This article has become an annual tradition for us. It’s fun to look back on the wellness trends we predicted for 2018 and 2017. We anticipated some of the major movements that swept Vancouver and beyond: the zero-waste lifestyle, CBD oil, moringa, podcasts, and plant-based EVERYTHING. We have high hopes for 2019, so with no further adieu, here’s our forecast for the major health and wellness trends for 2019!

In late 2018, we started noticing more and more folks coming in before work to grab a celery juice to start the day. The humble vegetable, when consumed as pure cold-pressed juice, performs like a superfood! High levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals have an energizing effect, and also apparently detoxifies, lowers cancer risk, is an anti-inflammatory, and reduces hypertension. Replace your morning java for a celery juice and see how you feel! The Medical Medium and local RHN superstar Kate Horsman both have some good material on the miracles 

We’ve been waiting for this one - three cheers for the legalization of this potent plant medicine! There are so many benefits to cannabis when used mindfully: from reducing anxiety, improving sleep quality and duration, encouraging creativity, pain management, and more. We also love how there are so many options to introduce cannabis into your life. Start small and see how you do! A few of our favourite locals; Tantalus Labs, Fleurs Tea, Omni Botanicals, Tokyo Smoke and the work being done from Grow Tech Labs. 

On the topic of cannabis, we are huge advocates of CBD, which is a non-intoxicating compound found in the marijuana plant. CBD oil and tincture was huge for 2018, and now coffee shops and companies are up on the trend. Since many of us find a daily cup of joe necessary but also anxiety-inducing, the combo of coffee and CBD seems to be a match made in heaven. Oat milk and coffee company Minor Figures from the UK has even started offering CBD drops in peppermint flavour for a fun and calming twist to your latte. Coming to a coffee shop near you (hopefully)!

In terms of diving into the deep end with social media, it seems we’ve gone far enough as a society. Rising anxiety levels in teens, selfie accidents, and the chronic addiction to our phones all reflect a major need to unplug. We’re hoping that 2019 brings more awareness of our consumption, thanks to new developments such as the “screentime” feature in iPhone settings, digital detox therapy techniques, unplugged retreats, and more! One of our fave ways to decompress is with In Bed with Betty; real live beditations for real lazy people! That's something we can get on board with. 

Say goodbye to major chains and corporations deciding what food goes into our bodies. Due to a higher awareness of pesticides, genetic engineering, labour rights, and seasonality, more and more folks are looking to smaller grocers and farms to get their family’s food. Supporting your local food system is a great way to vote with your dollar, so keep your eyes peeled for CSA box programs and neighbourhood markets! A few of our go to local CSA programs; SPUD, Inner CIty Farms, City Beet Farms and Fresh Roots! For a more comprehensive list of CSA options in Vancouver see FarmFolk CityFolk or eatlocal.org. 

Simply put, giving your body a break from digestion gives it a chance to focus on other things, such as building your immune system! Many people swear by taking 12,16, or 24 hour breaks from eating because it makes them feel amazing and more energized. Other benefits have been listed as lowered inflammation, balanced blood sugar, and decreased sugar/food cravings. Do your research to see if this will work for you, and if you’d like to try it, experiment with holding off on eating right away in the morning to see how your body and brain feel! Chances are, it’ll be a nice break.

The wellness community is taking a harder look at the stressful effects of intensive exercise, both mentally and physically. Coming in its place is the more gentle-movement and mindfulness-focused slow fitness trend. A long walk with a friend or a shorter workout followed by a long period of active recovery is often better for the mind and body than we realize! Check out this article on Mind Body Green for some more info and tips. Locally Tight Club has their new Get Loose class, Movement 108 has their Strength and Stretch Class, as well as a Recovery Class and Reformotiv has their Sprial Form Class! If you're more into the yogi vibes, The Dharma Temple is movement for the soul! 

At many of the recent vegan pop-ups and markets, we noticed that more and more folks are going for products that are dead-ringers for the taste of conventional meat. A great example of this is the Beyond Burger that has become mainstream through A&W. Hit up the classic burger chain for a taste, or support local and try some delicious Jackfruit BBQ Pulled Pork from PlantBase Food or the Stuffed Beast from The Very Good Butchers! Special mention goes out to Ocean Hugger with their vegan ahimi raw tuna. Check out the Good Food Institute as these guys have the latest and greatest on whats happening in the clean meat revolution! 

As one of the oldest and most ancient health and wellness systems on Earth, Ayurveda surpasses any sort of fad or trend. With any wisdom this old, there is so much truth to learn. Sometimes the best trends are going back to the oldest practices. Despite the history of Ayurveda, it seems to be getting some well-deserved spotlight as of late due to some wellness icons teaching the ways, such as local favourite Navi Gill and L.A. based Sahara Rose. This wellness system sheds light on the earthly elements that are contained within us and our surroundings, and how the balance of these elements can have an effect on our well-being. You'll see lots of supplements with deep Ayurveda roots popping up at your local health food store from; Ashwagandha to Moringa and Curcumin to Holy Basil. 

Tasting like a delicious blend of almond, peanut, and cashew with a bit chickpea popcorn; baru nuts are a nutritional powerhouse from the Brazilian Cerrado. High in fiber, magnesium, and complete protein, while being lower in calories than other nuts. Daren Olien is the western pioneer for Baruka nuts. His company employs the indigenous community of the Cerrado to harvest the nuts- furthermore protecting the land from the threat of deforestation for the cattle industry. Eat delicious food while helping stop deforestation... that's a major win in our books. Come try some Barukas in-store at The Juice Truck and see what the hype is all about! Without bias... this is our favourite snack of 2019. To learn more listen to Daren Olien on the Rich Roll podcast. You'll want to become a superfood hunter for yourself! 

Despite our culture of rampant consumption, there is also a movement growing of people who are building their self-reliance! Life skills such as making homemade kombucha, growing kitchen veggie gardens, learning how to mend clothes, and much more are becoming the norm for a lot of folks. We say hooray to that! Look out for workshops and courses happening all over Vancouver at community centers, libraries, retail spaces, and more. New Zero Waste grocery store NADA is hosting all sorts of great community events.