Trends & Tips For Holistic, Natural Lifestyle
Your personal wellness journey in 2022.
If anything, our two-year pandemic experience has only sharpened our focus on the importance of our holistic well-being and self-care. In 2020, the non-profit Global Wellness Institute valued the world’s wellness economy at $4.4 trillion, and predicts robust growth post-pandemic, reaching almost $7trillion by 2025. Taking an interest in experiences and choosing products that help us improve our health, fitness, nutrition, appearance, sleep, and mindfulness is integrated in the lifestyles of many middle-income South Africans.
According to the 2021 Euromonitor International report on health and wellness in South Africa, the pandemic had little impact on the size and value of the wellness market. The report also noted that pandemic movement restrictions helped to position e-commerce as a growing health and wellness distribution channel in the country.
According to Michele Carelse, CEO of Feelgood Health, one of the country’s pioneering online health and wellness stores, South Africans are embracing the top global trends of 2022. “We’re seeing an increasing demand for normalising mental health which is, at this time, probably the dominant global wellness trend,” Michele says, “Due to the stresses and strains everyone has experienced during the pandemic, conversations are really opening up and stigma is starting to fall away from topics such as depression, anxiety, stress, and burn-out.
There’s growing mental health awareness and far more focus on regarding ourselves, our loved ones, and our colleagues more holistically. In support of this proper consideration for mental health, more South Africans are seeking natural remedies and holistic solutions to support stress reduction, boost mindfulness and mitigate the impacts of mental health issues on our whole being.”
Other trends that are currently influencing the South African wellness market include supporting our immune systems and concentrating on other preventative health measures. Fitness remains a lifestyle priority for many; and awareness of restorative sleep is increasing. Ingredient conscious consumers are more aware of nutrition through reading food labels, understanding food ingredients and their impact on health. Personalised health services are helping people identify unique patterns of food sensitivities, and the ‘free-from’ segment, such as gluten-free, is a large and growing market.
Plant-based and flexitarian eating are on the rise, and many are open to exploring dietary changes that are better for our bodies, and the planet. “We’re also seeing more interest in sexual wellness for both women and men, and there’s a growing acknowledgment of how sex-positivity impacts on the overall health and well-being of adults,” Michele adds.
South Africans are also in-step with the global wellness market trend for health and wellness services and products that are customized and connected.
Michele says, “One of our main intentions as a company is to build relationships with our customers and meet them on whichever platform they prefer. This supports the wellness customer’s wish for personalized information and service and ensures connection and integration across the different aspects of their health care and self-care.”
For those who want to give momentum to their wellness and lifestyle goals, Feelgood Health recommends taking a few key steps towards a more natural and holistic lifestyle:
- Follow a healthy, mostly plant-based diet
- Get regular exercise by taking up physical activities that you enjoy
- Grow your own veggies and herbs. Whether this is in your garden, herbs, and microgreens on your windowsill, or sprouts on your kitchen countertop, you can’t get more organic or healthier than that!
- Shop locally and shop online, choosing planet-friendly products and supporting businesses with purpose
- Reduce your household waste, especially plastic waste, re-use and recycle
Here are some of Feelgood Health’s top picks for anyone starting out on their personal wellness journey in 2022:
Instant Vanilla Chai Latte – A delicious mellow blend of authentic Indian spices, black tea, vanilla flavour, and caramelised coconut blossom sugar. This tea has beneficial effects on blood glucose control, cholesterol and blood pressure.
Ohm Peppermint Essential Oil – One of the most diverse and versatile aromatherapy oils, known to improve blood flow, circulation, and brain functioning. It also acts as a natural analgesic and is thus beneficial as an aromatherapy oil for headaches, muscle aches, to soothe inflamed skin and inflammation.
Flaxi Eye Pillow – Calm your mind, emotions, and energy with this weighted hot or cold eye compress. It provides gentle acupressure to the eye muscles and contains a tranquil, holistic aromatherapy oil blend for balance and peace.
Feelgood Health Serenite Plus – A safe, natural homeopathic remedy for insomnia without the risk of addiction. It relieves nighttime anxiety, worry, and stress and treats the symptoms of intermittent, sleep onset insomnia, and assists in the treatment of chronic insomnia and sleep maintenance problems.
Feelgood Health Thanda Passion Booster – This herbal remedy improves female sexual health and libido naturally. Using ancient ingredients including Ginkgo Biloba, Ginseng, and Sarsaparilla, these vegetable capsules act as a natural herbal aphrodisiac, increase and promote orgasmic strength and increase general energy levels.
OHM Moroccan Argan Oil– Also known as ‘liquid gold’, this pure organic oil, derived from the fruit kernels of the Argan tree, will leave your skin and hair soft, hydrated, and nourished. Its a rich source of vitamin E and filled with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.
ButtaNutt Almond Milk – A premium, creamy milk-alternative, made with 100% buttery smooth South African almonds. It has a naturally creamy taste with no added sugar and is delicious in flat whites and golden lattes, or great over cereals and in smoothies.
Raw Indian Frankincense Incense Resin– Frankincense has been used in sacred rituals for thousands of years. It has a sweet, warm, and exotic citrus-like balsamic scent which relaxes the body and mind, and brings peace to your home. It is also said to purify the air due to its antibacterial properties.
Pure Indigenous Love Bath Salts – Add a sprinkle to a warm bath, for a soothing blend of Southern African essential oils. These bath salts promote self-love and balance your mind and energy.
Stevia Herbal Liquid Sweetener – A healthy alternative to sugar or artificial sweeteners. This herbal liquid sweetener is extracted from the leaf of the stevia plant and is perfect for use in drinks, cooking, and baking.
For more visit: www.feelgoodhealth.co.za