4 Holiday Gift Ideas That Will Please Even the Most Difficult of Relatives

It's that time of year when we start making our holiday gift lists. Writing down who we need to shop for, and what items we'd like to provide. Yet no matter how many people or gifts might be on our list, it seems to be easier with a guide. Tips from which you can use to help you shop, and pointers for keeping everyone on your list happy. Even those who have "everything" and who are downright hard to please.

Made the most out of your shopping efforts – with both your time and money – by sticking to these crowd favorites.

Seat Cushions

Anymore, it's normal for folks to sit through a majority of the day. Make those hours more enjoyable with a quality cushion that will add comfort, and help eliminate ongoing pains that can come from muscles that sit.  That;s why a cushion like the Kabooti makes a gift everyone would appreciate.

Pillows

If you don't understand the importance of a good pillow, it's likely because you've never had one. Help your loved ones sleep better and better every single night with a new quality pillow.

Mattress Pads

Just like pillows, the comfort level of one's bed is of huge importance. Add a lot of cushion (with a small price tag) for a gift that's sure to be appreciated.

Desk Accessories

With just a few upgrades, a desk can add functionality while eliminating pains. Consider a thoughtful present like wrist cushions or a natural keyboard that works with the body rather than against it for a unique gift that's perfect for any office worker on your list. 

A Body Pillow

An often-underrated bedroom feature sits with the body pillow, an accessory that adds full-body support when sleeping or just looking to get comfortable. Consider adding one or several to your list for some seriously satisfied giftees. 

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Travel with the Inflatable BackMax

Traveling is generally something we love – it’s a chance to see new things or visit with old friends. To get out of the house and have a break from work, or life, or whatever else might be wearing you down. 

But that doesn’t mean that getting to your destination is always a picnic. More often than not, travel calls for rides in multiple vehicles and lots and lots of sitting. And just when you think it’s almost over, yes there’s even more sitting. However, for those suffering from medical problems, traveling logistics are even more unpleasant. 

But thanks to the inflatable BackMax, those of all ailments can gain relief on the go. Because air can be added (and then removed) as needed, patients have easy access to comfort, support, and extreme pain relief. Without having to transfer a bulky or heavy pillow on their trip. 

How it Works

The inflatable BackMax comes with the same setup as the original. Multiple wedges that can be moved and rearranged as needed to account for some of the worst pains or conditions. Including acid reflux, surgery recovery, chronic back pains, aches, and more. And because most of these ailments are put on high alert when traveling (whether from sleeping in a different bed or eating foods your body isn’t accustomed to), it’s also the time when you need relief the most. Especially for those who might be on the road for a big surgery – extra recovery time, and plenty of resting afterwards. Even when in the car.

To make the most out of your traveling logistics, the inflatable BackMax can help make the trip. Cutting out pains and lowering symptoms along every step of the way. Consider ordering yours today – and in plenty of time for your next big trip. 

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Products to ease your pregnancy growing pains

Growing another person is no easy business. It’s nine full months of eating, prepping, and planning for a brand new human to come into the world. And oftentimes that means being uncomfortable – no matter how comfortable you try and become. With the excess weight (especially when it’s unbalanced), boating, constant sickness, and any other discomfort of being pregnant, it’s simply hard to ease the body into the resting state that you so hard want to achieve. 

Whether you’re experiencing actual pains or just frustrations, there are plenty of products designed just for you. And available just in time for Mother’s Day! (Or rather, Mother-to-be Day.)

Pillows, such as the Flip Pillow and L Pillow offer great relief. Adjust and turn as needed in order to rotate support and place cushioning right where you need it most. While the Back Wedge will help ease spinal pressure – perfect for reading in bed or relaxing and watching TV. 

When sitting, the Kabooti Cushion will displace weight, and ease pain off of the tailbone, which can become more severe with pregnancy. 

And, for extreme cases – which is to say toward the end of your pregnancy – enlist the help of the BackMax Plus. A full body pain relief solution. Rearrange in order to reduce pressure, add comfort, or simply give the back a break. It also comes in a smaller version, the MiniMax, for a more portable or affordable version. 

Finally, to-be moms can gain leg and back relief with the Leg Pillow and the Double Back. Each of which is placed between the legs to provide alignment. While sleeping, or just when resting throughout the day. 

