Category: Magazines

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What’s the big deal with Vitamin D?

M2-December2016 Kirsten Taylor

M2
M2 Woman
December 2016

What’s the big deal with Vitamin D?

It’s the wonder vitamin of the season, it’s super-important and many Kiwis do not have enough of it. Vitamin D ‘the sunshine vitamin’ is known as a fat-soluble vitamin, but it’s actually a hormone… and is most widely known for its role in helping to keep bones strong through its ability to activate calcium and phosphorus in the bloodstream.
However, research suggests that vitamin D acts in regulating the activity of more than 200 genes and can also assist with reducing inflammation – a major contributing factor to many chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders and arthritis. Vitamin D has also been shown to assist with regulating blood pressure, optimising immune function and assisting with weight management and healthy neurotransmitters, which balance mood.

Scientists have found that vitamin D deficiency – or below optimal levels – is more common than we realise, especially in countries such as New Zealand (far from the equator), and has been linked to depression, autism, insomnia, autoimmune and pain conditions, influenza, respiratory disorders such as asthma, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

So for us Kiwis, vitamin D obviously plays a very important role in our wellbeing, so how can we get more of it?

Vitamin D is available from the foods we eat, although dietary sources can be quite limited. The best food sources include: fatty fish (tuna, salmon, sardines and mackerel), eggs, liver, fortified milk and dairy alternative products.

As foods can only provide limited amounts of vitamin D, supplementation can be very beneficial. Experts recommend aiming for 2,000 IU of vitamin D each day for healthy adults and up to 8000 IUs for disease support.

A simple blood test will check your levels. Optimal levels of vitamin D are approximately 100ng/ml for protection against cancer and heart disease.

The best source of vitamin D is sunshine. The body can make its own vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but only without sunscreen.
Please note: That’s not a directive to go out and work on that tan – we have very strong sunshine here in New Zealand, so it’s important to stay sun-safe, people!

Spending just 20 minutes outside twice a week is enough for the body to synthesise healthy levels of vitamin D. You can now even get sunscreens that don’t block vitamin D. They don’t protect as well, so be sure to reapply regularly and move to the shade if you are getting too much sun.

So, next time, before you put on your 50+ SPF sunscreen before you even leave the house, why not let your skin get some sensible exposure to sunlight first?

Note: If you are currently on medication it is recommended to consult with your doctor prior to supplementing with vitamin D in case of contraindications.

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Retox and then Detox – The great liver balancing act essential for this and any time of year

M2 coach Kirsten Taylor

M2
M2 Woman
November 2016

Retox and then Detox – The great liver balancing act essential for this and any time of year

The silly season is upon us. We are about to eat and drink more than any other time of the year. Here is some important information you need to know to protect your liver!

  1. The enzymes made by your liver to detoxify alcohol are only produced after exposure to alcohol. Got that? Didn’t think so – let me break it down for you. The army is only sent to the front line after the front line has been invaded by the enemy…What does that mean for our bodies? It means that if you know you are going to have a big night on Saturday night you need to have a drink on Friday night so that your body produces the enzymes to breakdown the alcohol that’s coming in larger quantities the next night.

Responsible drinking means “priming” your liver the night before so you will be able to “handle” your alcohol better and won’t be bombing yourself out of the blue.

  1. Alcohol depletes magnesium which has a massive impact on your sleep, your nervous system health, your muscles (heart and bowel too) and your brain – it’s one of the reasons your head hurts so much the next day. Not only that but the alcohol and rich foods will alter your body’s pH making it more acidic. Magnesium is a great alkaliniser. Increase your fibre rich veges starting now in the lead up to the parties and supplement with 400mg of Magnesium before bed.
  2. Alcohol and “junk foods” wreak havoc on our intestines and take out our beneficial probiotic gut flora that keep our whole body healthy and happy so start supplementing with a room temperature shelf stable probiotic now after breakfast and dinner or be bold and start making your own kombucha probiotic drink – it’s delicious and good for you. Continue to take on going, at least for the whole of January or until the party is over!
  3. Make sure that you drink plenty of waterand herbal tea on the day of each ocassion to hydrate your body. Take a glass of water with you to bed to keep on your bed side table.
  4. Avoid caffeine after 2pm on the day of each party. Caffeinemay pick you up but it places a strain on your liver – yes that includes espresso martini’s!
  5. Take a vitamin C supplement of approximately 3000mg before bed to help your liver detox while you are sleeping.Anti-oxidant boosting herbs such as milk thistle and turmeric can also offer additional liver support.

