Category: Detox

Can Napping or Extra Weekend Rest Make Up for Lost Sleep?

Published on by Nikken

Almost everyone experiences sleep loss or deprivation at some point in their lives. Whether it’s from being a new parent or an overly demanding job, the results of sleep loss can range from mild crankiness to poor performance and when chronic, a shorter lifespan.

According to sleep medicine specialist Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer, sleep debt is the difference between the amount of sleep you need and how much you actually get. Taking a nap is one way most people try to make up for lost sleep. Over the past several decades, research has shown that a mid-afternoon nap lasting as few as 10 to 20 minutes may help you feel more refreshed during the day. A mid-afternoon nap may also increase working memory, learning and mental acuity for a few hours.1

Another way people try to catch up on lost sleep is to sleep in on the weekends, or whichever days are not work days. In 2018, a long-term study found that folks who slept four, five or six hours a night during the week, then caught up on weekends, lived longer than those who remained sleep-deprived all week long. A 2020 study found that catch-up sleep was associated with better health outcomes than just staying sleep deprived.2

While both napping and sleeping in on weekends may help ease symptoms like fatigue or daytime sleepiness, research has shown that it can take up to four days to recover from one hour of lost sleep and up to nine days to completely eliminate sleep debt. A full recovery from sleep debt returns our body to its baseline, reducing the negative effects associated with sleep loss.3

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sleep-deprived people sleep more deeply, which equates to more restful sleep. Therefore, when trying to make up for lost sleep, you don’t need to make up each hour with an hour. Dr. Foldvary-Schaefer recommends compensating for sleep debt by going to bed 30 minutes to an hour earlier each night, taking short naps that last 15-30 minutes during the day, and adjusting your schedule so you can wake up a little bit later each morning. 4

To avoid sleep loss, stay on a set sleep schedule to keep circadian rhythms in sync, take short naps when possible if fatigued, avoid screen time at least 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime, limit caffeine intake and keep your sleep environment pitch black or as dark as possible.

Sleep is not the only thing that keeps you energetic and alert! Breathing in clean air and hydrating throughout the day are also crucial. You have until the end of this month to take advantage of the 20% discount on select air and water filters! Make 2025 the year you keep your KenkoAir Purifiers® and PiMag® water filtration systems functioning optimally with filters changed on time!

1, 3 https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/sleep-debt-and-catch-up-sleep

2, 4 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/insomnia-can-you-make-up-for-lost-sleep-on-weekends

Do Something to Feel Good Every Day

Published on by Nikken

Doing something to feel good every day seems natural, but think about it. Do you consciously behave in ways to that make you feel good? Feeling good is not just about physical well-being. Your brain tells you to feel good or not, so mental well-being is also crucial.

The first step to feeling good every day may be by creating intentions. By doing so, feeling good comes from conscious acts. You can then alter your behavior to establish positive habits that become second nature and no longer require questioning and searching for answers.

Feeling good, both mentally and physically, often depends on a few basic activities. Try it and see if it makes a difference in how you feel!

•          Get enough sleep. You spend about a third of your life sleeping, so getting plenty of rest is a no-brainer. Without enough restful sleep, your brain and the rest of your body cannot function optimally. When you don’t get enough sleep, not only do you suffer from brain fog and bad moods, but ironically you can gain weight, raise your blood pressure and weaken your immune system.

•          Spend some time outdoors every day. Even if it’s only for 20 minutes or a brisk walk around the block, being outside (rain or shine) can elevate your mood or create an optimistic attitude as well as lower blood pressure.

•          Do some kind of exercise consistently—whether it’s walking or working out, swimming or biking—your body will look forward to how well it feels, and you will have created a wonderful lifelong habit.

•          Be helpful. You don’t have to formally volunteer somewhere to be helpful. You can hold the door open for someone, let someone go in front of you in a supermarket queue, give a fellow driver the right of way in crowded traffic, or simply smile at strangers. You may or may not make someone else’s day better, but you definitely will feel pretty good yourself.

