Top six healthy lifestyle trends you should try in 2015

Health is always one of the focal points at the beginning of the year. Is 2015 finally going to be the year when you get serious about your health? Are you going to achieve your health goals? Hopefully you do.

For most people, the main issue with getting on track is knowing how to do it. Here are six trends to consider for a healthier lifestyle:

1. Telemetry: Heard of the Fitbit and other mobile devices and apps that can track your steps, heart rate, calories burned and other aspects of your fitness sessions? People are not only becoming more conscious about their activity level, they are also investing time into tracking their results and monitoring their health and performance data.
2. Alternative forms of medical treatments: More people are looking to alternative forms of medical treatment to help with chronic and pre-existing health conditions. Many are also turning to alternative medicine as a proactive way to stay healthy. People are more commonly using their health insurance plans for massage therapy, chiropractic care, osteopathy, acupuncture and other newer forms of treatment.
3. Superfoods are still popular: Superfoods are super good for you, and an increasing number of Canadians are including them in their diets. Foods such as pomegranates, spinach, blueberries, quinoa, green tea, goji berries and many others are finding their way into consumers’ shopping carts. Including them in your diet offers benefits such as increased energy, better concentration and better overall health.
4. Less screen time: There is no doubt that technology is taking over our lives. From TV and computers to smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, it seems as though we spend the bulk of our day staring at a screen. The good news is people are starting to become more conscious about the amount of screen time they subject themselves to each day.
5. HIIT is still it: High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, continues to be one of the best ways to burn fat and get in shape. HIIT is straightforward: you go really hard for a specific amount of time at a particular exercise, and then recover for a set amount of time and repeat the process. For example, if you are on the treadmill, you would run for 1 minute and then walk for 1 minute.
6. Stepping back and relaxing: It’s easy to get caught up in the “busy-ness” of a day. Before you know it, you are spent and the day is over. With time, sticking to a hectic schedule can wear you down. This is why you need to plan time for relaxation. Remember how great you feel after returning from vacation? You feel that way because the time off allows your body to relax and recover. Add some more relaxation time this year and see how much better you feel overall.

An increasing number of Canadians are also giving a second thought to aging and their health care. They are seeing the merits of investing in health insurance solutions to ensure they get the high-quality health care they need to keep fit and stay healthy.