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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Activated Charcoal for Healthier Living

Activated charcoal has a negative electric charge which means it is super-powerful at attracting anything with a positive charge to it! Toxins, dirt, dust, and even the plaque build up on your teeth can have a positive electric charge.

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activated charcoal

Activated Charcoal is a recent wonder in the health world for many reasons. It’s not charcoal as we know it… activated charcoal is special because it can attract many toxins that can be harmful to well being.

 

How does it do this?! 

Activated charcoal has a negative electric charge which means it is super-powerful at attracting anything with a positive charge to it! Toxins, dirt, dust, and even the plaque build up on your teeth can have a positive electric charge. And this is where activated charcoal can work its wonder by trapping or isolating all the not so good stuff. You will notice that many kinds of toothpaste and natural skincare products nowadays will include the addition of activated charcoal as an ingredient…because it works! It has been used for medicinal purposes to treat cases of swallowed or ingested chemicals or toxins. The high porosity of Activated Charcoal means that it can absorb pollutants and toxins safely and effectively.

 

Activated Charcoal- the health benefits

The benefits of activated charcoal are far-reaching. You can include natural products that contain activated charcoal to help improve digestion and gut health, improve the brightness and whiteness of your teeth, and when used as a topical treatment or face mask it can help improve your complexion.

But health isn’t just about what we see. We cannot see the toxins or pollutants that are drifting around through the air that we breathe. And sometimes that can be a scary thought. Especially in the modern age when there are so many environmental factors that our body and being need to contend with.

For instance, more of us suffer from allergies and chronic conditions that affect our breathing, and these can be exacerbated by many over the counter remedies we buy in good faith. When we want to freshen up the air in the room we use an aerosol spray or candle but this just hides the issue for a while!

“The best way we can work toward better health is by doing our utmost to heal the root cause of any issue. And the way, in which we do this is by utilizing what nature has provided us with- and activated charcoal is one of those wonders. In doing so, we stay future-focused on better health. Products4Future is resolute in finding solutions for you so you can feel confident in what’s available naturally to help your health…and the environment.!” said Products4Future team

 

Make a difference

Products4Future is a small business that is trying to make a difference by selling products that are high-quality, attractively designed, durable and that function well. They do this so that you can live fully in the moment!

We aim to inspire you to help us naturally make a brighter future. So we find the inspiration in you and everyday life which empowers us with various challenges. Our community is built on passionate and open-hearted people who are connected to themselves, nature and friends. We saw that many were using bamboo charcoal to make a healthier lifestyle and also contribute to nature. – Products4Future

After extensive observation of their surroundings, Products4Future noticed that the air in living areas, cars, etc. is highly contaminated by toxins, odors, and dust. To make it even worse, many of us use room-deodorizing sprays to try and diminish them. But the problem of using these sprays is that they don’t get rid of smells!

Another important point that directly affects health is that aerosol sprays release lung-damaging and volatile organic compounds into the air.

Products4Future set to work and found away, and a product (as their company name suggests!) to solve this issue. The answer was by using air purifying bags filled with activated bamboo charcoal. 

Activated Charcoal Bamboo Bags offer an effective, natural, and simple way to eliminate malodorous scents. You don’t need any electricity or specialized knowledge to use them, and they’re small and discreet!

Products4future didn’t stop there though! They went a step further with the bag design and came up with a pyramid shape of bamboo bags. They offer great aesthetic design to living areas in comparison with traditional shapes that other sellers may offer.

 

 

Why we need Activated Charcoal

How can bamboo charcoal freshen the air? Bamboo Charcoal is highly porous. Inside bamboo charcoal, there are numerous tiny holes. The bamboo charcoal isn’t like normal charcoal; it’s actually 10 times more porous than regular charcoal!

Such small openings can easily trap many of the toxins and the odors that can affect health and trigger allergies or breathing conditions such as Asthma. It’s the ability to trap and filter toxins, allergens, and pollutants that make activated bamboo charcoal truly remarkable. With the use of the bamboo charcoal bags, over time, the accumulation of particles will cause the air purifying bag to become heavier.

