What do avocado toast, Buddha bowls and cryotherapy have in common? All were big trends last year.
For the past 26 years, Lower Mainland residents have attended The Wellness Show to check out the latest, up-and-coming wellness trends each year. 2018’s show will take place on February 17 and 18 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
Want to know what’s hot for 2018? We’ve curated a list right here.
ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
Food-grade activated charcoal powder (made from burnt coconut) started popping up everywhere over the last few months. People are adding it to lemonade to create a hangover cure, but it’s been seen in ice cream and even cocktails.
Charcoal is detoxifying — used in water filters to remove toxins and to purify the water. Active charcoal can also have a similar effect on the body, if taken in the right (small) doses.
[Photo courtesy Seaflora; Facebook.com/seafloraskincare, Instagram.com/seafloraskincare]
SEAWEED
Pardon me, but is that seaweed on your face? Sure, we love it in our sushi, and seaweeds have been eaten for hundreds of years due to their high iron content. It turns out seaweed’s hydrating qualities are also great to apply topically to your skin, as seaweed contains both anti-aging and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Local entrepreneur Diane Bernard has been hand-harvesting seaweed from BC’s coast and has turned it into her own organic skincare line, Seaflora.
INTERMITTENT FASTING
While many cultures integrate fasting into their routine as part of their religion, we all know that using fasting as a weight-loss technique is rarely successful in the long term. However, intermittent fasting has recently become very popular in wellness circles.
You do all your eating in a short amount of time during the day, then eat again the following day. For most people, this translates to eating all meals in a six-hour period, then fasting for the other 18. Intermittent fasting is thought to promote stronger insulin sensitivity and increased growth hormone secretion, two key factors in weight loss and muscle gain.
NIGELLA SATIVA AKA BLACK SEED OIL
This ancient seed, which most people have never heard of, is a relative of the cumin or coriander plant. The black seeds are pressed and the oil is used to treat allergies, eczema, digestive problems, cancer, heart problems and more. You only need a teaspoon or two daily to benefit from its phytochemicals.
[Beef Eggplant on Zoodles from Eat Your Cake]
KETOSIS AND PERSONALIZED FOOD
Eating well is a personal journey; one diet will not work for everyone. Veganism has increased by 360% over the past decade and is expected to continue to soar in 2018. On the other side of the spectrum, ketogenic diets that emphasize protein and fat (you can still be vegetarian and even vegan on a keto diet) are also growing in popularity.
These diets are low-carb, low-sugar and focus on satiety. Many people report better weight loss, more muscle gain and better energy on these types of keto diets. And because figuring out the right carb/protein/fat ratio can be tricky, lots of folks are subscribing to personalized meal delivery services such as Eat Your Cake (vegan, vegetarian and keto) and meal prep delivery services like Fresh Prep, who deliver everything you need to create a healthy meal in under 30 minutes.
[Don’t throw away cilantro stems: they make a tasty pesto!]
ROOT TO LEAF COOKING
Remember the “nose-to-tail” movement with meat? The idea was to create as little waste as possible by using as much of the animal as possible. Last year, the hot topic on the street was “ugly” vegetables. This year, it’s about making less waste with your vegetables. Broccoli stalks? Don’t throw those in your organics bin. They’re great in vegetable stocks!
Want to learn more about reducing waste as well as root-to-leaf cooking? The Recycling Council of BC will be on hand to answer questions.
For information on all the latest and greatest trends in the health and wellness space, check out The Wellness Show at the Vancouver Convention Centre, 999 Canada Place. Tickets are available both online and at the door.
Top image by Chalk White Arrow on Flickr.
