Sakura Forest Appoints Radio Monk Renka Haseo as Ambassador for Knee Care Supplement "Ayumi"

Sakura Forest Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Representative Director: Reio Takashima), which operates the mail-order brand "Sakura no Mori," has launched the Ambassador Program "Ayumi Supporters" through its knee care supplement "Ayumi." This initiative aims to provide more people with the opportunity to address knee discomfort.

Through this initiative, we will communicate "the importance of not neglecting knee discomfort" together with individuals whose daily lives place a burden on their knees.

As the first member of the Ayumi Supporters, Renka Haseo, chief priest of Daihoji Temple of the Jodo sect, has been appointed.

Background of the Initiative

To prevent people from dismissing knee warning signs with "it's still okay," Sakura no Mori is working to create opportunities for knee care.

Knee Discomfort That Tends to Be Neglected

Knee discomfort is a common concern that many people experience but often put off addressing.

"It's just old age, nothing can be done," "It will probably get better eventually," "I can still bear it."

For these reasons, knee discomfort tends to be neglected.

However, the knee is a crucial joint that supports daily movements, and it is known that if one starts to avoid moving due to discomfort, it can lead to a vicious cycle where walking distance decreases, muscle strength declines, and the burden on the knee further increases.

"Ayumi" has focused on this "vicious cycle that occurs when discomfort is continuously neglected."

Therefore, we believe it is important to address knee issues with a sense of urgency from the moment discomfort is felt, rather than "dealing with it after pain appears."

Significance of Ayumi Supporters

The knee care supplement "Ayumi" was developed in collaboration with physical therapists and is designed to simultaneously approach three factors related to the knee: joints, muscles, and abdominal fat.*

However, simply delivering products to the market cannot change the behavior of those who are starting to experience knee discomfort. In addition to delivering products, we wanted to increase the opportunities to "think about knee health and take action."

That's why we launched the Ambassador Program "Ayumi Supporters."

Through not only expert explanations but also the words of people who actually live lives that put a strain on their knees, such as sitting in seiza or standing up and sitting down, we will provide an opportunity to rethink knee care not as "something for special people" but as "something that concerns oneself."

*Ayumi contains polymethoxyflavone derived from black ginger and proteoglycan derived from salmon nasal cartilage. Polymethoxyflavone derived from black ginger has been reported to maintain walking ability in middle-aged and elderly individuals by acting on leg muscle strength, which declines with age. Polymethoxyflavone derived from black ginger has been reported to have the function of reducing abdominal fat (visceral fat and subcutaneous fat) in individuals with a higher BMI (BMI 24 to less than 30) by facilitating fat consumption in energy metabolism during daily activities. Proteoglycan derived from salmon nasal cartilage has been reported to suppress the breakdown of cartilage components in individuals with knee joint discomfort, help protect articular cartilage, improve knee joint mobility and daily knee movements (climbing and descending stairs, walking, standing up, picking up dropped items, sitting), and alleviate knee discomfort upon waking.

Chief Priest Renka Haseo Appointed to "Ayumi Supporters"

Chief Priest Renka Haseo of Daihoji Temple of the Jodo sect resonated with the philosophy of "Ayumi" and frankly spoke about the relationship between his daily life and his knees.

Who is Chief Priest Renka Haseo?

Chief Priest of Daihoji Temple, Jodo Sect / Prayer for Severing Bad Ties, Renka Haseo

Born in Aisai City, Aichi Prefecture in 1974. Rebuilt the temple from zero parishioners to approximately 1,000 households in about 20 years, and was selected as one of "Japan's Top 10 Amazing Chief Priests." He is also affectionately known as the "Radio Monk" through radio programs such as "Radio Monk Renka Haseo's Little Drop-in" and "End-of-Life Support! Renka Haseo's Easy Life Radio."

The Chief Priest's Knee Troubles from Daily Seiza

"I tried to stand up, but I couldn't move immediately."

While long hours of seiza (kneeling) were a daily routine, a sudden "knee discomfort" one day prompted him to re-evaluate how he approached his body.

