Extraordinary Health Magazine Extraordinary Health Vol 21 | Page 55

> Muscle Tracking Workout Wear > Healthy Trending in Restaurants Until now, tracking muscle activity was possible only with a specialized test where electrodes were attached to the body and the results monitored by professional technicians. Silicon Valley startup company Athos has figured out how to incorporate sensors into compression garments to track muscle activity and also track heart and breathing rates. By monitoring muscle imbalances, proper posture and over- or underexerted muscles, you can maximize your workouts and reduce your risk of injury—kind of like turning your workout wear into a personal trainer. Available summer of 2014. Today’s health-conscious consumers are being heard in the restaurant industry. According to the National Restaurant Association’s Top Five Trends for 2014, the push to offer menus with healthy, environmentally sustainable foods to satisfy the growing consumer demand for these items is at the forefront of trending this year. Their “What’s Hot” top five list includes: locally sourced meats and seafood; locally grown produce; environmental sustainability; healthful kids’ meals; and gluten-free cuisine. > The Fitwall Some of the best exercises are performed outdoors where movement is limited only by your ability, but getting out into the wild blue yonder isn’t always an option. Now there’s the ability to bring the outdoors inside. Fitwall, a new gym in La Jolla, CA, plans to expand nationwide in 2014. Fitwall is a 3’ x 7’ wall with hand rungs and steps. Members put a load on their muscles by jumping, pulling, pushing and climbing the wall—some may even fall from it! The 40-minute personalized workouts are programmed using a high-intensity interval training template, with multijoint movements performed primarily on the wall. Also incorporated into the workout are resistance and bodyweight movements. Each session ends with the opportunity to review your results, your F-factor (a measurement based on their proprietary algorithm) and heart rate recovery and more on the results screen. > Organic Pet Foods Trends in healthy organic foods for people have moved to the bowls of their furry family members, a trend that has been building for the past few years. Pet owners are spending more to feed their pets, says market research company Packaged Facts, who expects the trend to continue. They predict that sales of the healthier pet food will surpass overall pet food sales, even though the healthier pet food is more expensive. Pet specialty stores and big-box pet retailers alike are responding to the trend by offering organic, locally sourced, free range, minimally processed, raw, premium pet foods to meet consumer demand for their furry friends’ food.