What are the highest ranking trends of the health and wellness industry? If the past few months are anything to go by, there will be an increased focus on mental well-being through self-care, as well as a renewed interest in intermittent fasting to shed extra weight and high-intensity workouts to get fitter faster – say those based in nutrition, fitness, mental well-being and medical jobs

1. Intermittent fasting takes off

Dieting is out; fasting is in. Intermittent fasting is now becoming a major international trend, with many devotees saying it has huge health benefits that range from weight loss, greater aerobic capacity, and reduced risk of diabetes, to improved quality of sleep. It’s a daily practice that requires avoiding food except for unsweetened tea, coffee, and water for 16 hours of the day, leaving an eight-hour period for you to eat (known as 16:8 intermittent fasting).

Other kinds of intermittent fasting include full fasting, in which all foods are avoided for a 24-hour period. Fasting for longer periods, such as this, holds greater health benefits than intermittent fasting alone – studies show. Some of the advantages of full fasting are better heart function and a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s. Some studies have shown that fast-mimicking diets trigger faster cellular repair in the body, thereby prolonging your life and promoting healthier ageing.

Thanks to impressive results (87 percent of those who follow a fasting diet claim it has helped them lose weight), the trend is likely to continue. There are even smart-phone apps to help you stick to your intermittent fasting routine – such as Zero and LIFE. These apps can be integrated with your fitness app, making it easier to personalise your particular wellness journey.

2. Self-care to boost mental health

Millennials may not be that hard-working, but there is one thing they excel at – self-care. (They reportedly spend twice as much on it, than Baby Boomers.) This is important, as new research underscores the link between high levels of self-care and better mental well-being. Self-care can include any activity that helps you live optimally and boosts your physical and mental health, such as exercising, eating healthily, journalling, art therapy, taking time out to connect with yourself and others, getting sufficient sleep, and generally looking after yourself in any heart-felt way that you fancy.

Although self-care is not a cure for mental illness, knowing what triggers you, such as too much stress at work, can help you better manage your symptoms of stress and make sure you get enough of what you need – such as, for example, going for a long run. Health professionals, and those pursuing an extensive range of wellness-related and medical jobs, are unanimous that spending time doing what you enjoy is the key to a happier, healthier, and longer life.

Reportedly worth US$10 billion globally, the self-care industry continues to expand, with nine out of 10 Americans claiming that they practise some form of self-care. Although some commentators dismiss this as mere self-absorption, other experts believe that practising self-care shows emotional intelligence and increases an individual’s sensitivity towards others. This interest in self-care has driven up sales in skincare products, which in 2020 (just into and past the pandemic) exceeded the sales of make-up for the first time. Botox treatments are also increasingly popular, as well as CBD products to ease pain and inflammation – and reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression.

3. HIIT me, baby!

The nature of a good work-out is changing. Instead of just pumping iron in the weights section or plodding away on the gym treadmill, many fitness coaches are advocating the use of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in their workout routines. In our highly pressurised lives, finding an hour to work out may seem like a luxury. HIIT reduces the time needed for a balanced workout to 30 or 40 minutes. In more or less half the normal time, you’re able to effectively combine strength and resistance training. How? By pushing your body to the extreme limits of its capability.

The aim with HIIT is to get your heart rate up to 80 percent of its maximum capacity, by doing short spurts of intense one- to five-minute exercises. These are then varied with less challenging exercises to allow your heart rate to recover. HIIT workouts can include running, dancing, stair climbers, stationary bikes, and rowing machines, together with lunges, star jumps, and other variants that allow the incorporation of light-ish weights.

The benefits of HIIT include decreasing body fat, while increasing muscle strength and endurance. HIIT’s chief advantage is that it is able to achieve similar fitness results in a shorter period of time – and also allows you to rest in between sets. That’s a win-win, for sure!

Piece by Charles Edelstein, director of Executive Placements.

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