Happy Feet

We often hear the phrase ‘I’ve been on my feet all day’. This can be true for many of us, be it because of work, chasing after children all day, running errands or countless other day-to-day activities that can all take their toll on our feet.

Women in particular can be guilty of choosing fashion over function or comfort when it comes to footwear. Your feet take the weight of your whole body, so foot problems can quickly lead to discomfort and affect the way you walk. This can in turn cause knee, hip and back pain.

Research from The College of Podiatry shows that nine in 10 of us experience some sort of foot problem, with one in five admitting to suffering with foot pain often or constantly. Podiatrist Lorraine Jones says: “What this research shows is that a huge amount of people are willing to put up with sore, aching and painful feet.

She adds: “Your feet shouldn’t hurt on a daily basis. If you are experiencing discomfort it is usually because you aren’t wearing the right footwear. “[1]

There are certain things that we can do at home to make a real difference to our feet. Keeping feet clean and applying moisturiser morning and evening, may help keep feet soft and prevent a build up of hard skin. True elements® Hand & Foot Cream may help to soothe dry hands and feet, protecting and nourishing straight after application. It contains Shea butter, which is known to nourish skin and the seaweed extract chondrus, which has moisturisation properties.

As well as keeping hands and feet moisturised, wearing comfortable, well fitting shoes as often as possible can help relieve aching feet. Kenko mSteps® and Kenko mStrides® slip into your shoes and utilises Nikken’s DynaFlux® Magnetic Technology. Kenko mSteps® feature relaxing massage nodes on one side, inspired by reflexology practices, they may provide a massage effect that could help the whole body feel good from the feet upwards.

TRUE elements® Hand and Foot Cream (#2053) is currently on offer saving 50% until 31^st August.

Discover more about these products here:

http://www.nikken.co.uk/p/true-elements-hand–foot-cream.html

http://www.nikken.co.uk/p/kenko-msteps.html

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[1] http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/foothealth/Pages/Healthyfeet.aspx

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Why is sleep so important for our wellbeing?

At some point each of us will experience that feeling of lying in bed unable to sleep, whether it be as soon as we get into bed or if we wake in the middle of the night and are unable to drop back off. ‘A sleepless night is as long as a year’ is a Chinese proverb that we can all probably identify with and it is important that we take steps to help ourselves to get the best sleep we can, for the sake of our health and wellbeing.

Sleep allows our body to repair itself and our brains to consolidate our memories and process information. Without a good night sleep we can feel groggy, irritable and have a lack of energy. Poor sleep is also linked to physical problems such as a weakened immune system and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.[1]

Sleep hygiene

Many people can benefit from improving the quality of their sleep. The phrase sleep hygiene is often used to describe how lifestyle and environmental factors can affect our sleep. Positive sleep hygiene may help to improve sleep quality.

According to the MHF Sleep Report[2] the environment of our bed and bedroom can either help or hinder sleep; much depends on our own preferences. The obvious factors are noise, light, temperature and ventilation. Most of us prefer to sleep in a quiet environment. Earplugs may be useful for blocking out external noise although they do tend to amplify the body’s own internal noises which may be distracting.

Too much light can inhibit sleep since it affects melatonin levels; eye masks may be helpful. Room temperature is important, neither too cold nor too hot, although the ideal room temperature will vary from person to person. Ventilation can be improved by opening the window, although this is likely to alter the temperature and make the room noisier. It is important to feel comfortable in the bedroom environment, including selecting the right mattresses and pillows. People may need to experiment with all these factors until they find the ideal balance.

Sleep hygiene practices, such as those mentioned above, may help people improve their sleep quality, along with reducing caffeine in the evening, taking regular exercise and avoiding looking at phone/television screens just before getting into bed.

Nikken offers the Naturest® Sleep System that contains a range of products the may be beneficial to your sleep hygiene.

1. Naturest Kenkopad® – A non-allergenic latex mattress topper that molds to your body’s contours and may improve your comfort and support.
2. KenkoDream® Quilt – The ceramic coated fibres may help maintain a constant temperature.
3. Naturest® Pillow – Fully adjustable by removing or adding filler, the breathable cover may help to regulate your temperature, keeping you confortable.
4. Kenko Power Sleep® Mask – Made of soft breathable fabric, blocking out light may help improve your sleep at home or when traveling or working nightshifts.

Discover more about this range: http://www.nikkenwellbeing.co.uk/p/kenkodream-quilt.html

[1] https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk

[2] https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/sleep-report

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Nutrition in the modern world

Good nutrition is a cornerstone of good health. However, in our fast-paced society, it can sometimes be difficult to eat wholesome, well-balanced food with a variety of ingredients. Instead, convenience sometimes dominates our eating habits. Especially, when feeding a family with different schedules and meal preferences!

