At the start of every new year, there’s always an urge to prioritize wellness and healing. But many don’t know where to start and how to select specific wellness trends that work for them. That’s why we’ve chosen several notable wellness experts to do the heavy lifting for you by forecasting wellness trends they foresee taking over 2023. We have you covered, from sustainable movement to community healing and even pilates.
See the ESSENCE-approved wellness trends below to guide you through a healthy new year.
Gut health and fertility supplements:
“A healthy gut is the foundation of a healthy body. It’s essential to the food we digest, how we balance good bacteria to fight the bad and helps our body fight inflammation. With a healthy gut and body, we put our bodies on the right path to birthing healthy babies. There’s a correlation between the two, and we’ll see more supplements geared toward both,” says wellness expert and founder of Transparent & Black Yasmine Jameelah.
An alcohol-free lifestyle:
It might be time to participate in dry January. “Mocktails are becoming more mainstream with essential wellness ingredients. We’re turning a tide in wellness as a culture working to break generational curses and years of trauma. Alcohol consumption, even in the smallest form, can trigger anyone trying to recover from addiction. As someone in the wellness space, whenever I’m hosting even in the intimacy of my own home, I always provide non-alcoholic options for the Mamas in my life, folks that don’t drink by choice, and people who have survived addiction,” says Jameelah.
Sustainable movement:
Don’t feel pressure to succumb to the latest TikTok workout trend; choose what works for you and your body. We’ll see more women desiring the workout that feels best for their body vs. the pilates trend we saw last year. The body holds onto trauma just as much as our minds do, so movement is essential. Still, in tandem with that, we have to ask ourselves, ‘Does the workout that my friend or this celebrity I admire fit my body’s needs, lifestyle, and fitness goals best?’ says, Jameelah.
Community healing:
Yasmine Cheyenne, healing expert and author of The Sugar Jar, believes healing should be a collective effort.
“Black women have always healed in the community through stories, sharing, cooking, and genuine love. With healing on the rise and so many women gaining an understanding of what they need and how to ask for it, I think we’ll see more book clubs, healing circles, and retreats focused on group healing in mind. Mental health used to be something that was kept private, and now, more than ever, we understand the power of sharing our stories,” says Cheyenne.
Nature visits:
It’s time to embrace nature to help with your healing process. “After experiencing a time a few years ago when many of us barely went outside, we understand more than ever the power of fresh air and sun. Over the past few years, the connection between Black women and “always being strong” has been heavily discussed, and there’s been a lot of awareness around the burdens and stress we carry daily while not taking care of ourselves. I believe we’ll see this self-awareness carry into lifestyle changes with walking, playing, relaxing, and being in nature becoming a regular way to de-stress,” says Cheyenne.
A new self-care:
Over the years, self-care has become a buzzword instead of a term allowing deep introspection and self-work. Cheyenne believes we’ll see Black women prioritizing themselves as self-care while doing the deep healing work that makes lasting change. “Many of us know that hair, nails, and facials – although they feel great are not all that self-care is about. The conversation of self-care has shifted to the reality of self-care through self-advocating, boundaries, having tough but meaningful conversations, and limiting draining relationships and commitments,” she says.
Low-intensity exercises:
Ariel Belgrave, the founder of GymHooky and fitness coach, believes that low-intensity exercises like walking, yoga, Pilates, swimming, hiking, and bodyweight workouts will be increasingly popular amongst Black women this year. “With all the sitting we are doing at work and home (hello, remote life!), more Black women realize that they need to start listening to their bodies more and prioritizing some movement. Low-impact exercises are a favorite for those who want to do a movement that is gentle but effective for the body,” she says.
Pilates:
Pilates was a hit last year, thanks to celebrities like Lori Harvey and Normani. Camai Brandenberg, the LA-based pilates and yoga instructor, believes the practice will continue to be popular. “Pilates will continue to grow in popularity. Some benefits of this low-impact workout include improved posture, a stronger core, and balanced body composition. Pilates can be done with or without a reformer (machine) and at home with minimal equipment (resistance bands, pilates ball) via virtual workout platforms,” says Brandenberg.
Treadmill Cardio (12-3-30):
Like Belgrave, she also believes that low-impact workouts can be an effective way of working out, thanks to TikTok. “12-3-30 consists of walking on a 12% treadmill incline at 3mph for 30 minutes. The incline raises the heart rate significantly for weight loss but doesn’t require advanced form like sprinting. As my 4-Week Pilates Program advised, cardio should be done 3-4x a week. Beginners can start at 8-10% incline and walk at 2.5mph to help build endurance,” she says.
Cycle syncing:
Next up, cycle syncing. According to Brandenberg, workouts based around women’s menstrual cycle will gain traction this year. “Cycle syncing pairs specific workout activities based on their intensity with the three phases of menstruation. Cardio & HIIT workouts are suggested during the Follicular Phase (the first half of your cycle), followed by Weightlifting & Circuit Training during the Ovulatory Phase. At the same time, your hormones are raised, and conclude with low-impact workouts such as Yoga & Pilates during the Luteal Phase to avoid potential fat storage,” she shares.
Sleep hygiene:
Last but certainly not least, we’ll see the need for strong sleep hygiene in 2023. Rest is always important, but we’re prioritizing it more this year and upping our “sleep health.” For better rest this year, consider establishing a consistent sleep routine with the same rise and sleep times – every day of the week. Sleeping in a cool environment and removing all electronics, including phones and laptops, could help increase consistency.