The Real Trends in Health & Wellness for 2017

It’s that time of year again—the time when our email inboxes and web browsers overflow with predictions about the key food trends for the coming year. Will 2017 be the year of sorghum? Will matcha take over the beverage market? Will people start swapping jackfruit for meat? 

While these trends represent exciting innovations in the food world, we don’t believe that they are the trends that will drive health & wellness in America next year. Instead, we encourage people to use this year-end period to take a step back and think about the big picture for 2017.

Americans Want to Be Healthier

A significant—and growing—percentage of Americans want to be healthier, lose weight, and feel better about their physical well being in 2017. So much so that in a recent survey, nearly half of Americans said that they are actively trying to lose weight. The number of Americans who use a gym has reached an all-time high—58 million people! This number has risen steadily since 2000, and we can expect this trend to continue.

Consumers Are Confused

We’ve written about the conflicting reports in the media that have created a cluttered space when it comes to health & wellness. Google any health-related topic and you’ll get dozens of conflicting opinions by self-proclaimed “experts.” People are confused about what to believe—and who to trust. 

Personal healthcare professionals are the most trusted source of health & wellness information, according to IFIC. As fake news, biased content, and questionably credentialed experts continue to proliferate online, consumers will turn to these trusted sources to cut through the clutter.

Trust and Credibility are Hard Won

Building trust and credibility is perhaps the most important “trend” for 2017. Americans have been skeptical of the media. Then came the presidential election, in which fake news garnered more attention on Facebook than the real news. 

While false claims are made by a very small percentage of brands, they have led 77% of consumers to believe that diet products aren’t as healthy as they claim to be. The uncertainty about who or what to trust online will make the role of face-to-face health professionals even more important in 2017.

Wishing you all health and prosperity in 2017!

Improving Consumers’ 200 Food Choices

The current level of uncertainty around healthcare in America brings self-care, and personal responsibility, to the forefront. Americans can combat this uncertainty by taking their health into their own hands. How so? By taking the first line of defense—making better food decisions. But how do consumers learn about new, better-for-you, products? Who can they trust for the information they need to stay healthy and well?

A recent article cited that Americans make over 200 food decisions every day. Yes, you read that correctly... The average consumer makes more than 200 food choices each day. So, as people begin to take charge of their health, there is a huge opportunity for healthy brands to become part of the consideration set. Consumers just need to know about them! 

Beyond brand awareness, consumers need education. They need to know the benefits of a product before they alter one of their 200 food choices. A recent 2016 IFIC study reminds us that consumers trust their health influencers—their own personal health advisors—for nutrition information more than any other source. Together, with full transparency and no financial incentives, healthy brands and influencers can accelerate awareness and make an impactful change on the dietary habits of Americans.

Advice From the Front Lines

One of things we constantly talk about here at Pulse is the power of the personal relationship between health influencer and patient. My friend Rebecca Tobin is a family practice physician with a family, a full patient load and a common-sense approach to helping her patients be healthy and well. On a recent walk through the neighborhood, Becky shared her prescription for becoming—and staying—healthy. I asked her if I could share it here because in the day-to-day bustle of marketing healthy foods—and amid the clutter of conflicting health & wellness messages bombarding consumers daily—it’s important to keep our eyes on the target—straightforward advice from a trusted source that can help the average American consumer live a healthier life.  

 Dr. Tobin’s Prescription for Staying Healthy

Staying healthy is simple. But simple does not always mean easy. Every day   patients come to me for advice and guidance on how to “get healthy.” People want to lose weight, start an exercise program, or break bad habits.  Some do not know what questions to ask.  Others bring me spreadsheets of data, bottles of supplements, and a list of all the diets they have tried.  

Staying healthy requires 5 important considerations:  good nutrition, plenty of exercise, plenty of sleep, good mental health, and avoidance of toxins. 

1. Good nutrition.  Keep it lean and green. Eat plenty of lean meats/proteins and lots of green vegetables. The less-processed the foods you eat, the better they will be for your body. Keep a serving to about the size of your closed fist. No measuring cups needed. And remember—no one is perfect, if you have a bad day and eat lots of cake then make up for it the next day with extra greens. Don’t let the unhealthy pattern become the norm. 

