Category Archives: Women’s Health

Fit Tech & Gadgets, Wellness, Women's Health

Women’s health mobile app, ‘Nyra’ launches in Bahasa Malaysia

Vivant, the digital health technology start-up, today announces the launch of ‘Nyra’ in Bahasa Malaysia to help women of all ages seamlessly track their feminine health, fertility and fitness – allowing them to better manage their wellbeing, schedules and avoid surprises.

Nyra is designed as a one-stop solution for women of all ages juggling multiple health and wellness goals to accurately track their period, fertility, ovulation, as well as physical activity, symptoms and diet. From information entered into the app, Nyra provides personalised health and fertility insights, giving women full control over the entire feminine health journey – from preconception to pregnancy and post-pregnancy. 

In addition, Nyra’s market-leading in-app chat feature allows women to connect directly with a doctor at their fingertips, for private one-to-one conversations on health matters including fertility, contraception, sexual health and everything in between. The app also enables women to keep track of medication and supplement intake through customisable reminders.

Adrit Raha, Chief Executive Officer, Vivant said, “We are seeing a major opportunity to tap into the potential of digital platforms to transform women’s health in Malaysia, as well as the rest of Asia and the Middle East. While women’s health can be a sensitive subject in Malaysia, Nyra aims to empower women to break through existing barriers and take full control of every aspect of their feminine health and wellbeing, informed by accurate and personalised health insights.” 

Nyra is the first product launched by Vivant under its Nyra women’s health brand, which expects to see an expanded range of products in the region across the women’s health spectrum including pregnancy, post-pregnancy care and re-entering the workplace. 

“At Vivant we see an incredible opportunity for growth in Malaysia as consumers are increasingly turning to digital channels to manage aspects of their daily lives such as banking and shopping. Health is a traditionally underserved area that is starting to see strong demand. We are excited to bring Nyra and its spectrum of capabilities to this dynamic market as e-health begins to truly take off,” added Vishal Doshi, Director, Malaysia.

Nyra is available on Apple and Google app stores.

AFT Features, Diet & Nutrition, Features Singapore, Men's Health, Wellness, Women's Health

Vitafoods Asia Conference to present top 5 APAC nutraceutical trends

Delegates to the upcoming Vitafoods Asia Conference in Singapore, 25-26 September 2019, will have the opportunity to dive deep into the latest regional trends in the Asian nutraceutical industry. Five clearly focused and tailored content platforms including Personalised nutrition, Nutricosmetics, Digestive health, Mental wellbeing and Sports and fitness nutrition will be presented in an exceptional programme that is perfectly positioned between science and industry. Led by industry experts across two days, discussions will cover current nutraceuticals business challenges, opportunities and market innovation in these core functional areas.

“This year, we are thrilled to present the Vitafoods Asia Conference, which will give delegates the opportunity to learn from, and network with, leading nutraceutical, supplement and functional food industry experts,” said Chris Lee, Managing Director, GHNN Europe at Informa Markets, the organiser of Vitafoods Asia. “We are also particularly excited to bring you sports and fitness nutrition presentations during Vitafoods Asia 2019. The Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing sports nutrition region and the presentation will allow participants to learn about the latest ingredient research as well as opportunities to develop new products in the space.”

Delegates can book their pass at www.vitafoodsasia.com/conference

Conference speaker, Dr Stephen Burns, Associate Professor, Physical Education & Sports Science, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, will discuss evidence that supports the use of ketogenic diets for training and performance in athletes, in consideration of the potential downsides for performance and health.

Another conference speaker, Nabil Bosco, Healthy ageing team leader, Retd. National Institute of Nutrition, Nestle Research (Singapore), will outline a holistic view of the digestive health market, mechanisms of action and fermented products to reassess the benefits of different ingredients aimed at a healthier gut. He will also discuss the role of food and nutrient synergy for digestive health and highlight any new research and market opportunities.

The Vitafoods Asia Conference 2019 sessions will last 2 – 3 hours, allowing participants to flexibly juggle networking, business meetings and educational content.

