Must-Reads from the Wellness World (Week of October 20, 2020)

A dose of optimism, as the pandemic rages on–New York Times, October 12, 2020 Since he began covering the pandemic, the NYT science reporter has been consistently gloomy, but events are now moving faster than he thought possible, and he’s become “cautiously optimistic.” He now believes, like many experts, that the pandemic will be over far sooner than expected—possibly by the middle of next year…

Must-Reads from the Wellness World (Week of October 6, 2020)

Laughter may be effective medicine for these trying times —New York Times, October 2, 2020 Some enlightened doctors, nurses and therapists have a prescription for helping all of us to get through this seemingly never-ending pandemic: Try a little laughter. Studies show laughter releases nitric oxide, which reduces blood pressure, and people who laugh more have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and live longer.…

New Contest Calls All Innovators in Wellness Technology

The 2020 Global Wellness Summit (GWS), being held November 8–11 at The Breakers in Palm Beach, FL, will have an unprecedented focus on the tech innovations that are shaking up the wellness market. The GWS just announced the Call for Wellness Innovations contest, calling on all companies within the wellness technology space to submit their innovative ideas. Unlike other competitions, it will be judged by a heavy-hitter…

Must-Reads from the Wellness World (Week of September 22, 2020)

Are mushrooms the future of wellness?–New York Times, September 18, 2020 No, not another article on the booming magic mushroom research and market, but rather how that vast “other” world of fungi—whether reishi, lion’s mane or chaga—is one of the biggest trends in wellness. Eastern cultures and medical systems (including TCM and Ayurveda) have long used mushrooms to boost health, and this looks at key…

Wellness Master Class: Euromonitor on New Health & Wellness Trends and Behaviors by Generation

Next week, the GWS holds a Wellness Master Class with Amrutha Shridhar, research consultant at Euromonitor International, on how health and wellness behaviors and desires are now changing for different generations. Shridar will present on new trends, such as the blurring of categories and competitors within the health and nutrition industries, drawing on insights from Euromonitor’s 2020 Health and Nutrition survey. Any company that wants…

Must-Reads from the Wellness World (Week of September 8, 2020)

Funding for mental health-focused startups rises in 2020­–TechCrunch, August 26, 2020 This is a summary of research group CB Insights’ recent analysis of venture capital funding trends for wellness-focused start-ups. While in the tough economic climate of the pandemic, sleep and fitness tech saw fewer deals and dollars in the first half of 2020 than they did at the same time last year, one sector…