NOVUHAIR's President and CEO Wins in the Individual Category of the 37th Agora Awards

Press release:

Nutramedica, Inc. President and CEO Sheila Mae Velilla bagged the Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship – Medium Scale at the recently concluded 37^th Agora Awards.  Nutramedica is a homegrown 100% wholly-owned Filipino enterprise that manufactures and distributes Novuhair, an acclaimed line of products that addresses hair loss.

Held last October 26 at PICC, CCP Complex, the Agora Awards recognizes individuals and organizations for exceptional marketing skills and strategies.  It is touted to be the premier marketing awards body in the country and sets the high standards of excellence in the industry.

FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO BIG WINNER

Moving in an industry dominated by giant multinational pharmaceutical companies, Nutramedica’s tenacious rise from its humble beginnings as a microenterprise is one for the books.  Thanks largely to its creativity and innovation, it has become a major player with a well-established niche in the industry.

Founded in 2004 by Velilla, Nutramedica develops beauty and healthcare products out of natural and mostly indigenous ingredients.  It is one of the pioneers in the commercialization of virgin coconut oil (VCO) and gained wide success with its slogan “healthiest oil on earth,” which led to its acquisition by a big company. 

It continued to create more VCO-based skin care products and hit the jackpot with its latest, and now banner, product – Novuhair, nature’s answer to hair loss.  This breakthrough solution is made of 19 herbal ingredients and comes in topical scalp lotion, herbal shampoo, and herbal conditioner that effectively battles the effects of hair loss and helps enhance and restore one’s crowning glory.

Launched in 2009, Novuhair enjoys tremendous success until today.  It is widely accepted not only here in the Philippines, but also in other countries.  It is set to enter the international market, starting with the United States (US), in December of this year.  Such bold, yet timely, move of the company to export Novuhair to the US and eventually the Middle East also opens the opportunity for proudly-made local products to penetrate the global arena.

Novuhair’s popularity and market leadership may be attributed to the company’s initial market study coupled with the right timing, as well as smart use of resources by coming up with an effective tri-media campaign best described as low-budget yet high-impact marketing.

Leveraging on its organic growth from a microenterprise to medium scale with over 30 employees in a span of 12 years, Nutramedica continues to further develop, market and distribute high-quality goods that could bring honor to the country.

Herbalife Nutrition At Work Survey Reveals Filipino Millennials Desire Healthy, Active Workplace Environment

Herbalife Nutrition, a global nutrition company, has released the findings from its Asia Pacific Millennials At Work Survey¹, which revealed that Filipino millennials are adapting a healthy, active lifestyle, however, most believe their current workplace environment prevents them from doing so.

Millennials, or people born in between 1980 and 2000, are opting for a workplace that will encourage them to stay active, if only this will be embedded in every company culture.  About 83 percent or eight (8) in 10 millennials have agreed that they would like their company workplace to adopt a healthy, active lifestyle.

With the millennial generation expected to make up 50 percent of the global workforce by 2020, ensuring the wellbeing of millennials will be important to improving workplace productivity. “There are about 35 million millennials now in the Philippines, which is about one-third of the country’s entire population. Five years from now, millennials will be dominating the labor force. While most millennials want to lead healthy lives, they face real obstacles at work in doing so,” said Rosalio Valenzuela, Herbalife Philippines General Manager. “At Herbalife Nutrition, we provide our employees with nutrition products at work, subsidize gym memberships, hold regular wellness programs related to nutrition and well-being, and encourage participation in outdoor activities and sports competitions.”

Herbalife Philippines General Manager Mr. Bong Valenzuela with Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board Member Julián Alvarez García, M.D., Ph.D.

Additionally, the survey findings revealed the following:

·         Seven (7) out of 10 millennials strive to live healthy, active lives

·         However, the majority of millennials find it challenging to maintain an active lifestyle at work – eight (8) out of 10 millennials spend 6 to 13 hours at their work desk each day, and 64% of millennials get less than 30 minutes of physical activity - including standing, stretching and walking at work on an average work day. Additionally, 64% of millennials cited the “lack of time” as the key obstacle to engaging in physical activity at work.

Julián Alvarez García, M.D., Ph.D., member of the Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board

giving a talk during the Manila leg of the 5th Asia Pacific Wellness Tour.

