Category: Health

Nikken and Biomimicry

Published on by Nikken

In a constantly evolving world, Nikken found inspiration in nature’s timeless solutions. Our founder developed the very first Nikken product based on his intuitive adaptation of the age-old knowledge of magnets as a source of energy and electrical currents. Japanese baths and walkways are embedded with pebbles that simulate the texture and effect of natural magnets. Pressure points throughout the soles of our feet are stimulated when walking on the pebbly and magnetic surfaces. Made now with patented DynaFlux® technology, Kenko mSteps® and Kenko mStrides® are embedded with naturally powerful ferrite magnets. This is biomimicry.

Biomimicry is the art of learning from and emulating nature’s brilliance to solve our problems and to create sustainable solutions. Nature is our guide, as we combine the best designs from its storehouse with creative technology to make products that are holistic and nature-inspired.

In a natural environment, spring water is filtered, purified and filled with minerals that are essential for maintaining optimal functions in our body. Mimicking these natural compositions generates an exceptional source of the ideal water that every cell in our body needs for smart hydration. The PiMag® water systems exemplify biomimicry, from its magnetic filtration to its alkalinity and the mineral stones in the Waterfall.

Biomimicry is akin to observing how certain natural elements or forces influence organisms and then applying similar principles to restore balance and support in our increasingly stressful world. For example, by using magnetic and massage stimulation, we seek to influence the body’s natural responses to external stimuli.

Air abundant in negative ions can be experienced as a “fresh air” feeling such as the revitalizing air near waterfalls and forests. Negative ionization technologies enhance air filtration to bring pure air into our homes. The KenkoAir Purifier® is biomimicry at a high level!

Ceramic reflective fibers work like the sun’s spectrum, bringing this comforting technology to our homes.  Using energy from our bodies, these fibers gently reflect a soothing warmth, creating support for the body’s natural processes and promoting a sense of well-being for less stress, restful sleep and vital energy. Ceramic reflective technology is biomimicry found in KenkoTherm wraps, Kenko Sleep Systems, and Kenko jewelry.

At Nikken, we strive to create balance in the 5 Pillars of Wellness by bringing nature into every home. Through biomimicry, we can live on planet Earth and thrive —just as nature intended! This is Nikken—Inspired by Nature.

Make 2024 a Year of Fresh Air and Clean Water

Published on by Nikken

Nikken has been at the forefront of water and air filtration for years. Our water and air filtration units are inspired by nature. PiMag filters mimic the natural filtration processes found in waterfalls as they flow over streams and rocks. The KenkoAir Purifier uses negative ion technology that replicates the fresh air quality found in natural surroundings such as forests and lakes. Using Nikken filtration systems not only keeps your indoor air and water supply fresh and clean, they help bring nature into your Wellness Home.

Not only do Nikken air and water filtration units perform above expectations, they have unusually long lifespans, which decreases your carbon footprint. However, to maintain their potential longevity, the filter replacements should be regularly changed according to specific schedules.

  • The PiMag® Sport Bottle uses state-of-the-art filtration technology that exceeds standards for reducing particulates, chlorine, chloramine, taste and odor, cysts, lead, bacteria, VOCs, MTBE and more.

The recommendation for changing the filter is approximately three months of average use or up to an estimated 250 refills per filter. Choose item #13503 for the Replacement Filter Pack.

  • The PiMag Waterfall® is the eco-friendly Sport Bottle’s counterpart for the home and office. It also exceeds standards as mentioned above.

The recommendation for changing the filter is 3-6 months or 238 gallons or 900 liters, whichever comes first. Choose item 13845. Mineral stones should be changed annually. Choose item #13846.

  • The PiMag MicroJet® Shower System has been tested and effectively helps reduce chlorine exposure. While most chlorine-reduction systems in shower filters merely trap chlorine or add other chemicals to counteract it, the PiMag MicroJet uses a reduction/oxidation process to neutralize chlorine ions. The MicroJet injects air into the shower stream to increase the electronegative potential of the water for more effective filtration. Micro-bubbles are released through the nozzle to provide an exceptional cleansing action.

