In recent years there has been a growing demand for health and wellness solutions as individuals are living healthily well into old age.
The wellness industry was recently valued at just under $5.2 trillion USD, highlighting just how much traction there is behind this movement.
Technology is also helping to empower people on their journey, making it possible to monitor conditions and unlock personalized insights that optimize health across mind and body.
Dr. Erik Reis is one practitioner who champions a holistic approach to medical care. His clinic, The Neural Connection, is an integrative center of healing that is focused on providing the highest quality of care to some of the most vulnerable populations dealing with physical, mental or emotional traumas.
Dr. Reis is also the co-founder and Director of Health and Wellness at Nobody Studios, where he’s working to create startups that are people-first and focused on maximizing quality of life while minimizing barriers and costs.
From digital health to integrative medicine, there are countless emerging solutions that support can help us to improve our overall health and wellbeing.
To learn more, we sat down with Dr. Reis to get his insights on the seven best ways to optimize your life today for a healthier tomorrow.
What are integrative health models and why are they becoming more widespread?
The outdated notion that health is merely the absence of disease has been replaced by a holistic perspective focused on multi-dimensional well-being and optimal living.
Integrative health models that blend conventional medicine with traditional, complementary, and alternative modalities (TCAM) are gaining mainstream acceptance.
While Western medicine is still the lynchpin of modern medicine, integrative approaches to care have yielded significant dividends, especially for those looking to address the root of the problem, not just symptomatic relief.
By understanding people structurally, neurologically, nutritionally, emotionally, and spiritually, we can significantly improve quality of life. A multifaceted approach to understanding the human brain and body will also help us significantly enhance an individual’s life.
Future trends of health and wellness will focus on preventing and treating both communicable and chronic diseases before they start. Since treatment for chronic disease eats up nearly 75% of healthcare cost spending in the US alone, there are significant financial incentives for preventing sickness and disease.
Can you expand on the ongoing care revolution driven by digital health tech?
Cutting-edge digital solutions like telehealth, wearable devices, mobile apps, and artificial intelligence empower individuals to control their health journeys. The digital health revolution is transforming how we monitor conditions, access care, and manage wellness.
But the problem isn’t having more data; It’s ensuring people have insights into their habits and lifestyle choices. Insights are a trigger for changes in behavior.
Digital health technologies will play a large part in future trends of health and wellness, but only if they can help people help themselves by improving healthy habits.
These innovative tools hold immense potential for identifying and addressing an illness’s root causes by measuring various lifestyle factors and their impacts. However, ensuring equitable access and data privacy will be critical challenges as digital health becomes ubiquitous.
How much of an impact do you believe lifestyle has on patient outcomes?
Future trends of health and wellness don’t have to be created by AI or savvy software. There is growing consensus that lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, stress management, proper sleep, and social connections are pivotal in overall health and resilience against acute and chronic disease. Modern research continues to validate the ancient wisdom that a balanced lifestyle supports robust immunity and vitality.
Sadly, 70% of deaths are attributed to chronic disease globally, which shoots up to 87% in the United States. The latest research also dictates that a majority of these chronic diseases are preventable and caused by poor lifestyle choices and behaviors.
As our understanding of lifestyle medicine evolves, healthcare systems will continue to place greater emphasis on proactive prevention and wellness promotion strategies over reactive disease treatments. Empowering individuals with personalized lifestyle interventions will be key.
How can people make these lifestyle changes by looking at their diets?
We’re already seeing this become a popular topic of discussion, but we still have a long way to go before it becomes mainstream. Once again, future trends of health and wellness don’t need to be revolutionary; They need to make a difference.
One-size-fits-all dietary advice is quickly being replaced by precision nutrition approaches tailored to our unique genetic profiles, epigenetic traits, gut microbiomes, and individual needs. Advances in nutrigenomics and gut microbiome research are enabling customized nutrition plans for optimizing physical, neurological, and even emotional health.
Personalized nutrition will become increasingly sophisticated, accounting for factors like DNA, metabolic markers, food sensitivities, environmental factors, and the needs of our gut microbiome. Diets and food choices will be precisely calibrated for disease prevention, longevity, cognitive performance, and more.
While we’re primarily focused on preventing disease, these same tools can also be used to treat chronic diseases.
Can you expand on how tech is helping to improve patient care?
The patient should always come first, yet in many situations, patients continue to be left behind by a system that isn’t specifically set up for adequate care or healing.
One of the most important future trends of health and wellness lies in patient-centric care specifically tailored to each individual’s needs, preferences, and circumstances. Providers need to meet patients where they’re at and, more importantly, ensure that patients are educated and informed about their healthcare goals and treatment plans.
These concepts become even more critical with emerging demographic shifts in aging populations, necessitating new care models focused on managing chronic conditions and modifiable lifestyle factors to improve or maintain quality of life.
Inevitably, technology will have to facilitate this patient-centric revolution, enabling remote monitoring, virtual consultations, and data-driven personalization. The goal should be for individuals to play a proactive role, with care coordinated around their goals, lifestyles, and social activities.
What are the latest innovations within the mental health space?
Mental health is easily one of the biggest focuses in the future trends of health and wellness because of its impact on a person’s life. There is a growing acceptance that mental health is inseparable from our overall well-being.
Even if someone is eating right, getting adequate sleep, managing stressors, and exercising daily, mental health can still be a significant factor to overcome due to its far-reaching impacts on happiness and fulfillment. And we know one can’t just think their way through a mental health crisis. There’s far more than meets the eye.
Innovative digital tools for meditation, mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, and plant-based medicines are increasing accessibility to mental health support. While workplace wellness programs will expand to address emotional and psychological needs, research has shown that a multitude of lifestyle factors and relationship influences impact mental health.
How can the community play a role in improving health outcomes?
This has to be one of the most influential future trends of health and wellness. The social determinants of health, such as socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood, and community cohesion, profoundly impact well-being outcomes.
Addressing these upstream factors through community health promotion initiatives will be crucial if we genuinely want to change the trajectory of our healthcare system.
Expect to see more investment in community-based programs focused on improving built environments, enhancing social support networks, increasing health literacy, and empowering citizens with the knowledge and resources to thrive.
These Future Trends of Health and Wellness Are Closer Than You Think
The future trends of health and wellness hold much promise as we shift towards a more holistic, personalized, and proactive approach to overall well-being. Embracing these simplistic and cutting-edge trends will be vital for cultivating vibrant individuals, communities, and societies in the decades ahead.
While it will take a lot of hard work, dedication, and leadership, the future of healthcare looks bright with the vast opportunities that lie ahead. And if government agencies and organizations band together to get alignment on these common goals, we will see a vastly different society for future generations to come.
This article includes a client of an Espacio portfolio company
