From milks made from just about anything to online medical appointments to P.E lessons via YouTube, this year has seen many a movement make its way onto the scene – whether Covid-inspired or not.
New diet trends and ways to manage our physical and mental health are constantly coming into the spotlight, whether encouraged by medical professionals, due to changes in legal restrictions or simply as part of a craze that many are cottoning onto.
We take a look at some of the leading health trends that we think will prevail in 2021.
Introducing a flexitarian diet
Vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians – we’ve heard of these names to describe those who follow a restrictive diet, but what is a flexitarian? Well, it’s a bit of all of the above. Though not an entirely new trend, it’s certainly growing in popularity, mainly due to the rapid rise of veganism and the questions being brought to light about animal welfare and the environmental impact of consuming high amounts of meat and meat products.
A flexitarian can be described as someone who enjoys a mainly plant-based diet but also incorporates meat, meat products and fish on occasion, with a less is more approach to meat. It offers the individual the option to set their own rules based on their health and is billed as being better for the environment (reducing one’s carbon footprint) but doesn’t require the person to exclude anything entirely from their diet.
It is certainly an easier option to make these days with big name supermarkets offering dedicated plant-based sections with branded foods on their shelves and more recipes in their consumer magazines. In just two years, from 2018 to 2020, plant-based ready meals in supermarkets have jumped from 3% to 16% making it far easier for those who want to incorporate the flexitarian diet.
Switching from cigarettes to vaping
With a big push from the NHS and the UK government in recent years to quit smoking, many have turned to vaping instead to aid in their reduction of cigarette use. Campaigns such as Stoptober encourage smokers to give up on the cigarettes with a 28-day challenge accompanied by a wealth of information displayed about how effective quitting for good is for your lungs.
With vaping on the rise, companies such a V2Cigs UK and many others are benefitting from the move away from cigarettes and towards vaping. Vapes – also known as e-cigarettes – are helpful to many who want to quit for health reasons but who struggle to give up the habit entirely as they offer a much lower risk than cigarettes do and have been known to be particularly effective when combined with face-to-face support. However, it is not recommended to start vaping if you never have previously and, if being used to help quit smoking, to not combine the two.
Talking mental health
When feelings of loneliness or hopelessness creep in, whether Covid-related or not, though we are living in particularly stressful times, we look for ways to help ourselves, and one of the more popular trends that we only see getting bigger is solution focused hypnotherapy.
Focusing on what clients want to achieve rather than what the problem is that promoted them to seek help in the first place, the mix between hypnotherapy and psychotherapy is becoming an increasingly popular way of how people confront their issues and look to the future in a positive manner.
Online fitness classes
The introduction of lockdown measures in spring saw many people heading online to get their fitness fix and with breaking news bulletins seemingly around the corner until next March, it looks likely that fitness instructors and personal trainers will have to head back online and diversify for a little longer.
Heading to YouTube and watching a pre-recorded session is a popular way to get that daily exercise in at a time that suits the individual, but we think that next year is going to see a huge increase in live group fitness sessions via the likes of zoom which can accommodate up to 100 people.
CBD versatility
A number of benefits are promised with a purchase of CBD, from reduced anxiety levels to a better night’s sleep, and the increase in popularity throughout the UK looks set to soar. Taken via drops, by sipping tea and even eating gummies, only a few years ago, CBD was still being misunderstood as an item for those looking to get high. Nowadays, it is certainly in the mainstream with more and more people seeking out a variety of products that have been promised to help with a number of ailments.