The recommendation for changing the filter for the hand-held model is every 6,600 gallons or 22, 700 liters or three months, whichever comes first. Choose Item #14661.

The recommendation for changing the filter for the wall mount model is every 12,000 gallons or 45,400 liters or six months, whichever comes first. Choose Item #13831.

  • The KenkoAir Purifier® exceeds the measured efficiency of capturing up to 99.95% of 0.3 micron particles in the air. It’s more efficient than standard store models and unlike typical air filters, this advanced system helps generate negative-ions similar to those found in natural environments.

The recommendation for changing the filters is every six months. Be sure to clean the reusable prefilter when the other filters are replaced. Choose Item #1445.

As we ring in 2024, take advantage of the replacement filter offer of 20% off, now through February 29!

New Year Message from CEO Luis Kasuga

Published on by Nikken

Dear Nikken Global Wellness Community,

2023 has been a journey of triumphs and challenges. Despite everything, we stayed together. These experiences added wisdom and knowledge to strengthen our legacy. The direction is clear: the happiness of human beings and their environment is in our hands. We have the tools to reshape our communities, mend bridges, and nurture gardens of hope. Let us join hands, spark our collective imaginations, and create a future where happiness blooms for all.

Your journey becomes ours. As you chart your course, we’ll be your compass, your map, your cheering squad. We’ll offer tools, guidance, and a community of kindred spirits, all united in the pursuit of dreams that benefit yourselves and the world around you.

Here are some things you can do to make the most of the holiday season:

Spend time with loved ones. Make time for the people who are most important to you.

Give back to your community. There are many ways to volunteer your time or donate to a worthy cause.

Practice gratitude. Take some time to reflect on all the things you are grateful for.

Focus on your well-being. Make sure to take care of yourself physically and mentally.

Together, let’s make 2024 a year where dreams rise like a symphony, harmonizing individual purpose with the well-being of all. Your happiness is our mission, and your journey is our shared adventure.

Imagine waking up each morning, exhilarated by a vision so potent it fuels your every step. Ask yourself: what ignites that spark within you? What whispers possibilities for a life both fulfilling and purposeful? Then, delve deeper. Consider not just your own fulfillment but the ripples your dreams would send outward. Are they ripples of inspiration, joy and harmony with the world? If so, then dive in with conviction, knowing we’ll be there, hand in hand, as you navigate the currents.

So, dear Nikkenites, don’t wait. Ask those crucial questions, ignite your vision, and step into the new year with unwavering resolve. We’ll be here every step of the way, ready to witness your triumph and celebrate your every victory.

Best wishes for these holidays. May your faith and beliefs guide you to many moments of joy, peace, and the deepest connections with your loved ones. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

Your friend,

Luis Kasuga

President & CEO

Mushrooms Can Be Functional Foods

Published on by Nikken

Mushrooms seem to be everywhere these days! The most common button mushrooms have always been abundant, but to procure specialty mushrooms, you used to have to go to the Asian markets.   Now, you can find a pretty wide assortment in supermarkets, grocery stores and farmer’s markets. The demand is great, so suppliers are happy to increase varieties and quantities.

The New York Times named the mushroom “the ingredient of the year” in 2022. If mushrooms started to take off a few years ago, a number of factors have kept them in the spotlight. The growing interest in foraging and wild foods, in which mushrooms feature prominently and the 2020’s lockdowns played a key role in prompting people to experiment with new ingredients in their home cooking. And, the growth in medical psilocybin research increased public interest in mushrooms.1

At the same time mushrooms have taken center stage, so has public interest in bolstering immunity—again, coinciding with the 2020’s lockdowns. Mushrooms have been consumed regularly in Asian cuisines for thousands of years and not just for their umami flavors but for their medicinal value. The ancients somehow knew what contemporary researchers have confirmed—certain mushrooms (designated medicinal) have been shown to help keep the immune system in balance. When there’s something to fight, the immune system is stimulated to act, known as “upregulation”; however, keeping it in balance requires it to “downregulate” when it becomes overactive.2

