The recent Global Happiness Report shows why obsessing over GDP growth is misguided: countries with the highest happiness rankings (six European nations) trail the world in GDP growth, while high GDP growth nations (like China) lag in happiness. Malleret discusses why this is – and what matters more than economic growth.
New Report: Future of Wellness Real Estate & Communities
The GWI just released a report from its recent roundtable on the “next frontier” in wellness: wellness real estate and communities. Twenty experts gathered in NYC to debate the direction that this emerging market needs to take. Recommendations ranged from expanding wellness real estate beyond “multi-million-dollar wellness condos” and more offerings for regular people to a more intense focus on social and intergenerational connections given the skyrocketing health costs of loneliness.
Video: An Extraordinary Moment in European Spa Culture
Spa culture in Europe from the late 18th century to the early 20th was like nothing the world had ever seen. These “grand spas” attracted the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, Freud and Marx, and artistic performances and creativity were at the very heart of taking to the waters.
Study: A Hot Bath Delivers Health Benefits Similar to Exercise
Most cultures believe in the benefits of thermal bathing, whether it’s a hot bath, sauna or hot spring. A small new study from Loughborough University (UK) had eye-opening findings: an hour-long hot bath burned as many calories as a 30 minute walk and led to positive changes in inflammatory response – similar to effects post-exercise.
GWI Launches “Wellness for Children” Initiative
The GWI is launching an initiative focused on wellness for children, with the mission of creating resources that help children be actively involved in their own wellness. An early goal is to create a series of lesson plans around practices like mindfulness, movement, and nutrition that can be easily adapted to kindergartens, school programs and youth services. The initiative is chaired by Christine Clinton, president, International Spa & Salon Services, with vice-chair, Stephanie Rest, founder, Caribbean Wellness & Education.
Must-Reads from the Wellness World (Week of April 11, 2017)
“Silicon Valley’s Quest to Live Forever – Can Billions of Dollars of High Tech Research Succeed in Making Death Optional?” – The New Yorker, April 4, 2017
Even though no single molecule is the answer to the puzzle of aging, many successful entrepreneurs want to believe that billions of dollars worth of high tech research could eventually succeed in making death optional. This article reviews their quest for immortality, or at the very least, “healthy longevity.”
