2018’s weird and wonderful wellness trends

Traditionally used in Japanese and Asian cooking, this super citrus fruit, above, has been championed by chefs Jamie Oliver and Nigel Slater since it first made an appearance on The Great British Bake Off last year. Yuzu has twice as much vitamin C as lemons and oranges to boost your immunity and heart health and its juice packs a zingy punch in sauces and dressings. ‘It goes well with fish, cocktails and desserts,’ according to nutritionist Gabriela Peacock (gpnutrition.co.uk).

Taking you from the boardroom to the barre, the norm in 2018 will be a stylish yet functional work-appropriate wardrobe you can also work out in. As we increasingly blend wellness into the working day with standing desks, walking meetings and lunch-hour running clubs, we need a multipurpose wardrobe. Think technical fabrics, tailored sweatshirts and luxe backpacks by brands such as LK Bennett, Free People, Jack Wills and Lululemon.

As a compound of marijuana, cannabidiol has been proven to reduce anxiety and stress, lower inflammation and ease depression, PMS and insomnia symptoms – without the high. ‘It is being infused into skincare products and tincture supplements [stocked on the high street], as a way of getting the active ingredient into our bodies, although research is being done to fully understand its benefits,’ says Gabriela Peacock.

With gut health dominating the wellness industry, we’re taking a shiso leaf out of Japan’s recipe book with its fermented sugar alternative. Ama-koji is rice that has been cooked with the koji fungus to create a sweetener that can be added to porridge, coffee or your morning smoothie. ‘As a fermented food, ama-koji has the same benefits for the gut as sauerkraut and kimchi,’ says Gabriela Peacock. ‘When koji is left to ferment with rice, koji rice and water in a rice cooker it releases enzymes that give the ama-koji a very sweet taste.’

For those of you who aren’t yet drinking ‘chagaccinos’, take note. This Siberian birch tree parasite is a nutrient-packed ingredient taking the wellness world by storm. ‘Like other medicinal mushrooms, chaga contains potent polysaccharides known for their immune-supporting properties,’ says Christine Bailey, nutritionist and author of The Gut Health Diet Plan. ‘Chaga is also high in antioxidants and is a powerful anti-ageing and anti-viral tonic. I use it in powder form in recipes, but it can also be used instead of a teabag or coffee granules.’

If you spent hours of your youth racking up high scores on dance mats, this interactive fitness trend, which hails from New York, is for you. Part hopscotch with a hint of Twister, Prama fitness sees circuit training (squats, lunges) played out over pressure-sensitive flooring and walls that prompt you to hit dancing lights as you move, torching 700 calories a session. Fitness has never been such fun.

Long celebrated in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, adaptogens are a group of plants and herbs said to modulate the body’s stress responses. So-called ‘stressed-out plants for stressed-out people’, adaptogens normalise hormones and promise sleep and anti-ageing benefits. Blend a superfood and an adaptogen powder with a nut milk for an energy-boosting latte, or try a live adaptogen shot by Purearth.

Sitting alongside our Fitbits, mindful trackers are set to be big news in 2018. These gadgets will keep an eye on our breathing patterns and stress responses. With clip-on devices such as Spire (above), which measures breathing, and Wellbe, which monitors heart rate and sends us gentle reminders when our stress levels are climbing, we’ll be a Zen bunch by spring.