Cordyceps mycelium has long been recognized as an important medicinal mushroom in China. Its pharmaceutical properties were recorded in the book “Ben-Cao-Bei-Yao,” edited by Wang Ang in 1694. It is one of the mushrooms that researchers are devoting time to— Cordyceps shows promise in the areas of boosting exercise performance by helping to improve the way the body uses oxygen, supporting blood sugar levels within a healthy range, and helping fight physical irritations. It even shows promise in promoting heart health.3

Agaricus blazei is another medicinal mushroom that is receiving a lot of attention from researchers. Originally from Brazil and highly prized for its multiple benefits, including supporting the immune system and working as an antioxidant,4 the mushroom has been studied as a novel functional food in Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan.

Interested in adding mushrooms to your diet? There are lots of cookbooks that include mushrooms and if you’d like a supplement, Nikken has been offering Kenzen Immunity long before fungi became a hot topic!

1 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/02/mushroom-food-trend#:~:text=Mushrooms%20frequently%20top%20food%20trends,doubled%20in%20the%20same%20timeframe.

2 https://www.the-well.com/editorial/how-mushrooms-boost-immunity

3 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cordyceps-benefits

4 https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1165/agaricus-mushroom

Can you Help Prevent the Winter Cold and Flu?

Published on by Nikken

Your lifestyle and immune system can make the difference between staying healthy or getting sick. Here are some tips for staying healthy during cold and flu season:

• Keep your hands clean by washing them often. Touching Infected surfaces is the most common way to pick up a virus, so use soap and water and wash for 20 seconds, minimum.

• Don’t touch your face. Apparently, children touch their faces an average of 16 times an hour!1 Rubbing eyes, scratching your nose, chewing on fingernails all help viruses get into the body.

• Keep surfaces clean in the house. Use disinfecting wipes to help reduce germs.

• Get enough sleep to help keep the immune system healthy and strong. Lack of sleep makes the body more susceptible to germs. Create an environment that helps you sleep “like a baby.”

• Eat nutritious foods to help strengthen the immune system. Boost intake of infection-fighting antioxidants—lots of colorful fruits and vegetables.

• Blanch your veggies. Viruses linger on produce, so boiling them for a couple of minutes kills them.

• Increase omega-3 intake to help spur production of infection-fighting cells. Eat fish. For those who avoid seafood, find vegetarian sources, such as flax seeds, for a daily dose of omegas 3, 6 and 9!

• Drink green tea. A catechin in green tea called EGCG is believed to damage flu virus particles and stop them from entering your system. German scientists believe this catechin may also interfere with pneumonia-causing bacteria.2

• Eat yogurt. A study published in “Clinical Nutrition” showed that people who consumed a strain of specific probiotics daily reduced their risk of catching a cold or flu by 27%.3

• Use ginger. Researchers in Taiwan discovered fresh ginger can inhibit respiratory viruses from attaching to cells and may reduce their ability to replicate.4 Make spicy tea or add ginger to a stir fry.

• Keep your nose warm—the cilia in your nasal and sinus cavities help sweep away pathogens, but move slowly when cold.

• Hum! According to an Indian study, humming can increase antimicrobial nitric oxide in the nose! Take a deep breath, close one nostril and exhale out the other nostril as you hum.5

• Do yoga. Japanese scientists contend that combining relaxation and physical activity triggers an increase in saliva levels of an antimicrobial peptide that breaks down invading microbes. A 90-minute yoga session doubled the peptide called beta-defensin 2.6

• Exercise. Physical activity helps you become less prone to colds and flu, as movement helps stimulate the white blood cells that fight infection.

• Decrease stress. Try targeted massage and acupressure to help roll away tension!

1 https://www.laurelpedsmd.com/blog/10-tips-to-help-prevent-winter-colds-and-flu#:~:text=Get%20and%20stay%20physical,blood%20cells%20that%20fight%20infection.

