From travel to breathing, how the pandemic has made wellness a must-have, and six ways it is changing our lives
- Because of Covid-19, wellness has moved from an occasional luxury to a must-have
- Here are six ways wellness is changing, from a renewed focus on boosting our immune systems to how we travel and receive health care
As the world broke through the astounding milestone of 100 million known Covid-19 cases, the Global Wellness Institute released its trends report for 2021. Chief among its messages: wellness has gone from being a ‘nice to have’ to a ‘must-have’ – for all.
The Florida, US-based non-governmental organisation defines wellness as the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.
The US$4.5 trillion global market encompasses all things wellness – anti-ageing, physical fitness, mental health, healthy eating, weight loss, health care, complementary and alternative medicine, medical tourism, and so much more. The GWI trends forecast is based on the insights of wellness company executives, economists, doctors, investors, academics and technologists who gathered in person and virtually at its summit in Florida in November.
Here are six ways the wellness industry is transforming itself, and our lives, according to GWI’s director of research and PR Beth McGroarty.
1. Hollywood and big entertainment jump into wellness
During the coronavirus lockdown, members of the beloved US rock band Weezer were recording a new album, “OK Human”. It reflects common experiences during lockdown, including loneliness and skipping daily showers. A masked 38-member orchestra accompanied the band to record the album, described as “a Technicolor symphonic spree that meditates on how over- and under connected we all are”.
