Health & Wellness Trends for This Year 

Feature: Health & Wellness Trends for 2022                                               

Byline: Sandra Yeyati

This year promises an intensification of natural health trends that have been gathering force over time. Experts predict that plant-based foods will take center stage as supply chain problems hamper meat production and plant-based proteins that replicate meat grow in acceptance. Telemedicine, wearable devices that monitor personal biometrics, approaches like saunas and intermittent fasting that leverage low-energy stress to improve metabolic health and surges in mindfulness and coaching are also trends to keep an eye on.

Healthy Ways: Cannabis Industry Trends                                                   

Byline: Jim Motavalli

With growing public and legal acceptance of cannabis for medical and recreational uses, dispensaries are commonplace and “ordering edibles is as easy as getting pizza,” reports a marketing firm. CBD, said to have healing and pain relief properties, is being sold in the form of oils, edibles, sprays, creams and pills, and may soon be available in cocktails and dietary supplements. Hemp fiber, recently legalized as a farm crop, may expand beyond clothing lines into such areas as auto and industrial parts and building materials.

Fit Body: Current Trends in Fitness Tools                                                      

Byline: Marlaina Donato 

This year, fitness buffs are expected to turn their attention from outer attainments like six-pack abs to inner fitness goals that emphasize overall health, often using wearable technology like rings and smartwatches to monitor biometrics. Technology will also be harnessed to monitor water bottle use, and resistance bands to strengthen muscles are being embedded in clothing. Fitness regimes will increasingly focus on food, sleep and mindset as well as vigorous workouts.

Healthy Kids: Creating Calm-Down Spaces for Kids                                             

Byline: Marlaina Donato                         

As sensitive beings, children can be easily overwhelmed by the stresses and overstimulation of life, but a calm corner with objects that soothe the senses can give them a safe, gentle space to regain their equilibrium. Whether indoors or outdoors, the space can include such items as bean bag chairs, therapy putty, a white noise machine or slow music, books and toys to fidget with. Weighted blankets and stuffed animals, calming essential oils, coloring books and pop-up tents or tree houses can also help children recalibrate. 

Wise Words: Peter Russell on Letting Go                                  

Byline: Linda Sechrist

The pioneering futurist and author of seminal books on consciousness discusses his practical approach to the age-old quest for letting go of the thoughts and feelings that block happiness and hinder self-acceptance. He reframes “letting go” as “letting in” and “letting be” and offers methods of acknowledging, recognizing and even befriending what we tend to run from.

Conscious Eating: Coffee Alternatives                                   

Byline: April Thompson

Most Americans start off their day with a cup of coffee, which happily turns out to have many health benefits. But increasingly, java drinkers are experimenting with alternatives and add-ons for morning pick-ups, including chicory, green tea, hot turmeric milk, powdered mushrooms, ghee and spices like cinnamon and cardamon. With a recipe for Golden Milk.

Inspiration: Why Words Matter                                            

Byline: Marlaina Donato

Since the dawn of human language, words have bridged the chasm between the visible and the invisible. Words have the capacity to conjure change, rock the boat, manipulate mood and change the inner landscape, yet in our technology-driven age, words are becoming a casualty of abbreviated texts and emojis. Incredible power rests on the tips of our tongues which we can use to create meaningful interchanges with others.

Green Living: The Electric Vehicle Revolution                                                  

Byline: Jim Motavalli

With major automakers pledging to stop producing gas and diesel cars and governments increasingly banning them, electric cars are almost certainly in everyone’s future. The good news is that technological advances have made EVs better in range, acceleration and fuel costs, and with battery-pack improvements, the prices are starting to be on a par with internal-combustion models. The growth in public and home-based charging stations, which are increasingly powered by alternative energy, is making EVs not only more viable but even more planet-friendly.

Natural Pet: Pet Food Trends for 2022                                                              

Byline: Ronica O’Hara

Dog and cat food is becoming humanized in the U.S. as pet owners demand for their pets what they want for themselves: high-quality, sustainably sourced ingredients that are free of questionable byproducts. This includes a trend toward custom-tailoring pet food to an animal’s age, breed and physical and emotional conditions; choosing plant-based options such as vegan pet food; turning to such gamey meats as rabbit, venison and bison; and choosing pet food based on ethical concerns.

Eco Tip: Carbon Trackers                                                              

As the recent COP26 climate summit made clear, we can’t rely solely on governments to reduce harmful carbon emissions, but it can be confusing to compute our individual contribution to a warming planet. Help can be found in websites, online courses and apps that take us step-by-step through ways we can lower our carbon footprint, including such approaches as buying pre-owned goods and foods certified for sustainability.