Posts Tagged advice
How To Prevent Hand Wart
Posted by Anthony Galz in Medicine on March 6, 2009
Hand warts can be very discomfiting, itchy and irritating. Don’t wait till you catch it. Read on and know more about how you can avoid getting your hands into a mess like this (pun intended).
Being in direct skin to skin contact with a person with hand wart can give you hand warts. You can also catch hand wart from using towels or clothing and other personal items recently used by another person infected with hand wart. Beware of communal areas and public places like the gym and the gym shower room, the areas around the public pool, among others. A warm and moist environment is the ideal environment for hand wart to spread, be careful when you do visit these places.
Avoid spreading hand warts by following these tips:
- Don’t trust public areas to perform your grooming habits in. You may get infected, or carry the hand wart infection with you out of that area.
- Do not allow borrowing of personal items. Do not share socks, shoes, razors, nail cutters and files, hand towels, or towels and other articles of clothing with other people in the risk of catching a hand wart infection from any of these items. Most hand wart symptoms are externally visible, but other symptoms are notoriously small and inconspicuous as to be nearly invisible. It’s better safe than sorry.
- Be wary of where you put your hands down in communal places like the gym, in public showers, at areas around pools, and in restrooms and toilets, locker rooms and waiting areas. Wear shoes or sandals in these places to avoid catching hand wart. Avoid warm, moist areas in these places; those are ideal for the hand wart infection to multiply and spread.
- Do not touch any wart on anyone else’s hands. Touching it even so slightly can infect you. Do not be tempted by your curiosity to ask to touch your friend’s hand wart. That’s a disgusting and embarrassing thing to ask of someone who may be humiliated by his or her wart infection. Don’t make the situation even worse by asking to see his or her hand wart and then touching it.
- Remember to keep your hands clean and dry at all times. Hand wart can spread more easily when your hands are wet and come in contact with an infected person, or an area where hand wart may be. Dry your hands well so you can reduce the chances of catching hand wart (remember to use your own towel). If you have sweaty hands, carry a handkerchief — and if possible, talcum powder.
- As much as possible, try to take care of your hands and avoid injuring especially the palms. Hand wart grows and spreads more easily when you have a wound, or even small scratches that break the skin.
The hand wart is caused by a viral infection called the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). It is a skin infection so common nearly forty percent of all people have caught it at one point or another. There are many subtypes of the HPV virus and all of these are highly contagious. Your hand wart, in particular, is caused by one or two of these viral strains.
To protect yourself from hand wart infection, the best way is still to maintain a healthy body and a good hygiene habit. This will, in turn, develop your immune system. It is your can that resist the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), so take care of your health, and don’t stick your hands just about anywhere.
Best Mid-Level Shiatsu Massage Chairs
Posted by Steve Esquire in Health on February 14, 2009
Are you looking for the best but do not want to spend a fortune on a massage chair? We come across this situation many times. As a response from many of our customers, we have put together the short list of the best massage chairs in the mid range market. There are so many massage chairs to choose from. If you are looking, here are the best and forget the rest!
Based on our testing and many of our customer’s recommendations, we have assembled the list of the top three mid level massage chairs available today. These massage chairs not only deliver value, but also awesome massage therapy. We also will point out their warranty coverage so you get a complete snapshot of each of the massage chairs.
The top massage chairs that we selected also happened to come from the best massage chair manufacturers. This is no coincidence. The best just keep making the best and they are hard to beat. These manufacturers are Omega, Panasonic and Sanyo. They put a premium on research and provide therapeutic massage chairs built for the long term. They back them with comprehensive warranty coverage. They add exciting extras whether technological or stylistic. So let us start with the best of the best.
Omega OM-510 Prestigio: The Prestigio is the most striking design in massage chairs with its glossy wood armrests and highly varnished designer side table. But looks aside, the OM-510 is a massage therapy machine. This massage recliner provides an invigorating and thorough massage therapy. It provides deep penetration to give you excellent relief.
