To watch in 2022

Live a healthy lifestyle can mean different things to different people, but everyone may agree that exercising and making healthier choices will lead to a better and longer life.

As we enter our third year of Covid-19 pandemic, health remains at the center of our collective concerns and as a result, people are more interested in how they can stay healthy for years to come. Health trends can range from fad diets to new technologies that will change the way we view health care. To make sense of it all, we’ve reached out to leaders across industries to find out what we can expect to see in 2022.

Home health care

Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve seen the importance of video solutions for in-person gatherings increase tenfold. In fact, it was more like 63 times to be exact; from 840,000 to 52.7 million. New England was the center of the telehealth revolution, but over time expect to see it continue to spread to every community.

Dr. Michael Aragon, Chief Medical Officer at Outset Medical, weighed in on this trend saying, “Innovation has skyrocketed due to increased interest in telehealth, and it will continue to grow as new models virtual healthcare and new business models are evolving and new healthcare services and solutions are being made available […] Visiting the doctor will soon become a virtual experience for many patients.

Providing the ability to treat and diagnose without the potential risk of spreading disease in person has not only helped more patients stay safe during the pandemic, but has also increased access to healthcare for those who need it. Not needed anymore. “This year, the focus will be on how people from neglected communities can access the care they need,” said Juan Pablo Cappello, co-founder and CEO of bare life. “The quicker and easier we can all get in touch with healthcare professionals, the better for everyone. Technology helps us do that.

Expect to see the use and effectiveness of telemedicine and telehealth as 2022 progresses. Johns Hopkins board member Dr. Anita Gupta expects the industry to “[find] more consumer-facing solutions that are hybrid models, including both telemedicine and telemedicine while making telemedicine more mainstream and improving consumer access. A promising idea.

CBD Acceptance

CBD has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years thanks to growing acceptance of its medical properties. “The days when weed was strictly associated with stoner culture are long gone,” says Jason Reposa, Founder and CEO of Good feelings. “Almost everyone has heard of CBD or tried it for some kind of illness and those who have generally reported positive benefits.”

CBD-infused products are non-psychoactive and therefore federally legal thanks to 2018 legislation. This means you can purchase a myriad of CBD products online and have them shipped directly to your home in any state. .

Expect to see increased use and acceptance of CBD as more research sheds light on its many health and lifestyle benefits.

Make Fitness Fun

Gym rats and runners will tell you about the endorphin rush of working out or the ever-elusive “runner’s high,” but for most people, that kind of enjoyment from exercise just isn’t going to happen. produce easily. “We’re seeing an increase in apps and games that attempt to make fitness both fun and sustainable,” says Jeff Goodwin, Senior Director, Performance Marketing & E-Commerce at Orgain. “People want fun exercise, just like they want healthy food that tastes good. And that’s a good thing because it spawns the innovation that will eventually lead to more people joining the fitness revolution.”

Apps that allow people to track their well-being and award badges or trophies when goals are met give people extra incentive to be more active and change the perception that exercise can’t be an experience positive. Devices like Peloton, which make fitness a group activity, are yet another way to build a more engaged user base.

“People want to have a sense of community on their fitness journey,” says Shaun Price, customer acquisition manager at MitoQ. “These types of machines and apps that make people feel more accepted during their health journeys will only increase over time and people focus more on healthy living.”

Mental well-being

One of the worst side effects of Covid was not from the disease itself, but rather from the impact the lockdowns had on people’s mental health. “We’ve seen a huge shift in the way people talk about mental health,” says Hector Gutierrez, CEO of JOI. “People are finally accepting the idea of ​​therapy and meditation more and more and it will save lives over time.”

Meditation apps can specifically boost people’s mood, memory, and attention span. In some cases, they can even lower blood pressure. They also help in your relationships and create a better disposition. The ability of these apps to help people struggling with their mental health has led to an explosion in popularity that some estimates will lead to a $4 billion market valuation in the next five years.

But mental well-being goes beyond simple meditation and the increased applications that surround it. Mental wellness also extends to the world of therapy. Bryan Alston, Director of Marketing at Bigger than says, “The benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy and talk therapy cannot be underestimated. Therapy can help improve self-esteem, cope with depression, and curb negative thoughts. Everyone should consider some form of therapy at least once a month to deal with the difficulties of daily living.

Wellness Technology

As technology continues to grow at a breakneck pace, so does wellness technology. Fitness apps are becoming more mainstream, but not too far behind them are sophisticated and stylish technologies that can accentuate your look while giving you tons of health benefits.

“This new trend of technology that doubles as jewelry continues to gain momentum,” says Lauren Kleinman, co-founder of Quality Edit. “It’s not just the Apple Watch anymore either. We’re seeing trendy wearables that help users track their heart rate, sleep quality, steps, etc., and we expect that that they progress over time.”

However, wellness tech goes beyond what people wear, says Michael Jankie, founder of The Natural Patch Co. “The metaverse is growing rapidly, and games that get people off the couch are starting to gain traction. A VR headset can be workout gear on the right person’s head. With games like whitewater rafting and obstacle courses, RVs are a great new way for people to exercise while technically playing a video game. “It’s a much more active experience compared to the passive nature of most consoles,” Kleinman added.

It doesn’t have to be as intense as rock climbing or rafting either, some VR games are simple yoga classes or low-impact virtual experiences designed to engage people physically without much effort.

New diets

It seems like every few years there’s a fad diet that gains momentum and it’s great if it gets people thinking about their health. But, Brandon Adcock, co-founder and CEO of Nugenix says the real lasting impact will come from the changing relationship Americans have with food. “Diets will continue to evolve to become more sustainable in this decade,” says Adcock.

“People are slowly starting to reconsider what they’re putting in their bodies. This could be a result of the pandemic and people’s desire to live healthier lives, but people overall are making healthier choices when it comes to things they put in their bodies.

Meat consumption is specifically starts to descend for the first time as meat prices rise and people start trying healthier diets like veganism and vegetarianism. People are realizing the savings made by cutting out meat as well as the benefits it has on the environment, an issue to which young people are particularly sensitive.

“It’s no secret that meat consumption is a significant factor in the warming of the Earth’s atmosphere,” says Ubaldo Perez, CEO of silence. “Less meat is good for your personal health and the health of the planet, so it really is a no-brainer.”

As people realize that these types of diets don’t have to be restrictive, their popularity will continue to grow. Trends like Meatless Mondays are starting to become a way for people to try going meatless once a week. We can expect (and hope!) that Meatless Mondays will become Meatless Week over time.