Cocktail o'clock
Intravenous infusions (IV drips) of vitamins and supplements prove to be the most effective and quick way of delivering them to the body. The specially mixed nutrient cocktail can boost your immune system and energize you. Many clinics and specialists around the world have been using IV drips as a healing and beautifying method for years. It will be one of the wellness trends in 2019.
In London, Harley Street’s Plastic Surgery Group offer a selection of IV drips that are administered over 90 minutes, with your choice of soundtrack and refreshments throughout. The Elixir Clinic has also just launched at The Ned, where you can get Vita Drip infusions of vitamins, minerals and aminos that aim to tackle everything from hydration to jet lag, stress and ageing. And in Santa Monica, LA, Infuse Wellness has drips designed specifically for migraines and pre- and post-op recovery.
CBD
Stress and anxiety are widespread in our culture and are often precursors to other diseases. The CBD (cannabidiol) was a hit in 2018 and appears to continue to be relevant in 2019. This applies to both personalized skin care and formulations used in the cosmetics industry (The Body Shop, Perricone MD and Dr Bronner). CBD appears more and more in various supplements, creams and oils that focus on reducing levels of stress, anxiety and works against various inflammatory processes in the body. Properly applied cannabis, CBD and other compounds in the plant can help reduce stress, anxiety, pain and inflammation as well as increase focus, regulate appetite and metabolism.
One-stop wellness
Venues dedicated solely to wellness start to pop up around the globe. In New York, The Well is a members-only “wellness club” that combines Western medicine with Eastern healing practices. Their under-one-roof ecosystem offers everything from acupuncture to nutrition consultations and yoga.
In London, Bhuti studio in Richmond offers holistic treatments, hormone experts, yoga, pilates and even buddha bowls, all in the same space. Despite the fast pace of city life, we’re recognising that a quick HIIT workout isn’t going to cut it anymore. The wellness spots that go beyond this will be where we’re recharging in 2019.
Mesonutrients
Macro- and micronutrients have been part of our health vernacular for a while now, especially for those who record everything they eat (using apps such as MyFitnessPal). Macros are your fats, carbohydrates and proteins, and micronutrients are minerals and vitamins.
Mesonutrients, are next level. These nutrients focus on what’s inside, ie. the active ingredients and compounds within the food that have direct health benefits. For example, the super-compound in turmeric is curcumin, celebrated for its anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing properties. In order to extract the optimum dose of this active ingredient from the root you need the right amount of dried turmeric powder to be added to your food. So beyond macro and micro-counting, a good knowledge of mesos allow us to carefully tailor our supplements too.
The fitness furniture is here
Artificial intelligence at home is on the rise. Smart fridges that tell you what to eat are in development, with cameras inside to make meal planning easier and a further setting that analyses eating habits, nutritional values and can even create recipes. An in-house nutritionist of sorts.
A company called Mirror has developed a steel-framed mirror that streams live fitness classes, which include personal shout-outs and motivational instructions throughout. And The Habit - created in Hong Kong, where space is often limited - designs stylish, aerodynamic wooden coffee tables and chairs that double up as workout benches and dumbbells.
Crystal Healing
Crystals, as an element of spirituality and beauty care, were great news in 2018, and this will continue this year. In the wellness industry, they have a variety of uses, from facial massage to holistic treatments and even skin care - where semi-precious stones are blended into formulas to balance energy and heal the skin from inside.
Crystals are an ancient secret of beauty used in China and Egypt thousands of years ago. Everything is composed of energy and the crystals have a very powerful healing effect. The frequency of crystals such as pink quartz, amethyst and malachite changes the frequency of the cream or oils to which they are added. High-frequency minerals are a means of slowing the aging process and increasing energy. Check out the natural cosmetics of companies like Herbivore Botanicals and Ila.
Less stress in training
In the training world, HIIT has long been the most popular weight-loss method for sweating, burning all calories for a relatively short time. Although exercise is known to increase serotonin levels and release endorphins, this intense exercise also increases cortisol, the hormone of stress in the body - especially during HIIT.
Today, we are aware of how dangerous chronic stress is for the health. Fitness gurus around the world are increasingly relying on training sessions that are not high in intensity from start to finish. Smarter programming and tools are in place to be able to monitor whether a person has recovered enough to train. The sleep and general physical condition of the individual are also observed.