How to take a Japanese bath at home – take the benefits of Japanese women’s primary health habits

Japanese Bath is one of the principal health routines among Japanese people

There is one daily routine that everybody says as obviously a principal routine for health, but Westerners don’t have in mind. A Japanese bath bathing habit. You may wonder how to take  a Japanese bath at home, but it’s hard to do it without a dedicated facility, a bath room (not a toilet, but really a “bath” “room”), equipped with a Japanese style deep bathtub and a body washing space.

The cultural difference of sense may also be a challenge. It’s hard to replace the hot water by each person of a family in a day. It’s natural for Japanese families to use the same hot water within a family. But it may be uncomfortable for people from other cultures.

Benefits of Japanese bath

Hot Spring is a typical place to improve bad circulation for Japanese. Before talking about how to take a Japanese bath at home, I like to review the health benefits of it.

Relieves fatigue and relaxes

When you take a Japanese bath, your body temperature rises, and your metabolism increases. It will efficiently discharge the waste products and fatigue substances accumulated from the body. The bloodstream carries oxygen and nutrients to every corner of the body. Hence, the body Feels refreshed, and fatigue is relieved.

In addition, when the body is warm, the tension in muscles and joints is relieved. Some people may suffer shoulder and back pain due to computer work at home, but we can say that these pains are likely to be improved by bathing because the muscles are tense.

In addition, when you take a bath, the function of the parasympathetic nerve becomes dominant. When it happens, it is easy to feel the relaxing effect, and it will solve the stiff mind and body, and you will feel more comfortable.

Metabolism improvement and skin improvement

When your metabolism increases by a Japanese bath bathing, your skin will improve. Most Japanese women feel their skin refreshed, like getting back younger every night by long bathing. Repeating it every day will keep up the healthy skin condition constantly, even when not after bathing.

Bad circulation improvement

When water pressure is applied to the body by bathing, it also applies to the subcutaneous blood vessels. It pushes out blood like a pump, and the heart’s movement becomes active. As a result, it improves blood flow and lymphatic flow.
Improving blood flow also relieves coldness, so we recommend bathing for those who suffer from chronic coldness.

Good sleep

When a person falls asleep, the core body temperature (the temperature inside the body, such as the brain and internal organs) drops. This function enables smooth sleep onset and comfortable sleep. Even if you don’t do anything, your body temperature will naturally drop, and you will feel sleepy.

Take a Japanese bath for 1-2 hours before going to bed. For good quality sleep, it is ideal for the skin temperature to be high and the core body temperature to be low. By taking a bath, you can sleep soundly at night by increasing blood flow in the skin, dissipating heat from the skin, and lowering the core body temperature.

How to take a Japanese bath at home, or is there an alternative measure?

As discussed above, you need dedicated facilities to take a Japanese bath home. If you can do it, it’s lovely. But it’s impossible for most people for various reasons, including the expensive cost, space, etc. But you don’t need to give up from the quest how to take a Japanese bath at home. There are alternatives effective enough.

FootBath

Yes, this will be the most viable and realistic option for everybody to improve bad circulation. Don’t think the foot bath is only for your foot care. It is just a safer variation of the full-body warm water immersion, and it warms up your whole body only with your feet and legs soaked. It is a common-sense among Japanese women.

You will often see the recipe for the bath ingredients, but the primary matter is the warm water. Bath ingredients will add up further benefits, but it’s already beneficial without them.

Japanese love footbath for better circulation
Hot spring footbath is popular in Japan.

It will provide the thermotherapeutic effect as the warmed blood circulates all through your body. If you soak your calves even up to the half, you will also take the water pressure effect. The improved bloodstream will (1) warms your body up (2) discharges your body wastes and facilitate your metabolism (3) mitigates your fatigue (4), loosens up your body (5) helps your internal organs (6) supports you to fall asleep better.

I will explain the details how to take foot bath below.

Showering long

Unfortunately, you can’t raise your core body temperature just by showering. Instead, the shower stimulates the skin and increases the sympathetic nerves, making it easier for the autonomic nerves to become unbalanced. However, there will be days when you just can’t take a bath. In such a case, try to warm your neck in the shower. I will explain you the details of how below. 

How to take the footbath as an alternative of Japanese bath

WARNING

(1) Footbath is far safer and less hefty for your body than full-body warm water immersion or various exercises. But, it still puts some tax on your body depending on your age or the health condition. If you have any concerns, start from some low temperature (around 100F) and short time (about 20 mins). Adjust the temperature, lengthen the soaking time, and gradually monitor your blood pressure and your general health condition.

(2)Take the water adequately to avoid dehydration. A glass of water before the footbath will help you to discharge your body wastes. You can keep up your metabolism by taking some water after the footbath.

(3) Take care of the dryness of your legs. When you add any bath ingredients, take care of any problems on your skin.

(4) I recommend some tools and bath agents, but we are not involved in any of them and can’t take any responsibility. Research those tools and ingredients under your responsibility before you buy and use them.

Footbath Buckets

Any buckets or foot spa with a heater will work. I like the simple foot bath bucket by the famous Japanese manufacturer, Inomata. (Watch out cheaper imitations!) It will be convenient if you take a foot spa with a heater, but you need to study if the size is right for you.

Footbath Ingredients

Even only the warm water without any ingredients will warm you up and provide you various benefits. But some bath ingredients will extend its health benefits. Many people recommend Epsom salt. It is one of the popular ingredients of Onsen (natural hot spring) and helpful for your health. Bath ingredients made in Japan will offer you a more complicated and similar-to-nature formula and health benefits for your luxury.

It will also be beautiful to add some aroma and enjoy the relaxing flavor.

How to do

Pour warm water into the bucket. Soak your feet with some hot water beside you. Start with some lower water surface cause you will need to add the hot water to keep up or adjust the water temperature. Try from as short as 20 minutes if you have any health concerns. Some women enjoy it for about an hour.

One more tip

If you don’t go bed immediately after the foot bath and like to keep your feet warm, it will be better that you pour some cold water on your feet. Otherwise, your body will try to cool down the warmed feet as a natural reaction.

