The "WOMAN'S BEAUTY FESTIBAL" will be held on March 21st at the Beauty Apothecary in Isetan Shinjuku, proposing methods for all women who wish to remain true to themselves, beautiful, and healthy, both now and in the future. We spoke with Beniko Kishi, representative director of the NPO Japan Holistic Beauty Association, which co-sponsored the event, about her methods for becoming a dignified, beautiful woman, both inside and out.

■Holistic Beauty: Self-Management of Mind and Body

"Holistic" means whole or comprehensive. Kishi first encountered holistic medicine during her university days, witnessing her grandparents' battle with illness. Holistic medicine derives from the idea that the body and mind are one and that the whole body should be viewed, rather than just one part. Many of the treatments are natural therapies that enhance the body's natural healing powers, using aromatherapy, reflexology, herbal medicines, Chinese medicine, and herbs found in the local environment to boost the body's immune system and natural healing abilities. At the time, Kishi was working as a reader model for a women's magazine. Her belief that "beauty isn't just on the outside, it comes from within" connected with holistic thinking, and she arrived at holistic beauty, which aims to "maintain a balance between mind and body and create beauty from within while activating the body's innate healing powers." Surprisingly, the topic of her university graduation thesis was also "holistic beauty." Even today, Kishi practices a "holistic lifestyle" that involves going to bed early, getting up early, being mindful of what she eats, and relying as little as possible on medication. However, there was a turning point before she founded the NPO Japan Holistic Beauty Association in 2006. ■ A busy life that left me feeling down in my 20s. I decided to reset and focus on my body and mind.

After graduating from university, Kishi started a beauty-related marketing company and became absorbed in her work. "I was extremely busy, and while running my company I had a serial column in the media and was involved in developing concepts for cosmetics, and I really worked hard. But then I collapsed. From my late 20s to early 30s I suffered from stress-induced asthma and endometriosis one after the other. I was addicted to steroid inhalants and hormones, and although I got married I was told I couldn't have children. My lifestyle was far from the holistic lifestyle I was aiming for. I wondered what the point of that thesis was!? (laughs). I thought I would die if I continued like this, so I decided to reset, reexamine my body and mind, and get back to normal, to be myself." From then on, by living a morning-oriented lifestyle and eating properly, her mind and body regained their health, and she was able to get pregnant and give birth, something that she had been told was impossible.

"It's important not to ignore what your mind and body are telling you. If you feel like your breathing is shallow or uncomfortable, try taking a deep breath. Just do some small maintenance tasks here and there to prevent major imbalances. The stress-related and female hormone-related illnesses I experienced can happen to any woman, even if she lives a normal life."

■The Body We Inherited From Our Grandmother

"In fact, we inherit half of our bodies from our grandmothers. The primordial follicles that become us were already being produced when our mothers were fetuses. That's why our bodies, which were built with our grandmothers' programming, are surprised by modern life. Our bodies can't keep up with eating foods full of additives, being exposed to electromagnetic waves, getting frustrated at work, and the lack of ovarian rest because we're not having children. It's unfortunate that there are women who go through life without really understanding their own bodies and then regret it later, so I want to teach them early on that maintenance is important, both for their personal lives and for continuing to work for a long time."

■The secret to maintaining healthy beauty

When asked about the secret to Kishi's healthy beauty, she said that her daily life is the same as that of any other person. "I think it's paying attention to little things. If I feel like I've eaten too much today, I make sure to tighten my abdominal muscles even when I'm sitting and talking. When I'm on the train, I stand on my tiptoes, and when I'm sitting on a chair or sofa, I sit up straight instead of leaning against the backrest. Small things are fine, just don't push yourself too hard." She also pays attention to what she puts in her mouth and on her skin, saying, "Being able to feel nature through organic products is very important in urban life."

"I want people to be conscious of always keeping organic and natural things close to them in their daily lives. Humans are animals, too, so being cut off from nature can be very stressful. Whether it's plants, essential oils, using organic shampoo, or eating dried fruit, it's important to keep the blessings of plants and nature close to you."

Kishi will serve as MC at the event on the 21st. She expressed her desire to provide guests with tips and suggestions on how to live a natural lifestyle that incorporates organic ingredients during her talks. "We hope that this event will be an opportunity for women who are usually busy to take time for themselves, by taking care of themselves and gaining knowledge to improve themselves."


[Event Details]
"Beauty Apothecary WOMAN'S BEAUTY FESTIVAL"
Date: Monday, March 21, 2016 (a substitute holiday)
Time: 11:30am - 8pm
Venue: Isetan Shinjuku Main Building, B2F = Beauty Apothecary Park/Promotion / 7F = Banquet Room
http://isetan.mistore.jp/store/shinjuku/floor/main_b2f/apothecary/index.html

【Profile】
Kishi Beniko
Representative Director of the NPO Japan Holistic Beauty Association. She encountered holistic medicine during her university days and researched many alternative therapies. After starting her own business, she returned to a holistic lifestyle after her own experience of battling illness. She founded the NPO Japan Holistic Beauty Association in 2006 and launched the "Holistic Beauty Certification" in 2010. In addition to sharing ways to enhance one's natural healing power and self-care through certifications and seminars both in Japan and overseas, she is active in a variety of media including magazines, the web, newspapers, television and radio. In recent years, she has promoted fermented foods, which improve the intestinal environment, as "bacteria activity," which has become a big hit. She herself cultivates koji mold, lactic acid bacteria, yeast and other bacteria to handcraft a variety of fermented foods.