In an ideal world, some people would argue that the best nutritional solution for optimal health is to eat three home cooked organic meals a day. There are always new guidelines issued but most of us are familiar with the idea of trying to incorporating at least five but ideally more portions of fruit and vegetables a day into our diet. However, it is not always as easy as it sounds, many people struggle to achieve this along side all the other daily priorities and responsibilities.

Therefore, sometimes it can be beneficial to look at including supplements. Nikken offers a range of nutritional supplements based on concentrated whole foods that may help to provide the essential nutritional support our bodies’ need while still fitting into the modern world.

A good place to start is with Kasai® Multi-Vitamins and Minerals. This product contains a broad array of wholefood fruit and vegetable powders – pineapple, orange, apple, apricot, cherry, peach, strawberry, papaya, grape, grapefruit, blueberry, raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry, broccoli, carrot, and onion.

Kasai® provides a supportive range of vitamins and minerals and it also provides the associated phytonutrients and nutritional matrices to help address your daily nutritional needs.

The Kasai® range offers targeted supplements to help support your bodies wellbeing needs, with the exception of Kasai® Omega Oils all the Kasai® range are suitable for vegetarians.

Discover more: http://www.nikkenwellbeing.co.uk/p/kasai-multi-vitamin-and-mineral.html

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Get summer ready with True Elements

Summer is officially on the horizon, we are already getting glimmers of the hot days we hope will come. In summer it can be so easy to forget about looking after our skin, we all know we need to wear sun cream on hot days, but we often neglect other skincare. Keeping a summer skin care regime will keep you looking fresh faced and beautiful all summer long. Skincare doesn’t need to be complicated, it shouldn’t need to take hours out of your day and hundreds of products and gadgets. We are giving our top simple tips to getting the perfect summer skin this year.

Hydrate- Keeping hydrated in the best thing you can do for your skin, it keeps skin looking plump and dewy and prevents it from drying out, causing flaky and cracked skin.

Cleanse, Tone and Moisturise-  Three essential steps that everyone should include into their routine morning and night. It takes a matter of minutes but can make the world of difference in your skins appearance. Cleanse your skin to remove all traces of makeup and dirt, tone to hep freshen the skin and tighten pores and moisturise to give an even, dewy complexion.

Protect from the sun- It can be easy to get carried away being in the sun, ever pop out just to tidy the garden and find yourself in midday heat for hours? Make sure whenever you are going to be exposed to the sun for long periods of time ensure you are using sunscreen with a high SPF. This will protect your skin from harmful UVB rays, keeping you from getting sunburnt and protecting your skin cells from lasting damage.

Dare to Bare- Challenge yourself to have at least one day a week without makeup, this allows your skin a chance to breathe, without being clogged with makeup and other impurities.

Stay clear of chemicals-  Many products today are full of harmful chemicals, any chemicals you apply to your skin will then be transferred into your blood and body, stay as natural and pure as possible.  Nikken’s True Elements are organic and use natural red, brown and green seaweed, to give you the best quality skincare possible.

Look radiant this summer by making only a few simple adjustments to your skin care routine. Don’t forget from 9^th-22^nd June 2014 any orders with Nikken over 500PV receive a FREE True Elements Shower Gel and Body Lotion.

What are your top skincare tips for looking beautiful in summer?

 

 

 

4 Tips For a Better Night’s Sleep

For some people, going to sleep is their favourite part of the day and they will do anything to get their uninterrupted 8-9 hours. To others it can be seen as an inconvenience in their busy life. Love or hate it, sleep is essential for your body. Not only does it leave you feeling rested and energised, but there is evidence that sleep leads to better body function, healing and overall better health. Here at Nikken we know the importance of a good night’s sleep, and work hard to actively encourage that everyone deserves a good nights sleep, today we are sharing our are our top tips;

1. Find a routine

Have a set time to go to sleep and wake up. Being in a routine means your body will fall into a natural rhythm. It will make going to sleep each night easier as your body will be in the routine of sleeping  Having a set routine can also help diminish stress, it eliminates the anxiety of not knowing what will happen. Although every day may be different, having a structure of when to sleep and be awake helps to keep calm.

2. Wind down

Put away the phones, laptops and TV’s, take time each evening before you go to bed to let your body wind down and relax. Not only does cutting down your exposure to artificial light help melatonin production, which helps sleep, it also gives you the opportunity to break away from the busy world. Separating yourself from social media and the stress of life for just an hour before bed will help you slip into an easy, restful sleep.

3. Avoid stimulants

Avoid all sources of caffeine and other stimulants before sleep including coffee, tea, caffeinated fizzy drinks and chocolate. The caffeine in these products will keep you awake for longer or lead you to have restless unsettled sleep, which is unproductive in helping the restorative effects of sleep.

