The Healthy Mind Pillar

Benjamin Franklin is attributed with saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” He originally was addressing fire safety, but today his axiom generally refers to health. In other words, it’s easier to prevent a health hazard than to repair damage that is already done.

October 10, 2018 is World Mental Health Day, and Ben Franklin’s words of wisdom come to mind. In order to prevent mental illness, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms, then take immediate action to alleviate or prevent further distress.

Mental illness often begins in childhood or adolescence and goes unrecognized. The earlier treatment is begun, the more effective it can be to prevent the mental disorder from progressing into adulthood. Here are some warning signs that a child or teen might need help, as delineated by the National Institute of Mental Health1:

  • Often feels anxious or worried
  • Has very frequent tantrums or is intensely irritable much of the time
  • Has frequent stomachaches or headaches with no physical explanation
  • Is in constant motion, can’t sit quietly for any length of time
  • Has trouble sleeping, including frequent nightmares
  • Loses interest in things he or she used to enjoy
  • Avoids spending time with friends
  • Has trouble doing well in school, or grades decline
  • Fears gaining weight; exercises, diets obsessively
  • Has low or no energy
  • Has spells of intense, inexhaustible activity
  • Harms herself/himself, such as cutting or burning her/his skin
  • Engages in risky, destructive behavior
  • Harms self or others
  • Smokes, drinks, or uses drugs
  • Has thoughts of suicide
  • Thinks his or her mind is controlled or out of control, hears voices

Although the list of symptoms is similar for adults, here are some other signs to watch out for in particular, as noted by the Mayo Clinic2:

  • Feeling sad or down
  • Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate
  • Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt
  • Extreme mood changes of highs and lows
  • Withdrawal from friends and activities
  • Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping
  • Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations
  • Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
  • Trouble understanding and relating to situations and to people
  • Major changes in eating habits
  • Sex drive changes
  • Excessive anger, hostility or violence

Nikken nutritional supplements are of particular importance in supporting Active Wellness. There are two that specifically address the Healthy Mind Pillar.

  • Kenzen® Clarity is formulated with a fermented blend of 100% organic ingredients to help us stay focused and mentally sharp. Fermentation increases the levels of macro- and micro-nutrients while breaking down food that is difficult for the body to process.
  • Since the connection between brain function and gut health is critical for optimum results, Kenzen Lactoferrin™ 2.0 contains four organic ingredients that specifically support the G.I. tract as well as promoting brain health.

1 https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/index.shtml

2 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968

 

 

The Kenko Heart is the Heart of Nikken

Virtually everyone likes “cool and unique-looking” jewelry. But at Nikken, jewelry is never just about appearances. It’s about function, too. According to the BBC, the “global sale of therapeutic magnets is estimated to be at least $1 billion a year.” At Nikken, we appeal to both those who simply want attractive jewelry and those who want to improve how they feel.

Everyone reacts individually to different modalities. What works for one doesn’t apply to all. I can only tell you my personal experience with magnetic jewelry, and that applies specifically to the Kenko PowerBand®. I’ve worn the PowerBand necklace since Nikken first launched it in October 2010. Because I commute to work, I have chronic neck and shoulder pains from gripping the steering wheel and dodging drivers who appear to want my early demise. I don’t really care how or why the PowerBand works; all I know is that my neck and shoulders feel a lot more relaxed when I’m wearing it. I don’t overthink things; since it works, I keep wearing it.

Sharing with loved ones is the most natural behavior in the world, so I put the Kenko PowerBand around my husband’s neck and wrist. He’s one of those men who doesn’t wear any jewelry, but since 2010, he puts on his necklace and wristbands himself, without being prodded. I also put the PowerBand necklace around my then 11-year-old Chow/Labradors who proceeded to live to be 15 and nearly 17. (That’s really old for 65-pound dogs, for those who don’t know about canine lifespans.) They were headstrong boys who generally didn’t put up with anything on them for more than a few minutes but during all those years, they never tried to remove their PowerBands.

