health
AI, boy kibble and parasite cleanses: the 11 biggest wellness trends of 2026
Suggestions for improving your wellbeing are more plentiful than ever – and some may even be on to something
TL;DR
- AI is increasingly used for nutrition, fitness, and personal growth, but can offer generic advice and reinforce dominant narratives.
- Parasite cleanses, popularized on social media, lack scientific backing for improving health in areas with good sanitation.
- Proteinmaxxing involves consuming protein-fortified foods, potentially driven by GLP-1 medications, though muscle-building has a protein intake plateau.
- Divorce rings are a trend of refashioning wedding jewelry into new pieces post-divorce, symbolizing independence.
- Drinking olive oil and lemon juice as a shot is claimed to improve skin and digestion, with olive oil having some health benefits.
- Hyrox is a new fitness competition involving runs and functional workouts that has gained popularity.
- 'Boy kibble' is a simple meal of rice, protein, and vegetables, which can be nutritious but should be part of a varied diet.
- Functional foods with added health benefits are rising in popularity, but their claims are often marketing-driven rather than scientifically proven.
- The 'burned haystack' dating method involves blocking unsuitable matches and following specific rules to find better dates.
- The vaginal wellness industry offers probiotics with limited evidence of effectiveness and potential side effects.
- 'Spermmaxxing' includes dubious methods to improve sperm quality, while experts recommend basic healthy lifestyle habits.