The full line-up of keynote speakers at this year’s conference include:

  • Chin-Kun Wang, President, International Society for Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods (Taiwan)
  • Dr Celine Klotz, Clinical Trial Director, Japanese Society of Antiaging Nutrition (Japan)
  • Dr Madhavan Nair, Scientist, Retd. National Institute of Nutrition, Vice-President Nutrition Society of India (India)
  • Dr Lin Jing, Researcher, Food Science and Technology Programme, National University of Singapore (Singapore)
  • Michelle Teodoro, Food Science and Nutrition Analyst, Mintel (Singapore)
  • David Foreman, President, Herbal Pharmacist Media (US)

The Vitafoods Asia Conference 2019, which runs alongside the Vitafoods Asia Exhibition, is structured to incorporate the latest research as well as a market overview and market innovation. Each session will last two-three hours, enabling participants to flexibly juggle networking, business meetings and educational content.

 

Register for Vitafoods Asia

The Vitafoods Asia Exhibition and Conference is where the nutraceutical industry comes together to find solutions, share knowledge and create business opportunities. Discover high quality products, ingredients and services, learn about the latest trends and network with 350+ global suppliers from 60+ countries across the global nutraceutical supply chain.

To register for the Exhibition or the Conference, please visit www.vitafoodsasia.com

Vitafoods Asia is pleased to announce that KSM-66 Ashwagandha is confirmed as the headline sponsor for Vitafoods Asia 2019.

Men's Health, Wellness, Women's Health

The Silent Enemy: Fight Joint Injuries Together

Kordel’s has been the main sponsor for Arthritis Foundation Malaysia (AFM) for 11 years running and they have recently collaborated with local sports associations, both professional and amateur athletes as well as Sports Medicine Specialist at University of Malaya Medical Centre, Dr. Muhammad Rahmani Jaffar to raise awareness on the threats of silent joint injuries and how to reduce the risks and take preventive measures. 

The purpose of this collaboration is to educate the public on the rising epidemic of arthritis, and the types of joint nutrition they could take early on before it seriously impacts a person’s health and lifestyle. 

This partnership came shortly after the appointment of Dr. Benjamin Cheah as the new President of the new Arthritis Foundation Malaysia for the period of 2019 till 2021. With over 23 years of experience in the medical field, he is also a Consultant Physician and Rheumatologist in Pantai Hospital and Consultant Rheumatologist in Parkcity Medical Centre and IMU Healthcare. 

According to Dr. Benjamin, although joint ailments can affect everyone from every walk of life, it is not clear exactly what causes osteoarthritis as age, weight (obesity factor), past injuries, family history as well as bone deformities are all part contributory to the onset of osteoarthritis. 

While it is commonly associated with the elderly, athletes and younger adults can also be afflicted with this degenerative disease. When osteoarthritis strikes, the cushioning material (cartilage) that covers the ends of the bones breaks down. Symptoms can include pain, stiffness, crunching or grating sounds (when the joint is flexed), swelling and loss of flexibility. When cartilage wears away completely, the bones rub against each other, which can be even more painful and debilitating. 

 

Research has suggested that athletes and sports professionals are more prone to osteoarthritis than the general population. “Athletes constantly push their bodies to the limit, therefore serious wear and tear is bound to occur,” continues Dr. Benjamin. 

“In my younger days, I injured both my knees while doing sports and I’ve endured pain ever since. We shouldn’t wait too long to take action as we can prevent further damage with the right nutrition and practice,” shares Mike Mahen, Mr World Champion 2016 -2018. 

“Many patients as young as in their 20s to 40s suffer from painful arthritic conditions. Education and awareness on how to recognise the symptoms are as important as taking preventive steps,” weighs in Dr. Muhammad Rahmani. 

Backed by the latest research on nutritional healing and disease prevention, Kordel’s has introduced Eggshell Membrane plus Boswellia in their Joint Care range. It is formulated with a blend of hydrolysed water-soluble eggshell membrane, and added with Boswellia an extract which contains boswellic acids. This daily joint nutrition supplement has a Triple Actions Formula that can help to (1) repairs and protects Tendon and Ligament, (2) repairs and protects cartilage and joints, and (3) anti-inflammation thus helping in joints recovery early at the early stage. 

