How Shower Temperature Affects Your Health

How often do you think about your body when checking the water temperature? Right before you jump in the shower, and you’re adjusting colder or hotter, depending on your level of preference. Or nerve sensitivity – do you consider degrees, even in the slightest? In all actuality, it’s a subject very few people generally explore. If you’re cold, the shower is hot – and that makes us enjoy getting clean all the more. End of story. But what if there were more to it?

Believe it or not, your shower temperature can actually have a direct correlation to your level of health. For instance, taking a cooler shower when suffering from a fever will help it break. While taking too hot a shower can actually make a cold worse. A shower that’s too hot can also work to dry out the skin, cause you to be extra thirsty, or even create minor burns. While chilling yourself – on purpose or because the hot water’s been used – can force you to cower and strain muscles. Or lead to an all-day chill that sinks to your core. A fact that will likely lead to a bad mood as well. 

These might sound small, but when repeated on a daily basis, they can work to greatly negate and deteriorate certain health factors. Especially the skin and how it holds up with daily hydration practices. 

Finding the “right” temperature, however, can work to jumpstart each time you get clean. A shower with a medium temp still gets the job done, but without creating unnecessary side effects. Even if they’re unknowingly caused along the way.

The next time you take a shower, consider the water temperature and how it might potentially affect your daily health routine. Even slight adjustments can work toward ongoing, yet significant, improvements. 

Continue Reading

Are Sleep Apnea Sufferers More Susceptible to Heart Disease?

Anyone who has dealt with sleep apnea knows just how deep of a toll it can take on the body. It causes you to lose sleep, making you tired, and all while reducing one’s restfulness in the process. Over time, this can lead to added stress and a deeper level of misunderstanding as to what’s actually taking place within your body. 

With the results of a recent study, however, there might be far more taking place beneath the surface. According to the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, it also makes you more susceptible to cardiac arrest. Due to the continued stress sleep apnea can cause, folks reach a higher level of potential heart damage. Specifically, high blood pressure, stroke, and even heart failure. 

The study also shows the main correlation between the two conditions comes directly from the lack of sleep. Paired with stress, and the two side effects only continue to feed off one another, only worsening their effects. In contrast, regular rest and a stress-free environment leads to better heart health overall. Factors that work to lengthen its lifespan on a daily basis.  

If you’re concerned about your chances at heart disease from sleep apnea, schedule a time to talk to your doctor. Or read up on the study to learn just how much you could be affected. It’s also a good idea to talk to your sleep specialist or sleep apnea doctor to ensure you’re taking the best steps possible to keep your symptoms at bay. By working to eliminate this disease, you can work to reduce your chances at heart disease. While gaining some much needed sleep along the way. [Montgomery Advertiser]

Get started and open up the conversation on sleep apnea to better your health and sleep practices today. 

Continue Reading

Customer Reviews: the Contour Ortho-Fiber Pillow

You’ve heard about it. Maybe you’ve considered trying it yourself. You might have even read up on the specs to see if it’s the right pillow for your and your sleeping needs. Whatever the hesitation, however, we’re here to put your mind at ease. Not only can you try the pillow with our 90-day guarantee (that means if you don’t like it, you don’t pay. Not even for a disposal charge!), we’re here to share why others have loved it so much. 

From those with neck pains to those just looking for a more comfortable way to sleep, here’s what real Ortho-Fiber users have to say about their experiences. 

“This pillow is just the right size! Fits my head perfectly and cradles the neck -- no ‘getting used to’ period needed! Seriously so comfortable!!” Tracy, December, 2014

“Haven't slept through the whole night forever. I do now.” Jim, November, 2014

“This pillow gives great support to the neck while sleeping. No matter whether I'm on my side or back I feel supported to ease neck pain and keep my spine in alignment. Welcome replacement for my older model that I've used for a number of years.” October, 2014

“It would take me forever to go to sleep, then never a restful sleep! Now ten minutes I'm asleep and for all night. Great product!” August, 2014

“I have trouble sleeping so I was looking for a pillow that would help me breath and not snore. I use the strips on my nose and elevate myself but my chin would still drop down and obstruct my breathing. This pillow does just what I hoped! Thanks.” Larry, July, 2014

“Love it. I was looking for one for a long time, to replace the one I had.” June, 2014

To learn more about the Ortho-Fiber Pillow, or to get started shopping, head to our product page today.

