Health Upp Health and Wellness – Over the past year or so, we’ve all focused on the global COVID-19 pandemic and all the information and worries that come with the virus affecting the whole world.
However, other topics and ideas continue to abound and, if you’re keen to have a wellness reset to round out this year, it pays to check out some of the top health trends having an impact. Read on for three worth knowing.
Telehealth and Other Virtual Products and Services
Telehealth was already growing well before the global pandemic hit, but the COVID-19 crisis and related stay-at-home orders meant millions more people had to investigate how to provide and utilize medical services remotely. Today, thanks to technology, interest, and need, it’s easier than ever to arrange an online doctor visit or speak with a counselor or other expert virtually.
It’s not just appointments with physicians that have gone ahead in leaps and bounds, either. Right now, some big things include digital fitness platforms, meditation apps, stress-tracking wearables, and other products that keep an eye on everything from sleep quality and heart rate data to blood oxygen and sugar levels.
The top benefit of this virtual health trend is that it makes offerings accessible to more people. Consumers don’t have to live in the same areas as doctors or other practitioners or be able to afford the standard in-person fees. Instead, online options are available to anyone, and they’re typically much more affordable.
The ability to digitally track and manage health data also works well for people who like improving their results and competing against themselves or others. Today, by keeping an eye on statistics on apps, wearables, and other platforms, you can analyze what you achieve and watch the results of others. This motivates, inspires, and makes it quicker and simpler to see how you’re making positive progress.
Self-Care in Health and Wellness
Another trend having an impact this year is that of focusing on self-care. This trend was again building before COVID hit, but all the stress and burnout related to the pandemic expanded quickly. Many people feel they need to monitor their mental and physical health more closely now and take steps to ensure they don’t go down a rabbit hole of stress, trauma, isolation, uncertainty, etc.
The idea of self-care revolves around looking after the self properly to be healthy and happy enough to be present for and able to take care of others in our lives. If we want to have enough in the tank to support children, partners, and other family members and friends, or even employees and colleagues, we can use radical self-care to help us stay in a good place enthusiastically and emotionally. Self-care even helps with physical aspects, too, since it means we rest more and give ourselves time to recharge.
Self-care involves anything that makes you feel better and able to continue dealing effectively with life. For example, it might be a bubble bath before bed, some time for reading a good book, or a long walk in nature multiple times per week. It can involve frequent meditation or stretching sessions, gardening, listening to music, journaling, massages, manicures, church sessions, watching movies, and much more.
Some people find it means speaking with a therapist or taking the occasional mental health day from work, too. Basically, self-care is whatever you can do to decompress, stay calm, and fill up your energy reserves. Test multiple techniques to see what works best for you.
Gut Health
You’ve probably noticed an increasing mention of gut health this year. This part of the body affects so much more than just whether we feel fine after eating. A thriving gut helps keep our mood up, fight off illness, enjoy excellent energy levels, focus properly, and digest our food effectively.
To assist your gut to be at its best, eat plenty of healthy meals that include fruits, vegetables, proteins, whole grains, and good fats. Add enough prebiotic fiber through foods like bananas, asparagus, onion, garlic, and Jerusalem artichokes. Also, increase your consumption of probiotic-rich items, such as yogurt with live, active cultures, plus kombucha, kefir, miso, sauerkraut, tempeh, and kimchi.
Your gut will thank you for reducing your intake of sugar and artificial sweeteners, too, which can disrupt the sensitive gut microbiome balance. Stress can negatively affect the gut, so engaging in self-care activities, as mentioned above, can make a positive difference in this part of your body, too.
These are just three of the significant trends noted in health and wellness this year so far. Keep an eye out for other ideas and test many different ones to see what can help you live your best, fittest and happiest life.