“Should anyone sense any discomfort in moving or stretching, it could be a symptom of early osteoarthritis, especially those who are above the age of 30 or those who does a lot of strenuous activities. Prevention is always better than cure,” mentions Mr. Zid, brand manager for Kordel’s. 

Kordel’s Eggshell Membrane plus Boswellia contains 2 unique patented ingredients which are the patented Biovaflex from eggshell membrane that provide 6 bioactives ingredients to nourish and regenerate joints, cartilage, tendons and ligaments, while the patented Boswellin is an extract from the Boswellia plant that acts as a natural analgesic to stop inflammation fast and effective without side effects. 

As part of their corporate social responsibility efforts, Kordel’s will be having their annual Family Charity Walk on the 8th September at Padang Merbok, Jalan Parlimen in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This 7km walkathon is a charity drive to increase public awareness on joint health and raise funds for Arthritis Foundation Malaysia. 

For more information, please check out at Facebook “2019 Kordel’s Family Charity Walk”. 

Beauty & Health, Men's Health, Wellness, Women's Health

DNA fitness testing across four continents

An article in New York Times in 2018 described a novel benefit for employees introduced by Levi Strauss & Company in San Francisco: free genetic screening to assess their hereditary risks for certain cancers and high cholesterol.  Its CEO Chip Bergh wanted to reduce the company’s employee health care costs – naturally, any CEO would! So he hoped for a positive response from his employees.  In the article, it states that other companies in the US like Nvidia, Salesforce, SAP, Slack, Stripe, Snap and Visa have offered the genetic screenings as an employee benefit. The company they used was US-based Color Genomics, a start-up that has quickly become a leader in employee genetic screening and counseling.

Hong Kong / Singapore

Meanwhile over in Hong Kong, Bloomberg article delves into a test subject from Hong Kong – David Leung who took a genetic test that came free with an insurance policy and has since followed a diet plan inspired by his DNA report. Prenetics Inc analysed Mr Leung’s genes and has sold more than 100,000 DNA testing kits in 2018 and aims to double sales volumes this year as it starts marketing directly to consumers as well as through insurers. Its executive officer Danny Yeung said that they want to “democratise genetic testing.” Leung’s genetic analysis and diet recommendations were provided in a 44-page report with an additional feature of an app that enabled him to interact with a health coach.

Prenetics seem to have outdone itself with a new brand, Circle DNA – claiming it as THE WORLD’S MOST COMPREHENSIVE DNA TEST at USD189.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPD2NChDoeY#action=share

Moving down towards the equator in Southeast Asia is Singapore-based Imagene Labs that markets itself as a DNA-based beauty and wellness company that creates customised solutions based on individuals’ unique genetic traits. Its Managing Director Wong Mun Yew says, the company’s sales strategy is to forge partnerships with spa and fitness chains.

Australia

Further down under in Australia, we found myDNA. Founded in 2007 by leading Clinical Geneticist, Associate Professor Leslie Sheffield, myDNA aims to unlock the power of personal genomics for everyday consumers. May 2019 marks the month that this Aussie company has stepped into the United States of America and will be launching two main products for that market; Nutrition & Fitness (MSRP USD99) provides personalised Nutrition, Fitness and Caffeine Reports. Vitamins (MSRP USD89) identifies 12 genes that help determine a person’s need for nine different vitamins and minerals.

Making nutrition personal in the USA

Personalised nutrition is forecasted to be worth $US11.5 billion by 2025 worldwide (2018 Axiom Market Research report). An article by the Australian Financial Review spoke to Dr Michael Fenech, founding president of the Asia-Pacific Nutrigenomics and Nutrigenetics Organisation who co-authored a paper evaluating scientific evidence for genotype-based, personalised, dietary advice. Basically, eating right for your gene-type. He gave an example about obesity. An area where our responses to food differ and where, potentially, nutrigenomics could help us lose a few kilos. “Multiple genes, including the FTO gene, are involved in metabolism and weight control and a personalised diet may increase the chance of a dieter’s success,” he says.