The Prestigio comes with an air massage system. The air massage system covers your buttocks, thighs, calves and feet. The feet are taken care of with a reflexology massage that helps to provide full body relaxation. You can relax for a long time with the comprehensive warranty on the OM-510. You get 5 years on the frame, 3 years on parts and labor and 90 days in home service. This is an amazing value for a mid range massage recliner.
Sanyo SA 5000: The SA5000 is the mid range model from Sanyo. The SA 5000 has many of the same features as its higher end model the DR7700. This recliner comes with the GK roller system. The GK rollers literally reach out over the shoulders. This unique function helps to provide the shoulder with a thorough and relieving massage.
The SA-5000 also comes with a physical shape sensor. This shape sensor tracks your body as it moves in the chair and adjusts the massage rollers for maximum effectiveness. You also get the stiffness detector, which can determine areas of stress and tension in the body and then focus the massage on those areas automatically. The SA 5000 warranty comes with the following coverage: 3 years on the roller mechanism, 1 year parts and labor and 1 year in home service. This mid range model provides you with an arsenal of automatic features to relieve your tensions.
Panasonic EP30003: Panasonic is known to push the limits of replicating massage therapy techniques. The EP-30003 introduces a new massage therapy called Junetsu. Junetsu means ultra fine kneading. This kneading style massage makes small circular motions that then penetrate deeply in one area at a time. This is an excellent massage to take knots out of your back. This is a deep tissue style massage that is very relieving as it penetrates through the muscle.
One unique function in the mid level massage chairs is the lower body traction system put into the EP 30003 massage chair. The traction system works via the leg rest. The leg rest will grab hold of your feet and then rise horizontally. It then slowly lowers to 3 successively lower positions. This helps to elongate the leg muscles to increase the range of motion of your joints. The EP30003 comes with the following warranty coverage: 3 years parts, 1 year labor and 1 year in home repair service. This is a good, solid chair built by Panasonic massage chairs.
There you have it. These are the best of the best in the midrange massage chair market. These massage chairs provide thorough and effective massage therapy. They are designed with advanced technological features. You get solid warranty coverage which will give you years of soothing massage therapy. These are the massage chair recliners to scout out for the mid range models.
Gout Home Remedy: Eat Your Way to Good Health
Posted by Anthony Galz in Medicine on February 7, 2009
Searching for a low-cost gout remedy? You can now find effective gout treatments in your very own kitchen! You no longer need to jump from one pharmacy to another to relieve the pain and discomfort caused by gout. Commonly used gout home remedy are fruits, herbs, vegetables and roots. These have several benefits and are generally safe to use. They can also be used simultaneously and together with your medication.
A good gout home remedy will do the following:
- Relieve pain. – Reduce swelling – Eliminate stiffness – Detoxify and rid uric acid crystals from the body – Boost healthy blood circulation to aid in the flushing away of toxins – Speed healing of joint tissues to prevent uric acid build-up.
Fruits as gout home remedy:
Acid crystals are turned by potassium into a solution that is easily flushed out by the body. Fruits that are especially high in potassium are your best bet when it comes to curing gout. These high-potassium fruits include dried peaches, avocados, cantaloupe, oranges, bananas, tomatoes and dried prunes.
Other fruits have their benefits as gout home remedy too.
Lemon enhances the production of calcium carbonate which is needed by our body to balance the acids. Take the juice of lemon, dilute in water and drink as a gout home remedy.
Cherries and berries have been popularly known to fight gouty attacks. You can start by purchasing blueberries, cherries and strawberries from your local supermarket as fresh produce or concentrated juices. These fruits are rich with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and enzymes that neutralize uric acid in the body. Grapes are good, too, since they contain Alkalines that neutralize acidity.
Apples and bananas are also fruits known to cure gout. Maintaining a gout-preventing diet is as easy as eating 1 apple a day and 2-3 bananas per day for 4 days.
