Damien Willis, Las Cruces Sun-News Published 12:22 p.m. MT Dec. 17, 2019
Damien Willis' weekly column addresses pop culture, news and more.(Photo: Sun-News File Photo)
As the decade draws to a close, I have been reflecting on some of the things that might significantly define the 2010s. It was, of course, the decade of smartphones. It was the decade of the gig economy. It was the decade of the sharing economy.
But there is also a case to be made for the 2010s being the decade of self-care and wellness. It was the decade during which an increased awareness of how we eat and treat our bodies became cool. We saw veganism go mainstream, gluten-free become widespread, and nearly everyone knew someone giving the keto and paleo diets a try. It was the decade of Whole Foods, quinoa, kale, yoga, grain bowls, smoothies and low-carb alternatives.
We heard the terms self-care and wellness being bandied about more. We saw a pronounced shift in the way fitness and weight-loss products were marketed, focusing less on losing weight and more on enhanced overall wellness.
We also saw changes at the supermarket perhaps most notably in the produce section. We began to see more locally-grown, organic, non-GMO, cage-free and plant-based options. Our friends and relatives began talking about meal-prep, focusing on ways to avoid fast-food lunches and eating healthier during the week.
We saw the rise of meal delivery services like Chefd, Freshly, Green Chef, HelloFresh and Purple Carrot that specialize in providing healthier alternatives.
Mindful eating became something of a moral obligation for many, and our diets more than any other time I can remember became a part of our personal identities. We came to be defined, often loudly and proudly, by our dietary restrictions.
That being said, it must also be noted that wellness and self-care are often for the privileged. Much has been written, particularly in the past five years or so, about the numerous disparities that make access to wellness less attainable to certain subsets of society. For instance, those who struggle to make ends meet seldom are able to engage in self-care practices from seeking mental health services and taking vacations from work to staying home when theyre sick. There are also racial barriers to health, wellness, and health care access.
Recently, efforts have been made to make yoga and meditation more accessible to women of color, who have long been underrepresented in those communities.
The decade also saw the beginnings of another trend that seems worth mentioning here. The drinking habits of Millennials and Gen Z are reportedly consuming far less alcohol than those who came before them. This has forced the alcohol industry to find new ways to reach them often with low-alcohol or non-alcoholic alternatives.
We began hearing phrases like sober curious a term for those who have committed to a lifestyle less driven by alcohol, and examining the role alcohol plays in ones relationships, career and social life. Low-ABV alcohol by volume drinks saw a pronounced spike in popularity. Bottled low- and no-alcohol beverages in the U.S. are predicted to grow by about 32 percent between 2018 and 2022, and this year saw a rise in no-booze bars. Because millennials are drinking less beer, a quick trip down the liquor aisle will quickly reveal that beers are beginning to look more like juices spritzes, seltzers, refreshers, Ritas and Refrescas. And, earlier this year, Vox profiled some of the sobriety influencers of Instagram.
Where this road will lead as we step into the next decade is anyones guess, but I suspect its safe to assume we should expect more emphasis placed on health and wellness, rather than less.
Damien Willis is a columnist for Pulse, writing primarily about entertainment and pop culture. He may be reached at dwillis@lcsun-news.com or @DamienWillis on Twitter.
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