Tag: immunity

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

What Happens to Your Body During Sleep?

Published on by Nikken

Were you ever told not to eat too much before going to bed at night? Or to make sure you apply moisturizer at night? It’s because your body is busy repairing cells and finishing digestion while you sleep. Those are just two key activities your body performs during sleep.

Hormone production changes during sleep. Growth hormone production increases while stress hormones decrease. In fact, cortisol, known as the stress hormone, goes down when you fall asleep but then rises again, before you wake up. Melatonin, on the other hand, rises when you are ready to sleep and falls when daylight approaches. In healthy bodies, kidneys make less urine during sleep, so you don’t have to get up to use the bathroom during a good night’s rest.

Another change the body undergoes during sleep is body temperature. It goes up and down a bit throughout the day, but at night, body temperature tends to be one to two degrees lower than during the day. The lower body temperature helps you stay asleep because humans sleep better when cooler. To prepare for the next day’s activities, your body temperature starts rising as morning approaches.

“Sleep is a period during which the brain is engaged in a number of activities necessary to life—which are closely linked to quality of life,” says Johns Hopkins sleep expert and neurologist Mark Wu, M.D., PhD.1 Throughout your time asleep, your brain will cycle repeatedly through two different types of sleep: REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep and non-REM sleep.

The first part of the cycle is non-REM sleep, which is composed of four stages. The first stage comes between being awake and falling asleep. The second is light sleep, when heart rate and breathing regulate and body temperature drops. The third and fourth stages are deep sleep. Though REM sleep was previously believed to be the most important sleep phase for learning and memory, newer data suggests that non-REM sleep is more important for these tasks, as well as being the more restful and restorative phase of sleep.2

As you cycle into REM sleep, the eyes move rapidly behind closed lids, and brain waves are similar to those during wakefulness. During the day, your breathing changes a lot, depending on what you’re doing and feeling. During non-REM sleep (about 80% of an adult’s sleeping time), you breathe slowly and regularly. But during REM sleep, your breathing rate goes up again, which also dreaming time. Breathing also becomes more shallow and less regular during this sleep phase. Some of it may be due to throat muscles relaxing. It may also be due to less movement of the rib cage during REM sleep. Whenever you’re sleeping, your oxygen levels are lower and your carbon dioxide levels are higher because your level of breathing goes slightly down.3

During non-REM sleep, your brain takes a real rest; however, during REM sleep, your brain may be even more active than when you’re awake! Blood flow to the brain and metabolism in the brain increases during REM sleep, which supports activity. Your brain also uses your sleep cycles to consolidate memories. So, staying up all night to cram for a test or a special work project might be counterproductive.4. In other words, when you sleep too little, you are unable to process what you’ve learned during the dayand have more trouble remembering it in the future. Simply put, restful sleep is important so that your body can utilize the time to rejuvenate and ensure optimal levels of immunity, metabolism and brain function.

Throughout the month of October, Nikken is offering 20% off our Kenko sleep products (except for the Kenko PowerSleep Mask) plus free ground shipping. The Makura Sleep Packs are already priced with a 10% discount, but we’re adding another 10%, so you still get 20% off plus free ground shipping. Take advantage of this great sale to help your entire body enjoy the luxury of restful sleep!

1, 2 https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-science-of-sleep-understanding-what-happens-when-you-sleep

3, 4 https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/what-happens-body-during-sleep