DNA testing disclaimers

When customers sign up, swab and send their DNA to the respective DNA testing providers, they need to know that their data may be shared with research partners of those DNA testing labs. Also, that they need to be prepared for unexpected surprises from the results of their DNA tests.

Is DNA testing a means to gather data to prolong life span?

Did you know, that search engine giant Google’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin have such great interest in researching to extend life span that they setup Calico, a research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies to increase our understanding of the biology that controls lifespan. Their interest was reported in an article in the Australian Financial Review, which shares, “Brin inherited a gene that predisposes him to Parkinson’s disease, and Page has nerve damage that affected his vocal cords.” I found this intriguing that the world’s largest Internet search engine company has made its mark in DNA Testing via AncestryDNA, a provider known for ethnicity genetics testing from only USD59. Besides providing the world with free internet, perhaps this could be the start of a life lengthening elixir.

This article has been compiled from various sources gathered from published articles, written and edited by Jasmine Low, co-founder Asia Fitness Today. No payment has been derived from this piece and is not an advertorial nor endorsement. Thoughts expressed are the author’s own.

Fitness at Work, Men's Health, Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), Wellness, Women's Health

Stressed out?

A quick dive into what STRESS means, and how you can manage it!

Pressured to perform at school? Managing timelines at work? People handling. Keeping the peace within the family. Everything is interconnected, and there are so many ways in managing and reducing stress in your life. Everyone is different too, so while some people may react explosively, others may simply laugh it off, run a marathon or resort to a quieter method be it through prayer, medication or mindfulness. Stress can arise from anything or anyone who places a high demand or expectation from you.

“Stress, if adapted can motivate us every day in our daily life”, – MYHEALTH

In an article excerpt from Ministry of Health of Malaysia MyHealth website, writers Prof. Madya Dr. Alvin Ng Lai Oon suggests that stress can be good or bad. He writes, “We need stress to survive. Stress, if adapted can motivate us every day in our daily life. Through stressful situations, we develop abilities to adapt, cope and respond to life’s demands. On the other hand, stress is bad when we are not able to manage it properly or when we view it negatively. Poor stress management leads to feeling out of control which in turn will lead to other unhealthy coping strategies,”.

According to a journal by Harajyoti, Dipankar, Lipika and Nabanita (2012) – “Comparative Study on Stress and Contributing Factors Among Graduate and Graduate Students”, stress factors were found to be behavioural, psychological and psychosomatic. In terms of behaviour, the study suggests that stress is caused by instability in relationships. The psychological aspects are where stress stems from from anger, low self-esteem, depression where all of it seems to be related to emotional disturbance. In psychosomatic terms, factors such as headache, sleep problems, ulcers and high blood pressure tend to cause stress and pressure. 

In the study, they found that females show often more symptoms in anxiety, back pain, neck pain, appetite and skin rashes. The report also said that there were studies that suggest that the inability to adapt to stress is associated with the onset of depression or anxiety. In one study, two-thirds of subjects who experienced a stressful situation had nearly six times the risk of developing depression within a month of experiencing stressful events. Some evidence suggests that repeated release of stress hormone produce hyperactivity in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal gain and disrupts normal level of serotonin, the nerve chemical that is critical for feeling of well being. Certainly, stress diminishes quality of life reducing feeling of pleasure and accomplishment
and relationship are often threatened. The data was derived from a sample pool of 250 participants comprising of students and post-graduate students.

University of Puerto Rico’s Michael J. Gonzalez & Jorge R. Miranda-Massari (2014) published “Diet and Stress”. Here’s an excerpt from the report:
Stress happens in 3 stages. The first is an initial state of alarm (fight or flight response), which produces an increase of adrenaline. Living organisms can withstand
occasional extreme stress and still survive. The second stage is a short-term resistance mechanism that the body sets up to cope with the problem. The final stage is a state of exhaustion. The exhaustion stage occurs when the body has used up all
its available resources. If the situation is not taken care of, stress can produce long-term damage to the body, including heart problems, high blood pressure, the immune system problems (susceptibility to infections and allergies), skin problems (acne, itchy
rashes, psoriasis, and eczema), pain (neck, shoulder and back), diabetes, and infertility.
Stress affects the whole body.

