Wellness

In a move that underscores the growing importance of wellness in educational settings, the University of Mississippi has rolled out a yearlong initiative aimed at promoting and studying wellness on campus. Dubbed the Chancellor’s GROVE Well-Being Initiative, this program seeks to raise awareness about wellness services and assess the campus environment in relation to physical, mental, and social health. The initiative is backed by a task force created in Spring 2023 and focuses on five key elements: growth, resilience, outreach, validation, and empowerment. These themes are designed to guide faculty, staff, and students in their efforts to elevate wellness practices and organize health-related events. The university’s 2023 Student Voice survey revealed that more than 56% of students hav...

Gone are the days when holding down one job was the norm. It’s 2023, and the workplace has been radically transformed. More and more people are spicing up their professional lives, not with just their 9-to-5, but with a side gig that they’re super passionate about. Side hustles — be it a crafty Etsy shop, freelance writing, or a budding tech startup — are all the rage now. But, here’s the rub: with this growing trend comes the challenge of managing it all without burning out. Can we really have our cake and eat it too? The rise of side hustles and the shadow of burnout Side hustles aren’t just a fad; they’ve practically become a new cornerstone of the modern working world. For some, it’s about supplementing their income in this unpredictable economy. Keep reading at Women's Agenda...

London and Edinburgh both make the top 10 when it comes to the best European cities for wellness. Using seven different ranking factors – ranging from quality of life to the number of parks, spas and wellness centres – online retailer Cult Beauty has rounded up the top 20 cities that put self-care first. Online searches have increased for “ways to improve wellbeing” by +29% and “moving overseas” by +24% in the past 12 months, according to Cult Beauty. Paris tops the list of best cities for wellbeing, coming in first for its pollution and healthcare index. The French capital also has the most spas and wellness centres – with 1,000 recorded to grace the city’s streets (think Maison Souquet Spa, Dior Spa and La Boutique Aime, to name just a few). Paris is also home to some of t...

Ashton Kutcher was looking to regain "self-confidence" after suffering a blow to his health sometime in 2020. So, as anyone would do (or any celebrity, we should say), he set off on a wellness journey in the fullest sense of the word. The "That '70s Show" actor ended up in the South Pole. Yes, the literal southernmost point of the Earth — that South Pole. There, a man asked him if he would like to climb a mountain. It wasn't a reboot of his prank show "Punk'd," as Kutcher and the guide actually climbed a mountain, and the trip led to a series of firsts. On "The Late Late Show with James Corden," Kutcher sat down with the host to explain how, once at the top, he was told he was the first person to ever make the summit. Read more at The List

It could be the year of the gummy. Cute, colourful and easy on the palate, the rise of nutraceutical players is because of a number of factors, especially a surge in interest for wellness products. An Accenture survey across 16 countries found that consumers are considering health and fitness an “essential”. About 80% said they intend to maintain or increase their spend on areas related to health. There have also been investments by MNCs in a bid to enter the space: Marico’s recent acquisitions of sizable stake in True Elements and Unilever’s investment in Oziva are cases in point. “It is growing at a CAGR of 21%,” says Ananya Agarwal, founder of Nyumi. “The pandemic has led to a demand for immune-boosting products, which has fuelled growth in this market,” says Saurabh Kapoor, co-fo...

Aclinical study in to the health benefits of journalling saw 70 people complete a thrice weekly 15-minute writing task for 12 weeks. Researchers, who were looking to see if it could lessen psychological distress and increase quality of life in general medical patients found that regular journaling “decreased mental distress and increased well-being… it was also associated with less depressive symptoms and anxiety after 1 month and greater resilience after the first and second month, relative to usual care.” So, in other words, writing down how you feel can help you get your thoughts in order, lessen feelings of anxiousness and help you handle unexpected or difficult situations in your daily life. Keep reading at MSN

In this installment of Wellness Wednesday, longtime Swimming World contributor Dawn Weatherwax reviews the importance of recovery through hydration. Hydration is broken down into two segments: Performance hydration and recovery hydration. This article focuses on the latter. Recovery hydration means the athlete is fully rehydrated by the end of the day. This ensures the body and brain are optimally recuperating while they sleep. However, 76% of athletes show up dehydrated to morning training, and 66% show up to all the other trainings 1% dehydrated. To obtain ideal hydration, an athlete needs enough fluid and sodium each day to match their individual needs. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? If you are 1% dehydrated, performance can decline up to 12%! • Reduces speed and recovery • D...

Thanks to the ceaseless endeavors of the respected Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, the United Nations General Assembly designated June 21 as the Global Day of Yoga. The term "Yoga" originates from the Sanskrit root yuj, signifying the act of joining, yoking, or uniting. It embodies the amalgamation of mind and body, thought and action, restraint and fulfillment, harmony between humans and nature, and a comprehensive approach to health and well-being. The notion of "wellness" is commonly linked with physical and mental well-being. While exercise, nourishment, and meditation hold significance, genuine holistic wellness encompasses a wide range of aspects of our existence, encompassing physical health, mental well-being, personal growth, and financial stability. The current narra...

Like greenwashing, wellbeing washing is when a company focuses more on appearing to care about wellbeing than they do on taking care of their employees. In an era dominated by digital connectivity, our lives have become intertwined with technology, offering unprecedented convenience and access to information. From fitness trackers and meditation apps to smart devices monitoring our sleep patterns, technology has ushered in a new wave of wellness solutions. While these advancements hold immense promise, it is crucial to navigate the potential pitfalls of technology-driven wellness to ensure our well-being remains at the forefront. The allure of quick fixes and instant gratification often draws us towards wellness trends powered by technology. However, it is essential to approach these...

Is there a link between mental health and gut health? Healthista spoke to The Gut Experts – Professor Barbara Ryan and Elaine McGowan RD. They reveal how managing your mental health can transform your gut health Your brain is connected to every part of your body, so what is so special about the connection between your gut and your brain? Well, it turns out that your gut enjoys a particularly intimate relationship with your brain, compared to the other important organs in your body, so much so, that the gut has been called your ‘second brain’ or the little brain. While your brain contains about 100 billion neurones (nerve cells), your gut contains about 500 million neurones, which is impressive, given that your heart has only 40,000 neurones and your kidneys have about 1 million each. R...