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Seek Balance Between

Exercise and Immunity

There are plenty mixed messages about exercise as it relates to immunity. We have heard numerous statements that the more

physically fit and active you are, the less likely you are to suffer illness. However, recently we also hear that intense exercise reduces immunity strength. Some might start to question, is exercise truly beneficial to human health or not?

As Paul J. Alessi once said, “There are always two sides to every story and the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle.”

The general rule to bear in mind is that regular, moderate-intensity physical activity has been shown to protect people against certain diseases, including common colds. However, too much exercise can have the opposite effect and reduce immunity. Therefore, it is important to seek a balance between the two.

How Does Exercise Work to Boost Immunity? Exercise has been shown to increase the production of macrophages, which are cells

that attack the kinds of bacteria that can trigger upper respiratory diseases. More recent studies revealed, when one is exercising, the cells that promote immunity circulate through the system more rapidly, and they are capable of killing both viruses and bacteria more effectively. After exercising, the body returns to normal within a few hours, but a regular exercise routine will extend periods of immunity. Exercise also slows the release of stress-related hormones, and stress is shown to increase the likelihood of illnesses.

Some people also believe that the temporary rise in body temperature that occurs during exercise may inhibit the growth of bacteria. This process allows the body to fight infection more effectively.

How Does Exercise Weaken Immunity?Having said that, people who push their bodies too hard may essentially undo the benefits of exercise. One study found that prolonged high-intensity exercise, such as marathon makes a person more susceptible to Upper Respiratory

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Tract Infection. During exercise, exposure of the lungs to airborne bacteria and viruses increases due to higher rate and depth of breathing.

Also, prolonged bouts of strenuous exercise have been shown to depress white blood cells function and it may create an ‘open window’ of decreased host protection, during which viruses and bacteria can gain a foothold, increasing the risk of developing an infection.

Athletes, Be Alert! This effect is particularly evident among athletes who are required to go for high-intensity training, especially before competitions take place. This is because, the athletes’ immune function might not fully recover from successive training sessions and some functions can become chronically depressed, therefore leading to a higher risk of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTI). Getting sick and missing two weeks of training due to an illness is a real setback for any athlete. Endurance athletes need strategies to prevent illness as well as manage illness when they are unlucky enough to get sick.

Step 1 – PREVENTION Unless you live in a bubble, you may be constantly exposed to pathogens. Minimizing the risk of contracting them is the name of the game. High-intensity training sessions lower Natural Killer cell activity and suppress immune system for a period up to 72 hours. Natural killer cell is a type of immune cell that can kill tumour cells or cells infected with virus. This period of impaired immunity is known as the ‘open window’. During this period, prevention techniques must be taken to reduce susceptibility to infection.

• Avoid over-training and chronic fatigue with a careful, progressive training plan.

• Avoid crowded areas and shaking hands. • Minimize contact with infected people,

young children, animals and contagious objects.

• Avoid hand contact with eyes, nose and mouth.

• Practice good hand hygiene. Wash hands regularly and effectively with soap and water.

• Do not share drinking bottles, cups, cutlery, towels with other people.

• Get adequate sleep on a regular schedule. At least 7 hours per night is recommended.

Step 2 – NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT Several nutritional supplements and strategies have been shown to boost immunity.

• Ensure adequate dietary energy, protein and essential micronutrient intake.

• Eat several different fruits daily at least 5 times per week as regular fruit intake is associated with a lower incidence of the common cold.

• Fortify diets with the appropriate type of probiotics. Probiotics can augment some aspects of immune function such as activating the Natural Killer cell activity and reduce illness rates in exercise-stressed athletes.

Step 3 – RECOVERY The bugs are out there and, despite your best prevention efforts, you may still fall sick. While you are sick, rest, drink plenty of fluids and get professional advice when needed. The vast majority of colds originate from a virus, so taking antibiotics is rarely helpful as antibiotics are medicines that fight bacterial infection. It does not fight infections caused by viruses.

Instead, antibiotics may weaken your immunity further by destroying bacteria – both good and bad in your gut, where a portion of your immune system resides. Ingesting probiotics may help to restore the balance of bacteria in your gut, therefore, it may speed up recovery of our immunity.

References:

1. Walsh. N.P., M. Gleeson, D.B. Pyne, D.C. Nieman, F.S. Dhabhar, R.J. Shephard, S.J. Oliver, S. Bermon, and A. Kajėnienė (2011a). Position Statement Part Two: Maintaining immune health. Exerc. Immunol. Rev. 17:64-103.