While your liver is vulnerable to the effects of diet and lifestyle choices, it is also an incredibly resilientorgan. If you take good care of it and fuel it with healthy, wholesome foods you’re sure to keep it in tip-top shape for the silly season.

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Dropping off to a good night’s sleep

ParmacyToday July2016

Pharmacy Today
July 2016

Dropping off to a good night's sleep

SleepDrops owner and founder Kirsten Taylor believes if everybody simply followed advice on her website about good sleep hygiene, she would go out of business.
Fortunately for her, the pace of modern life isn’t always conductive to following good sleep practices and, for many, it is easier to buy Ms Taylor’s SleepDrops and supercharging the sleep they do get, than changing their lives.
For other people, she says the drops can help hit sleeping problems on the head, before they develop into long-term bad sleeping patterns. Others use it to help with sleep when nerves prior to a one-off big event, like a wedding or work presentation, are keeping them awake.
Fortunately for customers, SleepDrops seem to really work.
If they didn’t, Ms Taylor says, they wouldn’t be stocked in almost all New Zealand pharmacies and at Watsons and Guardian pharmacies in Singapore. She also wouldn’t have sold over $1 million worth of wholesale product in New Zealand last year and have 70,000-plus customers each year.
The genesis of the company was a mix of Ms Taylor coming across sleep issues again and again in her naturopath business, and sheer financial desperation.
While treating the whole gamut of health issues in her role a naturopath, herbalist and nutritionist in 2003, she noticed while many of her patients also had sleep issues, none of them were seeking sleep support.
“Thirteen years ago on one was talking about sleep, now everyone is…These people literally didn’t realise the impact of sleep on their health,” she says.
However, Ms Taylor quickly saw if she sorted out her patient’s sleep problems, all her other treatments worked much faster and she began mixing individual sleep formulas for each patient.
After seven years of tinkering, she developed a remedy that worked for everyone.
The drops, sleep hygiene advice and Essential Sleep and Stress Nutrients with Tart Cherry, work because they act on most of the factors preventing sleep, with the drops combining herbs, flower essences and homeopathy to provide physical, nutritional, emotional and mental support, she says.
The problem was, Ms Taylor was ordering in lots of different powdered products from suppliers, and her clients would leave with a big basket of supplies and a big bill, but it was the manufactures who were making all the money.
When she took over the manufacturing, prices went down from over $200 to about $70.

Desperate and broke

If wanting to change people’s lives by bestowing sleep was the trigger for concocting SleepDrops, then Ms Taylor’s motivation for launching the business in 2009 was being desperate and broke, and needing to find a way of supporting herself and young son during the world financial crisis.
It was lean times on a benefit and she didn’t have any spare cash to hire a marketing manager or to throw away on dud campaigns.
She simply dug out her old notes from a Chamber of Commerce course and came up with a mostly radio-based campaign- so compelling that people would walk into stores asking for her product and the pharmacies would want to stock them.
Ms Taylor used every technique from her course to test each step of the campaign. Forcing every customer on her website to fill in a brief survey saying where they heard about SleepDrops gave her real negotiating tools when dealing with radio station, she says.
Despite fantastic support from pharmacies, being the underdog going up against big industry players has not been easy. She’s faced difficulties, including people she formerly worked with copying and undercutting her products.
This year Ms Taylor is trying to move into the US market, starting with an Amazon campaign. She also hopes to run some watertight clinical trials in either America or China.
She also wants to push her Daytime Revive stress-support product although it is not designed to help with sleep.
Her advice to anyone wanting start their own product line is: don’t just create something to fill a gap on the shelf; make something really good that will help people.

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Don’t Let The Cold Make You Blue With These Expert Tips

M2 July 2016

M2 July 2016
Don’t Let The Cold Make You Blue With These Expert Tips

Don’t Let The Cold Make You Blue With These Expert Tips

If you’re prone to feeling a little down in winter you’re not alone. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), anxiety and depression affect millions of people every year. Globally more than 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression.As New Zealand is positioned far from the equator we too can be affected by this phenomenon.
You can help beat the winter blues with these simple lifestyle tips.

