One of the most important nutrients that every person needs is protein. According to Dr. Julian Alvarez, member of the Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board, protein is vital to a healthy diet.

“It is recommended that people get 50% of their protein from plants. Soy is a great option because it’s a plant protein of high quality and digestibility,” Dr. Alvarez said.

Dr. Alvarez is a Sports Medicine specialist and Sports Physiology expert. He has also been a team doctor in professional basketball and footballs in the Spanish Major Leagues and a Sports Medicine Professor in Miguel Hernandez and Alicante Universities.

He was the guest speaker in the most recent Herbalife Nutrition eWellness Tour presented by 

Herbalife Nutrition Philippines and shared ways in which people can practice correct nutrition.

Likewise, vitamins and minerals are micronutrients that the body needs to maintain sustainable health.

“Unlike macronutrients, you only need miniscule amounts of micronutrients to maintain good health,” Dr. Alvarez said.

Hydration is also important as water helps maintain the normal regulation of the body’s temperature and physical cognitive functions. 

“Your daily water intake may affect your mental as well as your physical performance,” Dr. Alvarez said.

He added that that in standard conditions (when one is not doing exercise and not in a hot environment), it is recommended to consume 2.5-3 liters a day and to consume more when doing exercise. Water also plays an important part in digestion.

When it comes to maintaining a healthy digestive system, fiber is likewise essential. The latest scientific research has shown that the bacteria in the body’s gut likes to be fed with fiber and fiber diets can help create a more diverse and friendly microbial system.

Fats, meanwhile, are a diverse group of nutrients that have a varied range of functions in our bodies. They provide energy and help with the absorption of some nutrients (like vitamins A and D) and the body requires some amount of fats in order to work properly. Not all fats are the same, though.

“Healthy fats play a key role in our bodies. They help maintain normal blood pressure and triglyceride levels and are needed for normal function of your vision, brain and heart. Some of these healthy fats are also considered essential. Therefore, we have to consume them through foods,” Dr. Alvarez said.

At the end of the day, a balanced nutrition, a healthy active lifestyle, and the best supplements are the three things that everybody needs.

Herbalife Nutrition, the premier global nutrition company recently launched the inaugural Get Moving With Good Nutrition Challenge in the country. Aimed at breaking the health inertia, inspiring healthy active living, and fostering communities that support one another on their healthy living journey, the Challenge centers upon the Herbalife Nutrition 40^th Anniversary Virtual Run as its highlight activity.

“After months of sedentary living under quarantine for months, it is high time for us to start moving once again to get our health back on the right track. With the view that some of us may need an extra push to take the first step towards restarting healthy active living, our inaugural Get Moving With Good Nutrition Challenge aims to do just that. From the Virtual Run to the e-Wellness Tour, to the expert-led online fit sessions, nutrition talks and more, these activities are designed to help us restart positive nutrition and active living habits, and provide encouragement to one another for their healthy living journey,” said Sridhar Rajagopalan, Senior Director/ Sub-Regional General Manager of Herbalife Nutrition Philippines.

As the highlight activity of the Get Moving With Good Nutrition Challenge, the Herbalife Nutrition 40^th Anniversary Virtual Run celebrates the company’s 40-year track record of bringing good nutrition to people and communities around the world. The inaugural run, to be held from November 1 to 30, rallies Herbalife Nutrition’s member community and the general public to get moving once again, while inspiring their families, friends, and the people around them to do the same.

Participants can sign up for the run as an individual or as a team - with 4km, 24km, and 40km distances for the individual race category, 24km and 40km distances for the team race category – and volunteer to pledge an additional amount to Herbalife Nutrition Foundation, which will be channeled to the Casa Herbalife Nutrition program beneficiaries.

Registration for the Virtual Run will run until November 13. Participants who complete the run will receive a limited edition Herbalife Nutrition 40th Anniversary Virtual Run medal and an e-certificate each. For more information, visit https://www.herbalife40virtualrun.com/.

“We have a race category for individuals and teams. For the individual category, we have the 4km, 24km, and 40km—which they can accomplish collectively in a month. For the team category, we have the 40km, 60km, 80km, and 100km—which they can also collectively accomplish in a month. They can do it indoors and outdoors, anywhere they are comfortable in,” said Rajagopalan.

To help participants prepare for the run, Herbalife Nutrition has lined up a series of virtual run training content, including running training sessions led by Samantha Clayton, vice president of Sports Performance and Fitness Education at Herbalife Nutrition, online “fit sessions” led by Herbalife Nutrition’s partner athletes, and sports nutrition talks by Dr. Dana Ryan, Herbalife Nutrition’s Director of Sports Performance and Education.  