Musculoskeletal System

When muscles are tense for prolonged periods of time, other reactions of the body promote stress-related disorders. Tension headache and migraine headache have been associated with chronic muscle tension in the area of the shoulders, neck,
and head.

Respiratory System

Stress can make breathing more difficult. For those with asthma or a chronic obstructive disease, getting enough oxygen can become difficult.

Cardiovascular

Repeated acute stress and persistent chronic stress can induce inflammation in the vasculature, especially of the coronary arteries. This is one of the proposed mechanisms associating stress to myocardial infarcts. It addition, it has been shown that the way a person responds to stress can alter cholesterol levels.

Endocrine

Stress affects how the hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland and the autonomic nervous system to secrete the stress hormones epinephrine and cortisol. The hypothalamus stimulates the adrenal glands cortex to produce cortisol and the adrenal me-
dulla to produce epinephrine. This gives the body the energy to run from danger.
In every stressful situation, there is a solution. Finding the root cause is key. In the next paragraph, we share some tips on the best methods in which you can manage stress in your lives. Remember these 3 letters, E, E & E!

Eat

A balanced diet is based on the “Myplate” of the food set. Eating is one of life’s simplest pleasures. Ever head the term “comfort food”? Nourishment for your mental and physical being comes from the food you meticulously plan throughout the day. Keep your food simple, light and nutritious so it’s easily digestible and keep you from feeling sluggish after lunch.

Stressful situations can increase the acid content in our stomach. Makes one think differently when they say “I have butterflies in my stomach”!

Our team had a very insightful read of Diet & Stress by Michael J. Gonzalez & Jorge R. Miranda-Massari, 2014. Citing the report, “…a food industry that provides main staple foods that are additional stressors (refined carbohydrates, excessive animal fats, artificial colours, preservatives, and sweeteners). Unhealthy eating patterns will only result in an increased level in stress, followed by further health problems in the near future if the issues are not resolved. With a healthy eating plan accompanied with scientific supplementation and a proper stress management program, one can overcome stress, prolong one’s life span, and reduce the likelihood of stress-related illnesses,”

“One of the main problems with on-going stress is the depletion of nutrients. The stress response is fight or flight; either action requires lots of energy. Stress utilizes many nutrients for energy production, even if one sits in front of a computer screen all day,”.
“B vitamins are essential for coping with stress, as they are used in most metabolic enzymes. Substances like sugar, alcohol, and caffeine will drain these resources and affect the functionality of the body and the brain. When under stress, the body uses reserve B vitamins,”.
“Foods can help relieve stress in several ways. Comfort foods, like a bowl of warm oatmeal can boost levels of serotonin, a calming brain chemical,”.

Exercise

For busy executives, you could incorporate some exercise into your day, just as though it were an important appointment. We would suggest a less strenuous routine, that would help you work out a sweat but without stressing your body out too much. 

Ed Haynes, founder and head trainer at a gym in Hong Kong shared that exercise itself stresses your body. So it’s not a good idea to pack physical stress on top of an already stressed body. You can read more about it here.

Rest

A really good rest is penultimate. When you get enough rest, your physical and mental condition is calm, balanced and ready to to make right decisions. Heed this advice. It’s been said, good rest is productivity’s best friend.

Here’s a tip from Dr Lim Li Ling, Consultant Neurologist at the Singapore Neurology & Sleep Centre, Gleneagles Medical Centre and Director, Sleep Disorders Unit, Singapore General Hospital.

Sleep-wake Schedule

Go to bed and get up at about the same time every night and morning respectively, including weekends. Try to have a regular schedule of going to bed and waking up. This will help you to anchor your circadian (“biological”) clock and establish a consistent rhythm of sleep. Read more…

REFERENCES:

  • Stress management by MyHealth. Read more…
  • A Comparative Study on Stress and it’s Contributing Factors among the Graduate and Post-Graduate Students by Harajyoti Mazumdar, Dipankar Gogoi, Lipika Buragohain and Nabanita Haloi. 2012. Read more…
  • Stress dan Kesihatan. Dr Izzat Haznil Bin Ismaal. Pegawai Perubatan PKU UTMKL. Read more…
  • Diet and stress. Michael J Gonzalez and Jorge R Miranda-Massari. 2014. Read more…

This article was written by AsiaFitnessToday.com editorial team with research by Nabila Azamuddin and Nur Nadiah Yazid, UiTM Sports Management faculty.