This is a roundabout introduction to our newest magnetic jewelry, the Kenko Heart Set. Pre-launched last weekend at the Active Wellness Preview hosted by Royal Ambassador Dave Johnson and Gold Consultant Mee-Jin Chong, the Kenko Heart Set is composed of a pendant and a pair of gold-tone earrings. The pendant is engineered with 800-gauss neodymium magnets and the earrings with 600-gauss. Because they’re made to Nikken specifications, they’re hypoallergenic, 316L stainless steel for durability, non-corrosive and nickel-free.

Those of you who already own the Kenko Perfect Link® II will find that the Kenko Heart pendant fits on it perfectly. The pendant is gold plated on one side and stainless steel-colored on the other, so you get a duo-tone piece with an etching of the Nikken logo. The earrings are gold plated and small enough to wear with multiple piercings.

When you wear the Kenko Heart Set, you’re really displaying your Nikken Heart. The Kenko Heart Set makes a wonderful gift and statement. It’s a gift from the heart and may well improve how you feel. Don’t overthink it. Just show people you care. As we approach the holiday season, make it easy on yourself and purchase ahead for the mothers, aunts, nieces and other deserving folks in your life.

Make the Decision to Succeed

Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning “continuous improvement through positive change.” Recipients of the Team Kaizen award have the opportunity to experience an extraordinary leadership position within Nikken. 2018 Team Kaizen members had to create at least one Quality Enrollment every month of 2017 and develop four or more new frontline Silvers last year. Even though he qualified for Team Kaizen 2018, Royal Diamond Michael (Mike) DiMuccio continues to lead and sponsor new Consultants as he approaches 27 years with Nikken. Why? He set a goal to be a part of Team Kaizen 2019.

Explaining why he was so intent on qualifying for Team Kaizen, Mike says, “I wanted to prove to the Nikken Family, especially those following me, that even though I am at the Royal Diamond rank, often associated with ‘resting on our laurels’, that it could be done. The point was for me to remove all excuses and legitimate reasons for not getting it done. It was the consequence of making a decision.

“Enlist the support and direct involvement of your active upline and create a daily to-do list and calendar of events. Tell people why you are doing what you are doing with Nikken and invite them to help you do it – directly, or indirectly. Create Silvers. No one becomes Silver just because. It almost always requires a focused effort on the part of the Consultant and their sponsor. I asked newly sponsored Consultants to join me in the effort to achieve a Paragon Award and Team Kaizen.

“The majority of volume that we generated was from retail sales, which is a big plus in the new compensation plan. Of course, building a team is of a higher priority, but doesn’t hold back the potential for a Consultant to achieve Silver mainly on his or her own steam. Contact with my running mates, ABC meetings and calls were top on the list for daily activities. Asking for ‘help’ and referrals became the means to reaching into other people’s warm market.

“Everyone loves a deal, so extending product incentives to my Consultant’s prospects became a way to encourage immediate action—for instance, offering a pillow for a Sleep System, or a Sport Bottle for a Waterfall. Now with our Wellness Home Packs, we have a built-in incentive!”

On his way to becoming a 2019 Team Kaizen member, Mike says, “Setting a goal and achieving it is one of the most empowering feelings in the world. I’m staying on top of my 3000 PGV monthly, mainly with the same strategy as before. I personally am also taking advantage of the new Wellness Packs to have products to loan to prospects and to promote the built-in incentives.”

In summary, here are the five main actions required with the DiMuccio strategy to reach Team Kaizen:

  1. Make the decision to succeed.
  2. Ask your active upline for help and support.
  3. Create a daily to-do list and calendar of events.
  4. Sponsor new Consultants and create new Silvers to build a team.
  5. Generate retail sales to increase volume. Maintain 3000 PGV monthly.

