Yahoo Finance How to get healthy in 2019—on any budget
Making a New Year’s resolution is a great way to start 2019 on the right foot—60% of people have a resolution for 2019. At the top of the list: diet and exercise, saving more money, and taking time for self-care, according to a survey by Vitagene.
While only 8% of people actually accomplish their New Year’s resolution, it’s important to look at the bigger picture, says Alexia Brue, co-founder of wellness website Well+Good.
“I think when we look at the popularity of wellness today, people have realized that taking care of themselves doesn’t [always] mean going to the doctor,” she says. “It means staying in shape, eating well, and managing stress and sleep in whatever affordable and accessible way they can.”
At Well+Good, Brue’s mission is to help people find the tools to achieve a sense of wellness in their lives, through both physical and mental well-being. She shares her top wellness trends to help you get 2019 off on the right foot.
Mindfulness and meditation
Mindfulness is a popular trend and can be as simple as learning some breathing techniques or meditation exercises.
“Research has really broken through that meditating has profound benefits,” Brue says. According to Psychology Today, meditation can decrease pain and inflammation, stress and anxiety, and can increase your attention span, among many other benefits. Brue recommends using meditation apps like Headspace and Inscape, which can be downloaded for free and then upgraded for $5 to $12.99 per month.
CBD
Brue says CBD is another trend that will be gaining traction in 2019, after exploding on the market last year. CBD is one of the chemicals in cannabis but is derived from the hemp plant and does not have psychoactive properties that would make you high, like THC. While research is still in the early stages about its health benefits, its use in an epilepsy drug has already been approved by the FDA.
From CBD lattes, chewable gummies, to CBD in skin care, its popularity continues to grow and is said to help with anxiety, insomnia, pain and inflammation. Brue recommends this CBD eye-balm, and CBD drops to promote relaxation and reduce stress.
At-home workouts
Fitness is always high on the list of resolutions, but joining an expensive gym or taking pricey fitness classes doesn’t need to be your only option, Brue says.
“At-home fitness has picked up more and more steam: people don’t need to leave their homes, they don’t need an hour. Workouts can be 10 or 20 minutes and it’s just about the habitual activity and making it happen everyday.”
Peloton, for instance, is like taking a boutique fitness from the comfort of your own home. You purchase their bike and then sign up for guided classes. Brue also recommends The Mirror: you mount it on your wall and an instructor guides you through your workouts. While both products are on the pricier side, keeping your workouts at home can help you avoid the guilt of not getting to the gym.
Brue says the bottom line is to make your wellness journey personal to you.
“Take your own temperature and calibrate all the time,” she says. “Try different things and then keep what suits you.” If you’re looking for more wellness trends to try in the new year, visit Well+Good’s top trends for 2019.
If you want to accomplish your goals this year, join the Yahoo Finance January No-Spend Challenge and enter for a chance to win up to $500!
WATCH MORE
4 ways to get in financial shape