•          Drink enough water. By the time you actually feel thirsty, you’re probably already dehydrated, so make it a conscious habit to sip water throughout the day. If it’s PiMag® water, even better—because then you’re drinking alkaline water that efficiently hydrates.

•          Meditate or spend a few minutes daily doing nothing. This is practicing the art of true relaxation. Doing nothing for a short period of time, from a few minutes up to an hour, may resemble meditation; however, not everyone is a natural meditator, while everyone is able to do nothing, whether laying down, sitting up, standing or leaning.

•          Interact with an animal. If you have a pet, this one will come naturally. Pet your dog, cat or bunny. Something about the sense of touch against their fur is calming and soothing. Converse with your parakeets. No pets? Go outside and listen—birds, crickets, insects have a symphony of their own and gives you a break from your own inner dialogue.

•          A good diet definitely is key to feeling good every day. One specific part of a healthy diet is fiber. Fiber keeps you regular and being regular is one way to feel good every day. Make sure to eat plenty of fiber. Examples of digestible or soluble fiber are beans, Brussel sprouts, yams, apples, carrots and asparagus. Examples of indigestible or insoluble fiber are kale, cauliflower, spinach, peas, nuts and pears. You can’t go wrong if you eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables—the more colorful, the better.

•          There’s nothing that compares to the feeling of doing something creative. Do you enjoy cooking? Painting? Playing or listening to music? Do you crochet, knit, practice carpentry or build mobiles? Do anything you enjoy that is not related to your work and notice how good you feel.

•          Laughter not only helps boost your immune system, but it also triggers your body to release endorphins and other hormones that make you feel good! So, spend time with your buddies who laugh with you, watch some standup or tune into your favorite comedies.

For the whole month of January, select filters are at 20% off, so you can breathe in clean air and energize as well as hydrate and cleanse with PiMag® water—two ways to feel good every day!

Nature Knows Best How to Nurture

Published on by Nikken

Those of us born before electronic devices were invented, grew up quite differently from the children of today. We were told to “go outside and play” and we had a fair amount of unmonitored time. Granted, not every kid has the luxury of living in or near nature, but just being outdoors under the sky and breathing in natural air is now being studied more and more—because the benefits appear to be substantial.

From a stroll through a city park to a day spent hiking in the wilderness, exposure to nature has been linked to a host of benefits, including improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even upticks in empathy and cooperation.1 Much of the research being conducted currently focuses on parks and forests, known as “green spaces” but “blue spaces” are beginning to be studied as well. Blue spaces are identified as places with river and ocean views. In other words, no matter the color of nature you choose to be in, you will somehow feel uplifted.

Lisa Nisbet, PHD, a psychologist at Trent University in Ontario, Canada, studies connectedness to nature. She says, “You can boost your mood just by walking in nature, even in urban nature. And the sense of connection you have with the natural world seems to contribute to happiness even when you’re not physically immersed in nature.”2 But why does this happen? Why does nature make us feel better? Scientists have come up with different theories.

The biophilia hypothesis argues that since our ancestors evolved in the wild and relied on the environment for survival, we have an innate drive to connect with nature. The stress reduction hypothesis posits that spending time in nature triggers a physiological response that lowers stress levels. And, the attention restoration theory holds that nature replenishes our cognitive resources, which in turn restores our ability to focus.3 Regardless of theories, experimental findings show that even a few moments of green space can revive a tired brain, and nature sounds, such as bird calls or crickets chirping, can also be recuperative.

John Zelenski, PhD, a psychology professor at Carelton University, says that another unproven explanation about the beneficial aspects of nature is the emotion awe. “There are some hints that awe is associated with generosity, and nature can be a way to induce awe. One of the things that may come from awe is the feeling that individual is part of a much bigger whole.”4

Alison Pritchard, PhD at the University of Derby in England, had similar findings: people who feel more connected to nature have a type of contentment that goes beyond just feeling good and includes having meaningful purpose in life.5 So, choose your blue or green space, even for a few minutes a day, and feel lighter, more energetic or even purposeful!