Diet & Nutrition, Features Malaysia, Men's Health, Wellness, Women's Health

Dahaga? Jangan sampai tahap dehidrasi

Pentingnya air dalam badan kita dalam menjalani aktiviti seharian! Semua orang mempunyai pengetahuan bahawa hidrasi adalah sangat penting dalam tubuh badan kita. Hal ini kerana, setiap aktiviti yang kita lakukan akan memerlukan kuantiti air yang banyak dalam badan. Jika tubuh badan kita dalam keadaan dehidrasi, ianya akan menyebabkan kita kekurangan tenaga dalam badan. Selain itu, ianya juga akan menyukarkan kita untuk melakukan aktiviti-aktiviti harian kita seperti bersenam, bekerja serta dalam menggunakan otak untuk berfikir.

Disebabkan itu, jikalau kita perhatikan pelajar-pelajar, pekerja-pekerja serta para atlet sangat mementingkan air sepanjang mereka melakukan aktiviti harian mereka. Mereka tidak akan lupa untuk membawa sebotol air dalam melakukan aktiviti harian mereka. Dalam satu keratan akhbar Harian Metro ada menyatakan air bersih boleh merangsang system pertahanan badan, metabolisme sel dan mengurangkan risiko sel menjadi tidak normal, mencegah bahan toksik daripada merebak ke sel lain dan mengurangkan risiko terhadpa jangkitan.

Menurut artikel guesehat.com, salah satu hal yang perlu kita ketahui tentang hidrasi badan adalah tubuh yang kekurangan cairan tidak hanya boleh dilihat dari warna urin. Menurutnya lagi, warna urin yang kita keluarkan belum tentu sesuai menggambarkan keadaan hidrasi
tubuh yang tengah dialami. Faktor luaran yang lain seperti makanan, minuman serta pengambilan vitamin dan mineral turut dapat mengubah warna urin menjadi lebih pekat.

Dehidrasi sangatlah penting untuk dijaga, sepertimana yang telah dinyatakan diatas kesan- kesan sampingannya. Konklusinya, sentiasa membawa sebotol air putih kemana jua kita pergi walaupun tidak melakukan aktiviti yang berat. Seterusnya, air putih juga mempunyai banyak khasiat untuk badan kita. Nantikan artikel seterusnya untuk mengetahui dengan lebih lanjut mengenai nutrisi makanan yang baik.

Artikel ini disusun oleh tim Asia Fitness Today yang mengambil inspirasi dari laman web Guesehat dan Harian Metro.

Upcoming Events, What's On ?, Women's Health

Walk with a woman this International Women’s Day

Walk for good health, walk for fun, walk with a female family member, colleague or friend in conjunction with International Women’s Day at the KL Car Free Morning. 10% of funds raised from this event will benefit Home of Peace, a non-profit registered home for girls.

Supported by: DBKL & Multigreen Events
Organiser: GoInternationalGroup.com
Initiated by: AsiaFitnessToday com

DON’T WALK ALONE, JOURNEY WITH SOMEONE.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A WOMAN IN MALAYSIA? THINK OF YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES, THE LADY LIVING NEXT DOOR TO YOU THAT MAY BE BOUND TO HER WHEELCHAIR, A FRIEND GOING A ROUGH PATCH IN LIFE, A SENIOR CITIZEN FEELING LONELY… EVERYONE NEEDS SOMEONE TO JOURNEY WITH THEM, AND WE CAN. NOT EVERYONE CAN RUN BUT ANYONE CAN WALK. SO SHOW SOME COMPASSION AND LOVE, AND INVITE THE WOMEN IN YOUR LIVES TO COME OUT FOR A WALK. PLUS… WE’VE MADE THE WALK EVEN MORE EXCITING WITH TREASURES HIDDEN ALONG THE WAY SO YOU CAN HUNT FOR THEM!