How to take the Shower as an alternative of Japanese bath

It is essential to keep your neck warm.

Try to warm your neck in the shower. The duration will be 3 – 5 minutes. In case of old people or those who are not in a good health, 1 – 2 minute(s) will work enough. 

When the neck warms up, the temperature-controlling sensor in the preoptic area of the brain works, blood vessels expand, and the parasympathetic nervous system increases.

The areas to be warmed are the base of the neck and the back. At the bottom of the neck is a cluster of sympathetic nerves called the stellate ganglion, which regulates blood flow to the head, shoulders, and neck. When you warm up here, the sympathetic nerves decrease, and the parasympathetic nerves dominate. In addition, since thick blood vessels run in the back of the neck, the preoptic area responds by warming this area.

Keep the shower head as close to your skin as possible.

The point of application is to bring the shower head as close to the skin as possible. When you shower from a distance, the water droplets irritate your skin, making it easier for your sympathetic nerves to react. It is a good idea to get as close to the skin as possible so that you can feel it as a “mass of hot water” and warm it to massage it. The temperature and time should be about what you feel comfortable with. And even after taking a shower, it’s a good idea to warm your neck by, for example, putting a hair dryer on the back of your neck when drying your hair or placing a hot towel on it (be careful of burns).

This natural hormone balancing supplement will add further improvement

In addition to the alternatives of the Japanese bath bathing, this natural supplement will help your health in the same course, improving your metabolism by hormone balancing.

Juveriente®’s Effisoy, launched in 2016, based on fermented soy bean germ extract has been loved as a natural menopause relief since its launching in 2016.

Its primary function is to boost the weakened synthesis of a hormone precursor, DHEA. It’s safe as it only heals the natural synthesis function. The hormone boost doesn’t provide the only relief from menopausal symptoms. But, it also supports various aging issues including improvement of metabolism for weight loss, skin refreshment and better sleep.

Here are some of the real product reviews in our Amazon shop.

“Restful sleep finally!!”, “I Am Now Free of Hot Flashes!!”, “Lifesaver”

LEARN MORE About Effisoy, made of fermented soy bean germ
The only supplement to contain fermented soy isoflavone beside Japan. 

Body odor during menopause

Are you in trouble with body odor during menopause? Causes and what you can do

Body odor during menopause varies by different causes. Hormonal change is one of them. On the other hand, the general aging odor, which usually evokes us middle-aged men, happens to women, too. Middle-aged and fatigue odors sound similar to aging odor, but we distinguish them due to their different causes.

What kind of smell is aging odor?

A walking womanAging odor refers to body odor that becomes stronger at about age 50, regardless of whether it is a man or a woman.
Middle-aged oily odor is often confused with aging odor. It smells like fermented foods such as yogurt and cheese or old oil. It is often mixed with aging odor and exacerbates it in people’s 40s and 50s.

In your 20s, the smell of sweat from your armpits is the major part of the body’s smell. It weakens a little in your late 40s and early 50s. At the same time, the middle-aged oily odor becomes stronger, and then the aging odor gradually becomes stronger.

Places where aging odor and middle-aged oily odor occur

menopause woman's hairMiddle-aged oily odor tends to occur after sweating. It is often stronger in the back of the neck and the back of the ears, where you have sticky and oily sweat. Thus it tends to transfer to your pillow.
On the other hand, aging odor mainly arises in the chest and back, where sebum secretion is active. It often remains in the clothes of the person from whom the smell originated or even in the place where he/she was.

It is not only men! Women also have aging odor

Aging odor was used to describe the smell of middle-aged and older men. However, we know that aging odor occurs in women as they age. It shapes a part of body odor during menopause.
Female hormones usually suppress the excessive secretion of sebum. But the secretion of female hormones decreases during menopause. As a result, it promotes sebum secretion, and 2-nonenal, a skin gas that causes aging odor, is released more and more as we age.

In addition, sweat that flows in hot flashes and hyperhidrosis, two typical menopause symptoms, contain lactic acid, and it is better to pay attention to middle-aged oily odor.
Even for women, after middle-aged and older age, the components that generate unpleasant odors increase, making them smell aging odors. At the same time, the materials that give off pleasant body odors decrease.

For women, “lactone”, a component of fragrance that makes you feel the sweetness peculiar to women, is diffused. However, research results show that after age 35, the released lactone decreases sharply. It emphasizes the body odor during menopause.

What causes body odor during menopause?

Skin gases cause body odors when released at the oxidation and decomposition of secreted sebum and sweat components. Aging odor and middle-aged oily odor are classified as different odors because the elements of skin gases differ.

Cause of aging odor

Shiseido, the most prominent Japanese cosmetics brand, researched body odor and discovered that “2-nonenal” is the main component of body odor in middle-aged and elderly people. They named it “aging odor.” Sebum distribution decreases with age, but the amount of palmitoleic acid and lipid peroxide in the sebum, the raw material for 2-nonenal, increases, so the odor increases with age.

Causes of middle-aged oily odor

On the other hand, “middle-aged oily odor” is a smell named by Mandom. They are one of the famous Japanese cosmetics brands for men. They discovered a component of skin gas called “diacetyl.” “Diacetyl” is generated when bacteria indigenous to the skin decompose sweat containing lactic acid. Middle-aged oily odor tends to be especially strong on the back of the head and the neck we sweat much.

Beware of stress and fatigue odors!

Intense stress can make aging odors stronger. When stressed, it generates active oxygen, oxidizes sebum, and strengthens body odor.
Body odor may also include fatigue odor. When ammonia in the blood increases due to physical fatigue and psychological stress, it produces a pungent smell.

Is there a hidden illness behind body odor during menopause?

Diseases such as constipation, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, seborrheic dermatitis, and decreased kidney function can cause odor. If you suddenly feel a strong odor, you may have a hidden disease and need to consult a doctor. (This is not limited to menopausal women.)

How to deal with body odor during menopause? Five odor cares

How to deal with aging odor?

You can mitigate aging odors by taking appropriate measures.