2. Matthews, C.E., I.S. Ockene, P.S. Freedson, M.C. Rosal, P.A. Merriam, and J.R. Hebert (2002). Moderate to vigorous physical activity and the risk of upper-respiratory tract infection. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 34:1242-1248.

3. Takeda. K. Role of NK Cells in Immunity. NK Cell activation by Lactobacillus casei Shirota

4. Gleeson. M. (2005). Effects of Exercise on Immune Function. Retrieved online: http://www.gssiweb.org/en/sports-science-exchange/article/sse-151-effects-of-exercise-on-immune-function#articleTopic_4

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PANDELELA RINONG ANAK PAMGBorn 2 March 1993Kampung Jugaan, Bau, Sarawak

Probiotics as Sports SupporterAs the pioneer of probiotics, Yakult has started its’ effort this July to support our national athletes’ well-being by sponsoring Malaysia’s diving queen, Pandelela Rinong Anak Pamg and Yakult cultured milk drink is now the official probiotic drink of the National Sports Institute (ISN).

A Malaysian Diver. The first Malaysian female athlete to win an Olympic medal in a sport besides badminton by winning a bronze medal in 2012 London Olympics, 10m platform.

Achievements OLYMPIC • 2012 London – 10m platform - Bronze• 2016 Rio de Janeiro – 10m synchronized platform

– Silver

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS• 2009 Rome – 10m synchronized platform

– Bronze • 2013 Barcelona – 10m synchronized platform

– Bronze • 2015 Kazan – 10m platform – Bronze

SOUTHEAST ASIAN GAMES • 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015 – 10m

synchronized and/ or individual platform – 6 Gold

Upcoming Games 17th FINA World Championship Budapest, Hungary – 10m platform

Southeast Asian Game 2017 Malaysia – 10m platform

With the support of probiotics, we hope that optimal immunity brings about the best performance by our diving queen, Pandelela Rinong!

Interview Questions Q: Tell me about yourself.• My ambition was to be an air-stewardess so that

I could travel the world and explore new places. Things changed when I was 8 years old. A diving coach came to my school and was looking for student for aquatic sports. I was selected because of a jump from a 5m platform and from there on, I have started my diving journey.

Q: What is your biggest challenge, and what do you do to manage this challenge?• Getting unexpected injury and sickness ahead

of competition. To prevent this from happen, I will take extra care of myself by taking adequate supplements and getting recovery in terms of sport massage and physiotherapy.

Q: Many findings show strenuous and intensive training may weaken immunity. What are your ways of keeping your health at optimal level during your peak training period. • It is very true. Usually when the training gets

tougher, some of my teammates will start to catch flu and suffer from sore throat. Then, they will infect the rest of the team. This somehow is very worrying for me especially if it happened to be staying in the same room as the one infected. That is why occasionally I will increase my vitamin C intake and drink more water and stay alert with my surroundings and body reaction. Not to forget having the habit of drinking Yakult everyday keep the sickness at bay.

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Crunch!Chew For

Better Health

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People were taught to “chew your food well” since way back in time. But meals today feature fewer tough foods that

require repeated chewing and more soft foods like pasta, hamburgers, and other fast food that are not chewy.

A study compared students eating modern food and food modeled on what was eaten during the Yayoi period. The results showed that modern food only required about one sixth the amount of chewing needed for Yayoi food. Moreover, modern food only requires about half the amount of chewing compared with home-cooked food.

So, how does this lack of chewing affect people today?

Comparison of food during the Yayoi period with modern menus:

Yayoi period meal

Number of times chewed: 3990 Meal time: 51 minutes

Clam broth, sweetfish grilled with salt, Chinese yam stew, dried filefish, wild rocambole, walnut, chesnut, brown glutinous rice

Corn soup, hamburger steak, spaghetti, potato salad, caramel custard, bread

Modern Meal

Number of times chewed: 620 Meal time: 11 minutes

Chewing plays a wider role than simply passing food matter into the stomach. For example, chewing involves applying a physical force and this act stimulates the cells, promoting nutrient uptake and creating strong teeth and jawbones. Even if you have excellent nutritional intake, if you do not chew your food, the cells will absorb fewer nutrients and all the cells in the body, not only those in the teeth and jawbone, will become weaker.

