Self Care Travel Tips

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

Self Care Travel Tips 

The holiday season is in full swing and with it comes the busiest travel season of the year. Love it or not traveling can be extremely disruptive to the “self care” routine you have worked so hard to establish unless you follow a few simple guidelines.

1.     Keep up with your water intake. In fact, when traveling it is not a bad idea to increase the amount of water you drink. Why? Lack of humidity, especially on a plane it is very dehydrating. Have you ever noticed how dry your skin feels when get off of a plane?  

Most travelers experience bowel issues when traveling for various reasons. The World Health Organization identifies dehydration as the most severe threat posed by “traveler’s diarrhea.” Hydration can help both diarrhea and “traveler’s constipation.”

We always travel with a filtered, alkaline water bottle that we can easily fill anywhere. It is convenient and less expensive than bottled water.  Keep track of how much water you drink in a day. Try to drink half of your body weight in ounces a day. For example if you weigh 120 lbs. drink 60 ounces of water a day.

2.     Stay comfortable. No matter how you travel “temperature regulating fabric” can help keep you either warm or cool. We always travel with comfortable socks that have ceramic reflective fibers in the material that absorb energy from a variety of sources.    These fibers have a saturation point, and do not retain excess heat. Instead they release it into the surrounding environment.

3.     Eat smart. It is best to use some common sense here. First thing to remember, it is the holiday season and refusing a slice of your hosts award winning pie is not going to win a popularity contest so enjoy that pie but there are ways to eat smart throughout the day. Remember portion control and if possible eat as many fresh vegetables as possible. Avoid snacking by trying to maintain your usual meal schedule and don’t skip meals. If you have a super frantic schedule be sure to pack your favorite protein shake. 

We always travel with Kenzen Vital Balance (KVB). KVB is an organic based pea-protein shake naturally sweetened with monk fruit. KVB also has prebiotics and probiotics which support gastrointestinal and immune system health.

4.     Sleep matters. Losing as little as one and a half hours for just one night reduces daytime alertness by about one-third. Traveling across time zones changes the principal time cue -- light -- for setting and re-setting our 24-hour, natural day-night cycle, or circadian rhythm. When you pack be sure to pack for sleep. We always pack ear plugs, a sleep mask and travel with a temperature regulating travel comforter. Remember to keep up with any established sleep routines, for example, if you listen to relaxing music while preparing for bed make sure you have that with you and a way to play it. If you are well hydrated, eat smart, stay comfortable, exercise and try to maintain a sleep schedule while traveling you can alleviate sleep deprivation and enjoy your trip a whole lot more.

Happy Holidays and be Healthy by Choice, not by chance.

Adaptogens Help You Adapt to Stress

Adaptogens Help You Adapt to Stress

By: Nikken

PUBLISHED ON September 8, 2017

Adaptogens are a class of herbs that help bodies adapt to physical and environmental stress. They help ease the stress response by helping to regulate important hormones that cope with fatigue, a common condition of chronic stress. Adaptogens offer numerous health benefits, and the better known ones include:

• A boost for the immune system1
• Support for managing a healthy weight2
• Increased physical endurance and mental focus
• Reduction in discomfort caused by poor health3
• Encouraging a balanced mood4

To qualify as an adaptogen, an herb must be completely safe, non-toxic, have broad uses for health and specifically must help reduce stress, both mental and physical.5

Stress actually is supposed to exist only in short bursts, which our bodies are geared to deal with well. However, the ongoing stress that exists as a part of modern living causes our adrenal systems to work constantly and suffer from overload. This in turn causes our bodies to get knocked out of balance. We most commonly experience this imbalance in our digestive systems and low energy levels. Adaptogens work by helping the hormones of the adrenal system to balance out and counter adrenal fatigue. In the same way, some adaptogens help shorten recovery times after exercise or intense physical activities.

One of the adaptogens that is well known even in the western world comes from the tradition of Ayurveda: Ashwagandha is so valued that it is referred to by some as “Indian ginseng.” Studies show that those who consume ashwagandha “enjoy dramatic improvements in how they handle and feel stress. It is also taken to keep the mind sharp, and for energy.”6

Another adaptogen is one of the hottest herbal commodities on the market today: turmeric . Just about every benefit has been attributed to consuming turmeric in one form or another. Used generously throughout Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric has been shown to promote circulation, relieve joint and muscular discomforts, and enhance the functions of the liver.7

Adaptogens have been part of the Eastern vernacular for centuries. In more recent years, the West has adopted them for a natural approach to Active Wellness and longevity. Nikken continues to combine the best of eastern traditions with western technology: Ashwagandha and turmeric are both contained in the Kenzen® Clarity and Kenzen® Cleanse & Detox formulations.

1. Seely D, Singh R. Adaptogenic Potential of a Polyherbal Natural Health Product: Report on a Longitudinal Clinical Trial. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: eCAM. 2007;4(3):375-380. doi:10.1093/ecam/nel101.
2. Panossian A1, Wikman G, Kaur P, Asea A. Adaptogens exert a stress-protective effect by modulation of expression of molecular chaperones. Phytomedicine. 2009 Jun;16(6-7):617-22. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2008.12.003. Epub 2009 Feb 1.
3. Vyas P, Thakar AB, Baghel MS, Sisodia A, Deole Y. Efficacy of Rasayana Avaleha as adjuvant to radiotherapy and chemotherapy in reducing adverse effects. Ayu. 2010;31(4):417-423. doi:10.4103/0974-8520.82029.
4. Smirnova MD, Svirida ON, Ageev FT, Forfanova TV, Vitsenia MV, Mikhalov GV. [The ability to use meldonium as adaptogen in winter in patients with cardiovascular disease]. Kardiologiia. 2014;54(10):51-6.

1. http://www.medicinehunter.com/adaptogens
2. https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/what-are-adaptogens/
3. https://www.yinovacenter.com/blog/live-longer-live-stronger-10-of-the-best-herbal-adaptogens-for-anti-aging/

Why Kenzen Lactoferrin 2.0

Why Kenzen® Lactoferrin 2.0™

By Nikken

PUBLISHED ON November 10, 2017

There’s a new lactoferrin in the Nikken neighborhood and we’re super excited about it. Kenzen® Lactoferrin 2.0 addresses the body’s need for iron: iron deficiency can result in anemia, fatigue and poor circulation, as well as many other physical discomforts. Women are most vulnerable to iron deficiency, and people who are very active may also suffer from iron depletion. Kenzen® Lactoferrin 2.0 is a great solution.

Lactoferrin is a protein whose main biological function is to bind and transport iron, an essential mineral that helps hemoglobin carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. No matter how much iron is in your body, if it can’t be retained and utilized, you could end up deficient. For example, you may eat lots of green, leafy vegetables,and/or lean red meat, which are natural sources of iron. But your doctor runs a blood test and announces that you’re anemic. How can this happen? Just because you eat iron-rich foods does not mean your body can absorb or process it.

Lactoferrin 2.0 addresses this dilemma by providing a delivery system to allow the body to better utilize and balance the iron in the body.* Studies show that because Lactoferrin 2.0 is naturally iron-binding, it has a positive effect on iron absorption, which in turn increases blood iron levels.

In addition, Lactoferrin 2.0 is gentle on the digestive system, therefore supporting the gastrointestinal tract and all its functions. Rather than adding elemental iron —the kind you find in virtually every iron supplement on the market—which has been shown to cause intestinal inflammation1, lactoferrin helps the body absorb what is already there—and importantly, without upsetting the stomach. And, Lactoferrin 2.0 has been shown in clinical research to be more bioavailable, allowing for more efficient absorption of iron, compared to other iron sources.2

Just take a look at the graph:

With Lactoferrin 2.0 you get 200 mg of lactoferrin in each capsule—more than three times as much for the same cost as before. More lactose-free, gluten-free, non-GMO lactoferrin, an efficient delivery system and four organic antioxidant, anti-inflammatory ingredients (see Brain-Gut Connection) equals increased access to Active Wellness and more importantly, your improved health.

1 Uchida, T. (2006) Availability of lactoferrin as a natural solubilizer of iron for food products. International Dairy Journal 16. 95-101.

