The world’s most famous cycling race is in the middle of its final week, and Synergy Sponsored cycling group IAM Cycling is in the thick of competition.
This is IAM Cycling’s third time competing in the Tour de France. Over the course of three weeks, athletes endure a constant battle of mental and physical fatigue, changing weather and elements, drastic changes in elevation, as well as the logistical issues of crowding spectators and coordinating caravans and team cars.
Each stage of the race comes with its own set of challenges. In stage 9, IAM Cycling’s Leigh Howard found himself in a position that no one wants to be in—nearly left behind. After stopping to replace both wheels and eventually changing bikes, Howard was in danger of being left in no man’s land and was forced to chase down the group on the descent. To do this, Howard pushed himself to the limit and topped out his speedometer at 122.7 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour).
The Tour de France is a world class example of peak athletic competition. We are honored to know that IAM Cycling athletes are relying on Synergy products to push them through their difficult journey and hope everyone shows them their support as they push through to the last race day on July 24.
Every four years, international champions gather to participate in the ultimate test of athleticism and precision known to mankind—the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Like the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games showcase the tenacity and dedication of the world’s elite Paralympic athletes. Even though these athletes endure physical impairments, they push forward to become great in their sports despite the obstacles they face.
Sonja Tobiassen is no exception. She will be competing in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio on September 10 and 13 representing Norway in air rifle shooting.
Working as a nurse in Norway, Sonja noticed her muscles beginning to weaken in her mid-20s. At the young age of 25, she was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, an incurable disease that interferes with the production of proteins needed to form healthy muscle. Now, 20 years later, Sonja is in a wheelchair and living every day with love and gratitude.
“The little things really mean something to me,” Sonja said. “Things like friends and family and stopping to enjoy the flowers. I live a good life, an independent life, with my daughter who is 17. I’m grateful every day for a house and a car and a sport that I love.”
While in a rehabilitation center in 2010, Sonja participated in an air rifle shooting activity. One man in the room was floored by her natural aim and consistency. Curious to see if Sonja was just having a lucky day, he took her to a shooting simulator where she again proved her natural talent. Soon enough, the Norges Skytterforbund (Norwegian Shooting Association) learned of her gift and, to Sonja’s surprise, a couple years later she found herself competing in London’s 2012 Paralympics.
To prepare for her second Paralympic Games, Sonja is putting a great deal of focus into achieving her goals. Essential to her training and everyday life is being able to take special care of her health.
Like shooting, Sonja found her passion for Synergy by coincidence when Synergy products were first being introduced in Norway. Open to try any quality products that could aid in her energy levels, Sonja gave Synergy products a chance. She began taking Phytolife and Mistify, then incorporated ProArgi-9+ and e9. More recently, she has added Body Prime to her nutritional regimen. Over the years, Sonja has realized just how influential Synergy products are in her daily pursuit to maintain optimal health.
Within the next few months, Sonja will attend three training camps throughout Europe to prepare for Rio. Training has been an emotional roller coaster for Sonja leading up to this year’s Paralympics. When her muscles don’t cooperate, her performance suffers and it’s easy to become discouraged, but she does not give up.
“Our limits are in our heads,” Sonja said. “If you really want something and you work for it, it’s possible. When I got sick, I stopped working. I lost friends. I fell out of everything. Now, I travel around the word. I meet amazing people through my sport. I have a widespread family through shooting that is inclusive and caring. Shooting makes me get up in the morning.”
Interactive Health evaluates the physical health of employees in 2,000 companies throughout the United States each year. Synergy WorldWide employees, in conjunction with Nature’s Sunshine employees, are among the employees tested.
For the ninth year in a row, Interactive Health named Synergy and NSP among the Healthiest Companies in America in 2015. Only 154 of the 2,000 companies tested received this title andonly one other company in Interactive Health’s history has achieved this award for nine consecutive years.
As a wellness company that values its consumers’ health above all else, Synergy WorldWide practices what it preaches. Synergy’s corporate family is composed of individuals who are constantly evaluating and improving their health. In 2015, Synergy participated in a 12-week Fitness Challenge, an annual 5K Fun Run, a Veggie Challenge, the Walktober walking program, the annual health fair, and gym membership reimbursements. These programs keep Synergy employees active and aware of their diet choices. In addition, taking Synergy products are an integral part of employees’ daily routines and are recognized as the cornerstone of optimal health.
Healthy employees create a strong, productive workforce. Synergy WorldWide aims to set an example of health and leave a legacy in this capacity.
She’s a world champion, a world record holder, and an osteopath. Proudly sporting a Synergy logo on her windsurfing sail, she is also Synergy’s newest sponsored athlete who not only uses Synergy products, but shares them with her patients at her medical practice in England.
Zara Davis learned the art of windsurfing when she was 13, but took a hiatus from the sport from the time she was 15 until she was 27. Her employer at the time refueled her love for windsurfing and she hasn’t stopped since. She picked the sport back up quickly and even met her husband while lake windsurfing.