  1. Eat a healthy diet – Fueling your body with nourishing foods will help provide the nutrients your body needs to feel better.Foods rich in protein such as meat, eggs, and fish are naturally high in Tryptophan – the building block for our main neurotransmitter (feel good hormone) Serotonin. Limit sugar, alcohol and caffeine as these offer temporary feelings of euphoria but can contribute to anxiety and depression.
  2. Keep active – Exercising for 40 minutes at a time promotes production of our neurotransmitters and can help improve your energy levels while also reducing stress. Where possible find activities that you enjoy so that you do not view exercise as a chore. It can help to have a workout buddy to help keep you both accountable and offer a more social experience.
  3. Head outside when possible – Exposure to sunshine provides a natural source of vitamin D which can help support healthy mood and immune function while the fresh air offers oxygen to your brain to improve focus and lower your stress levels. Although a separate test and one that comes with a charge, checking your Vitamin D levels with your Doctor now is a very good idea. For optimal wellness you want to aim for a level of approximately 100 nanograms/milliliter. If you have pale skin and are known to be low or have trouble converting vitamin D pick up a supplement at your local health store or get a prescription from your Doctor.
  4. Keep in touch – Socializing is good for your mental health and helps ward off feelings of depression. Make an effort to catch up with friends and family regularly and accept invitations to social events. Pop a smile on your face, research shows your brain cannot tell the difference between a fake smile and a real one and will actually make you feel more happy.
  5. Turn on the tracks – Studies have shown that listening to upbeat music can have a positive impact on your mood. Put on your favourite track and dance around the lounge or even better go for a power walk.
  6. Sleep – Lack of sleep literally impacts on our happiness, increases tension and irritability and can exacerbate depression. Ensure you get 8 hours of quality sleep each night.

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8 Top Tips To Keep Well This Winter

M2 June 2016

M2 July 2016
8 Top Tips To Keep Well This Winter

8 Top Tips To Keep Well This Winter

As the cooler months approach, the days start getting short and the nights start getting chillier. At this time of year with more germs floating around and a greater chance of coming into contact with infectious bacteria or viruses it is important to keep yourself fit and healthy. There are a number of precautions you can take to boost your immune system and help keep the lurgies at bay.

  1. STAY WARM AND HYDRATED WITH PLENTY OF GOOD QUALITY WATER AND HOT DRINKS WHERE POSSIBLE

Herbal teas, hot water with lemon and ginger and healthy broths and soups are a great way to keep fluids up whilst offering warmth and nutrition.

  1. REDUCE YOUR DAIRY INTAKE

Dairy stimulates the production of mucous and histamine in the body causing sinus pressure and contributing to allergies, inflammation and decreased immune response.

  1. SUPPLEMENT WITH PROBIOTICS

Probiotics help boost good bacteria in the gut to help optimize digestion (and nutrient absorption) as well as providing an extra barrier of defensefor any nasties that make it down to the digestive system.

  1. BOOST VITAMIN D INTAKE

In winter it can be hard to get sun exposure for natural vitamin D production so supplementation can be helpful to keep your levels topped up. You can also get vitamin D from eggs, oily fish, fortified grocery items and cod liver oil.

  1. LIMIT ALCOHOL AND SUGAR CONSUMPTION

These can inhibit the immune system from functioning at full capacity.

  1. UP YOUR VITAMIN C INTAKE.

Good dietary sources of vitamin C include capsicums, dark green leafy veggies, kiwifruit, broccoli, berries, citrus fruit and tomatoes.

Studies have shown vitamin C supplementation of a minimum of 3,000mg per day to help improve immune function and lessen the severity and duration of cold symptoms. Try and find a buffered vitamin C formula so it’s easier on the digestive system.

  1. DON’T STOP EXERCISING.

Exercise helps keep your body healthy and improves immune function. Try and get outside in the sunshine when possible.

  1. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SLEEP!

Make sure you are prioritising your sleep and getting at least 8 hours of deep, restorative sleep each night. During sleep your immune system ramps up and the body undergoes reparative and detoxification processes to keep you healthy.

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5 Ways To Cope With Stress

M2-May-2016

M2 May 2016
5 Ways To Cope With Stress

5 Ways To Cope With Stress

Stress is the body’s way of responding to life’s demands. While necessary for our survival, in modern times stress has become one of society’s main health challenges contributing to a raft of health conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, adrenal fatigue, hypertension, obesity, anxiety, depression and even cancer. Short term, stress is great for helping us to make split decisions to ensure our survival but being chronically stressed from an over-demanding job, relationship or life situation can start to have a hugely detrimental impact on your health.
Stress can begin to manifest in symptoms like headaches, insomnia, muscle tension, an upset stomach, change in appetite, difficultly concentrating, weight gain or weight loss, irritability, and premature aging.