Wipe off sweat

Routine care for sebum and sweat is the key to suppressing the generation of 2-nonenal and diacetyl. Do not let sweat remain on your skin; wipe it off with a handkerchief or sweat-wiping sheet.
Sweat itself has no odor. If you leave sweat unattended, the bacteria on the skin’s surface grow with it and generate the odor. Keeping your skin clean, such as wiping it off when you sweat and changing your clothes frequently, can reduce odors.

Soak in a bathtub

Spending long hours in an air-conditioned environment, many people lose the opportunity to sweat to regulate their body temperature. When the chances of sweating decrease, the function of the sweat glands deteriorates. It decreases the secretion of waste products in the body through sweat, and body odor tends to become stronger.

You can stimulate sweat gland function by soaking in a bathtub and warming the body. (The Japanese-style bathtub is not readily available elsewhere, and we recommend long showering or footbath as alternatives. (Here are some explanations of how.)

Wash one’s body carefully

You can clean away sebum and sweat by washing the body’s surface. Thoroughly wash areas that produce a lot of sebum, such as behind the ears, back of the neck, chest, and back, with soap. In particular, they say the scalp has more sebum than the T-zone of the face. Make sure to lather the shampoo well and not leave the shampoo residue on the scalp and hair.
However, scrubbing too much will increase the secretion of sebum indeed. Wash gently and carefully.

Use medicated soap

It is effective to use medicated soap containing ingredients that suppress the activity of bacteria that cause aging odor. By using medicated soap, you can create an environment where various bacteria can’t multiply actively even after sweating; thus, aging odor is less likely to occur.
For medicated soaps, we especially recommend polyphenols, which can expect to have high antibacterial and deodorizing effects. In addition, “Persimmon Tanitan,” “Tea catechin,” and “Bamboo vinegar liquid” are the ones with a good reputation in Japan.

Use antiperspirant

Using antiperspirants and deodorant sprays is an effective way to suppress aging and middle-aged oily odor. Antiperspirants come in cream, roll, and spray types. Cream and roll types that can be applied directly to the skin are the most effective deodorizing. In addition, the spray type is preferable because you can spray it on hard-to-reach places such as the back.
In addition, you can choose the feeling of use according to your preference. For example, you can pick those with powder that makes your skin smoother or those that give you refreshed feeling when you use it.

Lifestyle habits that prevent body odor during menopause

How to prevent aging

While sweat and body care are crucial to restrain aging odor, it is also essential to take measures from within. Keeping a healthy lifestyle will also help prevent aging. So what should we be careful about?

Don’t smoke

When you smoke, your blood vessels constrict, making it difficult for your blood to circulate. When the blood flow is blocked, it hinders the discharge of waste products and strengthens the odor of sebum.
In addition, the nicotine in cigarette smoke moves from the lungs to the blood when it enters the body and is dispersed through the skin. The smell of tobacco adds to the already challenging mixture of aging odor and middle-aged oily odor. For the sake of body odor and health, we recommend refraining from smoking.

Take a diet that suppresses aging odor, middle-aged oily odor, and fatigue odor

Daily meals are also essential in preventing the deterioration of body odor during and off menopause.

A diet that does not lean towards meat and fish

A well-balanced diet is vital to prevent aging. A diet that is biased towards meat and fish will increase the secretion of sebum. In addition to animal proteins such as meat and fish, it is necessary to devise ways to incorporate vegetable proteins such as soy products that suppress the generation of active oxygen. Of course, plenty of vegetables and the right amount of carbs are also essential. Eat a well-balanced diet to avoid malnutrition.

Foods with antioxidant properties

2-nonenal, which causes aging odor, is also generated by increased active enzymes, so actively take foods with antioxidant properties. Citrus fruits contain a lot of vitamin C, nuts contain vitamin E, green and yellow vegetables such as pumpkin and carrots contain a lot of β-carotene and carotenoids, and blueberries, wine, and bananas contain polyphenols. These foods have rich antioxidant properties.

Ingredients that regulate the intestinal environment

Adjusting the intestinal environment leads to the prevention of fatigue odor. It is crucial to increase the number of good bacteria in the intestine and reduce the number of harmful bacteria for a better intestinal environment. Harmful bacteria break down undigested proteins and amino acids that reach the large intestine, producing ammonia and other substances that cause bad odors.
Foods containing rich dietary fiber, such sea weed, mushroom and oligosaccharides, help increase good bacteria intestine. It will restrain the generation of ammonia, the cause of the bad odor, and help discharge other odorous substances with the stool. That is, it suppresses the aging odor.

Summary

In this article, we have introduced the causes, treatments, and prevention of aging odor. Age-related odor occurs at a certain age, regardless of gender, while menopause is also one of the causes of aging odor. However, you can suppress aging odor by taking appropriate measures. Prevention and countermeasures against aging odors require an external and internal approach.
By reviewing daily life, such as eating habits and body odor care, let’s live a healthy life without worrying about aging odors.

Take a soy food as a natural supplement

Juveriente®’s Effisoy, launched in 2016, based on fermented soy bean germ extract has been loved as a natural menopause relief since its launching in 2016. While it has gained reputation as a menopause supplement, it also has high anti-oxidant power coming from fermented soy. Isoflavone aglycone contained in Effisoy® has about 1,000 times of anti-oxidant potency than standard isoflavones. 

Besides is, its primary function is to boost the weakened synthesis of a hormone precursor, DHEA. It’s safe as it only heals the natural synthesis function. The hormone boost doesn’t provide the only relief from menopausal symptoms. But, it also supports various aging issues and increases metabolism, which leads to weight loss. It is not limited only for menopause women, but also after menopause or older. 

Here are some of the real product reviews in our Amazon shop.

“Restful sleep finally!!”, “I Am Now Free of Hot Flashes!!”, “Lifesaver”

LEARN MORE About Effisoy, made of fermented soy bean germ
The only supplement to contain fermented soy isoflavone beside Japan. 

Foods that help bone strength, and habits to weaken your bones

Prevent bedridden! Foods that help bone strength and that weaken your bones

Calcium is essential to keep bones strong and durable. However, many people lack calcium, which is vital for strong bones. A calcium-deficient diet is a major cause of weak bones. When bones become fragile, fractures, being bedridden, and locomotive Syndrome* can greatly hinder daily life. This article introduces foods that help bone strength and dietary habits that weaken your bones. Change your eating habits to improve bone strength.

