Here’s what we think will be making health and fitness headlines over the coming months…
WORDS: DEBRA WATERS. MAIN PHOTO: GETTY. *NCBI.NLM.NIH.GOV/PMC/ARTICLES/PMC4822166. IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH, SEE YOUR GP. CHECK WITH YOUR GP OR MEDICAL EXPERT BEFORE TAKING NEW SUPPLEMENTS
Forget online workouts, keto diets and CBD cuisine – that’s so 2022! This year is all about health-boosting foods and knowing what diet works best for us individually. These are the ones we think are worth a try.
1 Personalised nutrition
Sophisticated test kits tailor nutritional and dietary choices so we’re consuming what our body needs, resulting in better health, more energy and weight loss. DNAfit, for example, uses DNA samples to collect health data, while Vitl is a biomarker-based service that measures vitamin and cholesterol levels.
Another brand making waves is Zoe (joinzoe.com). ‘It gives nutrition advice based on your blood sugar, blood fat, microbiome and other information,’ explains Dr Emily Leeming, senior nutrition scientist at Zoe. ‘While there’s certain dietary advice that we have strong evidence is the same for everyone – like eating more plants – there are other cases where we respond differently,’ she explains. ‘For example, if someone’s body doesn’t clear excess fat from their bloodstream effectively, we help them think about the type of fat they eat.’
2 Microbiome meals
In just five years, Google searches for ‘gut health’ increased by 1,000%. Meanwhile, #guttok has almost 700 million views on TikTok. The age of the microbiome meal is here. ‘A microbiome meal is one that’s been carefully planned to incorporate gut health superfoods,’ explains Dr Caitlin Hall, chief dietician at Myota. ‘When digested, these ingredients help bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which work to stabilise hormones, reduce bloating and inflammation, and improve mood.’ Consider a supplement or eat more probiotic foods (kombucha, miso, natural yogurt, sourdough) and prebiotic foods (chicory root, fruit, legumes, wholegrains).
3 Antiinflammatory eating
Inflammation has become a buzzword in healthcare, and for good reason. It’s thought to contribute to numerous conditions, including Alzheimer’s, asthma, arthritis, cancer, heart disease, IBD, obesity, psoriasis and even depression – the list goes on.
One way to prevent inflammation is to eat anti-inflammatory foods. ‘These may reduce pain associated with inflammation and improve overall health,’ explains dietician Karine Patel, founder of dietitianfit.co.uk. She recommends getting your fill of avocados,
