I think we can all agree that in 2020 we had to make changes – big and small – to our everyday lives. The pandemic has changed how we work, learn and interact personally and professionally. It has also forced us to pay attention to issues like mental health, the foods we eat, where we live and our relationships. Some of these changes are here to stay and are not just a fad. This article will highlight 3 wellness trends that are here to stay.
Food as Medicine
COVID -19 has taught us to put our health and well-being front and center of everything that we do. We are trying foods, ingredients and substances that help them build immunity, prevent inflammation, aid our digestive health and relieve stress and anxiety. Just as important as are the things we put into our bodies, is the need to detox our bodies, Right now is the best time for renewal of the body. Especially after living in full on pandemic-mode for over a year! But what exactly is detoxing and why is it important?
Detox
The word “toxin” in the context of detoxing the body does not have a set definition. Toxins typically include pollutants, synthetic chemicals, heavy metals, and processed foods — which all negatively affect health.
Your body has a natural pre-programmed process to rid your body of toxins, thereby improving health and promoting weight loss. Your body uses the liver, kidneys, digestive system, skin, and lungs to eliminate toxins. Still, only when these organs are healthy, can they effectively eliminate unwanted substances.
So while detoxing your body doesn’t require special diets or expensive supplements to do so, you can however, enhance your body’s natural detoxification system. A simple way is to start by eating a variety of fresh coloured fruits and vegetables, and minimising dairy products, wheat, red meat and processed or fast foods. Also limit alcohol and caffeine, including tea, coffee and sodas. You can drink caffeine-free herbal teas and dandelion coffee which support your liver. Drinking detox water is also a great way to get started.
What is detox water I hear you ask?
It is basically water that has been infused with flavour. It can be made at home in using any combination of fruits, vegetables and herbs that you like.
A popular way to drink detox water is by using a detox water bottle. Check out these bottles here.
So, go on and get started with a detox water!
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Health Self-Management
Individuals have the power to create wellness within themselves. You have the power of choice to engage in lifestyles that promote physical health and emotional wellbeing. No doctor or drug is as effective as "wellness" at minimizing disease and enhancing the length and quality of life. That is which is why wearable wellness is going to be a part of our lives going forward.
AI and Wearable Wellness
In-person doctor visits may continue to decrease for a while. So this means that people are proactively tracking their own health using wearable fitness devices like the Fitbit watch or Apple watch. These devices provide an easy-to-follow path to wellness which is why they have become increasingly popular.
These wearable wellness devices are small electronic devices that are placed on your body and measure things like your temperature, blood pressure, blood oxygen, physical movement, and the electrical activity of the heart, muscles, brain, and skin.
This gives your doctor a new way of treating you based on your personal heath data. Take for example the App Ultrahuman. This is a health and fitness platform which takes a holistic approach to fitness by helping you the user meditate, workout efficiently and optimize their sleep. This is done with the help of athletes, neuroscientists, artists and psychologists. You can integrate Ultrahuman with Apple Watch and use biofeedback data to provide you with real-time insights into heart rate and calories burned.
The exciting Ultrahuman features include:
- Body workout programs for all fitness levels.
- Research-backed meditation experiences.
- Bedtime stories written by award-winning authors, designed to educate, delight and relax users into more restful sleep.
- "Brain music" composed by a variety of neuro-musicians, classical music legends and artists, meant to promote relaxation, focus, productivity and sleep.
This makes it an effective tool to have in your wellness program.
Working From Home
The general population has spent more time at home than ever before in our lifetimes. This forced people to take note of their immediate surroundings and improving them. Working from home has become a norm as opposed to a perk and people found a sense of wellness in creating efficient and effective organization systems for their rooms. Rooms become multi-purpose to accommodate a working and schooling from home culture
Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels
In setting up your home office, it is important to create ergonomically correct work stations and to adopt practices to look after your mental health. Things you could do to improve your wellbeing and mental health while working from home include eating healthy, practicing mindfulness, connecting more and embracing nature.
Image taken from https://ergonomicshealth.com/ergonomic-workstation-setup/
Indoor Gardening
And in the spirit of embracing nature during lockdown, gardening and indoor plants is a trend that blossomed in 2020 and is sure to continue into 2021. This trend is here to stay because of the research tells us that houseplants improve health and well-being. They boost your productivity, reduce your stress levels and plants can be therapeutic. If you are new to indoor plants or are wondering where to start, check out this article for some useful tips.
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels
Let me know in the comments section below, which of these Wellness trends have you adopted? Are there any other notable trends that you think are here to stay?