10 HEALTH TRENDS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2019

So here goes what’s going to dominate the health scene in 2019. Of course this blog is entirely based on my research, reading and understanding the health trends followed globally.  So while we look at the Indian context slightly differently – sooner or later, global health trends will percolate down to us.

1. MESONUTRIENTS Over MACRONUTRIENTS and MICRONUTRIENTS – what exactly do I mean by this? Macrobiotics – means Macro=large and BIO=life and MESO=inside; when we use food as medicine then we use those little miracle elements of foods that reside within each food that makes them beneficial for us. For example fermenting turmeric increases its bioavailability for the optimal dose of curcumin for you. This becomes your mesonutrient; actually extracting the benefits of plants to enhance their medicinal and healing capacity.
2. HOLISTIC FITNESS addressing BODY and MIND. As opposed to High Intensity Training, 2019 will see us focusing on low impact training, with a focus on recovery. You will hear words like ‘mindful exercise’ w geared specially for you. HILT (High Intensity Low Impact) instead of HIT.
3. SLEEP Over Working to the point of exhaustion. Many of our health ailments stem from the fact that we are sleep deprived. While I have covered sleep previously, it’s a big one to focus on in 2019. Media Mogul Arianna Huffington says “I have to assure you that the success at the Huffington Post happened after I started taking care of myself,” – so much so she’s gone on to write a book called ‘The Sleep Revolution.’  This will give rise to a gadgets related to sleep, apps and aids.
4. PLANT-BASED Over KETO DIETS while the benefits of the Keto diet has made waves globally in 2018. In 2019, you may will find KETO-VEGAN gaining more popularity. Definitely being plant-based will be in, over just being Vegetarian (as most Indians still believe they are vegetarian even when they are eating eggs and consuming their dairy). Being plant-based will mean, staying off everything to do with the animal kingdom, in terms of foods.
5. HORMONES as drivers to WOMEN’S Health – Not just sex (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) hormones, but the STRESS hormones like CORTISOL will take center-stage. Understanding, the push and pull of sex and stress hormones impacting all aspects of a women’s health will be talked about much more. Xenoestrogens (stuff in the environment that mimic estrogen) will be highlighted, as endocrine disruptors. Sleep will be understood from this new lens, and melatonin will be discussed much more.
6. The Use of CBD oil and HEMP oil will occupy more discussion in health forums, and will come out more into the open at least for us Indians. The healing compounds of hemp namely the endocannabinoid  system (ECS), which is what compounds in hemp associate with, to enhance its healing properties like: anti-inflammation, anti-anxiety, enhance mood, aid weight loss, reduce pain and improve digestion.
7. BRAIN health will be in the center of addressing health issues. 2018 saw us discussing ‘brain-fog’ caused by poor gut microbiome; 2019 will focus on ‘insulin sensitivity’ as a major culprit in declining brain health. Nutritional links to autism, Alzheimer’s, dementia and ADHD will be questioned. Lifestyle practices for brain health to enhance neurotransmitters functioning better will be focused upon.
8. AYURVEDA will go mainstream – Yay! I’ve been stressing on this in conjunction with macrobiotics for years (now 15) finally this is going to become mainstream. Augurs well for me, as I plan to go full throttle with it now; but the inflection point has finally arrived!. In 2018 ghee became a Western mainstay, of course we Indians we already so focused on it. In 2019, you will see the Western health scene adopt it in their health products and as a way of life – it will gain the same popularity like ‘yoga’ has.
9. The FACE and your SKIN reflecting you inner state and EMOTIONS will govern that ‘beauty skin glow,’ apart from all the products you will use. This is already being practiced by ‘body whispering’ practitioners in the city of Mumbai. Meditation will be touted as the new panacea for ‘glowing skin.’ So the inner state, that is not only how clean you are in your gut (largely governed by your microbiome); but also how clean are you in your mind, and what connects you to the ‘universal’ energy will govern skin health.
10. An emergence of WELLNESS spaces and holidays as spaces will be seen. The larger cities should see places that go beyond spas to allow you to ‘let go’ and create a ‘nurturing’ environment to support you on your wellness journey. More support groups will emerge, and you will see yourself planning vacations around wellness and health.

What are the driver of the The Detox Diet ? While conventional will focus on symptoms, and not removing it from the root cause; Macrobiotics, Ayurveda and Functional Medicine with strive to do so.