LifeSmart 9101 One Person Infrared Sauna
Imaging having stress and tension disappear as you relax in the privacy of your own home. Enter the LifeSmart one-person infrared sauna, which lets you lounge in warm comfort anytime you’re in the mood. The sauna–which is designed for indoor use only–features a sleek, angled housing made of high-quality natural hemlock, with a full-length tempered glass door that will complement any room in your home. More importantly, a single session in the LifeSmart sauna can burn as many calories as jogging for 30 minutes, so you don’t have to venture out on cold winter mornings to get your daily workout. Plus, saunas can improve your overall health and well being in other ways, including strengthening your cardiovascular and immune systems, relieving pain from aching muscles and sore joints, removing body toxins, and improving your skin tone.
The sauna includes a trio of ceramic tube heaters, along with dual interior and exterior LED control panels and an interior roof vent. The components make it easy to control the interior temperature and enjoy better overall results. Users will also love the sauna’s MP3 auxiliary connector, which includes a built-in amplifier and a small holding shelf. The auxiliary connector lets you hook up an iPod or MP3 to the sauna, so you can chill out while listening to your favorite tunes. And to keep the interior bright, the sauna includes a pair of side windows and an interior reading light. Powered by a standard 110-volt outlet, the sauna measures 36 by 76.5 by 39 inches (W x H x D), weighs 210 pounds, and carries a one-year warranty on parts and a 90-day warranty on labor.
Price: $1,099.00
Sony CD/MP3 Compatible/Tuner
Top-Quality Sound With Remote Control For Best Classroom Use.This ?Sony CD/MP3 Compatible/Tuner offers you all the quality of CD with a sound that can go anywhere. Innovative design allows you to hook up your MP3 player for playback in class. This unit’s compact size makes it easy to take from your office to the activity room or gymnasium. No cords, separate speakers or heavy cabinets to drag from room to room; just one small compact unit. Features a CD player with program, shuffle and random modes, AM/FM stereo tuner with memory presets, 2 full-range speakers and a 10-key remote to control with direct access to all controls. Runs on AC power (cord included) or uses 8 “C” batteries (not included).
Price: $230.00
Exercise Explorer Professional – Powerful Exercise and Workout Management Software for Personal Trainers, Fitness Professionals or Anyone Administering Exercise Programs – 1 Trainer & 25 Clients Version
EXERCISE EXPLORER PROFESSIONAL is a powerful exercise management tool. Designed to be easy-to-use, it creates exercise routines quickly, prints workout & exercise cards, tracks exercise performance & performs fitness evaluations. Complete personalized reporting capabilities, an anatomical muscle reference, videos & pictures of every exercise are just a few of the features that will help you provide a professional image to your clients. There is a Trainer Edition & Club Edition. Each Edition has several versions to match your client base or club configuration. Upgrades to any professional version with more clients or more trainers are available for simply the price difference between the versions. The software will support you as you grow. WORKOUTS: Generating workouts is made simple by using a wizard to go step by step through the process. Workouts are adjusted automatically to a client’s fitness level & ability, with flexible scheduling & equipment choices. Additional exercises may be added to the 379 exercises in the system & all printed reports & cards may be personalized with custom text & logos. Workouts may target any combination of body regions or activities. This targeting is made possible by a relational database that has detailed analyses of all the exercises & over 100 activities ranging from archery to water skiing. TRACKING & REPORTS: Producing a personalized, comprehensive report is as easy as selecting the start & end dates. Reports use charts & tables to show performance improvement, workout statistics, calories used, & measurement changes. Notes & comments may be added to provide even more information. CLIENT MANAGEMENT: Client personal information, fitness level, exercise goals, measurements to track & a comment log are saved. REFERENCES & RESOURCES: Exercise Explorer provides many additional features, such as adding custom logos to reports & cards, printing detailed anatomical muscle drawings, & adding exercises & equipment into the system.
Price: $179.95
Iodine Deficiency and Thyroid Health
Iodine is one of the most important minerals, especially with regards to thyroid health. Many people with a thyroid condition have an iodine deficiency, and until this deficiency is addressed, there is very little chance of having their health restored through a natural thyroid treatment protocol. The reason for this is because iodine deficiency is necessary for the formation of thyroid hormone. So if someone is deficient in iodine, this frequently will result in a hypothyroid condition.
However, many people with hyperthyroidism also have an iodine deficiency as well. In fact, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune hyperthyroid condition, and I was iodine deficient and therefore had to supplement with iodine. So regardless of what type of thyroid condition you have, it is essential to receive the proper testing to confirm whether or not you are deficient in this extremely important mineral.