What is Locomotive Syndrome*?
It refers to the state in which the ability to move, such as standing and walking, a basic human movement, is degraded.

Benefits of healthy bone strength

Strengthening bones means building healthy bone strength with high bone density. Strengthening bones reduces the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures associated with aging and helps prevent people from needing long-term care and becoming bedridden.

In addition, the method of strengthening bones is closely related to suppressing joint cartilage wear, so it is highly effective in preventing joint and back pain.

Let’s learn about lifestyle habits toward healthy bone strength to live free from fractures and joint pain.

Check items for lifestyle habits that weaken bones

First of all, I will introduce lifestyle habits that are at risk of weakening bones. Check if any of the following items come to mind.

Does anything come to mind?

  1. No milk or yogurt during the day
  2. Rarely eats three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
  3. I like snacks and eat them often
  4. I think I’m obese
  5. No habit of exercising
  6. Bow legs

The more items that apply to the above, the weaker your bones may be without realizing it. Hence, you need to be careful, such as improving your lifestyle.

Also, bones tend to weaken with age, and post-menopausal women have an exceptionally high risk of osteoporosis.

Extreme diets put your bone strength at risk.

extreme diet

However, it is not only middle-aged and elderly people who need to be careful about lifestyle habits that weaken bones. Suppose even young people are on extreme diets or have severe dietary restrictions. In that case, their bodies may become malnourished, and their bone density may become similar to that of the elderly.

A decrease in bone density leads to an increased risk of osteoporosis, so try not to restrict your diet unreasonably.

Calcium is a nutrient that keeps bone strength.

Bones comprise calcium, proteins such as collagen, and phosphorus. Calcium is the nutrient that makes bones particularly hard and robust. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body, 99% of which is found in bones and teeth.

Bone takes in calcium from the blood and repeats regeneration every day. Suppose there is a shortage of calcium and nutrients that support calcium. In that case, the bones will try to replenish calcium even if they dissolve themselves, causing further calcium deficiency.

Main foods that help bone strength with rich calcium

Foods high in calcium include:

Foods that you should actively take to help bone strength;

  1. Milk, dairy products (yogurt)
  2. Soybeans, processed soybeans (tofu, okara, natto, all Japanese foods!!)
  3. Seafood (dried shrimp, small fish)
  4. Vegetables (Kale, Moroheiya)
  5. Seaweed
  6. Satsuma mandarin orange: helps bone metabolism from the cellular level

However, one thing to remember is that if you only eat dairy products, even though they contain a lot of calcium, you will lack other nutrients. A balanced diet with various foods that help bone strength is ideal.

Take the essence of Satsuma mandarin orange with a natural supplement

A cohort study in Japan reports that blood concentration of Beta cryptoxanthin, which is richly contained in Satsuma mandarin orange, shows a strong correlation. But, it is rather indigenous to Japan and China, and hard to take for people in other regions.  Juveriente®’s natural bone supplement, “Bone Strength Complex” brings you its essence to you as a natural supplement. Since its launching in 2016, it has gathered positive feedbacks as the following.

Mandarin OrangeI have been taking Juveriente Bone Strength Complex for two years. I was waiting for my bone density test this year to write a review. My bone density test results improved. I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis two years ago. The prescription medications for Osteoporosis have too many side affects and I was looking for a good alternative. I am proud to report this product works and has no side affects. The gel capsules are easy to swallow.” (Nov. 17th 2022, a product review for our Amazon shop)

The main functional ingredient is simply an extract of a Japanese popular citrus fruit. Needless to say, it is better to try a natural food before jumping to strong medicines. Please learn details in our product page.

LEARN MORE BSC

 

Nutrients that help bone strength by supporting calcium absorption

Calcium taken from foods is absorbed in the intestine, but calcium is difficult to absorb. Therefore, it is essential to combine nutrients that support calcium absorption.

Nutrients that support calcium absorption and foods rich in them include: It is recommended to take calcium-rich foods together, as this will improve the overall balance of the diet.

  1. Protein (collagen): meat, fish, tofu
  2. Vitamin C: vegetables, fruits
  3. Vitamin D: mushrooms
  4. Vitamin K: broccoli, moroheiya
  5. Magnesium: soybeans, almonds

Nutrients that don’t help but even interfere with bone strength

Even if you take a lot of calcium, it will be challenging to strengthen your bones if you follow a diet that prevents calcium absorption or a lifestyle that weakens your bones.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for the body, but too much interferes with calcium absorption. It is often contained in processed foods, so be careful if you eat out or eat convenience store lunches.

Salt

Be careful not to take too much salt as it interferes with calcium absorption. If you overeat cheese or small fish to get enough calcium, you will overeat salt, so be careful.

Alcohol

Excessive consumption of alcohol impairs the absorption of calcium. Try to keep it to an appropriate amount or make a liver-free day.

Tobacco

Cigarette nicotine also interferes with calcium absorption and increases the risk of osteoporosis. People with a smoking habit can expect the effect of strengthening their bones simply by quitting or reducing the number of cigarettes.
In addition, people who do not have the habit of moving their bodies quickly weaken their bones, so caution is required.

Summary: Prevention of bedriddenness! There are foods that help bone strength and foods that weaken it.

Bone density, which indicates bone strength, decreases with age. In particular, they say women significantly lower bone density during menopause, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. In addition, extreme diets and dietary restrictions are not recommended for middle-aged and elderly people but also for young people, as they cause a decrease in bone density.

Adequate calcium intake and moderate exercise are essential factors in maintaining bone health. Try to avoid foods and lifestyle habits that interfere with calcium absorption.

As mentioned above, there are foods that help bone strength and foods that weaken them. We should be careful in daily life.

How to cope with menopause without HRT?

How to cope with menopause without HRT?

How to cope with menopause without HRT? HRT is an abbreviation of Hormone Replacement Therapy.

