Health and Wellness Trends to Watch Out For in 2024
By Khanna Connections
A new year brings hope, promise of a brighter future and the chance to make a fresh start.
This is especially evident in new year’s resolutions with almost 50% of Americans promising to focus more on their health, both physically and mentally.
Every year, it seems there are new concepts to try – adaptogens, sound baths, focusing on the gut-brain connection – and 2024 is no different.
While wellness is less a trend and more a lifestyle, here are some fresh and easy ideas you can try to rejuvenate your routine and breathe new life into your wellness journey.
- Customized Health and Wellness.
Everybody is different and every body is different. The one-size-fits-all aspect of care is quickly becoming a thing of the past and people are looking for health and wellness solutions personalized for their lifestyles and medical history.
“I wanted to make healthcare more accessible, personalized and affordable,” said Roshini Singh, National Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner and founder of 365 Wellness, a direct primary care practice serving Palm Beach County. The practice focuses everything from chronic diseases management to acute care for infections and sprains to women’s health but takes a singular focus on healthy living and preventative care offering annual physical exams, nutritional counseling and smoking cessation.
“I am very passionate about preventative health care and strongly believe that if time is well spent focusing on this aspect of care, the lives of patients will continue to stay optimal,” said Roshini. “That is why I founded and created 365 Wellness.”
- Nature As Your Gym
From running through your neighborhood to yoga in the park to horseback riding to paddleboarding, the warm South Florida climate offers residents a chance to be active in the sunshine essentially all year round.
If you’re looking for a way to get moving that doesn’t require any special equipment, costs a lofty fee and connects you with like-minded individuals, look no further than the Hot Girl Walk.
Founded by Mia Lind during the 2020 Pandemic as a way of dealing with the negative impacts of self-isolation, the Hot Girl Walk gained acclaim on TikTok with the hashtag #HotGirlWalk garnering millions of views and billions of hits.
The concept is as simple as walking itself – a four mile outdoor walk where you focus on three things – gratitudes, goals and how hot you are. The distance is a suggestion – you do what your body can manage – and the primary objective is not weight loss but rather the mind-body connection and taking a personal journey of introspection and reflection in the hopes of gaining a better sense of self confidence.
Hot Girl Walks have popped up all over Palm Beach County with West Palm Beach, Delray Beach and Lake Worth Beach all offering women a chance to come together in an inclusive and accessible way to work on their physical and mental health.
- Blue Zone Diet and Lifestyle
Diets have been part of the American wellness landscape for centuries and now with more scientific research at our fingertips than ever before, Americans are focused on eating for longevity and taking their nutritional cues from the residents of Blue Zones – five areas across the world (Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia, Italy, Nicoya, Costa Rica, Ikaria, Greece and Loma Linda, California) where the populations have an extremely high percentage of folks who live to be over 90 and 100 years old.
In addition to eating whole, mostly plant-based meals, Blue Zone residents also build movement into their days in an organic way. Okinawans grow their own produce and garden as a means of staying active and also spend more time sitting on the floor, leading to increased flexibility. The Blue Zone Lifestyle also leads to better mental health outcomes with the Seventh Day Adventist community of Loma Linda connecting with their community through fellowship, volunteering and simply spending time together.
Wellness is an investment in yourself and your future and the thought of making a lifestyle change can be a daunting one but by making incremental changes like contacting a direct primary care practice for a personalized health assessment, going for a walk with a friend or choosing a plant-based meal over red meat makes a difference.
Take the first step today and before you know it, you’ll have traveled a thousand miles on your wellness journey.