WE KNOW YOU CAN RUN, BUT CHOOSE TO WALK AND HUNT DOWNTOWN KL WITH A SOMEONE THIS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY. WALK WITH WOMEN, WALK FOR MALAYSIANS.

Time: 7:00am – 9:00am

Date: Sunday, 3 March 2019

Route: 3KM, 5KM, 7KM around KL city centre

Price: RM100 (apply promo code: move8 for 20% discount)

Type: Walkathon + Treasure Hunt (you can racewalk, stroll walk or run too!)

Start/End-point: Dataran DBKL

Beneficiary: 10% of funds collected will be channeled to the Home of Peace
– a home for girls from underprivileged backgrounds, where emphasis is placed on education for the girls. Visit their Facebook page to find out more.

To book your slot, visit www.move8.org.

Read press release: http://prnews.gointernationalgroup.com/move8-walkathon-gets-malaysians-active-for-a-good-cause-on-international-womens-day/

Diet & Nutrition, Editor's Note, Travel & Wellness, Wellness, Women's Health

Editor’s Note: Never Too Late

Hands up please to those of you who began the year with the resolution to lose weight. Be honest. I am one of those people.

It all began with sitting by the beach, waiting for the fireworks display, that we started talking about our New Year resolutions. Although it’s mostly about body goals, losing weight is an important factor as 75% of us who were there were overweight.

For me, I began my body transformation completely mad – threw myself into exercising and crash dieting. That ended up pretty bad. I had injuries and binge-ate most times.

Took me a while to get into the groove of things while my friends are already seeing results. That did not hamper my enthusiasm to achieve my goals though. In fact, it encouraged me further.

I decided to adopt a healthier lifestyle and more realistic goals. The goal in the adoption was to change habits and mindset.

It may be July now but I feel as if it’s January and I’m just starting to finally realign myself towards a better me. There is no excuse to stop achieving goals set out on that beach on New Year’s just because it’s the middle of the year. The best time to begin working on a better you is now.

 

My weight as of 1 January 2018: 71kg

My current weight: 67kg

Fit Tech & Gadgets, PRNews, Wellness, Women's Health

Fitbit Ships More than One Million Fitbit Versa Devices; Over Two Million Use Female Health Tracking within First Month

Strong consumer demand makes Versa the fastest selling product in Fitbit history

HONG KONG, June 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Fitbit, Inc. (NYSE: FIT), the leading global wearables brand, today announced that it has shipped more than one million Fitbit Versa™ devices since general availability began on April 16, demonstrating strong consumer demand for a well-designed, health and fitness-focused smartwatch with long battery life and broad compatibility, at an affordable price point. Additionally, Fitbit announced that more than 2.4 million users have already used its new female health tracking feature, which became available to all Fitbit users last month.


Fitbit Versa(TM)

“With Fitbit Versa, we are delivering on our promise to offer a true mass appeal smartwatch with engaging new features. The positive response to Versa shows that we are filling this void and well positions us to gain share of the fast-growing smartwatch market,” said James Park, co-founder and CEO of Fitbit. “The engagement we’ve seen with our new female health tracking feature further demonstrates the value our users see in being able to get a more comprehensive look at their overall health and wellness, in a single place, in a way that other available cycle tracking tools cannot.”

Within the first two weeks that female health tracking was first made available to iOS and Windows users, more than 1 million users began using this feature. Now with cross platform availability for Android users as well:

  • More than 2.4 million users have added the feature to their Fitbit app
  • 1.8 million users have added at least one period to the calendar
  • More than 500,000 users have added two or more retrospective periods
  • Nearly 700,000 users have logged one or more symptoms

With female health tracking, Fitbit users can better understand their overall health and wellness by accessing their data all in one place. Combined with the user’s sleep and activity data, Fitbit is providing a way for its users to gain a better understanding of how their cycle impacts other aspects of their health and wellness, while also potentially creating one of the largest databases of female health.

Fitbit continues to see growth in apps and clock faces built for Fitbit OS. Through its software development kit (SDK), more than 18,000 developers have joined the Fitbit developer community and over 900 apps and clock faces have been built.