HRT as a Fast and Solid Solution

As you may do, women in menopause often suffer from various unpleasant symptoms by lowered estrogen level by aging: hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and other mental health issues, a higher risk of osteoporosis, and so on. These symptoms lower their quality of life significantly, and hormone replacement therapy, HRT, is sometimes a fast and solid solution.

Risk of HRT

But, female hormones are naturally present in tiny amounts and maintain a delicate balance. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), even when prescribed by a physician, carries a high risk of side effects as it involves manually adjusting this delicate balance.
While natural remedy is always better for anybody, the following people will especially need safer alternatives.

People who have had or are being treated for uterine fibroids, benign breast diseases
Breast cancer survivors
People with uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes
A person with unexplained irregular bleeding
Cholelithiasis
Heavy smokers
Highly obese people

Improvement of your daily habits

Natural remedy of menopausal symptoms starts from daily habits. Disturbances in the autonomic nervous system exacerbate menopausal symptoms.
People with severe symptoms tend to live a life in which the autonomic nervous system is easily disturbed, such as “poor nutritional balance” and “short sleep time.”

How menopausal symptoms are challenging (or easy) depends on the complex of various elements. We can’t expect total healing only through the improvement of one of them. Yet we can expect it may mitigate the attacks of such symptoms if you reach better habits of your diet, exercise, and other daily activities.

Four tips to cope with menopause without HRT but naturally

    1. Try keeping a healthy balanced diet
    2. Get 7-8 hours of sleep per day
    3. Keep regular exercise
    4. Soak in the bathtub to warm your body

Try Keeping a Healthy Balanced Diet

Diet is the base of your body to cope with menopause. Eat three meals daily, including carbs, main dish, and side dish.

A Japanese diet concept may help you frame a balanced meal.

Without proper nutrition, the body cannot function properly.
The autonomic nerves and hormone balance are also easily disrupted, worsening menopausal disorders.

Carbs: rice, noodles, bread, etc.
Main dish: meat, fish, egg, etc.
Side dis; vegetables, Mushrooms, seaweeds, etc.

To keep up such a balanced diet, it will be good to cook natural foods rather than eat easy processed foods.

Get 7-8 hours of sleep a day

Sleeping well is part of your simple course to cope with menopause naturally. Make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep per day.

For good quality sleep, please be aware of the following.

Go to bed at 11:00 (at the latest at midnight)
Finish (Japanese style) bathing and dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime
Avoid using computers and smartphones at night as much as possible

Lack of sleep can disturb the autonomic nervous system and exacerbate menopausal symptoms.
Taking enough quality sleep to relieve mental health and physical disorders is essential. It will stabilize the autonomic nervous system.

Keep Regular Exercise

Exercise daily, such as stretching, yoga, walking, and swimming.

If you are too busy to find time to exercise,

“Walk longer than usual” when going out
“Squat” while watching TV
Try incorporating exercise into your daily routine.

Actively moving the body leads to “a blood circulation improvement” and “a metabolism improvement.”
We think it helps alleviate the symptoms of menopause because they allow the work of female hormones.

Soak in the bathtub to warm your body

Soak in the bathtub every day to warm up your body. (This is advice in Japan. If a Japanese bath is not available, try a foot bath. Or, you can warm yourself up even with a shower with some tips. I will write how at the bottom of this page. )

Warming your body will reduce your stress, and female hormone secretion will improve. In addition, it will help you fall asleep if you warm up your body a few hours before you go to bed. 

Furthermore, when stress is relieved and the autonomic nervous system works smoothly, the blood flow in the organs improves, and the secretion of estrogen (follicular hormone) becomes active.

Try A Natural Supplement

There is a natural and moderate therapy from within, based on Japanese traditional healthy foods.

Juveriente®’s Effisoy, launched in 2016, based on fermented soy bean germ extract has been loved as a natural menopause relief since its launching in 2016. 

Its primary function is to boost the weakened synthesis of a hormone precursor, DHEA. It’s safe as it only heals the natural synthesis function. The hormone boost doesn’t provide the only relief from menopausal symptoms. But, it also supports various aging issues and increases metabolism, which leads to weight loss.

Here are some of the real product reviews in our Amazon shop.

“Restful sleep finally!!”, “I Am Now Free of Hot Flashes!!”, “Lifesaver”

LEARN MORE About Effisoy, made of fermented soy bean germ
The only supplement to contain fermented soy isoflavone beside Japan. 

Warm yourself up with a shower!

Japanese people have a culture of soaking in bath water in a bathtub. It is common sense for them that this daily habit helps beauty from within and sound falling asleep. We like to recommend this healthy habit to people around the rest of the world. But unfortunately, it is a peculiar custom in Japan, and most houses in other regions don’t have the necessary facility for it. We introduce an alternative way with a tool everybody has, shower. It may help you in your pursuit of how to cope with menopause without HRT.

It is essential to keep your neck warm.

Unfortunately, you can’t raise your core body temperature just by showering. Instead, the shower stimulates the skin and increases the sympathetic nerves, making it easier for the autonomic nerves to become unbalanced. However, there will be days when you just can’t take a bath. In such a case, try to warm your neck in the shower.

When the neck warms up, the temperature-controlling sensor in the preoptic area of the brain works, blood vessels expand, and the parasympathetic nervous system increases.

The areas to be warmed are the base of the neck and the back. At the bottom of the neck is a cluster of sympathetic nerves called the stellate ganglion, which regulates blood flow to the head, shoulders, and neck. When you warm up here, the sympathetic nerves decrease, and the parasympathetic nerves dominate. In addition, since thick blood vessels run in the back of the neck, the preoptic area responds by warming this area.

Keep the shower head as close to your skin as possible.

The point of application is to bring the shower head as close to the skin as possible. When you shower from a distance, the water droplets irritate your skin, making it easier for your sympathetic nerves to react. It is a good idea to get as close to the skin as possible so that you can feel it as a “mass of hot water” and warm it to massage it. The temperature and time should be about what you feel comfortable with. And even after taking a shower, it’s a good idea to warm your neck by, for example, putting a hair dryer on the back of your neck when drying your hair or placing a hot towel on it (be careful of burns).

