The ABC's of Self Care Q

“Our job is improving the quality of life, not just delaying death.”

— Robin Williams

The ABC’s of Self Care Q

For the letter Q let’s talk about Quality of life.

I think it’s safe to say that quality of life is important to everyone. Although the term “quality of life” has meaning for nearly everyone and every academic discipline, individuals and groups can define it differently. What makes it challenging to measure or quantify, is that quality of life is a multidimensional concept that usually includes physical, mental, and social domains. These are usually qualitative or subjective evaluations of both positive and negative aspects of life. Although health is one of the important aspects of overall quality of life, there are other domains such as jobs, housing, schools, the neighborhood and finances. Aspects of culture, values, and spirituality are also key components of overall quality of life that add to the complexity of its measurement and assessment. In the context of self care we all can and should be the guardians of our own quality of life and what that means to us.

The pressures of daily living, busy schedules, demands of work, inadequate family or personal time, not enough rest, health and financial challenges can lead to a life thrown out of balance and can disturb our quality of life.

Balance is the key. Just as our bodies strive for physiological homeostasis, we must balance all the areas of our lives. Over 43 years ago, Nikken’s founder, Isamu Masuda, recognized this imbalance. He felt that total happiness and wellness depended on living a life in balance in five key areas, what he named the 5 Pillars of Health® — Healthy Body, Mind, Family, Society and Finances.  Leading a balanced life strengthens each of these pillars, and results in a more satisfying, healthy and rewarding lifestyle.

Nikken offers the means to attain this balance, through the Nikken Wellness Home and the Nikken business opportunity. We believe the way to fulfill our mission of a life in balance is through duplication of Wellness Homes. The awesome thing about a Wellness Home is that any home can be a Wellness Home, by utilizing Nikken products and technologies to make your home the healthiest environment possible for you and your family. Our motto is “Every home a Wellness Home”. 

Healthy Body

We often say in the Self Care Awakening, we cannot put a price on our health. It is our most precious asset. The concept behind the Nikken Wellness Home is to provide our bodies with the tools it needs to be healthy while making healthy choices easy. Clean air; pure energized alkaline water; organic whole food nutrition; deep, regenerative sleep, and organic personal use and skin care products are all part of the Nikken Wellness Home. Nikken’s leading-edge products and technologies have been the cornerstone for providing thousands of people with great physical health. Think of a seedling being grown in a green house where just the right amount of sunlight, moisture, nutrients and protection from the elements allows it to flourish into a lush, green plant. Creating a Wellness Home provides us with an optimal environment that nourishes, protects and energizes us in much the same way. With any category of Nikken products, you begin the process of assisting people with building their Wellness Homes. The Wellness Home concept is universal: everyone needs to sleep well, drink beneficial water and consume healthy nutrition to live a Life in Balance.

Healthy Mind

Our minds are remarkable! What we think determines our success. Many people suffer ‘lack’ versus ‘prosperity’ due to their thinking. When we are in balance, our mind is open to enjoy all the blessings of abundance. Freedom from health and financial stress is a goal that we all can achieve for a greater quality of life.

Healthy Family

In addition to the benefits that a Wellness Home can have for the physical health of a family and its members is the time freedom that a Nikken business allows for a healthy family. One of the crucial components to the success of a healthy family is creating work/life balance. In today’s fast paced environment, it very difficult to maintain the work/life balance that we all desire. Too often people work well past their office hours or skip lunch in order to meet tight deadlines. People are becoming over stressed, over worked, and over tired, which can lead not only to health problems, but also directly affect your home life.

This was always a challenge for me in my previous career and unfortunately work was usually the priority. My profession involved a tremendous amount of travel. I had developed a thriving business that I loved, but it took an awakening for me to see how it was affecting me and my family. I came to an epiphany one day while on a telephone call my wife was giving me the play by play of my son’s little league game over the phone. I didn’t want to miss ball games, by gosh I wanted to be the coach. Although I loved my business it appeared that it did not love me back. Not until I fully understood the 5 Pillars of Health and the importance of maintaining a balance in all five areas did I put a plan into action that utilized the Nikken business opportunity to create more time freedom for my family. Oh, and by the way, I coached baseball for the next 10 years. You can’t put a price on that.

Healthy Society

Have you ever done something for someone, great or small, and felt even better than the person on the receiving end? Giving back to society is vital for living a meaningful and fulfilling life. When we see ourselves as “more”, we can be “more” to others in society. Nikken’s Humans Being More workshops offer fabulous opportunities to improve yourself, thereby allowing you to give more of yourself to others in need.

Healthy Finances

Finances are a major vital component of the Wellness Home. When the finances are affected, then everything is affected. Many people work around the clock often at the expense their family time and their health. They spend most of their lives working, usually too hard and for too many hours, just to make more money. In today’s world, it is very rare to achieve financial security by working for someone else.

