Health and wellness trends - Vegetarian, vegan and plant based diets | Natural, clean and organic beauty | Slow living

Don't be fooled by the title - this edition is not about over-burdening individuals with added responsibility to save the planet, it's still about wanting more involved governments and better policies

Vegetarian, vegan and plant based diets

Concept

The origins of vegetarian, vegan, and plant-based diets can be traced back to ancient civilisations, with evidence found in various cultures and religions. The concept of vegetarianism, rooted in ethical, religious, and health concerns, can be traced back to ancient India, where it was deeply intertwined with the prevalent cultures in various states, as it was commiserate with Hindu and Buddhist philosophies. Veganism, a more recent and more global movement, picked up pace in the mid-20th century as an extension of vegetarianism, emphasising the avoidance of all animal products, including dairy and eggs. While vegan way of life is not new as some Buddhist monks and Shaolin monks in China, practicing Kung Fu have been known to follow the lifestyle, but the rise of the movement recently is attributed to ethical concerns around the wellbeing of animals. Plant-based diets, a broader term encompassing various dietary patterns that prioritise plant-based foods, have gained popularity in recent years due to growing concerns about environmental sustainability, personal health, in addition to animal welfare. While cultural and religious motivations played a significant role in the early development of vegetarianism, modern-day proclivities towards one of these types of diets are often driven by a desire to reduce harm to animals and the planet, as well as to promote personal well-being.

TikTok Trend

The evolution of vegetarian, vegan, and plant-based diets into TikTok trends is a complex interplay of various factors. Specifically, while being a vegan once felt like something of a solitary act, today there is a thriving vegan community on Instagram and TikTok. In the past year alone, both platforms have reported a major surge in engagement with vegan content. Initially, these dietary choices were driven by ethical, environmental, or health concerns. However, with the rise of social media platforms like TikTok, these concepts have been transformed into visually appealing and easily accessible lifestyle trends. The #vegan hashtag has had more than 6.8 billion views on Tik Tok and 105 million posts on Instagram, with #vegetarian following closely behind. For instance, The Vegan Society reports that the number of vegans in the UK quadrupled between 2014 (around 276,000) and 2019 (around 600,000).

Many people get their first taste of this phenomenon through Veganuary, a campaign challenging participants to embrace a plant-based diet for at least the month of January each year. This year, the campaign has seen record-breaking sign-ups, with more than 560,000 people from around the world joining the initiative, compared with the roughly 400,000 who signed up last year.Beyond Veganuary, research conducted by Kantar found that more than 800,000 people cut back on eating animal products in 2019. Influencers and content creators have played a significant role in popularising these diets by sharing their personal experiences with campaigns like Veganuary, encouraging people to try delicious plant-based recipes, and the associated health benefits. Especially, TikTok’s emphasis on short-form videos and visual storytelling has made it particularly effective in capturing the attention of younger generations. Furthermore, the increasing availability of plant-based food options in restaurants and grocery stores has made it easier for people to adopt these diets, further contributing to their popularity on TikTok. While the trendiness of these diets may be attributed to social media influence, it's important to acknowledge the underlying motivations and the positive impact they can have on individuals as also the planet.

Natural, clean and organic beauty

Concept

Over the years, myriad beauty trends have emerged as popular trends in the cosmetics industry, driven by a growing consumer desire for products that are perceived as healthier, safer, and more environmentally friendly. The three most popular ones are - natural, clean and organic beauty. Although, these are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings. Natural beauty emphasises the use of ingredients derived from nature, such as botanical extracts, essential oils, and minerals. Clean beauty focuses on products that are free from harmful chemicals and synthetic ingredients such as parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and other potentially irritating substances, often with a focus on transparency and sustainability. The definition of "clean" can vary between brands and there is no universally agreed-upon standard. Organic beauty, on the other hand, adheres to strict standards set by regulatory bodies, requiring a certain percentage of organic ingredients to be used in the formulation. While these concepts may overlap, there are distinct differences. Natural beauty may include synthetic ingredients that are derived from natural sources, while clean beauty may allow for the use of certain synthetic ingredients that are considered safe. Organic beauty, however, guarantees a certain level of organic content in the product.

