Start Active Wellness Early in Life for Heart's Sake

Start Active Wellness Early in Life for Heart’s Sake

PUBLISHED ON February 18, 2019

Many of the conditions and behaviors that put people at risk for heart disease are appearing at younger ages. Choosing to be sedentary during downtime and eating unhealthy fast food are common pitfalls.

Children who are overweight or have a family history of heart disease or of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 1 or type 2 diabetes run the highest risk of having heart issues.1Genetic predisposition aside, anyone can develop heart disease, so as parents, it’s our responsibility to role model an Active Wellness lifestyle. Telling a child or teenager to eat vegetables and exercise regularly is ineffective if we personally don’t follow through with those behaviors.

By starting heart-healthy habits from childhood, kids can reduce the chance they will ever need to worry about cardiovascular disease. In terms of exercise, the American Heart Association recommends that children:

• Three to five years old should be physically active and have plenty of opportunities to move throughout the day.2
• Six to 17 years old should get at least 60 minutes per day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, mostly aerobic.3
• Include vigorous-intensity activity on at least three days per week.4
• Include muscle- and bone-strengthening (weight-bearing) activities on at least three days per week.5

Here are 10 tips for helping children develop heart-healthy habits:

• Personally exercise more and find ways to be active as a family. Only one out of five adults meets the physical activity guidelines of getting 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity..6
• Physical activity should be fun for children and adolescents. Encourage kids to try new activities in order to discover the ones they like and will pursue into adulthood. You may have a budding gymnast or yogini in the family!
• In general, reduce time in front of the TV. Look into video games that incorporate movement, such as dance, indoor cycling or virtual sports (golf, tennis, etc.).
• Give your kids active toys and games. Try bikes, skateboards, roller skates, scooters, jump ropes, balls and trampolines.
• Take advantage of community facilities near you: pools, recreation centers, bike paths and parks.
• Prepare simple meals together. Even children can help wash, chop and peel vegetables to assemble a salad. And because they helped make it, they’re more likely to eat it.
• Experiment with spices to help cut down on salt. High sodium diets are often the cause of high blood pressure. Since we are creatures of habit, children who eat natural foods cooked with very little salt have fewer salt cravings as they grow up. Don’t assume children won’t eat beneficial flavor enhancers such as garlic, onions, mustard and vinegar.
• Serve fruit for dessert. There’s plenty of natural sugar in fruit. Many Asian and Mediterranean diets rely on fruit for dessert. Children who grow up without eating sugary desserts tend to have this good habit carry over into adulthood.
• Never smoke in front of your children. More than 37 million U.S. adults are current smokers, and thousands of young people start smoking each day. If you are a smoker, quitting will send a big message to your children never to start. Smoking damages the blood vessels and can cause heart disease.7
• Do not serve sodas. Kenzen Super Ciaga US
   (link to shopping cart) is a superior soda replacement when added to seltzer or PiMag® water.

Even if you didn’t inherit heart-healthy habits, start now. Nikken has nutritional supplements that may help you with Active Wellness for the rest of your life. Kenzen Omega Green +DHA(link to shopping cart) helps provide vegan omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids while Kenzen Bergisterol Capsules US

\helps support cardiovascular health and cholesterol levels within the normal range.•

* 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, 5, 7 https://www.cdc.gov/features/heartmonth/index.html

2, 3, 4. 6 https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults

The Healthiest Natural Sweetener

PUBLISHED ON February 7, 2017

With obesity at an all-time high, finding healthier alternatives to sugar has become an increasingly important priority for many people. The main concern is that sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners tend to be filled with harmful chemicals and ingredients, and some still contain calories.

According to famed nutritionist and chiropractor Dr. Josh Axe, “Monk fruit has been celebrated as a revolutionary way to sweeten foods and drinks without the harmful effects of traditional sugar and sugar substitutes.” 1

Here’s why: Monk fruit contains powerful antioxidants called mogrosides, which are metabolized differently by the body than natural sugars. In effect, monk fruit extract provides the sweet taste people crave but none of the typical side effects. That means no spike in blood sugar levels and therefore, no crash. For this reason, monk fruit is considered a zero-calorie fruit. This unusual characteristic makes monk fruit an ideal sugar replacement, especially since its compounds, when extracted, are 300 to 400 times sweeter than cane sugar. It’s practically a no-brainer that using monk fruit as a sweetener can help those already suffering from obesity and/or diabetes.

