Foods to Support Your Immune System
Let’s start with food. There are foods that support and some that have detrimental effects on our immune efficiency.
If you eat a lot of foods and beverages high in…
“EAT WELL, LIVE WELL, BE WELL”
In last week’s Impetus, we talked ways that we all can use preventative measures to Be Healthy by Choice. For this and the next few weeks, we will talk about simple ways we can support our immune systems. For this and the next few weeks, we will talk about simple ways we can support our immune system.
Let’s start with food. There are foods that support and some that have detrimental effects on our immune efficiency.
If you eat a lot of foods and beverages high in sugar or refined carbohydrates, which the body processes as sugar, you may be reducing your body's ability to ward off disease.
Foods and drinks that compromise your immune system include:
Processed foods
Foods and drinks high in sugar
Refined carbohydrates
Alcoholic beverages
Eating or drinking too much sugar curbs immune system cells. This effect lasts for at least a few hours after downing a couple of sugary drinks or eating high sugar content foods. Eat more fruits and vegetables, which are rich in nutrients like vitamins C and E, plus beta-carotene and zinc.
Ten foods that support your immune system.
1. Unsalted Almonds are rich in vitamin E, which research suggests is important for maintaining the immune system, particularly as we get older. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that our immune system needs to function properly.
2. Bell Peppers contain more vitamin C than citrus fruits as well as beta-carotene for healthy skin. Vitamin C is important for our body to form antibodies to help it fight disease.
3. Broccoli is a great immune-boosting vegetable rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, C, E (and) potassium.
4. Citrus fruits such as clementines, lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruit are good sources for Vitamin C. With such a variety to choose from, it's easy to add a squeeze of this vitamin to any meal.
5. Dark, leafy greens such as arugula, kale, and spinach are good sources of beta carotene, which is associated with reducing inflammation and increasing disease-fighting cells, which help support your immunity.
6. Garlic contains compounds that naturally act to destroy bacteria and infection, which helps support your immune system. Research suggests that consuming garlic may help reduce the risk of becoming sick and staying ill. Allin in garlic boosts the disease-fighting response of some types of white blood cells in the body when they encounter viruses,
7. Medicinal Mushrooms are used worldwide to fight cancer and enhance and modulate the immune response. Certain species act as immune stimulators by raising cancer- and virus-fighting T Cells and Natural Killer Cells and prolonging the life of white blood cells, improving the resolution of infections.
8. Kiwi fruit is naturally full of a ton of essential nutrients, including folate, potassium, vitamin K, and vitamin C. Vitamin C boosts white blood cells to fight infection
9. Barley Grass is naturally high in many key nutrients that help to support the immune system, such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, and enzymes. Alongside other immune-supporting vitamins and minerals, Barley Grass is high in arginine, an essential amino acid for both innate and adaptive immune systems. It serves as a physiological substrate for enzymes and a regulatory molecule for creating antibodies.
10. Green Tea is high in flavonoids exhibit high biological activity and display antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiallergic properties. High in epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) a powerful antioxidant. EGCG has been shown to enhance immune function.
The Nikken Wellness Home contains many of these immune support foods within the Nikken Wellness supplements. On our next Healthy by Choice class, we will be talking about Nikken’s Kenzen Ten4®. A great tasting matcha green tea beverage made with USDA certified organic ingredients. Made from ceremonial grade (the highest) matcha green tea, brown rice solids, kiwi fruit and stevia leaf extract this beverage can be consumed either as a hot or cold beverage for extra energy and focus. A side benefit of this delicious drink is its immune system support.
Matcha green tea boosts the immune system due to its high antioxidant content, particularly Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) which assists your body's production of T-Cells to reduce inflammation and fight pathogens. This makes matcha green tea powder a great immune system booster. New Zealand kiwi is the most nutrient-dense of the superfruits containing folate, potassium, vitamin K, and vitamin C for immune support.
Our next Healthy by Choice class will be on Tuesday, March 31st at 6 pm PDT. We will be discussing ways to support our immune systems. To join the broadcast click this link and follow the prompts www.theroyalalliance.com/live, see you on Tuesday.
Be Healthy by Choice
Mr. Bones Says So
We need to supplement our bodies with minerals, we do not make them. However, no matter how much calcium we consume from calcium rich foods such as yogurt, milk and green leafy vegetables, or by nutritional supplements, such as Nikken’s excellent Kenzen® Calcium Complex, the most important aspects are …
I’ve never broken a bone in my life, or in my body.
Ringo Starr
The Silent Disease
One aspect of health that is often misunderstood or ignored is bone health. The skeletal system is the body’s second largest organ consisting of 206 bones in adults and provides several physical and physiological functions. Many people perceive our bones as a static, rigid structure when the exact opposite is true. Our bones are a dynamic organ that is a state of constant renewal and rebuilding. This is called bone remodeling and through this process we replace our entire skeletal structure every 10 years, or about seven times in our lifetime.
Through the process of bone remodeling minerals are released from old bone by specialized cells called osteoclasts and new bone is replaced by bone builder cells, osteoblasts. Good bone health is a balance of this resorption of older bone and formation of new bone for stable and strong bones. Healthy bones are vital to our joints and our whole body.
Regardless of age, we all need to keep our bones healthy. Children continue to build bone mass as they grow. Bone mineral density peaks between the ages of 20 and 30. Up to the age of 30, the body makes new bone faster than it breaks down old bone, so bone mass increases. After that, the pace of healthy bone formation slows down so that more bone is lost than formed. This decrease in bone density results in weaker bones that are more susceptible to fracture. Maintaining bone health becomes more challenging and critical as we grow older for a variety of reasons.
The main issue in this decrease in bone density is directly correlated with calcium and the body’s ability to absorb and utilize dietary calcium which diminishes with age.
Osteoporosis is a global disease. According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 will suffer an osteoporotic fracture. In fact, a bone will break every 3 seconds because of this disease. This has an enormous human and socio-economic impact. Many people don’t know they have osteoporosis until their first fracture, which is why it’s called the ‘silent disease’. Osteoporosis is estimated to affect 200 million people globally, with 55% of people over 50 currently at increased risk of fracture due to low bone mass.
Natural ways to help your bones and joints:
• Exercise, particularly anything that uses your body's weight to move, can help build strong bones. I suggest walking, jogging or dancing.
• Get some sunshine, at least 20 minutes a day for Vitamin D
• Eat the right foods. Green leafy vegetables are calcium rich and alkalizing. Greens give you calcium but are also good sources of vitamin k, potassium, and other minerals and nutrients needed for healthy bones.
• Avoid sodas and carbonated beverages. Limit caffeinated beverages and alcohol.
• Drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily. Bones are 25% water. Being hydrated is one of the best things you can do for bone joint health.
• Supplementation
We need to supplement our bodies with minerals, we do not make them. However, no matter how much calcium we consumefrom calcium rich foods such as yogurt, milk and green leafy vegetables, or by nutritional supplements, such as Nikken’sexcellent Kenzen® Calcium Complex, the most important aspects are absorption and utilization. If the body doesn’t absorb calcium, the bones cannot utilize it and be fortified. Nikken’s Kenzen BDZ™ is a giant step in rectifying this dilemma.Kenzen BDZ™ provides a unique and scientifically validated formula for calcium and other nutrients that are required for maintaining healthy bone structure, bone density and calcium absorption, by combining three patented blends of nutrients.
1. Aquamin® is derived from marine algae found in the pristine waters of Iceland. The minerals that make up Aquamin®provide a combination of benefits, not just for bones, but research shows that it helps support the health of our digestive system as well. This is important once again because absorption is key.
• Marine derived multi-mineral complex with 72 trace minerals.
• Rich source of minerals essential to life and critical biochemical pathways.
• Research shows benefits: helps preserve bone structure and strength, helps prevent loss of bone mineral density, helps the mineralization and maturation of bone cells, helps reduce stiffness in those suffering from osteoarthritis.*
To date, they are over 32 peer reviewed publications for joint and bone health for Aquamin®.
2. ParActin® is the result of 20 arduous years of research and development with more than 20 studies, including in vitro, animal models, and clinical studies in humans.
ParActin® is an innovation of world-renowned field researcher and scientific investigator Dr. Juan Hancke. His recently published study on 103 subjects with osteoarthritis showed reduction in discomfort, stiffness and fatigue while helping to improve physical function and Quality of Life scores with consistent intake of patented ParActin. *
ParActin® increases osteoblast and has a mineralizing effect on the bones with the increase of calcium deposits. Therefore, it could be beneficial in osteoporosis. *
3. Vitamin K2 as MK7 from MenaQ7®: For decades calcium has been the most obvious choice of dietary supplement for improving bone health. However, several studies show that supplementing with calcium exclusively is not enough. Our bodies need to optimize the use of calcium because excess calcium will accumulate in the blood vessel walls, making them stiff and less elastic. MenaQ7® is the optimal solution to utilize calcium in the body by binding calcium to the bones. A new 3-year study with MenaQ7® and 244 healthy womendemonstrated for the first time clinically statistically significant protection of the vertebrae and the hip (femoral neck) from bone loss.
This action supports healthy bone metabolism:
• Helps regulate calcium levels in bones and arteries.
• Vitamin K2 as MK-7 has the highest bioavailability and bioactivity of all Vitamin K vitamins.
• Helps support the maintenance of healthy bones and cardiovascular health.
• Helps maintain bone mineral density within normal ranges.
Kenzen BDZ™ is the partner product to Kenzen® Calcium Complex. Formulated specifically to help the body absorb and utilize calcium for healthier bones and joints. This combination of products helps support the body's ability to preserve bone density and assists in the preservation of joints and cartilage.
Benefits of KENZEN® Bone Health Pack (Kenzen BDZ™and Kenzen® Calcium Complex)
• Helps stimulate bone growth.*
• Helps increase bone mass and strength.*
• Helps increase bone mineral density.*
• Helps reduce risk of osteoporosis.*
• Supports increase in flexibility and mobility.*
• Supports healthy cartilage function.*
• Supports healthy skeletal muscle strength.*
Make healthy bones part of your self care routine and Be Healthy by Choice. This will be the subject of our next Healthy by Choice class on Tuesday, March 10th. Please join us by clicking this link, www.theroyalalliance.com/live.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Body Burden
Although we as individuals may not have a big say in the chemicals in our environment, we do have control over those which we may ingest, breathe or absorb. Self Care Awakening, “Be Healthy by Choice,” looks at ways we can help reduce our individual body burden of toxic chemicals…
The best way to detoxify is to stop putting toxic things into the body and depend upon its own mechanisms.
