The Answer to Why Iron is so Important to Gut Health

Why Iron is so Important to Gut Health

PUBLISHED ON April 16, 2020

IBS stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and is a fairly common disease that afflicts between 10 and 15% of the general population in the United States. IBS affects the digestive system and generally causes stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea, constipation or any combination of symptoms. It’s particularly annoying because the cause may remain unknown and the condition can linger for weeks, months or years.

Evidence is building with researchers that sufferers of IBS may have unhealthy microbiomes—this means their good gut flora (good bacteria) is lacking. When the balance of the gut flora is disturbed, unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms arise. There are new clues that an ongoing disturbance in gut flora could contribute to the onset of IBS.1

Suffering from both anemia and IBS is relatively common and there is a logical reason behind it.2 Anemia is a common blood disorder where there is a shortage of red blood cells. Anemic people are usually fatigued, because red blood cells are the ones that carry oxygen. There are many types of anemia, but the most common type is due to low iron or low vitamin B12 levels in the blood.

Iron is stored in the body in a protein called ferritin; therefore, monitoring ferritin levels can help prevent iron deficiency. Also, it’s important to know why you have low iron or B12 levels. Oftentimes, it’s because you don’t absorb them well. People with IBS and related digestive problems often have a problem absorbing nutrients since both diarrhea and constipation cause malabsorption.3

Since iron supplements can exacerbate IBS symptoms with increased bloating, constipation and sometimes diarrhea4, natural foods that are high in iron may prove easier on the digestive tract. Plant sources of iron include dark leafy greens, potatoes, tomatoes, lentils, soybeans and nuts. Animal sources of iron include beef, chicken liver and egg yolks. Pescatarian options include tuna, mackerel, clams and oysters.

There is a limited amount of time to absorb iron from food—it’s primarily absorbed in the third of the small intestine known as the duodenum. As food transits past the duodenum, there is still an opportunity for iron absorption but less so.5 Given the short amount of time iron from food can be absorbed, helping its chances of absorption are important. That is precisely where Kenzen Lactoferrin® 2.0 comes in!

Kenzen Lactoferrin 2.0 is not an iron supplement. As noted by nutritionists and researchers, elemental iron is not only hard to absorb but may actually make IBS symptoms worse. The Lactoferrin 2.0 solution is to help the body to better utilize and balance the iron in the body.* This is accomplished with the special delivery system that Lactoferrin 2.0 provides. Lactoferrin is in fact a protein that binds and transports iron, that is, using the iron that’s already in the body rather than adding external sources of iron.

Consumers of Kenzen Lactoferrin 2.0 are diehard fans for life. Whether you have stomach issues or not, properly absorbing and utilizing the iron in your body is bound to accelerate Active Wellness.

* 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.
For more  information and to order Lactoferrin 2.0 go to: 
www.nikken.com/na/jsj

Organic Nutrition for you to consider

Organic or Synthetic Vitamins, the Choice is Yours

PUBLISHED ON April 9, 2020

Natural nutrients are those that are obtained from whole food sources in the diet, while synthetic nutrients are usually created artificially through an industrial process. Since most of us do not consume enough fruits and veggies in our lives, we look to vitamins and other dietary supplements to fill in the gaps.

The accepted view in the world of vitamins is that “synthetic nutrients are almost chemically identical to those found in food”1. However, the production process of synthetic nutrients is very different to the way plants and animals create them. That is why our bodies may react differently to synthetic nutrients than to organically grown ones. In other words, when we eat fruits and vegetables, we are consuming an entire range of vitamins and minerals that are naturally sourced. When we consume synthetic vitamins, we are eating single nutrients that have been purposely combined into a supplement.