“People often ask us why you use bamboo to make activated charcoal. And the reason is that material such as bamboo has enough carbon to make it a viable candidate for activated charcoal. But also bamboo is one of the best environmental sources. In comparison to tress, bamboo regrows at a much faster rate, making it the best environmental and sustainable choice. It’s also more porous, which means less bamboo is required to achieve the same result!” Products4Future

 

 

The best part of bamboo charcoal is that it will not produce fake smells and odors to mask dirt, dust, and nasties that are present in your home and surroundings. 

 

  • There are no bad after- smells with bamboo charcoal (which always tends to accompany regular household products like sprays and scented candles!)
  • The bamboo charcoal air purifier bag will simply trap all the bad bacteria and the odors. And by that, they will be removed from your living area rather than being temporarily masked.
  • The bamboo charcoal purifier bags will also help in reducing the symptoms of allergies and asthma that mostly happen because you inhale the air full of germs, dust, dirt, and toxins.

 

Products4Future bamboo bags are middle size bags and because of that, they can be used in various areas. 200gram bags can cover up to 100 square feet of living space. They are ideal for use in a kitchen, bedroom, basement, car, closet, fridge, freezers, etc. If you have a living area more than 100 square feet simply use 2 or more bags!

Usually, it only takes a few days to notice a difference in the way the air smells… and consequentially, how you feel after breathing cleaner air.

How to use the Activated Bamboo Charcoal Bags! 

Before using an air-purifying bag for the first time, the bag should be placed in direct sunlight for about an hour as ultraviolet light will help to recharge the bamboo bag. They only require UV rays to recharge!

Every month, you’ll need to recharge the bag by putting in the sunlight the same way you did to initially activate the charcoal.

The average lifespan of activated bamboo charcoal is two years. After two years they make a wonderful addition to your garden. Simply sprinkle the bamboo charcoal into the soil and it will help plants absorb moisture and nutrients. This completes its lifecycle as a product that comes from the earth and ultimately gives back to the earth!

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

5 Skincare Regimens Perfect for Spring and Summer

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Spring is in the air! The trees are changing colours, flowers are blooming, and you will notice that your skin feels different too. The sun is getting harsher, and heat and humidity will make their way towards hampering the skin… Well, if you don’t care. If you fail to switch from your heavy winter skincare routine to a light spring one, you could soon be facing the issues of acne, breakouts and dull skin.

This is the perfect time to amp up your skincare and go in for dermatological treatments like chemical peels and laser skin resurfacing. You can also help your skin be spring and summer-ready by using the right skincare ingredients. An intelligent combination of active ingredients can do wonders for the skin and even keep the signs of ageing away. To make the most of the spring weather learn to make the most of your skincare routine.

5 skincare combinations are best for spring and summer season. Image courtesy: Adobe Stock

Best skincare combinations that will work for your skin

The important thing to remember is to pair your skincare ingredients correctly together. Very few are power couples for the skin that might work and benefits your skin. The first trick, of course, is to not use all the products together. To maximise the benefits of the skincare ingredients, here are some important parings you should not miss:

1. Vitamin C with SPF

Vitamin C is an essential ingredient for skin care. It helps protect the skin from sun damage, fights the antioxidants, repairs the skin barrier, promotes collagen production, and acts as an anti-ageing ingredient. When combined with sunscreen, the two work to protect your skin from environmental damage and block the UV rays that filter through the sunscreen.

Also Read: Vitamin C for skin: 7 benefits you must know about

2. Niacinamide with salicylic acid

Niacinamide is an important ingredient for fortifying the skin barrier and treating hyperpigmentation. Salicylic acid is what your skin needs to keep the breakouts away. When they are used together, your skin will benefit from reduced pore size, prevent acne breakouts, improve skin strength and work against the signs of ageing. Together they also improve collagen and elastin fibres giving the skin a youthful glow from the inside.

Best skincare combinations are best for spring and summer season. Image Courtesy: Shutterstock.