Why Are So Many People Iodine Deficient?
There are numerous different reasons why people are deficient in iodine. One of the primary reasons is due to poor farming techniques, which leaves the soil depleted of many different nutrients and minerals, include iodine. Another reason why many people are iodine deficient is because the bread dough conditioners are made with bromide, whereas many years ago they were made with iodine. This is important because bromide competes with iodine, and so by consuming all of these products that contain bromide, it will in turn replace iodine, making people iodine deficient.
Other halogens can also displace iodine, such as fluoride and chloride. And most people are being exposed to these halogens on a regular basis, which is yet another reason why so many people are iodine deficient. So you want to try to do everything you can to minimize your exposure to these toxins.
How To Determine Whether You Have An Iodine Deficiency
As for how you can determine whether you have an iodine deficiency, the most accurate method is through an iodine loading test. This is a urine test that requires you to first take a 50mg iodine/iodide tablet, and then over a 24-hour period it is determined how much iodine is retained. Someone who is iodine deficient will retain a high percentage of the iodine that was consumed. According to those who developed this test, a person who takes this test and has a saturation lower than 90% has an iodine deficiency, and thus is a candidate for iodine supplementation.
Another, less accurate way to determine whether someone has an iodine deficiency is through an Iodine Patch Test. This test requires painting a 2 x 2 inch square patch on the forearm, using a 3% iodine tincture. For someone who isn’t iodine deficient, the patch should take over 24 hours to completely disappear. Someone who is mildly deficient will have the patch disappear between 13 and 24 hours. And if someone has the patch disappear in 12 hours or less, they are considered to be iodine deficient.
While I don’t recommend the Iodine Patch Test to my patients to diagnose an iodine deficiency, I do advise them to use it as a follow-up procedure. In other words, I’ll recommend for someone to begin with both the iodine loading test and at the same time do an Iodine Patch Test, paying more attention to the results of the urine test. But I’ll then have them do a follow-up iodine patch test on a monthly basis just to see if there are any significant changes, and then will recommend a follow-up iodine loading test after three months.
Addressing An Iodine Deficiency
For those people with a thyroid condition who have an iodine deficiency, it is not only important to take a quality iodine supplement, but to go about this process slowly. In other words, you don’t want to automatically begin taking 25 to 50mg of iodine daily, although some healthcare professionals will recommend this. By the way, for everything you need to know about iodine, I highly recommend reading the book “Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It”, which is written by Dr. David Brownstein.
When I was diagnosed with an autoimmune thyroid condition, I began by taking one 3mg tablet of Prolamine Iodine, which is an iodine supplement manufactured by a company called Standard Process. I increased the dosage by one tablet each week, and once I was taking eight tablets per day I switched to a product called Iodoral, which enabled me to take a similar dosage, but this comes in 12.5 mg tablets. Both of these iodine supplements are of high quality, and along with incorporating other components of a natural treatment protocol, taking iodine daily helped to restore my health back to normal.
I realize this probably sounds like a lot of iodine to take, and this isn’t to suggest that everyone will need to take this much iodine. On the other hand, some people might need to take 50mg of iodine daily to address a severe deficiency. It all depends on how deficient in iodine you are. The good news is that good quality iodine supplements are relatively inexpensive to purchase.
Autoimmune Thyroid Conditions & Iodine Deficiency
If you have an autoimmune thyroid condition, then you might not be able to address your iodine deficiency right away. If you have Graves’ Disease then this shouldn’t be a problem, unless if you happen to be allergic to iodine, which is rare. On the other hand, someone with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis will be unable to supplement with iodine right away. Taking iodine will actually increase the destruction of the thyroid gland, which is why anyone who has Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis will need to address the autoimmune response first.
Of course most endocrinologists and other medical doctors label these conditions as being incurable. So rather than address the immune system component, they will simply put someone on thyroid medication to manage the symptoms. Because of this, more and more people are turning towards natural thyroid treatment methods to restore their health back to normal.
Restoring Your Health Through A Natural Thyroid Treatment Protocol
While addressing an iodine deficiency is important to restore one’s health back to normal, often times other factors need to be addressed as well. This is where a natural thyroid treatment protocol comes into play, as this will help to determine any other problematic areas or additional deficiencies you might have that can be contributing to, or in some cases directly causing your thyroid condition.
What’s important to understand is that in many cases, the malfunctioning thyroid gland is not the cause of the thyroid condition. This is why just giving thyroid medication to manage the symptoms is often times a big mistake, as in many cases, the actual cause can be detected and corrected. While some people will attempt to self-treat their condition, this usually doesn’t lead to optimal results, which is why I recommend that anyone with a thyroid condition consult with a competent natural endocrine doctor. Such a doctor will be able to determine what is causing your thyroid condition, and if possible, put you on a natural treatment protocol to cure the cause.