2. Plenty of exercise. No gym membership required. Just move! The classic 10,000 steps per day rule is a great guide. If you are unfortunate enough to have a desk job, get up frequently or do it standing, walking, or pedaling. Most work places are accepting of these accommodations. 

3. Plenty of sleep. Your goal should be 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Few people get this on a regular basis. Bodies and minds need time to rest and repair. You should wake up refreshed and have energy to start the day. If not, you aren’t getting enough sleep—or enough good quality sleep—and the problem should be addressed. 

4. Good mental health. Yes, being happy is very important! Take 10 minutes outside in the sun every day. The sunlight will increase the serotonin in your brain and keep your vitamin D levels up. Find time to think, relax, and enjoy life.  Positive thought has been proven to help healing and to help you stay healthy.

5. Avoidance of toxins. Tobacco, alcohol and harmful fumes to name a few. Obvious but hard to do!

To be healthy it is important to find a routine that is sustainable. Keep it simple. But remember, it will not necessarily be easy. 

Dr. Tobin’s advice is simple, but as she says, not easy. There’s clearly no one thing that’s going to jettison a person to optimal health. Moreover, no patient is going to undertake even one of these recommendations if there is no foundation of trust with the health influencer. Trust and credibility. It doesn’t get any simpler than that. But it’s not easy.

Dr. Rebecca Tobin

Dr. Tobin graduated from UNC Medical School in 1993. She went on to serve as chief resident of UNC Family Medicine.

Rebecca founded Comprehensive Family Medicine in 2005. Lives with her three children in Hillsborough, North Carolina. 

PulseConnect Member In Action: Rachel Chambers, RDN/LD

We’re very excited to share this video about one of our PulseConnect members. Rachel Chambers and Compass One Healthcare have allowed us to share this video that focuses on the great work Rachel does on a daily basis. Rachel is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in Venice, Florida.

Rachel Chambers Spotlight from Compass One - Healthcare on Vimeo.

PulseConnect October Member Spotlight: Stacey Green

This month, we spoke with Stacey Green, a Yoga teacher and coach based in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Stacey teaches individuals in group yoga and mindfulness classes.

Q:  How did you hear about PulseConnect and why did you join?  

A: I heard about PulseConnect from a colleague who uses the materials she receives to help move her clients towards mindful eating and a healthier lifestyle. I work on a very personal level with students, which gives me personal insight to what may or may not be useful to them.  

PulseConnect is aware of my practice and audience, which means I only receive materials that add value to the services I offer. 

Q: Does pointing to a specific brand help with the recommendations that you’re making?

A: Yes! If I am aspiring to be an example to my students, pointing to a particular brand I actually believe in and/or use is very helpful.   

Q: What kind of things are your clients asking you about? What topics do you discuss on a daily basis?

A: Clients ask how they can develop regular practices into their life that incorporate wellness on a physical and nutritional level. In my mind, they are connected.    

You don’t have to be fit to start being physical. Whether yoga is for you or it’s something else, I try to encourage people to start. Knowing and doing are not always in sync, which is why it’s helpful to have products and information to share that back up this way of thinking.

Q: What do you like best about PulseConnect?  

A: In a world where everyone is trying to “declutter” their closet, their minds and their refrigerators, I like to try something myself to see who it might help in some way before giving out random stuff in my classes. I’m able to get information and products from PulseConnect and then determine what’s going to be right for a specific clientele. That way my students know  I’ve put some real thought into their well being on a personal level.

Nutrition Marketing: A Brand Perspective

Samantha Cassetty, M.S., R.D.
VP, Nutrition, Luvo

Healthcare professionals agree that eating healthfully and deliciously can and do go hand-in-hand. And certainly there are social media enthusiasts who post beautiful images of kale salads and whole grain quinoa all over their feeds.

Yet marketing nutrition to a broad consumer base, who may view healthy eating as sentence to starvation or deprivation or bland food, is much more challenging.The complex regulatory environment makes it even harder. Words that evoke great nutrition—including the very word nutrition itself—are off limits.

That goes for healthy, and many claims about sodium, sugar, and so on. Claims that can be made are often clunky and clinical—feeding into the general perception about nutrition.

The regulatory environment is likely to change in the near future, but in the meantime, there are some key ways to market healthy eating. And in fact, many healthcare professionals have already discovered them and are using them on their personal platforms.

