Beauty + nutrition = beautrition
MANILA, Philippines - I’m tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That’s deep enough. What do you want — an adorable pancreas?” said the American author and playwright Jean Kerr. But she is more well known for her humorous writing style. The rest of us who want to be beautiful inside out aspire for something more. Pancreas, skin, bones, eyes, heart. If all can be beautiful, why not? This is what makes the “beautrition” tag line of Athena especially appealing. More than just strengthening bones, the milk brand for women manufactured by Unilab Nutritionals touts additional benefits such as nutrition and beauty.
“You could say that this is a healthy way of maintaining beauty,” says Brenda Miranda, Unilab Nutritionals Division head. “Women nowadays are multi-faceted. This is why we celebrate womanhood and support their multi-tasking lifestyles by creating a milk formula for them.” Miranda explains that apart from its high-calcium content to promote bone strengthening, Athena is fortified with antioxidants like vitamins A and E and zinc to help skin become more beautiful. In addition, the milk’s low-fat content is specifically designed to help women maintain slimmer figures.
“Modern women are more aware of the connection between beauty and good nutrition,” says Miranda. “We want to be beautiful for our families and for ourselves. We want to stay healthy to be able to celebrate life.”
Indeed, the new milk brand is aptly named. Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom and war, and certainly, it is the wise modern woman who is able to harness all available resources to effectively wage war against the deleterious effects of aging and everyday stress. More than that, however, the goddess Athena is also the patroness of household arts and crafts, of spinning and weaving. As inventor of the flute, the plough, ox-yoke, horse bridle, and the chariot, she is also the guardian of the city named for her; defender of heroes, champion of justice and civil law. In a nutshell, Athena wears many hats. Just like the versatile and talented woman of today.
At the launch of the new milk product, Bianca Araneta-Elizalde was presented as the face of the resourceful Athena woman. More well known as a model, TV host, environmentalist, and philanthropist, she is also a caring wife and hands-on mother to two young children. “It’s great to have a low-fat product with antioxidant benefits,” she says. “I look forward to Athena being a regular part of my diet.”
Likewise, three brand influencers were chosen to represent Athena’s triad of benefits consisting of strength, body, and beauty. TV host Lia Cruz was chosen to represent strength; beauty queen and health/fitness buff Sandra Seifert to represent body; and model, fashion icon and The Philippine STAR columnist Rissa Mananquil to embody beauty.
“It can be difficult to be a woman in a testosterone-filled environment,” says Lia. “In a business dominated by men, you have to stand your ground, be confident, and know what you are talking about.” She says that being fit and healthy helps boost confidence, and a product such as Athena gives her the energy to get through an active day.
“Becoming vegetarian is one of the best choices I’ve made,” says Sandra Seifert, who keeps fit by means of swimming, boxing, yoga, and regular visits to the gym. How important is beauty and nutrition in her life? “Coming from a ‘beauty queen background’ it keeps me on the path of being a good example to other women. You should be healthy if you want to look good.”
Rissa Mananquil reveals that good nutrition is one of the best beauty secrets. “How we eat can reflect physically,” she asserts. “When we talk about diets, we usually think of single, temporary programs. But what counts is how you eat, overall. When you take care of what’s inside, you’ll look good outside. Good nutrition can turn simple to stunning.” She believes that apart from beauty, good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle redound to added benefits such as improved posture, better moods, and a more positive outlook in life.
“We at Unilab are delighted to launch a product designed, formulated, and created for women,” says Nutritionals head Brenda Miranda. “This is a celebration of the Athena in every Filipino woman.”
But perhaps, even men should benefit from the milk, too.