3. Retinols with peptides

Move the retinol to your nighttime routine during this time of the year. Vitamin A derivatives are the gold standard for home skin care because they treat everything from acne to ageing to fine lines. Peptides help skin cells rejuvenate and repair. Together they correct your complexion, make the skin tighter and give a smoother and plumper look to the skin.

4. Vitamin C and vitamin E

Vitamin C is essential for skin rejuvenation and protection, and vitamin E helps keep the skin supple. You can use them together to protect the skin from oxidative stress and maintain the suppleness of the skin, leaving you to enjoy the weather in its full glory.

5. Hyaluronic acid with exfoliating acids

Spring is a good time for skin repair, and the AHAs and BHAs do a great job of removing the top layer of the skin, making the new skin sensitive to dryness, and hyaluronic acid is a humectant that restores dryness. Hyaluronic acid recharges skin hydration and has long-lasting benefits for the skin.

Best skincare combinations are best for spring and summer season. Image Courtesy: Shutterstock.

Things to remember

When using new skin combinations, make sure you take your skin type into account. Always do a patch test first and start when using these combinations 1-2 times a week along with your regular skincare routine and slowly increase the frequency as needed by the skin. Do not over-exfoliate or scrub the skin, focus on good skin care every day for great results instead.

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DIET & NUTRITION

Performance Supplementation

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The sports supplements industry is one of the largest industries in the world of sports, especially with respect to revenue. Athletes are often attracted to these supplements by the effective marketing approaches used by marketers to sell these products. In sports, every athlete seeks to stage the best performances to achieve different milestones through their sporting life. The availability of supplements that can enhance the performance of these athletes makes them seductively attractive for these individuals.  No one would miss an opportunity to improve their performance, irrespective of the risks that exist. However, there is a need to ensure that these supplements are regulated. The lack of regulations in the sports supplement industry could lead to increased risks for the athletes. Perhaps we need to have a more standard approach to the management of sports supplements.

By Gabriel I. Escalera

     First, it’s essential to first have a better understanding of what sports supplements are in the sporting industry.  Sports supplements are additional nutrients that individuals can add to their normal diets to improve their physical abilities to perform in physical activities. Active athletes often include supplements in their diets to achieve sufficient nutrition for optimal performance in sports. In addition, athletes also use supplements to compensate for nutritional deficiencies. Most importantly, there is a belief among athletes that supplements significantly improve their abilities, helping them achieve higher performance.

        Supplements play an important role in the diets of athletes. As the name suggests, these substances should be used in addition to the normal diet, as opposed to being replacements. There are supplements that have been developed based on scientific evidence. This means that there are supplements in the market that can be beneficial to the athletes who consume them. There are several benefits that athletes can draw from using these supplements. One of the most significant benefits is that they can legally improve the performance of athletes. Other than that, supplements can also be used to attain the required weight for a specific sport’s weight classes. Similarly, they can be effective in losing weight for a specific sport. Supplements can also be used by athletes to build muscles and improve the circulation of oxygen within the body. Moreover, supplements also provide athletes with an option that helps them avoid the temptations of using other performance-enhancing drugs that are banned in most competitive sporting activities. As such, supplements are critical for athletes, especially with respect to the possibility of enhancing performances.

     There is a significant difference between performance-enhancing drugs and dietary supplements. There is a complete ban on performance enhancing drugs in the sporting world. However, dietary supplements are allowed within the sporting world. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not place strict regulations on sports supplements. So, the manufacturers of these substances are not required to submit samples of their products to the FDA.  The only requirement for sport supplement manufacturers is to make a claim of the health benefits of the supplement, based on scientific evidence. However, the FDA does not go beyond that to scientifically verify these claims.  Because of this there may be inadequate regulation of sports supplements, and this places the athlete at the risk of consuming substances that may be harmful to them.

     The use of supplements has continued to be a controversial topic among the stakeholders in the supplement industry.  These controversies tend to keep the conversation going and ensure that we can develop policies and laws that regulate the production and use of sports supplements. There are concerns about the processes involved in the manufacture of some sports supplements. The manufacturing process plays a significant role in determining the final product. The manufacturing process involves the use of different ingredients and processes that are not entirely known or understood. 