To provide tips on how millennials and their employers can integrate positive nutrition and life style habits at their workplaces, Herbalife Nutrition has organized a sixth Asia Pacific Wellness Tour, which builds upon the successes of the past five tours that welcomed over 100, 000  participants. Five experts from the Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board (NAB) are scheduled to tour 21 Asian cities from October 7 to 30, to hold a series of talks, workshops and medical symposia across the region.

“Through these efforts, we hope to equip organizations and employees with the right tools to collectively build a healthier work environment across Asia Pacific,” said Valenzuela.

 

Julian Alvarez Garcia, M.D., Ph.D., a member of the Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board, will be visiting Manila for the Asia Pacific Wellness Tour this October. Julian Alvarez Garcia, M.D., Ph.D. will also be sharing expert advice on how millennials can adopt simple positive nutrition and lifestyle habits at work to

improve their overall well-being in the long run. 

Some of the tips to help foster a healthier millennial workforce include:

·         Nutrition

o   Dedicate a healthy eating day each week and get colleagues involved in making healthy choices for lunch on this day.

o   Boost water intake to help the body digest food, rid the body of toxins, and help deliver nutrients to the cells. Drink at least eight (8) glasses or two (2) liters of water a day.

o   Have a protein shake combined with non-fat milk and healthy fruit for breakfast. With 20-30 grams of protein and low-fat contents, it can provide the body with all the nutrition it needs to power through the day.

·         Active Living

o   Create a playlist that incorporates upbeat music and play with hourly intervals.

o   Use Running Apps to keep energized and on-pace during regular runs.

o   Set a goal to join running competitions to motivate self to sustain an active lifestyle.

¹Herbalife’s Millennials At Work Survey was conducted in 2016, with 5,500 respondents aged 18 and above, from Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. 

NOVUHAIR’S INFORMATIVE TRUTH ON HAIR CHEMICALS

Press release:

We may not be aware that we are unknowingly putting harmful chemicals on our hair thus resulting to general conditions such as migraine, nausea and skin rashes. The symptoms may be quickly attributed to stress but if you look closer to that hair product you’re using, you’ll be surprise to find the culprit.

Popularity does not equate to safety, some popular brands sold in the market are loaded with mildly toxic chemicals that may be harmful in prolonged use.

Novuhair, Nature’s answer to hair loss, gives you the lowdown on these chemicals to help you with your choices.

Myth: Shampoo must produce lots of lather in order to properly clean your hair.

Truth: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a compound that helps shampoo and other cleaning product in producing foam and bubbles. Though it may effectively remove hair build-up, it can also strip off essential oils that is needed to keep your hair healthy.

Myth: Parabens has an anti-bacterial compound benefits that outweighs the harm.

Truth: Parabens are basically used to prolong the shelf life of hair and cosmetic products mostly for its antibacterial purpose. Symptoms that are related to over exposure to parabens are Atopic Dermatitis and Rosacea. Further studies also show that use of products with parabens accelerate skin damage and aging related to sun exposure.

EntrepTV: A must-see show for aspiring entrepreneurs

It’s pretty amazing when you see youngsters getting into business early on while at the peak of their youth. While most their age would probably indulge into gimmicks, business-minded  friends Jeddina “Jade” Bigay and Zyrus Ramos took a path less travelled—both ventured into media production via Lara at Juan (Larawan) Media Productions which also produced EntrepTV, a television show being aired every Saturday at PTV 4 which focuses on using one’s passion and turning it into a profitable endeavour. They feature random stories from small to large scale type of businesses that aims to inspire everyone to become business oriented and to start their own business.

EntrepTv host and executive producer Jeddina "Jade" Bigay

 In this day and age, it is extremely difficult to invest money into a new business venture and turn them into highly profitable entities in returns for a percentage of both business and profit. What they feature on EntrepTV are great in-depth lessons for all aspiring entrepreneurs. The said show puts an emphasis on the three P’s of business—Passion, Process and Product—the triangular mantra for any startup business.

Novuhair Supports Alopecia Areata Awareness in Celebrating Inner Strength

September marks the month-long commemoration of Alopecia Areata awareness worldwide. Alopecia areata is a condition when hair loss occur due to faults in the immune system attacking the hair follicles which results in partial or total loss of hair on the head and other parts of the body.

Leading this year’s celebration in the country is Alopecia Philippines, a group founded by singer and songwriter Abby Asistio in 2012. She has been championing the cause of empowering citizens with this condition.

Abby is no stranger to alopecia, having been diagnosed with alopecia areata since she was four years old. Abby’s decision to come out in public with her condition was a major turning point in her life.

