From red light therapy and cold plunge exposure to acupuncture and massage, many people in St. Pete are harnessing the power of cutting-edge wellness modalities in 2024 to create better sleep, bodily recovery, skin-health, stress reduction, and better overall physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
According to The Global Wellness Institute’s new report, The Global Wellness Economy Monitor Report: 2023, consumers are opting spend their hard-earned income on wellness as a major priority. The report forecasts that the global wellness economy will grow at an annual rate of 8.6% and will reach $8.5 trillion by 2027, almost doubling it’s size since 2020.
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We’ve put together a list of the hottest wellness trends in 2024, and where you can experience them as St. Pete embraces holistic wellness in a big way, and it’s very clear that wellness is here to stay:
Cold Exposure & Red Light Therapy (Vitality Wellness)
Exposing your body to cold water works to reduce inflammation and improve recovery by changing the way the blood circulates in your body. When you submerge your body into temperatures between 40 F and 54 F, your blood vessels constrict, and upon exiting they dilate, allowing your body to flush away toxins and lymphatic drainage. In addition, cold exposure strengthens mindset and conditions your nervous system, empowering you to withstand discomfort more easily in your day-to-day life.
“Our customers love the way they feel after the cold plunge. They’re getting better sleep, muscular recovery, improved mood, skin health, and cognitive function.” Says Ciaran Wentz, Co-Founder/Owner of Vitality Wellness. “I like to enhance the benefits of the cold plunge by following it up with the Infrared Sauna. This speeds up the recovery process and leaves you feeling amazing.”
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Red Light Therapy (RLT) is another game-changing recovery hack producing a host of bodily benefits including sleep, skin health, pain reduction, and muscular recovery. RLT works by stimulating the “power plant” in your body’s cells called the mitochondria. By using wavelengths between 620 nanometers (nm) and 750 nm, according to the National Center for Atmospheric Research, RLT penetrates the deeper layers of your skin boosting blood flow, collagen production, cellular turnover, and reduced inflammation.
You can capture the benefits of cold exposure and RLT in St. Pete’s very own Vitality Wellness. With two convenient locations, one at (DTSP) 400 12th Ave N. and the second at (STPTE) 5653 Park St. N, Vitality Wellness offers a host a host of recovery services in addition to cold exposure and RLT including cryotherapy, infrared sauna, PEMF Therapy, Float Therapy, and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. From elite athletes to families and parents, St. Pete is embracing Vitality Wellness’ take on holistic health. You can call (727 )717-4853 to book an appointment today.
Functional & Concierge Medicine
Post pandemic, patients are seeking a more personalized and comprehensive take on primary care to achieve better health and longevity.
Functional medicine places emphasis on understanding root causes of your medical symptoms instead of a one-size-fits-all, guessing game approach. This way, minor medical issues are prevented or caught before they turn into serious illness or disease. Each patient is given a customized health and wellness program based off precise data to create longevity and measurable results.
“We treat each patient as the unique human beings they are,” says Dr. Stacey Robinson. “Every symptom has its root causes. We get to know the individual needs of each patient to treat these root causes, restore your body’s natural balance, and promote long-term health.”
Dr. Stacey J. Robinson and Jenny Kalina, PA-C of Robinson MD’s Functional Concierge Medicine, are St. Pete’s foremost experts and trusted practitioners for concierge functional medicine. Robinson MD’s approach to medicine is providing hyper-patient focused care that is private, personalized, and precise. Robinson MD is in beautiful downtown St. Petersburg at 100 2nd Ave S Suite 904S. (727) 472-5737.
Counseling & Therapy
Individuals, couples, and families are turning to counseling, or talk therapy, to overcome anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, sleep, and relationship issues, but it doesn’t stop there. More and more people are coming in each year to therapy for increased self-awareness, guidance in finding their passion and purpose, improving their romantic and work relationships, enhancing coping strategies, reaching their life goals quicker, and becoming empowered to make positive life changes.
New and alarming reports from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) cite 8.3% of adults had at least one major depressive episode and 20.1% of all adolescents aged 12-17. The prevalence of major depressive episodes was highest among adolescent females at a staggering 29.2% of the U.S. population. This equates to a total of 5 million teens and young adults per year.
“Together, our team of mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, and psychiatric nurse practitioners, have seen tens of thousands of clients over the past few decades. This invaluable experience, along with our passion for helping people, allows us to implement the most effective and efficient treatments so you and your loved ones aren’t just surviving, but you’re thriving,” says Travis McNulty, Clinical Director and Founder of McNulty Wellness.