Memorial services, tea ceremonies, martial arts – seiza is considered a posture symbolizing politeness and spirituality, and even today, it is sometimes considered the "correct way to sit" depending on the time and situation.

However, from a medical and kinematic perspective, it is known that seiza is one of the postures that places a considerable burden on the knee joint.

Why Seiza Puts a Strain on the Knees

The knee joint is composed of the thigh bone (femur), the shin bone (tibia), and the kneecap (patella), and it plays a role in dispersing and absorbing the impact of movements such as walking and standing up/sitting down.

Normally, the bending and extending of the knee in daily life primarily ranges from approximately 0 degrees (extended state) to around 120 degrees.

However, in seiza, the knee joint is bent at an angle of approximately 150 degrees or more, and the articular surfaces of the thigh bone and shin bone, as well as the kneecap, are strongly pressed together.

At this time, it is said that a force equal to or greater than body weight is applied inside the knee joint, and the burden is particularly concentrated on the articular cartilage and meniscus.

When this is repeated,

・Difficulty extending the knee after seiza

・Feeling different when standing up

・Feeling unwell in the morning

can lead to such discomfort.

"It wasn't excruciatingly painful. But I thought, 'Huh?' The moment I tried to stand up after chanting, I felt discomfort in my knee, and for just a brief moment, a fear crossed my mind: 'If this gets worse, I might not be able to continue.' I was even more anxious because seiza and standing up/sitting down were movements I had repeated as a matter of course. That's when I realized. I can't do anything about it on my own. Instead of holding it in and enduring it alone, I decided to take care of my body by accepting the support available in the world. That's when I encountered 'Ayumi.' I feel like I've cut ties with the bad habit of continuously burdening my knees and have been given a good connection."

Future Plans

The "Ayumi Supporters" will continue their activities to raise awareness about knee care.

In the future, plans include:

・Disseminating information through the ambassadors' own experiences and insights

・Introducing ways of thinking about and addressing knee discomfort

・Recruiting new ambassadors from various backgrounds and living environments

and more.

For those concerned about knee discomfort or anxious about their future walking and daily life, the "Ayumi Supporters" aim to be the initial catalyst for considering knee care.

About Knee Care Supplement "Ayumi"

"Ayumi" is a food with functional claims that supports the daily lives of those who are starting to feel discomfort in their knees during everyday activities such as standing up, sitting down, climbing stairs, and walking.

Focusing on elements that tend to change with age, such as "knee discomfort," "abdominal fat," and "walking ability," it is formulated with a combination of multiple functional ingredients.

As an easy-to-continue "daily habit," it supports the desire to continue walking on one's own for as long as possible.

Product Overview

Product Name: Ayumi

Contents: 1 bag of 90 tablets (approx. 1 month supply, 3 tablets per day)

Ingredients: Black ginger extract (black ginger extract, dextrin) (domestically produced), reduced maltose starch syrup, yeast (containing zinc), indigestible dextrin, proteoglycan-containing salmon nasal cartilage extract (dextrin, salmon nasal cartilage extract), starch, cat's claw extract powder, devil's claw extract powder, seaweed powder, mineral yeast, chicken cartilage extract (containing undenatured type II collagen) / cellulose, vitamin C, vitamin B2, calcium stearate, vitamin B6, silicon dioxide, ferric pyrophosphate, vitamin B12, vitamin D3

Notification Display: [Notification Number: G516]

This product contains polymethoxyflavone derived from black ginger and proteoglycan derived from salmon nasal cartilage. Polymethoxyflavone derived from black ginger has been reported to maintain walking ability in middle-aged and elderly individuals by acting on leg muscle strength, which declines with age. Polymethoxyflavone derived from black ginger has been reported to have the function of reducing abdominal fat (visceral fat and subcutaneous fat) in individuals with a higher BMI (BMI 24 to less than 30) by facilitating fat consumption in energy metabolism during daily activities. Proteoglycan derived from salmon nasal cartilage has been reported to suppress the breakdown of cartilage components in individuals with knee joint discomfort, help protect articular cartilage, improve knee joint mobility and daily knee movements (climbing and descending stairs, walking, standing up, picking up dropped items, sitting), and alleviate knee discomfort upon waking.

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