In summary, an iodine deficiency can directly cause or contribute to the development of a thyroid condition. Taking iodine is obviously important to address such a deficiency, but just remember that other factors can play a role in the development of a thyroid condition, which is why consulting with a competent natural endocrine doctor is usually a good idea, as many thyroid conditions can be cured through a natural treatment protocol. Finally, don’t forget that there is an excellent book which discusses iodine deficiency in detail, and while the title might sound boring (Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It), the book is actually very interesting and easy to read.
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Best Ways to Manage Hypothyroidism and Weight Gain
Among the most severe hormonal disorders are the ones that affect the thyroid gland. This is one of the most important endocrines in the human body, like any other glands sometime malfunctions especially nowadays when stress takes possession of our daily lives.
Hypothyroidism is associated with many symptoms, depending on the state of the disorder. The early state is characterized by weight gain, fatigue, depression, low heart rate, brittle nails, coarse hair and a host of other signs.
In severe cases symptoms include slow speech, slow thinking, low body temperature, dry skin, sleepiness, and for women irregular menstrual cycles. The people who do not get early treatment usually degenerate to a chronic state. Fortunately there are both natural and unnatural solutions that can give you the best ways to manage hypothyroidism and weight gain.
It is ideal for the patient to go for early diagnoses as soon as they notice some of the symptoms associated with this disease. Of course, the earlier it is diagnose, the easier it is to manage. The truth here is that any condition that is discovered in time can be reversed much more easily. Hypothyroidism also causes edema, cold skin, and goiter. According to the severity of this disease, the medication can consist of natural remedies, or from special drug medication prescribed by your doctor. The medication has to regulate the quantity of hormone and bring it to the normal levels the body requires to function appropriately.
One of the best ways to manage hypothyroidism and weight gain is the special treatment based on synthetic thyroidal hormones. This therapy can be with drugs or with injections. The usual treatment is made of thyroxine T3 and triiodothyronine T4, either separately or as a cocktail. in comparison to hyperthyroidism, you get the exact opposite symptoms and does not require many ways to be treated. Of course there are many natural ways of treatment, which also include herbs and medicinal plants. Many of these natural treatments are by far better than synthetic drugs as they don’t have many of the side effects synthetic drugs have.
Coping with the weight gain as a result of hypothyroidism can be managed with the right treatments couple with the proper diets, one could try to manage it by talking to their doctor and developing a special diet they can follow. They could also try to join certain groups or online forums where people also have thyroid problems, and share their stories. Learning from one another’s experience can prove to be very useful, especially if the patient has a low morale.
All in all, coping with thyroid disease and trying to manage it with the right medication and finding best ways to manage hypothyroidism and weight gain can be challenging if you don’t know where to turn to, but you always have to think about what is going to be next, because the future matters. Whatever the case, it’s always better you confront the problem head on.
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Hypothyroidism Weight Loss Is Definitely Doable
For those who are undiagnosed, hypothyroidism weight loss will necessarily be difficult, if not close to impossible. The reason is because thyroid hormone levels control metabolism and metabolism is a big factor in successful weight loss. If you’re doing everything you know you should to lose weight, i.e., regular exercise, watching what you eat, drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, etc., and it’s not working, you may have a thyroid disease and not know it.
It’s estimated that some 9 million people in the U.S. alone have a thyroid disease of which they are unaware. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism (over active thyroid) or those associated with hypothyroidism (under active thyroid) are frequently not attributed to the actual cause but, instead, reckoned to be the result to some other condition. The only way to really tell if your thyroid is behaving abnormally is to have your blood tested to ascertain thyroid hormone levels.
EXERCISE
Hypothyroidism weight loss programs are similar to most other weight loss programs except for frequency of exercise sessions. Because those suffering from low thyroid function are usually always feeling tired, long exercise routines are usually prohibitive. In these cases, it’s better to break up an exercise program into two or more shorter sessions during a single day.
DIET
A healthy hypothyroidism diet contains the same elements as any other healthy diet, with a few exceptions. A diet low in fat, high in fiber, low in processed foods and high in fruits and vegetables is a good recommendation for anyone. While salt intake should be reduced in a normal diet, sufficient iodine is critical for normal thyroid function. Common table salt is a source of iodine (since it’s normally iodized) but for low thyroid sufferers some other source of iodine is preferable.