During the entire month of December, get the KenkoAir Purifier® for 30% off and benefit from three-level filtration and negative ion technology. You’ll be inhaling clean, ozone-free air wherever you place it! Also get the KenkoGround® to keep you connected to nature even when you’re indoors—at 20% off!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature

Do You Get the Right Amount of Rest to Feel Renewed?

Published on by Nikken

According to Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, author of Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity, many people misinterpret the meaning of rest. She says that “anything that is not their normal work, they call rest.”1 She gives the example of people who go on vacation to rest. In reality, the vacationers do not actually get rest. Instead, they do a lot of fun activities, which leave them feeling tired rather than rested or restored. So, there is a difference between not working and resting versus not working and doing fun work.

How much rest you need in order to feel renewed or restored is an individual matter. There isn’t a magic formula; however, Dr. Dalton-Smith has identified seven types of rest that work together to provide the renewal every body and mind needs. Here is how they work in tandem:

1.         You can achieve mental rest by scheduling activities that do not require much thought throughout the day. This will have a grounding effect and truly give your brain a rest. You can take a short walk outside and breathe in some natural air. You can simply sit still for a few minutes and keep your mind blank.

2.         What Dr. Dalton-Smith calls spiritual rest is what the Japanese call ikigai. She says to “consider your life purpose and your connection to something bigger than yourself.” This can simply be achieved by soaking in some sunlight, smelling flowers that are in bloom, listening to the rain or anything in relation to nature. This is similar to the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, or forest bathing—soaking in the effects of being in nature, specifically the forest.

3.         Emotional rest occurs when you feel comfortable enough to let down your guard to be open and vulnerable. Find your inner circle of people with whom you can show your true emotions, whether it’s fear, joy or anything else.

4.         Finding your community of like-minded people can providesocial rest. This is the “no man is an island” type of rest as you need time to spend with others.

5.         In the digital world, many suffer from sensory overload. Sensory rest can be achieved by shutting off electronic devices, listening to calming music, and stimulating your sense of smell with aromas you enjoy.

6.         In Zen Buddhism, there is something called “beginner’s mind.” Dr. Dalton-Smith’s version is called creative rest. She says, “Go back to a beginner’s mind and experience something with a fresh new perspective to tap your creative juices.”2

7.         Every single body needs time to recover from work, play and everything in between. Physical rest is equated with sleep most often. Dr.Dalton-Smith defines physical rest as recovery time. She says, “Honor your body by stretching and taking breaks to breathe deeply and reboot. This practice will calm your body and lift your mood.”3

Proper rest is an important fuel for our human tanks. Productive people require enough mental, physical, creative, emotional and spiritual rest. Breathing clean air and staying grounded are two other ways to achieve proper rest. For the entire month of December, take advantage of 30% off the KenkoAir Purifier® and 20% off the KenkoGround®, and see how much it can help you get the rest you truly need!

1, 2, 3 https://mindfulhealthsolutions.com/embrace-these-7-types-of-rest/#:~:text=The%20seven%20types%20of%20rest%20are%20physical%2C%20mental%2C%20emotional%2C,prioritize%20our%20self%2Dcare%20accordingly.

Feel Renewed by Breathing in Clean Air

Published on by Nikken

At Nikken we say, “To breathe is to live.” Said another way, there is no life without breath. Breathing is such a crucial part of existence that we often take it for granted, unless we have a cold and are congested, or if we suffer from any type of respiratory distress. Breathing fills the body with oxygen, which is even more important than food and water to fuel cell activity! After all, we can spend hours and days without food and water, but how long can we survive without breathing?

Every system in the body relies on oxygen. It’s not just the respiratory system that is fueled by oxygen—the digestive, circulatory, endocrine, nervous, cardiovascular and immune systems all depend on oxygen, so imagine how important it is to breathe deeply and the importance of the quality of the air we breathe in! Dirty air still fuels the body but it also wreaks havoc, whereas clean air supports the body’s natural abilities for renewal.