Chewing food well stimulates the satiety center, prevents overeating, and therefore prevents obesity.

Chewing stimulates metabolic activity in brain cells and improves cognitive function. Besides that, chewing also promotes blood flow and activation of cells in the region of the right brain that is responsible for emotions, thinking and creativity. Therefore, the act of chewing may also play a role in the emotional sensitivities.

Chewing stimulates hormone secretion which is vital to our body. For example, chewing stimulates the secretion of large amounts of saliva that break down starch (by the enzyme amylase), remineralize the teeth (statherin), and produce antibacterial effects (lactoferrin).

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Once someone has got into the habit of eating fast, it might seem almost impossible to change. Here are some concrete ideas to help make chewing a habit.

a. Redesign your diet. Actively include chewy food in your daily diet, such as high-fiber foods (mushroom or root vegetables). It is also really effective to chew gum between meals. However, do remember to dispose off the chewing gum correctly.

b. Chew, chew, swallow. Each mouthful should be chewed at least 30 times. Most foods should turn into a porridge-like texture before swallowing. Focusing on chewing and swallowing is a particularly good way for the elderly to prevent aspiration pneumonia and choking.

Extra info: Aspiration pneumonia is a lung infection that develops after you aspirate (inhale) food, liquid, or vomit into your lungs.

c. Dental therapy. It is also important to treat tooth decay, periodontitis, defective false teeth, and the like.

The ultimate training program to make chewing a habit. Let’s try!

15-second training program to cure the bad habit of gulping food down fast

1. Keep a mouthful of water/drink, then do not gulp it down while looking up (approximately 5 seconds).

2. Confirm that the water/drink in the mouth has not decreased and move the tongue around (approximately 5 seconds).

3. Try to chew without swallowing water/drink (approximately 5 seconds). Next time this method closes the pharynx and allows you to chew any type of food.

The practice of chewing 30 times

1. Place the food in your mouth and set

down your chopsticks/ cutlery.2. Chew five times at the back right. Move

the food to the teeth on the left using the tongue and chew another five times. Repeat this one more time on each side, chewing another five times on the right and five on the left.

3. Finally, chew ten more times using the teeth on both sides.

Our food may have changed, but this is not the only reason why people today no longer chew. In the past, mealtimes were an opportunity for the family to get together. This allowed people to pass on family values as well as table manners, such as chewing well and eating everything without wasting. How long have you not eaten together with your family members? Perhaps we should reschedule our daily activities and start practicing healthy chewing habits for better health, and while spending more quality time with our loved ones.

15secs

30times

Reference: Shigeru, S. (2016). Why Modern Japanese People Stopped Chewing. Food and Nutrition of the Japanese People, 20-21. Retrieved May 12, 2017.

Yakult Japan FestivalThe Yakult Factory Open Day is back for the 2nd time! This year with the theme of “Japan Festival”, there were even more attractive activities, contests, Japanese food and beverage stalls as well as performances for everyone to enjoy! Let’s have a recap!

Visitors were welcomed by our Yakult Mascots!

Opening Ceremony by ADUN Juasseh, Y.B. Dato Hj Mohammad Razi and ADUN Ampangan, Y.B. Dato Haji Abu Ubaidah.

Cultural dance performance by the Negeri Sembilan Cultural and Arts Deparment.

Our first stage activity of the day was a coloring contest! Thank you for all the participation and congratulations to the three “future-artists”.

The Wadaiko drum performance was jaw-dropping, leaving everyone in awe with their awesome show.

Special opening gambit by our little brand ambassador, Lara Alana.

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Basket toss challenge. Jack Lim demonstrated once and challenged several visitors on stage.

Sushi Making Class with Jack Lim. Kids are having so much fun making their own sushi.

Visitors had fun trying the Japanese traditional game, Superball sukui.

Children were eager to join the stage games conducted by Scha, Awal and Lara.

The sun was scorching hot, everyone enjoyed the freeze and grab game booth. Dunk your hands into the ice bucket and you might grab yourself a bottle of Yakult!

Cooking demonstration brought to you by Enot, accompanied by a Japanese comedian, Kinjo.

Thank you for joining us this year!We hope to see you again next year!

A Purikura photo contest was also held on that day. We would like to with her family congratulate Faten Nadia for winning a trip to Japan this September. #YakultFiesta17

Our brand ambassador, Scha tried her hand at the Japanese traditional game, Yoyo tsuri. She did it on her first try.

