With the Social Capital Crisis, the Wellness World Should Teach Compassion and Empathy

With all the challenges of the last year, the mindset of the economic profession has shifted, with a flurry of research papers pointing to the vital importance of social capital. Notions like trust, state capacity, community-building, social cohesion, and social values like empathy and altruism are now seen as a prerequisite for prosperity and welfare. All these social values and other notions pertaining to social…

Chinese Fitness Market Is Booming

The dominant narrative about China’s growth (“the only major economy currently growing”) is misleading. China’s GDP rose by 6.5% in Q4 2020 only because the authorities decided it would. In their bid to reach this target, China’s government has moved in areas that previously, for the purpose of rebalancing growth, they were keen to abandon: industrial production, real estate and net exports. Meanwhile, consumption—which the…

Honoring Black Wellness History: The Plants of Black Freedom with Leah Penniman

Honoring Black Wellness History: The Plants of Black Freedom with Leah Penniman In the GWS 2021 Wellness Trends Report’s “Adding Color to Wellness,” Global Wellness Institute Research Fellow Tonia Callender stated, “The wellness industry does not value Black wellness. Mainstream wellness companies ignore Black wellness consumers and rarely market to them.” These can be hard words to hear, but far too often in the wellness…

Six Wellness Trends for 2021

A panel at the recent Global Wellness Summit brought together top journalists and future-forecasters to predict the big wellness trends of 2021. Here are six trends they argued would gain serious momentum next year: A powerful new convergence between healthcare and wellness A big focus on strengthening the immune system Wellness expanding its boundaries to once-taboo issues like money, death and sex Nature, nature, nature…

You Are Now a C.E.O. : Entrepreneurial Tips for Taking Charge of Your Life During Work From Home Quarantine

Entrepreneurial life has been great preparation for our current pandemic lifestyle. By Sandy Abrams, author and wellness entrepreneur By default, you’ve become the C.E.O. of your household, your kids’ schooling, a new remote work life, foraging for toilet paper and hand sanitizer and whatever else that may currently have fallen into your lap. Welcome to entrepreneurial life; where you’ve got to take charge of something…

10 Wellness Trends for 2020

Yesterday, at a press event at Hearst Tower in NYC, two major pieces of research were released. GWI’s partner, the Global Wellness Summit, released its 10 Wellness Trends for 2020. This is the only wellness trends forecast generated from the insights of 550 industry leaders from 50 nations—so it’s a uniquely informed and global look at what’s ahead in health and wellness. The top 2020…