Jim Rohn, a famous American entrepreneur, must’ve been having a tough time when he said, ‘Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
Can you believe an entrepreneur saying this, whose main mantra of life is to ‘Hustle’?
Now we still don’t understand the importance of our health and well-being and the dire consequences of taking it for granted.
Far too often work, family, bills, trips, and other obligations take precedence over our health.
But COVID-19 and the circumstances that come with it have moved health to the top of our priority list.
And let’s not forget the rise of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, making our lives much more terrible than ever.
To help you make the most of the coming year, we’ve compiled a list of the top 7 health and wellness trends for 2022.
Table of Contents
Health and Wellness During COVID-19
What is Wellness?
Let’s get back to basics.
According to WHO. “Health” means physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
A healthy life does not come easy–you must pay attention to your body and build a relationship with it. It includes following a healthier lifestyle daily so that you are living rather than just surviving every day.
For all those people who neglect the concept of wellness, it is mandatory to understand that it is closely associated with health. As stated above, health is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity–it’s all about your personal development and physical well-being.
The WHO definition of health clearly defines that various facets need to be monitored for overall wellness. It includes exercise, mindfulness, social connectedness, sleep, and nutrition.
Your physical and mental health is affected by each of these factors. Implementing simple and healthy lifestyle trends in 2022 in your daily routine will help you reduce anxiety, have healthy social relations, and achieve optimal wellness.
No, you don’t need a fancy workout location or follow some fad diet to include wellness in your life. Everyone can start practicing the health trends that we discuss below.
How has health and wellness taken a backseat due to the pandemic?
Millions of people throughout the world have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The damage is not over yet, as the pandemic has left each of us with an array of health problems.
“Sanitize yourself, wash your hands for 20 seconds, wear a mask, maintain a distance of 6 feet between each other, and so on… “
Amidst focusing on all of this, we all forgot to keep a check on ourselves. Mental health and physical wellness were long-lost topics, and no one even cared to talk about them.
The uncertainty of jobs, getting locked up alone at home, etc., panicked each of us. These situations left a scar on our minds, which we never paid attention to. Self-care took a backseat during the pandemic since people got habituated to staying asleep for longer durations.
A lack of motivation can occur after an extended quarantine because of the detrimental psychological impacts of isolation.
Let’s talk about some of the statistics that indeed indicate the urgency of implementing wellness and health trends.
- Around 4 in 10 persons in the US have experienced anxiety and Depression during the pandemic. The number has risen from 1 in 10 adults.
- ACCORDING TO A NEW AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (APA) STUDY, the COVID-19 pandemic has also resulted in unwanted weight changes for 61% of US adults.
- To cope with the stress caused by the coronavirus, 13% of adults reported new or increased substance usage. Suicide rates also rose during this time.
Innumerable stats are available on the internet that explains how pandemic affected our health physically or mentally. Take these warning signs into account and ensure to take out time for your health.
Top Health Trends To Follow in 2022
- Mindful And Intuitive Eating
Most people have heard about the most popular diet trend in 2022 – mindful and intuitive eating. But, what do these terms mean? Are they the same? If not, then how do they differ from each other?
Well, mindful eating isn’t the same as intuitive eating, irrespective of the fact that both have a positive impact on your well-being. Let us begin by discussing these two approaches in brief.
Mindfulness is the conscious human quality of being present in the moment. Likewise, mindful eating can also be defined as the awareness of all the elements that influence your eating habits, such as physical state, emotions, preference, and timing.
Simply put, the act of eating mindfully involves observing our bodily sensations and feelings during your meal.
Principles of Mindful Eating
- Relish each flavor of the food
- Switch off TV and phones while eating
- Take smaller bites
- Slow down and chew more
- Pay attention to your body’s hunger and fullness signs
Eating intuitively depends on internal hunger and fullness indicators while also addressing any underlying emotional factors that drive our eating. Intuitive eating recognizes the importance of the mind and body relation while bringing eating behaviors back to their most natural state.
Principles of Intuitive Eating
- Discover the satisfaction factor
- Get rid of the dieting mentality
- Be at peace with what you eat
- Honor your body’s hunger
- Feel the fullness
A healthier attitude towards eating can be achieved using either strategy. It doesn’t matter whether you use them separately or together—whichever you choose, you’ll reap the benefits of remaining in the moment and eating when you’re hungry.
- Digital Detox
No matter where you are, the internet stays handy to us on our smartphones—because of this, taking a digital detox has become one of the most popular health trends to pull our lives together.