The process of breathing is one of the body’s amazing feats. With each inhalation, the diaphragm that is located at the bottom of the ribcage, contracts so the lungs can expand. As air travels through the air sacs and lungs, oxygen is passed to the bloodstream. At the same time this is happening, carbon dioxide travels into the air sacs from the bloodstream to be released out of the body with each exhalation. On average, this process takes place between 17,000 to 30,000 times a day!1

You can actually maximize the benefits of breathing in clean air by taking time out each day to breathe mindfully. It’s far easier to do than to quiet the mind for meditation! Here are the two main ways to increase the benefits of deep breathing:

1. Make sure your posture is good. Sit or stand up straight. This allows your lungs to expand quickly and efficiently with each breath you take. It also helps to get the carbon dioxide out quickly with each exhalation. When you feel groggy or are suffering from an afternoon slump, sit or stand up straight and take some deep breaths in and out. You may be surprised how quickly you feel a renewal of energy, because oxygen has filled your brain!

2. Most people think about breathing in terms of inhalations. In reality, exhalations are just as important, because you are pushing carbon dioxide out. Most people only exhale 70 percent of the carbon dioxide in their lungs.2 Do your best to push all the air out of your lungs as though you are blowing bubbles. Your body will feel renewed almost instantly.

Scientists are finding that breathing properly can help reduce stress and even strengthen the brain’s functionality and performance. Breathing techniques can also help maintain clarity and a sense of calm and focus as oxygen nourishes every single in the body.3

During the entire month of December, get the KenkoAir Purifier® for 30% off and benefit from three-level filtration and negative ion technology. You’ll be inhaling clean, ozone-free air wherever you place it!

1 https://elliottphysicaltherapy.com/importance-proper-breathing-overall-health/

2, 3 https://www.fireengineering.com/firefighting/restore-renew-rejuvenate-one-breath-at-a-time-the-yoga-way/

Support Your Immune System During the Winter Months

Published on by Nikken

During the cold weather months of winter, the body faces multiple viral and bacterial challenges. That’s why colds and flus are common during this time of year, so it’s especially important to support your immune system.

Here are a few things you can do intentionally to support a healthy winter lifestyle:

•          Incorporate ways to manage or reduce stress, so you can help lighten the load on immune cells. Try stretching a few minutes at a time throughout the day, or simply sit quietly and take measured deep breaths. If you can meditate for even 15 minutes, it may be helpful.

•          Fostering an environment conducive to quality sleep helps empower your body to maintain a resilient immune system. Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep nightly, so that your body can reap the benefits of rest and reproduce immune cells. Remember, physical and mental restoration often take place during sleep. Check out the Makura Sleep Packs with pillows, mattress toppers and comforters for a comfortable sleep environment. (link to https://store.nikken.com/usa/en/product/makura-sleep-packs)

•          Drink plenty of water. Hydration plays an important role in the circulation of immune cells. Proper hydration also supports mucosal barriers and helps your body function at its best.1

Fill your PiMag Waterfall® with tap water and it dispenses filtered alkaline water, so you can hydrate fully.

•               Handwashing is a simple way to support the immune system, as it is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs and infections. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before preparing food, eating, and after being in public places.2

•          Eat with essential nutrients that can boost your immune cells in mind. These include foods rich in vitamins A, C and D, as well as minerals such as zinc. Vitamin A can be found in green, yellow and orange vegetables such as yams, carrots and spinach. Vitamin C is in citrus, peppers, broccoli and many fruits and vegetables. Get out into the sun for a dose of vitamin D, which is needed for good immune response. Support your white blood cells and help maintain a strong gut with zinc-rich foods, such as pumpkin and sesame seeds, seafood and legumes.3 Even if you don’t normally take nutritional supplements, the winter months are a good time to try. Kenzen® Mega Daily 4 comes in two formulas, one for women and one for men. They feature a multivitamin and mineral, vegetable superfoods selected for exceptional nutrient content, whole body renewal components, and gender-specific support.*

•          Stay active. Physical activity helps enhance the body’s immune function by helping to improve circulation, which in turn helps flush out bacteria. Incorporating walking into your daily routine is one of the simplest ways to stay active.