Mike is hosting the following Active Wellness Previews, leading up to the Human Beings More Summit he and fellow Royal Diamond Bo Tanas are orchestrating in Toronto next month:

 

photo-2018-09-10-07-48-39.pngSeptember 19 (7:30 to 9:00 pm) Edward Village North York, 185 Yorkland Blvd, Toronto, ON M2J 4R2

September 20 (7:30 to 9:00 pm) Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Toronto Airport, 2379 Caroga Drive, Mississauga, ON L4V 1A3

Commit to Your Goal No Matter What

Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning “continuous improvement through positive change.” Recipients of the Team Kaizen award exemplify the meaning of the word and have the opportunity to experience an extraordinary leadership position within Nikken.

In their pursuit of Active Wellness, 2018 Team Kaizen members had to create at least one Quality Enrollment every month of 2017 and develop four or more new frontline Silvers last year. One person who achieved this milestone was Sherri Danzig. As a Team Kaizen member, earlier this year she was treated to a trip of a lifetime to Japan. Here’s what she says about her plans to achieve Team Kaizen again in 2019:

“To qualify for Team Kaizen, you have to do one thing. You have to make a committed decision to accomplish the goal, no matter what conspires to get in your way. Beyond that, it’s helpful to have a mentor, an accountability partner, a mastermind team or even all three—to help you develop a plan, to work your plan and to revise your plan as you go along your journey. Beyond doing the work, you must nurture your belief and vision by staying plugged into company and field events. Most importantly, you must believe in the big version of yourself, what I call the Big Stick Figure (BSF), the version of yourself that believes everything you know is possible!

“I am currently working with three partners who each wish to qualify for Team Kaizen. Two of them are at the rank of Silver, working towards Platinum, and one is brand new. I also plan to support six new Consultants to break Silver this year. Together we’ll expand our online marketing success. I read affirmations multiple times daily and am making plans with family to meet me in Italy at the conclusion of our Team Kaizen trip to continue traveling!

“I am honored to represent Nikken as a member of Team Kaizen. I’m honestly proud of myself for keeping to my commitment and working through some tough self-imposed barriers. I feel empowered to keep growing as a business leader and to stay on a personal development path that is unending. My desire is to step up and stop hiding, to be recognized and embrace being a leader. With that, I will strive to have a bigger voice to make a bigger impact!”

Here is Sherri’s three-step plan for herself and anyone else who wants to be on Team Kaizen:

  1. Step up recruiting activities. Set specific weekly goals for number of new contacts and 1-on-1 appointments.
  2. Begin tracking progress on a large chart. Start with the finish and work backward.
  3. Visualize success. Write and say out loud the goal of being on Team Kaizen every day. Set a calendar event on repeat to remind yourself to smile and visualize your goal multiple times every day!

Clean Water is a Necessity of Life

“While the planet Earth is primarily covered in water, only 2.5% of it is fresh, and only a portion of that is drinkable. In fact, many global agencies now say human kind is in a water crisis. The U.S. Department of State has already mentioned water risk as a threat to national security.”1

Let’s face it. Life is full of things we can’t control, but there are conscious decisions we can make and follow through on. Living with Active Wellness is within our personal control and drinking PiMag filtered water is a critical part of it.

Two of the Wellness Home Packs newly launched on August 1, the Water Packs address the maintenance of an Active Wellness lifestyle in the face of a global water crisis. Each Water Pack includes state-of-the art water filtration with the PiMag Waterfall® and extra filter, the PiMag® Sport Bottle and two extra filters (which also fit the old Sport Bottle) and your choice of a PiMag MicroJet® Shower and extra filter in either wall mount or hand held versions.

Having a Wellness Home Water Pack is crucial to healthy living, no matter where you are—industrialized nations are no longer safe from pathogens and micro-plastics infiltrating the municipal water systems. The PiMag MicroJet® Shower Systems and the PiMag Waterfall® help you drink healthy and bathe healthy, but what happens when you leave home?

Nikken has improved the PiMag® Sport Bottle so it’s even easier to carry everywhere with you. The filter is not only smaller, but made with biogreen materials that contain EcoPure, which enables the filter to be completely broken down and nourish the soil when it is recycled.