Andrew Weil
Toxic People
I think we would all agree the world is a toxic place. There are over 85,000 chemicals in the marketplace, and we come in contact with them in one way or another every day.
There is no such thing as a pristine environment. Toxins are in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. They are in the homes we live in and the offices where we work. They are present in our children’s schools. They are prevalent in our personal care and cleaning products.
Decades of research and countless studies have contributed to our understanding that we carry a burden of toxic chemicals in our bodies, our Body Burden. When engaged in conversation on this subject many people think that such small amounts of these chemicals could do no harm. When we talk about parts per million or parts per billion our mind says, that is so small how could it be harmful. What most people don’t recognize is that many pharmaceutical drugs are effective at these very small levels. We must also ask: what are the interactions of all these toxins, and how does this affect us after decades of absorbing and sequestering them in our bodies?
It has been nearly 40 years since September 22, 1980, and the Time Magazine cover story entitled “The Poisoning of America” was published. Pollution is something we have all been aware of for a long time. It’s not a new problem, but has it gotten better or worse? It’s gotten worse, exponentially worse.
It has been said every 5 years there are 10,000 new chemicals in the marketplace that wasn’t here 5 years ago. That equates to over 5 new chemicals per day!
Most people are of the opinion that these chemicals are thoroughly tested before they are released into our environment when actually less than one percent have been tested for toxicity to humans.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated safety testing for only a small percentage of the 85,000 industrial chemicals available for use today. And once chemicals are in use, the burden on the EPA is so high that it has succeeded in banning or restricting only a small amount of substances, and often only in specific applications. These include asbestos, dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyls, hexavalent chromium, and chlorofluorocarbons.
In 2010, at a hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health, Lisa Jackson, then the administrator of the EPA, put our current, hyper-toxic era into sharp perspective: "A child born in America today will grow up exposed to more chemicals than any other generation in our history."
Our Body Burden, the “Pollution in People”
The term body burden was first coined in the early 2000s. It is defined as the total amount of a chemical present in a human's or animal's body, typically a radioactive element or other toxic substance. This can include anything from dangerous metals like lead or mercury to pesticides and herbicides, unsafe food additives, and bisphenol A’s, (BPA’s) from plastics just to name a few.
Dr. Leo Trasande, assistant director of the Center for Children’s Health and the Environment at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, states, “We are in an epidemic of environmentally mediated disease among American children today. Rates of asthma, childhood cancers, birth defects, and developmental disorders have exponentially increased, and it can’t be explained by changes in the human genome. So, what has changed? All the chemicals we’re being exposed to.”
As stated by Dr. Sanjay Gupta on a recent CNN documentary entitled Toxic America, “A growing number of studies are finding hundreds of toxic chemicals in mothers' and subsequently their babies' bodies when they are born…”
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.
Our environment has changed very rapidly. We do not live in the same environment that we did 100 years, 50 years or even 10 years ago. Yet, biologically we change very slowly. Therein lies the problem. The inability to adapt to a more toxic environment takes its toll on our bodies resulting in a multitude of chronic health issues.
We monitor the pollution in our air, our water, and even our fish. It's time to start looking at the pollution in our bodies and take steps to minimize our exposure and absorption of toxic substances.
Although we as individuals may not have a big say in the chemicals in our environment, we do have control over those which we may ingest, breathe or absorb. Self Care Awakening, “Be Healthy by Choice,” looks at ways we can help reduce our individual body burden of toxic chemicals for a healthier life. Becoming aware of the problem is the first step the second is to take action for healthier choices.
This topic will be the focus of our next Healthy by Choice broadcast. The class will discuss steps we all can implement to reduce our body burden and how the Nikken Wellness Home provides the tools to accomplish this.
Please join us and invite guests for Body Burden Matters on Tuesday, February 25th at 9 pm Eastern, 6 pm Pacific. Together we can all help anyone Be Healthy by Choice. To Join the broadcast click this link and follow the prompts www.theroyalalliance.com/live see you on Tuesday.
Be Healthy by Choice.
Sleep Matters 2020
Sleep is an essential physiological process. Getting enough sleep is one way that we all can be healthier, more productive and happier. Get 8 hours a night of good quality sleep. It’s one way to be Healthy by Choice. This topic will be included in our next Healthy by Choice broadcast. The class will cover the problem of why we don’t sleep well and tips for a better, healthier sleep.
“The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep.”
Lack of Sleep, a Global Health Problem
When we think of what we need for survival and good health, our first responses would be air, water and food. However, sleep, like food, water and air is essential for survival and good health. We have known about the importance of sleep for a long time and have also become aware of health ramifications when we don’t receive optimal sleep. Poor quality or lack of sleep has been linked to many conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep problems and poor sleep health resulting in sleep deprivation, which has a high correlation to depression, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, neurocognitive disease, and even cancer. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has pointed to a “global epidemic of sleeplessness” with roughly two-thirds of adults sleeping less than 8 hours a night.
The National Sleep Foundation recently conducted a survey looking at the number of hours slept per work night in six counties. The results per country were:
Canada 7.1 hours
Mexico 7.1 hours
Germany 7.0 hours
UK 6.8 hours
US 6.5 hours
Japan 6.4 hours
It is interesting to note that the survey used work nights for its evaluation. One of the most common myths about sleep is that we can catch up on lost sleep during the week by sleeping in (or longer) on the weekends. Our sleep requirements are based on a circadian rhythm and most people need a good eight hours of sleep per night. Matthew Walker, professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, states in his book, Why We Sleep, that the recycle rate of human beings seems to be 16 hours of wakefulness before tests show a drastic reduction in physical and mental capabilities.
Like many others, getting enough sleep and a 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.
According to the World Health Organization you are likely part of the “sleep loss epidemic”. There has been a global rise in sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea, but also, those who have the capacity to sleep well just aren't sleeping enough. In Japan, where the epidemic is at its worse, the average time spent asleep is just 6 hours and 22 minutes, which has led to phrases for both falling asleep in public (inemuri) and dying from overwork (karōshi). The UK isn't far behind, averaging just 6 hours and 49 mins a night, meaning that since a study in 1942 found under 8% of the population was trying to survive on six or less hours, it's now rocketed to almost one in two.
There are several factors that contribute to a poor night’s sleep. For many people it is a matter of priorities. Sleep troubles can also stem from issues related to falling asleep, waking up frequently, staying asleep or other chronic problems.
Sleep is the single activity that we spend the most time doing in our lifetimes. We spend one-third of our lives asleep and for good reason. William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D., Stanford University, is one of the world's leading authorities on sleep. 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.” Dr. Matthew Walker, agrees, "I used to suggest that sleep is the third pillar of good health, along with diet and exercise, 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."
We need sleep to be heathy, happy and productive. Without it we suffer consequences both physically and mentally. Sleep is the most important determinant to being healthy by choice, so, choose to get enough quality sleep. Sleep Matters.
Sleep for Better Health
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.
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.
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.
Nikken’s Kenko Sleep System
Sleep is not only about how many hours we sleep, but more importantly about quality of sleep that we are receiving. A significant component of sleep quality is dependent on our sleep environment. For that reason, the foundation of the Nikken Wellness Home and our personal choice, is the Nikken Naturest® Kenko Sleep System. It uses natural materials and simple principles to create Adaptive Sleep Technology. This includes, self-regulating temperature control, advanced magnetic technology and passive massage to provide a natural, relaxing sleep environment for a deep restful, rejuvenating sleep.
Sleep is an essential physiological process. Getting enough sleep is one way that we all can be healthier, more productive and happier. Get 8 hours a night of good quality sleep. It’s one way to be Healthy by Choice. This topic will be included in our next Healthy by Choice broadcast. The class will cover the problem of why we don’t sleep well and tips for a better, healthier sleep.
Please join us and invite guests for our next Class, Sleep Matter Matters on Tuesday, February 18th at 9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific. Together we can all help anyone Be Healthy by Choice. To Join the broadcast click this link and follow the prompts www.theroyalalliance.com/live see you on Tuesday.
Healthy by Choice
Looking for a mattress to go under your Kenko Sleep System check out this independent survey by Consumers Advocate.
Air Matters 2020
In forests, the Japanese call this ‘Shinrin-yoku’ or “forest bathing”.
Air pollution is turning Mother Nature prematurely gray.
Irv Kupcinet
Air Matters: A Solution for the Wellness Home
It is very difficult to address the concept of Self Care, an Active Wellness Lifestyle or the Wellness Home without addressing Healthy Air. Air quality is one, if not, the major pathway that toxic chemicals and particulates enter our bodies to cause innumerable health concerns.
Air pollution is a global problem of concern to us all. According to Professor Michael Brauer, University of British Columbia, “Air pollution is the 4th highest risk factor for death globally and by far the leading environmental risk factor for disease.”
Poor air quality air, both outdoors and indoors, is a global environmental concern and is a contributing factor to many health challenges. Air pollution isn’t just experienced in highly populated towns and cities but occurs everywhere. In their book, Invisible Killers, Dr. Stewart Lonky and biochemist Rik Deitsch report, “There are over 1460 metric tons of airborne toxins that travel on the jet stream around the world. Because of this there is no place on the planet that can be considered a pristine environment.”
This is a problematic issue as many times we feel ineffective in helping or improving the problem overall. One way that we can be pro-active is to realize that much of the air we breathe, we breathe indoors. Currently, indoor air pollution ranks tenth among preventable risk factors contributing to the global burden of disease. The air within our homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air even the largest and most industrialized cities according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Indoor air pollution can be 2 to 5 times higher than what we are exposed to outdoors. Virtually every household and office building is a potential source of excessive amounts of one or another toxic pollutant - nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, formaldehyde, radon (a radioactive product of radium), sulfur dioxide, asbestos, not to mention the chemicals in hairsprays, deodorants, oven cleaners, paints, pesticides, laundry aids, floor and furniture polishes, glue and, ironically, air fresheners.