On September 2012, Abby decided to start an online campaign in time with Alopecia Awareness Month by inviting family and friends to pose with the double “A” (inverted “V”) sign using their fingers on the photo sharing site, Instagram. It quickly caught on and Abby was overwhelmed by the response from netizens, with over a thousand photo contributions to date.

This paved the way for the beginnings of Alopecia Philippines. It aims to raise awareness about alopecia and correct common misconceptions and perceptions about it, provide encouragement to people afflicted with it, and create an online support community for them.

Inspired by Abby’s honesty and courage, men and women, kids and teens from different walks of life began sharing their own stories and struggles living with alopecia. What started out as a group of ten is now more than 300 members strong and its Facebook page – Alopecia Areata Awareness, draws followers from all over the world.

Novuhair has been supporting the cause for Alopecia Philippines through Abby Asistio. Abby have been using the brand continuously since March 2013 and she has only praises to share using the product.

Nature has provided a safe and effective answer to hair loss and scalp disorders. Novuhair is the only topical scalp lotion in the market that has the highest concentration of natural ingredients, FDA-certified and ACD-compliant. Novuhair is a homegrown, proudly Philippine-made product that is globally competitive.

Novuhair Topical Scalp Lotion, Shampoo and Conditioner are available in all Mercury Drug Stores and other leading drug stores nationwide. For more information visit www.novuhair.com, like the brand’s official Facebook Page at Novuhair Official, Instagram: @NovuhairOfficial and follow it on Twitter at @NovuhairNatural. You may also call the Novuhair hotlines at 4136570 and 09228830575 and order online at Lazada and regaloservice.com.

Abby Asistio Alopecia Awareness Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/18z01PGOW0w

Natural and Integrative Wellness Solutions as Prevention and Cure for Certain Health Conditions

As a parenting and health advocate, I was lucky to be invited at the recent Natural and Integrative Medicine Conference held at the posh Taal Vista Hotel in Tagaytay City. The conference was organized by Dr. Antonia Carandang-Park, founder of Antonia Health Solution.  It is well-attended by doctors, scientist, academicians, technologist, parenting advocates and those working in the field of natural and integrative wellness.

 Antonia Integrated and Functional Wellness Inc. together with  partners Zazen Health Solutions, StemErgy Wellbeing LTD. recently brought together world renowned experts and leaders in their respective fields for a comprehensive overview of the latest innovation in research and development. The Natural and Integrative Medicine Conference aims to aid patients towards achieving optimum health as an alternative to the traditional medicines. 
 

Dr. Sashi of Zazen Health Solutions

 There are advances as well as innovations made in research for bringing natural and integrative medicine closer to the public via their practical application. One of which is Zazen Health Solutions' Scalar Machine. They have infrared sauna and the scalar waves. The infrared sauna has been proven effective in curing a host of ailments such as an improved condition in ADHD and autism patients. It also claims to help a drug addict to detoxify.

LBC cleans name against online attacks by complaining netizen

Social media attacks on the courier and logistics company LBC have gone viral, mostly in OFW Facebook pages. OFWs and their families are some of the most frequent users of courier and door-to-door delivery services in the Philippines. One of such posts came from the account of a certain Ramon Tumpap, an OFW working in a restaurant in Spain. Concerned netizens have come forth with information regarding the true identity of Tumpap. However the motive of his post has been unclear. Tumpap aka Ramon Lobo, used his personal Facebook account to post pictures of volunteer workers sorting through relief boxes in a Taiwan warehouse. An official inquiry was made and it turned out that the photos posted where that of a Taiwanese warehouse, and not LBC's warehouse as alleged by Lobo/Tumpap.

Many netizens were angered and just ended up sharing and resharing Tumpap's post without even vetting the veracity of his claims resulting in the false claim going viral. Of course the photo was not taken from the warehouse of LBC but because pasalubong is an integral part of the Filipino family's love language, may OFWs were incensed despite other OFWs who actually use LBC's services and swear by their good and prompt service. 

As of this writing, Tumpap has since deactivated his Facebook account on the pretense that he is ill and cannot be disturbed, thinking that evading investigators will make it all go away. There is no news or lead as to who may have hired Tumpap to post such online vitriol. 

LBC is the courier of choice of many companies and OFWs families mostly because of LBC's reliable service and brand loyalty resulting from decades of operation in both domestic and international markets. LBC is a Filipino company.