Being pregnant can be rough, especially when trying to sleep. Treat yourself this Mother’s Day (or any day) and get some much needed help from our Contour faves. 

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New Product! The Inflatable BackMax Body Wedge

Love the BackMax but need something more convenient for travel or storage? You’re in luck! Our new version of the product allows you to inflate and deflate at your convenience, creating a cushion that’s as flexible as your schedule. Air it up with the provided pump to recover after a surgery, or pack it along for your next trip. It’ll ensure comfortable resting no matter the sleeping situation. With this inflatable product, you’re able to get the pain relief you deserve in a user-friendly, mobile package, and without losing any of the comfort or support that comes with a traditional BackMax Plus. 

The BackMax Plus works by offering users three specifically designed wedges – that can be used separately or together – to form the perfect position. By combining or removing pieces, patients can best support body parts that need it, while choosing to bypass the ones that don’t. Or, use all three pieces at once to create the ultimate zero gravity position. It’s one that also promotes oxygen flow and circulation, to even further speed along the healing process. 

The BackMax Body Wedge Can Also:

• Be adjusted to different levels of firmness – use less air for a softer feel, or fill it up for extra firmness. 
• Be purchased in three different sizes, so you’re sure to find the right fit.
• Customize to your body’s individual shape and size.
• Reduce stress, pain, and strain throughout the body.
• Create full body support … or be adjusted to host just one portion at a time.

Whether you’re using it to recover from an injury, or are just looking to add some comfort into your daily routine, the BackMax Plus offers an entire combination of ways to relax. And with its new inflatable counterpart, you never have to go without your favorite back product again. 

Head to Contour’s product page to start shopping! 

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Improve your Posture With This Expensive Shirt

We all know that good posture promotes good health. Whether you’ve read a Contour blog on the subject, did personal research, or just know your body tends to function correctly when you sit up straight. Proper spinal posture, whether we are aware of how we’re sitting/standing or not, helps the body on a daily basis. But even with this information in tow, it can be difficult to keep the spine in its preferred and upright position at all times. Just short of a nagging mother or a teacher slapping a ruler in our direction at all hours, constant good posture is almost impossible.

While we can catch ourselves when necessary, a new invention brings a new, more constant solution. One that keeps our backs in place even when we aren’t paying attention. The invention, a specially made garment called the Up shirt, comes with specially-placed elastic bands that makes it easier for wearers to adjust shoulders toward good posture. Devices that perform similar functions can be purchased and strapped to the back and arms. The Up shirt’s manufacturers argue, however, that such devices are uncomfortable and can’t be discretely worn in public. In contrast, the shirt’s posture abilities go unnoticed as they’re built right into the material. It can even be worn under outer layers for those who still want to sport their own sense of style.

So what’s the catch? The shirt costs $175-$200 – a lot of dough for one shirt. And assuming you don’t want to wear the same garment every day, the price tag goes up considerably. Part of the costs come from high-quality ingredients, such as organic cotton and specialized elastic bands, which are made to withstand washes and multiple wears.

Though it seems like a hefty price for a shirt, it’s also fairly cheap on the span of spinal health treatments.

Find more about the Up shirt here.

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Winter Sale at Contour Living

Do you have the post-holiday blues? What about the cold month doldrums, or the is-winter-over-yet wonderings? No matter what your feelings toward the time of year, we’re here to get you through the home stretch of cold weather. With sales on pillows, seat cushions, and other back-related products, you can get through anything Jack Frost throws your way. And at a fraction of the cost.

Look to a neck-supporting pillow to improve blood flow and reduce headaches. Consider a new office cushion to increase one’s posture and relieve pressure on the rear. Or, pick up a pillow that creates better lumbar support whether sleeping, lounging, or traveling. No matter your sleeping or sitting needs, you can find the solution in Contour Living’s ongoing winter sale.

Available Back and Neck Products

Listed in the sale are some of our best sellers, including the Double Back Leg Pillow, the Contour Cloud Memory Foam Pillow, the Cooling Leg Pillow, the Kabooti Donut Coccyx Cushion, and more. Each made of high quality materials and to provide the highest levels of comfort and support, customers have been finding relief in Contour’s products for years.