TikTok Trend

TikTok influencers have played a pivotal role in popularising these concepts, sharing their personal experiences and product recommendations with their followers. A report published in Business of Fashion, points out that TikTok has become known as a destination for beauty trends, hacks, tutorials and dupes. Keeping up with the app’s rapid trend cycles can be dizzying, but beauty brands can still take advantage of them by paying attention to the wider tendencies they reveal, use them to tell stories, or keep in touch with what consumers want. It went on to make the observation that - a number of the app’s trends stem from educational content that reveals new ways of thinking about routines and techniques. The platform's short-form video format has allowed for easy dissemination of information, educating viewers about the benefits of these products and dispelling misconceptions about conventional cosmetics. DIY beauty tutorials and home spa trends have further fuelled the popularity of natural ingredients, encouraging users to experiment with homemade remedies.

In a conversation with Cassandra Stern, Aditya Kaushik, an analyst with Coresight Research spoke about the Circana report that states that the U.S. prestige beauty industry dollar sales has been growing by 14%, year over year, to reach $31.7 billion in 2023. He extended the conversation by highlighting the role of a platform such as TikTok - with its bite-sized videos, engaging challenges and hashtags, and a community built around raw and unfiltered content. He added that - millennials and Gen- Zs are significant drivers of beauty product trends, prioritising authenticity, inclusivity and sustainability in their purchasing decisions.

This growing emphasis on sustainability and ethical consumption has also aligned with the values associated with organic, natural, and clean beauty, making these products more appealing to younger generations. While some brands have introduced more affordable options, the cost factor remains a consideration for many consumers. Nevertheless, the trend has forced the beauty industry to adapt, prioritising transparency, sustainability, and ethical practices to meet the evolving demands of conscious consumers.

Slow living

Concept

The concept of slow living emerged in the late 20th century as a reaction to the fast-paced, consumer-driven culture that dominated many Western societies. The industrial revolution and subsequent technological advancements had led to a significant acceleration of life, with people working longer hours, commuting greater distances, and constantly being bombarded with information and stimuli. This frenetic pace of life has been proved to contribute to rising levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout. Slow living is a philosophy that promotes a more relaxed and mindful pace of life, emphasising quality over quantity. It encourages individuals to prioritise experiences, relationships, and personal well-being over material possessions and external pressures.

Slow living offered a countercultural response to the massive degradation of quality of life and mental peace, emphasising the importance of slowing down, taking time for oneself, and appreciating the simple pleasures of life. It was a movement that sought to reclaim a sense of control over one's time and priorities, and to resist the relentless pressure to keep up with the Joneses.

TikTok Trend

In a 2021 report Google Insights termed slow living as the new fast-rising consumer trend. Here is its finding -

The “slow living” trend has been growing exponentially on YouTube, and is closely associated with popular themes of simple living and minimalism. Our teams dug deep into viewing habits and found a stunning 4X increase in views of videos with “slow living” in the title in 2020 compared to 2019. The data indicates many of us have been inspired to take up hobbies and explore interests that we previously considered too time consuming.

This trend has sold consumers on the idea of a more mindful and intentional lifestyle, emphasising the importance of self-care, minimalism, and sustainable living. TikTok influencers have showcased the beauty of simple pleasures, such as spending time in nature, practicing mindfulness, and engaging in creative hobbies. This content has resonated with many users who are seeking to escape the constant hustle and bustle of their daily lives and find a sense of peace and fulfilment.

Holly Williams aptly states in her BBC article that - hustle is out, and rest is in.

Millennials are embracing the concept of #SlowLiving – the hashtag has been used more than six million times on Instagram (despite posting on Insta being fairly antithetical to its principles of a mindful, sustainable lifestyle, with much reduced screen-time). Gen Z, meanwhile, have pioneered quiet quitting and "lazy girl jobs", where one does the minimum at work to preserve your energy for the more meaningful parts of your life, be that hobbies, relationships, or self-care. And people across the generations are united to wanting to work less: in the UK, the concept of the four-day week is gaining serious traction.

Holly cites the perfect example for this type of influencing - Emma Gannon, author, podcaster, and Substack entrepreneur, who published A Year of Nothing – her account of taking an entire 12 months off. Her account is now published in two volumes by The Pound Project, charting her journey back to health via gentle activities such as journaling, watching children's TV, birdwatching, and the inevitable cold-water swimming (which Gannon knowingly acknowledges is a cliché for "Millennial writers with their bobs and tote bags", but comes to love anyway). Even in Emma’s case, it was experiencing complete burnout that forced her to really confront the importance of rest. Holly calls Millennials - “the burnout generation” (and I can personally testify to that point’s veracity) and slow living philosophy not a piece of wisdom that wafts through the air, but a necessity of our times. Emma holds that this is the result of living under global capitalism – and deciding to live at a slower pace is a reaction against the acquisitive, never-satisfied mindset capitalism promotes. Holly raises a poignant point by highlighting the fact that taking time off and embracing slow living reeks of privilege, unfortunately -

Slow living has been accused of being too focused on unobtainable lifestyle aesthetics – on Instagram, the hashtag leads you to umpteen photos of country farmhouses, wafty white women arranging flowers, and a lot of warm-neutral toned bed linen, for some reason. Is doing less at risk of becoming just a different kind of lifestyle brag?Many of the healing activities Gannon writes about cost money: retreats, reflexology, life-coaching, umpteen holidays and stays in cabins.

