one said.
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