Compare that to Nikken, where you have complete flexibility and unlimited opportunity. Earn extra money part-time or develop a new career or an encore career. Build your business and create a steady source of income. We provide the tools, support, the leadership from experienced professionals.

When you create a Wellness Home and teach others to do the same, you generate a healthy lifestyle that provides you with a source of revenue. Spread the word. Educate your Consultants on how to grow their Nikken businesses by building their Wellness Homes as well as by creating repetitive orders for clients who are similarly learning to build their own Wellness Homes. It’s a continual cycle of health and prosperity. As an Independent Nikken Consultant, you can have the freedom to live as you wish. To earn as much as you deserve and to make a difference in the world, helping others.

Humans Being More

The Nikken mission is both simple and inspirational—to help people discover an Active Wellness Lifestyle. We provide the means with The 5 Pillars of Health®. Since 1975, Nikken has provided the innovative products and income opportunity to live a life in balance and to share the message of every home a Wellness Home. Our action plan and easy-to-understand compensation plan create infinite possibilities of building a better future for everyone. It all begins with you and your commitment to the 5 Pillars of Health®.

Have a very happy and healthy 4th of July. We will see you all the following week for our next installment for the ABC’s of Self Care.

Be Healthy by Choice, not by Chance

Good Nutrition the Essentials

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food

Hippocrates

Wellness Home and Good Nutrition

A major component of the Wellness Home is healthy nutrition. Eating a balanced diet is vital for good health and wellbeing. Food provides our bodies with the energy, protein, essential fats, vitamins and minerals to live, grow and function properly. We need a wide variety of different foods to provide the right amounts of nutrients for good health.

There are six basic nutrients required for good health. 

These include:

Carbohydrates-Carbohydrates are grouped into two categories: simple and complex. Carbohydrates are the main energy source for the brain. Without carbohydrates, the body could not function properly. Sources include fruits, breads and grains and starchy vegetables.

Protein-which is broken down into amino acids by the digestive system. Protein is the major structural component of cells and is responsible for the building and repair of body tissues. Lean protein sources such as low-fat meat, dairy, beans or eggs. There are many other vegetable sources of protein, if that is your personal choice.

Fat-The fat in food includes a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fats.  Fat is an energy source that when consumed, increases the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins including vitamins A, D, E and K. Choose healthy options such as omega-3-rich foods like fish, walnuts and vegetable-based oils. Omega-3s help with development and growth. Limit intake of saturated fats such as high-fat meats and full-fat dairy. Other smart choices include nuts, seeds and avocado.

Vitamins- both water and fat-soluble. There may be slight differences in the amounts of specific vitamins for men versus women, but in general, the essential vitamins that your body needs are:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K
• B vitamins

The best way to get these vitamins is to eat a healthy and balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. A multivitamin may also be useful to help fill in the gaps if you have a restrictive diet.

Minerals- These essential nutrients, those that your body needs but cannot produce, include the inorganic substances found in foods such as: calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, chloride and Trace Minerals.

Water- said to be our most essential nutrient, read more in Down the Hatch. Water helps to maintain homeostasis in the body and transports nutrients to cells. Water also assists in removing waste products from the body. We recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces per day.

Whenever possible choose fresh organic produce. We strive to eat as natural as possible and avoid processed foods. Many processed foods, including canned and frozen vegetables contain added sugar. In our Wellness Home we make a conscious effort to keep our sugar consumption at a healthy level, 36 grams or 9 teaspoons a day for me and 25 grams or 6 teaspoons a day for the ladies in the house.

Unfortunately, our busy fast-paced lives often impede with our choices for healthy eating.  I’m sure we have all experienced the trials and tribulations in shopping, food preparation and all that goes in to preparing and consuming healthy meals. One way to counter act this is supplementing our food. Many supplements fall short in what they deliver in terms of natural provided nutrients. 

Nikken’s philosophy (and ours) is that the best way to take care of our nutritional needs, is the natural way. Nikken created the first complete program based on natural, organic ingredients. These fill the nutritional gaps in our daily diet, to help us "eat right," even when our meals may fall short of their nutrtional mark. Organic-Based Nutrition means that all ingredients are carefully chosen, and the organic content is maximized. 
Nikken Kenzen® Wellness nutrition is founded on a whole-food philosophy. These organic-based solutions help bring our daily diet closer to nature and is an integral part of our Wellness Home.

Here are three of our favorite products that are core to our nutritional needs:

Kenzen Vital Balance® Meal Replacement Mix- We kick-start every day with a KVB shake.

KVB’s 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—for people of all ages. 

Naturally-sourced protein from organic pea, organic rice and organic chlorella to promote the formation of lean muscle mass without the high levels of saturated fat and calories associated with animal protein.
Contains Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), sourced exclusively from palm kernel oil, serve as “brain food” to support cognitive sharpness and for weight loss to assist in burning fat, boosting metabolism and regulating the appetite.*

Jade GreenZymes®- We have glass of JGZ’s twice a day.

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.