Indoor air pollution has been linked to a wide variety of adverse health effects, including headaches, respiratory problems, frequent colds and sore throats, chronic cough, skin rashes, eye irritation, lethargy, dizziness and memory lapses. Long-term effects may include an increased risk of cancer. Though children, the elderly and those with chronic ailments like asthma, allergies and heart and lung diseases seem especially vulnerable, symptoms may also occur in otherwise normal, healthy persons.
Dusts, molds, pollens and other particles in our air can directly impact us through hay fever or other allergies. Improving the quality of our air can reduce the air pollution we experience, as well as helping to reduce airborne transmissions in offices, schools, and other such environments.
Importance of Indoor Air Quality
“Indoor air quality” refers to the quality of the air in a home, school, office, or other building environment. The potential impact of indoor air quality on human health is noteworthy for several reasons:
Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations. People who are often most susceptible to the adverse effects of pollution (e.g., the very young, older adults, the infirm and people with cardiovascular or respiratory disease) tend to spend even more time indoors.
Indoor concentrations of some pollutants have increased in recent decades due to such factors as energy-efficient building construction (when it lacks sufficient mechanical ventilation to ensure adequate air exchange) and increased use of synthetic building materials, furnishings, personal care products, pesticides, and household cleaners.
“Cleaning up the air we breathe prevents non-communicable diseases as well as reduces disease risks among women and vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly...”, says Dr. Flavia Bustreo, WHO Assistant Director-General Family, Women and Children’s Health.
Air as nature intended.
Kenko Air Purifier
Air in natural settings such as forests, waterfalls, and the ocean have a soothing, relaxing sensation. In forests, the Japanese call this ‘Shinrin-yoku’ or “forest bathing”. This feeling in part is caused by the abundant negative ions found natural environments. Negative ions are particles in the air that carry a net negative electrical charge. Research suggests that negative ions contribute to the sense of well-being that we get from breathing fresh, clean air.
The KenkoAir® Purifier is designed to combat allergy and harmful causing particles and enhance the negative ion content of the air we breathe. The KenkoAir® Purifier utilizes a H3 multi-stage Hepa filtration process that eliminates 99.9% of air particles as small as 0.3 microns. The negative ion generator does not produce ozone as seen with many other air filtration systems on the market.
We breathe without even thinking, (approximately 23,000 times a day) as such, air wellness is a simple solution for a huge problem that fits into and compliments the Nikken Wellness Home, allowing us to enjoy a more natural, pollutant-free environment.
Breathing cleaner air is one way we all can be Healthy by Choice. This topic will be included in our next Healthy by Choice broadcast. The class will cover the problem of indoor air pollution, the solution and what and why some choices are healthier than others.
Please join us and invite guests for Air Matter Matters on Tuesday, February 11th at 9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific. Together we can all help anyone Be Healthy by Choice. To Join the broadcast click this link and follow the prompts www.theroyalalliance.com/live see you on Tuesday.
Be health by choice
Weight Matters 2020
Don’t dismay, if your goal is to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, we have information that will help you.
“The only reason I am fat is because a tiny body couldn’t store all of this personality. ”
Here’s the Skinny
We thought that this might be an appropriate subject for this week’s The Impetus and next week’s Healthy by Choice class. The most common New Year’s resolutions for 2020 are exercising more (50%), saving money (49%), eating healthier (43%), and losing weight (37%). Although we make resolutions with the best intentions, according to the U.S. News and World Report. about a third of resolutions do not make it past the first month and 80% of resolutions disappear by the second week of February.
Don’t dismay, if your goal is to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, we have information that will help you.
Maintaining a healthy weight is important for well-being. In addition to lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and high blood pressure, it can also lower the risk of many different cancers and chronic diseases.
The Pandemic
WHO has called obesity a global pandemic with worldwide obesity tripling since 1975 that has global implications for health and disease.
In one of the largest studies ever to examine obesity rates across the globe, researchers found that more than 60% of men, 50% of women and 1/3rd of children are either overweight or obese. They concluded that obesity is a growing problem in all regions of the world, even among traditionally lean Asian populations.
A recent study in The Lancet (April 2016) reported for the first time in human history obese people outnumber underweight people. These statistics were gathered from 200 countries and nearly 20 million people for over 20 years.
The Solution
In order to achieve a goal, it is important to become aware of all the factors that may affect your outcome. When trying to achieve a healthy weight keep in mind that more is involved than just diet and exercise.
Top Factors Affecting Weight:
Heredity- Some people are genetically predisposed to gain weight more easily than others.
Diet- The quantity and quality of food in your diet has a strong impact on weight including food addictions such as sugar.
Physical Inactivity- Weight gain and loss are primarily a formula of total calories consumed versus total calories used.
Dehydration- Inadequate hydration has been shown to slow metabolic processes and increase weight gain.
Sleep Deficiency- People who get too little sleep tend to weigh more than those who get enough sleep. Environmental Factors- Environmental toxins in our bodies have been shown to affect weight.
An effective weight management plan is more than just what we eat and how much we exercise. It requires attention to several self care processes that can affect our weight. Nutrition, sleep, hydration and stress management are all important for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
Weight and Water
Are you Hungry or Thirsty?
The same part of your brain is responsible for interpreting both hunger and thirst signals which can often result in mixed messages. Many times, we eat high caloric foods when we are actually thirsty. "Mild dehydration is often masked as feelings of hunger, when really your body just needs fluids," says Alissa Rumsey, RD, spokesperson for the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The confusion happens in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates both appetite and thirst.
A 2016 study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign examined the dietary habits of more than 18,300 U.S. adults and found that the majority of people who increased their consumption of plain water by one percent reduced their total daily calorie intake as well as their consumption of saturated fat, sugar, sodium and cholesterol.
Sleep and Weight
Research indicates that there is a link between how much people sleep and how much they weigh. In general, children and adults who get too little sleep tend to weigh more than those who get enough sleep. Studies have shown that sleep deficiency promotes hunger and increased appetites. Poor or insufficient sleep increases levels of a hunger hormone called ghrelin and decreases levels of the satiety/fullness hormone called leptin, which can lead to overeating and weight gain.
Sugar is Everywhere
There are over 600,000 food items in the U.S. and 80% of them contain added sugars. Sometimes in foods that we wouldn’t suspect as having added sugars.
One of the main problems is excess sugar consumption. To put this into context, the average daily consumption of sugar by Americans in 1822 was 9 grams a day. It is currently 153 grams a day per individual. This is a 17-fold increase in less than 200 years. We change very slowly biologically, yet we have drastically altered what we are eating and the amount of sugar we are consuming.
America isn’t the only country that loves sugar and excess sugar consumption has become a global issue.
Sugar is highly addictive. The first self care defense is to check food labels and monitor your daily sugar intake. The American Heart Association and many other international health agencies recommend 6 teaspoons or 25 grams and 9 teaspoons or 36 grams daily as a daily sugar intake. The best way to break the sugar addiction is by consuming protein. Protein Shakes are ideal for this and a great way to start your day.
Your Environment and Weight
I think we can all agree we live in a toxic world. Each of us have 200 or more environmental toxins in our bodies and many have been shown to affect weight. Including exposure to environmental chemicals with endocrine-disrupting activities, heavy metals, solvents, pesticides, organophosphates, and phthalates. BPA has been linked with numerous disturbing health issues like obesity and diabetes, cancer and behavioral disorders. In addition, PCB, PBBs, and many other substances have been documented to cause weight gain.
The Good News
Other than heredity, the factors that affect our weight are ones in which we all have choices. The solutions are straight forward and can be accomplished by first becoming aware of the problem and then making simple healthy choices. This will be the context of our next Healthy by Choice class and how the Nikken Wellness Home products and technologies provide simple, effective and affordable solutions, so anyone can Be Healthy by Choice. Join us for an informative broadcast Tuesday, February 4th at 9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific. at www.theroyalalliance.com/live .
Be Healthy by Choice
Water Matters 2020
Please join us and invite guests for a Water Matters master class on Tuesday January 28th at 9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific. Together we can all help anyone Be Healthy by Choice.
“Pure water is the world’s first and foremost medicine.”
The Facts of Life
Life cannot exist without water! It is the most important nutrient we consume every day of our lives. Water comprises over two-thirds of our body weight and is one of the most essential elements to maintaining well-being. Water is important in every physiological process. Water helps your body with circulation, assimilation, digestion, elimination and temperature control. Proper hydration is essential to a healthy life.
Unfortunately, most of us live our lives in a state of chronic dehydration. Researchers estimate that about 75% of people in the U.S. have chronic dehydration. Dehydration is a global problem with 80% of Britons, 75% of Australians, 50% of Germans and 75% of people in France suffering from chronic dehydration.
“Dehydration is the Mother of ALL EPIDEMICS and it is THE FIRST STEP we need to take in addressing chronic disease.”
Failure to drink enough water can lead to many health issues such as fatigue, joint pain, weight gain, headaches, ulcers, diabetes, kidney disease and high blood pressure. Chronic dehydration may affect your organs and lead to kidney stones, cholesterol complications, constipation, liver and muscle damage.
Part of the problem lies with a misunderstanding of how important water is and how much we need each day to be healthy. Water is not just a beverage choice; it is our most essential nutrient. When we think of water this way it becomes apparent that we must drink enough each day.
“Water is not just a beverage choices. It is an essential nutrient.”
Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn't have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don't replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated. Anyone may become dehydrated, but the condition is especially dangerous for young children and older adults.
We lose water everyday through processes such as breathing, temperature regulation and excretion. If our water intake doesn’t replenish these losses, we become dehydrated. It takes less than a 1% deficiency to trigger our thirst response. Just a 2.5% percent reduction in our hydration can result in a 25% reduction in energy and efficiency including short-term memory loss, trouble with performing basic math, and challenges in focusing. The most common cause of daytime fatigue is mild dehydration.
Dehydration has been called the Mother of ALL Epidemics and is the first step we need to take in addressing chronic disease.
How Much Water Should We Drink?
There is no perfect answer to this question as it depends on your age, health status, level of physical activity, body type and ambient surroundings.
Everyone has heard drink eight 8oz glasses of water a day. This is insufficient in my opinion for proper hydration for most us. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces per day of water. So, if you weigh 160 pounds, 10 glasses or 80 ounces per day is a good rule to follow. For the metric system the rule of thumb is to drink 3.3% of your body weight in kilograms in liters of water per day to stay hydrated.