There’s even free shipping when you buy two or more pillow or cushion products. This allows the flexibility to mix and match to meet personal needs, or pick up a much-needed gift. Whether shopping for yourself or a loved one’s upcoming birthday, there are plenty of pain relief solutions to be found in this massive winter sale.

And for a limited time you can even earn an extra 5% off. Just look for the coupon code at checkout and you’ll be on your way to even more savings on your favorite Contour products.

Ready to find out more? Have questions about individual products – or wanting to know which items quality? Head to our sales page today to learn more.

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Can Heavy Shoes Reduce Your Back Pain?

In the practice of Chinese medicine, cures often come in the form of something strange. Acupuncture calls for sharp needles to be placed into the body – which in theory, should cause pain; foot massages are known to affect any part of the body; and toxins can be pulled directly through one’s skin. For those of Western medicine, it’s cures like these that are hard to accept … even when they’re proven to work.

But according to a recent report, there may just be one more obscure medical cure: extremely heavy iron shoes. Wearing them on a regular basis, some say, can cure back pain altogether.

One Chinese worker, Zhang Fuxing, has been using this method for years, saying it has completely eliminated his extreme back pain. Now weighing more than 440 pounds each, he walks about 50 feet in the shoes each day. (Most start out with smaller versions, as low as 22 pounds, and work their way up to larger weight and distance intervals.)

How it Works

According to Chinese medicine, it’s not muscles that require us to lift heavy things, such as the shoes. Rather, the physical strength comes from one’s organs. By “lifting from within” people are able to hold great weights. As Fuxing says, “When you walk with your heart it will work.”

Scientifically, the weight works to stretch out one’s spine, work the legs, or cause an extreme increase in blood flow. The movement can also strengthen the core and create an advanced sense of balance among users.

The shoes’ makeup, however, is also important. Though users place straps over their existing footwear, iron is said to be good for the body, especially the heart and bones. By combining its traits of wellness with viable exercise, a growing cure has been found.

Iron Shoes In Practice

Though critics remain strong, patients all across China are trying this method. A vocal supporter of the iron shoe, Fuxing makes them himself and sells them to friends, neighbors, and online shoppers. With hundreds in circulation, patients seem to agree that the method has had an extreme and direct affect against back pain.

While there are no studies that have tested these theories (other than actual patients), it’s certainly an interesting concept to consider: the cure for back pain just may be a new set of shoes.

Read more about Fuxing and his iron shoe store at CTV News.

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The Ortho-Fiber Pillow Offers Custom Sleeping-Fit Alternative

When it comes to lying down to sleep each night, nothing feels better than your own bed. It’s comfortable, offers the just-right conditions, and you get to control everything from the sheets to the firmness of the mattress. That also means the option for specialized pillows, bed covers, or anything else to customize your sleeping experience each and every night. Custom orders, however, can be expensive and complicated – which is why it’s a good idea to look for the next best thing.

With the Ortho-Fiber pillow, sleepers can cradle their head, neck, and receive a personalized level of softness and support. And all at a fraction of the time and expense. For those who enjoy various positions each night, it might even be a better offer, as the Ortho-Fiber allows for ample movement without straining or restricting your comfort levels.

How the Pillow Works

By offering a fluffy, supportive outside and a sunken middle, the Ortho-Fiber cradles and holds the entire upper spine. The back is also aligned, eliminating craning or other pain-inducing positions throughout the night. By encouraging a proper sleeping posture – in two different heights – sleepers receive natural cures to their ongoing neck issues.

Additional features:

• The pillow offers improved breathing alignment
• It fits standard-sized pillow cases
• It’s 100% hypoallergenic to reduce allergies or other nasal triggers
• The pillow’s center offers quilted design to support in a soft, comfortable manner
• It reduces pressure on face and ears – great for sleeping on one’s side or back
• Sleepers can choose from two heights to find the perfect fit for your neck and back

For sleepers of all ailments, the Ortho-Fiber pillow is a budget-friendly way to offer nighttime support. Let its proven methods gently support the spine, and without introducing allergens or additional pains into your routine.

To learn more about what the pillow has to offer, head to Contour Living’s product page.

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