Whilst it is impossible to remove stress form your life altogether there are some tips and changes you can make to help your body better cope with stress:

  1. Make sleep a priority. Insomnia and sleep often feed each other creating a vicious cycle of sleeplessness, anxiety and fatigue. Ensure that you are getting 7-8 hours high-quality sleep each night to help regulate your cortisol (stress hormone) levels and support your body’s repair processes.
  2. Keep hydrated. Dehydration decreases cardiac output, which leads to less blow flow and oxygen for the brain, making you feel fatigued and stressed out. Aim to drink 2-3 litres of good quality water each day to help keep alert, focused and stress-free.
  3. Focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking might seem like the best way to power through your to-do list but it can actually decrease productivity and increase your stress. Rather than hurriedly trying to do 10 things at once try focusing on one task at a time.
  4. Eat regularly. This will help keep your blood sugar levels steady and prevent fatigue, headaches and stress caused by low glucose levels. Eat well-balanced, nutrient-dense meals and snacks and try to avoid consuming too much sugar and caffeine.
  5. Just breathe. If you feel yourself getting stressed take a minute to do some deep breathing to calm your nervous system and bring you back into a state of balance. If you have the time, meditation or a short walk outdoors are great ways to bring down cortisol levels. Mineral supplementation is also very helpful.

Lastly, learn to go with the flow. Stress is often self-inflicted from expectations and demands we put on ourselves. Go easy on yourself and let go of things that are outside your control. You’ll be a much happier, stress-free person without the worries of the world on your shoulders.

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Struggling to get that six pack?

M2-April-2016

M2 April 2016
Struggling to get that six pack?

Struggling to get that six pack?

It can be frustrating putting in the hard yards in diet and exercise-wise without seeing results. Here are 3 habits that might be holding you back from achieving your goal physique.

  1.  Lack of sleep. Not getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night can contribute to increased levels of ghrelin – your hunger hormone – meaning you’ll be more likely to crave high-energy foods and eating an average of nearly 300 calories more per day than if you were well-rested. Prioritising your sleep will help optimise your metabolism during the day.
  2. Too much stress! A stressed body produces cortisol and adrenaline (our stress hormones) which in excess amounts can lead to elevated blood sugar levels, causing sugar cravings and also contributing to fat storage around the abdomen. If you’re struggling to lose that spare tyre around your middle despite your best efforts with diet and exercise, cortisol may be the culprit. Managing stress is crucial for reducing cortisol levels. Deep breathing or a 5 minute meditation can calm the mind and promote relaxation while nutritional supplementing can also help to bring down cortisol levels. Look for a formula that contains a combination of Magnesium, B vitamins and vitamin C.
  3.  Skipping meals. While skipping a meal does reduce the amount of calories you eat each day, it also disrupts your blood sugar levels, leading to more sugar and refined carb cravings and creates unnecessary stress for the body and yep, you guessed it, leads to elevated cortisol levels. Instead of skipping meals try aiming for 3 balanced meals each day with plenty of fresh vegetables and high-quality protein to help keep your blood sugar levels steady. Keep healthy snack choices on hand so you don’t make poor food choices when you’re on the go.

So if you’re striving to get anywhere near hard abs make sure you’re prioritising sleep, stress management and healthy food choices. Not only will you look like a chiselled Spartan from 300, but you’ll also find you have more energy to perform better both at work and outside the office.

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Is Lack of Sleep Killing Your Sex Life?

M2 Coach

M2
Is Lack of Sleep Killing Your Sex Life?

Is Lack of Sleep Killing Your Sex Life?

If you are a fan of a healthy sex life then read on to learn what is the ONE thing you should be prioritising.
Sleep is absolutely the foundation for good health and wellbeing. Not getting enough sleep each night has been shown to alter the expression of over 700 genes in the body including what foods you crave, how you metabolise said food and why you can’t remember your neighbours name (who you have known for at least 5 years).

Studies show links between lack of sleep and a vast array of health conditions including anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, premature ageing, memory loss, substance abuse and weight gain. Not to mention sleep loss makes you a public hazard (accident prone) and dumbs you down by impairing attention, alertness, concentration, problem solving and reasoning and as if that isn’t enough it could literally be killing your sex life. Sleep deprived men and women report lower libidos due to a lack of energy and increased tiredness but interestingly increased tension can also be to blame for killing the mood.

So if you are finding yourself deprived of some quality “couple time” or someone around you a little hard to manage perhaps prioritising some high quality sleep is just what is needed.