Benefits

Warming your body will reduce your stress, and female hormone secretion will improve.

The neck is a very stiff part. It is like a bridge that connects the brain and the body, supporting the head, which accounts for 10% of the body weight. A regular neck has a 30 to 40-degree curve in the cervical vertebrae, which acts like a spring to absorb the load and prevent neck stiffness even if the head is slightly misaligned. However, modern people have a straight neck due to long desk work and smartphone browsing, so they are stuck.

In particular, women’s necks are about 5 to 6 centimeters thinner than men’s. They tend to be stiff because they support their heavy heads with fewer muscles. Warming the neck and improving the blood flow will wash away fatigue substances. The autonomic nerves will be balanced, and the stiffness will be refreshed.

Warming up yourself with this method a few hours before bed will help you fall asleep more easily. 

Best Bone Supplement for Elderly

Osteoporosis is characterized by decreased bone density and mass, increasing fracture susceptibility. Since it is more likely to progress with age, the incidence increases. In addition, in the case of older people, there are many cases where this disease makes them prone to fractures or become bedridden. What is the best bone supplement for elderly?

Medicines for osteoporosis

Avoiding too strong medicines in their health care may be better for older adults. Bisphosphonates may cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and stomach pain, while SERMs may worsen menopausal symptoms. Active vitamin D3 drugs, on the other hand, are characterized by fewer serious side effects.
In addition, as a side effect of Bisphosp

Sleep well

honates and Denosumab, which suppress the action of bone absorption, cases of jawbone necrosis during dental treatment, such as tooth extraction, have been reported as rare cases. When you receive dental treatment, tell your dentist that you are using the medicine that suppresses bone absorption, and also make efforts to manage oral hygiene. Although rare, atypical femoral fractures also happen.

Calcium and Vitamin D as bone supplements for elderly

The first bone supplements that come to mind are calcium and vitamin D.
In December 2017, the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, China, published an interesting academic paper. The title was “How do calcium and vitamin D supplements affect osteoporosis?”
(Reference: Association Between Calcium or Vitamin D Supplementation and Fracture Incidence in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.JAMA. 2017 Dec 26./)

It concludes, “There is no evidence to suggest that calcium alone, vitamin D alone, or both calcium and vitamin D can prevent vertebral and hip fractures in the elderly, etc.
There have been various claims that those two materials help bone health, and even the clinical guidelines for osteoporosis prevention recommend supplements in some countries.
This new opposite perspective caused repercussions in the related industries.

What else do we have? Best bone supplement for elderly?

Beside the above famous materials, Juveriente®’s natural bone supplement, “Bone Strength Complex” may be the new best supplement for elderly. Since its launching in 2016, it has gathered positive feedbacks as the following.

Mandarin OrangeI have been taking Juveriente Bone Strength Complex for two years. I was waiting for my bone density test this year to write a review. My bone density test results improved. I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis two years ago. The prescription medications for Osteoporosis have too many side affects and I was looking for a good alternative. I am proud to report this product works and has no side affects. The gel capsules are easy to swallow.” (Nov. 17th 2022, a product review for our Amazon shop)

The main functional ingredient is simply an extract of a Japanese popular citrus fruit. Needless to say, it is better to try a natural food before jumping to strong medicines. Please learn details in our product page.

LEARN MORE BSC

 

Osteoporosis prevention by bone strengthening

What is necessary to prevent osteoporosis other than supplements?
The answer is “stimulation to strengthen bones = exercise (strength training).”

The German medical scientist Wolff advocated that “bone repels applied force (Wolff’s law.).” Now we know that bone density increases by training muscle strength.

Osteoporosis is particularly prevalent in older women. They say that the risk of developing osteoporosis in women is several times higher than in men because the secretion of hormones in women decreases markedly due to menopause, and the inhibitory effect of estrogen on bone resorption decreases.

“strength training to strengthen bones” is necessary to reduce this risk even a little.

Laughter improves health (smile and skin 3/4)

Laughter improves health in blood circulation and lead to beautiful skin.

(1) Laughter improves health in its blood circulation promotion effect

Laughter improves health when it turns your breathing abdominal because the diaphragm moves up and down. Cardiopulmonary function becomes active, oxygen-rich blood circulates throughout the body, and metabolism becomes active. In other words, smiles and laughter promotes blood circulation in the body.
As a result, the metabolism becomes active, so the replacement of cells becomes active.

Improving blood circulation provides the following health benefits:
Relieves muscle tension and increases elasticity
Reduces vascular resistance and relieves stress on the heart
blood pressure drops
Relaxation effect by parasympathetic nerve dominance
Better lymphatic flow
From these things, you can expect anti-aging of the body with laughter.

(2) Relationship between blood circulation promotion and skin

By improving the flow of blood and lymph, excess water and waste products can be quickly discharged, preventing swelling and dullness, and are expected to be effective in aging care.

In addition, it has the following effects.
Metabolism becomes active by improving blood circulation, and skin gloss and firmness improve.
Sebaceous glands and sweat glands become active, and sebum secretion and sebum film formation increase, preventing dry skin.
Indeed, laughter seems to improve your health and also play the role of anti-aging cosmetics.

Laughter improves health by balancing the autonomic nervous system

(1) Relationship between autonomic nerve balance and the body

Laughter improves health in balancing your autonomic nerve. The autonomic nervous system has the sympathetic nervous system that puts the body in tension mode and the parasympathetic nervous system that puts the body in relaxation mode.

When the autonomic nervous system is out of balance, stress increases, which may temporarily cause the following symptoms:
disordered breathing
irregular heartbeat
increased blood pressure
Shoulder stiffness
fatigue
insomnia
Anorexia/overeating
Weight loss/gain
heavy stomach
Usually, the sympathetic nervous system is dominant while awake, so there is a lot of stress.
However, by laughing, the parasympathetic nervous system becomes dominant, and the two are balanced.

As a result, you will feel relaxed and relieve stress.
When the stress reduces, the above symptoms will be lighter and more likely to disappear.

Active oxygen will also decrease if you can relieve stress quickly by laughing, so preventing oxidation will lead to anti-aging.