•          During the holidays, there is always the temptation to eat and drink. A little of this and a little of that goes a long way, but keep your intake moderate, especially when it comes to alcoholic beverages. Alcohol tends to weaken the immune system.

So, eat, drink and be merry, but make the right choices to stay healthy all winter long! And remember, you can shop for great gifts with the Nikken Holiday Gift Guide through the end of the year.

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

1 https://bastyr.edu/about/news/boost-your-immunity-winter-lifestyle-tips-and-essential-nutrients

2,3 https://mheds.org/?p=7909

Do You Practice Grounding?

Published on by Nikken

We talk about being connected to nature as a way to get back to the way we were intended to live. In the beginning of time as we know it, humans lived like all other creatures, with nothing separating us from the earth beneath our feet. That means there was direct contact with the ground and its negatively charged electrons. These beneficial electrons help us to stay in balance and creates the effect that is now known as grounding or earthing.

Grounding has been researched over the years, and it has been found that “when connected, the electrons we absorb work as natural antioxidants that neutralize the positively charged free radicals that can damage the body. Exposure to the electrons is vital for functioning at our best.”1 In fact, grounding has been found to improve sleep, support the healing process, and support the reduction of inflammation linked to a variety of health ailments.2

As we consciously work to get reconnected to nature, our contemporary lifestyles pose a challenge in that we spend so much more time indoors than our ancestors did.

The upcoming generations are even more cloistered as they fixate on video games and all manner of electronics rather than on outdoor activities and sports. We can set a good example by taking our youngsters to the beach, to lakes, to natural parks, to wherever being barefoot is safe so connection to earth, sand and natural bodies of water can be made—in order to allow natural grounding to take place. When going barefoot outdoors is not an option, Nikken has an alternate solution.

Nikken is serious about the importance of reconnecting with nature. Our products therefore often emulate or replicate what is found in nature. One prime example is the KenkoGround®. The name really helps to define what the product is about: Kenko means “health” and Ground is for grounding. The KenkoGround plugs into a grounded outlet. When you expose bare skin—whether it’s your feet, arms, shoulders, neck, etc.—to the KenkoGround, you receive the beneficial electrons that neutralize the positive ones that are potentially harmful.

How and where you use the KenkoGround® is up to you. Some people sit at a computer with the KenkoGround under their bare feet. Others drape it around their neck and shoulders while relaxing on the couch. Many sleep with the KenkoGround underneath their bodies. Grounding researchers recommend doing it regularly and building up to longer periods of time, for example, starting out with 10 minutes a day, then increasing to 20 and more than 30 if you can.3

The KenkoGround® is made of conductive fabric that is silky to the touch: it’s 20% silver and 80% nylon and is made to be anti-radiation, anti-bacterial and anti-odor.

As we are already approaching the hectic holiday season, try out the KenkoGround to help maintain your equilibrium. Also be sure to check out the 2024 Holiday Gift Guide!

1, 2, 3 https://www.webmd.com/balance/grounding-benefits

Do You Suffer From Mental Fatigue?

Published on by Nikken

Usually when you think of fatigue, you assume it’s physical. It can be from working out too much or any kind of taxing physical activity—moving furniture, carrying heavy groceries, mowing the lawn, bathing a big dog, and so on. Mental fatigue, however, affects your ability to think, focus or concentrate. Brain imaging techniques reveal that the brain, just like your muscles, gets fatigued when it is used without rest.1

When suffering from mental fatigue, you may notice your mind wandering or being easily distracted, so you can’t effectively continue the task at hand. Mental fatigue arises when your brain senses it is running out of the resources it needs to continue thinking or problem-solving. The brain manages not to shut down; instead, it moves toward less intense endeavors, which manifests as going out of focus, being distracted or doing something that requires less thought.