With patented nano-filtration, the improved PiMag® Sport Bottle has the only portable filter that combines nano-filtration, alkalization and declustering. This means that it helps filter out the tiniest potential contaminants while alkalizing the water and shrinking the size of the molecules for easier absorption. The bottle is still to be used only with potable, municipally treated water. Do not try to use it to filter water from streams, creeks, etc.

You’ll also find the improved replaceable flip top drinking spout to be easier to drink from. The new loop can attach to a hook, belt or backpack. We recently took this Sport Bottle to a video recording studio and every member of the crew checked it out and was impressed.

The Water Packs are an easy sell. Whoever is concerned about living well in an increasingly polluted world or wants to keep family and friends healthy and hydrated, will want a Water Pack. It’s really a matter of need, not want. It’s up to you to inform them and Share It.

 

1 https://money.cnn.com/2014/04/24/news/water-gold-price/index.html

Just Walk Every Day and Reap the Benefits

Arthritis is often misunderstood. Many people think arthritis only strikes the elderly, and this couldn’t be further from the truth. In America, more than 50 million adults and 300,000 children suffer from arthritis. 1 And, contrary to common belief, there are more than a hundred types of arthritis and related conditions.

Common symptoms of arthritis include swelling, pain, stiffness and decreased range of motion in the joints. Any variety of these symptoms can range from mild to severe. The effects are just as varied, from being an annoyance to being debilitating. Limitations can include difficulties moving and performing daily tasks, such as typing, opening jars, getting up from a sofa, and much more.

Counter-intuitively, walking is recommended for those who suffer from arthritis. It may cause discomfort to get moving, but moving will slow down the rate of degeneration. In other words, an Active Wellness lifestyle is key to living with arthritis.

According to Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults should take a 30-minute walk daily, five days a week. If that seems to be too much, the 30 minutes can be broken down into 10-minute increments. For example, take a 10-minute walk in the morning, another in the afternoon and then one more after dinner. Jobs that are sedentary aggravate arthritis and sufferers need to consciously get up and walk around at least once every hour.

Here are some tips to manage mild to moderate joint-related symptoms of the most common type of arthritis, known as osteoarthritis: 2

  • Balance activity with rest
  • Use hot and cold therapies
  • Be physically active (walk!)
  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Strengthen muscles around the joint for added support
  • Avoid excessive repetitive movements

In addition to these lifestyle recommendations, Nikken offers two products that are formulated specifically to support joint function.* Kenzen® Joint is a dietary supplement designed to work from the inside out, while CM Complex Cream is applied on the skin to work from the outside in. Both of these formulas are based on the active ingredient known as cetyl myristoleate (CM), discovered by Dr. H.W. Diehl, then of the National Institutes of Health. Both products carry the endorsement of Dr. Diehl’s estate.

 

*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.

1, 2 https://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/understanding-arthritis/what-is-arthritis.php

Summer is the Prime Time to Find Ways to Earn Money

Now that we are into the summer months, as the young ones begin summer vacation, the older graduates may well be searching for part-time jobs or full-time careers. In other words, it’s a prime time to seek income opportunities.

Network marketing is becoming a viable option for more people as the work force evolves globally. People who embrace network marketing generally do so for three basic reasons:

  • Income opportunity
  • Love of the company’s products
  • Community of like-minded people

In addition, network marketing provides the opportunity to work out of your own home on your own schedule. You choose how much time to commit to your business, but to be successful with network marketing, no less effort is required than with any other endeavor.

Unlike many other network marketing companies that try to convince you that you can get rich quick, at Nikken we offer the following advice: think about why you’re joining, find out what you’re expected to do, carefully choose who to be on your team and then commit to how you will succeed. Our entire Nikken corporate team has your back as you discover health and wellness, learn to live an Active Wellness lifestyle, and share the product benefits and Compensation Plan with everyone.

The keys to earning a steady and growing income at Nikken are:

  1. Use the products. Take advantage of Autoship so your product orders are delivered automatically to you.
  2. Retail the products and build up a customer base. We recommend generating at least 500 points of retail sales (think of if as dollars, if that’s helpful) every month.
  3. Consistently sponsor new Consultants. Teach them to generate 500 points in sales a month also. The more Consultants on your team who do as you do, the faster your group grows. That’s when earnings grow. This is the power of multilevel network marketing.

