Wellness Trends For 2021
Wellness is a timely course correction to mitigate the underlying exhaustion in our personal, social, and medical safety nets. Even with a COVID-19 vaccine soon to be widely distributed, people with compromised immunity and co-morbidities remain vulnerable to chronic and worsening mental and physical illness. After the unimaginable tragedy of 2020, forward thinking policy makers are advocating for personal and community wellness education.
A panel at the recent Global Wellness Summit brought together top journalists and future-forecasters (all experts in wellness) to discuss how the pandemic is shaking up the “wellness concept” and what they predict will be the big wellness trends for 2021. Here’s some good news to share with folks wondering whether the light at the end of the tunnel will be a train coming to flatten them, or a ray of light — community wellness to enable them to adapt and grow.
A New Convergence Between Healthcare and Wellness
The panel discussed how COVID-19 has shined a pitiless spotlight on the importance of preventative lifestyle approaches. They contend that our future survival will depend on a new alignment between wellness and healthcare. The pandemic has provided painful, incontrovertible evidence that we need to shift our healthcare system away from profiting from sickness and gear it towards preventing it. It forecasts a combination of functional (natural, holistic, person centered) and conventional medicine used across community and economic lines, with telemedicine (and tele-wellness) playing a significant role.
Strengthening the Immune System
Supporting the immune system and building natural resilience will be a major 2021 wellness trend across the board, from food to supplements to educational classes.
“We will see more customized immunity hacks, using genetic testing and biohacking… to pinpoint what immune therapies best suit your system and situation.”
When people feel safe with bodywork again, there will be more application of immunity-enhancing treatments and energy healing techniques. We can look forward to a major focus on gut health and the microbiome (our inner ecosystem), as it pertains to strengthening immunity and improving brain function.
Nature, Nature, Nature
In an era of lockdown and social distancing, we will see a renewed reverence and appreciation of our connection with the earth, which, like humans, is under siege from toxic chemicals, loss of diversity, and electromagnetic stress. Being in nature regularly and spending time in wilderness settings are antidotes to being home alone spending hours on the computer, watching Netflix and following social media. With travel restrictions In place, we must search out local parks, gardens, and green acres. Slow, human-powered travel (cycling, hiking, walking, paddling trips) is growing fast, not only because they’re wellness experiences, but because they’re also safe, enjoyable, socially-distanced activities.
Home Wellness
COVID-19 has forced us to work, live and relax at home. Whereas we used to go to health clubs, spas and indoor venues to receive wellness services, we now have to bring wellness home. Living and working alone or with a family or extended family can get crowded. Setting aside a room, porch or outside area that can serve as a wellness refuge is a positive trend. Home wellness can be very simple, such as finding ways to nurture ourselves in tight quarters, with indoor air quality being a key. Open windows. Eat outside. Feel the bracing air. These are basic pleasures and behaviors that create well-being.
Natural Beauty
While clean and natural beauty has been an uber-trend these last few years. Products that can reduce fears around hygiene will grow. Innovative organic herbal antimicrobial and antibacterial beauty formulations with safe, touch-free application will make beauty safe and also improve skin glow and immune protection. Home spas with infrared saunas, heat lamps, and bio-mats; fitness workout equipment; aromatherapy diffusers; and new and improved air filtration are coming down in price and can be set up in a compact space to enhance health and beauty.
Healing Food and Community Wellness
The use of local, seasonal, chemical-free food, culinary condiments, and health products to support one’s microbiome, will likely expand across sectors. Look for a rise in virtual cooking classes, nutrition programs, yoga, meditation, arts and crafts, and cultural health building practices and celebrations that promote health and manage chronic disease.
The trend toward community wellness for all will reach critical mass once we achieve a buy in from the top down to match the trend of wellness from the ground up. Wellness is safe, sound, complementary to conventional medicine and cost effective. Investing in community wellness programs is a trend we will see when a combination of local and national policy makers, community service organizations, small businesses large companies, HMOs and insurance providers recognize its intrinsic value to build harmony and integration within ourselves and with our community.