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Breast Cancer – Don’t Risk It (October – Pink Ribbon Campaign)

There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer. But there are things you can do that might lower the risk of getting it.

6 Breast Cancer Risk Factors You CAN Control: 1. Being Overweight

Overweight and obese women with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 25 have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer compared to women who maintain a healthy weight, especially after menopause. Being overweight can also increase the risk of breast cancer coming back in women who have had the disease. This is because fat cells are factories for the hormone estrogen which involved in the development and the spread of breast cancer.

3. Lack of Exercise

Research shows a link between exercising regularly at a moderate or intense level for 4 to 7 hours per week and a lower risk of breast cancer. Exercise consumes and controls blood sugar and limits blood levels of insulin growth factor, a hormone that can affect how breast cells grow and behave. People who exercise regularly tend to be healthier and are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.

2. Eating Unhealthy Food

Diet is thought to be partly responsible for about 30% to 40% of all cancers. No food or diet can prevent you from getting breast cancer. But some foods can help keep your risk of developing breast cancer as low as possible. Eating food grown without pesticides may protect against unhealthy cell changes associated with pesticide use in animal studies.

5. Smoking

Smoking causes a number of diseases and is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in younger, pre-menopausal women. Research has also shown that there may be link between very heavy second-hand smoke exposure and breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women.

4. Drinking Alcohol

Compared to women who don’t drink at all, women who have 3 alcoholic drinks per week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer. Research consistently shows that drinking alcohol can increase levels of estrogen and other hormones associated with hormone-receptor positive breast cancer.

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How to Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer? Consuming soy-based food and the live Shirota strain probiotic may reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

Upon consuming Yakult, the live culture Shirota strain produces lactic acid that promotes the growth of the natural good bacteria in our intestines. Meanwhile, the soy-based food we ate is digested which release isoflavones called daidzein which is then converted by the natural intestinal bacteria into equol. Equol serves as a strong missile that kills cancer cells. This, reducing the risk of breast cancer occurrence.

Reference:

6 Breast Cancer Risk Factors you CAN control. Retrieved from http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/slideshows/can-control?slide=1

Takagi, A., Kano, M., & Kaga, C. (2015). Possibility of Breast Cancer Prevention: Use of Soy Isoflavones and Fermented Soy Beverage Produced Using Probiotics. Int J Mol. Sci. . Retrieved May 16, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4463682/.

6. Using Hormone Replacement Therapy

Because the female hormone estrogen stimulates breast cell growth, exposure to estrogen over long periods of time, without any breaks, can increase the risk of breast cancer. Taking estrogen hormone replacement therapy for more than 10 years, is associated with increased breast cancer risk.

MatchaGreen Tea – A Superfood to Supercharge You!

Matcha (pronounced MA-cha), is the heart of the Japanese way of tea and has been celebrated in the traditional Japanese tea

ceremony for hundreds of years. Matcha green tea differs from regular green tea due to the way the leaves grown and processed.

How is it produced? Several weeks prior to harvest in the spring, farmers cover the tea plants with bamboo mats or tarp, gradually reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches the plants. This step increases the chlorophyll content and turns the leaves dark green, giving matcha its distinct green color.

After harvesting, the leaves are steamed and then air dried. At this stage, the leaves become tencha, the precursor to matcha. Next, the leaves are stored for grade, and then destemmed and deveined. The tencha is then ground and becomes matcha.

How to prepare Matcha Green Tea? Using a bamboo whisk and tea bowl

Step 1 – Sift 1-2 teaspoons of matcha into a cup using a small sifter.Step 2 – Add hot water. For best results use water just under a boil. Step 3 – Whisk vigorously in a zig zag motion until the tea is frothy. (Although matcha looks milky, no milk is actually added. The frothy texture is due to the vigorous mixing motion). Step 4 – Enjoy your matcha tea straight from the bowl.

Superfood Benefits of Matcha: • Matcha green tea far outweighs many powerful

superfoods we know of today. It contains over six times the antioxidants in goji berries, seven times the antioxidants in dark chocolate, 17 times more antioxidants than blueberries, and 60 times the antioxidants found in spinach. And that’s just one teaspoon!

• The beautiful bright green tea has even been found to prevent cancer, because the antioxidants in the tea are so high, they help fight off immune system invaders known as free radicals.

