Lifestyle

Top Health & Wellness Trends To Follow In 2018

We're predicting big things for 2018, from toxin-sucking black food to plant purifying and beyond.

Here's a look at our pick for the top health and wellness trends for 2018.

 

Charcoal in food

Take some coconut shells, expose them to extreme heat until they’re burnt, add hot air and what do you have? The latest hot trend in food: activated charcoal. Charcoal is the new black on the foodie scene, with ash-hued goodies popping up just about everywhere lately. What’s all the fuss about? Charcoal is a superstar when it comes to absorbing nasties, and while it’s no stranger to the medical world, it’s only recently that this overachiever has been sampled in the kitchen. Charcoal’s ability to absorb means it’s a natural way to rid your body of any toxins and chemicals. However, an 'everything in moderation' approach is best with this food trend. Consuming activated charcoal in small doses is said to be completely harmless, but  there's research to suggest that every day use could actually result in malnutrition. As always, chat to your doctor before drastically altering your diet in any way! Even if it's just a sneaky black cookie or two, kicking off the new year with a toxin-slaying treat is not only trendy, it’s good for you inside and out.  

Fitness with animals

From yoga with cats and goats (yes, goats) to squatting with your dog, fitness with animals is set to take off in 2018. At the most basic level, exercising with animals is a feel-good movement. At the other end of the scale, it’s been reported that getting social with fur-friends can have positive effects on your health, from a healthier heart, to living longer. Getting your snuggle on with a farmyard animal mid downward dog may not appeal to everyone, but there’s no denying this trend is taking off in a big way.

Functional mushrooms

A mushroom latte may sound a bit odd at first, but before you opt for that golden milk latte instead, first consider the multitude of health benefits mushrooms offer: they may help lower cholesterol, and can boost your immune system among other things. Besides, it’s not as gross as it sounds, far from it. Paired with coffee or chocolate, the humble fungus delivers a rich, earthy taste that compliments the rich flavours well. But don’t go adding a handful of chopped button mushrooms to your morning coffee. Functional mushrooms such as Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Shiitake, and Chaga are processed to extract their beneficial nutrients, then transformed into forms such as powders, which can then be used in a more functional way. This trend will see mushrooms sneak their way into everything from beauty products to bottled drinks, supplements, and beyond in 2018. Keep an eye out for for that mushroom latte on the menu at your local health café.

Plant cleansing

Detoxify in 2018 with the earthy trend of ‘plant cleansing’ and decorate your home with some of nature’s most pleasant looking do-gooders. The humble plant is a quiet achiever, and more than just a splash of pretty greenery around the home. Aside from the amazing process they perform – they make oxygen after all – they confer a host of benefits to your health and wellbeing, from filtering toxins in the air to reducing stress and boosting creativity. Improve the air quality in your space with air-cleaning plants such as Aloe Vera, Bamboo Palm, Chinese Evergreen, or the Boston Fern. Purifying the air in your home or work space with a smattering of foliage is one trend for 2018 that is not only beneficial, but beautiful too.

Relaxation at Wellness Escape

Wellness escapes

With society’s trend for frenetic living it’s no wonder wellness escapes are a hot trend for 2018. Simply taking time to yourself, to reconnect, with no distractions (we’re looking at you phone, computer, internet, TV, tablet – and any others we may have missed), is possibly the best thing you can do for your health and wellbeing in 2018. No arguments here, with some of the retreats and escapes on offer. From the 200 hectare nirvana of Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat in the Gold Coast hinterland to the ‘soul satisfying’ tours on offer from Brisbane based travel agency Gypsian Boutique Tours, we’ll be the first ones to put our hand up for a bit of ‘wellness escaping’. Take a look at this list of Australia’s best wellness retreats to find your perfect escape for 2018, or consider a more tailored approach with these luxury cruises tailored to vegan foodies.

Bug grub

Entomophagy is set to make us squirm in 2018 with a trend for bug-based snacks, namely cricket protein powder, hopping its way into the health arena. Hailed as the new superfood, crickets are packed with a staggering amount of nutrients. With three times more protein than beef, more than double the iron of spinach, rivalling the B12 contents of salmon 10-fold, and measuring up to the calcium content of milk, it’s no wonder these jittery bugs are hailed as one of the top health trends set to wow us – or gross us – in 2018.

Avocado oil

Known the world over as ‘the good kind of fat’, avocados are more than just a trendy food with a pun slogan attached. They are nutrition powerhouses containing 20 different vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin K, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Folate, Vitamins B5 & B6, potassium, and fibre. Squeeze all that into liquid form and you’ve got one magical nutrition-packed oil, aka avocado oil. There are a whole host of benefits to incorporating this magic oil into your diet. Avocado oil can help to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, the fat content can help your body absorb nutrients from plant foods, the oil’s antioxidant-rich levels can help protect your eyes, and it can help relieve arthritis symptoms, among other things. With these impressive health-deeds avocado oil may just be the most nutritious and beneficial trend for 2018!

Yoga wheels

Transform your yoga practice in 2018 with a yoga wheel. Resembling a prop you might find on stage at Cirque de Soleil, these voguish yoga aids aren’t as difficult to use as you might think. In fact, they’re quite basic once you know how to use one, and you may just find yourself addicted to them, wondering how on earth you ever practiced yoga without one. This hero prop can assist with advanced poses like deep backbends and inversions, take your flexibility to new levels, and give your spine a rollout like nothing else. Where it truly shines, though, is in heart-opening postures where you can quash the effects of the hunched-over-everything lifestyle our culture demands of us these days.

 

What health and wellness trends will you sample in 2018?

Sarah Vercoe

Article by Sarah Vercoe

Sarah is a freelance writer and award-winning photographer with a special interest in health, travel, and fitness. Based on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, she can be found hiking the trails of Noosa National Park, or, more likely, chasing after her one year old daughter, Illyana.

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