2 (Rezk, Dawood, Abo-Elnasr, Halaby, & Marawan, 2015), (Rezk, Kandil, Dawood, , Shaheen, & Allam, 2015), (Nappi, et al., 2009), (Paesano, et al., 2010), (Paesano, et al., 2014)

Don't Let the Flu Bug Bite

Stay Healthy through the Flu Season with Active Wellness

By Nikken

Original Publish Date: Jan. 12, 2018

Extreme weather conditions wreak havoc. Cold, flu, bronchitis and pneumonia lead to misery and even death. What can we do to help maintain good health with all the germs around us?

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University conducted an experiment that suggests the more restful sleep we get, the better our chances of fighting off respiratory bugs. The scientists worked with 153 healthy men and women who agreed to be quarantined and injected with cold viruses. Monitored over the next five days, those who slept less than seven hours nightly were nearly three times more likely to contract colds than those who slept eight hours or more. The researchers measured how deeply the people slept in addition to the number of hours, and the people who had better sleep quality were the ones more likely to fight off colds.1

David Katz, MD, founder of the Yale University Prevention Research Center and author of Disease-Proof: The Remarkable Truth About What Makes Us Well, explains that “our bodies need seven to eight hours of sleep in order to stimulate an immune response from our ‘natural killer cells,’ which attack viruses. Sleep is my most reliable defense against infection.”2 There’s nothing comparable to the Kenko Naturest® Mattress Topper when it comes to helping you with restful sleep!

Here are some other suggestions to help prevent or shorten colds, flus and respiratory viruses:

• Eat protein. Douglas Kalman, PhD, RD, director of nutrition and applied clinical trials at Miami Research Associates in Florida says, “Research shows that diets too low in protein can deplete the immune system. So I make sure to get protein-rich foods throughout the day, especially fish, eggs and yogurt.” 2 Nikken makes it easy with nutritional pea protein in Kenzen Vital Balance®! 
• Drink lots of water. Paramedic Kristina Economou of Monterey, California says, “As a paramedic, I never know what germs I’ll be encountering, so I drink water constantly to flush toxins out of the lymph system.” 2
• Use a water bottle. A kindergarten teacher in Atlanta, Georgia, Cheryl Lassister says, “I never use water fountains or the railings on stairs. They’ve got the prints of hundreds of germy hands and mouths. And they don’t get sanitized as other surfaces, like sinks. I’ll use my own water bottle!” 2The PiMag® Sport Bottle not only serves as your personal water bottle but it also has a built in filter, so you get alkaline water without sediment!
• Get massages regularly. A massage therapist in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Christine Nelson says she doesn’t just give massages, she gets them. She explains, “I receive massages once a month to increase my circulation, which boosts immunity by nourishing cells with more oxygen and blood. It also makes me relaxed and less stressed. When you’re less stressed, you’re less likely to be a germ magnet.” 2 When you feel like a quick massage, there’s nothing easier than the hand-held KenkoTouch® with its warming pulsation in three speeds or the MagCreator. 
• Take care of your gut. According to the National Institute of Health, approximately 70 to 80 percent of the body’s immune tissue is located within the digestive system, so boosting your immune system really requires a healthy gut.3 For efficient G.I. Tract support, Kenzen® Lactoferrin 2.0™ is both helpful and convenient!
• Drink tea. Murray Grossnan, MD, ear, nose and throat specialist at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California says, “I drink hot black or green tea with lemon and honey. Drinking the tea and breathing in steam stimulates the cilia—the hair follicles in the nose—to move out germs more efficiently. Lemon thins mucus and honey is antibacterial.” 2

Wise diet and lifestyle choices can improve your health and well-being. For your well-being, Nikken provides choices in support of Active Wellness with its nutritional supplements, water and sleep products.

1 https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/dont-let-a-cold-get-you-down#1

2 http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20752945,00.html

3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2515351/ 

What We are Working On

Coming Features

Our mission is to Inform, Inspire and Empower Everyone to be Healthy by Choice. We want everyone to understand that chronic disease is not a normal part of life or “just getting older.” The CDC says “Chronic disease is the Leading Causes of Death and Disability in the United States. Chronic diseases and conditions—such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and arthritis—are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems.” We want you to focus on “…and preventable of all health problems.” We designed the Self Care Awakening  to give you the knowledge and the tools to help prevent chronic disease. There is an added bonus, you can be healthier by making simple choices.

At a health symposium, last year when speaking about “self care” retired RN Barb Satterwhite said, “What is really exciting here is the prevention piece. The medical profession is dealing with so much they need our help.” We can help by simply drinking more clean water. If we get the right amount of quality sleep, watch our weight and reduce our body burden (environmental toxicity).  

To that end we want to share with you what we are working on and what you can look forward to in the coming months.

First, we want to change our look. You may have already noticed some subtle changes, for example, if you follow our Facebook and Twitter accounts you see a new banner. There will be changes to SelfCareHub.com over the coming months. We are updating our video content, new blog subjects and creating free downloads. Who doesn’t love freebies? We hope to organize the site by subject matter: water matters, sleep matters, weight matters and body burden matters. You can stay up-to-date by following us on Facebook (don’t forget to like our page), follow us on Twitter and Instagram. We update our social media channels with healthy choice content, daily, so tune in. We also hope to build a Pinterest page.

Pubs Sneak Peak 

Second, we are very excited to announce we are publishing a magazine, entitled “Self Care Awakening!” The SCA zine is a 12 page, full color, glossy overview of each self care topic. We just approved the hard copy for print and it looks amazing. Dr. G is hard at work recording a companion video for the magazine (as I am typing, in fact) that will go on our YouTube channel.  

Last but not least… we are publishing a Self Care Awakening book! The book dives deep into each SCA subject and what you can do to keep yourself and your family healthy. The book will available on Amazon. We will post a link once the book is published.  

You can see that we will be very busy but, we will still get 7-9 hours of sleep at night, drink half of our body weight in water, watch our weight and maintain an exercise schedule while reducing our body burden by living in a wellness home. Together we will make 2018 our healthiest yet!

Be Healthy by Choice, not by Chance.

Sleep for Better Health

Sleep for Better Health

“Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together”

— Thomas Dekker

Like many others, getting enough sleep and  good quality sleep was one issue that was very difficult for me through much of my adult life. My sleep was often interrupted with thoughts, projects or just that flood of ideas that ran through my head preventing me from going to sleep. Once asleep, (if I really was?), I would wake up every few hours and look at the clock.  Doze and look at the clock became what I considered to be a normal sleep pattern for me. From a personal standpoint, my perception of sleep was that it seemed like a waste of valuable time. A non-productive part of my day. Not until my mid-40’s did I take heed of what I knew about sleep to be healthy by choice.

In our fast paced, highly productive lives, we often sacrifice sleep for other activities. This is due in part to this perception of sleep as a non-productive endeavor, when from a physiological and health standpoint it is the most productive time of our day. Work that must be completed, a project that just must be finished, studying for that mid-term, getting up an hour early to exercise or miss that rush hour traffic on the way to work are a few of many reasons we rationalize not sleeping but for the most part it is our perception of sleep. Sleep is anything but a waste of time. While many people think of sleeping as the body “shutting off” until morning, nodding off activates an organized, complex process to help you feel rested and healthy the next day. 

Until the 1950s, most people thought of sleep as a passive, dormant part of our daily lives. William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D., Stanford University, is the world's leading authority on sleep. For this pioneering work in a previously uncharted field, he is sometimes referred to as the father of sleep medicine. To quote Dr. Dement, “Healthy sleep has been empirically proven to be the most single important determinant on predicting longevity, more important than diet, exercise and heredity.”

"I used to suggest that sleep is the third pillar of good health, along with diet and exercise," says Matthew Walker, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. "But I don't agree with that anymore. Sleep is the single most effective thing you can do to reset your brain and body for health."

In a 2015 CNN documentary Sleep with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, he states, “If you have an extra hour in the day to exercise, you would be well advised to use that hour for sleep, as it will provide more health benefits.”

Given all the scientific evidence to the importance and benefits of a good night’s sleep we are a sleep-sick society, ignorant of the facts of sleep and the price of sleep deficiency.