TikTok’s portrayal of slow living is definitely not without its complexities. While it promotes a more relaxed and mindful lifestyle, it also often reinforces certain aesthetic and lifestyle norms. For instance, many slow living content creators focus on creating aesthetically pleasing visuals, often featuring minimalist homes, curated wardrobes, and carefully planned routines. This can create a sense of pressure to achieve a certain level of perfection, potentially undermining the core principles of slow living. Additionally, the emphasis on sustainability and ethical consumption can sometimes be tokenised, with influencers promoting products or practices that are not truly sustainable or ethical.Despite these limitations, the TikTok trend of slow living has undoubtedly had a positive impact on many individuals. It has encouraged people to prioritise their mental and emotional health, to reduce their consumption, and to live more sustainably. By showcasing the benefits of a slower-paced lifestyle, TikTok influencers have helped to normalise the idea of taking time for oneself and prioritising experiences over possessions. However, what shape this trend takes in the coming years - can not be predicted.

Conclusion

I support every single person on this planet Earth who is doing their bit to save our world, somehow fight climate change, maintain and improve personal health, mitigate destruction with individual action and take responsibility to live a more peaceful, conscious life. I not only support each one of these people, I am also one of these people. I check almost every box there is to be checked and then some. I try and live a very conscious life and am acutely aware (sometimes guilty and even ashamed) of having habits and consumption patterns, that I know for a fact, are in complete contradiction to my general value system of living a more conscious life in every possible way.

This edition is, honestly, to relieve some of the burden we feel as individuals and channelise our energies in asking for something more from entities, that actually have the power to affect big, tangible changes in the world.

While we do that - must we completely abandon our value system, thinking negatively about individual action? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

I never undermine individual action, as I truly believe that changing choices and preferences in the microcosm is the only way to bringing about an affirmative change in the macrocosm. But it is time to make this a more nuanced conversation, by acknowledging the glaring evidence around us that merely individual action cannot achieve anything, unless that individual is supported by the entire system to make its action truly impactful.

I often drive home this point, with my favourite example on this point - It’s damn good advice to walk 10,000 steps a day to have good health. One should not need any investment but some space to walk those steps. Now, if you do a basic Google search for the “least walkable cities in the world” you’ll find a few lists, which will invariably show you the same names. I’ll talk about Mumbai, as I have first hand experience of the city - if I have to complete my 10,000 steps I have either find gym, go to one of the extremely crowded beaches (none of which are close my home), find a park ( again if you I find access to it easily), and as a last resort - try and do a home workout which helps me complete those steps. All because there is such paucity of space. I think the problem is succinctly identified by Dr. Nikhil Anand, an environmental anthropologist whose research focuses on cities, infrastructure, state power and climate change. In 2005, in one of his research works, he wrote that -

The right to own road space is contested by the pedestrians, motorists, property owners (abutting the roads\footpaths) and authorities like MMRDA. Road space in Mumbai is also shared by informal users of the city like the Chaiwala, panwala, hawkers, road side food vendors, cobblers. In this contestation for legitimate user ship of the road space, vulnerable users are the ones who suffer.

So, although as an individual I am committed to completing my 10,000 steps, one has to bear in mind that I’m extremely privileged, to be able to even think of one of the ways mentioned above, to complete this target to take care of my health. What about those, the largest chunk of our population, who have no option at all? The individual intention and action then, will not impact the health statistics of the entire population in any positive way. We must marry this intention to walk 10,000 steps with policies and research on public spaces, neighbourhoods and walkability in specific areas, ingenious policies for pedestrian routes, traffic safety and speed regulations on highways with sidewalks and pathways for pedestrians.

In essence, while individual actions are crucial in the fight against climate change, they cannot bear the entire burden. I am emphasising that a systemic shift is non-negotiable, supported by policies and infrastructure that empower individuals to make sustainable choices. By asking more of our leaders at every public and private level, advocating for a more nuanced conversation that acknowledges both individual responsibility and systemic shortcomings, we can create a more equitable and sustainable future for all.