These Will Be The 5 Biggest TCM Trends of 2022
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In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the usual approach for resolving modern health concerns is to take a giant leap back in time and apply ancient wisdom and philosophy.
There’s a certain challenge of being forward-thinking for a discipline with a written history dating back 25 centuries. Nonetheless, we’re predicting the following TCM trends in 2022…
TCM Trends #1: Rising Popularity of TCM Continues
Admittedly, this prediction isn’t exactly Nostradamus speaking from the grave. After all, because of obvious global factors, an increasing number of people are placing more of an emphasis on achieving or maintaining optimal health.
There are other reasons why TCM will continue to surge in popularity in 2022. According to MedGadget.com, an independent online publication, written by medical doctors and biomedical engineers, the TCM market is witnessing prominent growth avenues on account of the increased acceptance of the discipline.
In fact, many renowned hospitals outside of China, from John Hopkins’ Hospital system to the UK’s University College London Hospitals, have established specialized alternative medicine departments that include TCM practitioners.
In addition, MedGadget says the eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases now includes TCM. The World Health Organization oversees the compendium.
“This is a long overdue, yet somewhat of an unprecedented milestone for TCM as its way of disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention to get acknowledged by such a renowned global body for health,” the MedGadget editors write.
MedGadget also provides other reasons why TCM is experiencing a surge of growing interest. These reasons include growing urbanization, technological advancements in the healthcare sector, and health insurance policies that cover TCM disciplines such as acupuncture.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a national survey revealed that approximately one in five Americans use Chinese herbal products.
We predict that because more people are being proactive and taking charge of their health, it could very well be that by the end of 2022, one in four people will be using Chinese herbs as part of their health regimen.
#2: Year-Round Immune Support
In years past, supporting the immune system was seasonal. Prior to the last couple of years, immune-support products were purchased only when symptoms manifested. But in 2022, we expect more people to support immune health all year.
And the reason why relates to the prediction above. Supporting Yin/Yang balance is a daily task. It’s much easier to have your body functioning harmoniously when there is an emphasis on proper diet, exercise and stress management every single day.
Perhaps not everybody who wants to support their immune system 365/24/7 knows their Wei Qi (Defensive Qi) from their regular Qi. And perhaps not everybody who will purchase Jade Defender in 2022 will do so to prevent one of the six evils of TCM from penetrating below the superficial layer of the skin.
Nonetheless, what will be more commonplace next year is more people will proactively take charge of their immune system on a daily basis rather than waiting until symptoms manifest.
Taking TCM immune-supporting herbs every day just like a multivitamin will be part of more people’s health routines in 2022.
#3: The Coffee & Tea Ritual, Elevated With Chinese Herbs
We expect Chinese herbs to piggyback off the growing interest in specialty coffee and teas. For instance, certain brands have become wildly successful with mushroom coffee. But these specialty coffees are expensive. A very popular company (that shall remain nameless) sells mushroom coffee at $20 for a 12 ounce bag.
Although the number of people that are buying Chinese herbs to custom make their own coffee is relatively small, we predict more people will be doing it—as they realize how much less expensive per serving it is.
Take ActiveHerb.com’s Reishi extract granules. A bottle costs about $40. That’s more than twice the cost of mushroom coffee. But there are 200 servings per bottle. That’s only 20 cents per serving of reishi in every cup of coffee.
Coffee-and-tea shops won’t be going out of style anytime soon. But because inflation has reached a 30-year high, we expect more people to limit their coffee-shop purchases. Instead, people will save money by brewing at home. And as extract granules become more popular, more people will use Chinese herbs to make their coffee and tea a more healthier beverage.
From Goji berry coffee or tea to Rhodiola coffee or tea, extract granules make it easy for the natural-health conscious consumer to turn an ordinary cup of hot water, coffee or tea into a functional beverage.
#4: Chinese Herbs For Stress Management
When it comes to ancient Chinese disciplines of stress management, Tai Chi and Qi Gong and acupuncture are among the most popular. But in 2022, expect more people to turn to Chinese herbs for everyday stress-management support.
Yoga classes, journaling, gardening and other stress-management activities won’t be going out of style anytime soon. But the number of people who learn about the TCM concept of Liver Qi stagnation will significantly expand. And because of this, more people will become aware of the need to clear Liver Qi stagnation in order to manage stress.
With each passing year, the health trend of “adaptogenic herbs” continues to gain in popularity. Many of the most well-regarded adaptogens are Chinese herbs: Jiao Gu Lan, reishi, Ginseng, Schisandra fruit, for example.
Adaptogens help the body adapt to stress in a non-specific way. With modern stressors showing no signs of abating, we can expect more people to hop on the adaptogen bandwagon.
TCM Trends #5: Chinese Herbs For Exercise Performance And Recovery
Long gone are the days when protein powder and creatine were the only popular post-workout supplements. These days, there are a plethora of products that support muscles, joints, stamina and endurance. We predict that in 2022, more people will turn to Chinese herbal formulas that support maximum Qi, which in turn supports exercise performance.
The future seems bright for TCM, a discipline that will continue to grow in popularity in large part by sticking to principles that have served it well for thousands of years. Accurately predicting TCM trends requires a healthy dose of going back to the future.
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