In May 2016, at almost 50 years old, Zara snagged her first-ever world championship title in women’s speed windsurfing while competing at the Dunkerbeck GPS Speed Challenge in Fuerteventura. She not only beat out all of the other women in the competition, but recorded a better time than more than half of the men. Zara is also a six-time Europe speed windsurfing champion and is known by many as “the fastest woman on water” with the world records in the speed windsurfing mile at 34.74 knots and held the 500m world record at 45.83 knots (53mph).
“I love the challenge and I love being at sea,” Zara said. “For whatever reason, I found that I have a natural talent for the sport. It takes years to be good at it, but when you’re good at something, you obviously hone in on that skill. I’m using my talent to inspire youngsters, especially young girls, to take up sports and try windsurfing.”
Windsurfing relies heavily on the quality and structure of a windsurfer’s board and sail. Both structures are built and paired to get the most out of the wind current. A speed windsurfer’s sail is about double the size of a recreational windsurfing sail because it needs to harness as much wind as possible. Zara said the physics of a windsurfing sail can be compared to the physics of an airplane wing. The sail needs to be precisely angled to catch and utilize wind for movement.
Don’t be fooled, though. Not everyone with the right gear can speed windsurf. The more wind a windsurfer harnesses, the more difficult it becomes to hang onto the sail. Successfully controlling a speed windsurfing sail and board requires an incredible amount of strength. Zara stands at 6 feet tall with plenty of lean muscle that she must maintain to be successful at her sport. Her stature is a major advantage in the speed windsurfing world.
“The physics of windsurfing is quite a geeky thing,” Zara said. “The only bit you are sailing on is the back of the board and fin, executing in a speed windsurfing race, especially, requires you to be fit and strong and bold.”
There is a level of bravery that speed windsurfing requires, Zara said. Imagine traveling at 50 miles per hour on water, losing balance, and suddenly smacking down on top of the water. That can’t feel good.
“Everything to do with windsurfing is physically demanding,” Zara said. “The hardest thing is balance and stability. You use every muscle in the body all the time. For this reason, it’s demanding on the cardiovascular system.”
To train on water, Zara travels about four hours from her home on Bristol’s coast to the West Kirby Marine Lake. In addition to working full-time, Zara spends up to 15 hours per week swimming, cycling, running, doing Pilates, and doing suspension training. She maintains a nutritious diet, drinks plenty of water, and makes sure high-quality nutritional supplements are always part of her daily routine. Now, that supplement routine includes ProArgi-9+, e9, Phytolife and Mistify. She is a walking example of health to all of her osteopathy patients.
“I work with a lot of elite athletes and I would be very uncomfortable putting anything in my practice that I knew wasn’t pure,” Zara said.
And as an elite athlete herself, Zara knows a good product when she sees one. The in-depth quality testing and strict production standards that Synergy requires in its manufacturing facility make Zara confident that the company’s products will make a difference in her athletic performance and in the lives of her patients.
Synergy WorldWide traveled to Kentucky to personally congratulate the newest SLMsmart 90-day Challenge ChampionEric Polandand learn more about his SLMsmart journey. A devoted family man and employee of the only Corvette manufacturing plant in the world, Eric lost 40 lbs. (20% of his starting body weight) and 7 inches from his waist.
Eric’s success of this year sets an important example for many, as this was NOT his first attempt to lose weight. In fact, Eric participated in last year’s SLMsmart Challenge, the yearEva Miller won her well-deserved grand prize. That year, 2015, Eric was able to lose an impressive 20 lbs. but lost momentum halfway through the competition after experiencing family and employment challenges. Remarkably, Eric was able to recommit himself a year later and become the SLMsmart Champion we celebrate today!
We commend Eric for getting “back in the saddle” this year and claiming the first place prize. Utilizing the Corvette plant’s gym during his breaks, eating a healthy diet of produce and proteins, and incorporating Synergy products into his daily regimen, Eric was able to make his weight loss goals a reality.
Enjoy the video above to see how Eric and his family have been enjoying the benefits of his newly achieved level of Elite Health.
Mountains, rivers, valleys, wildflowers, trees, lakes, wildlife—the outdoors are calling! It’s the perfect time of the year to get outside and enjoy the beauty around you. Did you know that simply spending time in nature is actually beneficial to your mental and physical health? Check out these remarkable benefits you will experience by getting out of your house and basking in the tranquility of the natural world.
1. IMPROVED MEMORY AND CONCENTRATION
Clearly, there’s something about fresh air and an open landscape that does the brain good. Here’s proof. In a study conducted by the University of Michigan, a group of students were issued a memory test and then split into two groups upon completing the test. Both groups went for a walk. One group went on a walk through the forest while the other group went through the city. Upon completing their walks, they took the memory test again. Those who walked through the forest scored higher on the test than those who didn’t.