It is estimated that nearly 70% of American’s do not get adequate sleep. National Institute of Heath research studies on sleep state that the average American gets less than 7 hours of sleep per night. Cognitive performance after less than six hours of sleep is equivalent to getting no sleep for 48 straight hours.  Cognitive performance relates to mental processes of perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning. 

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Sleep Deprivation Statistics from the American Sleep Association:

37% of 20-39 year-olds report short sleep duration

40% of 40-59 year-olds report short sleep duration

35.3% adults report <7 hours of sleep during a typical 24-hour period.

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A good read on the importance of sleep and ways to get a better night’s sleep are elucidated in Dr. Dement’s book The Promise of Sleep.

One thing I do and suggest others do is to make sleep a priority. It may sound funny, but schedule sleep like any other daily activity, so put it on your "to-do list" and cross it off every night. Don’t make sleep the thing you do only after everything else is done. Stop doing other activities so you get the sleep you need. I realize that this is not easy for many of us, but give it a try and you will see that with more and better quality of sleep your mood, effectiveness and productivity will improve.

Sleep Matters and getting enough sleep is one way that we all can be healthier, more productive and happier.

Tips for a better night's sleep: 

• Stick to a sleep schedule, even on weekends.
• Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual.
• Exercise daily.
• Evaluate your bedroom to ensure ideal temperature, sound and light.
• Beware of hidden sleep stealers, like alcohol and caffeine.
• Turn off electronics before bed. Avoid reading on electronic devices.
• Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.

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Healthy Sleep System

Since you spend a third of your life sleeping it is as important to choose healthy bedding as it is you living room couch and matching drapes. . “Most mattresses contain a petroleum-based polyurethane foam and flame retardants that release volatile organic compounds, which can pollute your bedroom air, irritate your respiratory system, and cause skin problems and other allergies,” saysTasha Stoiber, EWG senior scientist. Stoiber’s tips:

Look for natural materials: Choose a mattress that include at least 95 percent organic content, such as cotton, wool, or natural latex. 

Avoid fire retardants: Chlorinated Tris, a chemical flame retardant commonly found in mattresses, sleeping mats, pillows, and futons, is a known neurotoxin and carcinogen.

Wash and cover: “When you’re tossing and turning in bed, you can stir up a lot of dust in your mattress that can potentially cause allergy issues. It’s important to frequently launder your bedding, and vacuum your mattress once in a while.” Also, use a mattress cover, preferably one made of tightly-woven, organic cotton, to avoid dust mites.

Steer clear of additives: Mattresses and toppers treated with antimicrobial solutions and added scents can contain hidden carcinogens.

I recommend a visit to our Kenko Sleep Shop for the best in healthy choice sleep. 

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Sleep is an essential physiological process. 

Get 8 hours a night of good quality sleep. It’s one way to be Healthy by Choice.

“Without enough sleep, we all become tall two-year olds”

— JoJo Jensen, Dirt Farmer Wisdom, 2002

Teaching Healthy Choice Habits to Our Children

 Teaching Healthy Choice Habits to Our Children

“A nation is only as healthy as its children.” Harry Truman (1946)

Over the last century, the primary burden of disease in children and young people has shifted from infectious diseases towards chronic conditions. Up to twenty million children and adolescents in the United States have some form of chronic illness or disability. Chronic refers to a health condition that lasts anywhere from three months to a lifetime.

The state of health among U.S. children does not reflect the standard of health expected for a child living in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. According to a 2010 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, chronic illnesses in children doubled from 12.8 percent in 1994 to 26.6 percent in 2006. This alarming trend confirms an earlier Harvard study that found U.S. children were sicker today than their parent’s generation. It has been said that babies being born today are the first generation of children whose life expectancy is less than that of their parents.

The "big three" chronic health conditions for kids are obesity, which affected 5 percent of American children in the early 1970s but 18 percent of children today; asthma 10% percent prevalence, nearly double from the 1980s, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, an increase of 43 percent in the last 15 years.

The percentage of children with obesity in the United States has more than tripled since the 1970s. Today, about one in five school-aged children (ages 6–19) are obese. Childhood obesity has immediate and long-term impacts on physical, social, and emotional health. For example:

• Children with obesity are at higher risk for having other chronic health conditions and diseases that impact physical health, such as asthma, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, type 2 diabetes, and risk factors for heart disease.
• Children with obesity are bullied and teased more than their normal weight peers and are more likely to suffer from social isolation, depression, and lower self-esteem.
• In the long term, childhood obesity also is associated with having obesity as an adult, which is linked to serious conditions and diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and several types of cancer.

Childhood diabetes is one of the prime results of rising obesity rates, which in turn result from more sedentary behaviors and poor diets.

it is estimated that children with serious, complex chronic conditions account for 10% of admissions, but 41% of hospital charges in the United States.

In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a comprehensive study that suggests more than 33% of diseases affecting children under the age of five are caused by environmental exposures, and that by preventing these exposures, as many as four million children’s lives a year worldwide could be saved. 

“The environment plays a role in 85% of all diseases. New science is showing that the effects of exposure to chemicals at low doses, and in combination, can have an impact on human growth and development.” National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

The Self Care Awakening is about reducing our body burden of environmental toxins, staying well hydrated with clean healthy water, quality  sleep and maintaining a healthy weight. These are sound principles and vital to good health regardless of our age.  Teaching healthy choice habits to our children can be one of the most important things we can do as parents.

Be Healthy by Choice, not by Chance.

I Heart Self Care for My Heart

Self Care for Your Heart

The heart beats about 2.5 billion times over the average lifespan. Every minute, it pumps about five quarts of blood through a system of blood vessels over 60,000 miles long, equal to about 2,000 gallons of blood every day. Pretty amazing. However, keeping our heart healthy is our biggest health challenge.

Ischemic heart disease and stroke are the world's biggest killers, accounting for a combined 15 million deaths in 2015. These diseases have remained the leading causes of death globally for the last 15 years.

Anyone can develop heart disease. It occurs when a substance called plaque builds up in your arteries. When this happens, your arteries can narrow over time, reducing blood flow to the heart.

The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type is coronary heart disease, which can cause heart attack. Other kinds of heart disease may involve the valves in the heart, or the heart may not pump well and cause heart failure.

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year which accounts for 1 in every 4 deaths.
•  Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2009 were in men.
• Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common type of heart disease, killing over 370,000 people annually.
• Every year about 735,000 Americans have a heart attack. Of these, 525,000 are a first heart attack and 210,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack.

Statistics from the American Heart Association show that 75 million Americans currently suffer from heart disease and it is affecting younger and younger people in greater numbers every year.

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. About half of Americans (47%) have at least one of these three risk factors.

Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including:

• Diabetes
• Overweight and obesity
• Poor diet
• Physical inactivity
• Excessive alcohol use

Even though 25% of the population takes statin medications to control cholesterol and despite the fact we have reduced the fat content of our diets, more Americans will die this year of heart disease than ever before.

Heart disease may be a leading cause of death, but that doesn't mean you have to accept it as your fate. Although you lack the power to change some risk factors such as family history, sex or age there are some key heart disease prevention steps you can take to reduce your risk.

The Mayo Clinic recommends the following seven strategies to prevent heart disease.

1. Don't smoke or use tobacco

Smoking or using tobacco of any kind is one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease. Chemicals in tobacco can damage your heart and blood vessels, leading to narrowing of the arteries due to plaque buildup (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis can ultimately lead to a heart attack.

2. Exercise for about 30 minutes on most days of the week

Getting some regular, daily exercise can reduce your risk of heart disease. When you combine physical activity with other lifestyle measures, such as maintaining a healthy weight, the payoff is even greater. Physical activity can help you control your weight and reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

3. Eat a heart-healthy diet

Eating a healthy diet can reduce your risk of heart disease. Two examples of heart-healthy food plans include the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan and the Mediterranean diet.

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help protect your heart. Aim to eat beans, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, lean meats, and fish as part of a healthy diet.

Avoid too much salt and sugars in your diet.

4. Maintain a healthy weight

Being overweight, especially if you carry excess weight around your middle increases your risk of heart disease. Excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

5. Get enough quality sleep

Sleep deficiency can do more than leave you tired throughout the day. It can harm your health. People who don't get enough sleep have a higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes and depression.

