The global pandemic has alarmed people like anything, and now they are more specific about what they eat, how they start their day, their daily exercise, their immunity, etc. Basically, we can say that people are now more inclined towards their health and wellness.
When coronavirus started to spread, it took many lives, and through continuous research across the globe, scientists and doctors finally concluded that all you need to do is strengthen your immunity and take care of what you eat.
This was not the first virus that shook the whole world neither was it last. Time and again many such viruses keep coming, and the people with strong immunity, good health have always survived.
So, kickstart your new year with a resolution of being in good health and wellness.
Here are some top health and wellness trends for 2022
1. Immunity
This whole year, immunity is what we talked about! It is a word everyone is aware of. With a strong immune system, you have a better chance of fighting off colds, coughs, and other disease-causing microorganisms. In medical terms, immunity is the capability of multicellular organisms to resist harmful microorganisms.
We consume foods that are injected, meats are injected to increase the weight, fruits are injected to bring the taste in, and whatnot. Basically, whatever we are consuming has some or other kind of synthetic chemicals used in it. And this has reached a level that now naturally grown fruits and vegetables are called organic food.
Our body is so much exposure to these chemicals that now they do not react to basic antibiotics. The days are not far when you will get two menu cards in the restaurants, one for organic food and the other for inorganic.
Our living environment has changed a lot over the years. Therefore, to cope up with all these and lead a healthy life, we need to support our health and wellbeing, primarily our immune system. click here.
2. Gut health
Gut health is the function and balance of bacteria of the many parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Jessie Price, editor-in-chief of EatingWell magazine says, “Gut health is one of the most exciting frontiers of nutrition and health research right now.”
The gastrointestinal tract transports food from the mouth to the stomach, converts it into absorbable nutrients and stored energy, and shuttles waste back out of the body hence, it is important to human health. For this whole process, there are trillions of bacteria that help process food, maintain homeostasis, and overall well-being. So, it is important to protect those bacterias because if you do not nourish yourself, you don’t live, as simple as that!
Problems like bloating, gas, diarrhea, stomach pain, or nausea are signs that something in the gut isn’t working as it should. These are common imbalances that often fix themselves after a short time, but if the imbalance becomes chronic, it becomes serious to handle the situation. Click here.
3. Mental wellness
Mental health was a hot topic this year. And a number of people committed suicide due to the mental pressure they got, and the reasons were the loss of their job as well as the pandemic. People have slowly started talking about it, but still, there is stereotypical thinking attached to it.
It doesn’t harm us physically, yet it is one of the most dangerous illnesses which many people are facing these days. Prioritizing mental health is necessary, now more than ever, because we have already lost the human touch due to the pandemic. People are living alone, and they have not got any emotional support when they crave it the most. That is when they start facing depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors.
It is no less than a pandemic that has claimed many lives, yet people feel shy sharing about this. Just remember it is a normal disease like cold, cough, but hundred times dangerous. So, if you are going through it, or have been through it ever, share it with everyone. It will give the courage of fighting to others. And if somebody is sharing about their mental illness, do not make a story out of this or create hype about it, just don’t!
Reading positive mantras, breathing exercises, and meditations are some of the basic solutions to fight it.
MUST-READ: Things to Do if You Can’t Afford Therapy
4. Drink more water
We all know that the human body comprises around 60% of water, and for a healthier life, we must maintain this ratio. From our childhood, we are told to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. Some of us follow this simple yet effective mantra of staying healthy whereas some of us don’t. Whatever the case is, most of us have replaced the water with alcohol when we stayed home during the pandemic.
Alcohol does help to achieve many health goals including weight maintenance, but it is one of the worst things for your immune system. So, avoid the consumption of too much alcohol and focus on drinking more and more water.
Drinking water helps to treat kidney stones, maximize physical performance, aid weight loss, relieve constipation, and many more such benefits are there.
5. Sleep
I do not think there is even a single person who does not know the importance of proper sleep. Yet, the majority of us avoid it. Let’s do an experiment, ask yourself one question: when was the last time you had a sound 8 hours of sleep? If you are still trying to remember it, trust me, you are not taking care of your sleeping habit.
