Wellness Expert Saarah Samadani Shares Surprising Health Trends
For the second year, we attended New Bloom Media's Bloom Summit, a wellness expo in Beverly Hills, California, that lets attendees test out brand-new products in the health and fitness space.
We're always fascinated by the latest workout trends and cooking fads, and who better to expand on everything new that we saw and experienced at the expo than its founder, Saarah Samadani?
Saarah opened up to us about the trends she follows and what she wishes would disappear, while also touching base on what goes into figuring out the brands to feature at a wellness expo.
Sweety High: What are the most surprising trends in wellness at the moment?
Saarah Samadani: The Keto trend is one that surprises me. I understand the research about ketosis and eating foods to get you into the state of ketosis (which is allowing your body to use fat cells instead of carbs and sugars you ingest for energy). It's worked for some people, and for others has caused a lot of health problems due to the high fat content.
If I could give my two cents to anyone who wants to start a particular diet lifestyle, I highly encourage them to test their blood to see where they're at and understand how their bodies process proteins, starches and fats. From there, individuals can determine the optimal diet lifestyle that would work best for them and their bodies, because everybody is different.
SH: Which specific brands are changing the wellness game right now?
SS: What's great about the wellness industry is that there is so much innovation happening. I'm so impressed with what I see with integrating aromatherapy in products to aid in wellness, such as Nature's Fusions, organic vegan supplements and protein sourced really well from brands like Vegan Smart, and immune support supplements like Sambucol, that help strengthen the immune system through herbs like Elderberry .
SH: What's a wellness trend that you wish would go away? And what's one that you live by?
SS: Coconut oil! Coconut oil was its own greatest marketing stunt in the history of "good fats." While there is merit in eating raw coconut and using coconut sugars in place of cane sugar, not all uses of coconut oil can be healthy or good for you. For example, coconut oil used at super high temperatures can actually be quite toxic.
A wellness trend that I absolutely live by is including greens in every meal. Yep! Even breakfast. Whether it's a quick green juice, lettuce with those eggs, or roasted green veggies, I always make sure to have something green on my plate (preferably raw).
SH: What are your tips for maintaining a healthy mindset on a day to day basis?
SS: I'm a firm believer that mental health is just as important as physical health. You can't have one without the other to have overall well-being. A healthy mindset is so important to everyone's health, and I believe that the care and maintenance are different for everyone. We're all fighting internal battles, whether it's what's going on in one's personal life, a physical ailment, loss, and even success can be a battle.
What has worked for me and that I continue to work on are three things: 1. Gratitude. I practice the mindfulness of gratitude every morning when I start my day. 2. I pray every single day. 3. I compliment someone every single day and mean it.
SH: How did you determine which brands to feature at Bloom Summit?
SS: I'm very adamant that the brands that participate in Bloom Summit have good products and source their products well. My journey is to continue to curate products that are good for each individual that don't have fillers, chemical toxins or even ingredients that would harm anyone. If I won't use it for myself or my family, I won't ever encourage anyone to use it on themselves or their families.
SH: How did you get involved in the wellness space?
SS: Wellness is something I've always been passionate about from a very young age. I'm always choosing better options, I'm constantly on the hunt for bigger and better products to help me feel and look better, and I always have some form of exercise in my life. I've studied nutraceutical therapies for a very long time, and even new ways to stay in shape has always been ingrained in me from a young age. As each year passes, I always want to learn more about how nutrition, aromatherapy, physical activity and herbs play a big role in holistic healing. I'm currently completing my license to become a licensed holistic health practitioner.
One of the many goodies we received in our Bloom Summit gift bag is The Five-Minute Journal. Read our interview with its founders HERE!