New year resolution - Exercise

How is your 2012 so far? In the beginning of the year, many people make their new year resolutions and the most popular one could be 'Do more exercise'. In fact, January is the most busiest time in the gym but that trend is dying out in the following months... We all know that exercise is good - for weight management, heart health, type 2 diabetes and mood improvement etc. However we may feel irrelevant if you are not currently experiencing any health issues. Of course exercise is a powerful tool as a preventive method but we may need to be motivated to make it into a habit. I think knowing what is happening in the body would bring deeper understanding and rationalise why everyone should do exercise. There are many biological activities going on with an exercise, but here are few examples:

• Exercise increases growh hormone secretion in the body. As we know, growth hormone production decreases with increasing ages, and it is one of the ageing reasons. It is known to heal & repair the cells, retaining muscle mass, keeping healthy bone density and keeping up libido. Yes, growth hormone is a major anti-ageing hormone and good for our skin condition and healthy muscular tone! Also this heal & repair function is very important because it affects every cells' health in the body - thus preventing future illness.
• Exercise reduces cortisol level in the body. Raised cortisol level could cause many physical and mental problems including your beauty status. In a big picture, high cortisol level is a result of stressful lifestyle & type of food we eat, and that could affect the hormon balance in every kind. Excess cortisol accelerates the aging process in the skin cells, promotes hypertension, suppresses immune function and can cause fatigue.
• Exercise improves cognitive function. Incresed blood flow and oxygen delivery, plus increased production of dopamin, serotonin & other neurotransmitters improves your brain function.

These are only few functions but it is enough to motivate you to do a regular exercise? Exercise is not only for weight management but powerful tool for anti-ageing and health maintenance too. If you care about what to put on your skin and what to eat, next thing is a regular exercise! Make it your habit for whole year.

新年を迎えて２週間近く経ちましたが、皆様いかがですか。今年の抱負は守られていますか。よく聞くものに　’もっとエクササイズをする’　というものがあります。実際、ジムは１月が一番忙しい月のようです。利用者は月を重ねることに減っていくらしいですが。エクササイズは減量や体重維持のほかに健康維持や病気の予防にいいと言われていますが、何一つ問題なく暮らしている人にはあまり関係ないことのように聞こえるかもしれませんね。でも、エクササイズのよって受ける恩恵を少し理解したら、定期的にやっていこうと思えるかもしれません。下記は数ある中からほんの数例です。

• エクササイズは成長ホルモンの生成を助ける。成長ホルモンは大人になっても分泌されていますが、年を重ねるごとに減少していきます。成長ホルモンは細胞をリペアし、ダメージを修復するため体全体の健康維持に重要なだけでなく、肌細胞を若々しく保ってくれるので、アンチエージングのキープレイヤーです。その他、成長ホルモンは筋肉を維持してくれるため、若々しい体または肌状態をキープしてくれます。
• エクササイズはコルチゾールの量を減らしてくれる。高ストレスな生活や食べ物によっては体内のコルチゾールが上がりすぎてしまします。高コルチゾールは全てのホルモンバランスを崩してしまうので、悪いことばかりです。肌細胞の加齢を進めてしまいますし、高血圧になってしまったり、免疫力の低下も促します。
• エクササイズは脳にいい。エクササイズは脳の血のめぐりや酸素のデリバリーを向上し、ドーパミンやセロトニンなどの生成を助長するので、脳の活動を活発化させます。

上はほんの数例にすぎませんが、これで定期的にエクササイズしてみようという気になりましたか。これまで、化粧品と食べ物には気を使っていたという方、次なる目標はエクササイズですね。