Herbs as gout home remedy:
People from ancient times have been using turmeric for medicinal treatment. Now it is known to be a potent antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, antioxidant and blood strengthener. It is also considered to treat inflammation just like cortisone. Another herb, cayenne pepper, is known to have the same effect.
Artichoke contains cynarin or the compound known to prevent liver impairment and joint problems, thus benefiting those with gout.
Drinking herbal teas like buchu tea is another helpful treatment against gout. Other gout-fighting herbs include parsley and saffron, which can be a natural diuretic and acid neutralizer.
Vegetables rich in potassium and are therefore good gout treatments are potatoes, spinach and carrots. As mentioned earlier, foods high in potassium detoxify the body from uric acid crystals. Also try eating more garlic as a gout home remedy-popularly known to be good for the heart, garlic has also been found to relieve gout symptoms. Finely chop fresh garlic and add to salads and other dishes as a natural gout home remedy.
Consulting your doctor is still an important step in curing gout.
Product Review: Ultimate Shiatsu Massage Chair Recliner
Posted by Steve Esquire in Health on December 19, 2008
What is a shiatsu massage chair? Shiatsu massage is a specific type of massage therapy with its roots in Japan. Many massage chairs came from Japan and shiatsu is what Japanese are most familiar. So many massage chairs got labeled as shiatsu massage chairs. Now it seems everyone is using the shiatsu designation. We take a look at shiatsu massage and its origins which can then be used as a benchmark to determine which massage recliners would fit in this category.
Massage therapy has been used for over 5,000 years. It has different origins in China, Egypt and India. Shiatsu massage therapy is an offshoot of Chinese medical arts such as acupuncture. Acupuncture uses pressure points in the body to promote healing. The Japanese adapted acu pressure to control and regulate the flow of energy in the body. They noticed that applying pressure to specific points reduced discomfort and pain in the body. A body of knowledge developed using specific pressure points to induce total bod relaxation which formed into the traditional shiatsu massage.
Traditional shiatsu massage incorporates both kneading with the thumbs and fingers and chopping action with the sides of the palms. Kneading was found to stretch out tight muslces making them more elastic. This help to restore flexibility and improve the range of motion. Chopping massage was found to invigorate an given area to enhance blood circulation. The chopping action helps to loosen tight muscles which then make it easier to perform the kneading massage. The use of pressure point massage helps the major organs relax while the kneading and chopping work on relaxing the muscles.
With this background in shiatsu massage therapy, we can now look at massage chair recliners that provide this type of techniques. Some of the premier massage chair brands like Panasonic, Omega and Sanyo have chairs that meet these parameters. Many of these chairs have sensors to detect your acupressure points. The software then adjusts the massage to target your individual pressure points. Some of the best massage chair recliners providing shiatsu massage therapy are presented here.
The Panasonic EP30004 Real Pro Ultra creates a virtual map of your back. It takes into consideration the curvature of your spine and shoulder height. This chair also comes with an ultra-fine kneading function called Junetsu. Junetsu uses small circular motions that reverberate to the bone to provide muscle invigoration and relaxation. These massage techniques are particularly effective for the whole back region. The Junetsu is a unique massage only incorporated in the Panasonic chair.
The Sanyo SA 5000 uses a physical shape sensor to measure the users body. This is a high tech gadget to keep the shiatsu massage hitting the right acu pressure points. The interesting feature is that you can move around in the chair and the shape sensor readjusts where your pressure points are located. This is perfect for those who squirm more during the massage. The chair will still zero in on your points and hit them with relieving accuracy. Sanyo has got your back!
Some massage chairs have taken shiatsu massage and elevated into higher dimensions. Take the Montage Premier by Omega. This chair brings in the dimension of sound with the MP3 music player. Put on the headphones and let the music soothe your mind. Meanwhile, add full body heat or individual area heat to reduce swelling and ease aches and pains. Or add some traditional shiatsu lower body stretching. The Montage Premier incorporates a lower body traction that elongates the whole lower body for comprehensive relief.