Building a content strategy that supports a healthy lifestyle is one way to tap into consumers who are looking for easy ways to eat better. People are always searching for recipe inspiration, healthy eating tips, entertaining advice, and so on, and content is a great way for brands to connect with an audience in an authentic way. Great content supports the brand mission and tells the brand story without being so brand-centric.

Developing an influencer platform is another way to reach consumers on a healthy eating journey. People looking for healthy eating advice trust credentialed professionals. Sharing through these advocates represents an opportunity to connect with an audience of people who are looking for great-tasting ways that make it easy to eat well. 

Finally, you can’t overlook great photography when it comes to marketing around healthy eating. Taking a cue from social media, beautiful imagery and hero shots of food and fresh ingredients can go a long way toward amplifying a nutrition message while also conveying freshness and flavor. 

Dietitians and other healthcare professionals have always been in the business of marketing nutrition. It’s no surprise that brands are now using similar strategies reach their consumers.

Samantha Cassetty, M.S., R.D.

Samantha is Vice President of Nutrition at Luvo, a forward-thinking food company creating the next generation of frozen food with a focus on great taste, convenience and most importantly, nutrition. At Luvo, she develops nutrition standards, spearheads nutrition communications and strategy, and acts as a brand ambassador and expert voice, both internally and in the media.

Samantha formerly served as Nutrition Director at Good Housekeeping where she reached millions of people with her healthy eating advice. An author of The Girlfriends Diet and contributor to the New York Times bestseller 7 Years Younger and 7 Years Younger: The Anti-Aging Breakthrough Diet, Samantha’s approachable style has helped empower people with food and lifestyle solutions that make it easier to eat well.

Samantha has appeared as an expert on television and radio shows, including The Today Show, Dr. Oz, and CBS Sunday Morning. She can also been seen on The Cooking Channel’s “Drop 5 Lbs. with Good Housekeeping,” where she served as the Nutrition Correspondent.

Samantha received a Bachelor of Science from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Science from Boston University. She completed her dietetic internship at Boston Medical Center. Samantha resides in New York City with her 13-year-old son.

PulseConnect September Member Spotlight: Amy Kubal

This month, we spoke with Amy Kubal, a Registered Dietitian who has been a member of our network for more than 9 years. Amy advises both serious and recreational athletes, as well as individuals who are looking to improve their overall health through diet and lifestyle. In addition, Amy teaches classes in her community and regularly attends health fairs. 

Q: Is there any advice that you give to all of your patients?

A: One of the biggest things that I talk to my patients about is reading both the nutritional facts and the ingredient list. I tell them to read the entire label. Left to their own devices, people will only look at one part of the nutrition label and will assume a product is healthy. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. 

Q: What kind of things are your clients asking you about? What are topics that you discuss on a daily basis?

A: My clients are constantly asking about how to avoid added sugar. I get a lot of questions about sugar substitutes, and if natural sugar is healthy—it’s not.

I advise a lot of busy moms, and other people who are on-the-go all the time, who are looking for healthy options for snacks. I also get a lot of questions about pasta, probiotics, jerky, and cricket protein. You’d be surprised about the number of people asking about cricket protein. 

Q: How do you use materials that you receive from PulseConnect?

A: I use the materials in a one-on-one setting with clients, where they apply. I also like to share the educational information and samples at events in the community that I attend—for example, at health fairs. 

I see a lot of parents, so it is great to have information and samples for both them and their children to try. Another group of people who tend to like the programs are the athletes I counsel—they loved the bar samples that were shared through PulseConnect. 

Q: Does pointing to a specific brand help with the recommendations that you’re making?

A: I always recommend brands by name. If I can give my clients an incentive—like a coupon or sample—they are much more likely to try it. I always check in with them after we meet to see if they tried the product, and what they thought. If I don’t give them an incentive, I hear objections like “I didn’t know how it was going to taste” or “it’s expensive.” It’s harder to get them to try something without giving them a sample. That’s why the Clif Bar program was so successful with my clients. They were able to walk away with a sample, try the product, and see that it is worth buying more of.

Being able to give clients a sample or a great coupon to encourage them to try a product is huge. People don’t want to pay a lot of money to try a new product. If companies want people to try their products, they have to give consumers an incentive to try it. 

