Tag: Kenzen®Immunity

Prepare for Winter: Boost Your Immune System

Published on by Nikken

As autumn turns into winter, daylight grows shorter and temperatures go lower. In terms of darkness and lightness, we move from the warmth of the light into the coolness of the dark—in fact, winter consists of the most dark months of the year.

We think of warm weather as a time of lots of activity, vacations, and being outdoors. On the other hand, winter is associated with being indoors, dodging viruses and getting “cozy”—being snug as a bug in a rug, so to speak. This actually is not just a perception but true to life.

When we transition into winter, we are dealing with temperature changes and an overall shift in the atmosphere. This shift allows colds, flus and any number of viruses to emerge. It’s important to bolster our immune systems all year round, but especially during these transitional months when we are most susceptible to catching germs that abound in the colder climates.

We generally think of boosting immunity with a healthy diet filled with fruits and vegetables that are chockful of vitamins and antioxidants. Moving from autumn to winter is a great time to incorporate immune-enhancing minerals, such as iron, zinc and selenium. Iron can be found in red meat, fortified cereals, kale, broccoli, quinoa, and pulses. Zinc and selenium are found in protein-rich beef, turkey, chicken, shrimp, lobster and fish—if you are a vegetarian, you can get your fill in a handful of Brazil nuts! 

Beta glucans are natural sugars that help the immune system to recognize and destroy germs but our bodies don’t produce any of this particular type of soluble fiber, but we can eat things that contain them. Kenzen® Immunity contains mushroom blends that are rich in beta glucans, but we can also incorporate oats, barley, rice, wheat, seaweed and nutritional yeast into our daily diets. Those familiar with Kenzen® Immunity may take a couple of extra capsules when moving from season to season.

A healthy diet does wonders for an Active Wellness lifestyle, but it’s as important to get enough quality sleep. As daylight hours shorten, we are also susceptible to feeling less energetic during the longer “dark” hour.

Getting restful sleep goes a long way towards keeping mentally and physically well. Sufficient sleep will help keep us focused, less stressed and more confident. When we cannot get rejuvenating rest when sleeping, it not only affects our moods (tired and cranky) but also our overall ability to relax and feel well (tense muscles and achy body). The winter season is when it’s critical for us to recharge our batteries every night, so that we don’t face fatigue and stress during our working hours. Sleep goes hand-in-hand with boosting immunity: Research reveals that sleep deprivation prevents our immune systems from building up its forces, leading to less protection against bugs.1

There are still a few days left in October, so you can take advantage of our Autumn Kenko Makura Sleep Pack Special, perfect for getting ready for winter! Get any Makura Sleep Pack, and receive the pillow for free! In other words, when you purchase a Twin Size Makura Sleep Pack, you receive the one pillow for free—you only pay the price of the Kenko Naturest® Fit and Kenko Dream or Dream Light Comforter of your choice. When you purchase a Full, Queen or King Makura Sleep Pack, you receive two pillows for free. Don’t pass up these savings!

1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5768894/

Be Active All Summer, Have Fun and Stay Safe

Published on by Nikken

Every year, we look forward to warm weather so we can bask in the sunshine and spend more time outdoors. We thaw out, revel in picnics and embrace the bounty Nature has to offer!

Here are a few tips for summertime Active Wellness that will keep you healthy while you enjoy fun and games, vacations and get-togethers.

•          When hiking or in woodsy areas, use insect repellent and wear long-sleeved shirts and full-length trousers to prevent mosquito bites and ticks.

•          Use sunscreen with at least SPF 15 for UV protection and don’t forget to reapply eery two hours, especially after swimming or sweating. Apply sunscreen first and then insect repellent.1

•          Wear wide-brimmed hats.

•          Whatever activity you pursue, both indoors or outdoors, stay hydrated by drinking water frequently.

•          The more active you are, the more important it is to get restful sleep. Aim for at least seven hours each night.2

•          As you attend celebrations throughout the summer, remember that alcohol is dehydrating, especially under the sun. So, monitor your intake and always drink plenty of plain water.

•          Go barefoot when you can! Whether it’s at the beach or on grass, take advantage of the warm weather and get grounded naturally.

•          Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing that is loose-fitting. This helps sweat evaporate more quickly to keep you cooler.

•          Do strenuous exercises in the morning or evening to avoid the hottest times of the day. When outdoors, try to find shady areas.

•          If you’re going on vacation, plan an active one. Include family members in camping, hiking, swimming, etc. Include bike rides or walking tours when visiting cities.

•          Try to get at least 150 minutes of physical activity in weekly.3 If you can’t make it outdoors, do it at home or at a gym. Yoga, Pilates, dancing, Zumba—it all counts.