It’s necessary for people of all ages to detox themselves from technology regularly. It is because our bodies and nervous systems are more vulnerable to the detrimental impacts of technology.
As the name suggests, detoxing oneself from digital devices like cell phones and computers is called digital detox. It can help you relax and focus on social communication instead of self-expression.
In addition, a digital detox allows you to spend time in nature, do some physical activity, and practice mindfulness.
Digital detox is a must in the current times, where we spend around 3 hours and 15 minutes in a day on our phones just scrolling through social media or chatting on WhatsApp. The increasing consumption of online media is taking a toll on mental and physical health.
Try these 5 ways to start with your digital detoxification:
- Set your time limits
- Keep your phone away after 9 PM
- Spend time enjoying paper media
- Use apps to monitor the usage
- Turn off notifications
- Mental Fitness
Mental fitness, like physical fitness, increases our ability to respond to life in all its facets. It gives us more freedom to react to situations, whether they are planned, unexpected, or emotional. It also reduces the risk of emotional damage.
And mental fitness is undoubtedly one of the important post-COVID wellness trends that is a must-add to the list. The constant loneliness and social media scrolling during the pandemic made it mandatory for people to reach out to counselors, therapists, or their family members for conversation.
Take out 15 minutes of an entire day and meditate regularly to calm your mind. Start with a beginner’s program using various apps like Calm or Headspace. After that, just a timer is required.
Developing an “attitude of thankfulness” helps us feel better and think more positively. Also, numerous researches have demonstrated a favorable relationship between better health and positivity. So, start writing a gratitude journal to keep a note on what positives you encountered in a day.
- Financial Wellness
One of the most common reasons behind our stress is money. But, this does not mean that we suggest you keep working 24X7. Instead, we recommend trying one of the top wellness trends in your life – Financial wellness.
Financial security is a necessity in all situations. Affordability, security, and freedom are all factors to consider. The earlier you plan, the better. Now, let us talk about 4 financial wellness tips that you must follow-
- To be financially secure–you need a regular income and assurance that you will be paid on time.
- Set objectives for yourself even if you dislike budgeting. Commit to sticking with it.
- Create an emergency fund that can help you in case of unemployment and save you from anxiety.
- Maintain a good credit score, as good credit is essential to getting housing, credit cards, loans, cars and more.
- Sleep
Can you imagine mentally processing for an entire day without sleeping for 6-7 hours?
Well, for me, that one is a tad bit difficult. A good night’s sleep is necessary for good health. Sleep is as vital for our health as regular physical exercise and a healthy diet.
Getting enough sleep is essential for memory retention. It is because sleep plays a vital role in both learning and memory.
Also, sleep deprivation alters immune cell function, which deters your immune system from eliminating harmful germs and viruses to help you avoid sickness.
Precisely stated, sleep requirements vary, but in general, sleeping more than 9 hours a night regularly is also detrimental. Longer sleepers showed higher calcium deposition in their heart arteries.
To reap the most health benefits from these health trends for 2022, aim for an average of 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
- Immune Booster Foods
The COVID-19 pandemic and its lingering impacts have made immunity a popular topic. Immunity is no more the domain of just healthcare experts, as almost each one of us is acquainted with it.
As per the latest diet trends 2022, here is a list of some immune system booster foods that you must include on your plate.
- Citrus Fruits
- Berries
- Bell Peppers
- Papaya
- Kale
- Spinach
- Brussels Sprouts
- Broccoli
- Turmeric
- Low-Fat Yogurt
- Ginger
- Almond
- Sunflower Seeds
The immune system is complex! Eating a nutritious and well-balanced diet is only one of the many ways to promote immunological health.
- Touchless Spas
Yet another post-COVID wellness trend has to be the increasing demand for low or no-contact spa sessions. This one indeed has served as a very effective alternative for the spa-lovers during the pandemic.
Touchless spas provide good-quality and relaxing sessions that are curated as per an individuals’ preferences. This spa therapy interacts with your joints, ligaments, muscles, and nerves. It helps in mitigating inflammation, increases collagen formation, regenerates healthy cells, and also cures injuries.
The therapy can boost a cell’s ATP production by increasing mitochondrial function. Body cells perform more efficiently, regenerate themselves, and repair damage when they have more energy to use.
Make Your Health a Priority!
The proverb – ‘health is wealth’ has been used for generations for a good reason.
Without health, we would fail to enjoy and live our fullest.
If you want to make the best out of your life–practice following these trends we talked about above.
And don’t forget to make your wellness a priority!
Until our next alert,
Suhana Siddika, Clinical Nutritionist
Health Trends Alert
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