Anti-ageing for 2018: The FIVE trends you will be following next year to turn back time

Anti-ageing brings to mind face creams, but in 2018 the term will be applied to multiple aspects of your lifestyle.

Scientists recently confirmed that it was biologically impossible for humans to live forever, but there is no reason why you can’t boost your longevity.

Much advice about how to live longer stems around diet, with Mediterranean eating in particular said to ward off death. 

However, 2018 will see the anti-ageing focus shifted into other areas of wellness fro how you sit, to where you workout.

Would you try these five new anti-ageing health trends? 

Posture training

Back pain and other musculoskeletal problems are on the rise, and poor posture is often to blame. However, learning how to sit and stand properly could save your life.

A study published earlier this year by Sydney University linked back and neck pain to an early death among the elderly.

As such, Upright Technologies, who have created a wearable device called UPRIGHT GO to encourage good posture, argue that ‘sitting is the new smoking’, and believe that posture training will be one of the health trends to watch next year.

Musculoskeletal problems are the second most common cause of sick days, and cost the UK economy around £2.3bn a year. What’s more, 80 per cent of the nation is likely to suffer with back pain at some point in their lives.

Preventative health

Stopping diseases in their tracks – and even before symptoms have begun to appear – will be a focus of next year in healthcare.

Approximately 70 per cent of premature deaths worldwide each year are due to preventable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

In response, wellness retreats – known as medi-spas – are increasingly revolved around helping people lower their risk of such conditions. 

These ‘preventative health holidays’ will involve health check-ups, counselling and spa therapies that cater to disease prevention.

Palacio Estoril Preventative Health in Portugal, Kurotel Healthy Longevity in Brazil and The Farm Heart Health & Stress Reduction in the Philippines are just some of the destinations providing these services.

All-in-one fitness

It is well-known that exercising regularly increases our lifespan by boosting heart health.

Indeed, working out lowers levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol, reduces blood pressure and burns body fat.

But if pilates is good for joint pain, and HIIT boost cardiovascular fitness, how can you ensure you have enough variety to your gym routine?

All-in-one memberships, like London-based ClassPass and nationwide MoveGB, allow you to try a wide range of fitness so you’ll never get bored.

The latter provides unlimited access to thousands of local venues across the UK from just £1.25 a week.

DIY health tests

Looking after your heart and brain could have an anti-ageing effect and help you live longer.

Dementia is now the leading cause of death in the UK, with cardiovascular disease following closely behind.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help keep your brain and heart in top health – but how do you know you’re getting enough? Next year you’ll be able to do a test from the comfort of your own home.

“Whether it’s to reveal underlying health issues such as allergies, food intolerances and even deficiencies, at-home testing kits are taking the health world by storm,” Amy Morris, naturopathic nutritionist at Water for Health.

“Performed from the comfort of your own home, these kits are normally incredibly easy to use and time saving, allowing you to take control of your health and understand what’s really going on in your body.

“I recommend the WHC Omega 3 Testing kit (£57.75 from www.water-for-health.co.uk). The test determines the levels of omega-3 EPA and DHA in your blood, key metrics for heart, brain, joint and eye health, and following a simple skin prick test your results are analysed by a leading lab in Belgium before your results are emailed to you, clearly indicating if there is a deficiency or cause for concern.”

‘Clean’ beauty

There is a move towards natural skincare without toxins – known as ‘clean’ beauty – and 2018 will see this area of skincare shed even more potentially harmful ingredients.

According to Sara Werner, founder of Cocunat – whose range of toxic-free skincare and hair care recently launched in the UK – ‘clean’ beauty is following ‘clean’ eating as a wellness trend.

Indeed, Mintel’s 2018 Beauty Report suggested that the concept of natural beauty is expanding, with consumers increasingly aware of the substances they are applying to their bodies. 

This is said to include parabens, silicones and sulphates among other ingredients. A celebrity hairdresser recently revealed to Express.co.uk the damaging effect of sulphate in shampoos on the hair, revealing that it could exacerbate hair loss.