The Brain on Beauty and the Rising Field of Neuroaesthetics By Thierry Malleret, economist The new interdisciplinary field of neuroaesthetics explains why engaging with beauty via the arts or nature has such a profound impact on health. Susan Magsamen, co-author of Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, and founder of the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University School of…
What is Wellness Policy? Why Is It So Important? By Tonia Callender, GWI research fellow We are grappling with increasingly severe global crises that threaten our health and wellbeing. The Global Wellness Institute continues to champion the adoption of wellness practices, preventive approaches and healthy lifestyles to counter these threats. In its earlier report, “Defining Wellness Policy,” GWI introduced wellness policy and sparked a global…
The Future of Brain Health: Lifestyle Medicine, Vascular Vitality, and Neuroplasticity for Lifelong Clarity How Lifestyle Medicine Pillars, Cardiovascular Health, and Neuroplasticity Create Pathways to Cognitive Preservation Across the Lifespan Lifestyle Medicine Initiative | January 2026 FOREWORD Brain health represents the foundation of longevity and healthspan, the years we live with functional independence and vitality. This white paper synthesizes the Lifestyle Medicine Initiative’s…
Virtual Yoga Classes Showed Major Impact on Back Pain, Use of Pain Meds, Quality of Sleep A 2024 randomized controlled trial from the Cleveland Clinic studied two groups with back pain: one group did live-streamed group yoga classes (for 16 minutes, four times a week) and the other group continued medication as usual. The study found that just 12 weeks of virtual yoga classes reduced back pain intensity…
Why the Wellness Market Performs So Well, So Consistently, Despite Slow Economic Growth By Thierry Malleret, economist The IMF expects global economic growth of an underwhelming 3.2% this year and next, provided no shocks occur. A bold, if not unrealistic, assumption. As the IMF managing director recently observed: “the unforgiving combination of low growth and high debt makes for a difficult future.” WELLNESS STANDS OUT…
Global Wellness Economy Reaches $6.3 Trillion. Why Is It So Important to Measure It? This month the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) released the latest edition of the Global Wellness Economy Monitor, which reveals that the wellness economy has reached a new peak of $6.3 trillion in 2023 and has been expanding by 6% annually since 2019. GWI’s research team has been studying wellness, both as…