4. Create a sleep environment

Ensure the room you sleep in is dedicated to sleep. Where possible make it a room where you only spend time in when sleeping, helping your body associates it with sleep and relaxation. Remove TVs, phones and other items that may disturb your sleep. Make your bed as comfortable yet supportive as possible. Try using items which encourage a good sleep environment like our Vital Night Pack. The pack uses items containing innovations such as RAM (Radial-Axis Magnetism) technology to help create a calming atmosphere, a massage effect surface and temperature regulation to ensure you have the perfect environment for a good night’s sleep.

We know it isn’t always possible with our hectic modern lives to always get the perfect 8-9 hours per night, but if we can ensure the sleep we get is of the highest quality allowing our bodies the best opportunity to recuperate, relax and reenergise we have the best chances of getting the most out of every day. This month why not take advantage of our free delivery option on the Vital Night pack.

What’s your top tip for getting a good night’s sleep?

 

 

Take Control Back From Your Asthma

Today is World Asthma Day – a day founded by the Global Incentive For Asthma. This year the theme of the day is ‘You can control your asthma’. Today I am going to talk about my personal experience suffering with Asthma, and ways which I have found to control my Asthma.

Asthma is a condition that affects approximately 235 million people according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). It can vary in severity, ranging from mild symptoms which cause very little disruption to life, to chronic and brittle asthma which can be fatal. I myself have suffered with asthma from the age of 7, when I was diagnosed with severe asthma. Meaning I was on numerous inhalers and medications, often being required to be taken to hospital and medical centres for nebulisation and further treatment.

Over time I found medications that helped control my asthma symptoms, and allowed me to continue with life normally. After contracting swine flu in 2009 I was left very ill, resulting in being rushed into hospital and having to take over a month out of my university course. There were some key things I could have done to prevent the severity of the illness from affecting my asthma. These are some tips and tricks I have learnt over time to help control my asthma

1. Find your allergens. I am, like most asthmatics, allergic to dust mites so ensure I use hypoallergenic bedding, vacuum regularly and avoid dusty environments. Many doctors and some health shops may offer allergen tests, these can help you identify what aggravates your asthma symptoms giving you more control by removing these effectors as best possible.
2. Always have an inhaler on you. This allows me to react promptly with my inhalers and relieve any issues as soon as I feel any asthma symptoms worsening before they escalate.
3. Have regular medical check-ups. Many doctors will offer asthma clinics. Usually once a year I will be seen by a doctor to check I am on the correct medication, using my inhalers correctly and receive a flu jab. The flu jab is important as contracting flu can be especially dangerous for asthmatics, so protect yourself as best you can.
4. Learn to use inhalers correctly. It can be very easy to slip into bad habits and use inhalers incorrectly lessening their effectiveness. Check out Asthma UK inhaler technique guide to see if you are getting the best out of your medication.
5. Make your home environment safe. Again like many asthmatics, I suffer with hay fever, which has before caused serious asthma attacks. So keeping allergens out of my home environment is essential. I often find opening windows in times of low pollen to have fresh air and using an air purifier when I cannot do this helps ensure I have fresh, clean, safe air.

This World Asthma Day why not make a promise to yourself to take back the control of your asthma. Book a doctor’s appointment to check you are receiving the best care possible for you, check your inhaler technique and make your home a safe environment and regain your control.

Organic Jade Greenzymes

Here at Nikken Europe we all love our Organic Jade Greenzymes. It is a staple in the office kitchens and is a fantastic way to start off the day. We often hear from our customers that they also love it and it is now part of their daily nutrition routine. It is made from 95% organic barley grass which has been used since ancient Egyptian times for its health benefits. Providing you with Vitamins C, D, K, calcium, zinc and many other minerals. With so much goodness in it, it is easy to see why so many people love it, but did you realise there are multiple ways that you can enjoy your daily Organic Jade Greenzymes? Here are just some of the ways you can enjoy it.

With PiMag Water

Mix you Organic Jade Greenzymes with fresh PiMag water for a refreshing cleansing drink.

 

With CiagaV

Combine two parts of your daily nutrition together and mix your Ciaga^v and Organic Jade Greenzymes together.

Blend it

Blend up your favourite smoothie recipe and add in your daily dose of Organics Jade Greenzymes for a nutritious, yummy smoothie.

Sprinkle it

Sprinkle your Organic Jade Greenzymes over your favourite salad or even try on a pizza or pasta, it’s a great way to sneak extra nutrients into your families meals.

 

 There are so many ways to enjoy your Organic Jade Greenzymes how do you enjoy yours?