Herbalife Nutrition Asia Pacific e-Wellness Tour

In addition to the virtual run, Herbalife Nutrition will be holding its Asia Pacific e-Wellness Tour. Featuring a variety of health and nutrition topics, the e-Wellness Tour includes online seminars and talks for members of the media and the blogging community to promote nutrition education.

While we shelter in place and practice social distancing, many of us may feel wary of the one errand we’ve generally taken for granted-- the grocery run.

Now, going to the grocery store takes even more planning as the visits are less frequent and options are more limited. Because of these restrictions, it’s easy to make selections that are not the healthiest or to be tempted by high-calorie comfort foods - which often contain too much fat, salt and sugar.

Now more than ever, our health should be a top priority. This means making choices to nurture our bodies even more so than we did before COVID-19 impacted our lives. When we make poor choices – such as selecting foods that are high in calories but short on important nutrients – we can be overfed and yet undernourished. Starches and sugars may fill our bellies, but we may be lacking many important nutrients that support overall health, including the health of the immune system.  

Nutrients We Need More Of

Every few years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture releases data that reveals the state of the American diet. Reports have previously highlighted that many of us are eating plenty, yet lacking certain nutrients from our meals. In particular, we are losing out on what can be found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Here are essential nutrients we should pay more attention to:

· Fiber - Best known for helping with regularity, high fiber foods are filling and relatively low in calories, making them one of the best allies when it comes to weight management. Certain fibers can also encourage the growth of ‘good’ bacteria in your digestive tract. These beneficial bacteria help support immunity because they serve as an initial line of defense, by crowding out potentially harmful bacteria that might enter the digestive tract. You can get more fiber by including more fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your diet. Use fruits and veggies as snacks, add them to smoothies, sandwiches, salads, soups and stews, and replace refined grains with whole grains.

· Magnesium - While it’s not a mineral we typically think about, magnesium contributes to hundreds of bodily functions. Magnesium supports the health of your immune and nervous systems, supports muscle function, and assists your cells in producing energy.  Magnesium is abundant in plant foods like leafy greens, nuts, beans and whole grains, so try snacking on nuts, or toss some beans into a leafy green salad.

· Vitamin D - Most people associate calcium with healthy bones, but your bones need Vitamin D too, since it helps your body absorb calcium from your diet.  Vitamin D is also needed for proper muscle function and supports the activity of the immune system. Good dietary sources of vitamin D include eggs and fortified dairy products; a daily walk outside can help too, since your body produces vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight.

· Potassium – This mineral supports the function of nerves and muscles and helps regulate blood pressure. Potassium also supports chemical reactions in the body that generate energy from food. One reason many people don’t get enough potassium is because they don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables – the most abundant sources of this important mineral.

Many women also don’t get enough calcium or iron:

· Calcium - Calcium is critically important for bone health. Adults need at least 1,000 mg of calcium each day, or the amount found in three glasses of milk. However, many women don’t eat enough dairy products, either because they simply choose to avoid them, are following a vegetarian or vegan diet, or because they are sensitive to lactose. However, calcium can also be obtained from leafy green vegetables and some fortified foods.

· Iron - One of iron’s key functions is to support the transport of oxygen to cells and tissues. Women who are premenopausal lose iron routinely with their monthly cycle, which is why it is so important to ensure they have adequate intake. Meat is an excellent source of iron, but those on a plant-based diet can obtain iron from beans and fortified cereals. 

Eating for Wellness

The great news is that most of these nutrients can be found in foods that are easy to buy in bulk and maintain a long shelf life until your next essential grocery run.

Dry goods like oatmeal, lentils and whole grain pastas and cereals can be great sources of fiber, iron and magnesium, and some cereals are also fortified with Vitamin D. The most important feature is to ensure that you’re buying “whole grain” to get the full benefit, so read labels carefully.

Produce that lasts the longest includes apples, citrus, onions, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and carrots.  And keep in mind that frozen fruits and veggies pack the same nutritional punch as their fresh counterparts, so  stock up on them when you find them.  Fruits and vegetables are great sources of fiber and potassium and a single carrot provides a days’ worth of beta-carotene, which helps protect the health of cells, including cells in the immune system. The body also converts beta-carotene to vitamin A which supports the health of the skin, including the specialized immune cells that reside there. 

Finally, fermented foods are also great options that provide beneficial probiotics (the ‘good bacteria’) to the digestive system. Some fermented foods, like tempeh or Greek yogurt, are also excellent sources of plant-based protein (and yogurt is a great source of calcium) and both foods have relatively long shelf lives. Protein supports immune function in a number of ways – among them, the body uses protein to manufacture antibodies, and protein supports the health of the skin and the cells lining the digestive and respiratory tracts. 