Quality Water
The next subject to address is water choices. We are lucky in the U.S. and many other countries that we have choices as to water, but some choices are healthier than others. This topic will be included in our next Healthy by Choice broadcast. The class will cover the problem of dehydration, the solution and what and why some water choices are healthier than others.
Be Healthy by Choice
Self Care Awakening 2020
Heather and I are very excited about a new addition to our Self Care Awakening curriculum. Premiering next Tuesday, January 21st at 6 PM/PT (9 PM/PT) we will be broadcasting a weekly program entitled Healthy by Choice.
“I hope you live a life you’re proud of.”
Healthy by Choice 2020
Heather and I want to wish our subscribers a very Happy and Healthy New Year. As we all build our Global Wellness Community, it is paramount that we continue to share and disseminate information that empowers anyone to be Healthy by Choice.
What started a few years ago as a tagline, “Healthy by Choice not by Chance,” has developed into a battle cry for many of us. Our current healthcare system is broken, and it will take each one of us to turn the tide from a treatment and management of disease approach to a disease prevention focused system.
Currently, the United States leads the world in chronic disease and pharmaceutical consumption, however, we are facing a global health crisis due to the increasing burden of chronic disease. Currently, chronic diseases are responsible for 70% of deaths worldwide. Over 50% of us live with at least one chronic illness and 33% have two or more. 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. According to the World Health Organization, chronic diseases are by far the leading cause of mortality in Europe, representing 77% of the total disease burden and 86% of all deaths. Ninety-seven percent of health expenses are currently spent on treatment, with only 3% is invested in prevention.
Chronic diseases are interrelated, have common risk factors and are largely preventable. It is the scope of the Self Care Awakening series to provide information to empower anybody to live a healthier life.
If there was ever a time for a Self Care Awakening it is NOW.
Regrettably most everyone reading this article has experienced chronic disease in their lives, either personally, a family member or someone they care about. It is our purpose and our passion to change this and empower everyone to Be Heathy by Choice and not leave their Health to Chance.
To help facilitate this, Heather and I are very excited about a new addition to our Self Care Awakening curriculum. Premiering next Tuesday, January 21st at 6 PM/PT (9 PM/ET) we will be broadcasting a weekly program entitled Healthy by Choice. The objective of the program is to provide simple, easy solutions for a healthier life. We will be including a live Q&A section at the conclusion of each week’s presentation.
Please plan on joining us and inviting guests so that together we can all help anyone Be Healthy by Choice.
To Join the broadcast click this link and follow the prompts www.theroyalalliance.com/live see you on Tuesday.
Self Care Awakening
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 Self Care Revolution
We are facing a health crisis due to the increasing burden of chronic disease. Currently, chronic diseases are responsible for 70% of deaths. Over 60% of us live with at least one chronic illness and 42% have 2 or more. 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.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), treating people with chronic diseases accounts form 86% of our health care costs. Nearly 70% of our population are on some type of prescription medication, with an average of nearly 17 per person.
From reading the preceding paragraph you might surmise that I am talking only about the United States, but these same figures (or very close) apply globally.
Chronic Disease a Global Health Crisis
Although the United States currently leads the world in almost every disease and chronic condition, this is not just a problem here in the U.S., it is global. Fifty percent of adults worldwide have at least one chronic disease while one in three suffer from multiple chronic conditions. Disease rates from these conditions are accelerating globally and advancing across every region and pervading all socioeconomic classes. Chronic disease is responsible for 70% of deaths globally and pharmaceutical consumption continues to increase globally driven by a growing demand for drugs to treat chronic diseases, according to the World Health Organization. Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, are by far the leading cause of mortality in Europe, representing 77% of the total disease burden and 86% of all deaths.
Chronic diseases are interrelated, have common risk factors and are largely preventable. Yet, in Europe, 9 people out of 10 die of a chronic disease. Ninety-seven percent of health expenses are currently spent on treatment, with only 3% is invested in prevention.
If there was ever a time for a Self Care Awakening it is NOW
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.
In a span of a little over a 100 years chronic disease has become the number one killer worldwide accounting for 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 the most preventable of all health problems.
Americans currently fill 5.8 billion prescriptions per year. In 1993 the average prescription per American was seven, currently it is over 17 per person in the U.S Per capita pharmaceutical use is highest in the U.S., followed by Canada, Germany, and France according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The National Health Service recently reported that the UK has experienced a 47% increase in drugs dispensed over the last decade with over one billion prescriptions being filled every year. Medication has reached a shocking level of 15 per individual with half of Britons taking prescription medications.
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 and are the factors either individually or in conjunction are the causation for chronic conditions.
1. Water Matters discusses the importance of hydration and what happens if we don’t drink enough water. This Impetus also talks about different choices for healthy water that we consume and bathe in.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
Although these four concepts are simple and easy to understand they are vital for our health, unfortunately most of us don’t pay much attention to them. It is vital that we stay hydrated, get 8 hours of sleep, reduce our sugar intake to a healthy level and take steps to decrease our body burden of toxic chemicals.
Regrettably most everyone reading this article has experienced chronic disease in their lives, either personally, a family member or people they care about. It is our purpose and our passion to change this and empower everyone to Be Heathy by Choice and not leave their Health to Chance.
Hope is Our Business
…love this question because it gives us a chance to share something personal, part of our history and something inspirational.
“Stories have the power to create social change and inspire community. ”
This is Personal
People often ask, “What got you into Nikken?” Nikken consultants love this question because it gives us a chance to share something personal, part of our history and something inspirational. This question opens the door to hope. We have collected some amazing stories and in this “The Impetus” we are going to share those stories with you.
This is Business
This is a business of hope, love and sharing.
Positive word of mouth is the best advertising any business can have. Yoko Tsuye, NIkken top retailer, shares how she grew her business when she helped a friend out.
It could be that Nikken is just what you are looking for, either as a customer or a business owner. Talk to the person that shared this with you, today, and add your story to ours.
Global Health Solution - Sleep
When we think of what we need for survival and good health, our first responses would be air, water and food. However, sleep, like food, water and air is essential for survival and good health. We have known about the importance of sleep…
“Sleep’s the only medicine that gives ease.”
When we think of what we need for survival and good health, our first responses would be air, water and food. However, sleep, like food, water and air is essential for survival and good health. We have known about the importance of sleep for a long time and have also become aware of health ramifications when we don’t receive optimal sleep. Poor quality or lack of sleep has been linked to many conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep problems and poor sleep health resulting in sleep deprivation, which has a high correlation to depression, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, neurocognitive disease, and even cancer. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has pointed to a “global epidemic of sleeplessness” with roughly two-thirds of adults sleeping less than 8 hours a night.
The National Sleep Foundation recently conducted a survey looking at the number of hours slept per work night in six counties. The results per country were:
Canada 7.1 hours
Mexico 7.1 hours
Germany 7.0 hours
UK 6.8 hours
US 6.5 hours
Japan 6.4 hours
It is interesting to note that the survey used work nights for its evaluation. One of the most common myths about sleep is that we can catch up on lost sleep during the week by sleeping in (or longer) on the weekends. Our sleep requirements are based on a circadian rhythm and most people need a good eight hours of sleep per night. Matthew Walker, professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, states in his book, Why We Sleep, that the recycle rate of human beings seems to be 16 hours of wakefulness before tests show a drastic reduction in physical and mental capabilities.
According to the World Health Organization you are likely part of the “sleep loss epidemic”. There has been a global rise in sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea, but also, those who have the capacity to sleep well just aren't sleeping enough. In Japan, where the epidemic is at its worse, the average time spent asleep is just 6 hours and 22 minutes, which has led to phrases for both falling asleep in public (inemuri) and dying from overwork (karōshi). The UK isn't far behind, averaging just 6 hours and 49 mins a night, meaning that since a study in 1942 found under 8% of the population was trying to survive on six or less hours, it's now rocketed to almost one in two.
Professor Walker’s book, Why We Sleep which is, in his own words, is a "manifesto of sleep science". The book collates and dispels a number of sleep myths while linking the "pernicious erosion of our sleep in developed nations" to nearly every major modern illness, from cancer to diabetes to heart disease to Alzheimer's. Walker is disarmingly resolute about the message of the book: "I think sleep is still a missing piece in the puzzle of people's health. It's not something people are necessarily recognizing as a critical issue when comes to fighting disease and sickness”.
There are several factors that contribute to a poor night’s sleep. For many people it is a matter of priorities. Sleep is often considered an unproductive part of our day and we often forgo it for other activities. For many, it is a matter of prioritization – some choose to scroll through social media long past their desired bedtime or spend long nights at work; but for others, sleep troubles can stem from issues related to falling asleep, waking up frequently, staying asleep or other chronic problems.
Regardless, sleep is a biological necessity and should take priority every night to achieve and maintain good health.
We have previously blogged about sleep and its importance to our health. Sleep is the single activity that we spend the most time doing in our lifetimes. We spend one-third of our lives asleep and for good reason. William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D., Stanford University, is one of the world's leading authorities on sleep. 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.” Dr. Matthew Walker, agrees, "I used to suggest that sleep is the third pillar of good health, along with diet and exercise, 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."
We need sleep to be heathy, happy and productive. Without it we suffer consequences both physically and mentally. Sleep is the most important determinant to being healthy by choice, so, choose to get enough quality sleep. Sleep Matters.
Sleep is not only about how many hours we sleep, but more importantly about quality of sleep that we are receiving. A significant component of sleep quality is dependent on our sleep environment. For that reason, the foundation of the Nikken Wellness Home and our personal choice, is the Nikken Naturest® Kenko Sleep System. It uses natural materials and simple principles to create Adaptive Sleep Technology. This includes, self-regulating temperature control, advanced magnetic technology and passive massage to provide a natural, relaxing sleep environment for a deep restful, rejuvenating sleep.
The system includes three main components, the Nikken Naturest® Mattress Topper with a KenkoDream™ Comforter and the Kenko Naturest® Custom Pillow. Each component contains advanced technology and materials to improve sleep quality.