Quality sleep supports more fun in the bedroom, optimal healing and repair of the body as well as better preparing you for the daily challenges of life. By prioritising your sleep you are giving your body the most powerful of anti- stress strategy and ensuring you get more out of your day….and night…

Top 6 tips for surviving hot summer nights:

  1. Set an alarm one hour before you want to go to bed – then stick to it. Turn off your devices and pop into bed to read a good old fashioned book.
  2. Cool down with water – take a cool bath or shower before bed.
  3. Keep hydrated – drink some cool water before bed and keep a water bottle on the bedside table to rehydrate if you wake in the night
  4. Get loose – wear loose cotton summer PJ’s. Don’t sleep nude as this can stop moisture evaporating between your body and the mattress and make you feel hotter
  5. Sleep like an Egyptian – cotton sheets help to keep you cooler. Keeping a leg out of the sheets will also help to regulate your body temperature.
  6. Fill a hot water bottle and keep it in the freezer for a bed friendly ice-pack.

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Demand for SleepDrops problem for naturopath

PwC Herald Talks, Growth

NZ Herald
9 December 2015

Demand for SleepDrops problem for naturopath

PWC Herald Talks 9th December 2015. Kirsten Taylor from Sleep Drops.

Getting enough bottles to keep up with 300 per cent monthly growth was one of the biggest problems for SleepDrops naturopath, medical herbalist and nutritionist Kirsten Taylor.
She told the PwC Herald Talks breakfast this morning of overcoming many issues to expand the business, now targeting the US$800 million ($1.2 billion) sleep medication market in global expansion plans.

The bottles were coming from Germany via only two annual production runs, so the decision was taken to ship them here from China by boat.

She also told how “one major international airline” was allowing pilots to use SleepDrops and how 53 per cent of pilots were falling asleep involuntarily and when they woke, up to 40 per cent of their co-pilots were asleep beside them.

Taylor was the keynote speaker, joining a panel which included Massey University vice chancellor Steve Maharey, entrepreneur Diane Foreman and JUCY chief executive/founder Dan Alpe.

Foreman got a reaction from the audience when she revealed how she drove past the future employees’ houses, “their biggest asset” so she could get an insight into their personalities.

People might interview for a job well but their house could be “disgusting”, she said, citing the example of finding a one prospective employee’s house with a broken down boat out the front and an unkempt garden.

“So I wondered how you are going to grow my business if you can’t look after your house?” she said.

She also interviews partners, telling how she discovered one undergoing IVF. Yet the partner needed to travel for the new job.

“How was I to know? You have to know the family situation,” she said telling of five separate interviews for a future employee.

Alpe told of launching into the United States where one obstacle to growth was Americans thinking the business was selling fruit juice. So it had to call itself JUCY RV Rentals to make it clear what it was selling.

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SleepDrops maker restless in pursuit of $1.2b US market

SleepDrops pursuit US market

NZ Herald
1st December 2015

SleepDrops maker restless in pursuit of $1.2b US market

Kirsten Taylor says SleepDrops came from a realisation of how valuable sleep is in resolving health niggles.

Naturopath, medical herbalist and nutritionist Kirsten Taylor is targeting the US$800 million ($1.2 billion) sleep medication market as part of global expansion plans for SleepDrops.
Taylor developed the product for her own use in 2009, but it was the realisation that she was not the only person with sleep issues that led her to form the SleepDrops business, which is now on track to sell around $2 million of wholesale product in New Zealand this year.

Seven years on and the company has been No 1 in the natural health sleep remedy market for two years, and won numerous awards including Best Emerging Business at the Westpac Auckland Best of the Best Awards last year.

“I was in private practice and making remedies for people and I realised … that if I didn’t get them to sleep really well first then all of their other little niggles or health complaints took much longer to heal,” Taylor said.

The company is planning to work with Otago Medical School and the University of Auckland to develop clinical trials so it can enter markets such as Korea and Japan. Taylor said natural medicines could not be patented, so few companies spent the money on it. However, successful clinical trials would help with entering particular markets, she said.

“I’ve been offering sleep drops to the New Zealand public for 11 years … and we wouldn’t be the No 1 brand if they didn’t work,” Taylor said.

SleepDrops are already sold in pharmacies in Singapore, health clinics in the Caribbean Islands and the company has just had its three liquid remedies approved for importation into China, but the focus in the next year will be the US.

“The US was always my target market,” Taylor said.

“Fifty-six per cent of Americans don’t sleep, they’re really naturally health savvy,” she said.

Sweet dreams

Kirsten Taylor is the keynote speaker at the upcoming PwC Herald Talks breakfast event in December. Tickets for the event are available now on iTicket.
PwC Herald Talks
Subject: Growth
When: December 9th
Where: 7-9am SKYCITY Theatre
Tickets: $89 available on iTicket.