New Year trip for Hakone Hot Spring

A Happy New Year! I hope you had a lovely break. I had a short holiday with my family just after new year's day in Hakone area, Japan. It is situated in Kanagawa prefecture and 2 to 3 hours drive from Tokyo including expected traffic jam. Japan is famous for its abundant choice of hot spring destinations but one of the criteria is its quality of the spring water. There are nine category of hot springs in Japan based on the substances found in the spring water such as carbon dioxide, chloride and sulfur. For example, carbon dioxide hot spring is known to be good for high blood pressure, joint pain and infertility, chloride for eldery with joint pain and recovery from illness and sulfur for high blood pressure and chronic skin disorder. We had the sulfur hot spring which has a distinct smell of sulfur and cloudy white colour. Once you experienced the natural hot spring bath, you will notice it is very different to ordinary home bath with tap water. The body keep its warmness for a long time after the bath, and if you have it regularly you may experience to improve your health. It is surprising to know that even in an area of Hakone (which is only one region in Japan!), there are quite few different variety. When you choose the hotel for your hot spring holiday, I would recommend to check its quality and health benefit as well.

Below is a photo of Owakudani, where hot spring is gushing out.

Review on how to eat sushi and sashimi

Last night we went to the end of year party (Bonenkai) at one of the best fish restaurants in Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market. It was really the best in the world!! Sashimi, raw fish slice, was very oily and rich flavour and there was a huge grilled sea bream as well. Here I want to review the concept of raw fish eating in the West. Sushi and sashimi are now known as healthy and low calorie food, and I have seen many women eat them quite often in lunch. Traditionally Japanese eat fresh raw fish at the special occasions such as celebrations or anniversay, although the frequencies increased last 100 year or so. It had been considered as a luxury meal (probably not so much anymore), and actually the secret of Japanese longevity is among simple home cooking which doesn't include raw fish as a everyday food. Yes, eating raw fish can achive low calorie diet - a single portion of sashimi is around 300 to 600 calories -, and also contains many beneficial nutrients such as essential fatty acids (omega-3). However we must know about the risk of bacterial infection. Try purchase from trusted shops and eat the vegetable side portion as well. There is a reason why thinly stripped white radish is accompanied, as it can kill the bacteria. If you prepare raw fish at home, then you should freeze them for at least 2 days before use them (defrosted). Also if you feel unwell, do not eat sushi or sashimi as your immune system might be weaken and can be more susceptible to infection. You are advised not to eat raw fish when you are pregnant as well.

Happy Christmas for everyone!

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and happy holidays. I had a early Christmas dinner this year and already opened all my presents! Thank you Diana, Haroob, Hamza and Zelia. I will be off to Japan soon for a New Year, and will post some photos of Japanese festive season. For them, New Year is like a Christmas, a family day. Stay healthy and beautiful for next year!

メリークリスマス。今年は日本帰国前に早めにクリスマスディナーをしてもらって、自分のプレゼントも全て開けてしまいました！ディナーをオーガナイズしてくれたダイアナ、素敵なプレゼントをくれたハムザとゼリア、どうもありがとう。日本のお正月は実に１２年振りなので楽しみです。欧米（キリスト教の国）ではクリスマスが日本のお正月のようにファミリーデーなので、今週末のクリスマスは街が静かになりそうです。皆様、来年も健康で美しくあり続けますように。

Winter nourishment with Hydrating Oil Capsule

How is your skin coping with this cold weather? Are you experiencing extra dryness and dullness? The pressure of maintaining perfect look is increasing when the party season goes on. I would recommend a proper daily care so that we don't have to panick before the big day, but the reality is not always like that. Environ has this lovely pick me up product and gives a great booster treatment. It can be used as an intensive care by using every day for a month, or used as a special care a night before the party. Its anti-oxidant ingredients such as vitamin A, C, E and green tea extract energise and hydrate, its rosemary leaf extract for a lifting, and lastly amazing beta-sitosterol is for skin cells' immune support. It comes as individual oil capsule, so when you open it is always fresh. Use on top of the facial cream before going to bed, and don't forget to cover your neck as well.