2, 3, 4, 5, 6 https://www.today.com/health/26-ways-avoid-getting-sick-winter-1d80290214

Do You Like Winter Weather?

Published on by Nikken

There are lots of people who prefer cold to hot, and that includes their preferences for weather! Do you tend to think of vacations being time spent at the beach, in the balmy tropical weather, sunshine and swimming, or do you prefer holidays spent in the snow—skiing, snowboarding, sledding, making snowmen and having snowball fights?

Psychologists have looked into seasonal preferences to better understand the mood and behavioral changes that temperature and light variations have on people. Personal preferences seem to reveal specific personality traits. For example, your cognitive performance, your preference for certain colors and different types of music, and the kind of foods you tend to eat all vary over the course of the year.One study conducted in Belgium found that people had the hardest time keeping their focus in the summer and the easiest time doing so in the winter.1

The seasons also appear to influence how kind you are to others. For example, charitable contributions in countries with Christian traditions increase dramatically around Christmas. People in these societies are also more likely to tip their waiters generously during the holiday season. Aggressive behavior, from horn honking to violent crime tends to peak in the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere.2

Who likes winter? If you count the chilly months of winter as your favorite season, it might mean that you tend to be a bit of an introverted homebody.3 Does a warm sweater and curling up on the couch with hot cocoa on a cold night sound like your ideal afternoon? Here are some other types of people who enjoy winter:

•          Thermophobes. In Latin, therm means heat and phobe means fear.

•          Winter sport fans. As mentioned above, skiers, snowboarders, sledders, etc.

•          Those sensitive to the sun. If you sunburn easily and are always applying sunblock or searching for an appropriate sun hat, overcast or snowy winter days provide some relief.

•          Those sensitive to bug bites. One winter blessing is the decrease of mosquitoes and other “biting” insects.

Whether or not you’re a fan of winter, Nikken has the perfect products to make your cold weather days the coziest ever. From the Kenko Dream Comforter of your choice to the KenkoTherm support products, Nikken takes its lead from nature and weaves in ceramic reflective fibers to help keep you toasty. And, when you purchase a Kenko Naturest® Fit mattress topper now through year end, you receive a complimentary Kenko PowerSleep Mask!

1, 2 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/unserious-psychology/202306/how-the-seasons-affect-our-psychology

3 verywellmind.com/what-your-favorite-season-say-about-personality

Why Do We Like to Be Scared?

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As we approach Halloween, do you ever wonder why some of us like to be scared? From toddlers to grown people, being a bit (or even a lot) scared is an enjoyable sensation for some of us, as long as there’s no real danger. Science has an explanation!

When you participate in frightening activities, the brain is manipulated into a series of chemical reactions that produce “feel good” sensations. Several simultaneous processes occur in the body when being scared:

• The fight or flight impulse is triggered, causing the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol, both stress hormones.

• The adrenaline in turn causes dopamine and endorphins to rush in—which produce the good feelings.

• The heart rate and blood pressure go up and goosebumps may even pop up.

• The senses are intensified and any physical process that doesn’t help with surviving the fear, such as digestion, is temporarily suspended.

Fear that you choose to experience—scary movies, haunted houses, Halloween costumes with bulging eyes, blood and guts, rollercoaster rides and so on—provide the adrenaline, endorphins and dopamine without the stress that comes with real danger. When you know it’s “fun” and not actually dangerous, you can experience a positive fear while still feeling safe.

Take the example of the rollercoaster ride. It’s perfectly acceptable to shriek and scream at the top of your lungs. During a regular day, there are many types of stressors, but it’s not socially acceptable to scream and react the way you might want. In this way, choosing to put yourself in a fear-inducing situation can be cathartic. You not only get the adrenaline rush with endorphins, you also get to behave in a way that “lets it all out.”  In fact, you’re expected to react in an extreme way. You can behave like a child when reacting to scary movies, too! The result is that your mood improves—so no wonder people like horror movies and ghost stories!

