Muchhas changed in health, wellness, nutrition, and fitness in the last 10 years. We watched the keto diet rise to new heights, intermittent fasting reach the mainstream, meat move beyond beef, and supplements become personal. So, what’s next in wellness? What can we expect in the year ahead? Here are the top 5 health trends to keep an eye out for in 2020.
5 Health Trends to Look Forward to in 2020
1. The Cannabis Craze Continues
If you didn’t think cannabis could get any bigger, you heard it here first – the hemp craze continues. While BrainMD remains concerned about the lack of objective clinical research on cannabis and its negative effects on the lungs when it’s smoked, the U.S. cannabis market continues to soar. Business Wire analysts believe it could be worth an estimated $30 billion by 2025 and upwards of $80 billion by 2030.
BrainMD recognizes the tremendous potential for CBD and the approximately 119 other cannabinoids of Cannabis sativa for improving brain health. Randomized, controlled clinical trials of cannabinoid brain benefits are underway, as well as research to confirm their safety, which makes us hopeful that the use of cannabinoids in dietary supplements will soon become legal. Though CBD has been getting most of the headlines, lesser-known cannabinoids including CBG (cannabigerol), CBC (cannabichromene), CBN (cannabinol), and CBDA (cannabidiolic acid) also have shown potential health benefits. Stay tuned.
What does this mean for us?
You can expect even more hemp-derived oral products, tinctures, salves, and skincare products to hit the shelves in 2020. But, be discerning. Further research is required to establish composition, safety and human benefits before we hop on board this popular health trend.
Although the wellness market is currently valued at $4.2 trillion and growing, stress levelsamong Americans are higher than ever. According to an April 2019 Gallup poll, a majority of Americans (55%) surveyed said they had experienced stress throughout a large portion of their day, nearly half (45%) said they felt worried, and more than one in five (22%) said they felt anger throughout the majority of their day.
There is no denying it, stress takes a major toll on our health. Too much stress can:
Cause structural damage to your brain
Produce fear, anxiousness, worry, irrational excitement, and avoidance
Decrease your overall brain function
Create hormone imbalances
Cause inappropriate eating, which can result in weight gain
Make you more vulnerable to physical illness
Lead to cardiovascular problems, gut issues, problems with other organs
Cause serious prenatal concerns for pregnant women
Fortunately, we’re waking up to the fact that chronic, recurrent, prolonged stress – while widely accepted and exceptionally common – isn’t healthy or sustainable.
This year, as the conversation shifts towards the prioritization of downtime and we begin to recognize the importance of pushing the pause button, putting ourselves first (along with preemptive measures to prevent and avoid burnout) should become the norm.
3. Digital Minimalism
According to Pew Research, 81% of Americans own a smartphone. Although most of us can’t imagine living without our digital devices, digital minimalism, “A philosophy that helps you question what digital communication tools (and behaviors surrounding these tools) add the most value to your life,” is on the rise.
Thanks to conscious consumers, turning away from tech in favor of more face-to-face time is trending. Digital detoxes, intermittent internet fasting, and tech time-outs will likely gain popularity in 2020. We’re also expecting to see a rise in mobile apps and tools like Moment that help us monitor our use of social media.
4. Lymphatic Health Hits The Mainstream
The lymph system is a complex network of fluid-filled lymph nodes, vessels, glands and organs that make and move cleansing lymph fluid from the tissues to the bloodstream. The lymphatic system touches almost every part of the body and plays a major role in our immune system. Although it’s not easily seen or felt, it’s one of the most important (and often overlooked) systems of the human body.
It’s the job of the lymphatic system to filter cellular waste, excess fluids, bacteria, and pathogens, rid the body of toxins, and coordinate with the immune system to protect the body against harmful invaders. It works by carrying our body’s waste away from the tissues and into the bloodstream.
The problem is that, unlike blood, which is pumped by the heart throughout the body in a continuous loop, the lymph system does not have a pump. Instead, it only flows in one direction and relies on the relaxation and contraction of our muscles and joints to move it. As a result, it can easily become stagnant or sluggish, especially when it becomes overwhelmed with toxic debris.
Fortunately, in the past few years, lymphatic health and lymphatic drainage massage have begun to gain popularity as an effective holistic therapy and alternative treatment for reducing inflammation, staving off illness, and promoting good digestion. In 2020, expect this up-and-coming health trend to take the health and fitness world by storm. We’re predicting more lymphatic focused workout classes, beauty brands offering at-home lymphatic massage solutions, and spa treatments marketed at promoting lymphatic health.
5. The End Of Mental Illness
There has never been a more important time to change the way we think about, diagnose, and treat mental illness and psychiatric disorders. Fortunately, our founder and world-renowned neuroscientist, Daniel Amen, MD, is paving the way for a new paradigm that will de-mythologize mental illness, root it firmly in brain structure and function, and popularize science-based prevention and treatment strategies that will dramatically transform mental health care.
Thanks to Dr. Amen and his groundbreaking brain-imaging work at Amen Clinics, this year, we’re looking forward to less stigma regarding mental illness, and renewed hope for sufferers and their families.
To get ahead of this popular 2020 health trend, preorder Dr. Amen’s new book, The End Of Mental Illnessand join Dr. Amen and his wife, Tana Amen, BSN, RN, for a free 6-week live class beginning January 21st.
What are you predicting will happen in wellness this year? Comment below. We’d love to read your responses.
At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest purity nutrients to support your brain health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of supplements, please visit us at BrainMD.
Jessica Sweeney is a self-proclaimed literista, wellness aficionado, brain-health enthusiast, and certified yoga instructor living her best life in southern California. She has a B.S. in Marketing from Bentley University and has previously written for mindbodygreen, The Fullest Magazine, and Peaceful Dumpling. In her role at BrainMD, she’s covered everything from how to discover your brain type, to what’s trending in wellness, to prenatal health.