How Supplementation Can Help

A well-balanced diet should provide the essential nutrients to optimize your body’s healthy functions. However, the reality is that even with a balanced diet, no one eats perfectly every day – particularly during these uncertain times when our usual foods may not be as readily available.  That said, this is when the right supplementation can really help. For example, if you can’t get the recommended 25 grams of fiber from fruits, veggies and whole grains, or enough calcium from your usual foods, you can work in fiber or calcium supplements. A daily multi-vitamin or the use of fortified foods -  like cereals or meal replacement shakes or bars - can be consumed to help supply the vitamins and minerals your body needs to perform at its best.

During this time of uncertainty and social distancing, use it to your advantage to take care of yourself and your body. Plan out your grocery list and stock your freezer, refrigerator and cupboards with healthy staples. Focus on the important nutrients you may need to increase in your diet and choose foods accordingly. It’s a great time to start getting creative in the kitchen--you may even be surprised at what tasty meals you can put together with what’s already in your pantry! 

By Dr. Kent Bradley, Chief Health and Nutrition Officer, Herbalife Nutrition

Did you know that our body does not discriminate between sources of stress – it simply responds to the stress.  So, whether the stress is coming from an actual event – like a car nearly hitting you—or simply a thought – I wonder if I will get hit by a car someday – the body may react in a similar way. Now, in these times when there is so much uncertainty, stress can have a huge impact on our bodies.

So, what is the “stress response” and why do we have it? 

In a nutshell, it is for our own survival.  You see, we are geared towards survival and our minds are constantly on a threat alert.  Some have called this the “fight or flight” response.  I think we all know how it feels – the sudden increase in heart rate, perhaps increased respirations, all meant to prepare the body with oxygen needed to suddenly move into action.  Underlying this is a shower of hormones that stimulate the body’s actions but also have impacts on other aspects of our health.  

We increase the circulation of adrenaline, known as epinephrine, that activates our heart rate, but it also stimulates the release of glucose and fat from storage sites as a source of fuel.  If left unchecked a second response happens that causes the release of cortisol into the blood stream.  Cortisol increases the amount of glucose in our bloodstream and can stimulate hunger which can lead to eating more calories than we actually need and thus becoming overweight or obese.

What does all of this mean when we are under stress from COVID-19 worries?  

Acute stress can be both helpful and harmful to our body.  It can be helpful as it forces us to be vigilant in protecting ourselves and our loved ones. It can be harmful because it causes our blood pressure to rise and our heart rate to increase, and for those who have underlying cardiovascular disease, this may trigger a heart attack or stroke.  

However, what is of greater concern is a state of chronic stress, such as many people are experiencing in this time of uncertainty. In this state, the body is continuously activated, resulting in elevated blood pressure and weight gain, which are factors in cardiovascular disease.  Additionally, cortisol is known to reduce the production of our immune protective cells known as lymphocytes.  In the acute phase, we may actually see an increase of these cells, but as we move to a more chronic state of stress the cortisol release leads us to a decrease of lymphocytes making us potentially more susceptible to ineffectively fighting off infection.

Overcoming the “stress response”

So, our perception of threat is what creates a cascade called a stress response.  That response is natural IF there is an actual threat AND if momentary. However, our health, through the possible impact on weight and blood pressure, can be negatively impacted by this stress cascade if not managed well.

Focusing on reducing our stress and improving our health can be accomplished with a handful of simple practices. I call them my 6 Rs.

1. Rest - First, get enough sleep!  Adequate sleep is extremely helpful in calming down the stress response.

2. Relaxation techniques - Deep breathing – whether done through meditation exercises or while you are doing yoga – the key is slow, intentional deep breathing!

3. Recreation – Keep active while practicing social distancing – whether that means a walk or reading a book (something you love to do).  Taking time for yourself doing something you love to do that involves some form of activity (mental or physical) is helpful!

4. Relationships – staying connected is so important.  We are meant to be in community.  We may be physically isolated but that does not mean we need to lose our connections to others. Telephone or video calls can be a great way to stay connected.

5. Routine – yup, in the midst of change why add another one.  Stay consistent.  Suddenly need to work from home – then get up at the same time, set up an office and work like you normally would.

6. Reframing – reassess the perceived stress so it no longer is viewed as a threat.  You may need the help of a coach to help you through the practice of first identifying why something is viewed as a threat and then placing that into a context that is helpful.

At Herbalife Nutrition we have a global nutrition philosophy that recognizes the importance of a holistic approach to health and thus a more resilient response.  Managing your stress is one critical component.  We also believe in the power of community and the importance of a coach who can help you on your journey towards improved health.