Successfully enduring something scary or spooky can be satisfying—if you make it through a haunted house or the rollercoaster ride, you’ve proven you’re “tough”. The emotions you feel when engaging with something scary are magnified when you’re with other people. That’s why scary movies make for a great group night—you can indulge in camaraderie to support each other.

Being scared shows you different aspects of yourself you typically may not notice. How do you respond to challenges? How do you handle anxiety? How careful or how brash are you? In some respects, how you respond to fear provides a mirror image of part of your inner self.

Happy Halloween! Remember, if all the ghoulish fun becomes too much, Nikken has an array of calming and balancing tools just for you, so you can relax with magnetic and tourmaline technologies—and of course, the Kenko Sleep System helps you rest after all that spookiness.

1 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-do-we-like-to-get- scared/#:~:text=Nonthreatening%20scary%20situations%20%E2%80%94%20like%20visiting,and%20do pamine%20in%20your%20brain.

Let’s Have Some Fall Fun!

Published on by Nikken

Fall is a wonderful season to tap into the child within you! You can delight in the cool weather with the changing colors of the leaves, and watch the beauty of nature transform all around you. Let’s make sure to participate in autumn’s seasonal pleasures!

•          Depending on where you live, fall is a great time to visit an apple orchard. Many will allow you to pick your own, and it comes out to be less costly than apples at a grocery store. This is an activity the whole family can enjoy together, and there’s a special joy to crunching down on a freshly picked apple.

•          October and November are pumpkin months. Pumpkins are not only nutritious and delicious, they make for some messy fun. When you dig the seeds out, save them for roasting!

Pumpkin-carving can be loads of fun, even amid the mess and slime! If you live where there are pumpkin carving contests, you’re probably already a pro! Now’s the time to indoctrinate the little ones. Don’t forget to make pumpkin pie and pumpkin stew.

•          Even if you live in the heart of a city and now anywhere near the countryside, autumn is a great time to try your hand at making a bird house. You can buy pre-made ones in many sizes and shapes and paint them, or if you’re handy at carpentry, start one from scratch. You’ll be amazed and happy when you hang it up and the birds come around—even outside an apartment building!

•          Visit an autumn harvest festival. If you live near any kind of agricultural center, there’s bound to be an autumn festival for you to attend. There will be lots of activities, possibly costumes, petting zoos, baking contests and more.

•          Make a fall wreath. Collect fallen leaves of a variety of hues, find acorns, pine cones, twigs, add seeds. Add dried flower petals and anything else your creative mind suggests. A wreath made from the gifts of nature is the most beautiful wreath of all.

•          Make it a point to take a nature walk as often as possible during the autumn months, if not for the visual delight, then for the sheer exhilaration of a brisk walk on a windy day.

•          Fall weather is soup weather. Make use of the abundance of squash (pumpkins are great in soup!) and add all your other favorite veggies. Spice it up and the whole family will love it.

•          Most people love cookies, but again, the cool autumn weather is great for being in a warm kitchen and creating the smell of freshly baked cookies! Even toddlers like to help out.

•          Do you have a farmer’s market in your area? Even if you don’t go to one regularly, go during the autumn months. You won’t be disappointed at the many varieties of fruit and vegetables. This is also the time of year where artisans come out with their crafts and rent stalls along with the farmers.

As you get cozy with autumn, remember that until year end, whenever you purchase a Kenko Naturest® Fit mattress topper you’ll receive a complimentary Kenko PowerSleep Mask. And, whenever you purchase a PiMag Waterfall®, you’ll get a box of 30 packets of delicious Kenzen Jade GreenZymes® Citrus as our treat!

Getting Restful Sleep During Autumn Weather

Published on by Nikken

Did you know that the seasons can affect your sleep? When the cooler months come around, sleep may be disrupted. That’s because your body naturally makes more melatonin—the hormone responsible for sleepiness—when there’s more sunlight. During the cooler months, when days are shorter and darker, less melatonin is manufactured by your body.