The Nikken Naturest® Mattress Topper features a design that has no springs. Its construction forms itself to body contours. This prevents the formation of pressure points (feeling to heavy in one spot that often precipitates tossing and turning) that can interrupt sleep and prevents us from attaining optimal rest. The natural latex foundation is firm yet comfortable, and resists sagging. This support system combines advanced scientific technology and natural materials in a design that promotes healthy and refreshing sleep. An impressive merger of two very different design principles, Naturest features advanced sleep innovations, including a revolutionary new design in magnetic technology, seen nowhere else — and traditional materials that are not only environmentally responsible but help you sleep soundly and wake feeling refreshed and energized. After trying the Kenko Naturest® Mattress Topper, you’ll never want to sleep without it.
A perfect balance of comfort for all climates, the Kenko Dream® Comforter combines revolutionary technology and the finest materials allow better rest. Ceramic-reflecting fibers help regulate temperatures to keep you warm or cool and is designed for all-season use. Chitocotton, another innovation, contains chitosan to help fibers retain a clean, fresh scent. A magnetic layer completes the cocoon effect with ceramic-reflective fibers that help to release heat and maintain a comfortable temperature. The breathable cover provides ventilation and releases excess heat for comfort and is finished in an elegant, satiny weave that dresses up your bed.
Inside the Kenko Naturest® Custom Pillow is a special filler of rolled natural latex. It’s designed so that you remove or replace filler to achieve the desired degree of firmness —your personal perfect fit. The latex is especially resilient, so it resists being compressed flat, unlike a down or foam pillow. A head and neck insert helps provide correct spinal alignment. The pillow cover is a natural, breathable cotton blend. Deep within the Custom Pillow is patented DynaFlux® Magnetic Technology, a series of magnets arranged to surround you in a cocoon of magnetism. Nikken Kenko Sleep products are made in the USA.
A few years ago, I conducted a sleep trail using the Nikken Sleep System. The trial included over 200 individuals who responded to a questionnaire regarding their sleep quality. Individuals were asked a series of questions before and after using the sleep system. Results showed an average of nearly 50% improvement in sleep quality after just four to seven nights sleeping on the system. For more information see our Sleep Matters video.
Quality sleep on a Kenko Sleep System can contribute to improved learning ability and decision-making abilities, improved memory, alertness and increased mental acuity. Quality sleep supports physical health including improved immune system function, better ability to resist premature aging, increased ability to resist stress, and better-regulated hormone production that can help prevent weight gain or obesity.
Sleep Matters and is a vital component of every Wellness Home. As Nikken consultants and part of our International Wellness Community we have a solution for this global problem and we highly recommend the Nikken Naturest® Kenko Sleep System.
Get at least eight hours of quality sleep per night and BE HEALTHY BY CHOICE, NOT BY CHANCE.
Air Matters: A Solution for the Wellness Home
We breathe without even thinking, (approximately 23,000 times a day) as such, air wellness is a simple solution for a huge problem…
“There is so much pollution in the air now that if it weren’t for our lungs there’d be no place to put it all. ”
Air Matters: A Solution for the Wellness Home
In my opinion, it is very difficult to address the concept of Self Care, an Active Wellness Lifestyle or the Wellness Home without addressing Healthy Air. Air quality is one, if not, the major pathway that toxic chemicals and particulates enter our bodies to cause innumerable health concerns.
Air pollution is a global problem of concern to us all. According to Professor Michael Brauer, University of British Columbia, “Air pollution is the 4th highest risk factor for death globally and by far the leading environmental risk factor for disease.”
Poor air quality air, both outdoors and indoors, is an environmental concern in the world today and is a contributing factor to many health challenges. Air pollution isn’t just experienced in highly populated towns and cities but occurs everywhere. In their book, Invisible Killers, Dr. Stewart Lonky and biochemist Rik Deitsch report, “There are over 1460 metric tons of airborne toxins that travel on the jet stream around the world. Because of this there is no place on the planet that can be considered a pristine environment.”
This is a problematic issue as many times we feel ineffective in helping or improving the problem on the whole. One way that we can be pro-active is to realize that much of the air we breathe, we breathe indoors. Currently, indoor air pollution ranks tenth among preventable risk factors contributing to the global burden of disease. Concentrations of pollutants can be many times higher indoors than outdoors.
The air within our homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air even the largest and most industrialized cities according to the
US Environmental Protection Agency.
Indoor air pollution can be 2 to 5 times higher than what we are exposed to outdoors. The air inside our homes is the same air as outside, but added pollution from cleaning products, off gassing of chemicals from carpets, paints, glues from furniture, particleboards, and with the other by-products of our modern lives all contribute to poor indoor air quality.
Dusts, molds, pollens and other particles in our air can directly impact us through hay fever or other allergies. Improving the quality of our air can reduce the air pollution we experience, as well as helping to reduce airborne transmissions in offices, schools, and other such environments.
Importance of Indoor Air Quality
“Indoor air quality” refers to the quality of the air in a home, school, office, or other building environment. The potential impact of indoor air quality on human health is noteworthy for several reasons:
Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations. People who are often most susceptible to the adverse effects of pollution (e.g., the very young, older adults, the infirm and people with cardiovascular or respiratory disease) tend to spend even more time indoors.
Indoor concentrations of some pollutants have increased in recent decades due to such factors as energy-efficient building construction (when it lacks sufficient mechanical ventilation to ensure adequate air exchange) and increased use of synthetic building materials, furnishings, personal care products, pesticides, and household cleaners.
“Cleaning up the air we breathe prevents non-communicable diseases as well as reduces disease risks among women and vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly...”, says Dr. Flavia Bustreo, WHO Assistant Director-General Family, Women and Children’s Health.
Air as nature intended.
Air in natural settings such as forests, waterfalls, and the ocean have a soothing, relaxing sensation. In forests, the Japanese call this ‘Shinrin-yoku’ or “forest bathing”. This feeling in part is caused by the abundant negative ions found natural environments. Negative ions are particles in the air that carry a net negative electrical charge. Research suggests that negative ions contribute to the sense of well-being that we get from breathing fresh, clean air.
The KenkoAir® Purifier is designed to combat allergy and harmful causing particles and enhance the negative ion content of the air we breathe. The KenkoAir® Purifier utilizes a H3 multi-stage Hepa filtration process that eliminates 99.9% of air particles as small as 0.3 microns. The negative ion generator does not produce ozone as seen with many other air filtration systems on the market.
We breathe without even thinking, (approximately 23,000 times a day) as such, air wellness is a simple solution for a huge problem that fits into and compliments the Nikken Wellness Home, helping us to enjoy a more natural, pollutant-free environment.
Breathing cleaner air is one way we all can be Healthy by Choice.
Amazing Stories
Last Saturday Heather and I were fortunate enough to attend the Nikken Revolution Event in Concord, California. So much valuable information and powerful stories were shared it would be an injustice for me to try and summarize. In lieu of that…
“Stories are medicine. They have such power; they do not require that we do, be, act anything - we only need to listen. ”
The Revolution
Last Saturday Heather and I were fortunate enough to attend the Nikken Revolution Event in Concord, California. This was a well-attended event and everyone there, consultants and guests, benefitted from the engaging and informative presentations.
So much valuable information and powerful stories were shared it would be an injustice for me to try and summarize. In lieu of that, Heather has assembled a few short videos from the weekend.
Our morning session focused on solutions to many health challenges we face and how to improve or prevent them with the Nikken Wellness Home and Active Wellness products. The afternoon program dealt with key principles for a successful business from many of our top leaders both in the field and corporate.
The added bonus to events like this is the opportunity to network and share ideas with like-minded people. It is an incredible experience to be with others that share the same passion and purpose for helping others make healthy choices.
Thank you to Dr. Mee-Jin Chong for hosting this regional event and to all the presenters (too numerous to name) that traveled from far and wide to share their message of Nikken’s mission of Every Home a Wellness Home.
Are you grounded? Ruth Loh shares multigenerational Nikken KenkoGround Grounding Stories. Grounding is reconnecting to the earth with our bare skin like walking outside barefoot. The Nikken KenkoGround grounding pad allows you to do this without leaving home or from a motel room.
Be Healthy by Choice!
Global Health Solution; Dehydration
The solution to dehydration and our global water issues and the plastic pollution of our planet is very complex and people often wonder what they can do as individuals to make a positive impact. One thing we all can do…
“Water raises your metabolism and has zero calories!”
Last week we discussed the growing global issue of chronic disease. In the last 100 years, we have transitioned from a world in which infectious diseases were the greatest health challenge to one in which multiple chronic illnesses are the biggest global health threat Over 70% of deaths are attributed to chronic diseases. Although the U.S. leads the world in chronic diseases and pharmaceutical consumption this is a global problem.
Dehydration: A Global Problem
According to a recent study 75% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration. Meaning most of us are not giving our body the right amount of water it requires daily. It’s not just in the United States, this is a problem seen at varying degrees in Australia (80%) France (75%) and Germany (50%), and the UK (80%).
Dehydration has been called the Mother of all Epidemics and the first step we all need to take in addressing chronic disease.
Water Matters
Are You Drinking Enough Water?
We lose water everyday through normal physiological processes such as breathing, temperature regulation and excretion. If our water intake doesn’t replenish these losses, we become dehydrated. It takes less than a 1% deficiency to trigger our thirst response. Just a 2.5% percent reduction in our hydration can result in short-term memory loss, trouble with performing basic math, and challenges in focusing. This is estimated as a 25% reduction in energy and efficiency in most people. The most common cause of daytime fatigue is mild dehydration. Dehydration can often be more of a problem in the hot summer months as we tend to perspire more to regulate our body temperature.
How Much Water Should We Drink?
There is no perfect answer to this question as it depends on your age, health status, level of physical activity, body type and ambient surroundings. Everyone has heard drink eight 8oz glasses of water a day. We lose 10 cups a day on the average. That is 80 ounces of water that needs be replaced. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces per day of water. So, if you weigh 160 pounds, 10 glasses or 80 ounces per day is a good rule to follow. For those using the metric system this equals 3.3% of your body weight in kilograms in liters of water per day. Using the same example, 160 pounds is equal to 72.5 kilograms and 3.3% of this equals 2.4 liters of water per day.
Water Choices
The solution to dehydration and our global water issues and the plastic pollution of our planet is very complex and people often wonder what they can 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.
I think it’s safe to say, that given the choice we would all choose the healthiest water possible for ourselves and our families. The most cost effective and convenient way to accomplish this is by filtering our tap water.
