ZU Magazine is a publication of ZU Media. The following is an article from Issue 5: Revolution.

Staff Writer | Heather McCarthy

Each year brings new trends and with them come decisions about what’s best for our bodies. This year, whether they were in your resolutions or not, the following five trends are gaining popularity.

1. Customized, Holistic Healthcare

People are taking their health into their own hands rather than turning to generalized diet programs.

There are regimens that you can sign up for such as Care/Of, a personalized vitamin company. This company asks questions about your diet and lifestyle habits and sends each member their recommended daily supplements.

Companies such as FitnessGenes exists to customize workouts to people’s specific genes. They run tests on customers’ DNA and tell them how best to live a healthy lifestyle according to their biological tendencies.

2. Super Coffee

Plain, black coffee is old news. Instead, coffee is now being supplemented with an assortment of healthy additions. These can include collagen, coconut oil, matcha, MCT oil, maca root powder, date seeds, mushroom and butter derivatives such as ghee. Healthy fats are in; people want to make the most of their morning kickstarter.

Click here for a recipe.

3. Intermittent Fasting

We don’t often consider fasting when we think about healthy eating. Science is beginning to show that strategic fasting may actually be good for your health thanks to a boost it can give your metabolism. Some people fast for two days and then eat unrestrained for five days, while others find a balance on a day-to-day basis.

According to Brit+Co, an online media company, “Intermittent fasting, which involves cycling between fasting and non-fasting to encourage weight loss and maintenance, is already being promoted by a number of fitness celebrities and experts.”

While preparing for his role as Wolverine, Hugh Jackman followed best-selling author David Zinczenko’s “8-hour Diet” in which he fasted for 16 hours and was allowed an 8-hour time slot to eat. The actor has even debated sticking the plan for life.

This has been another common way of losing weight and speeding up metabolism, although people make alterations as they discover what works best for themselves. It’s recommended to meet with a doctor or nutritionist before attempting this for yourself.

4. Exercising with Pets

Combining exercise and your furry friends is a good way to find comfort in the midst of your exhaustion. Whether it’s cat yoga, goat yoga or puppy yoga, there is a class setting to stretch and relax in while having your comfort animal beside you.

This type of exercise also promotes your pet’s health, weight control and the bond between owner and pet, according to PetMD.

Alyssa Hamilton, junior music production major, has often enjoyed exercising with her dog, Molly.

Hamilton finds it hard to spend time with the Australian Shepherd amidst her busy schedule.

“So combining my exercise routine with bonding with her is ideal,” she said.

Having both gone on runs with Molly as well as doing yoga with her has been “very therapeutic and teachers her flexibility,” Hamilton said, “It’s good at calming her down as well as myself.”

5. Plant-based eating

While this is something many people have been doing for years, healthier, plant-based, and even vegan foods are beginning to pop up in more fast food chains and grocery stores. Although the options aren’t 50/50 yet — for every hot dog, a veggie dog — their availability is growing.

Mintel, a market research group, reports a 25 percent increase in those who claim to be vegetarian and a 257 percent rise in those who claim to be vegan worldwide between 2009 and 2013. Many chain restaurants are starting to offer vegetarian and vegan options to provide for this growing population.

The health trends for this year all center around focusing on self-care and making the most out of what you fuel yourself with. Out of all the fads, this healthy underlying trend is one that might stick around.