Good-quality studies on aromatherapy are rare. One 2023 randomized trial from the University of California, Irvine had “astonishing” findings. One group of study participants aged 60 to 85 used a diffuser every night for six months (two hours of exposure to natural oil infusions of rose, orange, eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint, rosemary, and lavender), while the other received a sham treatment (trace scent amounts). Participants then underwent…
Extreme Heat and Wellness Tourism Investment: Go Short on Shores, Long on Hills By Thierry Malleret, economist This summer was the hottest one in history, with unprecedented heat waves engulfing most of the northern hemisphere. They will only become more intense and frequent, and will change everything. Wellness tourism will be impacted dramatically, with new destination winners and losers. The warm weather and beachy destinations…
Physical Inactivity for Kids Is Out of Control–Policymakers Are Taking Action The World Health Organization recently released alarming data: 81% of kids between the ages of 11 and 17 are now inactive, with girls most affected (85% are inactive, vs 78% of boys). The World Obesity Federation recently estimated that between 2020 and 2035, obesity in children and teens will double. The healthcare costs are spinning…
A new, year-long study (University of Illinois) compared the impact on weight loss of a compressed eating day (between noon and 8 PM) vs. cutting calories by 25% each day (and having to constantly count them). The finding: It’s just as effective to watch the clock as it is to watch what you eat. Both groups lost about 5% of their body weight after a…
GDP For Wellbeing or Wellbeing For GDP? By Thierry Malleret, economist The sustained recent US economic outperformance (measured in terms of GDP per capita) has prompted many commentators to extol the virtues of the US system, with new laments in Europe about the continent falling behind. This new atmosphere raises again the question of how to measure a country’s welfare, both from an economic and…
Backslash, the cultural intelligence unit of TBWA\Worldwide (one of the world’s top advertising agencies) just released its “Future of Food” report. Food isn’t just an industry, it’s a key ingredient in how we treat our planet and how we connect with one another: We can build a much better world through food. Throughout the report, health and wellness are central. Key trends include: “Food RX,”…