Our personal choice for water filtration is the Nikken PiMag Waterfall®. Imagine if we could create fresh spring water in our own home or office? This is the strategy behind the 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 PiMag Waterfall® 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 PiMag Waterfall works without electricity or plumbing, it can be used in any location. Some products on the market using similar filtration technology claim to be equivalent to the PiMag Waterfall but do not perform at a comparable level and fail to meet accepted filtration test standards.
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.
Water on the Go
One easy way to ensure that you stay well hydrated is to carry a water bottle. It serves as a reminder to drink water throughout the day, whether you’re outdoors or sitting at your desk.
Keeping a Nikken Sport Bottle with you always is an excellent way to stay hydrated as part of your Self Care program. Fill it up with tap water or fountain water and the patented microfilter removes sediment, reduces chlorine and lead and other contaminants. The patent pending nano-filtration technology was originally developed for NASA and dramatically increases the filter’s ability to reduce potential contaminants from drinking water, including pathogens and micro-plastics.
PiMag water technology adds natural minerals and adjusts the pH value to 8.5-9.5, an alkaline range that helps counterbalance our acidic environment. In addition to its benefits to us physically, PiMag water is so much less expensive than purchased bottled water and is environmentally responsible. The bottle itself is biodegradable and contains no BPA or other potentially harmful compounds. The filter components are replaceable, further extending the life of the bottle—by using the PiMag® Sport Bottle, you’re helping to reduce the impact on landfill waste caused by disposable water bottles. This choice is good for your health, your wallet and our environment.
The Solution- The Nikken PiMag Waterfall
The Wellness Home. A Global Solution
A Nikken Wellness Home is designed to address many concerns, including environmental toxins, contagions, dehydration, poor sleep quality, weight matters and nutrition. In a practical sense…
“The greatest wealth is health.”
In not much more than a generation, we have transitioned from a world in which infectious diseases were the greatest health challenge to one in which multiple chronic illnesses are the biggest global health threat Over 70% of deaths are attributed to chronic diseases. Although the U.S. leads the world in chronic diseases and pharmaceutical consumption this is a global problem.
According to the World Health Organization, chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Disease rates from these conditions are accelerating globally and advancing across every region and pervading all socioeconomic classes. Currently, 33% of adults worldwide suffer from two or more chronic conditions also known as Multiple Chronic Conditions (MCC).
The Americas have the world’s highest prevalence of overweight and obesity, which is a leading risk factor for chronic conditions, especially diabetes. This overweight and obesity epidemic is largely due to an increasing trend toward unhealthy diets consisting of highly processed foods high in fat and sugar, and few fruits and vegetables.
The four major chronic diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancers, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease will account for approximately 81 percent of deaths in Latin America and the Caribbean by 2030 according to the Population Reference Bureau on Latin America.
The World Economic Forum on Health and Healthcare recently announced that the long-term goal of healthcare should be focused on prevention. I suggest that this should be the immediate goal and a revolution to self care and its principles are undeniably needed right now.
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 World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (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.
As self care advocates and part of our International Wellness Community it is our goal to empower people everywhere to be Healthy by Choice. In this context, we talk about four causative factors for chronic disease and solutions that we all can implement to be Healthy by Choice.
1. Deydration
According to a recent study 75% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration. Meaning most of us are not giving our body the right level of water it requires daily. It’s not just in the United States, this is a problem seen at varying degrees in Australia (80%) France (75%) and Germany (50%), and the UK (80%).
Dehydration has been called the Mother of all Epidemics and the first step we all need to take in addressing chronic disease. Failure to drink enough water can lead to fatigue, headaches, joint pain, weight gain, diabetes, ulcers, cardiovascular and kidney disease.
Water is not just a beverage choice? It is an essential nutrient.
We can live for months even decades without many other nutrients, but only a few days without water! Drink half our body weight in ounces of water per day, or 3.3% your body weight in kilograms in liter per day.
Many of us walk around every day sleep deprived. One reason is that many of us consider sleep as an unproductive endeavor, when it is our most productive physiological activity. This too is a global problem that can lead to many chronic diseases. The average amount of hours slept per night in the U.S. is 6.5 hours.
Here are the average hours of sleep in other countries:
Mexico 7.1 hours
Canada 7.1 hours
Germany 7 hours
UK 6.8 ours
Japan 6.4 hours
Source: National Sleep Foundation
Although 7 hours of sleep sounds good, it is a chronic recipe for sleep deficiency and related poor health issues.
Most sleep experts agree that we need 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night for good health.
What is the recycle rate of a human being? In other words, how long can we last without sleep before we start to see declines in brain function or impairments within our bodies? It seems to be about 16 hours. Once we get past 16 hours, research shows that’s when we see mental and physiological deterioration in the body. Take look at Dr. Matthew Walker’s informative five minute video, “Why We Sleep”.
A recent study in The Lancet (April 2016) reported for the first time in human history obese people outnumber underweight people. These statistics were gathered from 200 countries and nearly 20 million people for over 20 years. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States is the most obese nation in the world, just ahead of Mexico. Their report states 2/3rd’s of U.S. adults are overweight or obese (69 percent) and one out of three are obese (36 percent) and 1/3rd of children are overweight. If trends continue unabated, by 2030, estimates predict that roughly half of all American men and women will be obese.
One of the main problems is excess sugar consumption. To put this into context, the average daily consumption of sugar by Americans in 1822 was 9 grams a day. It is currently 153 grams a day per individual. This is nearly a 17-fold increase in less than 200 years. We change very slowly biologically, yet we have drastically altered what we are eating and the amount of sugar we are consuming.
Americans aren’t alone in their addiction to sugar.
Top SUGAR LOVING Nations in the World
Sugar is highly addictive. The best way to break this addiction is to read labels and monitor your daily sugar consumption. Read food labels and avoid those with added sugars. Also note that sugar content is expressed in grams per serving and that four grams of sugar is equal to about one teaspoon of sugar. Limit consumption to 25 grams (6 teaspoons) a day for women and 36 grams (or 9 teaspoons) a day for men.
Protein Helps
Eating protein is an easy way to curb sugar cravings. High-protein foods digest more slowly, keeping you feeling full for longer. Protein doesn't make your blood sugar spike the way refined carbs and sugars do. Pick proteins like lean chicken, eggs, nuts, or beans. Protein shakes are ideal for breaking the sugar addiction and can also provide essential and beneficial nutrients.
4. Environmental Toxicity (The Body Burden)
I think we would all agree the world is a toxic place. There are over 85,000 chemicals in the marketplace, and we come in contact with them in one way or another every day. There is no such thing as a pristine environment. Toxins are in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. Decades of research and countless studies have contributed to our understanding that we carry a burden of toxic chemicals in our body’s, our Body Burden. Environmental toxin have been linked to many chronic diseases, including ADD/ADHD, autism, autoimmune diseases, cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases just to name a few.
Many countries have been pro-active in limiting the use and development of environmentally toxic chemicals. Here in the U.S. that is not the case. Many times, we feel powerless to combat this onslaught, but there are things we can do. We as individuals can make choices to help our bodies eliminate them and choices to avoid accumulating more. As Dr. Andrew Weil advises, “The best way to detoxify is to stop putting toxic things into the body and depend upon its own mechanisms.”
We can filter our drinking and bathing water. Filter our air in our homes and offices. Sleep on non-toxic bedding. Consume foods and supplements that help detoxify and cleanse our bodies.
The Solution- The Nikken Wellness Home
This is the concept and functionality of the Nikken Wellness Home. Whether we live in New York, London, Paris, Bogota, or Mexico City, as Nikken consultants and self care advocates we can be of service to people anywhere to Be Healthy by Choice. A Nikken Wellness Home is designed to address many concerns, including environmental toxins, contagions, dehydration, poor sleep quality, weight matters and nutrition. In a practical sense, the Wellness Home creates an environment that enables us to make healthier choices every day.
We invite you to join our International Wellness Community and our mission to make Every Home a Wellness Home.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead
Sugar, a Highly Functioning Sociopath
One of the major problems contributing to weight issues is excess sugar consumption. To put this into context, the average daily consumption of sugar by Americans in 1822 was 9 grams a day. It is currently 153 grams a day… what should we be doing?
“Do your research. I am a highly functioning sociopath.”
Public enemy No. 1 is sugar!
One of the major problems contributing to weight issues is excess sugar consumption. To put this into context, the average daily consumption of sugar by Americans in 1822 was 9 grams a day. It is currently 153 grams a day. The average person in the U.S. consumes 130 pounds of sugar per year. This is nearly a 17-fold increase in less than 200 years. We change very slowly biologically, yet we have drastically altered what we are eating and the amount of sugar we are consuming.
Added sugar is the single worst ingredient in the modern diet. It provides calories with no added nutrients and can damage your metabolism in the long run. Eating too much sugar is linked to weight gain and various diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and increased risk of cancer to name a few.
To monitor sugar consumption, it is helpful to understand that 4 grams of sugar is equivalent to one teaspoon. It is recommended that a healthy daily consumption of sugar should not exceed 24 grams or six teaspoons for women and 36 grams or nine teaspoons for men.
Although the U.S. leads the world in sugar consumption, this is a global problem. The top sugar loving nations include the following:
None of these rates of consumption for individuals is close to recommended daily allowance.
Sugar is highly addictive. Sugar activates the reward center in our brain the same way as many drugs, provoking similar cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
There are two simple Self Care principles that we can do to break the sugar addiction.
Read food labels
The first step we need to take is to read food labels to keep your daily consumption at a healthy level.
This becomes apparent given the fact that there are over 600,000 food items in the U.S. and 80% of them contain added sugars. Sometimes in foods that we wouldn’t suspect as having added sugars. So read labels and journal your daily added sugar consumption. Heather has created a simple Weekly Self Care Journal to help track this and other self care activities.
Let protein help
Eating protein is an easy way to curb sugar cravings. High-protein foods digest slowly, keeping you feeling full longer. Protein doesn't make your blood sugar spike the way refined carbs and sugars do. Protein shakes are ideal for this.