Those who are proponents of synthetic vitamins argue that vitamins are simply chemicals, regardless of how they are derived. If the molecular structure is the same, then supposedly it will behave the same way in the human body.2 Even though synthetic vitamins are produced under strict regulation, the Vitamins and Nutrition Center still notes that they are “produced in a laboratory from coal-tar derivatives.”3 Those who are opposed to synthetic vitamins point out that other chemicals are sometimes used and even when found to be safe, are not naturally occurring in any foods that humans eat.4

The debate between organic supplementation vs. synthetic vitamin usage rages on, especially since the majority of vitamins found in the marketplace are synthetic and priced competitively. There is no hard proof that one is better than the other, but scientists continue to make discoveries in bioactive components — they are leaning towards food-based multivitamins as being much more likely to supply the bioavailable form of nutrients because they are made with the most natural sources.5 Scientists also note that food-based supplements often include phytonutrients that come specifically from plants and their health benefits come from synergistic combinations not available in synthetics.6

 Nikken chooses organic whenever possible. Kenzen® Mega Daily 4 comes in two gluten-free formulas: one specifically geared to Women and one for Men. Both formulas are multivitamins that are far more than your typical vitamin. They’re formulated with organic vegetables that provide both water-soluble and fat-soluble antioxidants. They include every type of vegetable phytonutrient derived from the entire spectrum of red, orange, yellow, tan and green vegetables. The women’s formula includes a blend of green tea, dong quai and grape seed extract to address the common effects of premenstrual syndrome, menopause and other female concerns.* The men’s formula contains turmeric, green tea extract, saw palmetto and Pygmeum africanum to support a healthy prostate and male-specific nutritional concerns.*

For more information and order of these products go to *These www.nikken.com/na/jsj

statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Take Care of Mom...and the whole family...the way she takes care of you

Take Care of Mom the Way She Takes Care of You!

PUBLISHED ON May 7, 2020

Mothers take care of their families as top priorities and as primary caretakers, they often suffer from self-neglect. It’s up to the family to help take care of mom and to show her she’s loved! Globally, there are different ways to honor mom and various dates for Mother’s Day but in the United States, it is believed to have started in 1905 by a woman named Anna Jarvis. She wanted to remember her mother who passed away that year. By 1908, the first celebration of that holiday took place when Anna Jarvis held a public memorial for her mother.1 In North America and many other regions, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. This year, it’s on May 10.

In truth, mothers should be honored every single day of the year and there are many ways to do it without spending large amounts on symbolic gifts. The little things we do every day really count, and sometimes the simplest gestures do the most good. For example, even young children can be taught how to make a shake, so why not teach them to make shakes for mom? Mom feeds the family, so every family member can contribute and help feed mom and keep her on the Active Wellness path.

With Kenzen Vital Balance® Meal Replacement Mix, two scoops in some PiMag® water and you’ve got a nutritious meal in the form of a vanilla shake. Add a scoop of Kenzen Super Ciaga™ powder to the mix and you have a berry shake! You can’t go wrong whether you serve mom at breakfast, lunch or in between meals when she’s working hard. And if mom is the type that likes a lighter meal for dinner, two scoops in some milk or PiMag® water and dinner is served!

You certainly don’t have to wait until Mother’s Day to treat mom to some TLC. KVB is certified organic, a breakthrough in the shake/meal replacement industry. It has “brain food” from organic MCTs from coconut milk, BioFolate™ added to help produce neurotransmitters and naturally-sourced plant protein to keep mom’s metabolism firing to help manage weight and burn fat.

Mom needs all the muscle she can get, and KVB helps her maintain and build a lean physique. According to HealthFocus, muscle health/tone is now the top benefit consumers associate with a high-protein diet.2 If mom’s a vegetarian, she’ll appreciate the organically-sourced protein from pea, rice and chlorella. If she’s a die-hard carnivore, KVB can help her incorporate vegetable-protein into her diet and reduce her nutritional footprint.

When you add Kenzen Super Ciaga™ powder to KVB, you really help mom power up! With only 10 calories per serving and no processed sugar, it adds superfruit antioxidants to the protein mix. In fact, both are sweetened with monkfruit, which has no calories but carries its own range of antioxidant goodness. With a high ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) of 5,000, Super Ciaga helps to support a healthy immune system as well as cardiovascular health.* It’s a wonderful way to keep mom keep her defense system strong to withstand all the stress that comes with working and taking care of the whole family!

Happy Mother’s Day from Nikken to mothers everywhere! We love you and want you to stay safe!

For more information on these great nutritional products go to www.nikken.com/na/jsj , click on  Nutritional Products.

*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.