Maverick Life – Wellness Thing

No Images? [Click here]( Dear {NAME}, “The true tenets of wellness are all free. Being in nature, meditating and even eating whole foods. If you told our grandparents that eating whole, natural foods was elitist, they would have thought you were crazy.” In the words of super wellness 'influencer' and, most times, controversial Goop founder, Gwyneth Paltrow, basic wellness, as in healthy choices for a better life, should be accessible to us all. Well, sort of. If being in nature shouldn’t cost you anything, getting an emotional detox bath soak (aka "the martini") will cost you $35 (about R503), while the vaginal jade egg to balance menstrual cycles – both available on Paltrow’s [Goop.com]( – will leave you $66 (about R949) poorer. From wellness real estate to wellness tourism and workplace wellness, the business of wellness around the world is a fast-flourishing and lucrative industry that is projected to grow 5.9% during the forecast period from 2018 to 2026. What’s wellness about exactly? The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) defines wellness as “the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health”. I’m totally up for it! Great, and so you should. Buzzwords like self-care and me-time have made the rounds around the globe, highlighting practices like yoga, mindfulness, meditation, healthy eating and, even more recently, the use of Cannabidiol (CBD) oil, all worth celebrating as possible ways to improve one’s life. So, what’s the debate? The age-old discussion that often opposes health and wellness, and which one to turn to when you're in mental or physical pain. Is there a difference? Jen Gunter, a California-based obstetrician and gynaecologist, explained in a [New York Times]( article: “Wellness is not the same as medicine. Medicine is the science of reducing death and disease and increasing long and healthy lives. Wellness used to mean a blend of health and happiness. Something that made you feel good or brought joy and was not medically harmful — perhaps a massage or a walk along the beach”. You get the picture: the two sometimes overlap although they can, and should, be complementary. [MASTERING THE ART OF DUALITY]( Pushing the limits of the Maison’s historic signatures – the stud, clou carrés and beads – Clash de Cartier is a highly complex feat of craftsmanship. Is wellness a thing? It is indeed! Haven’t you read Daily Maverick’s [Rebecca Davis]( 'Self-Helpless – A cynic's search for sanity' yet? Really? (If not, get it now!) From Marie Kondo’s tidying up mantras to Goop’s colossal (financial) success, Woolworths' vegan beauty line of products, the never-ending rise of athleisure, or the sugar tax, wellness is good for people and undeniably good for business. I see. But how big is the market? According to the Global Wellness Economy Monitor, “the global wellness industry grew 12.8% from 2015-2017, from a $3.7 trillion to a $4.2 trillion market. Wellness expenditures are now more than half as large as total global health expenditures ($7.3 trillion). And the wellness industry represents 5.3% of global economic output”. That’s quite significant. And in South Africa? Well, in our country, wellness cannot be divorced from the issue of access, even at the most basic level. For example, going for an early morning run is a completely different affair for the person who lives in a relatively safe area, compared to the person who lives in one of many lower income and crime-ridden areas in South Africa, where #team5am is a potentially dangerous proposition. Even when it comes to nutrition, a quarter loaf of white bread with a margarine spread and a slice of French polony is one of the most affordable lunch options for many South Africans, who often wake up earlier than the most to travel long distances to minimum wage jobs. As for the latest wellness trends, spa treatments, gym memberships, yoga classes, nutritional therapists and other options that make it a little easier to access the holy grail of optimal 21st century wellness, there’s not getting away from [the bill, says Malibongwe Tyilo.]( What's on the market? Wellness Warehouse, charcoal teas and CBD oil aside, many South Africans turn to plant-based medicines for prevention, using healing herbal concoctions from traditional healers for spiritual and physical well-being. But just how prevalent is the use of traditional medicine? According to some studies, it seems that 80% of South Africans use traditional medicine. That's a lot of people! Yes, but a 2016 study by the World Health Organisation – Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (WHO-SAGE) puts the number at 3%. Another study, published in 2007, estimates the number at 27 million South Africans. Tell me more... We spoke to four traditional healers, one of whom is the national co-ordinator for the Traditional Healer’s Organisation (THO); we also reached out to the National Department of Health to find out a little more about the regulation of traditional medicines. Spoiler alert: regulations seems to go from non-existent to highly ineffective. [Read the full story here.]( Grow your own? You can grow a large number of herbs and plants that are said to have medicinal properties in your own home. We picked up a couple. Alepidea amatymbica – According to Voices from the Forest, a book by a husband and wife, plant taxonomist and ethnobotanist Tony Dold, and Institute for Social and Economic Research officer, Michelle Cocks, this plant is quite popular in Southern African traditional medicine. An infusion of the root is used to treat asthma, stomach aches, and diabetes, as well as to counteract poisoning from... uhm... witchcraft. Basil – On top of being nature’s gift to seasoning, basil is said to help with flatulence, lack of appetite, cuts, and scrapes. Echinacea – Native to North America, Echinacea is a hardy and pretty perennial that can even survive winters. This medicinal herb can be used for infusions and salves to relieve indigestion and colic, anxiety, as well as skin irritations, and of course its best known quality is as an infection fighter, especially the common cold. [MASTERING THE ART OF DUALITY]( Clash de Cartier possesses an innate sense of proportion that draws on pure Cartier style. In volumes and reliefs, circles and squares, the collection honours the Maison’s penchant for geometry. Want to read something different? DESIGN: The Handmaid’s Tale’s Ane Crabtree, on dressing the oppressor and the oppressed Ane Crabtree, the costume designer behind The Handmaid’s Tale, on how she empathised with the characters of the hit series to create the costumes that went beyond fiction to the frontlines of ‘The Resistance’. Read the full story [here.]( FILM: Double bind – Women film makers in Africa are edited too soon African women are sidelined from film making, the result of pervasive patriarchal biases that exist in both the film industry and African society. Read the story by Tsitsi Dangarembga [here.]( DESIGN: Deeper and Greener, lessons from Stockholm Design Week Where does a region whose design aesthetic is considered among the most influential in the world go to next? The answer might be found during #StockholmDesignWeek2019 at the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair. Read more [here.]( ART: Curatorially speaking – Here’s how to start your very own art collection The buzz around contemporary African art has exploded over the last two decades, and so have the opportunities to get into the game and start building your own art collection. Where to begin? Who should you speak to? How do you decide what to invest in? Read [more.]( RELATIONSHIPS: Ignoring past and present red flags If your partner’s toxic behaviour feels like an all-consuming flame, you’re probably the moth in its destructive embrace. But warning bells hold hidden blessings that could set you on the road to recovery. [Click here]( to read the op-ed by clinical psychologist, Stefan Blom. Copyright © 2019 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this mail because you are awesome and on the Maverick Life & Books subscriber list. Getting too many emails from us? Click "Preferences" below to manage your newsletter list. "Unsubscribe" removes from all newsletters. [Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](