Top 5 Healthy Lifestyle Trends

Last updated: July 17, 2023

The majority of New Year’s resolutions focus on improving our physical and mental well-being, self-development, and enriching our lives. In 2020 and 2021, mental health played an even greater role than in previous years, and more and more people are seeking alternative healthcare solutions to improve their well-being. The topic of health and wellness will undoubtedly dominate the year 2022, so we have gathered 5 trends that will become increasingly prominent in health-conscious circles.

1. Stress Management

While we all wish to eliminate stress from our lives completely, due to modern lifestyles, most of us have to live with it to some extent. However, we can minimize the effects of stress on us and influence how we respond to it. Mental well-being is increasingly in focus, and stress management is an integral part of it. Stress, worry, and mental issues are known to impact our overall health, so it is worth emphasizing our mental and emotional peace more than usual. Effective stress management solutions include meditation, mindfulness, and autogenic training. These practices aim to slow down our thoughts, clear our minds, and relax our bodies. We can successfully reduce stress by engaging in a hobby that relaxes us and helps us break free from the daily grind. The specific type of hobby varies from person to person. Some find walking and being in nature brings the desired effect, while others relax through extreme sports or engaging in the arts. It’s worth mentioning natural stress relievers such as adaptogenic herbal extracts, which can support our well-being in capsule or beverage form. Adaptogens refer to natural ingredients that can make our bodies more resilient to stress. Only those substances that reduce the harmful health effects of stress, are safe and effective, free from negative side effects such as withdrawal symptoms, and do not excessively interfere with the body’s basic functions can be called adaptogens.

2. Fitness Apps

Due to the pandemic and the influence of working from home, fitness apps are becoming increasingly popular. These solutions support individuals who want to exercise even when they can’t leave their homes for any reason or don’t want to waste time traveling or spend money on gym memberships. Their only drawback is that they cannot fully replace personal trainers, and the number of exercises available may be limited due to the equipment and furniture available at home. Nevertheless, fitness apps are perfect for those who want to lose weight through bodyweight exercises without intense muscle building or improve their overall health with 3-4 intense or 6-7 lighter workouts per week. Another support for home workouts can be a smartwatch, which measures not only heart rate but also the number of calories burned and stores workout statistics. Additionally, many smartwatches allow us to share our workout stats with other smartwatch users, which can motivate us to engage in more or more intense physical activity.

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3. Quality Sleep

With the rise of healthy lifestyles and natural health support, the importance of quality sleep is becoming more prominent. Many people worldwide suffer from insomnia, sleep difficulties, or frequent nighttime awakenings, which can affect their entire day and reduce performance. While it may not be “trendy” to go to bed early, more and more people are realizing the importance of aligning their body’s functions with the circadian rhythm.

The circadian rhythm refers to the collection of biological processes in our body that influence when we are active during the day and when we feel tired and fall asleep. Our circadian rhythm is primarily in sync with daylight, so if we can align our daily activities with the position of the sun, we can do a lot for our health. For example, we should wake up around 6-7 am and fall asleep around 10, but no later than 11 pm. Our body’s functioning also follows this daily rhythm. Our liver, for instance, is most active between 1 am and 2 am when it can efficiently perform the detoxification process, while the levels of our digestive juices are highest around noon, preparing for the digestion of the largest amount of food of the day. If our lifestyle deviates from this rhythm, we may experience various health issues in the long run. Sleeping for 8 hours is not the same between the hours of 10:00 pm to 6:00 am and 1:00 am to 9:00 am.

In addition to following our natural circadian rhythm, there are other ways to support the quality of our sleep. It’s worth allowing a 2-hour break between our last meal and bedtime, avoiding exercising too late, and taking a few hours off from using electronic devices before going to sleep.

4. Intuitive Eating

Intuitive eating as a dietary approach is gaining popularity these days. It is advocated by nutritionists and dieticians who speak out against restrictive diets that can lead to self-deprivation and nutrient deficiencies. The essence of intuitive eating is not to starve ourselves but to eat when we’re hungry and consume foods that we crave.

This might sound easy, and it can encourage many unhealthy eaters because, in reality, they only eat when they’re hungry and choose what they crave at that moment. Therefore, it’s crucial to clarify a few things before anyone starts a “ice cream” or “pizza” diet under the label of intuitive eating, thinking they can eat it “anytime and as much as they want.”

Our body is an incredibly intelligent, wise, and adaptable system. It can learn and adapt to the patterns and routines we expose it to. For example, if we feed it carbohydrates, starch, sugar, and other unhealthy foods all day long, it will clearly “request” the same from us because it doesn’t know that other types of nourishment are available. However, the good news is that just as we can develop bad habits, we can also unlearn them. Let’s switch to a healthy eating habit where each meal consists of nutrient-rich ingredients and exclude known unhealthy ingredients. Let’s maintain this habit for at least a month, and afterwards, we will notice that we no longer crave chips or fried meat, but instead, we would gladly have a grilled fish with some vegetable side dish.

It’s important to note that intuitive eating works only when we train our bodies with good patterns and nutrients. If we don’t know what we should eat or need to eliminate certain foods due to various health issues, we should consult a holistic nutritionist or dietitian who focuses not only on selling a specific type of diet

5. Gut Health

To support our gut health, it’s important not only to add new products or foods to our diet but also to exclude foods that promote the growth of bad bacteria. Examples of such foods are sugar, wheat, and gluten. Contrary to popular belief, even complex, “whole grain” carbohydrates do not support digestion because they are processed in the intestines, providing nourishment for the proliferation of bad bacteria.

We hope this summary provides enough inspiration for you to explore in more detail natural and “alternative” solutions that can improve your health or support your lifestyle.