2018 is fast approaching. As the health and wellness world wonders what the next big trend will be, here are the Pandora’s Health predictions.
Everything these days is a trend. From fashion, to food and drink and even what’s in the news, we see patterns and repetitions everywhere. So, in an industry that’s worth a staggering $3.7 trillion (yep, TRILLION), it’s a good idea to know what the next big thing is going to be.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen the meteoric rise of plant based diets, avocados, and activated charcoal. So…what’s going to be next? Well you don’t have to worry. Pandora’s Health has been reading, researching and scouring the wellness world to see what we’ll all be getting up to next year.
Trusting and loving our guts
Gut friendly products like yakult or activia yogurt have been around for years. They’re nothing new. But their image is a bit…mumsy. Or even worse, plain. Now, for better or for worse, gut health will be the focus of glamorous bloggers and Instagrammers.
Remember, our guts contain billions of microbes that aid digestion and our immune system. When we help them, we help ourselves. We’re not just talking about a daily yogurt drink though, it’s obviously got to be natural and plant based!
Kombucha is more popular than ever, and this fermented tea drink will be the it product for gut health in 2018 (it’s also set to become more ‘artisanal‘, so watch this space). If kombucha isn’t your thing, you can also try sauerkraut or kimchi, which are fermented cabbage foodstuffs that are packed with gut friendly probiotics.
Getting a good night’s sleep
You’d think that sleeping wouldn’t be a trend, but think again. Yep, the thing we do for around a third of our lives is getting an overhaul. It’s no longer just a time to rest, relax and dream, it’s an essential component for our health.
It makes sense, really. With our blue light technology (laptops, phones etc) keeping us up later than normal, we’re seeing the long term effects on stress levels, moods and overall health. So what will be we doing to get some much needed shut eye?
- Switching off – we’ll stop needlessly scrolling through Instagram before we sleep and will start reading and or listening to music or podcasts
- Tracking – thanks to wristbands like Fitbit and smart mattresses, we’ll be learning more about our sleep cycles and finding what works best for us
Living sustainably
Our food is wrapped, no, swathed in plastic. Where does it all go when we’re done with it? The short, sad answer is… the landfill.
2018 will see the start of a zero-waste trend. The seeds were planted this year in 2017, with packaging free supermarkets popping up in the trendy parts of London, New York and Los Angeles. By going plastic and package free, it means that we’ll be buying more in bulk, which actually harks back to the days before supermarkets and their pre-packaged portions.
Here are some simple ways to be part of the sustainable movement:
- Try buying in bulk and bring your own containers – these can be old sauce jars or tuppaware
- Ditch the cling film and invest in beeswax wrapping
- Bring your own muslin bags to the supermarket when buying loose fruit and veg, you don’t need those flimsy plastic bags!
Getting serious about self care
Self-care is everywhere. If you do a face mask, you practice self care. If you treat yourself a fancy Starbucks, it’s self care. So how can it be a trend in 2018?
This is the year where self-care is less about treating yo’ self, and more about creating wellbeing rituals. This could be a daily journal, a set bed time or discovering a new sport or exercise. The important thing about this self-care trend, is that it’s individual, lasting and sustainable. It’s definitely not about using a sheet mask once and solving all your woes!
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