Nikken’s Kenzen Vital Balance protein shake contains organic moringa and naturally sweet monk fruit in addition to organic pea protein and organic vegetables. It is designed to help burn fat and boost metabolism as well as promote healthy brain function and the elimination of toxins in the body. With pre- and probiotics to assist in digestive and immune system activity, Kenzen Vital Balance is food for action and food for thought, perfect for all ages and a great way to not only nourish your body but also break the sugar addiction and Be Healthy by Choice.
Kenzen Vital Balance Label - Chocolate
$93 US
Environmentally Responsible Water Filtration
Nikken considered fundamental aspects for its water systems including application of the types of plastics used for water filtration and storage to provide clean healthy water free of pollutants found in bottled water
“Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans.”
Global Concern
One of mine and many others concern is plastic pollution not only for our planet but also for our bodies.
Last October the European Parliament overwhelmingly approved a ban on single-use plastics such as straws, plates, cutlery and cotton-swab sticks in Europe by 2021, joining a global shift as environmentalists emphasize the urgency of halting the use of materials that are detrimental to the planet. Single-use plastic items such as plates, cutlery, straws, balloon sticks or cotton buds, will be banned in the EU. These products, which constitute over 70% of marine litter, will be banned from the EU market from 2021, under draft plans approved by Parliament.
While plastic has many valuable uses, we have become addicted to single-use or disposable plastic with severe environmental consequences. Up to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used worldwide every year. 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. Plastic waste is now so ubiquitous in the natural environment that scientists have even suggested it could serve as a geological indicator of the Anthropocene era.
In lieu of legislation, there are simple things we all can do to help with this problem.
Five Easy ways to reduce your plastic waste.
1. Bring your own shopping bags.
2. Bring your own thermos to the coffee shop.
3. Say no to straws.
4. Choose cardboard over plastic bags and bottles for packaged items.
5. Stop buying bottled water.
Many people are aware of the negative health and environmental impacts associated with plastic bottled water and we have blogged about this before.
When we consume bottled water, we pay far too much for it in terms of expense to our health and the health of our planet. Skipping the bottle is one step toward Being Healthy by Choice.
One thing that I have always appreciated about what we do in Nikken is to make people aware of a problem and then offer them a solution.
The Solution that is a Healthy Choice for our Bodies and our Planet.
Nikken water products are the perfect solution for this problem. Many times, when demonstrating the Nikken Waterfall or Sports bottle the person, I am meeting with, points out that our products have plastics. Yes, they do but they are of very different composition to those used in most bottled waters and other products.
Nikken considered fundamental aspects for its water systems including application of the types of plastics used for water filtration and storage to provide clean healthy water free of pollutants found in bottled water and many other types of water filtration units. Equally important to our mission and philosophy is to reduce pollution by contributing to the reduction of consumption of plastic bottles in the world.
Nikken water products contain safe, environmentally responsible materials. The PiMag Waterfall is environmentally responsible. It is manufactured using recyclable biodegradable materials, including a polymer that contains no bisphenols or phthalates and does not leach chemicals into water. These materials include:
PiMag Waterfall from Nikken
SAN - Styrene Acryl Nitrile
SAN is used for the filling and storage tanks of the Nikken PiMag® Waterfall. These kinds of plastics are stable and don't leach toxins. They are used to make a variety of dinnerware and unlike polycarbonate, these plastics are, and always have been, BPA-free.
ABS - Acrylic Nitrile Butadiene Styrene
ABS is the plastic used for the base and caps of Pi Water, PiMag® Waterfall. An Eco-friendly plastic, ABS is a recycled plastic compound that is itself entirely recyclable. ABS is commonly considered to be a more durable, longer lasting, and an easily recyclable plastic.
Resin K
Is used in the filter cartridges of Nikken water systems. It is a thermoplastic polymer based on styrene and butadiene. It stands out for its transparency and hardness. Its development is the result of efforts to find a material that was not toxic.
When we consume bottled water, we pay far too much for it in terms of expense to our health and the health of our planet.
Be Heatlthy by Choice
Men's Health Month Chp. 4
The first step is becoming aware of the problem and taking steps for a healthier life., which is our definition for the Self Care Awakening. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “What price can you put on your health?
“Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do. ”
Your Healthy Toolkit
The past few weeks we have been focusing on Men’s health in accordance with Men’s Health Month.
According to Dr. David Gremillion of the Men’s Health Network, “There is a silent health crisis in America, it’s that fact that, on average, American men live sicker and die younger than American women.” Men die at higher rates than women from 9 of the top 10 causes of death and are the victims of over 92% of workplace deaths. In 1920, women lived, on average, one year longer than men. Currently, men are dying an average of 5 years younger than women and lead in nine out of 10 of the top causes of death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Men are at greater risk for death in every age group. More males than females are born (105 vs 100), but by age 35, women outnumber men.
Men’s Health Is A Family Issue
To quote former Congressman Bill Richardson, “Recognizing and preventing men’s health problems is not just a man’s issue. Because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters, men’s health is truly a family issue.” Of the 9 million+ older persons living alone, 80% are women. More than 1/2 the widows living in poverty were not poor before the death of their husbands.
One of the problems is that men are less likely to invest time, energy and money into prevention and self care, than are women. Women are 100% more likely to visit the doctor for annual examinations and preventive services than men according to the CDC enabling them to address issues at early stages and adopt self care and health services to improve them. Depression in men is largely undiagnosed contributing to the fact that men are four times as likely to commit suicide. More than half of premature deaths among men are preventable. But you can’t prevent a problem if you don’t know it exists.
The first step is becoming aware of the problem and taking steps for a healthier life., which is our definition for the Self Care Awakening. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “What price can you put on your health?
The last two weeks we blogged about Water Matters and Sleep Matters and how they relate to men’s health. This week let’s focus on Weight Matters and nutrition.
Weight Matters
According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), an estimated 160 million Americans are either obese or overweight. Nearly three-quarters of American men and more than 60% of women are obese or overweight.
An excess of sweetened foods and beverages can lead to weight gain, blood sugar problems and an increased risk of heart disease, among other dangerous conditions. For these reasons, added sugar should be kept to a minimum whenever possible. Currently, Americans eat over 150 grams of sugar a day. That’s equivalent to nearly 38 teaspoons a day. Put another way, it is like eating two and a half teaspoons of sugar every waking hour.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day are much less than this for men, 37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons per day and for women, 25 grams or 6 teaspoons a day.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH SUGAR YOU CONSUME DAILY? DO YOU WANT TO KNOW? THE FACT IS YOU NEED TO KNOW.
There are over 600,000 food items sold in the U.S and over 80% of these have added sugar. If you want a self care awakening look at the nutrition facts label on the food in your cupboards, refrigerator and freezer. It will list sugar content expressed in grams per serving. Let’s use a few examples, one soda can have as much as 45 grams of sugar per 12 ounce serving, that is equivalent to nearly 12 teaspoons of sugar. Popular breakfast cereals are spiked with sugar, some being as much as 55% sugar. Some surprising foods with more sugar than a Twinkie would include yogurt, tomato sauce, granola bars, fat-free salad dressings, muffins and many canned fruits, typically containing 30 to 40 grams of sugar per serving.
Read labels and track your daily added sugar intake to keep it below the daily recommended amount. It’s important to note that there is no need for added sugars in the diet. The less you eat, the healthier you will be.
Sugar is highly addictive. Sugar activates the reward center in our brain the same way as many drugs, provoking similar cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Studies in rats have shown that sugar activates the brain's pleasure centers more than cocaine does.
To break the sugar addiction, let protein help. Eating protein is an easy way to curb sugar cravings. High-protein foods digest slowly, keeping you feeling full for longer. Protein doesn't make your blood sugar spike the way refined carbs and sugars do. Protein shakes are ideal for this. The typical breakfast full of carbs and sugary or starchy foods is the worst option since you’ll have cravings all day. Having a good protein rich breakfast is vital to prevent sugar cravings and help reduce consumption. Our Nikken Kenzen Vital Balance is an excellent way to help break the sugar addiction.
Making healthy food choices is a challenge for many of us. Think about it, one of the most important decisions we make every day is what we eat and drink. It is everyone’s Choice to eat Healthy or not.
Men’s Health Month Tool Kit:
Nikken’s Core Nutrition Pack addresses our daily nutritional needs for healthy proteins, fruits and vegetables.
Kenzen Vital Balance® (our protein)
Kenzen Vital Balance® is a crucial component of Nikken’s Core Nutrition Pack. The formula contains organic moringa and naturally sweet monk fruit in addition to organic pea protein and organic vegetables. It is designed to help burn fat and boost metabolism as well as promote healthy brain function and the elimination of toxins in the body. With pre- and probiotics to assist in digestive and immune system activity, the Kenzen Vital Balance formula is food for action and food for thought.
*Note Special offer on Chocolate Kenzen Vital Balance®
From now through June 30th take advantage of our special on chocolate Kenzen Vital Balance® at 33% discount—Get 3 containers for the price of 2! Chocolate KVB is formulated and manufactured in the USA.
Jade GreenZymes® (our veggies)
Called "nature's perfect food," barley grass is said to have more nutrition than an equal serving of any other vegetable. The barley grass in organic Jade GreenZymes® is beneficial in helping balance pH, supporting a strong immune system, and assisting in maintaining blood glucose levels that are already in the normal range.
Made with organic barley grass and our proprietary blend of organic acacia and organic pearl barley seed extract powder. It is Kosher and vegan certified, USDA Organic, certified by QAI and Gluten-free.
We have two servings of Jade Greenzymes daily. This product also comes in a capsule form, but I personally love the fresh green taste in a glass of Nikken PiMag Water.
Kenzen Super Ciaga® (our fruits)
Super Ciaga is an organic mixed superfruit juice concentrate made exclusively with organic fruit content. This advanced formula is made with a select group of superfruits chosen for their nutrient and antioxidant characteristics. Highly concentrated, it has an exceptional ORAC value. Certified-organic, Super Ciaga supports individuals who want to feel more energized as well as those who need assistance with poor eating habits. A great replacement for sodas, simply mix an ounce of Super Ciaga to a glass of PiMag® water or seltzer for a naturally sweet and healthy beverage! One of our favorite beverages.
The Core Nutrition Pack is a vital part of our Nikken Wellness Home. These items are available at a 25% discount when placed as an autoship order. Contact the person that shared this blog with you to take advantage of the savings.
Heather has created a Weekly Self Care Journal that can be downloaded by clicking here. You can also check out some of our other Freebies.