     Another important area of concern over sports supplements is that of the quality of these supplements. The quality of the supplement is critical however, the FDA does not require any quality standards on supplements. The FDA only requires that the manufacturers make a claim about the health benefits of these supplements. The FDA does not require the manufacturer to provide clinical or scientific trial results that verify the claims. This means that the manufacturers have considerable leeway to provide inaccurate information about the supplements to get approval from the FDA.  It is also possible that the manufacturers could create the same substance, give it a different name, and different claims to ensure that they are seen as different supplements. 

     Based on these observations, there appears to be a need to develop programs, policies, and laws that effectively regulate the production and sale of sports supplements. There is a need for the stakeholders, especially the FDA, to change the approach to the management of the supplements in the market. Regulations should be developed to streamline the manufacturing process.  Just like in the manufacture of medicines, there seems to be a need to regulate the manufacture of sports supplements. These supplements, when ingested, have the capacity to alter the body’s function. Their effects are similar to medicines. The regulation of the manufacturing process would ensure that there is a standard quality for every type of supplement. It could ensure that the most appropriate ingredients and processes are used in their manufacture.

     Quality control measures should also be implemented to ensure that the supplements are not harmful.  The quality of the supplements is dependent on scientific validation of their effectiveness in achieving the objectives for which they are created. As such, the FDA should implement programs that would compel the manufacturers to provide scientific verification for the health claims made. This would mean that quality is central to the development and production of the sports supplements. As such, it could provide a regulatory framework established to eliminate the safety risks associated with sports supplements. This way, sports supplements will be able to achieve their fundamental objectives without creating any controversy.

References

Kapoor, A., & Sharfstein, J. M. (2016). Breaking the gridlock: Regulation of dietary supplements in the United States. Drug testing and analysis, 8(3-4), 424-430.   Maughan, R. J., Burke, L. M., Dvorak, J., Larson-Meyer, D. E., Peeling, P., Phillips, S. M., … & Meeusen, R. (2018). IOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise  metabolism, 28(2), 104-125.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Spot reduction doesn’t work

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When it comes to achieving a desirable body, it is common for people to have problem areas such as love handles, flabby arms, sagging skin, or hips. The market is flooded with products that claim to eliminate fat or tone specific body parts, from creams and applications to gadgets and machines. However, the reality is that you cannot spot reduce, and the attempt to do so is not only futile but also potentially harmful.

There are several reasons why spot reduction is a myth. Firstly, a healthy diet is crucial in eliminating body fat, and consuming high-calorie and high-cholesterol foods can cause the accumulation of fat in problem areas. No matter how many gadgets you use, if you continue to indulge in unhealthy foods, you will not see results.

Secondly, spot reduction is a simplistic approach that overlooks the complexity of the body. Many products claim to require nothing but attaching or applying them to problem areas, neglecting other body parts and requirements. To achieve a healthy body, you need to understand the physiology of your body and what it takes to achieve your goals. For example, if you want six-pack abs, you need to focus not only on abdominal exercises but also on reducing body fat and increasing body mass through a healthy diet and cardio exercises.

Thirdly, there are no shortcuts to achieving a healthy body. Miracle diets, pills, and potions may seem like a quick fix, but they will ultimately lead to a dead end. To achieve a healthy body, you need to put in the work and earn it.

Finally, committing to the health of your body is a lifelong dedication. Even if you achieve a desirable body now, it will not remain so forever if you abuse your diet and lifestyle. Therefore, it is essential to develop a holistic approach to your health and fitness, incorporating not only exercise and diet but also a positive outlook on life.

In conclusion, the key to achieving a desirable body is to do it the proper way. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes, and spot reduction is a myth. Instead, focus on developing a healthy diet and exercise program that addresses the whole body, and commit to a lifelong dedication to your health and well-being. By taking matters into your own hands, you can enjoy the benefits of a healthy body and a positive outlook on life.

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