So why isn’t this healthy natural sweetener more commonly used in weight-management and diabetic-friendly products? Extraction of mogrosides is complicated, making it an expensive ingredient. In addition, monk fruit spoils very quickly after harvesting and is grown primarily in southern China. You won’t find it in supermarkets any time soon; however, you can find dried monk fruit for purchase in ethnic markets. The western world only discovered monk fruit in the 20th century, and it has only been in the last 20 years that major international attention has been drawn to it.

Where you will find monk fruit as a main ingredient is in the newly formulated Kenzen Vital Balance Meal Replacement  in both vanilla and chocolate flavors. Nikken remains a pioneer in the industry and dedicated to using only the healthiest ingredients in our nutritional supplements designed for Active Wellness.

For more information For more information click here

Have a blessed day:)

Do You Eat Plant-Based Protein to Help Sustain Planet Earth?

PUBLISHED ON February 4, 2019

How many of you eat veggie burgers? Have you discovered the versatility of tofu? Are you trying to eat a “plantcentric” diet? Are you aware of your carbon footprint?

Food’s carbon footprint, or foodprint, is the greenhouse gas emissions produced by growing, rearing, farming, processing, transporting, storing, cooking and disposing of the food you eat. Transport, housing and food have the three largest carbon footprints. Food produces about eight tons of emissions per households or about 17% of the total. Worldwide, new reports suggest that livestock agriculture produces around half of all man-made emissions.1

Meat, cheese and eggs have the highest carbon footprint. Fruit, vegetables, beans and nuts have much lower carbon footprints. If you move towards a mainly vegetarian diet, you can have a large impact on your personal carbon footprint.2 It can help reduce pollution, preserve the environment and slow global warming. Many of these changes may also save you money, improve your health and even keep you fit!

Consumer knowledge about carbon footprints, sustainable products and maintaining an Active Wellness lifestyle has contributed to the explosive growth of the market for plant-based protein. With carbohydrates and fats, there is ongoing debate about their pros and cons. With protein, the general perception is that not only is it necessary for maintaining health but it can also improve overall well-being. This generally held belief adds to the growing popularity of plant-based proteins.

From children to seniors, the entire range of ages is joining body builders in recognizing the importance of eating enough protein but many do not want to eat meat. According to “The Protein Report: Meat Alternatives” that was published in January 2017, roughly 66 percent of U.S. consumers believe meat alternatives are healthier than meat.3 And it’s the younger generation that is leading the way: according to the February 2016 report entitled “Food Formulation and Ingredient Trends: Plant Proteins” from Packaged Facts, millennials are the top age group cutting down on meat consumption, primarily due to social consciousness about health, the environment and animal welfare.4

Plant-based proteins find their way into beverages as well as food in the form of snacks, nutritional supplements and meat replacements. Protein powders that used to be consumed largely by athletes have now made their way into the mainstream diet. Pea protein is found in 80% of plant protein powders because it has been found to deliver high marks both in taste and nutrition. 5

Since 2013, Kenzen Vital Balance  Meal Replacement Mix has been a trendsetter with its formula of high-protein, plant-based organic pea powder. Easily made into a shake or smoothie when combined with PiMag® water, plant-based milk or dairy milk, KVB in more recent years has taken quality to an even higher level by producing an improved version sweetened with zero-calorie monkfruit, KVB also helps planet Earth by using organic ingredients. Organic farming methods have a much lower impact on the environment than conventional methods, because it requires natural methods for soil fertilization, weed prevention and pest control. Organic ingredients cannot be genetically-modified or irradiated, processes which are not proven to be safe for the food chain.

For more Nikken Product information besides the hyperlink Kenzen Vital Balance, go to

www.nikken.com/na/jsj.