6. Manage stress

Some people cope with stress in unhealthy ways such as overeating, drinking or smoking. Finding alternative ways to manage stress such as physical activity, relaxation exercises or meditation can help improve your health.

7. Get regular health screenings

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your heart and blood vessels. But without testing, you probably won't know whether you have these conditions. Regular screening can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action.

A recent CDC report found that approximately 80 percent of deaths from coronary artery disease, a name for heart disease caused by narrowing of the arteries which leads to reduced blood flow to the heart, can be attributed to preventable factors like obesity, poor physical activity, heavy drinking, eating unhealthy foods and not keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol under control. These lifestyle changes could also prevent about 50 percent of stroke deaths, the report's authors added.

As with many of our chronic health issues, prevention is the key. The Self Care Awakening is about becoming aware of and making choices for a healthier life. Our battle cry of “Be Healthy by Choice, not by Chance” is our mission.

Our Favorite!

Have You Heard of the Brain-Gut Connection?

Have You Heard of the Brain-Gut Connection?

by Nikken

The brain-gut connection is a big deal. It is revolutionizing the way doctors and scientists approach digestion, mood, health and the way we think. One way to understand it is to picture a “brain in the gut,” which is actually known as the enteric nervous system (ENS). It’s composed of more than 100 million nerve cells that line the G.I. tract running from the esophagus to the rectum.

Internationally renowned ENS specialist Dr. Jay Pasricha says, “The enteric nervous system doesn’t seem capable of thought as we know it, but it communicates back and forth with our big brain with profound results. Its main role is controlling digestion, from swallowing to the release of enzymes that break down food to the control of blood flow that helps with nutrient absorption to elimination. For decades, researchers and doctors thought that anxiety and depression contributed to gut problems, but our studies and others show that it may also be the other way around.”1

In keeping up with the latest scientific developments, Nikken has launched Kenzen® Lactoferrin 2.0™ as an integral component of Active Wellness. The lactoferrin in the formulation addresses the body’s need for iron to help hemoglobin carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. But Lactoferrin 2.0 takes the formulation up to a superior level with four organic ingredients that work to support the G.I. tract and mental health, which addresses the important brain-gut connection. Here’s how:

• Our Organic Inulin is sourced from Jerusalem Artichoke, known to be high in potassium, iron, essential amino acids and protein.2 Organic Inulin is soluble so it dissolves in the stomach and forms a gelatinous substance that helps slow digestion to allow better nutrient absorption and a slow release of sugar. This slower digestion promotes healthy blood sugar levels. Organic Inulin aids digestion by helping to increase good bacteria in the gut and stimulating the immune system.3
• Organic Rhodiola rosea has been used in China and Siberia for thousands of years to help soothe, calm and relax people who are stressed, depressed or fatigued. Research shows it to have a positive effect on cognitive health, including boosting memory and concentration.4 Research also shows this adaptogen helps speed up fat-burning cells when combined with exercise. 5
• Organic Ginger has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and is effective against nausea and exercise-induced muscle discomforts. It helps empty the stomach more quickly, which benefits people with indigestion and related issues. There is some evidence that organic Ginger enhances working memory and reaction time, helps inhibit the growth of bad oral bacteria and helps reduce LDL cholesterol and blood triglyceride levels.6
• More than 600 health benefits are attributed to Organic Turmeric, but in Lactoferrin 2.0, it works synergistically as a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. It helps promote brain health as well as supporting the G.I. system. See “Turmeric: Hot Topic of the Year.”

1 https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/healthy_aging/healthy_body/the-brain-gut-connection

2 http://www.chatelaine.com/health/diet/five-health-benefits-of-jerusalem-artichokes-sunchokes/

3 https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/top-inulin-benefits#overview1

4, 5 https://www.organicfacts.net/rhodiola-rosea.html

6 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-ginger

Be Healthy by Choice and not by Chance

Self Care Awakening, The Impetus

The Impetus: A New Mindset

Some 20 years ago, I came to an awakening regarding my own health and well-being. This journey has led to the information we discuss in the Self Care Awakening. It is about a few very simple concepts. It is about Being Healthy by Choice and not by Chance. The reality is, if we leave our health to chance, chances are that we are not going to be healthy. The major impetus for the Self Care Awakening is to bring this and other aspects of good health to light.  To do so we first need to become aware of the problem or what are the reasons that so many of us are plagued with so many different chronic issues. This is a relatively new problem and maybe it is one that we have created ourselves. 

In the early 1900’s the major cause of death was communicable diseases (infectious diseases). The top three were pneumonia and flu, tuberculosis, and gastrointestinal infections.  In 2012 the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine published a retrospective look at causes of death from 1900 to 2010. Deaths from infectious diseases have decreased dramatically, while the proportion of people dying from cancer has more than tripled. If we look at current trends, cancer rates are going up, heart disease and stroke are increasing, Type2 diabetes is nearly epidemic and a host of other chronic issues that contribute to our mortality.  

The first question to ask is why? What has changed in the last 100 years? Have we changed much biologically, or have we altered everything else around us? I think the latter is the more logical answer. The world we live in today is much different than that of the 1900’s. 

I think many people believe that chronic disease or issues that impact our quality of life are normal. Let me unequivocally state, chronic disease is not a normal part of life. How many times have we heard someone say, “That’s just part of getting older”, as if the headaches, joint/back problems, weight gain, blood sugar problems, memory problems (and the list can go on and on) are just a “normal part” of life. 

Here is a paraphrase of a recent advertisement from what use to be our corner drug store and is now called your local wellness center. The advertisement says, “there are 26 million Americans with diabetes, and 74 million are at risk, don’t worry, we can treat and manage your diabetes, so you can lead a normal productive life”. I almost fell out of my chair when I first heard this commercial. This is a brainwashing, inferring that diabetes (chronic disease) is a normal part of life. It is not! The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease control (CDC) estimate that as high as 80% of our world’s biggest killers can be prevented. I concur and am of the belief that just a few simple self care principles can lead to a vibrant heathy life.

In a span of a little over a 100 years chronic disease has become the number one killer worldwide accounting for nearly 70% of all deaths. Chronic diseases and conditions—such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and arthritis—are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems. 

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) statistics show that 50% of Americans age 18 and above have at least one chronic disease, one out of four have two or more. By the time we are 65 years of age, 80% of us have one or multiple chronic diseases. Treatment of chronic conditions represents 86% of our nation’s health care dollar.

Americans currently fill 4.3 billion prescriptions per year. While representing 4.4% of the world’s population the U.S. consumes 75% of prescription medications. In 1993 the average prescription per American was seven, it nearly doubled to 12 ten years later. 

A 2013 study from Mayo Clinic researchers revealed how many Americans are on prescription drugs and it's a lot of us. The study, published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, stated that seven out of 10 Americans take at least one prescription drug, and more than half take two.  About one in four children took one or more prescription drugs in the past month, compared to nine in 10 adults 65 and older. In 2013, patients between 50 to 64 years had an average of 19.2 prescriptions per person. Prescription drug expenditures are growing faster than any other part of the health care dollar.

Let’s face it, we are taught our entire lives to be consumers of modern medicine, especially pharmaceutical medicine. When we were young and had a headache, our moms gave us baby aspirin. They didn’t ask when we last drank some water. This behavior continued as we grew. If we think that there’s a pill for everything that ails us (and many do), we have missed the whole point of prevention and self care.  We are taught to treat rather than prevent, to react rather than be proactive about our health. 

The Self Care Awakening series was designed to bring back common sense and some sanity to what I consider to be an insane notion that chronic disease is a normal part of life. It's not, but if we look at it statistically most our population have chronic health issues.

We think being healthy is difficult when it's pretty simple if we make some of the right choices. Our health, good or bad, is about our personal choices.  Knowing this I think it’s safe to say that we would all prefer to be healthy. Our tag line, Be Healthy by Choice, not by Chance is a simple but very empowering statement. 

Within the Self Care Awakening we look at four vital areas that lead to a healthier life. 

1. Environmental toxicity and our body burden “the pollution in people” and what we can do personally to limit our toxic exposures and reduce our body burden of toxic chemicals.

1. Water Matters discusses the importance of hydration and what happens if we don’t drink enough water. This chapter also talks about different choices for healthy water that we consume and bathe in.