Of course, there are more massage chairs that provide shiatsu massage therapy, but these are the best of the best. Find out if shiatsu massage is right for you. If so, then you will do very well with any of these chairs. Many companies advertise that they perform certain functions, but they may not actually deliver it. If you stick with the top brands like Sanyo, Omega and Panasonic then you will get years of shiatsu massage therapy from your massage chair.
Product Review for the Sanyo SR1000 Massage Chair Recliner
Posted by James Knolan in Fitness on November 29, 2008
This review covers the entry level massage chair made by Sanyo, which is model HEC-SR1000K. The SR 1000K massage chair recliner has some of the same features as some of Sanyo’s higher end models. Our product review makes an evaluation in 5 separate categories and up to 20 points are awarded in each category. The total points are added up to give an overall rating for the massage chair. Here is our review of the Sanyo SR1000K massage chair recliner.
Warranty Coverage & Customer Service: First let us get the driest part of the review out of the way first-the warranty coverage. OK, we all know that warranty coverage is important in complicated machines like massage chairs. But what kind of coverage do you get from Sanyo? Sanyo provides the same warranty for all its chairs. The good news is that it adds up to good coverage for an entry level chair. You get 3 years of warranty for the roller mechanism, 1 year parts and labor, and 1 year in home service. There is also a call center for issues, should they arise. We give the SR1000 a 19 for its warranty.
Comfort & Ergonomics: The science of ergonomics is the study of things can be designed to fit the human body. In other words, we have natural ranges of motion and buttons, controls, etc. need to be within those ranges. The buttons on the remote are a decent size for most fingers. The main power is located on the side of the chair which is ergonomic but you still have to remember. The leg rest has a foot extension that needs to be flipped by your feet. Sanyo could work these things out a little better in our opinion. We give it a 17 overall.
Ease of Use: With so many features being added to today’s massage chairs, we find some remote controls overly complex. This can be very frustrating to new users. The chair should be simple to use and intuitive to understand. The Sanyo SR-1000 comes with an advanced remote that has many features. It does take some time to get accustomed to it as a series of buttons may be required to get it to do what you want. We do like the light level indicators which helps you see the intensities. We give the ease of use a 16.
Key Features: This massage chair comes with the Sanyo stiffness detector. The stiffness detector uses technology borrowed from lie detectors. The stiffness detector in the SR 1000 can sense tightness in the muscles of the body and other points of stress. The user holds the side of the remote and the chair can detect these areas of stiffness. The chair will then target these areas for relief. The other interesting feature is the shape sensor. The shape sensor takes a measurement of the position of the shoulders. The chair then identifies where the shoulders are at and adjusts the massage accordingly. The rollers width will then become less when it gets to your shoulders and for your neck area. These are some advanced electronic features that are unique to Sanyo. We give a rating of 18 for key features.
Massage Therapy: This is the most important category, since this is what a massage chair is all about. The SR 1000K comes with the following manual massage techniques: massage, tapping, combination, stretch 1 and stretch 2. The massages can be used in combination with the stretch 1 and stretch 2 functions. There are 2 automatic programs which are Relax and Recovery. First you choose the massage and then you can select the region of the body to target. You can select neck/shoulder, upper body, or waist. The SR1000K also comes with a calf and foot massager. The leg rest can be used directly for the calves. You must flip the foot massager out to use the foot massager. The leg rest allows you to target the following regions: calves, back of the knees, soles of the feet and the Achilles tendon/heal. The leg rest roller mechanism provides effective massage to the calves and the back of the knees. We rate the massage therapy of the SR-1000 a 17.
The SR-1000 massage chair by Sanyo earns an 87 out of 100 points in our review. The warranty coverage is very good for an entry level model. The massage therapy is done pretty well and is effective. We would like to have seen more automatic programs to enhance the variety of massage treatments. The advanced electronic features are novel, but may have caused some tradeoff in the massages that were designed in to meet the price point. This is a good chair and if you are looking for something in this range, then it is worth considering.