We hope that this month’s focus on men’s health has provided some insights and solutions for Being Healthy by Choice.
Mens Health Month Chp. 3
These mistaken ideas about sleep prevent men from tapping into the power of a well-rested mind and body. Often, men don't realize that they need more …
“If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it - then I can achieve it.”
June is Men’s Health Month
This month we encourage men to ‘make the time and take the time' to improve their health.
One of our core principles of the Self Care Awakening is quality sleep. We have blogged extensively about this and our body’s need for sleep.
Part of the problem with sleep is that for decades we have considered sleep an unproductive part of our day, when from a physiological standpoint it is the most important part of our day. As self care advocates let’s change the paradigm of people bragging about how little they sleep to boasting about getting a full 8 hours a night of quality sleep.
As Matthew Walker, professor of Neurobiology and Psychology at the University of California, Berkley states, “Sleep is a non-negotiable biological necessity,” that includes the quantity and quality of our sleep.
Sleep Matters
For many men, sleep is just one more thing at the bottom of the list of all that needs to be done in a day. It seems like wasted time that prevents them from getting any work done. These mistaken ideas about sleep prevent men from tapping into the power of a well-rested mind and body.
Often, men don't realize that they need more sleep. They interpret sleepiness as an indicator that they must be working hard. They get accustom to feeling tired, and they think that's the way it's supposed to be. They believe that they just must fight through it and try to catch up on the weekend. Not a good plan, as this has been proven to be a myth about sleep and we have a very difficult time in making up for lost sleep.
Every person has their own need for sleep. This need varies from one person to another. On average, most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well rested. Many men do not get this much sleep on a regular basis. As a result, they are not able to function at a maximum level of health, energy and concentration.
Gender differences in sleep are a fascinating and important area of study. Research has shown that men and women have different sleep tendencies. Some of these differences might be a factor as to why in general, men don’t sleep as well as women and may be a factor as to why women are healthier and live longer than men.
A 2011 study suggests that there are marked differences in the circadian rhythms of men and women. In this study, researchers observed the circadian cycles of 157 men and women between the ages of 18 to 74, measuring melatonin levels and body temperature in order to track the 24-hour sleep-wake cycle. Researchers found significant differences between men and women in both the timing of their circadian clocks (which help govern sleep times and wake times) and the interval of the circadian clock.
Women’s circadian clocks are set to an earlier hour than men’s, making them more inclined to fall asleep earlier and to wake earlier. Women demonstrated a stronger inclination for activity earlier in the day than men. In other words, the body’s natural rhythms make it more likely that if you are a man, you will be a night owl, and for women, an early bird.
While eight hours per night on average is ideal for both genders, it turns out that men are harder hit by periods of sleep deficiency. Lack of sleep causes work performance to suffer more for men than for women, and men recover less quickly from lack of sleep than women do.
Most men will sleep much better if they simply develop the habits of good sleep. Sleep hygiene consists of basic tips that help you develop a pattern of healthy sleep.
Sleeping in later is not an option for most people who must be at work early in the morning. Not too many employers are going to let you take a daytime nap, either. The solution is to go to bed earlier. Plan to go to bed early enough so that you will have eight hours before you must get up in the morning. Set it as a goal and make it a priority. After doing this for a while, you will have a better idea if you need even more than eight hours of sleep to feel refreshed when you wake up.
Men’s Health Month Tool Kit:
As Nikken consultants and part of our International Wellness Community we can be of service to the millions and millions of people that struggle with sleep deficiency. We can educate on the importance of sleep and share solutions we have in our Nikken Kenko Sleep System and Kenko Sleep Products. Here is a link to a recent video we did on Sleep Matters that illustrates why The Nikken Kenko Sleep System should be pat of your Men’s Health Tool Kit.
As a go-to sleep resource, we want to help everyone get a quality night’s sleep and Be Healthy by Choice. Sweet Dreams.
Mens Health Month Chp. 2
In general, men need to drink more water than women. Hydration differences between men and women are significant. Because of the different composition of their bodies, the average water consumption
“Be the type of guy that makes other guys want to step up their game. ”
Men’s Health week, June 10th to 16th
Men’s Health Week is celebrated during the week leading up to and including Father’s Day and serves as a time to raise awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men. The week also includes Wear Blue Friday on June 14th to support awareness of Men’s Health Week.
As we mentioned in last week’s Impetus, more boys are born than girls, females live longer than males, and the ratio of men to women declines with increasing age. On the average, women outlive men by 5 years.
Each year Men’s Health Week becomes bigger and more well-known, so if you’re a man that wants to do more, or a woman that wants to inform a man you love about it, then start spreading the word! The more well-known the week becomes; the more men will feel like it’s OK to talk about their health issues and not just push them to the side and ignore health problems away!
Men's Health Matters
This week especially we are encouraged to ‘make the time and take the time' to improve their health.
The first principle of the Self Care Awakening is proper hydration (Water Matters) and we have blogged extensively about this and our body’s need for our most essential nutrient, water.
In general, men need to drink more water than women. Hydration differences between men and women are significant. Because of the different composition of their bodies, the average water consumption per day to keep men and women hydrated is also different. Men tend to have higher levels of fat and need more water because of this.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids for men and about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women We advocate that a good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces of healthy water per day, or 3.3% your body weight in kilograms in liters per day.
Keeping your body hydrated is one of the easiest ways to improve your health, yet research shows, that nearly 70 to 80% of us are dehydrated. If you don’t drink enough, it can affect your body temperature, energy, brain function, digestion, mood, performance, and joint health. Dehydration has been called the mother of all epidemics and the first step we need to take in addressing chronic disease.
Here are some tips to stay hydrated and make hydration a healthy habit.
Start and end your day with water. When you wake up, drink a glass of water. This will replace fluids lost during the night and jumpstart your hydration and metabolism for the day. Keep a glass of water at your nightstand and bathroom vanity. Before grabbing your morning coffee, drink a glass of water first. Sip on water as you watch television or read a book before bed. Worried you will be up all night? Watch this short video “I don’t want to stay up all night”
Make drinking water convenient. Keep a bottle of water in your vehicle, at your desk and other areas you frequent often during the day. When you have water close at hand you are more likely to drink more and more often. As your body needs water, you will instinctively develop a habit of sipping water throughout the day.
Add some color. If plain water just isn’t palatable, there are lots of colorful ideas to make it more appealing. Add squirts or slices of lemon or lime, a few springs of mint or basil, cucumber or orange slices and berries or watermelon pieces.
Include water-rich foods in your diet. Fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, beans and oatmeal have high water content to help hydrate your body and give you a feeling of fullness.
Drink a glass of water at every snack and meal. In the busyness of the day it’s easy to forget to drink water, so making sure to drink whenever you eat is a great way to ensure you stay hydrated throughout the day. I know many people that set an alarm to remind themselves to drink water and stay hydrated.
Teach your children to have a taste for water. With so many sugary and flavored drink options, children may never acquire a taste for water if you don’t regularly give it to them and teach them about the importance of drinking water over other beverage choices. I constantly remind people that water is not just a beverage choice, it is our most essential nutrient.
During summer travel with your family, times in airports and on airplanes can be very dehydrating. It’s easy not to drink as much as you usually do when you’re on the go, and airplanes are known for low-humidity air that contributes to low hydration statuses during flights. We highly suggest packing an empty refillable water bottle in your family’s carry-on bags and, after going through security, fill them up with water. Many airports now have water fountains designed specifically for refilling water bottles. Skip the vending machine soda and, when the beverage cart passes through the cabin on your flight, opt for water. Soft drinks do a poor job at hydration and the high sugar concentration can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb water and is not a healthy choice (Weight Matters).
Looking at the color of your urine is the easiest way to monitor your hydration. If your urine is darker than lemonade, you’re dehydrated. It will give you a good idea of how well you’re hydrating in the morning. If your urine isn’t clear, drink water immediately and work to hydrate better the rest of the day. If your urine is a light lemonade color, it’s likely that you are properly hydrated. Dark yellow urine (as in dark or darker than apple juice) typically signals dehydration and need for immediate rehydration.
Swimming and hydration. Summer is the time for water sports and leisure activity. I remember my kids swim team coach saying, just because you’re in water doesn’t mean your going to stay hydrated. Drink water before, during and after swimming. Of course, that also applies to any physical activity that can increase your need for more water.
Men’s Health Month Tool Kit:
Healthy Water on the Go:
To help stay hydrated all day long we suggest the Nikken PiMag Sports Bottle. I have mine with me just about everywhere I go and sip on it all ay long. This remarkable and affordable water bottle not only filters the water but enhances it. The patent-pending filter has the ability to significantly reduce certain harmful pathogens in potable drinking water. It’s also a green choice: You won’t be adding to landfills and polluting ocean waters with plastic. Environmentally responsible, both the bottle and the filter can be recycled, and you’ll be saving a fortune by not paying for commercially bottled water. The filter’s alkalizing media increases the pH from 7 to 8.5, representing a 15 to 25 fold increase in pH value, going from an acidic to an alkaline range. Alkaline water decreases oxidation-reduction potential and helps offset the effects of harmful free radicals.
Four 4,600+ gauss neodymium magnets help decluster the water molecules, improving bioavailability to the body’s cells because smaller clusters of water molecules are easier to absorb.
The Sport Bottle is ideal for travel. Heather and I both have ours on vacations and business travel.
Healthy Water at Home:
We recommend the PiMag Waterfall for healthy water at home. Filtering our tap water is convenient, cost effective and the best way to provide ourselves and our families with healthy water. 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. The PiMag Waterfall works without electricity or plumbing and can be used in any location. Heather and I often take the waterfall with us when camping, it fits perfectly on the counter of our cab-over camper.
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.
For the best value, check with the person that sent you this blog about our cost-effective water packs, that include, the PiMag Waterfall, Sports Bottle and our Micro-Jet Shower system and replacement filters. It’s not too late to give the gift if health for Fathers’ day. We have hydration solutions to accommodate any budget.
To quote former New Mexico Governor and Congressman Bill Richardson, “Recognizing and preventing men’s health problems is not just a man’s issue. Because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters, men’s health is truly a family issue.”
For the next few weeks in honor of Men’s Health Month we will concern ourselves with simple self care actions to be Healthy by Choice.