1. Sleep Matters addresses the fact that many of us walk around every day sleep deficient. Sleep is considered by many of us to be an unproductive endeavor, when it is our most productive physiological activity. 

1. Weight Matters concerns itself with excess sugar consumption and what we can do to limit our intake by simple easy choices and achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

These four concepts are easy to understand but are vital for our health. Self Care is a practical and simple way of Being Heathy by Choice and not leaving our Health to Chance. 

Be Healthy by Choice and not by Chance

A Healthy Choice Holiday: Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Maintaining a Healthy Weight During the Holidays

Halloween is just a day away and we are already excited for what comes next… the holiday season! The sights, smells, sounds and the food!!! Out of these our favorite would have to be the food, but, we still want to make healthy choices and maintain a healthy weight. The good news is the simple, every day, healthy choices we have been encouraging you to make all year still apply during this most wonderful time of the year.

Our Healthy Choice strategies are:

Water: Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces daily. Many times, when we think we are hungry we are simply thirsty. Drinking water makes you feel full and reduces the urge to over indulge. Proper hydration also leads to less consumption of sugary drinks or alcohol which reduces your calorie intake. Water detoxifies your system reducing your body burden. Before a meal or at a social gathering start with a glass of water and sip it slowly then throughout the event alternate water with another beverage.

Sugar: Visions of sugar plums in your head? Try focusing on the protein and vegetables instead of the desert when feasting. Protein gives you a feeling of fullness and boosts your metabolism while vegetables are low in calories but packed with healthy fiber. Ladies remember 6 grams of sugar is your recommended daily allowance and gentlemen keep it to 9 grams.

Sleep: This is our busiest time of the year. We are focused on the joy of others sometimes at the expense of our own health. This combined with the excitement of the season and the added pressure of extra things to do can lead to longer hours and less sleep. Sleep deficiency can cause weight gain! The less you sleep, the hungrier you’ll feel, too little sleep also slows down your metabolism. Schedule 8 to 9 hours of sleep just like you schedule a friendly get together.

Remain Active: During the holiday season, we tend to let physical activity go… but we can keep it simple and fun. Walk around your neighborhood or town and enjoy the holiday displays. If possible, walk to neighborhood or town festivities. Keep up a steady pace and walk a couple times around the mall before shopping. Most smartphones or smart watches monitor your steps. You can use these devices or a simple pedometer daily. Try to average 2 miles every day which is roughly 4,000 steps. Proper activity will also help you sleep better at night.

The Buddy System: Ask your friends to help keep you on track and offer to do the same for them. There is strength in numbers and with proper group planning the urge to over indulge can be reduced. When you host an event or party make water the feature beverage choice and offer plenty of veggies and proteins.

Proper planning, keeping it simple and fun will help you remain Healthy by Choice and not by Chance this holiday season.

Health Care Crisis: Pt. 2

Health Care Crisis: Pt. 2

America's health care system is neither healthy, caring, nor a system.  

–Walter Cronkite

Last week’s Impetus discussed the dilemma our nation’s health crisis due to the increasing burden of treating and managing chronic disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), treating people with chronic diseases accounts form 86% of our nation’s health care costs which is currently $3.2 trillion per year, or nearly $10.000 per person.

The Milken Institute issued an important benchmark report October 2, 2007 recommending a major overhaul of how America deals with chronic diseases. The most profound of these findings and recommendations were that “doctors and other health-care providers should be paid to manage and prevent chronic illnesses, instead of getting most of their income from treatments.” 

Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal, a medical journalist who formerly worked as a medical doctor, warns that the existing health-care system too often focuses on financial incentives over health or science. Rosenthal's book, An American Sickness, examines the deeply rooted problems of the existing health-care system and offers suggestions for a way forward. She notes that under the current system, it's far more lucrative to provide a lifetime of treatments than a cure.

"One expert in the book joked ... that if we relied on the current medical market to deal with polio, we would never have a polio vaccine," Rosenthal says. "Instead we would have iron lungs in seven colors with iPhone apps."

Here is a good analogy that a friend of mine expressed to me a few days ago that really puts things in to perspective. Imagine taking your car to a mechanic and being told that the “treatment” for your automobile is going to be $1,200.

The problem won’t be fixed, but the treatment if continued will help the car function. However, the treatment may not be for every car and some cars may experience several side-effects.  But don’t worry, we have another treatment for the side-effects when you bring your car back. And then to top it all off, what if you learned that the third leading cause of total mechanical breakdowns were a result of the procedures performed by this garage? I trust many of you would seek alternative solutions for your chronic car conditions. We could always just get a new car. This is the same methodology that many of us are experiencing with our health, the problem is we can’t just get a new body, but we can change the way that we are sustaining and supporting it.

If there was ever a time for a Self Care Awakening it is NOW.  

How about not having the problem to begin with? How about having a preventative maintenance program? How about more natural and less invasive ways to help with a condition than just treating and masking the problem? How about solutions with side-benefits instead of side-effects?

The four main principles of the Self Care Awakening are not a panacea for all chronic conditions. There are many other factors involved depending on the disease being examined. However, these principles are vital to the health of us all irrespective of our current status of health.

All can benefit from reducing our body burden of toxic chemicals, being hydrated, well rested and maintaining a healthy weight.

Chronic disease is not a normal part of life. Up to 80% of chronic conditions can be prevented. My hopes are that this information and corresponding Self Care presentations have enlightened and empowered anyone to employ and share our battle cry for the Self Care Awakening,

Be Healthy by Choice, not by Chance.

Health Care Crisis: Pt. 1

Health Care Crisis

Our nation faces a health crisis due to the increasing burden of chronic disease. Currently, 7 of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States are chronic diseases, and almost 50% of Americans live with at least one chronic illness. People who suffer from chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, obesity, and arthritis experience limitations in function, health, activity, and work, affecting the quality of their lives as well as the lives of their families.

Health care is on track to be our nation’s biggest industry. As a share of the nation's Gross Domestic Product, health spending accounted for 17.8 percent in 2015, and U.S. health-care spending increased 5.8 percent to reach $3.2 trillion per year, or nearly $10.000 per person. This figure is more than two-and-a-half times more than the other countries of the world. What drives this business is treating and managing chronic disease, basically sick care. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), treating people with chronic diseases accounts form 86% of our nation’s health care costs. I find this totally unacceptable given that 80% of these diseases are preventable.

The U.S. spends more on health care than any other country, yet we are rated last in health care when compared to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.  A recent report by the Commonwealth Fund finds Americans are more likely than people in other countries to have more than one chronic condition such as arthritis, heart disease, asthma, high blood pressure or diabetes. It found 28 percent of Americans have multiple chronic conditions, compared to 14 percent in Britain and the Netherlands, 18 percent in France and 22 percent in Canada.

Nearly 70% of our population are on some type of prescription medication. We fill over 4.3 billion prescriptions per year. Many chronic and degenerative conditions are becoming epidemic and the United States currently leads the world in almost every disease and chronic condition.  Although the U.S represents 4.4% of the world’s population, we consume 75% of the world’s pharmaceutical drugs.

The best business strategy is to grow your customer base, and then convert them to repeat or permanent customers. The treatment of chronic conditions with pharmaceutical management has epitomized this strategy. Noted economist Paul Zane Pilzer makes this disconcerting deduction:

“It is more profitable for medical suppliers to produce products consumers use for the rest of their lives than to make products that a consumer might use only once.   Invariably, this means developing products that treat the symptoms of diseases rather than the cause or the cure.”

In the strict terms of dollars and cents, comedian Dick Gregory is accurate when he suspiciously states when describing the pharmaceutical industry, “Patients that don't die are good for business!” 

Drug companies spend $4 billion a year on ads to consumers shaping and contributing to our belief that there is a pill for everything. Ask your doctor about…whatever drug they are talking about? It’s what we are taught and hear multiple times a day in the media. More than 80% of those age 65+ regularly take prescription drugs, half of which take four or more.  If drugs were the answer, then we should be the healthiest people on the planet!

There is another answer and we all need to Be Healthy by Choice, not by Chance because if we leave our health to chance, chances are we are not going to be healthy.