寒くなってきましたが、お肌の調子はどうですか？さらに乾燥したり血色がいつもよりも悪くなったりしていませんか。師走も近づいてパーティーシーズンも到来しましたが、これからの季節どのようにお肌をいい状態でキープできるかが課題になってきますよね。毎日のきちんとしたケアで立ち向かっていけば直前で焦ることはないのですが、現実は。。そうそう完璧にはならないものです。エンビロン化粧品からも即効性が期待できる商品が出ています。冬の１ヶ月間毎日使って集中ケアをしてもいいし、大事な日の前日の夜に使ってみてもいいかと思います。ビタミンA、C、Eや緑茶のカテキン成分などの抗酸化成分がお肌を活気付け保湿し、ローズマリー成分がリフトアップし、さらに肌細胞の免疫力をベータサイトサイトステロールがサポートします。使用するときはカプセルを開けて毎回フレッシュなものを使うしくみになっています。いつものクリームの上にさらに重ねてつけます。首のケアも忘れずに。

Home made Fermented Foods are good for you!

The other day I visited a lovely little shop called Objects for Use in Shorditch, London and found a great pot to make fermented foods. The picture is a black pot but there are other colours as well. It is from Germany and originally sold as a sauerkraut maker, but according to the shop owner Momoko, we can make anything with it from vegetable pickles, miso to kimchi. Fermented foods have been around from ancient times in all over the world, and they were one of the important food reserves in the winter. With an introduction of the fridge and food preserving techniques we seemed to forget thier significance, but they are very good for us! Generally fermented foods contain beneficial bacteria that optimise our intestinal environment. More friendly bacteria meaning less harmful bacteria, leading to build stronger immune system and better digestion & absorption. Moreover they tend to contain active enzymes that helps to break down protein and assist the digestion. Thus Miso and Natto, Japanese fermented soya bean foods, are much easier to digest than simply cooked beans. Also it is much better to make your own sauerkraut as the most of them sold in the shop are pasteurised, so there is no beneficial bacteria left in the products. Anybody know about kimchi sold in the shop? - I would imagine it may be pasteurised too... In terms of miso, you can buy unpasteurised miso from a company called Clearspring.

先日、イーストロンドン、ショーディッチ地区にあるObjects for Useというかわいいお店に伺った時に素敵な発酵食品用のポットを発見したので紹介します。写真は黒ですが、他の色もありました。ドイツ製でザワークラウトを作るポットとして売られているのですが、店主の桃子さんによると、お漬物、味噌やキムチなども作れるそうです。発酵食品は昔から世界各地の家庭で冬の常備食として作られてきましたが、冷蔵庫の普及や食品保存の技術の発達に伴い重要性が忘れ去られてしまった感じです。でも、すごく体にいいものなんです。といっても、伝統的日本食は発酵食品の宝庫で現在でも普段の食卓によく出てきますけどね。発酵食品には善玉菌が含まれていますので、腸内環境を整えます。悪玉菌を減らし、善玉菌を増やすと消化を助けたり、腸内細胞のサポートをするだけではなく、体全体の免疫系も強化します。また酵素も豊富で消化しにくいたんぱく質などの消化を助けます。煮豆よりも味噌や納豆という形で大豆を食べたほうが消化がいいのはこのためですね。またお店で売られているザワークラウトも大抵は殺菌されたものですので、残念ながら善玉菌はほとんど入っていないと考えていいでしょう。味噌は殺菌されていないものを選んで買えば大丈夫です。キムチのことは、わかりませんが、市販されているものはやはり殺菌されているのでしょうか。やっぱり家庭で手作りが一番信用できますね。

Royka Holiday Notice & Winter Special Offer

Royka will be closed on 28th & 30th Dec 2010 and 4th & 6th Jan 2011. I am sorry if this causes your incovenience. I will come back with a little souvenir from Japan for those who visit Royka in Jan 2012!

Please do spread the word of winter special offer too (ending at the last day of Jan 2012):

• Free 15 mins neck & shoulder massage for Environ facial (any duration).
• Therapeutic body massage for 25% off.

誠に勝手ながら、１２月２８日・３０日と１月４日・６日はお休みさせて頂きます。ご迷惑おかけ致します。その代わりに１月中にご来店の方には日本からのちょっとしたお土産をありますので、楽しみにしていてください。

冬のスペシャルオファーもありますので、お友達にも勧めてみてください。

エンビロンフェイシャルをご予約の方には、１５分のフリーマッサージ付（肩・首）。
ボディーマッサージをご予約の際は２５％オフ。

よろしくお願いします。