(2) Relationship between autonomic nerve balance and skin

The disturbance of the balance of the autonomic nerves also affects the skin. For example, blood vessels constrict, resulting in poor blood circulation.

It causes puffiness, dark circles under the eyes (blue circles), and dullness. It leads to the deterioration of the barrier function and disturbance of turnover, resulting in dry skin and, in even worse cases, sensitive skin.

Check out other posts of this series;
Introduction
Smiles and laughter, and immunity improvement

The Natural menopause supplement with excellent reviews in Amazon

Miso, fermented soy paste is one of the keys of Japanese women’s health and their easier menopause experiences. Fermented foods are often hard to eat for people of other dietary cultures. But you can take the essence easily through the supplement. Effisoy is the only supplement brand to bring you fermented soy extract outside Japan.

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The only supplement to contain fermented soy isoflavone beside Japan.

The history of Japanese food

When did the history of Japanese food begin?

Since rice has been a staple food since the Neolithic period in Japan, it is no exaggeration to say that Japanese cuisine began in the Neolithic period. However, since rice farming came from the China continent, only rice eating can’t be called “Japanese food culture” yet. The history of Japanese food with its unique culture began in the Heian period (AD 9th – 12th century, before the Samurai’s governing.)

When Zen Buddhism became popular in the Heian period, cooking methods such as soup stock prevailed. Zen Buddhist monks could not eat meat and began eating soybeans.

The Shojin Ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) that Zen Buddhist monks ate has evolved into today’s Japanese cuisine.

The history of sushi

Sushi is the most famous dish in Japanese cuisine.We can’t talk about the history of Japanese food without sushi’s history.
Most people worldwide know it, but how many people know the history of sushi?
The current style, placing raw fish on top of vinegared rice, was created in the Edo period (AD 17th – 19th century, the last Samurai and pre-modern period.)

Until then, fermented sushi was mainstream. The primary purpose of this cooling method was to preserve fish in vinegared rice or grains.

Today’s sushi style that everybody in the world knows is actually a newer type called Edo-mae sushi. Edo-mae means Tokyo downtown. Edo was the old name of Tokyo in the Samurai era.  Many of the people who lived in Edo were short-tempered. Sushi that could be prepared and served quickly exploded in popularity and came to be called “Edo-mae sushi.”

Even now, when I go to a sushi restaurant and see the chef making sushi quickly, I think it’s “art.” But in the Edo period, there is a Haiku that says, “The chef makes sushi in an instant like a witchcraft.”

The history of Japanese food upon the hospitality

Unesco registered Japanese cousin as a World Intangible Heritage on December 4, 2013. (It was not registered as a kind of cousin but as a food culture.)

The principal elements of Washoku are said to be the following four. 

Balanced nutrition
Ingredients
Cooking methods
Hospitality

Japan is one of the countries where we can feel the beauty of the four seasons.
The successive generations of chefs have been upholding the hospitality to make guests feel the four seasons’ beauty. We believe that the accumulation of such hospitality from generation to generation has shaped the Japanese cousin. 

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Fermented soy is a staple of the Japanese cousin mostly as “miso soup”, and it is one of the secrets of anti-aging of Japanese women. Fermented foods are often hard to eat for people of other dietary cultures. But you can take the essence easily through the supplement.

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The only supplement to contain fermented soy isoflavone beside Japan.

30 Minutes of Walking Benefits

30 minutes of walking benefits and tips for making it a habit

Are you exercising for your health?
“I know I should exercise but can’t keep up…”
“I don’t want to do hard exercise…”
Aren’t there a lot of people who think like this?
Here I introduce you to the 30 minutes of walking benefits and tips to make it a habit.

You don’t need special equipment to walk, and it’s easy for anyone to start.
One of my friends started walking 13 years ago.
At first, she started walking to lose weight, but she fell in love with walking, and even now, 13 years later, she still walks every day.

Start walking today! I would be happy if you think so.

The physical and mental benefits of walking

First, I will introduce the physical and mental benefits of 30 minutes walking.
There are many effects of walking, but I will introduce some for you who want to start walking.

Benefits for the body

When you walk, your body uses up energy.
30 minutes walking will consume about 100Kcal of energy. 100Kcal is roughly 38g of bread or 63g of rice.
Some people may wonder, “Is it just a 30-minute walk?”
But what if you do it every day?
100Kcal x 365 days = 36,500Kcal
They say that 7,200 Kcal is required to reduce 1 kg of fat. You will burn 5kg of fat by keeping up 30 minutes walking through one year!

In addition, walking increases energy consumption, reduces fat, and reduces weight to prevent and improve lifestyle-related diseases.
Obesity is defined as a BMI over 25 in the Obesity Classification (Japan Obesity Society).
Obesity and lifestyle-related diseases are closely related, and the risk of lifestyle-related diseases increases.

There are various lifestyle-related diseases as the following;

high blood pressure
Hyperlipidemia
gout
Diabetes
Dyslipidemia

Even if you don’t see an improvement from obesity by walking, you can still see the prevention and improvement from lifestyle-related diseases.

Mental benefits

Next, let’s talk about the 30 minutes of walking benefits for your mental health.
Aerobic exercise like walking promotes the secretion of β-endorphin in the blood.
As a result, they say that it promotes the increase of alpha waves, relieves mental tension, and brings you pleasure and psychological health.
Beta endorphins are also known as natural pain-relieving drugs in the brain and are famous for their ability to promote feelings of euphoria and ecstasy.
Surprisingly, walking releases pleasure hormones.
In addition, walking reduces negative emotions such as tension, depression, hostility, fatigue, and confusion and increases positive emotions such as vitality.
I have experienced that walking reduces worries and anxiety and increases exhilaration and fulfillment.

The first step to making 30 minutes walking a habit

“Even if you know the effects of walking, it doesn’t last long.”
I will introduce the first step to making walking a habit.

Start with a 5-minute walk.

As a point to start walking, it is to start with 5 minutes first.
From the beginning, it is essential not to be enthusiastic about “Let’s walk for an hour!”.
Try 5 minutes every day.
When trying to create a new habit, it is much easier to stick to it if you start with something too small.
The brain doesn’t like sudden changes.
An hour’s walk can provide too much shock on your brain.
Start with 5 minutes. It will eventually lead you to 30 minutes of walking and its benefits in the future.