To be continued next week…

My Personal Self Care Awakening

This Sounds All too Familiar

Some 20 years ago, I came to an awakening regarding my own health and well-being. I was in my mid 40’s and was starting to exhibit some health challenges that many other people do at that age. I was overweight, over worked and over stressed. I was dealing with signs of hypertension and just didn’t seem to have the energy I was used to. I had trouble sleeping and at best 4 or 5 hours was all I could manage or had the time for. My joints ached and I suffered from a whiplash injury that short of pharmaceutical intervention or surgery I was told by many physicians to learn to live with. Does this sound all too familiar?

By happenstance while working and traveling in Asia, I was introduced to a Japanese company, Nikken. The physical therapist that was telling me about it said that their products in his experience may be able to help me. As a physiologist, I was very skeptical as to any “alternative” modalities, although I’m not sure why I was so skeptical, other than my science brain saying show me the research.  I politely, or maybe not so politely, told the young man, that I was not interested in what he was selling. Upon returning home from the trip, I noticed a short article in our weekly newspaper talking about this same Japanese company helping people all over the world with their products. I found this more than coincidental and it sparked me to at least check out what they were talking about. It also made me wonder, why did I have an opinion about these products and technologies with no real knowledge of them or their efficacy. This second exposure to Nikken prompted me to do a literature search on magnetic therapy and the results were astounding to me. I also noticed that aver 60% of the papers I read were published in veterinary journals. I thought this very profound as animals cannot experience a placebo effect. 

I purchased a few Nikken magnetic products just to see if they could help with my neck issues. I had experienced very little flexibility, discomfort and radial numbness down both arms for over three years.  My injury was a classic whiplash, and doctors had told me that by the time I was fifty, I would want a surgery due to increase arthritic complications and conditions.

My Personal Self Care Awakening

I must honestly say, that I didn’t think the products would work or at best they might help a little. Much to my surprise, a few short weeks after using the products my neck had more flexibility and my hands and arms were no longer numb. It is nearly 20 years later, and no surgery and no neck problems, no arm or hand numbness.

This experience gave me a good appreciation for natural methods to help deal with health issues or more importantly prevent them all together. It fostered the idea of the Self Care Awakening.

I appreciate the honor of been called the Self Care Ambassador by my peers, I also appreciate being an advocate for products and technologies to accomplish our goal of Being Healthy by Choice, not by Chance.

Self Care Awakening is about a few very simple concepts. It is about Being Healthy by Choice and not by Chance. The reality is, if we leave our health to chance, chances are that we are not going to be healthy.

The major impetus for the Self Care Awakening is to bring this and other aspects of good health to light.

First, that chronic disease is not a normal part of life. How many times have we heard someone say, “That’s just part of getting older”, as if the headaches, joint/back problems, weight gain, blood sugar problems, memory problems (and the list can go on and on) are just a “normal part” of life.

Here is a paraphrase of a recent advertisement from what use to be our corner drug store and is now called your local wellness center. The advertisement says, “there are 26 million Americans with diabetes, and 74 million are at risk, don’t worry, we can treat and manage your diabetes so you can lead a normal productive life”. I almost fell out of my chair when I first heard this commercial. Then I got angry. It is a brainwashing, inferring that chronic disease is a normal part of life. It is not. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease control (CDC) estimate that as high as 80% of our world’s biggest killers can be prevented. I concur and am of the belief that just a few simple self care principles can lead to a vibrant heathy life.

Be Healthy by Choice and not by Chance

Autumn Skincare Tips

Autumn Skincare Tips

By: Nikken

As daunting as the onset of colder weather may be, autumn is an ideal time to correct any summer skin damage that has occurred and to prepare for winter. So here are some tips on how to maintain a hydrated healthy complexion during autumn and the coming winter months when skin tends to lose moisture.

1. To start the process of rebuilding dry, flakey skin resulting from sun, chlorine and saltwater, incorporate exfoliation into your skin regimen. Choose a scrub/exfoliant that sloughs off dead skin but is gentle and helps stimulate natural oil production. Use True Elements® Radiance Scrub once or twice a week to buff the skin. This gentle facial scrub helps remove dead skin cells and allow the seaweed extracts to help boost hydration and energize the skin.
2. Do not use artificially fragrant soap on your face because they contain sulfates and other chemicals and dyes. Instead, use True Elements® Velvet Cleansing Milk. It doesn’t contain any synthetic fragrances, parabens, mineral oils, phthalates, artificial coloring or preservatives. You get a gentle cleanser that works with your natural pH balance and natural enriching oils that nourish the skin while removing impurities.
3. Use a soothing mask that deeply nourishes the skin. True Elements® Nutritional Mask helps stimulate the synthesis of collagen that might have broken down with overexposure to the sun. Hyaluronic acid helps plump up the skin while seaweed extracts help re-energize to restore brightness.
4. As the air becomes drier, be sure to use a cream-based moisturizer to help reduce water loss from the skin. True Elements® Nourishing Face Cream is specifically formulated to moisturize the upper epidermis and to help soften and smooth the skin.
5. What goes in your body affects the appearance of the skin as well what goes on it. Make sure to drink lots of water. Always bring your PiMag® Sport Bottle  with you. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, lean proteins and healthy oils. Stay on the Active Wellness eating regimen. Remember, Everyday Weight Management is a lifestyle for a lifetime. Stay away from sugar as it’s known to be inflammatory and may adversely affect your skin as well.

Be Healthy by Choice and not by Chance

Fight Sleep Deficiency with Healthy Choices

Sleep Deficiency

Chronic sleep deficiency is a problem for many people. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) more than a third of American adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis. Lack of sleep can have serious impacts on our health. Glucose metabolism declines 30-40% resulting in weight gain and a larger waistline.  We become fatigued faster than when we have a full night’s sleep.  Two days with sleep restriction leads to a threefold increase of lapse in attention and reaction to situations. Sleep insufficiency is linked to motor vehicle crashes, industrial disasters, and medical and other occupational errors. Unintentionally falling asleep, nodding off while driving, and having difficulty performing daily tasks because of sleepiness contribute to these hazardous outcomes. Persons experiencing sleep insufficiency are also more likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, and obesity, as well as cancer, increased mortality, and reduced quality of life and productivity. Sleep deficiency may be caused by broad scale societal factors such as round-the-clock access to technology and work schedules, but sleep disorders such as insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea also play an important role.  An estimated 50-70 million US adults have sleep or wakefulness disorders.

Cognitive performance after less than six hours of sleep is equivalent to getting no sleep for 48 straight hours.  Cognitive performance relates to mental processes of perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning. 

A 2017 study commissioned by the University of Washington Health Sciences concluded chronic sleep deprivation suppresses the immune system. Simply stated, people get sick more often when they don’t get enough sleep. Dr. Nathaniel Watson, co-director of the UW Medicine Sleep Center at Harborview Medical Center states, “What we show is that the immune system functions best when it gets enough sleep. Seven or more hours of sleep is recommended for optimal health.”

How Much Sleep Do We Need and are We Getting Enough?

How much sleep we need varies between individuals but generally changes with age. The National Institutes of Health suggests that school-age children need at least 10 hours of sleep daily, teens need 9-10 hours, and adults need 7-8 hours.

“Sleep is the most under-appreciated health crisis in America,” states Dr. Mehmet Oz, host of “The Dr. Oz Show”. In conjunction with ResMed,  Dr. Oz and ResMed gathered sleep statistics from 20,000 people representing over 1.5 million nights’ worth of sleep. Their findings demonstrate that sleep is chronically neglected by most Americans.

Observations from the data collected includes:

• 79% of the population sleeps less than the 7 hours recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine – Most Americans sleep one hour less. To put this in context, a recent study by AAA reported that sleeping as little as one hour less than recommended doubles the risk of a traffic accident.

• Women sleep longer than men – Men average 5 hours, 45 minutes, while women average 6 hours, 9 minutes.

• On average, Americans go to bed at 10:21 pm and wake up at 7:41 am. People in the Pacific time zone go to bed the latest, at 11:17 p.m., and people in the Eastern time zone wake up the earliest at 7:40 a.m.

• Exercise is good for sleep – Any amount is helpful, but the optimal amount is 30 minutes, which correlates with 14 minutes of extra sleep per night.