There are some very interesting comments online from hypothyroidism victims who are actively facing the weight loss challenge so common to sufferers of the disease. The consensus seems to be that it’s easy to blame the disease for less than satisfactory results but in most cases, the blame really should be given to lifestyle choices. This is especially true for those who have been properly diagnosed and have embarked on a high thyroid treatment program.
An effective hypothyroidism weight loss plan should include diet, exercise, stress reduction, food supplementation and, perhaps most importantly, education about the condition. There are lots of natural alternatives to the frequently prescribed drug therapies, and it might be worth looking into some of these. Consider the options.
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10 Ways to Manage Hyperthyroidism
Management of hyperthyroidism is basically aimed at reducing the thyroid hormone secretion. A reduction in the secretion helps to reduce the symptoms and the possible complications. Management includes:
1. Drugs: Include the use of Anti-thyroid drugs and adrenergic antagonists.
Anti-thyroid drugs: These include Propylthiouracil (PTU), or Methimazole (Tapazole). They are used to depress the synthesis of thyroid hormone thereby reducing the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. They should not be used in pregnancy and lactation because they have the ability to precipitate goitre and cretinism in the foetus.
Iodine compounds such as Potassium iodide, Lugol’s solution; or saturated solution of Potassium iodide (SSKI) are also used as adjunctive therapy to reduce the release of thyroid hormones from the thyroid gland.
Adrenergic blockers: These drugs are used as adjunctive drugs to control the nervous symptoms of hyperthyroidism. They help in controlling anxiety, tachycardia and heat intolerance as well. They include Propranolol, Reserpine and Guanethidine. Adrenergic blockers are used in conjunction with iodide compounds to prepare the patient for surgical operation of the thyroid gland.
2. Irradiation: Radioactive iodine (131I) is employed to destroy the hyperactive thyroid tissue. This helps to reduce the secretion of thyroid hormones. Before treatment with radioactive iodine, the patient is first treated with anti-thyroid drugs for at least 6-18 months. Radioactive iodine should not be used in pregnancy and lactation because it has the ability to penetrate the placenta and it is also secreted in breast milk.
3. Surgery: Subtotal thyroidectomy which is the surgical removal of about 5/6th of the thyroid gland tissues helps to bring about a reduction In the signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism in some patients for a long period of time.
4. Relief of discomfort: A comfortable environment should be provided for the patient. He should be given cool bath and cool fluids to help relief discomfort due to intolerance to heat. Bed linen should be changed frequently because of excess sweating. Light bed clothes should also be used for the patient.
5. Relief of anxiety: Patient should be in a quiet, calm and restful environment to help reduce his nervousness and hyper-excitability. Patient and family should be well informed about the causes of symptoms and what is to be achieved through treatment. Visitors likely to excite patient should be prevented from visiting him in order not to worsen the symptoms. Patient should be reassured that his emotional disturbances will abate as treatment progresses.
6. Self esteem: If patient’s condition is very bad, mirrors should not be allowed into his room so as not to constantly keep him aware of his bad state. Patient should be reassured that the symptoms he is experiencing which include changes in appearance, weight and appetite will gradually go away as his treatment is maintained. So patient needs not over burden himself with his disturbing image.
7. Fluids and nutrition: Fluids should be increased to replace the fluid lost through sweating, polyuria and diarrhoea. Foods high in protein, carbohydrate and calorie should be given to prevent tissue breakdown likely to result from the increased metabolic rate. Vitamins B1 and C should be given to improve carbohydrate metabolism.
Stimulants such as coffee, tea or kola must be avoided because they increase nervousness. Highly seasoned foods should be avoided to prevent the diarrhea from worsening through increased peristalsis.
8. Observation: The vital signs should be checked at least 4 hourly, with emphasis on pulse and blood pressure. Adrenergic drugs have the tendency to worsen the cardiac failure. Proper attention to the blood pressure will enable you know when the condition gets worse. Patient’s weight should also be checked and recorded daily to monitor improvement in his nutritional status.
9. Skin and eye care: Protect the cornea from irritation, ulceration and infection if there is exophthalmos by instilling 0.5-1% of methylcellulose into the eye. This helps to prevent drying and provides soothing effect to the conjunctiva. Dark glasses should be worn to prevent dust and dirt from entering the eyes. Pressure areas should be treated to prevent pressure sore if the patient is confined to bed.
10. Patient education: The dosage, side effects and complications of prescribed drugs should be explained to the patient. He should be made to understand the signs of thyroid storm and the conditions that can trigger off a thyroid storm or crisis. Emphasis should be laid on the importance of long-term treatment because of the possibility of developing hypothyroidism as a result of prolong use of anti-thyroid drugs or radioactive iodide.