One of the biggest culprits of disrupted sleep schedules is the use of electronic devices. This is due to the blue light emitted from electronic devices. The blue light suppresses the natural production of melatonin by the body, so you may not be able to fall asleep easily when you barely went off your cell phone, tablet or computer. You might want to try shutting down electronic devices an hour before your bedtime.

Developing a sleep routine, the same way parents sleep-train children, can help you reach restful sleep faster. By doing the same relaxing things consistently, your body has a chance to get accustomed to the routine and to anticipate sleep. The bedtime routine allows your brain to relax and not have to react to something unexpected. Although the body does not do well with electronic devices close to bedtime, it does react well when reading or listening to music. Choose reading material that is relaxing and listen to something soothing.

What you eat and drink can affect your sleep. If you go to bed hungry, chances are you won’t get a sound sleep, and the same thing goes for eating too much. Hunger will wake you up and overfullness makes the digestive system work harder. When it comes to beverages, caffeinated and alcoholic ones can cause insomnia in some people, so try to avoid them or enjoy them no later than afternoon tea time.

The most obvious way to help get a great night’s sleep is to make sure your bedding is comfortable. Nikken is a pioneer in sleep technology, and we want everyone to try the Kenko Naturest® Fit. This mattress topper can change the softest or the hardest bedding into the ideal sleep surface. The special sculptured rubberthane latex provides a relaxing massage effect and allows for air movement. Ceramic reflective fibers help provide an ideal temperature while a magnetic field cocoons the body for a feeling of security.

Now through December 31, 2023, when you purchase any size of the portable Kenko Naturest® Fit, you’ll receive a complimentary Kenko PowerSleep Mask that not only helps to block out light but also to keep your eye area relaxed. We call them “perfect partners” that can make your autumn months the most restful ever!

Nature Cycles into the Autumn Equinox

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This year, the Autumn Equinox falls on September 23. The Autumn Equinox is the day of the year when day and night are almost equal in most locations on planet Earth. The term equinox comes from the Latin words “aequss” (equal) and “nox” (night).

Ancient cultures perceived the changing of the seasons as key points in the cycle of life in nature. Cultures around the world continue to celebrate the Autumn Equinox with different festivities. Consciously linking an awareness of the cycles of nature seems to help humankind understand our own inner cycles, as we try to evolve into the best versions of ourselves.

The Autumn Equinox is a meaningful time of the year, where people celebrate the harvest—symbolically, this can be reaping the rewards of the past year’s work, and physically, it really is a time that farmers bring in the bounty of their crops.

In nature, there are cycles of growth, harvest, death and rebirth. The same can be said of human cycles. The Autumn Equinox is a time to focus on what you have produced (reaped) and how you have benefited or prospered. It is a time to be conscious of what you have rather than what you lack.

Because the Autumn Equinox traditionally signals the end of the harvest season, it also sets the scene for you to activate a new cycle of growth. This is not only an ideal time to recognize and give thanks for the past seasons but also to evaluate, strategize and plan for the rest of the year. As we give thanks for what we have received, it’s an appropriate time to look back and see if we maintained balance in our lives and what changes may be needed.

As the seasons cycle, so do our energy levels. What worked in the warmer months may not be best for the approaching colder winter months. Physical energy may be channeled into intellectual energy. In other words, the warmer months may have been filled with physical activities, while the cooler months may lean more toward thoughtful learning.

What is your vision for the new seasonal cycle? Is it the same as it was earlier in the year or do you need to make space for a newer, possibly bigger vision? No matter your what your focus may be, enjoy the Autumn Equinox, the bounty the season brings and the inspiration for nature’s cycle heading toward the Winter Solstice!

Sources:

https://exploredeeply.com/live-your-purpose/the-spiritual-significance-of-autumn-equinox-in-our-modern-lives

https://www.spiritualityhealth.com/spiritual-meaning-autumn-equinox