The Lowdown: - Mental health issues have made a lot of headlines recently, and you may be starting to ask questions about your own mental health. - Mental health is unlike your body’s health, there are no pills to cure your mind’s problems. And there’s a lot of damage poor mental health can inflict on you. - Fear not, there is much you can do to take care of your mental health. It isn’t rocket science but it does mean you must take action! Mental health concerns are making headline news these days. You read about cases of extreme bullying, suicides and violent behaviour in the newspapers and you wonder what’s going on. You might be asking what’s making these people act the way they do. You may even ask yourself, “Am I vulnerable too?” Mental Health Calling What actually happens in your head remains shrouded in mystery, but we know our sub-conscious works hard piecing together events occurring around you. Think about it, you’re constantly being bombarded by bad news. Your work life could also be a headache and you’re not able to switch off after work. Your family life feels chaotic with your spouse’s and children’s needs. Over time, all these troubles conspire to make your life a living hell, and you feel powerless. You can’t go to your doctor and ask for a prescription to cure ‘powerlessness’, there’s no pill for that. So we pretend it’s not a problem and march on. Until one day, you crack under all that pressure. Why should you be concerned? Poor physical health – Your mind and body are intertwined. If you’re feeling physical pain, it ruins everything, your family relationships and work. This causes stress and depression. Similarly, mental health disorders can impair physical health. Mental disorders affect your sleep quality, which make you more easily ill. You also risk living a shorter and less pleasant life. Poor productivity and decision-making – When your mind’s out of sync, you’re less productive. You can’t complete tasks or make logical decisions. You miss work often and may find it difficult to control your finances. Family relationships. Mental illness affects your family as well as yourself. Children of those with mental illness run a risk of neglect and a wide range of psychological issues. These children too, become psychologically damaged. If you love your loved ones, you owe it to them to stay mentally well. Turning to crime. People who are mentally unwell are more likely to act out in anger and frustration. This is particularly true if they abuse drugs/alcohol too. They tend to act on impulse and may turn to petty crime. But there’s also a risk of violence, particularly if the person has been mentally ill and untreated for a long time. What to do? Now you know the consequences of poor mental health, you need to take action! Here are some things you should start doing today Get professional help if you need it. Nobody likes to ask for help but there are times when you need to admit you have a problem. Remember, you’re not doing this just for yourself; you have your loved ones to think about too. At the very least, talk to someone you trust. Talking it through may help you understand what’s going on in your head. Get physically active. Simply taking a walk could turn your mood for the better. There’s just something about strolling outside that helps clear the clutter from your mind. You could also consider yoga or meditation. Aim to stay active for at least 30 minutes/day. Get enough sleep. Sleep is worth more than gold; just 2 consecutive nights of poor sleep can deteriorate your mental abilities significantly. The side effects of sleep deprivation are more serious than you think. Stay well-nourished. Nutrition and mental health? Yes, it counts. If you have poor eating habits, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Stop consuming junk food and energy drinks; they mess with your head, really! Good nutrition which includes proteins, fats and certain carbohydrates help you maintain a healthy body and mind. The right nutrients trigger feel-good hormones that make you feel better. Now you’re thinking, “But I don’t have time!” There is a shortcut that can help make up for times when you can’t eat healthy. The brain plays a central role in mental health. Therefore, feeding the brain with the right nutrients can help you stay sharp and calm. If staying sharp is what you’re looking for, then boy do we have something for you! Our CogniPro Tablet contains citicoline, a nutrient that improves brain function and memory. So here you have it, the power over your mental health is in your hands. You may not be able to control the things life throws at you, but you do have control over your mind. Take the reins and don’t let your mental health slip away today!