Any mentally demanding work can lead to fatigue, but how quickly your mind grows tired depends on the kind of work you are doing. Factors that accelerate mental fatigue include:

•          Solving complex problems, learning new skills, making risky decision.

•          Having to ignore distracts (known as impulse resistance)

•          Concentrating on projects over a prolonged period of time without breaks.2

To counteract mental fatigue or better yet, to avert it, you can schedule frequent breaks that allow your brain time to rest. These breaks can be pausing for as little as five seconds every two minutes to 10 minutes every 90 minutes when doing work that requires deep concentration.3 By keeping the break under 10 minutes, you allow your brain to rest without losing momentum. Longer breaks may help your stamina when the job at hand is exceptionally intense.

A break can involve stretching, a walk around the block, a few asanas, or hydrating with a tall glass of alkaline PiMag® water. And whatever you decide to do on your break, make sure it’s not something that requires more brain power! If your mental workout involves intense tasks such as learning new technologies or troubleshooting in real time, try to limit it to four hours a day. Working beyond this timeframe can cause mental fatigue that carries over into the next day.4

Since mental fatigue is not visible from the outside, it is easy to forget it exists until it starts harming performance or affecting your health and well-being. So, be sure to schedule in time to rest your brain!

1, 2, 3, 4  https://hbr.org/2024/10/how-to-manage-and-avoid-mental-fatigue#:~:text=Limit%20intense%20work%20to%20four,filling%20out%20a%20time%20sheet.

Junk Food Alternatives

Published on by Nikken

Humans have had a long and beneficial relationship with salt, sugar, and fat that dates back to the origin of the species. Salt is essential for fluid balance, sugar provides the energy for physical and mental activity while fats of various types make up most of the mass of the brain.1 Salt, sugar and fat were necessities to stave off hunger and starvation.

Fast forward to contemporary times and those same magical ingredients are added into fast foods as well as packaged ready-to-eat foods that are convenient and often times, addictive. The packaged food industry spends loads of money to research the “bliss point” for general consumption, and that is how much sugar, fat and salt is added, so that we develop a habit and cravings! Scientists have a relatively new name for such cravings: hedonic hunger, a powerful desire for food in the absence of any need for it; the yearning we experience when our stomach is full but our brain is still ravenous. And a growing number of experts now argue that hedonic hunger is one of the primary contributors to surging obesity rates in developed countries worldwide, particularly in the U.S., where scrumptious desserts and mouthwatering junk foods are cheap and plentiful.2

Research has shown that the brain begins responding to fatty and sugary foods even before they enter our mouth. Merely seeing a desirable item excites the reward circuit. As soon as such a dish touches the tongue, taste buds send signals to various regions of the brain, which in turn responds by spewing the neurochemical dopamine. The result is an intense feeling of pleasure.3 That is why it is so hard to break the junk food habit.

Fortunately, there are some simple ways to replace junk food with healthier alternatives!

•          Replace milk chocolate with dark chocolate, which contains antioxidants as well as magnesium, iron, copper, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium.4 Don’t go overboard because it’s still high in calories.

•          Replace ice cream with frozen yogurt, which is lower in both fat and sugar and contains probiotics to help gut health. Again, eat in moderation to avoid too many calories.

•          Another replacement for ice cream is sorbet. It’s easy to make and you get all the nutrients from the fruit of your choice.

•          Have dried fruit for dessert or snacks. Dried fruit is actually very sweet and can take away sugar cravings.

•          Potato chips can be replaced with kale chips, any other vegetable chip, sweet potato chips and even baked potato chips. Popcorn is also a healthier alternative when you make it with less salt and butter.

•          Replace sugary sodas with sparkling water and fruit slices, or use half carbonated water and half fresh juice. Don’t drink those so-called sugar-free sodas either—they may have zero calories, but artificial sweeteners are simply bad for you.

