Health & Wellness Trends To Look For In 2015

January 8, 2015 by Micaela ·

         

There’s something so thrilling about the new year, with it’s empty calendar full of possibilities.  As someone who loves to try new things, I get a kick out of imagining all the new activities I might try and the foods I might eat in the year ahead. I thought you might get a kick out of it too. So with the help of some popular trendspotters*, I took out my crystal ball to see what cool new things were out there in the world of health & wellness for 2015.

Food

Our “restless palette syndrome” means we’re always on the lookout for more flavors and varieties of everything we eat, while still maintaining our health (at least most of the time, right?) From the looks of it, 2015 will not disappoint.

• Matcha tea – Look for this healthy, powdered green tea in lattes, smoothies and even baked goods.
• Bone broth – Grandmas have been making it for ages but finally this nutritious home remedy is being recognized for its many health qualities.
• Harissa – This Northwest African chili pepper paste is slated to be the new sriracha. Buy a jar or make your own.
• Maple water – The flavored water phenom continues to grow with maple joining the party along with a multitude of flavored coconut waters.
• Baobab – Look out acai, baobab just might bump you out of your spot as the hottest superfruit this year.
• Nutrient Rich Foods – Look for an emphasis on foods that are nourishing not just eating to fill your stomach. Nutritious Foods are taking over healthy eating plans.  Foodies love them.
• Tigernuts – Not really a nut at all, but a starchy tuber vegetable, tigernuts are gaining popularity as a healthy snack and dairy-free beverage.
• Fermentation fever – From sauerkraut to kimchi to kombucha – if you’re not eating fermented foods by the end of 2015, somethings terribly wrong.
• Vegan meat – Everything from beans to peas to yes even crickets is being used to create modern meat substitutes (take a hike Tofurky) that actually taste like the real thing.
• Smoked, pickled, bitter – Look for these descriptors in front of more foods you find in restaurants this year.
• Butter – It’s back! And we’re less afraid if it (and other fats) than we used to be.

Fitness

We all know fitness is key to good health but admittedly, it can get boring. Mix it up this year by trying something new!

• HIIT – High intensity interval training was getting hot last year (it’s my fav way to exercise because it’s quick!) but 2015 will be the year it burns BIG!
• Broga – As more and more men take up yoga practice, some studios have classes geared specifically for them. Look for specially designed brogawear popping up too.
• Surfing – The ultimate mind/body sport. I dare you to try it!
• Boutique fitness – Say goodbye to the gym and hello to specialized studios for specific fitness genres – aerial yoga, barre class, spinning and more.

Lifestyle

Take your green & healthy lifestyle in a new direction this year….

• EcoBody – We’re finally embracing the fact that diet, fitness, mental health and beauty are all combined into one ecosystem. Wellness coaching and classes are popping up to help.
• Mindful shopping – Consumers seeking more meaning behind their purchases, will gravitate toward products that give back and promote clear values.
• Sharing economy – Look for less buying and more sharing of everything from cars to tools to fitness equipment to music.
• Washing less – As the need for water conservation becomes more clear, so will ways to use less of it. Will we stop washing our jeans and our hair by the end of 2015?

Beauty

The natural beauty biz will continue to explode as more people realize the benefits of keeping toxic chemicals out of their largest organ. Here are a few new things you may see this year.

• Man beauty – Health-conscious men need personal care too. Look for more emphasis on products developed just for them.
• Neck care – As baby boomers age, there will be more emphasis on products for older skin. Neck creams are all the rage and at least one natural player is already on the bandwagon.
• Moringa – The oil from this nutrient rich plant from India is loaded with skin nourishing vitamins and fatty acids so don’t be surprised if it shows up in your beauty products sometime this year.

Which of these trends intrigue you the most?

Fascinated by trends? Read my other trends posts here.