Kosher and vegan certified and USDA Organic.

Kenzen Super Ciaga® - We use this once a day and have developed some very delicious drink variations.

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. 

Excellent flavor enhancer when diluted and mixed in with other beverages or water.
• Great replacement for sodas that may contain artificial sweeteners or lots of sugar. Simply mix with Nikken PiMag® water or seltzer for a naturally sweet beverage.
• Certified Kosher by Earth Kosher.
•USDA certified organic.

• No preservatives, 12 month shelf life.

Super Ciaga bottles are made of an environmentally-friendly polymer that contains no bisphenol-A (BPA) or other potentially harmful chemicals, are easily recycled and compared to glass, require fewer resources to store and transport.

An effective nutritional strategy is more than just what we eat. It requires attention to many self care processes that can affect our well-being. Quality sleep, proper hydration with healthy water, reduction of our body burden of toxic chemicals and stress management are all important for improving and maintaining good health.

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.

Be Healthy by Choice, not by Chance

* 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.*

Building a Wellness Home

Building a “Wellness Home”

“There is no comfort anywhere for anyone who dreads to go home.” Laura Ingalls Wilder 

This has been a very exciting year! We are rebuilding the Self Care Hub. We are expanding our team. We released our first publication the “Self Care Awakening” magazine and we are finalizing our first book.

Moreover, we are moving into a new Wellness Home townhouse. Moving into a new home is the impetus for this blog post. Every home should be a Wellness Home. We came up with this idea during our move, recognizing and appreciating how much we rely on our Nikken Active Wellness products and technologies for our every day self care program. Nothing is more important in our home than these technologies to create a safe, healthy environment for ourselves and our family. 

What is a Wellness Home?

So what exactly is a “Wellness Home”? Basically, a Wellness Home is the healthiest and safest place for you and your family. It utilizes Nikken Active Wellness products and technologies that addresses the specific areas of concern in the Self Care Awakening. A Wellness Home provide solutions for- deep, rejuvenating Sleep, proper Hydration, reducing Environmental Toxicity (Body Burden) and achieving and maintaining a healthy Weight. 

Before we even slept in our new Wellness Home we brought in a few of the essentials. 

Water: First thing we setup was our countertop Nikken PiMag Waterfall. Filtered water is essential anywhere but especially in a home where the water hasn’t been circulating for a while. You also want to increase your daily water intake when participating in strenuous physical activity such as moving.  The Keurig came in with the Waterfall because a girl must have her tea and it works in tandem with our Waterfall. Always filter the water you use for beverages or cooking.

We installed our Nikken PiMag shower system next. It is very important to filter your shower water.

Sleep: Our Nikken Sleep System went in next. The right amount and quality of sleep are especially important for your body when battling the mental and physical stresses of something like a move.

Air: When you move into to a place that has been closed for several months, especially, after new carpet installation, the quality of air you are breathing can be very toxic. We plugged in our KenkoAir Purifiers to remove any off gassing of toxic chemicals and provide fresh, forest like air.

We are moved in and our future blogs will help you build your Wellness Home. 

There’s no place like Wellness Home.

Be Healthy by Choice, not by Chance,

Gary and Heather

Start building your Wellness Home

Water

Visit our H2O shop

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Sleep

Visit our Kenko Sleep Shop

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Air

KenkoAir Purifier (While Supplies Last)

FEATURES & BENEFITS
• The KenkoAir Purifier operates without producing ozone. Ozone is classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a toxic gas, yet other air filtration systems produce it as a byproduct. The State of California has banned the sale of ozone-producing air systems, and other states are expected to follow.
• The Nikken KenkoAir Purifier incorporates multiple-stage filtration including an ultra low penetration air filter. The KenkoAir Purifier exceeds that, with measured efficiency up to 99.9995%. No other home air filtration system matches this level of performance.
• This advanced design uses minimal energy. The KenkoAir is Energy Star qualified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The Energy Star is given only to an appliance that is at least 35% more efficient than a standard model, and saves its owner a minimum of 215 kilowatt-hours per year.
• The KenkoAir Purifier costs no more than typical home air systems that do not include ULPA filtration technology and Energy Star qualification. Only Nikken offers all these advantages at a competitive price.

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Adaptogens Help You Adapt to Stress

Adaptogens Help You Adapt to Stress

By: Nikken

PUBLISHED ON September 8, 2017

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don't Let the Flu Bug Bite

Stay Healthy through the Flu Season with Active Wellness

By Nikken

Original Publish Date: Jan. 12, 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sleep for Better Health

Sleep for Better Health

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

— Thomas Dekker

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sleep Deprivation Statistics from the American Sleep Association:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tips for a better night's sleep: 

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

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Healthy Sleep System

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sleep is an essential physiological process. 

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

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

— JoJo Jensen, Dirt Farmer Wisdom, 2002

Self Care Awakening, The Impetus

The Impetus: A New Mindset

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Be Healthy by Choice and not by Chance