Nikken entrepreneurs differ from traditional employees. In regular jobs, you are competing with fellow employees. You are rewarded when you outperform others. In contrast, the Nikken Consultants who spend the most time helping others are the most successful. It’s a business where being kind actually pays off.

Nikken Consultants: Make sure you listen to the July Kickoff Call and go to the Information Center to read about an upcoming special incentive.

A Healthy Mind is Part of Active Wellness

June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, and the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging families to talk about memory and cognition concerns sooner. Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. As with virtually any disease, an early diagnosis may offer the opportunity for medical and/or lifestyle interventions that slow down the progression of symptoms. Early testing can also help determine if someone’s cognitive changes are truly the result of Alzheimer’s or another condition.

Here are 10 warning signs listed by the Alzheimer’s Association1:

  1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life: One of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s is forgetting recently learned information. Other symptoms include forgetting important dates or events; asking for the same information over and over; increasingly needing to rely on memory aids (e.g., reminder notes or electronic devices) or family members for things that used to be handled alone.
  2. Challenges in planning or solving problems: Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. They may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. Focus may be lacking and simple tasks may take much longer to complete.
  3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure: For example, sometimes people may get lost going to a familiar location, be unable to manage a budget at work or forget the rules of a favorite game.
  4. Confusion with time or place: People with Alzheimer’s find it difficult to track time. They may only understand something that is happening immediately. They may forget where they are or how they got there.
  5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships: For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer’s. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast.
  6. New problems with words in speaking or writing: Following or joining a conversation may become challenging. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and be unable to continue. They may say the same thing over and over. They may call things by the wrong name (e.g., calling a “watch” a “hand-clock”).
  7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps: A person with Alzheimer’s disease may put things in unusual places. They may lose things and be unable to retrace their steps to find them again. They may put things in unusual places (e.g., putting a wallet in the refrigerator). When they can’t find things, they may accuse others of stealing.
  8. Decreased or poor judgment: For example, they may use poor judgment when dealing with money, giving large amounts to telemarketers. Their appearance may suffer as they become less aware of cleanliness and tidiness.
  9. Withdrawal from work or social activities: They may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby. They may also avoid being social situations because of the changes they have experienced.
  10. Changes in mood and personality: There may be an increase in feelings of confusion, suspicion and depression as well as fearfulness or anxiety. They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in unfamiliar places.

Alzheimer’s is not just a disease of the elderly. Many people with early onset are in their 30s, 40s and 50s. In the United States, it is estimated that approximately 200,000 people have early onset.2 But, can Alzheimer’s be prevented? There are no clear-cut answers yet, but promising research is under way. The Alzheimer’s Association continues to fund studies exploring the influence of exercise, diet, social and mental stimulation, and other factors in the development of Alzheimer’s.3

Common sense dictates that the earlier we participate in an Active Wellness lifestyle, the better our chances of maintaining a Healthy Body and a Healthy Mind. The Nikken line of Kenzen® organic nutritional supplements is the natural way to support the foundation of our health. A fermented blend of 100% organic ingredients formulated to help you stay focused and mentally sharp, Kenzen Clarity is designed to help maximize your cognitive function.*

*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://alz.org/10-signs-symptoms-alzheimers-dementia.asp

2 https://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_early_onset.asp

3 https://alz.org/research/science/alzheimers_prevention_and_risk.asp

Continuous Improvement Resulting in Greater Good

In Japanese, the two characters that make up Kaizen—Kai and Zen—literally mean Change and Good. The character for Zen also means Kind. Kaizen therefore is the practice of continuous improvement, which results in the greater good. Originally introduced to the West in the 1980s, Kaizen now is recognized globally as an important aspect of organizational and corporate strategies for long-term success.

At Nikken, Team Kaizen members embody the concept of continuous improvement that helps not only the individual but also helps create a Healthy Society. Recipients of this award embody the spirit of Kaizen and are the role models for leadership with Nikken.