• Caffeine – Three or fewer cups of coffee didn’t notably affect average sleep time, but those who drank four cups or more slept 26 minutes less.

• Alcohol – Those who had one or two drinks slept an average of 16 minutes more than people who had more than two drinks – or none.

• Children can be both good and bad for sleep – Men with 0-1 children get the most sleep, and women with 2-3 children get the most sleep. Having more children seems to impact men more – they lose 45 minutes of sleep per night with 4 or more children, whereas women with 4 or more children only lose 25 minutes.

• Mattresses matter –The type of mattress people sleep on appears to make an average difference of 20 minutes sleep per night.

• Common sleep problems – Excessive fatigue during the day and taking too long to fall asleep were the most common reported issues. Waking up in the middle of the night is also a major problem for many Americans.

• Sleep aids – 50% of study participants reported using a mix of two or more sleep aids per night, such as prescription medications, over the counter sleeping pills and herbal remedies/food supplements for sleep.

Sleep is an essential physiological process, but in our fast paced, highly productive lives, we often sacrifice sleep for other activities. This is due in part to our perception of sleep as a non-productive endeavor, when from a physiological and health standpoint it is our most productive time of our day.

William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D., Stanford University, is the one of the world’s leading scientists on sleep. For this pioneering work in a previously uncharted field, he is sometimes referred to as the father of sleep medicine. Dr. Dement states, “Healthy sleep has been empirically proven to be the single most important determinant in predicting longevity, more important than diet, exercise and heredity.”

Sleep Matters and getting enough sleep is one way that we all can be healthier, more productive and happier.

Tips for a better night's sleep: 

• Stick to a sleep schedule, even on weekends.

• Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual.

• Exercise daily.

• Evaluate your bedroom to ensure ideal temperature, sound and light.

• Beware of hidden sleep stealers, like alcohol and caffeine.

• Turn off electronics before bed.

• Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.

Get 8 hours a night of good quality sleep. It’s one way to be Healthy by Choice. Sweet Dreams.

Be Healthy by Choice and not by Chance

If Mother Nature Poured You a Glass of Water...

If Mother Nature Poured You a Glass of Water...

The solution to our global water issues and the plastic pollution of our planet is very complex and people often wonder what can they do as individuals to make a positive impact. One thing we all can do is to not to contribute to landfills by filtering tap water rather than purchasing bottled water. In recent blogs we have talked about the pollution problem with bottled water and about how to choose a water filtration system.

Waterfall for Healthy Water

Filtering our tap water is convenient, cost effective and the best way to provide ourselves and our families with healthy water. Our personal choice for water filtration is the Nikken Waterfall. Imagine if we could create fresh spring water in our own home or office? This is the strategy behind the Nikken Waterfall.  The Nikken Waterfall System is an advanced, technically sophisticated, well designed countertop home filtration system that converts tap water into fresh spring-like water. Using a multi-stage filtration process which cleans, alkalizes, mineralizes, ionizes, energizes and oxygenates the water, the Waterfall produces a light, velvety fresh-tasting water which is highly absorbable and healthy.

Put simply, the Waterfall produces water the way nature intended water to be. Free of contaminants but maintaining an alkaline pH with minerals that are added back after the filtration process. The water is run through a magnetic field that provides a water structure as it occurs in nature.

The Waterfall Gravity Water System has a modern, compact profile and fits conveniently into most kitchen environments. All Nikken water products are designed to the highest standards, using non-leaching, and free of BPA and other estrogenic chemicals. With its Gold Seal of Approval from the Water Quality Association, the Waterfall meets rigorous standards for performance, capacity, and integrity, removing a variety of drinking water contaminants.

The Nikken Waterfall meets contaminant-reduction specifications of National Sanitary Foundation (NSF) Standards 42 and 53 and reduces objectionable tastes, odors, colors, aesthetic chlorine, chloramines, VOCs and mercury from municipally treated tap water. This is considerably better performance than you'd get with many conventional faucet or pitcher--type or water filters. The filtration efficiency is equivalent to more complex and expensive water filtration systems costing $1000’s of dollars.

The water tank components are bio-degradable plastics that will not leach potentially harmful chemicals into the contents of the tank. Nor will they release these chemicals into the soil.  The Waterfall is environmentally responsible in several ways. It reduces the number of discarded plastic water bottles that become trash in landfills. This also decreases consumption of fossil fuels used in manufacturing those bottles. The waterfall is made with recyclable and biodegradable materials, including a polymer that does not leach chemicals into water as some plastics will. 

Features and Benefits that we like most about our Waterfall:

·      Simple operation

·      Multiple-stage filtering process, advanced water-contaminant reducing technology

·      Certified filtration to reduce contaminants, NSF Certification

·      Gold Seal of Approval from the Water Quality Association

·      Natural, gravity-fed filtration – no need for electricity

·      Minerals added back to adjust pH to create alkaline water

·      Filter life LED indicator (The filter-life LED indicator turns from green to red when it is time to replace the filter)

·      Fits perfectly onto kitchen counter-top

·      Non-leaching and BPA free materials

·      Made of bio-degradable plastics for no environmental impact

·      Ease of operation and maintenance

·      Cost effective solution for healthy water

·      Does not require a power source which makes it perfect for power outages or travel

The Waterfall is good for your family, your pocketbook and our planet!

Find out more from your Nikken Wellness Consultant. 

Be Healthy by Choice, not by Chance.

The Hot and Cold of Working Out

The Hot and Cold of Working Out

By: Nikken

Some like it hot and some like it cold but both need to take special precautions to be healthy by choice and not by chance. 

The United States and many other countries are dealing with an increase, or even a prevalence of, obesity. Exercise and diet are the two basic ways to prevent or overcome this epidemic. In the United States, physicians refer to “Physical Activity” (PA) goals as the easy and affordable prescription for maintaining a healthy weight and more often than not, recommend outdoor exercise, which combines fresh air with mobility.

Weather conditions have an effect on whether an individual stays motivated to exercise outdoors. For example, not everyone will want to exercise outdoors during rain, snow or extremely hot or cold conditions. Working out under hot weather conditions can lead to a number of illnesses, including heat cramps, exhaustion and heatstroke. These occur when the body’s cooling system fails to function due to extreme heat and humidity, sweating profusely or not drinking enough fluids. The rule of thumb for outdoor activities during extremely hot weather is to avoid the hours immediately before and after the noon hour, and to stay hydrated throughout your exercise routine.

Exercising in cold weather not only helps keep extra pounds at bay but also can help combat the winter blues. As explained by Dr. Keven Plancher, head of Plancher Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in New York City to Women’s Health magazine, “All exercise can increase your levels of those feel-good hormones, endorphins. But because your body has to work harder in the cold, your endorphin production is boosted even more, leading to a happier state of mind.”1 Women’s Health also points out that a workout outside—even when the air is cold—can give you some much-needed sun exposure in the dark winter months, which will boost your mood as well.2

Cooler weather actually helps motivate people to do cardio workouts, because running, biking, hiking and so forth are all activities that produce heat. Even walking is suited for cooler temperatures. Low temperatures tend to make the heart work harder to keep the body at a stable temperature, so people with heart disease are advised to take caution when participating in strenuous activities during extremely cold conditions.3 Again, always stay hydrated.

To help stay motivated and consistent on an Active Wellness lifestyle, here are some tips:

1.     Eat healthy carbs a couple of hours before strenuous activities to keep your body warm and energetic. This also helps prevent fatigue.

2.     Do not drink caffeinated beverages before working out, because they can cause dehydration.

3.     Keep an energy bar on hand, especially when you know you will be exercising intensely or for a long period of time.

4.     Drink water or beverages with electrolytes before, during and after your workout to avoid cramping and dizziness. The PiMag® Sport Bottle is ideal with its built-in water filter.

5.     Set exercise/weight goals and write them down.

6.     Reward yourself periodically as you achieve your goals, but not with food, so you don’t associate pleasure only with edible treats.