Q: What do you like best about PulseConnect?

A: I absolutely love it. When I get something and I can share it with my clients, I think it is a huge factor to getting them to buy in. It helps to expose them to new things that are out there. I love that it’s not just a sample—every program comes with educational information that explains why each product is healthy. The tear pads are awesome because I can give people information to go home with. 

Don't Take Nutritional Advice From Headlines

A recent Washington Post article highlights some of the confusion surrounding health & wellness. Often times, “myths” surrounding health & wellness are caused by misinterpretations of science. This leads consumers to ask: is sea salt better than table salt? Can a grain be a great source of protein? Does processed meat cause cancer? It can feel like journalists are using the “jump to conclusions” mat from the movie Office Space.

David Katz once explained this problem by saying:  

"It’s not what we don’t know about diet that most threatens our health; it’s the constant misinterpretations of what we know." 

That’s why we work with influencers—to get the right messages to consumers. Those who are counseling patients everyday have the ability to break through the clutter. They can address the myths, and provide better interpretations of science.

Fighting Misconceptions About Health

A recent report found that 75% of Americans say they have a good diet.  So why are more than 70% of Americans over the age of 20 overweight?  Why is there such a gap between what people believe about their diets and reality?

The billions of dollars spent every year advertising junk food may be one cause, but it’s also true that many Americans simply don’t understand the basics of good nutrition. They don’t know what is healthy and what is not.

Education, as always, is the key. Consumers need to learn  what comprises healthy diet, how to read a food label, what to feed their children, and portion control.  The key is education, and the messengers are health influencers.  You are the front line to fighting misconceptions about health in America.

The 4 Keys to Patient Education

A local integrative medicine practice here in Chapel Hill offers regular seminars for their patients and the community. Last week, I attended one on the broad topic of integrative medicine and nutrition—a tough topic to cover in just one hour. But in addition to teaching me some new information, the seminar was beneficial in that it reinforced how challenging it can be to educate consumers about nutrition and health.

Translating often complicated science into easy-to-understand and actionable information for the layperson can be difficult. The seminar led me to reflect on how we create educational materials here at Pulse, and the four keys to effective health and wellness education that guide our efforts.

1. What is the need?

Far too often, health and wellness information is presented as universal truths applicable to anyone anywhere who wants to be healthy. The truth is that our health and wellness needs are incredibly personalized and unique. We may be seeking to simply lead a healthier life, but we may also be looking to prevent or manage a specific condition. The first goal of any health and wellness education should be to clearly and concisely define the need, providing consumers with the ability to determine if the information is relevant to them.

2. What solution is being recommended and how does it work?

Once the need is clearly defined, we want to introduce the solution—or in many cases, solutions. More importantly, we want to explain the “why” and “how” behind the solution. We call this the “biorationale” and the need for this explanation comes from the fact that once a consumer has their health awareness heightened, they want more information, not less. Providing a cogent and understandable explanation that translates complicated science into easy-to-understand language is critical to driving real and lasting behavior change.  

3.  How is the solution applied?

In other words: how much, when, with what, and so on. This key focuses on helping the consumer understand how to incorporate this solution into their daily life and the specific parameters required to achieve the desired positive health benefit. Frequently, this key involves consulting a health professional, which is why face-to-face interactions between a health professional and a consumer are a great way to share this type of education.

4. Which brand and why?

Last, but not least, we want to ensure that we are providing a specific and compelling brand recommendation that will be reinforced by the health and wellness influencer. Here we can focus on a brand’s features and benefits, and its points of differentiation, to ensure we are driving the path to purchase. Year after year for more than 17 years, health and wellness professionals have told us that their patients and clients ask for specific brand recommendations. Providing this information meets the needs of both the professional and the consumer, as I saw at the seminar last week.

Once the topic of essential fatty acids was discussed, a hand popped up from the crowd. “What does that look like… Are there brands that you would suggest?” The host of the seminar answered with a branded recommendation and explanation. As she attempted to continue her speech she was interrupted by another attendee, “Is that at [a local grocery store]? Can I get it through Amazon?”

These are the questions that you, the health and wellness influencer, are asked everyday.  Our goal is to give you the tools you need to answer them.