Fitbit Versa is available for HK$1798 in black with a black aluminum case, gray with a silver aluminum case, or peach with a rose gold aluminum case; accessories range from HK$238 to $788. Fitbit Versa Special Edition, is available for HK$1998 in a lavender woven band with rose gold aluminum case or charcoal woven band with graphite aluminum case, each with an extra black classic band. The Versa and accessories is available in Hong Kong stores including Sound and Vision (HK International Airport), @E-lifestyle, Fortress, Broadway, Chung Yuen, LOG-ON, Lane Crawford, GigaSports, City Chain, Wilson and Weareready.hk Concept Store.

About Fitbit Versa

Fitbit Versa is your personalized daily health and fitness companion: a modern, full-featured and competitively priced smartwatch that helps empower you to take action, make the most of every moment, stay connected and reach your goals. A 24/7 health and wellness companion, Versa helps you reach your goals with a personalized on-device health dashboard, new female health tracking feature[i], and an advanced health and fitness experience — all with 4+ days battery life[ii]. Versa also helps you stay connected with advanced smart features like phone-free music, secure, wallet-free payments, notifications, and Android quick replies — along with more than 900 popular brand, developer and Fitbit Labs apps[iii], and customizable clock faces.

About Fitbit, Inc. (NYSE: FIT)

Fitbit helps people lead healthier, more active lives by empowering them with data, inspiration and guidance to reach their goals. As the leading global wearables brand, Fitbit designs products and experiences that track and provide motivation for everyday health and fitness. Fitbit’s diverse line of innovative and popular products include Fitbit Blaze®, Fitbit Charge 2®, Fitbit Alta HR™, Fitbit Alta®, Fitbit Ace™, Fitbit Flex 2®, and Fitbit Zip® activity trackers, as well as the Fitbit Ionic™ and Fitbit Versa™ smartwatches, Fitbit Flyer™ wireless headphones and Fitbit Aria 2™ Wi-Fi Smart Scales. Fitbit products are carried in over 45,000 retail stores and in 86 countries around the globe. Powered by one of the world’s largest social fitness networks and databases of health and fitness data, the Fitbit platform delivers personalized experiences, insights and guidance through leading software and interactive tools, including the Fitbit and Fitbit Coach apps, and the Fitbit OS for smartwatches. Fitbit Health Solutions develops health and wellness solutions designed to help increase engagement, improve health outcomes, and drive a positive return for employers, health plans and health systems.

Fitbit and the Fitbit logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fitbit, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Additional Fitbit trademarks can be found at www.fitbit.com/legal/trademark-list. Third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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[i] Female health tracking is available to adults 13 and over in the U.S.; ages may vary by country.
[ii] Battery life use varies with use and other factors; 7+ hours playing playback and using Connected GPS.
[iii] Because Fitbit Labs content is experimental in nature, users may experience minor issues, and the time period for which apps and clock faces are available may be limited.

Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180605/2151771-1

Diet & Nutrition, Healthy Recipes, Travel & Wellness, Wellness, Women's Health

Banish Cellulite!

To eradicate cellulite, you need to be a little active, have a balanced diet… And a miracle homemade recipe?

                        Your best friend to fight cellulite will be… your coffee!

Image: Free Images

Caffeine is the main ingredient in many anti-cellulite creams, which can be quite expensive. After brewing your next cup of coffee in the morning, keep the remaining hot and wet coffee grounds. Next, apply the coffee on the zones where you want to decrease your cellulite. Massage deeply with circular movements, from top to bottom, in order to effectively penetrate your ski which will reduce the orange peel effect.

Repeat this movement for 10 minutes. However, you can also add a tablespoon of olive oil or honey, according to your preference, as this will moisturize your skin.

Repeat this massage every day and you will be able to see its results in one to two weeks! Your skin will be more toned and look firmer.

Image: Free Images

Say hello to your new skin – bright, toned and smooth!

 

This post was written by Lauriane Nativel, AsiaFitnessToday.com’s intern from La Salle Saint-Charles, Reunion Island.