Continue Reading

Perks of a Properly Aligned Neck

Few people worry about the alignment of their neck. Unless it’s hurting or causing some sort of health risk, they assume it’s taking care of itself. And don’t think much else about the neck. But when we consider everything that the neck does – or rather, what can go wrong when it isn’t functioning properly – it’s actually one of the first things we should be looking out for. 

A misaligned neck can cause headaches, pinched nerves, affect balance, and more. But when taken care of – supported by a foam pillow or adjusted by a medical professional – there’s plenty to be gained.

Ongoing Neck Care Can Offer:

Height – stand tall when the neck is fully straight and in place. It’s better for your posture, and for keeping the vertebrae in place.  

Proper mobility – when out of whack, it’s difficult to turn and view one’s surroundings, especially behind and to the sides. Better alignment, however, eliminates this issue, along with any pains that might come with it. 

Comfort – the neck can often trigger pains we didn’t even know were associated with its alignment. Headaches, back and shoulder issues, and more can all be solved with an in-line neck. 

Better understanding of health – if you know how it feels to be aligned, you’ll soon know how it feels when you’re out of place. Identifying this issue quickly can reduce long-term side effects by addressing misalignment immediately. 

Better circulation – this can improve health on its own, while also restoring range of motion in the neck and surrounding muscles, which reduces stress and tension within the body. 

Just because the neck doesn’t receive much attention doesn’t mean it isn’t an important part of the body. Or that it shouldn’t be looked after on a nightly basis. Consider upgrading your neck care routine today for an easy way to gain ongoing health benefits. 

Continue Reading

How to Achieve Better Bunion Health

There are a number of Americans who suffer from bunions each and every day. Despite the pain and discomfort they cause, however, as well as embarrassment and inability to wear certain shoes, they receive little attention. A fact that becomes even more surprising considering there are simple cures that can help reduce or eliminate their appearance, as well as their side effects.

First of all, however, what causes bunions? What are they? Generally appearing in older folks, bunions are bony growths that appear on the side of one’s foot. Usually right off the big toe. They can be made worse by wearing improper or unsupportive shoes, though bunions also commonly appear through genetics. Even when feet have been properly cared for. Previous foot injuries can also increase the chance of bunions. 

To cure them, however, there are simple steps one can take. First off, if you’re not wearing proper shoes, get them. They don’t have to be granny shoes or approved for orthopedics, but should fully support and offer the big toe plenty of breathing room. On all sides. Next look to toe alignment devices, such as a toe brace. They will help pull pressure off the foot and keep everything in place, reducing pain in the process. Foot exercises, ice, and pain medications can also help lower symptoms and increase strength.

If none of the above works or if your bunion continues to worsen, it might be time to talk to your doctor about more invasive or more effective treatment options. Surgery has helped a number of patients, but should be seen as a last resort option, not as a first-instance cure-all. 

To learn more about bunions, or to discuss treatment options that are best suited for your needs, get in touch with your healthcare professional today. 

Continue Reading

Can Yoga Eliminate the Need for Back Surgery?

One woman, in her fight against back pain, has found a natural cure. Not through diet, not though an old wives tale, but though yoga. Though she likely keeps a healthy diet and works toward other natural cures – staples in the yoga culture – Rachel Brathen, 26, says the exercise is her primary source of back wellness. And it’s been working since she was a teenager. 

Born with scoliosis, Brathen also encountered two injuries as a child – a car wreck and a white water rafting accident. Both of which worsened the condition of her spine. Doctors recommended surgery to reduce her pain and help realign the spine. However, Brathen’s aunt had undergone a similar surgery (both she and Brathen’s mother also had scoliosis), and though it relieved her pain, most of her spine movement was eliminated in the process. 