•          Summer fruit and vegetables are delicious and beneficial, especially if you’ve had a hard winter. Check out what your local farmers’ markets are offering and enjoy seasonal produce at its freshest!

•          When enjoying outdoor meals, remember to wash hands, utensils, containers and work surfaces before handling food to prevent bacteria from spreading.

•          Wash fruit and vegetables before cutting or peeling to help remove bacteria that may be on the rind or skin.

•          Throw out leftover food if it’s been sitting out for more than two hours. If it’s hotter than 90°F or 32°C, throw it out after one hour.5

Have a wonderful summer and remember, Nikken is celebrating fathers the entire month of June. You still can purchase the Father’s Day Pack through June 30. It targets the immune system and gut health with one bottle of Kenzen® Immunity and one bottle of Kenzen Lactoferrin® 2.0. You also receive a bonus bottle of Kenzen® Mega Daily 4 for men at no cost, an added retail value of $53 US / $65 CA.

You also have through June 30 to take advantage of the huge 30% off sale on all sizes of the Kenko Naturest® Fit mattress topper! Don’t miss this chance to upgrade your sleep in every room! Since the Fit is portable, you can even take it with you on your vacations or other travels!

1, 3 https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/healthy-summer.htm

2 https://www.gundersenhealth.org/health-wellness/eat/8-tips-to-stay-healthy-this-summer/

4, 5 https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/how-to-have-a-happy-healthy-summer.html

Scientists are Reconfirming What Nikken Has Stated for Many Years

Published on by Nikken

Mushrooms are good for you and the benefits vary between the hundreds of species, especially in boosting immunity. Lactoferrin also boosts immunity by supporting gut health, which in turn helps improve overall well-being. Two of the most popular items (for good reasons) under the range of Kenzen® Nutrition are Kenzen® Immunity and Kenzen® Lactoferrin 2.0.

The scientific and self-care communities are putting both mushrooms and lactoferrin in the news, so much so that they’re currently trending. At Nikken, that is no surprise, but it does seem to have taken some time for the mainstream media to have picked it up. The good news is that we continue to receive lots of reconfirmation on the research that served as the foundations for two of our bestselling formulations.

University of Massachusetts Amherst nutritionist Zhenhua Liu, an associate professor in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, and recipient of a new $300,000 research grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will investigate whether incorporating mushrooms into Western-style diets can improve gut health and provide a preventive buffer against disease.

Dr. Liu says, “Intestinal dysfunction is thought to be one of the underlying mechanisms that contribute so significantly to the development of Western-style diet-related diseases. For example, oyster mushrooms possess a unique dietary composition rich with multiple nutrients lacking in the Western-style diet, such as dietary fiber and vitamin D. It’s a perfect supplement as a natural whole food to improve the quality of Western-style diets, with the added benefit of improving our overall gut health.”1

With fatty and sugary foods contributing to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers and a host of other chronic health issues across the U.S. and Europe,2 nutritionists and dieticians around the world have their work cut out for them.

Gordon Saxe, MD, PhD, whose research focuses on using food as medicine, is the principal investigator of MACH-19 (Mushrooms and Chinese Herbs for COVID-19), a multi-center study led by University of California San Diego and UCLA. He has found that “mushrooms have the advantage that they co-evolved with us. Bacteria, viruses and other fungi prey on mushrooms just like they prey on humans. And mushrooms have developed exquisite defenses against those pests, and we believe they can confer those to us when we eat them.”3

The importance of mushrooms is explored on multiple plains in the book Entangled Life, written by Cambridge mycologist Merlin Sheldrake. He explores not only the functional food aspects of mushrooms, but also the fact that 90 percent of plant life depend on their relationships with fungi. Sheldrake explains, “These fungi don’t just feed plants, they protect it from disease, they hold the soil together, and they’re conduits for carbon, soil’s main component, which helps it retain water and makes it fertile.”4

It would be unlikely that any of us could eat enough mushrooms of the many beneficial varieties or physically create enough natural lactoferrin to produce the desired immune and gastrointestinal benefits. For example, the oyster mushroom referred to by Dr. Liu as being so beneficial, is only one of 14 mushroom species contained within Kenzen® Immunity. Enoki and shiitake are the other two commonly found in Asian cuisines; however, in Kenzen® Immunity, the mushroom blend is developed to be in the highest concentrations of beneficial compounds. In addition, Kenzen® Immunity includes mushrooms rich in alpha and beta glucans, specialized sugars that the human body cannot produce on its own but are believed to provide immune support.*