7.     Wear KenkoTherm® Support Wraps and KenkoTherm DUK® Tape to help your muscles and joints stay warm and stable.

Sources used:

1. https://www.bustle.com/articles/174136-8-weird-ways-weather-affects-your-workout
2. https://www.bustle.com/articles/174136-8-weird-ways-weather-affects-your-workout
3. http://www.livestrong.com/article/367353-how-does-the-temperature-affect-cardio-workouts/

The Plastics Problem

Plastic, Plastic Everywhere: The Plastics Problem

In Mike Nichols film “The Graduate”, young college grad, Ben Braddock is given one word of advice for the future by Mr. McGuire, Plastics. As it turns out Mr. McGuire was quite prophetic, plastics are everywhere. It may have been good business advice but not necessarily good advice for our health or the health of our planet. Plastic is used pervasively but for this post I will concentrate on plastic water bottles. Many people are aware of the negative health and environmental impacts associated with plastic bottled water.

Environmental Burden

The effect of plastic bottles on our environment has been documented and although we have an awareness of the problem it is getting worse not better. There are over 100 million plastic bottles used each day globally and nearly 80% of these end up in our landfills. This means that only 20% are recycled. Approximately 1500 bottles end up in landfills and the ocean every second accounting for 2 million tons of plastic bottles that are landfilled each year.  It takes 700 years before plastic bottles start to decompose and can take up to 1000 years to fully decompose. Virtually every piece of plastic that was ever made still exists in some shape or form (except for the small amount that has been incinerated).

According to the Ocean Conservatory, plastic bottles and plastic bags are the most prevalent form of pollution found on our beaches and in our oceans, every square mile of the ocean has over 46,000 pieces of floating plastic. Ten percent of the plastic manufactured worldwide ends up in the ocean, the majority of that settling on the ocean floor where it will never degrade.

Up to 13 million tons of plastic ends up in the world’s oceans each year to be ingested by sea birds, fish and other organisms. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation by 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic by weight than fish.

Some of it is already finding its way into the human food chain. Scientists at Ghent University in Belgium recently calculated people who eat seafood ingest up to 11,000 tiny pieces of plastic every year. Last August, the results of a study by Plymouth University reported plastic was found in a third of UK-caught fish, including cod, haddock, mackerel and shellfish. Last year, the European Food Safety Authority called for urgent research, citing increasing concern for human health and food safety “given the potential for microplastic pollution in edible tissues of commercial fish”.

Consumption of natural resources related to plastic water bottles is another concern. Producing the bottles for American consumption required the equivalent of more than 17 million barrels of oil and an additional 18 million barrels are used to transport the bottled water. More energy is needed to fill the bottles with water at the factory, move it by truck, cool it in grocery stores or home refrigerators, and recover, recycle, or throw away the empty bottles. The Pacific Institute estimates that the total amount of energy embedded in our use of bottled water can be as high as the equivalent of filling a plastic bottle one quarter full of oil. Bottling water also wastes water, it takes three gallons of water to produce one gallon of bottled water.  Key environmental issues with bottled water, according to environmentalist David Suzuki, are waste and uncertainty over the long-term health effects created by plastic. "Not only does bottled water lead to unbelievable pollution…but plastic has chemicals in it. Plastics are ubiquitous. I don't believe that plastics are not involved in a great deal of the health problems that we face today."

Any way you look at it, bottling water is a tremendous waste as far as resources and a major contributor to the pollution of our planet.

Health Effects: Our Body Burden

As I have written before (The Body Burden) it is estimated that each one of us carry an average of over 200 toxic chemicals in our body. Everybody is being exposed to some degree at any given time from gestation through death to toxic chemicals from plastics. Plastic bottles are known to release harmful chemicals such as Bisphenol A. BPA is an industrial chemical that has been used to make certain plastics and resins since the 1960s. BPA is found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics are commonly used in containers that store food and beverages, such as water bottles. BPA is one of many man-made chemicals classified as endocrine disruptors, which alter the function of the endocrine system by mimicking the role of the body's natural hormones.

A study of 77 Harvard College students found one week of drinking water from polycarbonate bottles increased the levels of BPA in by two-thirds (1). This suggests that regular consumption of water from such bottles significantly increases exposure to BPA. Bio-monitoring by the Center for Disease Control and other studies have detected levels of bisphenol A in the urine of 95% of the adult population of the United States.  

Health problems associated with BPA’s include, overweight, early puberty, hypertension, ADHD, heart disease, liver failure, breast and prostate cancer to name a few.

One other contaminant that is associated with plastic bottled water is antimony. Antimony is a regulated contaminant that poses both acute and chronic health effects in drinking water. In small doses, antimony can cause nausea, dizziness and depression. In large doses, it can be fatal. The longer water is stored in plastic bottles, the higher the concentration of a potentially harmful chemicals can be, a recent study states.

Given the environmental impact of bottled water, the potential health risks that we know of, and the potential for risks we may not be aware of warrants serious consideration as to your choice for water.

When we consume bottled water, we pay far too much for it in terms of expense, our health and the health of our planet. Skipping the bottle is one step toward Being Healthy by Choice.

Visit the H2O shop for environmentally safe bottled water alternatives. 

The Great Alkaline Water Debate

What is Alkaline Water?

Water is our most essential nutrient and is vital to our survival and good health. You may know that two-thirds of your body is water, however, in terms of the number of molecules, your body consists of over 99 percent water molecules! Because water is so vital to our health, the type and quality of water we take into our body is very important.

I have written before that filtering tap water is the best way to get healthy water, see What to Look for in a Water Filtration System. Basically, when treating water for drinking, we should “take out the bad” and “leave in the good.”. We want to remove toxic chemicals and impurities then add back the essential minerals that nature intended to be in water.

Water from natural springs have been highly sought after for centuries because those who drank it claimed it had amazing health-restorative abilities. There are many natural springs on Earth where this has been observed. Tlacote, Mexico, Nordenau, Germany, Nadana Village, India, Yankalilla, Australia, The Himalayan Mountains in China and recently in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. It is of note and interest that indigenous people that consume these waters display exceptional health and longevity where people are reported to live to 100 to 135 years of age. All these waters in their natural state are alkaline. The alkalinity is due to minerals in the water including calcium, silica, potassium, magnesium, and bicarbonate.

The “alkaline” in alkaline water refers to its pH level. The pH level is a number that measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is on a scale of 0 to 14. For example, something with a pH of 1 would be very acidic, and something with a pH of 13 would be very alkaline. Alkaline water has a higher pH level than regular drinking water. Because of this, some advocates of alkaline water believe it can neutralize the acid in your body. Normal drinking water generally has a neutral pH of 7. Alkaline water typically has a pH of 8 or 9.

Alkaline Water Debate

There has been much debate as to whether drinking alkaline water is healthier than drinking pH neutral water (7.0) or acidic water (less than 7.0).  There are scientific studies that report benefits and those that do not. Those in favor of alkaline water claim it provides a range of health benefits. Namely, that it boosts the metabolism, reduces bone loss and slows the aging process, and metabolizes nutrients easier by neutralizing acid in the blood that causes disease. They believe low-grade acidosis may not always be detected with testing, leaving your body to suffer the consequences. The opposing side agrees there might be benefits but is unsure whether the benefits come from the high-pH-level alkaline water itself or the minerals it contains. 

One recent and interesting study in mice, Alkaline Water and Longevity: A Murine Study, reported, “statistical analysis revealed that alkaline water provides higher longevity in terms of “deceleration aging factor” as it increases the survival functions when compared with control group; namely, animals belonging to the population treated with alkaline water resulted in a longer lifespan.” Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016; 2016: 3084126.

I suggest that a little common sense regarding this debate is the answer. Alkaline water is water that’s less acidic than tap water, filtered water, and most bottled waters. Concentrating on the pH level of our water might be not be the aspect we want to focus on.  If alkaline water is healthier, that is intrinsically due more to the minerals it contains rather than its pH level. This means it is rich in alkalizing minerals that our bodies need. Yes, we can get minerals from the food we eat and many health and nutrition experts advocate alkaline diets. Drinking alkaline water seems a simple and efficient way of providing minerals in addition to our food choices. Also, we absorb minerals more efficiently from water than we do food.

In nature, water flows down mountain streams and picks up minerals from rocks in the stream to give it it’s alkalinity. Water filtration systems that create naturally alkaline water work the same way.

Water is not just a beverage choice, it is our most essential nutrient. Drinking half your weight in ounces per day of healthy water is one aspect of Being Healthy by Choice, not by Chance.