When contemplating this decision, she was told about the use of yoga for back pain, and decided to try it before going under the knife. Years later and an instructor’s certification, she’s never looked back. Brathen’s back pain is cured, and she’s more flexible than ever. 

Will Yoga Cure your Back Pain?

Perhaps. Though significant or detailed research has yet to be done, Brathen isn’t the only one with a yoga success story. She, and countless others, first started with simple and strengthening classes in order to gain the best results. A step that allowed her to repair the back and increase flexibility on a small (but very effective) scale. Additionally, as Brathen mentioned, because it was a non-invasive treatment, she had nothing to lose.

Then, once her back began to make progress, she was able to take on more complicated classes. Now she’s able to perform complicated balances and moves. 

Talk to your doctor to see if you’re healthy enough for yoga and see what it can do for your back pain. Or, to read more about Brathen’s story, check out the full story.  

Continue Reading

Tips for Sleeping Better with a Cold

When stuffed up or not feeling your best, the thing you need most in life is sleep. However, when the airways aren’t clear, rest not only becomes difficult, but virtually impossible to find. Instead, we’re stuck coughing in order to better breathe and fall into a deep level of sleep. 

Pillows can certainly be stacked, or medicines taken to help remove mucus. Having an upset stomach brings on another set of issues altogether, causing you to feel nauseous when getting comfortable. But not without side effects, or wearing off too quickly. And stacked pillows always seem to lump and flatten throughout the night.  

Enter the MiniMax. 

This little guy is specifically designed to increase comfort, clear airways, and allow you to get comfortable through any number of symptoms. And because it’s adjustable, sleepers can choose various positions to meet their needs. As well as to beat whatever issues are keeping them from sleep. 

Use the MiniMax through flu season, to beat allergies, or for all of the above. Whether they take place throughout the spring, winter, or run into the summer as well. Simply adjust your MiniMax as needed to gain better and deeper rest each and every night. That can mean the size of wedge or height of your incline, or another position that allows comfort throughout the entire body. 

Elevate the head and shoulders to clear out your sinuses, raise the legs to help reduce nausea, or lay on the wedge while falling asleep to help reduce coughing or other symptoms that prevent rest. 

Treat Flu and Allergies with the MiniMax Multi-Position Wedge

Because the MiniMax is, well, mini, you can take it wherever you go. That means allergy relief while traveling. Sleep with the flu once heading to the couch, and more. Order one for your spouse as well; they’re affordable enough to stock up for the whole family!

To learn more or start receiving relief today, check out our MiniMax product page.

Continue Reading

4 Ways Winter Can get you Out of Whack

By now, winter has been the season for multiple months. Meaning virtually everyone is tired of the cold – even those who generally love winter have had their fill of chilly months and cold precipitation. Especially those who’ve undergone multiple snowstorms. No matter your stance on winter, however, there is far more to the season than just how it affects our mood and our personal temperature. 

Keep these additional issues in mind during winter months to plan for better overall health.

4. Ice Jarring

Even the least accident prone among us have fallen victim to a slick patch of ice. Whether completely falling down or hitting a patch and struggling to find balance (you know, the really graceful act where your arms are flailing and look like you got attacked by a pack of bees), it can get your muscles out of whack. As well as your bone or spine alignment. 

3. Shivering

Trying to get warm leads the body to huddle and scrunch in some seriously unnatural ways. Though you might not notice it at the time, straining to get warm can pull or tense muscles, potentially causing injury. 

2. Dehydration

A constantly running heater can cause seriously dry skin. However, you might not feel excessively thirsty, even when you’re in need of H20. Dry skin can also itch and be susceptible to rashes or sores, diminishing its health in the process.

1. Eating Habits

When we’re cold, nothing sounds better than a heavy meal. Or a hot cup of coffee. However, these steamy and rich habits can slow down the digestion process, as well as cause us to take in too much caffeine. 

To avoid some of these winter-based side effects, one of the best places to start is simply being aware of what they can do. Take note of your winter environment, along with habits, to start avoiding the above today. 

Continue Reading