Lactoferrin (LF) or lactotransferrin has recently come under the spotlight. Diet and supplements have long been believed to support a well-functioning immune system, and favorably influence the body’s ability to fight infection. Although LF is produced by the body itself, as a secretion by exocrine glands (such as maternal milk or tears) it can also be taken as a supplement, where it then acts as nutraceutical or functional food. Some of the most well-known characteristics of LF is that it is antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic. Its ability to limit iron availability to microbes is one of its crucial amicrobial properties.5

Lactoferrin clearly has immunological benefits, as it enhances natural killer cell activity. It stimulates the defense system and can restrict the entry of virus into host cells during infection.6 LF may therefore be an excellent supplement to take, as a way not only to help prevent immune-related issues but also to expedite recovery.

As a protein, Lactoferrin’s main biological function is to bind and transport iron, an essential mineral that helps hemoglobin carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Providing a superior delivery system to support better utilization and balance of iron in the body,* Kenzen Lactoferrin® 2.0 is naturally iron-binding, which studies have shown to have a positive effect on iron absorption, blood iron levels and digestive issues.* Our formulation contains organic Inulin, organic Ginger, organic Turmeric and organic Rhodiola, that work together with Lactoferrin to produce antioxidant effects and anti-inflammatory properties for overall health.*

Father’s Day is on June 19 this year, so for the entire month of June, Nikken is celebrating fathers with a self-care pack that empowers men with Active Wellness. Our Father’s Day Pack, available June 1 through June 30, targets the immune system and gut health with one bottle of Kenzen® Immunity and one bottle of Kenzen Lactoferrin® 2.0. You also receive a bonus bottle of Kenzen® Mega Daily 4 for men at no cost, an added retail value of $53 US / $65 CA.

*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.massachusetts.edu/news/good-your-gut-umass-amherst-research-examines-benefits-eating-more-mushrooms

3 https://www.news-medical.net/news/20211112/Study-assesses-whether-medicinal-mushrooms-and-Chinese-herbs-can-help-treat-COVID-19.aspx

4 https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/aug/23/the-future-is-fungal-why-the-megascience-of-mycology-is-on-the-rise

5,6 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.01221/full#:~:text=Bacteria%20and%20Lactoferrin,of%20its%20crucial%20amicrobial%20properties.

Drinking Water Helps Boost Your Immunity

Published on by Nikken

March 22, 2020 is World Water Day. It’s an annual United Nations observance day that highlights the importance of fresh water and its sustainable management and promotes awareness about everything related to water. Whether you participate in celebratory local events, educational seminars or simply incorporate filtered, not bottled, water usage into your Active Wellness regimen, you can spread the word to help save Planet Earth.

Currently, the number one topic covered by global news media seems to be the pandemic. Schools and businesses are shutting down, events are being canceled and people are self-quarantining. This creates a new level of mental and physical discomfort that promotes a feeling of helplessness. But there are basic things we can do daily to help maintain our wellness. Things, such as washing our hands frequently, observing social distancing and leaving your dwelling only when necessary.

Water plays such an important role in helping to maintain a healthy body. Your immune system is the first defense against germs, bacteria and free radicals. How can you keep that immune system operating at optimal levels? Water helps carry oxygen throughout the body to organs, tissues, and blood cells. Since blood is composed of more than 90% water, water feeds those carrier blood cells.1 Keep your immunity up by drinking plenty of water to help stave off infection. Staying hydrated helps your body naturally eliminate toxins that may cause illness.2

Lymphocytes are white blood cells located in the lymph nodes in the immune system. Their job is to detect foreign antigens and produce the antibodies to destroy the waste material, which keeps the immune function intact. Drinking water works like a waterfall that helps the body’s digestive system work efficiently to process nutrients while ridding it of waste. In other words, drinking plenty of water helps boost the immune system by preventing the buildup of toxins in the kidneys and the liver.  Add Kenzen® Lactoferrin 2.0, Kenzen® Cleanse & Detox and Kenzen® Immunity for even more support!

All cells and organs need water to function properly. So, drink lots of water and this year, celebrate World Water Day in your own way. Don’t join the panicked crowds lining up to buy single-use bottled water. Simply make sure you and everyone you care about have at least one PiMag Waterfall® at home to filter your tap water. When on-the-go, make sure you have portable eco-friendly PiMag® Sport Bottles to filter out bacteria and other pathogens wherever you fill up—from water fountains and taps. Drink to your health and to reduced plastic waste for Planet Earth!

Most importantly, remember to change your water filters regularly to insure optimal performance from your Waterfall and Sport Bottle!

1https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/290814

2https://www.fishertitus.org/health/boost-your-immune-system