“Our mission is to break the stigma in the Tampa Bay Area for receiving mental health counseling, and to give people the best psychotherapy possible from their first session so they can have confidentiality, clarity, peace of mind, and ultimately reach their best quality of life,” he added
With over 20 passionate therapists for you to match with, McNulty Counseling and Wellness has someone on staff who specializes in providing custom-tailored therapy for all ages and demographics including counseling for children, teens, and adults, and their client care coordinator will match you with the perfect therapist for you. They also offer couples and marriage counseling, family therapy, counseling for parents, LGBTQIA+ counseling, counseling for college students, counseling for women, art therapy, eating disorder therapy, and much more.
As a 2nd generation counselor-owned and operated business, they have four locations including Downtown St. Petersburg, Tyrone Square, Sarasota, and Tampa. You can reach them at 727-344-9867 or visit their website for more information.
Mocktails & Non-Alcoholic Beverages
People are ditching cocktails for mocktails for better sleep and improved mood to weight loss and beauty benefits.
Studies reveal that 34% of people are trying to drink less, 28% have tried to break up with alcohol, and 24% don’t drink alcohol at all. People are opting for tasty alternatives containing natural substances like adaptogens, Ashwagandha, and Ginseng to help support stress reduction and physical, mental, and emotional health.
“Herban Flow is focused on establishing itself as a reliable and informative source for non-alcoholic beverages and wellness products alike, while helping to change the flow of social drinking,” ownership tells I Love The Burg.
From handcrafted mocktails to non-alcoholic spirits, beer, and wine, the list of booze free options is growing thanks to Herban Flow in St.Pete. Located at 6848 22nd Ave N, Herban Flow has every alcohol alternative you could dream of to help you find balance and calm, or energy and focus. You can also shop their online site and have these healthy alternatives shipped directly to your door.
IV Therapy & Hydration
Along the same vein of hydration, health nuts are opting for IV Therapy to boost hydration, immune function, cure hangovers, reduce inflammation and enhance vitamin absorption. When receiving vitamins through IV therapy, your body absorbs the nutrients more effectively than taking oral vitamins.
Data reveals that the IV Therapy Infusion Market is said to climb to $10.99 Billion by 2026 due to its immediate effectiveness and powerful results.
“We help our clients understand the power of IV therapy and that by taking the time to replenish their bodies, they can really do something good for their health,” Drip IV says on its website. “It is our priority to provide a relaxing, spa-like environment for people to check out of their busy lives and do something that makes them feel better and healthier at the same time.”
You can experience the power of IV Therapy at Drip IV Therapy and Hydration at 110 1st Avenue North. Pete. Drip IV’s spa is open daily from 9 am – 7 pm, and there are a plethora of customizable options available to keep any body in its best shape, from those who work hard at the gym to those who played perhaps a little too hard the night before.
Massage & Integrative Body Work (Solely Massage)
Stress is a major driver for many Americans, especially parents and caregivers, in seeking out massage therapy to help curb the tension being held in their mind and body. According to a new survey by the American Psychological Association (APA), 70% of parents and caregivers are under extreme stress much driven by their children’s academic, social, and emotional development.
The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), cites a growing demand for massage therapy as an estimated 21% of adults Americans have relied on massage therapy to ease stress, tension, and pain over the past year.
“Solely’s holistic approach means your therapist will take the time to listen to you and your body’s needs, then customize a session tailored just for you and your goals- no “routines” here. Get ready to experience your new standard in bodywork,” Solely Massage says on its website.
Serving St. Pete since 2012, Solely Therapeutic Massage is the premier therapeutic massage clinic with the largest variety of treatment options and most skilled bodywork practitioners and therapists. Many people in the St. Pete community rely on Solely Therapeutic Massage for treating chronic pain, tension, recovering from energy, and managing stress and anxiety. Located at 1236 Dr. MLK Jr. Street North, you can book online or call (727) 279-5205.
Acupuncture & Chiropractic
Treating low-back pain, neck-pain, and headaches can be tricky since it is difficult to pin-point exactly where the pain and tension stems from. Acupuncture and Chiropractic is becoming increasingly popular as holistic healing practice for long-term pain relief.
By using a combination of gentle spine manipulation through chiropractic and carefully placed metallic needles on the body through acupuncture, patients can release trapped energy and stress causing them pain discomfort.
“I love seeing the transformation in patients after just a few sessions,” says St. Pete native Dr. Megan Blakely. “As a former college D1 athlete, I understand injuries can be painful both mentally and physically. My passion is helping my patients alleviate their pain so they can feel their very best for themselves and the people they love most.”
Elite Wellness Center is an inclusive and comprehensive resource for all things chiropractic, acupuncture, and dry needling. Dr. Megan Blakely assists a diverse set of patients including pregnant mothers, kids, athletes, scoliosis patients, and chronic back pain patients. Dr. Blakely attended the attended chiropractic school at National University of Health Sciences where she also became certified in acupuncture. Located at 6425 53rd St N, you can call or text 727-222-3459 to book a consult or appointment.
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