RESTORED ENERGY
Researchers call the occasional brain fogs you experience “mental fatigue.” You know, the feeling you get when you completely forget your train of thought. Exposing your mind to natural environments can have a restorative effect on mental energy and focus. There have even been studies suggesting that experiencing natural beauty can elicit feelings of awe and can be a quick way to provide a mental boost. Bring a pack ofSynergy’s e9 formulaalong with you for an extra boost of natural energy.
2. RELIEF FROM DAILY STRESS
Countless studies have been performed to prove that spending time in nature, even looking at scene of nature from a window, lowers levels of cortisol—the “stress hormone.” Many of these studies have noticed that in connection with stress reduction, spending time in the great outdoors cultivates a positive attitude and mindfulness. As naturalist John Burroughs stated, “I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.”
3. BOOSTED IMMUNE SYSTEM
A study conducted in Japan in 2010 asked a group of individuals to camp outside for three days and two nights. Researchers discovered that white blood cell activity increased resulting in white blood cell production. These types of cells kill illnesses, such as cold and flu viruses, and other common infections, so take your daily dose ofMisticaand head outside!
4. IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH
Globally, about 350 million people struggle with depression and one in the three people deal with anxiety. Scientists at Stanford University published a study in Proceeding of the National Academy of Science that shows those who walked in a natural setting opposed to an urban setting had decreased activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain that focuses repeatedly on negative emotions. Many medical professionals are now suggesting nature therapy as part of prescribed mental health regimens.
The benefits of spending time outdoors are overwhelming and life-altering, so put on your hiking shoes, go birdwatching, take a dip in a lake, or relax at a campground with family and friends. It doesn’t matter what activity you choose, just make sure to take advantage of the warm seasons and claim the natural benefits the outdoors has to offer.
For most, finishing a marathon is an incredible feat of endurance and strength, but for ultramarathon runners, 42 km is just the beginning.
Ultramarathons are any race longer than the standard 42.195 km marathon. They range from anywhere between 50 km to thousands of kilometers, and some of these races take multiple days to complete.
For Marcel Höche, a Synergy sponsored athlete, these races are his life. At 22, the German ultrarunner is one of the youngest competitors in the sport. He is the German National Champion for the under-23s in ultrarunning and in 2015 he set a Best Performer 12h run for his category, meaning no competitor his age was running farther than him in a 12-hour period.
Marcel fell in love with competitive sports at 7-years old and ran his first ultramarathon when he was only 19. Since then, he has held a sincere passion for racing stating simply that it’s just what he likes to do.
His training is extensive and tedious, with daily routines constantly switching between long- distance runs (30 km at 4:20 per km) and speed sessions that allow him to push his body to its limits as an athlete. Due to the heavy physical toll caused by ultramarathons, Marcel began using Synergy products in February 2016 to help him train and to aid in his performance during competitions.
“When I started to train harder, I changed my diet and Synergy’s products have really helped me with that,” he said.
A big fan of Synergy’s V3 System, Marcel uses Mistify each day to help with the physical stress the sport places on his body.
He is also a firm believer in ProArgi-9+, using the products multiple times throughout the day both in training and in competition.
“I like e9 a lot, it has everything I need in a tough situation,” Marcel said. “Minerals, energy and amino acids. It really is a perfect mixture of everything that I need to perform well.”
But even with physical training, proper diet, and the help of supplemental nutrition, Ultramarathon runners are inevitably met with some very difficult moments.
“In every race I hit a wall,” Marcel said. “When that happens, it becomes incredibly difficult for me. The most extreme instance was when I set the 12 hour Best Performance in 2015.”
Marcel said that he had been running for over 7 hours and still needed another 5 hours in order to complete his performance, but his body was struggling and he started to shut down mentally.
“I began talking to myself,” he said. “I remember saying, ‘Marcel, it’s only one more marathon, just one more and then you will be the best in the world in your age class.’ I had to tell myself to keep going, to just do it. No matter what, I knew I needed to keep moving forward. And that mindset really saved me.”
Marcel has been actively competing in ultrarunning for the past 3 years, some of his latest achievements and results include:
3rd Overall - Innsbruck Alpine Trailrun Festival 65 Km 30.04.2016
Marcel continues to perform at top levels within the sport and is looking forward to continuing his good form for future races. He has his sights set on an ultramarathon race in Germany this summer and is fully prepared to put everything he has into giving his best performance.
Competing in the oldest and most prestigious cycling competition in the world, IAM Cycling is putting a world class effort into each grueling stage. Most recently, IAM Cycling’s Jarlinson Pantano won 1st place in Stage 15, while Jérôme Coppel took 4th place in Stage 13, and Stef Clement took 4th place in Stage 12. These Synergy sponsored riders are definitely making a name for themselves in the competition! Click here to stay updated on each stage and check the current ranking of all the competitors and teams.
