Striking a Chord: The Musical Roots of 120/Life

In the world of music, it's all about balance and composition. Interestingly, the same principles can be applied to our health. Today, we bring you a Q&A with our very own Ira Antelis - a distinguished music producer who, after facing his own health challenges, channeled his expertise into the creation of 120/Life. This beverage not only promotes heart health but also bridges his dual passions for music and well-being. Let's delve into his journey, exploring how he harmonized the realms of music and health to benefit others.

Q1: From being a renowned music producer to creating 120/Life, how did your personal health journey intertwine with your musical career and inspire the creation of 120/Life?

As someone who has always understood the benefits of staying healthy, I was shocked to learn that my blood pressure had gotten extremely high. So, I applied the passion I have always had for music to my blood pressure. I wanted to do everything I could to figure out the solution to the problem. It was like understanding a piece of music. What are the drums doing? What is the bass doing? What about the violins? I sought as many details as I could. However, it became a series of different questions: What causes high blood pressure? What should you eat or drink? How do genetics come into play, and what should you avoid?

Q2: 120/Life blends six natural ingredients promoting heart health. How does this formulation reflect your approach to music and creativity?

In retrospect, music has always been about combinations for me. You create a piece of music, and most of the time, there are multiple things going on: the singer, the piano, the drums, the acoustic guitar, and more. As I explored many different ingredients that had studies showing how they lowered blood pressure, figuring out how to combine them was very similar to composing a piece of music. A good example is olive leaf extract. I knew it could not work with tart cherry juice, but I knew pomegranate juice could work in combination with tart cherry juice.

Q3: After your personal encounter with high blood pressure, how has your perspective on heart health evolved?

If you think of the heart as your melody and develop from there, it’s similar to a theme and what surrounds it. What I’ve learned is that your health has to have many pieces working together. Let's say your heart seems fine, but your cholesterol is bad, you’re not sleeping well, you’re not exercising, and you're consuming too much fried food and salt; at some point, you are in trouble. If you have this beautiful melody and surround it with an extremely loud electric guitar combined with crash cymbals, it too will fall apart. Again, it usually takes many things working in harmony to have a successful piece and well-balanced health.

Q4: How do you use your musical background to amplify the importance of heart health education through 120/Life?

It’s interesting that I have encountered many talented musicians who never understood the need to continue working hard, practice, and listen to every possible kind of music, which will expand your musical ability. It’s the same with heart health. Many think they understand it without continuing their education and learning more about as many things as possible. Being open, especially as you get older, is critical. One of the joys of my blood pressure journey is the constant learning and admitting I have so much more to do.

Q5: How does 120/Life allow you to express your passion for heart health and make a difference, especially for those with high blood pressure?

Perhaps the best thing about 120/Life for me is that I created it when I was close to 60. The desire to discover, to live healthier, and to continue to be passionate about everything may be an example for many who start to settle as they get older. For me, it's exactly the opposite. I wake up enthused, and every time I speak with a customer (I am the customer rep) who has had a positive experience with our product, or I have helped them by listening and answering some questions, it's honestly very exhilarating.

Q6: How have lifestyle changes and 120/Life together contributed to your heart-healthy journey?

The first thing one must do is understand that what worked when you were younger does not apply. You need to sleep; pulling all-nighters will not work. You must give up some habits that can really affect your health negatively. Yes, I’d love to have Häagen-Dazs and Oreos every night just like I used to, but I can’t. It will have a detrimental impact on my health. The passion to live healthily now means much more. For one, when you are young, you think you are invincible. As you get older and you start to experience loss and health issues, you realize you need to do everything you can to stay fit and healthy because otherwise, things can take a turn quickly.

Q7: What are your future plans to expand 120/Life's impact and continue advocating for heart health?

The first expansion just happened. Years ago, my closest friends mentioned to me that because they are diabetic, they cannot drink 120/Life. I also learned that 70% of those who are diabetic have high blood pressure. I was determined to work with my team and create a powder that diabetics could drink. We just put it out, and calling my closest friends and sending them our powder was very exciting. Telling them it has 1 gram of carbs and 1 gram of sugar was just as exciting. Now we are discussing other incarnations, including a version high in potassium, from natural ingredients of course.

Q8: Can you share a challenging and a triumphant moment from your 120/Life journey?

To be honest, one of the biggest challenges we had was taking this formula that was created in my kitchen and mass-producing it. Problems I never even thought of occurred and required us to figure out some other options. For example, some powders are extremely difficult to dissolve, but in my kitchen, I never understood those things. On the other hand, nothing is more exciting than when we have a review or a call talking about how our drink has helped them when nothing else would. Countless reviews like that.

Q9: What advice would you offer to others facing health challenges, based on your experiences with natural interventions and lifestyle changes?

Whatever health issue you have probably did not happen in one day. If you are overweight, if you are out of breath while walking up the stairs, don’t expect the solution to your problem to be instant. It’s like the New Year’s resolutions that don’t work. I say do a little at a time. So maybe regarding high blood pressure, you start by saying I will eat snacks that are unsalted. Then a month later you add on. You might commit to walking around the block for 10 minutes. It’s sort of how I learned music. I started by learning different chords but not all at once. I remember this with clarity. I committed to learning every major chord in every inversion in a month's time. Then I went on to minor chords. It’s really the model of my life. Small steps.

Q10: How does 120/Life aim to build a supportive community for individuals on their heart health journeys?

It is about the individual, and for me, listening to them. It’s one of the reasons I like to communicate with those who choose to call and email. Countless people in their 70s and 80s that I listen and talk with who need help with some very basic things. You help them, and in turn, many will say I told my friend about your product or even I want to purchase your product for my son. Small steps, one person at a time.