Are you sick of your daily health routine, but you’re not sure what else to try? In this article, we explore some popular health and wellbeing trends you might want to try to enhance your retirement.
If you have pre-existing health conditions it is best to consult with your qualified health professional before starting any new activities. For otherwise healthy readers, it is always wise to start moderately.
Now, let’s take a look at what is trending.
- Personalised Pilates
Strengthening your core, flexibility, and joint mobility in the form of Pilates has been around for decades, but personalised Pilates classes are finally becoming mainstream. Not just for athletes or rehabilitation, clever Pilates studios now offer customized programs to help retirees recover their strength, keep arthritic pain at bay, and stay active.
The key to this trend is personalisation, so it works for whatever interest you have. If you’re into golf, tell your instructor, and they can create a program centred around rotation and your golf swing.
- Restorative Yoga
If you hate yoga because it hurts your knees and you’re not as bendy as you used to be, you’re not alone. Being surrounded by young women in spandex who can bend themselves into pretzels is alienating and uninspiring. Thankfully, the emergence of restorative yoga means you can try yoga poses and transitions specially designed for those with joint and back pain. Make sure to start slowly and tell your instructor if you have any specific issues before you begin.
- Plant-based meat
You’ve heard that red meat can increase your body’s inflammation and is harder for your system to digest. If you’re trying to cut down on your intake of red meat, but you just miss it too much, try plant-based alternatives. With several companies succeeding in creating plant-based meats that feel and taste like real meat, you may not even notice it’s not the real thing.
- User-friendly wearable tech
If you struggle to use a smartphone, then a full-on smartwatch will be even further out of your depth. The good news is there are major brands that created highly functional but simple-to-use devices that can give you feedback on all manner of health metrics. For example, most of these wearable technologies will read your heart rate, daily steps, sleep and, maybe, even give you a stress level reading. If your stress gets too high, the device can guide you through a slow breathing exercise.
- Telehealth appointments
Hopefully, this is not a trend you will need to try, but Telehealth and video conferencing appointments with your health professional arrived with Covid-19 and is expected to stay. Not only does telehealth mean you don’t have to get out of bed when you’re sick, they also save you time and energy in making your way to the doctors.
New trends in health can make life easier and better in retirement. Try these handy tools and trends, and show the young ones that you are up with the times, and fit and well enough to enjoy them too.
Written by Caitlin R.
As a physiotherapist and personal trainer, Caitlin is passionate about health and fitness.
All articles are provided as general information and are not intended, nor may it be construed, as medical advice or instruction. Information and opinions expressed are believed to be correct and accurate to the best knowledge and judgement of the authors. Readers should consult their appropriately qualified health care professional prior to taking any action or inaction.