• Matcha is five times higher in chlorophyll than regular tea. Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in plants that can provide clear skin, protect blood and heart, and also prevent joint inflammation.

• One glass of matcha green tea is equal to the amount of nutrition found in 10 cups of regular green tea.

• Matcha only contains 35 miligrams of caffeine per teaspoon, which is almost a third less than a cup of regular black coffee.

Look out for Yakult Matcha Recipe at page 14.

Goji BerriesDark Chocolate

BlueberriesSpinach

Antioxidants in one teaspoon of Matcha equal to:

10 20 30 40 50 60 70

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1 2 3 4

=

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Quiz Game

Please find and CIRCLE the answers for the questions below from the word search diagram.

HintFinish reading the newsletter contents and the answers will be at your finger tips.

1. _______ promotes blood flow and activation of cells in the region of the right brain that is responsible for emotions, thinking and creativity.

2. Chewing food well stimulates the satiety center, prevent overeating, and therefore prevents _______.

3. Moderate-intensity physical activity has been shown to protect people against certain diseases including _______.

4. A study found that prolonged high intensity exercise, such as _______ makes a person more susceptible to URTI.

5. _______ can augment some aspects of immune function such as activating Natural Killer Cell activity.

6. The first female athlete to win Olympic Medal besides badminton.7. _______ is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in younger, pre-menopausal women.8. _______ is the green pigment found in plants that can provide clear skin, protect blood

and heart, and also prevent joint inflammation. 9. This hormone stimulates breast cell growth; exposure to this hormone over long periods

of time, without any breaks, can increase the risk of breast cancer.10. It is the heart of the Japanese way of tea and has been celebrated in the traditional

Japanese tea ceremony for hundreds of years.

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These Terms and Conditions apply:Please circle all the words found in the diagram box. Limited to ONE entry per household. Answers and list of winners will be posted on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/yakultmalaysia. The first 100 entries with the correct answer will receive a prize.

Name:

Contact Number:

Address:

Send the answer to us by fax (03-55698961) or scan and email to customerservice@yakult.com.my or post to:

Yakult (M) Sdn Bhd.Lot No. 7, Jalan Jururancang U1/21, Seksyen U1, Hicom Glenmarie Industrial Park, 40150, Shah Alam. Attention: PR Department Please provide your full name (in English alphabets), your contact number and address.

Factory Tour Visit ScheduleThe Yakult factory is open for visiting! We welcome all of our loyal or new customers to come and have a look at our production process.

The tours are conducted daily on weekdays (Monday to Friday) and certain Saturdays from 8.30am – 3.30pm.

Saturday Opening Dates are as below:

Opening Days: Monday to Friday & Selected Saturdays Time: 08.30am to 03.30pm (1.5 hours per session) Cost: Free of Charge Capacity: Maximum 120 pax per session

There is NO admission fee. However, booking is essential. If you are interested, please place your booking at our website at www.yakult.com.my/factory-tour/.

Month in 2017

July AugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember

Date

8th 19th

30th

14th

11th & 25th 9th

Ingredients: (makes one 8-inch cheesecake)

Cheesecake Base: Graham crackers – 200g Unsalted butter – 65gMatcha green tea powder – 1 tsp

Cheesecake Filling Cream cheese (room temperature) – 400g Fine sugar – 40gMatcha green tea powder – 2 tsp Whipping cream – 400ml Yakult Ace – 2 tbsp Vanilla extract – 1/2 tsp Gelatin – 2 tsp Warm water – 2 1/2 tbsp. Extra Matcha green tea powder, for dusting

Let’s get Cooking! 1. First, to make the cheesecake base, mix together the melted butter, crumbled

graham crackers and matcha green tea powder. Press them into the bottom of an 8-inch springform cake pan. Place in the fridge while making the filling.

2. To make the filling, place the cream cheese in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the matcha green tea powder and sugar to combine. Add the whipping cream, Yakult, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Mix the gelatin with warm water. Add the gelatin to the filling, and mix together with an electric mixer until fully combined.

3. Pour the filling into the cake pan and return to the fridge to chill until set. (approximately 4 hours).

4. Carefully remove the cake from the springform cake pan by running a sharp knife around the edges of the cake, then release the sides of the pan and carefully slide off the cake.

5. Place some matcha green tea powder into a mesh sieve and dust over the entire surface of the cake. Enjoy!

Yakult MatchaCheesecake

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