We’re already full speed ahead into the new year, and many of us have put wellness and self-care at the top of this year’s list of resolutions. For those of you looking for new and innovative ways to amplify and improve your health, we chatted with Tammy Pahel, Carillon Miami Wellness Resort’s VP of Spa & Wellness Operations, who shared insight on the the latest wellness and self-care trends focused on holistic mind-body wellness that are expected to make waves in the industry.

Spa Profile: The Spa at Carillon Miami Wellness Resort

From forest bathing to touchless wellness technologies, here are four wellness trends to watch in 2023:

NAD+

What It Is:

Scientists far and wide have proven that our bodies need different fuels for various reasons. Proteins help us build muscles, carbohydrates provide us with energy, water keeps us hydrated, and vitamins A, D, and C boost our immune system. While the functions of these classes of food are widely researched and understood, health professionals are still attempting to isolate the biochemical instruments that regulate our metabolism and slow or reverse the aging process. 

Despite the uncertainty of this investigation, some experts have speculated that a compound in our cells called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is partly responsible for accelerating metabolic processes and reversing aging in humans.

Benefits:

Key benefits of NAD+ include slowing the aging process, increasing vitality & energy, improving cognitive function, improving mood, decreasing inflammation, and regenerating cells.

Treatment:

NAD+ should be ​done two times per week for two weeks. At Carillon Miami, we offer a package for guests to buy four sessions and get the fifth free. There are two different IVs: One is 2 ½ hours, and the other is 4 ½ hours, as it needs to drip slowly. The fifth one can be done the following week. This series can be repeated every two to three months.  It’s still effective if done once a week, however two sessions per week provides the best performance and benefits.

More on NAD+:

NAD+ and NADH—discovered in 1906 by William John Young and Sir Arthur Harden—are two sides of the same coenzyme critical to every cell and many metabolic processes in our bodies. Although both are similar, they're still different. NAD+ carries the positive sign to indicate it has been oxidized, while NADH has not. A coenzyme is a compound that drives essential reactions within our cells to create what our bodies need. Nothing in our bodies would work without the presence of coenzyme.

NAD+ facilitates and catalyzes some of the most important cellular processes in our bodies. Some of the processes that NAD+ is essential to include:

• Regulating sirtuin protein functions. The sirtuin, a group of seven proteins in our cells, directs metabolism and cellular aging processes.

• The function of Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs). The PARPs help repair DNA and are dependent on NAD+ for this process. PARPs also help maintain cardiovascular health, regulate normal blood sugars, and affect a healthy metabolism.

• Catalyzing the activity of ADPR (adenosine diphosphate ribose)-cyclases. ADPR-cyclases are also NAD+-dependent enzymes that control calcium signaling, metabolic pathways, critical processes in the nervous system and brain, and immune function.

Our cells break down fats and carbohydrates via cellular respiration, and convert the byproducts into energy to be stored by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and energy to aid electron transport by NADH. NADH is then converted into NAD+ through oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria. An overabundance of NADH levels means a decrease in NAD+ levels.

NAD+ is produced naturally by our bodies. However, the levels available vary depending on the systems that have priority at any given moment. Our bodies redirect NAD+ from the processes that are not a priority, reducing biochemical resources allocated to these momentarily unnecessary processes. Keep in mind, though, that the levels of NAD+ in humans also decrease with age.

NAD+ should be ​done two times per week for two weeks. At Carillon Miami, we offer a package for guests to buy four sessions and get the fifth free. There are two different IVs: One is 2 ½ hours, and the other is 4 ½ hours, as it needs to drip slowly. The fifth one can be done the following week. This series can be repeated every two to three months.  It’s still effective if done once a week, however two sessions per week provides the best performance and benefits.

Forest Bathing

What It Is:

This Japanese practice is a process of relaxation, known in Japan as “shinrin yoku.” The simple method of being calm and quiet amongst the trees, observing nature around you while breathing deeply can help both adults and children de-stress and boost health and well-being in a natural way.

Benefits:

This study determined that a forest bathing program causes significantly lower pulse rates, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure after a 2-hour walk. In addition, reduced tension, anger, fatigue, depression, confusion, anxiety and improved positive emotions were reported. The effects were seen to last for about 30 days and, as these NK cells help to fight disease, the study concluded that regular Forest Bathing trips may have a preventative effect on the development of diseases.

Urban Bathhouses

What It Is & Benefits:

I recently traveled to Canada to experience the new wave of Nordic Spas and returned convinced that they are about to have their moment here in the U.S. Also known as Scandinavian Spas, the concept is modeled after Roman Baths, inviting clientele to brave seasonal elements to experience outdoor water features designed to help them relax, unwind, reinvigorate, and embrace wellness. Over here might be a steam room and sauna, over there a heated swimming pool, and beyond that a Russian Banya, an oval luponium, and a Kneipp Walk for bathing feet, legs, and bodies in alternating hot and cold water infused with essential oils.  

Think of Nordic Spas as healing water parks for adults and expect their numbers to grow. I had to wait in line at the one I visited outside of Toronto, as entrance was limited and required a day pass to get in. The owner told me his spa was “always full,” with 500 to 600 people seeking healing per day, year round. That’s a lot of day passes, and a lot of revenue potential for resorts to consider.

Touchless Wellness Technologies

What It Is & Benefits:

Touchless Wellness Technologies continue to enter the wellness spa marketplace. Coming from Tel Aviv, the MindSpa is a 25-minute meditation journey which equals four hours of meditation. Mindspa starts with four minutes of positive affirmations that calm the mind and address physical and mental health equally. It offers an oasis of tranquility with an epic 3D audio film, a hand-crafted zero gravity chair that elevates the knees higher than the heart and head for a better flow of blood and oxygen. There is a star-studded ceiling with mini lights, noise-canceling headphones, and privacy glass, allowing for complete comfort and relaxation. The entire experience is powered by Mindspa, the world's leading mindfulness app.

For more information about Carillon Miami, visit the website and follow on Instagram: @carillonhotel

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk