Natural Supplements for Vitality - Somaplus

Nowadays, there are many different food supplements promising everything from vitality, health beauty etc, etc. Some are mustered via MLM companies charging exorbitant fees for the membership or supplements, whilst others are over the counter so-called miracles (which ain't that cheap either). However, the mainstay of popularity for these supplements are the natural ingredients which is suppose to be better than your normal diet.

Although it may sound a bit like a commercial, I do agree to some certain extent we would require supplementation for our vitamins, trace minerals and other required nutrients for an optimal bodily function. Food nowadays are processed excessively with too many chemicals and other additives which have not been researched fully as to their long term side effects. Furthermore, with the emergence of news of fraud with the regulatory bodies where a lot of the companies pay off the people inside to get their products approved without proper clearance or studies conducted makes you a bit paranoid to take processed food items or drugs altogether. Certain chemicals and colourings in food items have proven to cause hyperactiveness in children, attention disorders, mood swings and increased risk for obesity leading to the whole myriad of diseases.

Hence why more and more health conscious people are going to a more natural diet which involves organic food substances and reduced intake of prepared preserved food items from the shelves. We have all sorts of diets that encourage natural foods and discourage any form of junkfood or fastfood or canned food thus eliminating chance of consuming these additives in food that make them last longer. It may appear querky to some most people but for the health conscious it is a necessity. Besides, the diet does influence the body in terms of its shape and performance.

I count myself as a naturalist to a certain extent. Living in Malaysia it is almost impossible to go all organic especially since most of the food cooked outside uses some form of unnatural seasoning. Hence my naturalist endeavours would be more on my own time, from my own kitchen or friends who share similar concepts. But as much as I could, I would avoid processed or overcooked food. Which was why recently I was given the opportunity to try out a very interesting product called Somaplus.

Somaplus

This product is supplied by a medical supplier thus can only be found in clinics or medical centers. It has a very interesting history surrounding its creation. The product concept originates from an island in Japan called Okinawa. The product is made in USA. Well, back to my story, the island of Okinawa is also known as the "Village of Long Life" and is situated between Kyusu and Taiwan. There are 34 centenarians (a person who lives past 100 years old) per 100,000 people, which is 3X more than the rate in Japan. They believe that this longevity is due to the lifestyle and unique diet which involves fermented soy products, fermented rice, seaweed, sweet potato and potato roots. Hence the basis of this supplement drink.

Somaplus comes in sachets which you need to dilute in water. The drink is somewhat sweet and the taste is palatable. However, don't sniff the powder directly because it is pretty sharp in powder form (yes, I sniffed it that's why I know). You can feel the powder straight to the throat if you do. I started taking the product since 2 weeks ago when I got my first box. There are 22 sachets per box meant for 11 days i.e. morning and before dinner with 2 rest days a week (altogether 15 days). The recommended is 1 hour before meal and they recommend a high protein low carb meal. So how did I fair?

I run a very busy schedule, so I was pretty discipline with the early morning dose of the drink. Initially there was nothing much to tell about it but after a week I felt less sleepy in the morning and I had an improved energy level. I forgot to rest initially, so I only rested after the 10th day, but the 2 day rest was okay, I did not feel a withdrawal of energy. I sometimes took the afternoon sachet if I happen to remember. Perhaps being pretty young, the 1 a day sachet was enough to boost my energy level. However, I did notice a few other things besides the energy. My staff noticed my skin complexion improved despite no treatment being done on my face - I attributed it to the new products that I was testing on my face, but even my body skin seem to glow a bit more. I was more alert and I felt happier and motivated for exercise. Despite being of my calcium pills, I did not experience much cramps as I normally would, and the more astonishing part - I was able to go on without coffee for more than a day. Even if I drank coffee, it would not be the number 1 thing in the morning as it use to be and I cut back drastically from 8 shots to a mere 2-3 shots a day. I also notice that I sleep better and I tend to wake up at the same time every morning even without alarm clock. I wake up feeling fresher and less lethargic compared to before. Seems to be doing a lot for me, but bear in mind, I am quite a health freak and consumed supplements would have similar effects but not exactly the same for everyone.

So what is it actually? Soamplus is made out of natural ingredients which help boost the production of hormones in the body mainly Growth Hormones, DHEA and Melatonin. It is also a potent antioxidant which helps with the elimination of free radicals in the body. The main ingrediets are NAtto (Japanese fermented soy), Miso (Japanese fermented soy paste), Satsumaimo (Japanese sweet potato) and Mochi (Sweet sticky rice). So don't think this sachet has no sugar, it has natural sugars and each sachet has approximately 0.62gms of Sugar. Besides the powder getting to my throat, I think my appetite increased a bit on this supplement. It could be also due to my more relaxed mood.

A few comparative studies have been on the Okinawa diet comparing the benefits between the diet and other countries without the diet and it has shown positive response towards cancer, dementia and improvement of sex hormones. However, I have yet to come across a controlled RCT study between this product and a placebo. Still, it does seem to be giving some benefits and the price for this product is not exorbitant. 1 month supply is approximately RM 500 +/- and has 2 boxes taken 5 days a week and rested 2 days. Since it is a supplement, you may only see the results after long term consumption after the initial boost. They recommend at least 6 months of consumption for the most optimal effect.

I would recommend taking this supplement prior to starting out any bio-identical hormones to see whether there is symptoms improvement. For me, it seems to work to a certain extent. It is not a one all cure for everything, so don't think you can just skip your medications etc, by taking this product.

For more information, do call us at 03-21440080 / 014-2233268 or email enquiries to faceworksclinic@gmail.com. You can also LIKE our FB page and PM us the comment there.

Happy Malaysia Day....... 2013

Its 16th of September, Malaysia Day. The Day in history where the whole Malaysia was united i.e. the peninsular, Sarawak & Sabah approximately 50 years ago. It is only recently the country announced the celebration for this day, hence adding an extra public holiday for Malaysia. This country has the most numbers of public holidays in the world. Sometimes I do wonder whether it is beneficial to the country in the long run.

Of late, I have been super busy with so many things and traveling. Towards the year end, usually there will be a lot of conferences and training and other things. This year, my heart is left in Langkawi. The beach, the sun, the sea air - living in KL for most of the part, the change in scenery is welcoming and exhilarating.  Despite the hectic schedule, I did manage to test out a few products which can be ordered through the clinic.


1. Dermaceutic Foamer 15 - Face Wash

I have been trying out the Dermaceutic range on and off and recently, they have changed their formula a bit to suit Asian climates and skin. The in-house peels are marvellous but some of the skincare initially was too rich for our hot and humid weather. Now, they have come up with a new packaging and formulation and I was given the opportunity to try out some of them. This is one of my favourites, the Foamer 15. Foamer 15 is a foaming cleanser with glycolic 15% as an active ingredient. For my skin, it would be ideal since I do have on off oily skin due to my hectic and active lifestyle. It not only helps to strip off excessive oils but it gives you a mild exfoliation to keep your skin looking vibrant and fresh on a daily basis. It has a very clinical smell i.e. no perfumes as the UK standard usually clinical skincare are without any fragrance. It is good for people with oily skin and also those who are slightly more mature. Some people may experience dryness with this foamer, but it is always a must to use moisturisers after washing your face with any type of soap. Personally, I did not experience any dryness. In combination with this foamer, you can opt for other lines of Dermaceutic products such as Hyalceutic or Light Ceutic for mild pigmentation. This range is affordable with each product costing less than RM 200 per bottle. Some products are available in the clinic, but most require pre-order. Ask us today.

2. Aknicare Range

This is a new acne range brought in by Neostrata. It was launched last year, but I only had the opportunity to try it out this year. What attracts me to this product is the different specific range of items it has at very affordable price. The usual face regime would include a cleanser, a lotion and a treatment cream that cost only RM 350 for all three products. The usage on a daily basis is minimal hence would last you 2-3 months. They have conducted few studies on this product and in Singapore, it is recommended as a first line for acne treatment before giving Ro-accutane or doing other more invasive procedures to treat acne. It is hypoallergenic and is suitable even for teenage skin.

My manager has hormonal acne due to change in contraception pills and I guess our set came in just in time. After a week of using the product, most of the redness have disappeared and the formation of new comedomes were significantly less. However, when she skipped 2 sessions, acne started to form again so perhaps it is really like a treatment which requires twice daily application. Otherwise, the skin is less oily and looks clearer. Personally I tried out the spot treatment. I sometimes get spots like these popping up especially if I am highly stressed up.

Its a small bottle which is convenient since you need to apply 6X a day to reduce the acne within 1-2 days. As you can see, it is just the size of your lippy, so it makes carrying it around in your purse minimal hassle. I used it 3X only and the red flaring pimple dried up nicely and went off in 2 days. Definitely keeping this in my purse for emergencies. Initially when you apply the roller onto the acne it does feel a lil bit tingling especially if there is a break in the skin. This range also comes with a back and chest acne care for those who has body acne breakouts. It comes in a spray bottle to ease application, but I still find it difficult to apply onto the back without help. So I've been applying more in the front and I did notice a reduction in acne around the chest area. So now even my chest looks a lot nicer with less congestion. For those curious as to how the system works, here's a hand summary of the mechanism of action. 

For more information about these products, email us at faceworksclinic@gmail.com or call us at 03-21440080 / 014-2233268 or just Like our FB page and send us a PM there.