Not getting enough sound sleep at the right time can affect you physically, mentally, and quality of life. A study on medical interns shows that those who were allowed to sleep more make 36% less serious medical errors than the interns with extended work hours of more than 24 hours.
Also, short sleep negatively impacts some aspects of brain function, whereas good sleep improves problem-solving skills and enhances the memory performance of both children and adults.
I understand your eagerness to complete a whole series in one night but think about what is more important to you. And yes, do not think that one day of less sleep will not harm you because slowly it will become your habit! So, choose wisely.
Importance of sound sleep
We do not pay much attention when it comes to sleep and prioritize other works over it. We know that a new novel or tv series can wait and we can watch it another day still, we give it more importance. The reason may be because everyone is doing this, and I can not be back in this race, or to look cool in your friends’ circle. Whatever the reason is, we can not ignore that sound sleep plays a vital role in proper brain functioning. Read more.
6. Air frying
You must have seen several people’s stories flooding with mouth-watering dishes. Everyone tries their hands-on cooking this year, not only cooking but over a myriad of things. And it was done not because they love cooking but because they got so much time to do things that were settled in the corner of their heart as something else took the lead.
So much of the experiments brought them face-to-face with the air fryer. It is an appliance that claims to mimic the results of deep-frying with a tiny amount of oil and hot air. Air fryer recipes are sweeping over the nation this year, so if you have not tried your hands over this, now is the time.
We are well aware that cooking oil contains various fractions of fatty acids which is not good for our health. So, bring an air fryer home and get the taste of deep frying with the use of a little amount of oil!
7. Gardening
Yes, yes! You read it correctly, gardening is very good for your health. Gardening not only gets you fresh veggies for your kitchen but also you get exposure to vitamin D, 36% less risk of dementia, aerobic exercise, and many more such benefits. In 2020, gardening was also one of the time passes for people, and the google searches for it doubled this year compared to 2019. Besides, seed companies reported 8 to 10 times more seed selling than they usually do.
One best thing which happened during this whole lockdown was that nature recovered itself. Also, people created indoor gardens, also known as “COVID gardens.” Plants provide a sense of companionship while helping clean the air.
So, if you were inclined towards gardening last year, continue doing that next year as well. Click here.
8. Anti-inflammation
Anti-inflammatory is the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation or swelling. Inflammation is normal, and it happens in everyone, whether you’re aware of it or not. It protects our body from infection, injury, or disease. Your immune system creates inflammation, but too much inflammation damages our body, and chronic inflammation can cause diseases like cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.
Some of the common symptoms of chronic inflammation are:
- Body pain
- Constant fatigue and insomnia
- Mood disorders like depression, anxiety, etc.
- Gastrointestinal issues, like constipation, diarrhea, and acid reflux
- Weight gain
- Frequent infection
Several foods help in fighting chronic inflammation. Some of them are Salmon, nuts, beans, leafy greens, avocado, citrus fruit, and berries.
9. Lymphatic system
Our body’s sewerage system is called the lymphatic system. It removes the extra fluids that leak out of our blood vessels, and it helps in maintaining fluid levels in our body tissues. The optimal functioning of our general and specific immune responses depends on the lymphatic system.
Besides, some major roles of the lymphatic system are:
- reacting to bacteria
- dealing with cancer cells
- dealing with cell products that otherwise would result in disease or disorders
- absorbing some of the fats in our diet from the intestine.
Lymph nodes are present in everyone’s body, and each node performs its own functions, but swelling in these nodes can cause incurable diseases.
So, now you know the importance of lymphatic health, you must take proper care of it for a healthy life.
10. Plant Protein
Protein is a basic and important component of every cell in the human body. In fact, our hair and nails are entirely made of protein. Along with that, protein plays an important role in building muscle, repairing tissues, producing enzymes, hormones, and other important biochemicals.
The daily intake of protein is important as our body does not store it the way it stores carbohydrates and fat. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a daily intake of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is important to meet the needs.
Plant-based proteins are lower in calories, fat and higher in fiber and essential nutrients than animal proteins. So, include the plant protein in your daily diet and enjoy the benefits that it offers!
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