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16 Health and Wellness Trends in 2014
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It’s been a fascinating year for health and wellness, hasn’t it? We found out that most of what we thought we knew about our digestion and immune system was incorrect. We are on the cusp of understanding just how those billions of little microbes control our lives. Green juice finally hit mainstream America. Everybody is suddenly going gluten free. 2013 was a fascinating year for health and this year, well, fasten your seatbelt folks; it’s going to be doozy!
New ways to get fit and healthy are always in the limelight. Take a look at our top 16 picks that we expect to go “viral” in the health world this year.
1. Ancients are Cool
More than likely, before last year, you never even heard of quinoa, and suddenly, it’s in everything from desserts to main course restaurant meals. Quinoa isn’t new; it’s been around for thousands of years. Many of the ancient grains are becoming popular due to their high fiber content and numerous nutrients. Amaranth is another ancient grain, gluten free, and works well for those suffering from celiac disease. Freekeh, which is similar to wheat, is roasted when the plant is young, is another up and coming ancient grain. Finding ways to add these ancient whole grains into your diet can stabilize your blood sugar and help lower cholesterol.
2. Matcha Green Tea
You see this popping up everywhere. More and more products are adding matcha green tea powder since it was discovered that the antioxidants in matcha green tea are up to 100 times more bioavailable than other types of green tea. Research shows that the compounds in green tea may help boost metabolism.
3. Buffaloberries
Ok, I know what you might be thinking, but these are NOT the same thing as road apples! Although you may not have heard of these because they are not yet commercially harvested, that’s most likely about to change. Buffaloberries could be the next super fruit. According to study published in the Journal of Food Science, buffaloberries are loaded with lycopene, the cancer fighting, antioxidant substance everyone is looking for. These are currently grown on Native American Indian reservations and flourish in the toughest of conditions. The acidity of these berries seems like prime candidates for wine and it seems several wine producers have shown interest. While waiting for the wine to come through, look for these powerful little berries at your local health food store.
4. The Microbiome
Although we don’t have a full understanding of them yet, the billions of bacteria that live in our digestive track (collectively called microbiome) are the foundation to our health. We don’t yet know how they interact with our other bodily symptoms yet, or how they relate to our metabolism, but it does appear that in the very near future, you might be picking up a dietary “prescription” that is catered to your individual bacteria make-up. Until then, keep eating as close to nature as possible for the best help possible.
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