•          Have nuts on hand for healthy snacking. Nuts have that crunch that is so satisfying, and when you choose unsalted ones, you’re getting the healthy fats without the salt. Even when salted, the high fiber and vegan protein you’re getting more than make up for the salt.

To win the battle against junk food, we have to “reengineer the food environment.” This means removing junk food from wherever we live, which in practical terms means not buying it to begin with. This also means not going to fast food outlets, because once there, the temptation may prove overwhelming. And remember, Kenzen® nutritional and dietary supplements may help you fill in the gaps in your daily regimen!

1 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41538-018-0020-x

2, 3 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-sugar-and-fat-trick-the-brain-into-wanting-more-food/#:~:text=Research%20has%20shown%20that%20the,a%20sense%20of%20well%2Dbeing.

4 https://onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com/uk/lifestyle-advice/10-healthy-alternatives-to-unhealthy-food

What You Eat Affects How Well You Work

Published on by Nikken

Just about everything we eat is converted by our bodies into glucose, which provides the energy our brains need to stay alert. When we’re running low on glucose, we have a tough time staying focused and our attention drifts. This explains why it’s hard to concentrate on an empty stomach.1

Our bodies react to different types of foods in different ways. In other words, not all food is processed at the same rate. High-carb foods such as pasta, bread and sugary cereals, release glucose quickly. This results in a quick burst of energy, but then there is a slump. Even worse are desserts with loads of sugar—the sugar high and ensuing crash that mothers fear from their children often come after ingesting birthday cake!

High-fat meals provide more sustained energy, but require the digestive system to work harder, in effect, reducing oxygen levels in the brain and resulting in grogginess and lethargy. There’s a reason the big steak meal with all the fixings or that double cheeseburger and fries puts us into a food coma. Movement helps digestion; that’s why taking a brisk walk after a big meal can help to keep that heavy feeling at bay.

Research indicates that eating fruits and vegetables throughout the day isn’t simply good for the body—it’s also beneficial for the mind. A recent paper in British Journal of Health Psychology examined the way people’s food choices influenced their daily experiences. After 13 days of observation, the participants who consumed more fruits and vegetables (up to 7 portions daily) were visibly happier, more engaged and more creative than usual.Researchers concluded that because fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that support dopamine production, they support the experience of curiosity, motivation and engagement. Fruits and veggies are also high in antioxidants, which help to improve memory, enhance mood and support the immune system. 2

Ray Merrill, an editorial board member of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found that those who opt for predominantly unhealthy food choices are 66% more likely to be less productive than those who actively make healthy choices.Professor Merrill contends that proper nutrition promotes increased cognitive function, better concentration, more energy and motivation and decreased depression and anxiety.3

Making consistently good food choices that help us perform at our highest levels requires discipline but can be made easier with a strategy. Here are a few tips on planning:

•          Make food choices early. Don’t wait until you are starving, which is when the worst food decisions are made. Plan when you are going to have your meals and decide in advance what you’ll be having.

•          The more you cook or assemble meals at home, the more control you have. So many people work remotely from their homes now that you actually have better odds of eating healthier and resorting to fast food restaurants less often.

•          Have healthy snacks at hand. A handful of nuts with a piece of fruit in between meals can be your best friend and ward off drops in blood sugar. The more active you are, the more important it is to supplement your main meals with snacks.

•          Be aware of foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar, and keep them to a minimum. Rule of thumb: stay with fresh produce, lean or vegetable-based proteins and whole grains.

The more we choose to eat healthy foods—the better we’ll do in school, at work and in life. And at Nikken, we have Kenzen® Nutrition to support us every step of the way.

1, 2 https://hbr.org/2014/10/what-you-eat-affects-your-productivity#:~:text=Why?,decisions%20about%20food%20is%20essential.

3 https://www.wellright.com/resources/blog/exploring-the-link-between-productivity-and-food-in-the-workplace