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Slowing Down An Overactive Thyroid
When the throid gland becomes more active than it should then it is referred to as hyperthyroidism. The thyroid is a tiny gland that is in the neck below the Adam’s apple.
Many of our body functions are encouraged by the thyroid gland including: physical growth, body temperature, puberty, fertility, metabolism and efficient functioning of the organ’s. The thyroid manufactures two important chemicals that are responsible for all these functions called T3 and T4.
The thyroid gland works together with the pituitary gland. When the levels of T3 and T4 are not high enough then the pituitary gland kicks in and tells the thyroid to produce more of these chemicals. The way this happens is that a chemical messenger is manufactured in the pituitary, called Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH).
When the thyroid is manufacturing more T3 and T4 than the body can use then energy is consumed faster than it should. Since the thyroid is responsible for so many important functions hypothyroidism can cause a variety of unwanted symptoms. Symptoms that might alert you to hypothyroidism include: nervousness, weight loss, mood swings, brittle hair that falls out, anxiety, bowels moving more often than normal, shaky hands, profuse sweating, tremors, warm itchy skin, fast heart beat and trouble breathing.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms then you should visit the family doctor. They will use a blood test to screen you for hyperthyroidism. The important things they will be looking for are the levels of T3, T4 and TSH in your blood.
Your doctor will be able to determine how well your thyroid is functioning from the blood test, but if they feel further tests are necessary they might try a radioactive iodine uptake test. This is not a harmful test, where the levels of radioactivity are measured 24 hours after the solution is put into your system.
There are many different ways that hypothyroidism can be treated. The type of treatment plan you receive is based on your symptoms and which type of treatment you find acceptable. All treatments center around one thing, though. They all aim to lower the levels of T3 and T4 in the bloodstream.
The most popular conventional treatments include thyroidectomy, radioactive iodine, medicines and betablockers.
Alternative medicine also offers many treatment options that work to keep the body in balance. These plans usually center around things like homeopathy, massage, acupuncture and herbal medicines.
Herbs that can be used to slow down an overactive thyroid gland include bugleweed, motherwort and lemon balm. You can use these herbs alongside the plan your family doctor has laid out for you. Just make sure you let your doctor know you are using herbs to supplement their treatment plan, regardless of what else you do.
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Supplements for Hypothyroidism
Knowing that you aren’t feeling well but can’t seem to figure out what is causing the symptoms that you are experiencing, it could possibly be that you have an issue with your thyroid. When they thyroid acts up, there a numerous symptoms that can be created that are the same symptoms as many other common medical issues; this makes it difficult to diagnosis. Having a thyroid problem can mean you either have hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. I am going to provide information about hypothyroidism and the supplements for hypothyroidism that are available.
Hyperthyroidism is when the functions of the thyroid gland speed up so the opposite is true of hypothyroidism. When the thyroid slows down, this could be due to a number of reasons and several of these reasons are due to a lack of a particular compound that the body needs and is normally found in the foods that we eat. There are supplements available either from your doctor, the natural food store or your local pharmacy that can help you put your thyroid back into motion.
In addition to the vitamins such as A through C, E and several of the D’s (including that from sunshine) are all helpful in the production of the thyroid. Calcium and beta carotene are also important as well as exercising to jump start the body’s battery to use these supplements to restore the thyroid to a functional state. Many of the labels that you will find for the “basic” vitamins and supplements may not advise if they are helpful with a hypothyroidism condition but the pharmacist or the health food store clerk should be able to direct you accordingly.
Other supplements that are available are thyroid glandular which can be provided by your doctor or an over the counter alternative. These glandular supplements have been available for many years and seem to be one of the more popular forms of supplements. Taking with your doctor will help you decide which version would be best for you.
Iodine (found in seafood and sea salt) can be taken in a supplement form and is a necessary player in the proper functioning process of the thyroid. Iodine is used by Tyrosine (found in meats, some dairy products and nuts) uses iodine to create thyroid hormones. Taking both iodine and tyrosine may be necessary but one could simply add more meat and seafood to their dietary intake program.
Hypothyroidism causes weakness, lack of energy, weight gain, increase of hair loss, depression, and irregular menstrual periods just to mention a few. We try to self-diagnosis ourselves to treat a medical condition without consulting with the doctor but sometimes that is necessary. If you have any questions or concerns, you may want to talk with your doctor who can make the determination and suggest supplements for hypothyroidism.
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A Complete Guide to Exercise for Older Adults and Seniors
Written by a doctor and personal trainer this is a guide to exercise for older adults and seniors. It includes useful tips and takes readers through a complete work-out. Each exercise is pictured and can be modified to suit different fitness levels.
