When I was younger we were taught that health is the absence of disease and it was not until many years later that the WHO changed the definition of health to include ' a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being'. While the body was looked at in isolation with regards to our health, mental and social well being has never been more popular.
In recent times, I've supplemented my tea time with chaga and maca based beverages and opted out of HIIT to go to a yin yoga practice instead. I have visited ashrams in south east asia and been blown away by the healing properties of a sound healing session. My instagram feed is full of intention work, the power of manifestations and a guide to using the rose quartz for health and harmony. My friends prefer the Bali Spirit Festival to a concert on a beach and I have visited over a dozen healers in Indonesia alone. We have expanded our understanding of alternative health and healing and I'm thrilled to see that people are more open to it now than ever.
Health is no longer synonymous with just the physical body for it also now emphasizes the importance of a healthy mind. Organisations the world over are working with doctors, physicians, holistic practitioners to encourage self care and to de-stigmatise mental health. Even the fitness enthusiast is conscious of the kind of protein he/ she consumes and opts for pea or hemp protein for their antioxidant benefits and also because they don't load the kidneys. Reiki, sound healing and breathwork are becoming more mainstream than ever because people are realising the healing powers of breath and how you can transform your life and your health by paying attention to your breath. Gyms are swapping their hiit for more grounding asana practices, yin yoga flows and meditation classes that help your body cope with life's daily stressors better. Large corporations are prioritising sleep over everything and introducing sleep pods in offices to allow people to rest and recuperate because sleep deprived employees lower the productivity in the workplace. We have also learnt that sleeping can help you lose weight, improve your mood, fight inflammation and facilitate the bodies healing mechanisms, allowing you to heal and recover.
Health retreats are coming up in a big way because people are opting out of boozy holidays to beach destinations that they don't remember and instead working with holistic health practitioners on groups and retreats in croatia, thailand, greece and bali. Self-care is a revolutionary step in the right direction because it allows you to honour your body, to listen to it and to approach your health intuitively.
Functional medicine is highly sought after because it addresses the cause or the root of a problem and doesn't mask the symptoms with the use pharmacological drugs. The practitioners are now examining the body as a whole instead of isolating just one part. We have learnt that the gut is your second brain and often fixing your gut can help you alleviate inflammation, lose weight, feel better and age better. Probiotics and foods such as kimchi and kombucha have never been more popular. Vegan restaurants are seeing a spike in sales because people have started to realise that often the curative properties of a plant-based diet are inexplicable but most of us start feeling better within just a few weeks.
We are encouraged to embrace the skin we are in and to celebrate the human form rather than tearing it down with bad words, insufficient food and neglect because body positivity is important and your body is unique. There's never been a more exciting time to be involved in the health space because we have finally realised that health is our only priority and we've finally taken our health into our own hands.