Although Kaizen is a competitive strategy in business, it is especially congruent with the Nikken approach to living a life of Active Wellness through the 5 Pillars of Health®—that is, to constantly seek improvement in the pursuit of Healthy Mind, Body, Family, Society and Finances.

Kaizen is based on certain guiding principles to manage and build a business:

  1. Good processes bring good results.
  2. Be personally and actively involved.
  3. Do the research so you can manage with concrete facts.
  4. Take action to contain and correct the root causes of problems.
  5. Work as a team.

Transfer these guiding principles to Team Kaizen and we have:

  1. Good work habits bring good results. Consistently retailing products and sponsoring new team members helps build checks.
  2. A good leader has a positive attitude.
  3. Becoming knowledgeable about Nikken products and income opportunity . leads to a strong belief in the Nikken Marketing Plan.
  4. When there are obstacles, overcome them. Find solutions, be a problem solver.
  5. Thrive in a team environment.

Kaizen is not just about building a successful Nikken business. It really is about personal growth, staying positive and ultimately, helping others.

Refresh, Renew and Rebuild

Spring is in full swing in many parts of the world, and whether you’re basking in the warmer temperatures or trying to get your hay fever under control, remember that this is the season of renewal and rebirth. As Nature begins making new life, why not get busy gathering new team members and customers to refresh and rebuild your network and team? In the words of W. Clement Stone, “I think there is something more important than believing: Action! The world is full of dreamers. There aren’t enough who will move ahead and begin to take concrete steps to actualize their vision.”

One simple concrete step is to review your business building procedure.

  • Do you have a call schedule that you adhere to consistently?
  • Do you post on social media and reach out to the public as well as your existing contacts?
  • Do you keep your retail customers updated and on Autoship?
  • Do you hold meetings for your personally sponsored team members?
  • Are you teaching your group how to stay qualified and rank advance?
  • Are you treating your contact list as a “living” tool for tracking leads?

Update phone numbers, email and snail mail addresses. If you have a notes section about each contact, make sure that information is accurate. You should be updating your contact list consistently, but if you haven’t, make it number one on your spring cleaning tasks. At the end of this list-cleaning exercise, you’ll have a firm grasp of who is in your network, how you can work with them moving forward and what your potential growth may be.

As you review all of your updated contacts, create a shorter list of the people you want to connect with in the nearest future, and then get to work without delay. Call, text or email them. If you are connected on social media, post something directed at them. Don’ t overthink this—you had them on your long list because they showed potential in some way, and the fact that you’re choosing to put them on the short list means you’re ready to reconnect.

Don’t make it about you. Reach out to find out how they’re doing, what’s new in their lives and whether you can help them in some specific way. Whether you choose to connect with existing members of your team or potential customers and Consultants, your approach should be similar: listen to their stories, find out what they need or want, offer your correlated services, then gradually build or renew the relationships.

Each person’s short list will vary in length. The larger your organization, the longer your short list will be, so you’ll need to add them to your call schedule. Be sure to check http://events.nikken.com/ regularly to see if there are local meetings that you can attend and bring guests to if you don’t have regularly scheduled meetings of your own. The more people you know, the better, and there’s comfort in meeting many like-minded individuals.

In summary, spring clean by:

  1. Reviewing your business building procedure.
  2. Removing contacts that are no longer viable.
  3. Adding new acquaintances.
  4. Updating the notes section for each contact.
  5. Creating a shorter list of people you want to contact now or soon.
  6. Scheduling calls, texts or emails to the short list. And, connecting on social media.
  7. Offering your services, depending on what they need.
  8. Checking events.nikken.com to see if there are local meetings you can attend.
  9. Scheduling meetings of your own.
  10. Staying active and building momentum.

As you spring clean, remember that April 22, 2018 is Earth Day. Make a commitment to help keep our planet green. Decrease your plastic footprint as much as possible. Congratulations on being part of a company committed to Active Wellness.