Vitamins are a group of organic substances that are required for normal growth and development, maintenance of life as well as normal reproduction. There are two categories of vitamins – water soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin that is absorbed into the body with the aid of bile acid, a kind of fluid used to absorb fat. There are two types of Vitamin K – K1 and K2. Vitamin K1, which is also known as phylloquinone, helps to maintain healthy blood clotting and is normally found in green leafy plants. Vitamin K2, or menaquinone, is made by bacteria that lines the gastrointestinal tract. It goes into blood vessel walls as well as bones and helps to optimise bone health. The primary source of Vitamin K2 is from natto, a traditional Japanese dish made from fermented soybeans. Natto is a traditional Japanese food made from soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis var. natto. Some eat it for breakfast, which is served with soy sauce, karashi mustard and Japanese bunching onion. Vitamin K2 is a newly discovered essential vitamin that has been proven to optimally bind calcium to bones. This keeps them dense and strong, which lessens the risk of fracture due to ageing. Vitamin K2, particularly in its menaquinone-7 (MK-7) form, is derived from the fermentation process of natto and it prevents excessive calcium accumulation in the arteries. In the absence of Vitamin K2, calcium is not able to adhere properly to bones, which may cause a build-up of calcium in the blood vessels that could eventually lead to cardiovascular diseases. Vitamin K2 is also vital for growing children who are still developing their primary and adult teeth, proper facial form and strong bones. It is also important for women who are at risk of bone fracture. Population-based studies have shown that women in Japan who consume larger amounts of natto have generally shown lower rates of bone fractures. Vitamin D is also known as the “sunshine” vitamin. It helps to keep bones and muscles strong and healthy. The best source of Vitamin D would be from exposure to sunlight, especially in tropical countries like Malaysia. However, it’s not surprising that Malaysians might have insufficient Vitamin D as most white-collar workers spend all day in the office and not under the sun. The natural form of Vitamin D is Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), which is also the form that our bodies produce. Supplementation of Vitamin D3 helps to enhance calcium absorption from the intestine in order to build and maintain strong bones. Undeniably, calcium is the essential dietary supplement for improving bone health. However, recent studies have shown that supplementing with calcium alone is not enough as our bodies require other elements like Vitamin K2 and Vitamin D to optimise the use of calcium to ensure it is directed to and utilised by the bones. Therefore, the combination of Vitamin K2, Vitamin D3 and calcium is a winning combo to keep your bones healthy and prevent bone fractures during old age. Besides taking calcium, Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 to improve bone health, a healthy lifestyle is also important for treating and preventing osteoporosis. The best exercise for bones is a weight-bearing exercise that forces you to work against gravity. Some examples of weight-bearing exercises include weight training, walking, hiking and climbing staircases. In addition, quit smoking and avoid excessive consumption of alcohol to significantly reduce the risk of bone fractures. If you would like to check on the health of your bones, be sure to come to our roadshow. Click the banner below for more details.

For the fourth year in a row, the Malaysia Urban Retreat Festival (MURFEST) is back with a bang! In partnership with Vitamode (Health Education Partner), Asia’s largest urban retreat festival returns bigger than ever, featuring wellness-related workshops, certification programs, a wellness marketplace and even a Dance Fitness Party! MURFEST 2018, happening from the 3rd to 5th November, is an event directed at promoting a balanced lifestyle through self-discovery and self-mastery. ‘MURFEST isn’t like any other wellness programs out there – we bring to the table a varied mixture of alternative self-help programs and workshops you won’t normally get anywhere else,’ shared MURFEST’s festival director, Shobie Malani. Held at one of the finest five-star hotels in town, Le Meridien Putrajaya, this 3-day event is specially tailored for those who are stressed, unhappy, overburdened, and those who are experiencing health issues, low self-esteem, emotional trauma and anxiety. While overnight results are not guaranteed, Shobie promises that change will definitely be experienced: ‘This is like walking into a spa, but unlike the short-lived feel-good sensation, the workshops at MURFEST will give you the tools you need to successfully manage your issues in the long term. Shobie Malani, founder of Malaysia Urban Retreat Festival (MURFEST), at the launch. The highlight of this year’s MURFEST is the GloKL | Dance Fitness Party, featuring some of the region’s top Salsation trainers, including its founder, Alejandro Angulo. If you haven’t already heard, Salsation is the first of it’s kind: a dance fitness program that is based on functional training, musical expression and fun! The best thing about the Dance Fitness Party is that you don’t need any dance experience prior to participating. Another thing to look out for at the festival is the JustBe Markets – a one-stop health and wellness marketplace showcasing the best in organic, homemade and homegrown wellness products. And for the first time ever, MURFEST will be introducing the Asia Beauty & Wellness Awards (ABWA) on the 29th Nov. This platform is where businesses and individuals in the beauty and wellness industry are recognized and awarded for their efforts. Alejandro Angulo, creator of Salsation™, and his team performing at the launch. With continuous support from the Ministry of Youth and Sports (through FitMalaysia and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia), the organizers of MURFEST, Xhale Asia, aims at developing Malaysia into the next health and wellness tourism hub by 2020. The Malaysian wellness industry is growing at a rapid rate of 12.8% and in just three years, it is forecasted to contribute a whopping RM400 million to the nation’s gross national income – consequently creating over 3500 jobs! The wellness industry does not only play a major role in the nation’s economy; it also helps promote the mindset of healthy living among Malaysians – and MURFEST is a vital component in doing just that, as explained by Shobie, ‘MURFEST has come a long way in establishing the mindset of healthy living through wellness activities, and we are continuing this effort to further implement this through our event. This year, we are proud to collaborate with industry experts to further enhance the content of the festival. Shobie Malani (front, 3rd from right) with some of the facilitators at the launch. More than 50 facilitators are expected to conduct workshops during the 3-day festival. When asked about her vision for MURFEST, Shobie revealed that she would like to see the platform grow internationally within the next two years. ‘The wellness industry is booming in Asia; everybody wants to live a happy life. We aim at using this platform as a catalyst to do so.’ Keen on participating, but have your hands tied with parental duties? Don’t worry – families with children can enjoy the KIDZ CLUB, a safe space for children to harness their boundless energy! The KIDZ CLUB also offers activities that cater to your children’s emotional and mental growth needs. So what are you waiting for? BUY MURFEST 2017 TICKETS NOW! USE CODE: VITAMODE2MURFEST (TO ENJOY 10% Savings) Experience wellness, music and dance as they come together like never before at MURFEST 2017!