Rave-style exercise classes, maca powder, Paleo. Health scene movements operate such a revolving door policy that keeping up with what’s valuable and what’s a waste of time is tricky.
To help you filter out the stuff that is likely to add a positive impact to your life, here are some fad-free ideas that are (relatively) easy to incorporate into your day.
1. Clean sleeping
Sleeplessness costs the UK economy £40bn a year, according to a 2016 study. But learning how to optimise your slumber – for better moods, energy levels and control over sugar cravings – is a key movement this year. The HuffPost’s founder Arianna Huffington’s second book, The Sleep Revolution, hones in on better rest, the luxe mattress market is booming, while Gwyneth Paltrow introduced the phrase ‘clean sleeping’ in Clean Beauty, the book from her lifestyle website, Goop. Sure, some of her recommendations (including buying a £50 pillow infused with copper) are a little wacky, but other thoughts make sense. Have an unwind routine, in which you dim the lights in your bedroom. Wear clean, comfy pyjamas, keep any gadgets out of your room to avoid their blue light keeping you awake, and try to get a couple of hours in before midnight.
2. Zoats
Not a character from a sci-fi film, but, instead, a mix of oats and courgette (the ‘z’ comes from zucchini, as Americans call the summer squash.) Sounds a little odd, but grating the veg into a pan of oats, along with whole, semi-skimmed or lactose-free milk is big on the health scene, with over 45,000 posts on Instagram showing the garden-toned breakfast. As well as dosing up on extra goodness first thing, stir through chopped flaxseed for an omega-3 boost and pumpkin seeds for crunch.
3. Protein pancakes
It’s time to eat pancakes more than once a year. Rather than lemon-and-sugar drowned crêpes, though, these are day-fuelling numbers. Mix one very ripe banana with two beaten eggs and a handful of oats. Ladle two servings into a hot pan with a slick of melted butter or spread and cook for two minutes on one side, before flipping and cooking on the other. Serve with Greek, natural or lactose-free yoghurt and sliced seasonal fruit. True morning goals.
4. Sober-curiosity
Since reformer pilates and juicing became status symbols to rival designer handbags, there’s been a spike in quality alternatives to booze. The ‘sober curious’ movement, spearheaded by New York-based British journalist Ruby Warrington, is about cutting down on alcohol, if not forgoing it completely. (One in five UK adults is now teetotal, according to research from the Office For National Statistics, so that’s on the up, too.) Making it a smoother transition are new drinks like Seedlip, an ‘alcohol-free spirit’ that’s distilled with botanicals and can be mixed with tonic and served over ice, as well as bars like Dandelyan at Mondrian London, who are muddling new gen mocktails using homemade spirits, spice blends and cold brew coffee.
6. Labneh
Stupidly easy and super good for you. Simply take a pot of Greek, natural or plain lactose-free yoghurt and place into a clean cotton tea towel. Tie up the four corners around your kitchen tap and leave to strain over the sink overnight. The next day, jar it up for a calcium and protein-packed spread.
7. Wellness holidays
In days gone by, booking five days of acroyoga in the Californian desert would be something triggered by personal crisis – and would require very deep pockets. But according to the Global Wellness Summit’s 2016 report, 2017 is the year that going away for a reboot, rather than to party hard, becomes more widely accepted and available. The report forecasts a ‘Wellness Tourism 2.0,’ in which more people fly to warm destinations for periods of meditation, exercise and rest, in environments that level out as nearer the cost of a ‘normal’ break. It may be time to retire your glowsticks.