Recommended time for walking

Morning is the recommended time for a 5-minute walk.
Walking in the morning feels great.

Here are three benefits of walking in the morning.

Regulating the biorhythm
Serotonin secretion
Increased health awareness

The human body has an internal clock.
Sunlight, exercise, and diet effectively adjust your body clock rhythm.
Exercising by walking in the morning, bathing in the sunshine, and eating will set your body clock.
Also, when exposed to sunlight, a hormone called “serotonin” is secreted.
“Serotonin” stabilizes mood and appetite.
And exercising in the morning will increase your health awareness.
You will learn to choose healthy foods and move your body naturally.
A morning walk can change how you spend your time afterward.
For this reason, I strongly recommend you walk in the morning.

Points to note when walking

Here are some things to keep in mind in walking:
Have you ever heard that you should walk with a long stride and a big wave of your hand?
I think it’s essential to walk with that kind of posture.
However, you don’t need to walk with long or fast strides when you have just started walking. It just increases your fatigue and makes you annoyed.
The most important thing about posture is to stretch your spine.
Take comfortable strides. That’s it.
In addition, let’s do it at a reasonable pace according to your physical condition and physical strength.
Also, there is a risk of dehydration, so don’t forget to drink water frequently.

Summary

This time, I introduced the effects of walking and tips for making it a habit for those who want to start walking.
Walking has benefits both physically and mentally.
Also, your life rhythm will be in place by making it a habit.
I have been walking for more than ten years too, and it has made me physically and mentally healthy.
If you continue for a year, you can feel the change of the four seasons and feel happy about small things every day.
People of any age can walk, and since it does not require any special equipment, it is easy to start.
Although the exercise intensity is low, it is possible to continue.
Would you like to incorporate walking into your life?
I hope your life gets better.

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The only supplement to contain fermented soy isoflavone beside Japan.

 

The best anti-aging lifestyle

Recommended anti-aging Lyfestyle methods

Anti-aging methods are all things that anyone can do daily. You may be able to keep your body youthful by improving your Lifestyle and slowing down the aging process. Here are some of the best anti-aging lifestyle tips.

Get good quality sleep.

Getting good quality sleep is crucial because your body secretes growth hormones during sleep. Growth hormone activates metabolism, so it not only repairs damaged cells but also maintains the skin’s firmness.
A good night’s sleep is a good night’s sleep within the first 90 minutes of falling asleep. Growth hormone secretion decreases with age, but good-quality sleep promotes secretion.
To get good quality sleep, let’s bathe in the light of the sun in the morning and during the day. Before you go to bed, take a warm bath to warm up your body and make it easier to relax and fall asleep. Therefore, it is vital to regulate the internal rhythm.

If you don’t sleep enough at night, you’re more likely to get lifestyle-related diseases, and your body won’t be able to rest appropriately. It causes many disadvantages.
The necessary amount of sleep varies by person. According to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare’s “Sleep Guidelines for Health Promotion,” 6 to 8 hours is appropriate.

Refrain from drinking

You will also need to consider the best anti-aging lifestyle in your drinking habit. When your body decomposes alcohol, it generates active oxygen that causes aging, so it is desirable to use it sparingly. The recommended amount of alcohol is about one drink a day. In addition, let’s be conscious of making a rest day about three days a week.

A nightcap induces drowsiness but makes it easier to wake up in the middle of sleep, resulting in poor sleep quality. On days when you drink alcohol, we recommend enjoying it with dinner.

Exercise moderately

Moderate exercise is perfect for anti-aging. Exercise improves blood flow and keeps your body functioning young. Exercise also prevents muscle wasting. If you increase your muscles by moving your body, your basal metabolism will also increase. Exercise can also prevent obesity, so it helps you to avoid lifestyle-related diseases.
For example, light exercise such as walking will improve the function of antioxidants that decompose active oxygen and prevent oxidation of the body. In addition, it is safer to refrain from strenuous exercise that causes shortness of breath, as it increases active oxygen.

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Vitamin K benefits for bones

Vitamin K tends to short for your bone formulation

In recent years, vitamin K benefits for bones have become apparent.  However, since it is first used in your liver and then acts on the bones, it tends to be deficient for bone building. A lack of vitamin K worsens the risk of fractures and osteoporosis. Among vitamin K, an increasing number of papers indicate that vitamin K2 may be more effective than vitamin K1. Vitamin K1 is found in green vegetables, and vitamin K2 is found in fermented foods such as natto. Paying attention to your diet and avoiding fractures and osteoporosis are the keys to a long and quality life.

The general properties of Vitamin K

Let’s take a look at the more general properties of vitamin K. This is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps blood clot. You will find vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) richly in green leafy vegetables, seaweed, green tea, vegetable oil, etc. Intestinal bacteria in your body will synthesize vitamin K2 (menaquinone)
In regard with the Vitamin K benefits for bones, it activates osteocalcin (a calcium-binding protein) present in bones, promoting the deposition of calcium into bones and preventing outflow. It is also used in the treatment of osteoporosis as it encourages collagen production and improves bone quality.

Remarks in intaking

Vitamin K is fat-soluble and resistant to heat, so cooking with oil, such as frying, is recommended. The fact that many fermented foods like natto and cheese contain rich vitamin K shows such thermal durability of vitamin K.
If you take warfarin (a medicine that prevents blood from forming blood clots), too much vitamin K in your blood may make it less effective. If you are taking such medication, you should consult your doctor and avoid foods that contain a lot of vitamin K, such as natto, broccoli, and spinach.

Foods Rich in Vitamin K

Green leaves and fermented foods contain rich Vitamin K.

Spinach, broccoli, mulukhiyah, natto, wakame seaweed, seaweed, cheese, etc.

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You can also take vitamin K through supplements. Juveriente’s Bone Strength Complex will provide you vitamin K among its vitamin set for bone health while it also helps your bone health from the cellular level. (Learn about it more here.)

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