From Algae Milk to VR Fitness: 7 Health Trends to Watch Out For

Progress looks different to everyone - and growth can be very personal thing - but if you know anything about LYMA, it’s that we’re hooked on optimisation. Tuning into the latest tech launches, future wellness movements, and being on the precipice of the next big scientific discoveries is very much our bag.

If, like us, you’re ready for some positive leaps forward, you’ll be wondering what’s emerging in the worlds of health and wellbeing and paving the road to betterment. Below, we take you through some of our favourites.

Trendy berries had more than their moment, bee pollen sprinkles were a thing, spirulina shakes still threaten to linger on and yet curiously, still no one’s learnt how to pronounce açaí. Thank goodness superfoods became the nutritional benchmark and we all got the health kick we so needed. Plant-based is still a buzzword but - rather than just highly processed meat impersonators - ancient grains, beans, pulses and vegetables are being recognised as great sources of protein, fibre and good fats.

The next big thing in nutrition though, and set to make a profound difference to our health, is eating for your immune system. Immune support foods help make your body more resilient to attack, fight off disease and contribute to long-term health. What are these obscure, possibly mystic phytonutrients? They’re possibly already in your online basket.

Shiitake mushrooms are adaptogenic, meaning they reduce the effects of stress within the body, walnut oil contains one of the highest known anti-inflammatory compounds and scientists are currently investigating the extent of their ability to prevent breast cancer and help treat rheumatoid arthritis. Spinach contains infection-fighting phytonutrients, antioxidant-rich blueberries protect against unstable molecules called free radicals that cause premature ageing of all bodily cells, drinking kale had been shown to increase antioxidants in the blood and ginger effectively reduces inflammation in joints. Eat your medicine, people.

We’ve gone a fair way further and deeper than skin creams promising to make you look 25 again; the future of youth is smart ageing and improving your healthspan instead. Widely referred to as longevity; this noble quest comes in the form of tracking our health trajectories, predicting future illnesses and making lifestyle adjustments in the immediate that will benefit life in the future. In the coming 12 months, we’ll see further advancements in DNA testing, blood sampling for the biomarkers that present any propensity for disease, and further exploration into epigenetics. All of these in a bid to prolong our health status.

Longevity used to be at the behest of the multi-millionaire and tech entrepreneurs, but the next chapter will see strides to make longevity a viable prospect for everyone. Professor David Sinclair is the author of Lifespan: Why We Age And Why We Don't Have To, and is leading the charge in democratising longevity. His Sinclair Lab at Harvard University is advancing epigenetic reprogramming, diagnostics and at-home testing making it achievable to live a longer, healthier life, no matter your genetic make-up. Viva la longevity!

Just when you were getting your head around how on earth you can obtain milk from a pea, along comes the newest non-dairy alternative to hit the block - algae milk. To date, vegan-friendly milk alternatives have been predominantly nut-based, making them not-so friendly for those with nut allergies, or for the planet for that matter.

Algae milk is the first all-inclusive milk and unlike the infinite gallons required for almond milk, the microalgae fermentation tanks require minimal amounts of water and utilise food waste by-products as production fuel. A Singapore start-up - tenderly called Sophie’s Bionutrients - just launched the world’s first microalgae milk, but other brands are already weighing in, preparing to launch their own versions. Surely the Starbucks Seaweed Latte launch must be imminent?

Lifting the fog, improving focus and boosting your smarts, what’s not to love about the next gen supplements for cognitive function? We’ve long been popping brain food pills, like fish oil, but it may surprise you to know that fish oils have never been proven to work. There’s no medical study to prove they do anything to the brain, and yet they’ve been unwittingly trusted by the masses for decades, making up the biggest sector of the nutraceuticals market. But we’re fast wising up to unsubstantiated supplement claims and proven nootropics are being more widely recognised.

Take Cognizin® in the LYMA Supplement for example, which has been extensively peer-reviewed and undergone robust clinical trials to prove its brain-boosting accreditations. Developed from potent brain nutrient, citicoline that’s found naturally in our think tanks, it supports neuron communication for a sharper cognitive function. People taking LYMA report mental clarity, feelings of being ‘switched on’ and able to make fast-paced, clear decisions.

Probiotic and prebiotic skincare have already found their way into our cosmetic lexicon, and 2022 will see fermented beauty products added to the mix. As trend forecaster WGSN identifies, “driven by Korean and Japanese markets, the desire for potent ingredients that last longer is driving interest in fermented beauty. Naturally occurring bacteria prolong the shelf life of formulas, appealing to both the sustainably minded and value-focused consumer.”

What’s more, the fermenting process helps to break down active ingredients into smaller and simpler molecules, making them easier to be absorbed by the skin.

A positive move away from dieting apps, (hurrah!) nutrition apps like Noom are the latest weight management tools taking a more thoughtful, psychological approach. Bespoke coaching, healthy meal plans and achievable targets designed by professionals. Digi-nutrition also ties in nicely with the current health movement to be weight neutral; the concept that diets are destructive, and instead we should focus on consistency and maintaining a good wellness outlook.

The newest tech launches in virtual reality are set to gamify fitness, making it a whole lot of fun for gym-phobes. The next natural progression from those shouty Peloton class video graphics, VR fitness immerses you in a workout that’s like being the hero of your own video game. VR also opens up a world of new sports no matter your location, so you can get stuck into surfing when you live nowhere near the sea. FitXR has you boxing spinning targets, TRIPP creates a world of tranquillity optimal for wind down meditation, and Supernatural is a real geek-out combating intergalactic orbs while making you sweat as much as Crossfit. Time to suit up and suspend reality.