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This article could have been written as an advertisement expounding the benefits of massage! Touch is the first of the senses to develop in the human infant, and it remains perhaps the most emotionally central throughout our lives. Numerous studies show that if we often experience friendly or loving caresses, “it’s safe to assume that we have a strong social network, which is itself one of the best predictors of happiness, health and longevity.”

I was recently asked to give a presentation on current trends in the wellness industry at the annual Professional Spa & Wellness Convention in London. As we all know, some trends are like waves in the ocean: They come and go and come and go and come and go. Yet others seem to be more predictable: predominantly those trends are derived from well-observable and stable socio-cultural shifts in our societies.

Over the past decade, wellness has become a major priority for corporations. Companies both large and small are recognizing that employee wellbeing significantly affects productivity, innovation and reputation. In response, they are incorporating prevention-based initiatives (such as healthy eating, stress management and smoking cessation) into their corporate cultures.

Central banks in the Eurozone (EZ), Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark have just moved to negative interest rates; thus casting investors into a world of negative yields already amounting to $2 trillion (comprised of both sovereign and corporate bonds, like Nestlé or Shell). As much of the world flirts with either “lowflation” or deflation, this situation will endure, with two main consequences: (1) It pushes many investors into risky assets; (2) It makes the life of insurance companies and pensions funds a misery – no longer able to match returns (often expected at 8%!) and liabilities.