The year 2020 was largely determined by the Covid-19 pandemic. Almost everywhere in the world, people had to severely restrict their normal lives and forgo hobbies and leisure activities.
Given the major changes, it's no surprise that there is a clear international trend toward health, fitness apps , innovative fitness equipment and immune-boosting products. In this blog post we wanted to take a closer look at some of the most important trends to watch for in the coming years.
What to do when gyms are closed or open only under strict conditions?
The easiest way to stay fit in 2020 was to work out at home, e.g. with Youtube, online gyms or with a personal online coach.
Even though most people look forward to working out with real people again, experts believe that digital offerings will continue to grow. The advantage is obvious: you can exercise flexibly at any time, at home or even while traveling. Compared to a regular membership in a real studio, online offers are also relatively inexpensive.
Another trend is exclusive multifunctional fitness equipment such as "Peloton". These high-quality fitness bikes from the U.S. have screens and enable a sweaty indoor cycling workout with a real studio feel.
Safety and hygiene have taken on a whole new meaning due to the pandemic. For this reason, many people feel more comfortable exercising outdoors, where social distancing is easy to maintain and the risk of infection is low.
Possible outdoor activities include jogging, individual or group exercise, or even hiking. For bicycle retailers in particular, 2020 was a real boom year, and it looks like more people will shift away from the car and opt for cycling instead.
Many gyms are now responding to the outdoor trend by moving their equipment and activities outside.
In general, there is a trend toward more health orientation. The pandemic has brought the topic of health sharply into focus. Experts therefore assume that this awareness will be evident not only in fitness studios but also in companies, where topics such as "company fitness" and health management will become more important.
Yoga and Pilates have enjoyed steadily increasing popularity for many years. Due to the pandemic and the numerous challenges that came with it, more and more people are now looking for ways to reduce stress and calm their mind.
This is exactly where yoga and other relaxing forms of exercise such as Pilates can be very helpful. They have a holistic effect on the whole body and have been shown to help reduce depression, improve sleep or feel more balanced. Another advantage is that you can practice yoga practically anywhere - all you need is some space on the floor and a suitable mat.
We recently interviewed Libby, who is responsible for product development at AAVALABS. A nutritionist by training and an expert in nutritional supplements, she follows international trends with great interest.
Here's Libby's commentary on the most important trends in the coming years: “Immune health is definitely one of the biggest “trends” in 2020 and will continue to be in 2021 as immune health is challenged on all fronts with the current pandemic. Outside of this there is a rising trend for anti-aging and beauty consumables as well as supplements for stress and mood in all countries across the globe.”
Libby's prediction was confirmed by our research. It is already noticeable that more and more products are coming onto the market that are designed to support the immune system, promote sleep (important for good immune function!) and reduce stress (also important for healthy immune function).
While food and proper exercise can go a long way, the pandemic has also brought mental health into focus. As mentioned earlier, food and beverage companies are launching products that contain these ingredients, with a focus on reducing stress and improving sleep, which is also linked to better mental health.
These new types of products also include functional drinks that contain stress-reducing compounds such as adaptogens - substances that can help the body adapt to stress - and cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive part of the cannabis plant.
The global pandemic put a spotlight on the most critical issues surrounding our health. While the past year was extremely challenging for millions of people around the world, there are also positive take-aways from the crisis.
Many people discovered new ways of staying fit (online and offline) and boosting their immune system with natural means. The new focus on mental health is a development that was probably long due, but only got more attention in the midst of a crisis.
It will be exciting how these trends that were largely influenced by the crisis will develop once life returns back to normal.
Here at AAVALABS women have always played an important role. In fact, more than half of our international team members are currently women, and many of them are holding key positions.
Today we want to celebrate all of the wonderful women in the company. We asked some of our team members what inspires them in their day to the day life.
Did you know that a vitamin B deficiency often goes undetected?
The main reason for this is that the symptoms are often mistaken for normal health problems and many people are not even aware of the factors that can lead to an increased need. In addition, it can even take ten years or more before the first symptoms appear. For example, a supposedly healthy plant-based diet can lead to a vitamin B12 deficiency if critical nutrients are missing.
In this blog post we will show you why the group of B vitamins is so important for our health and when it can be useful to take vitamin B supplements in addition to a balanced diet.
Having trouble sleeping?
A study conducted in 2015 looked at sleep patterns among adults in 16 of Europe's countries and discovered insomnia being a widespread problem. In Poland about 31% wrestled with insomnia symptoms like difficulty falling asleep, waking in the middle of the night, or tiredness during the day, followed by Hungary (28.1%) and France (28%).
While researchers suspect that the discrepancies between the countries might stem from cultural differences of how “sleep problems” are defined, the numbers are still surprisingly high.
That means that up to one third of a nation sleeps poorly, at least occasionally!
Here are some simple steps that you can take to improve your sleep.
