Top Health Mantras to Follow in 2016

It’s the end of yet another year! Yes, a massive of 365 days has gone by in just a blink of an eye. While for most of us it was a roller coaster ride, many waded their way through. We now look back to mull over things that could have been done differently, better or avoided completely.While the focus was primarily on superfoods, eating good fats, saying no to fizzy drinks and the right food combinations in 2015, this year the trends are going to be quite different. Most of us already have our resolutions made, goals highlighted, plan of action ready and a blueprint all chalked-out, but just before you move on to welcome the new year, you might just be missing out on something important.Presenting, all that caught our attention in the last year that should definitely be taken forward the next year. Our health takeaways from 2015, these are going to be our personal wellness mantras for the new year.#1 Sitting, the New Cancer?Call it a marketing strategy or whatever, but Apple’s CEO Tim Cook did mention ‘sitting as the new cancer’. This was in context to a feature in the Apple watch that reminds a person to stand up from his seat every hour. When activity reminders became added features in our everyday fitness gadgets and even got installed on our phones as apps, the reality of ill-effects of a sedentary lifestyle dawned upon us.
 
Every new week saw studies on the ill-effects of prolonged sitting. According to some of the most prominent health and medical studies, prolonged sitting at work can damage overall health. Not only can it add to stress, induce binge-eating, promote obesity but also damage our metabolism, making one susceptible to cancer, cardiovascular diseases, bone troubles and much more.  A groundbreaking study from experts at King's College in London showed that daily morning exercise alone may not aid in warding off the ill-effects of sitting for long hours.  Prolonged sitting and working for long hours is something you really need to be watchful about in the new year. Before you make that morning run a routine, understand that it won't help you much if you keep sitting for long hours at work. Make small amendments in your work routine, get up more often, take a walk, ditch the elevator, go to your teammate’s desk rather than shooting out a quick e-mail.#2 Ways to Get Active: Alternative Fitness Regimes2015 was big when it comes to Yoga. With June 21st celebrated as the first ever International Yoga Day, the age-old practice was propagated across the globe as one of the holistic ways to stay fit and active. NDTV Food went all out to help you incorporate yoga in your daily routine. Not only did we bust some silly myths but also talked to experts to help you understand how yoga could help your heart, diabetes issues, weight troubles, stress and much more. We also talked extensively about different types of yoga – from the beginner’s postures, kids and elderly friendly asanas to the more challenging and trendy ones like the Bikrama, power, ashtanga and hatha yoga.
 
Apart from yoga, we predict that this year exploring alternative modes of fitness (other than gyming) will be in trend. This is/will be imperative to get those lazy ones up and running. So, if you are one of those who failed to hit the gym this year and didn’t meet their fitness goals, take it easy in 2016 as you'll have many more options. Take up yoga, swimming, cycling, martial arts, dancing, zumba or aerobics – explore the alternative fitness regimes.
#3 Alternatives are Hot!We predict that in most cases ditching the mainstream and resorting to alternatives will be a huge hit in the coming year. We are specifically talking about sugar and milk substitutes. The past year saw a huge rise in the market of sugar substitutes in the United States. The reasons behind this phenomenon were plain and simple – more awareness and a major focus on healthy eating.“In the biggest decline in sugar sales in at least four years, purchases have fallen 4.4 percent in the year through October, according to Nielsen data, a drop grocers attribute to growing consumer consciousness over the negative health effects of sugar such as a higher risk of diabetes and obesity,” Reuters report.
 According to a recently conducted Reuters survey, not only is the overall demand for sugar taking a significant hit, it is also giving rise to healthier and yummier alternatives like honey, agave, palm sugar and coconut sugar.Likewise, milk substitutes are also something that will continue to trend in 2016. Since a considerable fraction of population is lactose intolerant,  switching to nut milks or soy milk or just adding it in your regular diet will not only render freshness to your dietary routine but will also load you up with essential nutrients.# 4 Beyond Juicing: Cold Pressed Juices“The (U.S) cold-pressed juice market is estimated at $100 million a year,” Los Angeles Times.
Need we say more? Juices are anyway great for our health; cold-pressed juices just take the entire health quotient up a notch. This past year, wherever we went, we spotted small, humble stalls selling bottled cold-pressed juices. Though these may come across as slightly steep, you're paying a price for a healthier product. While you plan to enroll in a fitness programme this year, we suggest you give cold-pressed juices a fair try.
 
We’re also excited about cold-pressed oils making it big in the coming year. We're expecting, much talk about the same.#5 Mind Your Mind: Mental Health“Globally, an estimated 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease,” World Health Organisation.
 
We at NDTV Food care about your overall well-being. If your mind is not at peace, all aspects of life get affected. We suggest that this year, you educate yourself better about mental issues, understanding the basics of depression and how to spot and combat it. Stress is also one of the biggest parasites of the urban, fast-paced life, therefore, your priority should be to maintain a state of mental happiness in all possible situations and circumstances and help yourself and those around you fight any sign of mental illness.  Breathe, relax, vent, express, if need be meditate but above all, take it easy!