The Future of Wellness – Trends 2023

Every year the global wellness summit provides a trend report based on all the data they have gathered world wide.  They have a pretty good track record with their predictions and it is always interesting to learn what they think the future of wellness looks like.

Their opening statement suggests that many of the people/organizations that they interviewed wanted scientific research and data that proves something is beneficial before they buy and try.

I have a point of view as it relates to Trends and Trendy Things …You will see that I have added my thoughts at the end of each trend section.

1. WELLNESS AND GATHERING: Social Medicine

We “know” loneliness is skyrocketing, that it kills and that the #1 predictor of health and happiness is relationships. But somehow, the recent uber-capitalist wellness market has led with two things: a sea of keep-them-spending “me time” products and “digital wellness”—both lonely journeys of “self-care.” The pandemic has proven to be the breaking point. The biggest wellness trend is the development of new spaces and experiences that bring people together in real life—creatively and with intention—where social connection is the burning center of the concept.

“I love this trend! Many of you know I have been quietly gathering with like minded practitioners in Austin and San Antonio for the past 2 years teaching and training on how the dots are connected and how to get to the root cause of a patients issue. The connection and community of the group has been a huge boost for all of us as we navigated the turbulence and changes in the health care space over the past 3 years .”

2. WELLNESS AND TRAVEL : Authenticity

Travelers are now seeking much deeper cultural experiences and showing interest in going to the source of ancient healing and knowledge to learn how they care for the land and for themselves. Indigenous travel and going to the cultural source for wellness is our travel trend for 2023.

Community-led Indigenous travel offerings are surging—from the boreal forests of Canada to the Australian Outback—and speak deeply to travelers seeking inclusive, sustainable and regenerative travel experiences. The fast-mounting interest in original cultures includes Indigenous wellness practices, from purification ceremonies to food and nutrition.

“I don’t feel like this is a new trend! It might speak to the fact that more people will want these kinds of experiences.  They can be gritty and I know first hand how healing they can be!”

3. METABOLIC HEALTH AND LONGEVITY: Younger

Harnessing the ability to live longer and “younger” is among the biggest trends in medicine and wellness today. Dr. Michael Roizen believes a crucial factor in the longevity quest is recognizing that not all fat is created equal, and transforming white/yellow fat into beige/brown fat has the potential to move the needle on one of the greatest health crises—obesity. The reason? Brown fat has increased mitochondrial density and burns lots of calories while white fat is metabolically inefficient and doesn’t use much energy.  Practices like stem cell, cold therapy, drugs  and intermittent fasting are some of the therapies being studied in the Live Younger Trend.

“The quality of a life is important and we should not lose sight of that.  Living longer in poor health is very expensive!”

4. WELLNESS AND THE SENSES: A Total Experience

Advances in neuroscience and neuroaesthetics confirm that, when combined, the senses elevate our human experience.

Now brands are accessing multiple senses simultaneously to better support wellbeing outcomes, amplify wellness experience and influence behavioral change—think using multiple sensory cues in a harmonious way to deepen meditation. With a better grasp on evidence, wellness brands are using multisensory integration as an approach to deepen and amplify felt experiences. From wellness brands to spas to retailers, they are experimenting with playful combinations of light and sound, light and taste, etc., to build connection and more meaningful moments. In the metaverse, digital sense is becoming a reality, adding scent and touch to sight and sound.

“I love this idea if we can improve mental health.”

5. WORKPLACE WELLNESS: 2.0

In this trend, we explore how superficial wellness at work schemes are being replaced with more meaningful solutions. Better balance is being achieved through movements such as extended, company-wide vacations and the “right to disconnect” from emails after hours; employers making in-person time count with memorable offsites and gatherings at wellness resorts and social wellness clubs (meetings held in ice baths are officially a thing); and topics once stigmatized, like menopause and infertility, gaining the attention of the world’s biggest employers. Even psychedelics are entering the scene, with Enthea set to launch ketamine therapy as a workplace benefit across the US this year.

“I hope this trend applies to workers who do all kinds of jobs! If you are a biz owner like me then you will need to be intentional about creating better balance.”

6. WILD WEST OF BIOHACKING : Wellness Tech

Biohacking is the attempt to control biology and defy disease, decay and death so we can become superhuman. The idea is not new; our ancestors were masterful biohackers and developed low-tech hacks such as fasting, isolation, chanting, yoga, martial arts, body temperature manipulations and traditional medicines to increase their health and wellbeing. However, there is a new trend in biohacking featuring technology that is staggering. Super-technologies such as AI, brain-computer interfaces, sensorless-sensing, CRISPR, xenobotics, nanobotics, probiotics, morphoceuticals, 3D-tissue-printing, cloud-computing and blockchain technologies allow us to manipulate molecules, modify genes, manage microbes, create living robots, regenerate body parts, seamlessly monitor and track health metrics, and manipulate our sensory inputs.

“This wild, wild west raises moral, legal and ethical issues. Just as lone computer hackers bypass security systems, biohackers conduct experiments on themselves and analyze, share and compare their data without ethical oversight, regulation or recourse to established authorities. Thus, the question: What do we want from life and can we hack our biology and consciousness to enhance our moral and ethical nature?””

7. BLUE WELLNESS :  Hot Water

In 2023, people will jump into the world’s wild waters for some “blue wellness”— with an unprecedented global surge in new-look hot springs destinations and wild and cross-country swimming going global.

At the steamy end of the temperature spectrum, hot springs are now poised to be the next big thing in wellness. There are an unprecedented number of new and in-the-pipeline global destinations and new life is being breathed into long-forgotten facilities–from Australia to the US (where about 50 new projects are underway). (Finally, we are all becoming Europeans.”) A whole new social era in hot springs has arrived.

“I love this and there is a project in my community that has city approval Yeah!”

I hope that you have enjoyed this annual departure from my usual posts?  For more info on the Global Wellness Summits predictions CLICK HERE

Last but not least, if you want to predict your future health take a 360 review of your health habits and see where you might want to make some shifts to ensure a healthier FUTURE.

If you missed it here is the link to my post on the healthy habit tracker to help you  see where you have opportunities for growth.

Have a healthy week and as always I am here to serve and support you on your journey

Dr Pia