Theravent For a Great Night Sleep

Keep a box in your medicine cabinet and you won’t have to worry about those random nights when you are snoring up a storm for no apparent reason. When you partner is kicking you out of bed, and waking you up in annoyance to because you sound like an elephant. If you keep one or more options that are capable of stopping snoring in its tracks simply and easily, you might get to stay in bed.

You know those nights when you are so tired you can’t think straight, or when you have had a really late night enjoying a few drinks with your friends. Other causes for occasional snoring can be seasonal allergies, or colds that cause inflammation in the airways. These types of snoring are easy to curtail using simple theravent strips, which will assist in keeping the airway, open and reduce the obnoxious noises.

For those who need nightly treatment, at just over a dollar a day this option is a really good alternative to more invasive mask therapy. Though if you are snoring every day you might want to be sure you don’t have a full on case of sleep apnea which can be much more complicated and require more aggressive treatments. Theravent is available in three different types which can handle the light snorer, the mid range snorer and the master snorer who might easily be mistaken for a bear coming out of hibernation.

It is really easy to believe that snoring isn’t a thing to be concerned about, especially if you don’t have anyone in your bed that is complaining about the noise. You will still be waking yourself up and not experiencing the restful and rejuvenating sleep you need, but you may not be aware of how often or how much your are suffering. When in doubt it is a good idea to speak to your physician. Even if you are simply feeling more tired than normal and don’t have an obvious reason why that might be happening. Getting a grip on the problem early can reduce your risks of suffering major problems that can be very serious. Sleep apnea is nothing to blow off; it can cause some very serious illnesses and even death.

Having a simple solution to sometimes snoring is an excellent way to ensure the restful nature of your sleep for those who love you and spend the night in your bed. You may also find it helps you to achieve a better night sleep as well since you likely startle yourself with the noise. Everyone experiences occasional bouts of snoring and this is nothing to worry about at all. It is only a problem when it becomes frequent and especially if it is accompanied by moments when it seems you stop breathing all together.

Be prepared for anything with a stocked medicine cabinet that includes stop snoring aids, first aid supplies, and a variety of cold, pain and allergy medications to be sure you have the situation covered before it even occurs.

This is a guest blog post.

Take Care of Your Braces with These Dental Supplies

Braces are one of the most common forms of treatment in our society. In fact, they’re almost like a rite of passage for many of us during our teenage years. They’re usually required for 12 to 24 months, not only to correct the alignment of our teeth for functional purposes, but also for aesthetic reasons. After all, a straight smile is a beautiful smile! But what about that time when we do have the braces on our teeth – how do we make the most of our smile then? For starters, taking care of your braces is pivotal. Let’s look at some of the dental supplies available from Orien Dental Supplies to help you look after your braces so they can help you create the smile you want.

Your Toothbrush
 
Brushing your teeth is always important, but especially so when you’re wearing braces, as there are more spaces for food particles to get lodged in and potentially cause dental problems. While people are recommended to brush twice daily, people with braces should brush their teeth after every meal – even that mid-afternoon snack. 

Your choice of toothbrush is also an important point of consideration. In the battery powered vs. manually operated debate, many dentists and healthcare professionals tend to side with battery power. The common belief is that people who brush with a traditional, non-augmented toothbrush tend to brush harder than necessary, which has the potential to cause unintended damage to the teeth. Add braces into the equation and the damage could become quite expensive. With electric or battery powered toothbrushes, however, users are less likely to brush unnecessarily hard, as they tend to put their faith in the speed and intensity of the brush. Dental suppliers Orien Dental have a selection of manual and powered toothbrushes to suit your needs.

Flossing with Braces

You might think that flossing with braces might be difficult with the wires and metal pieces, but it’s simpler than you might think. We recommend flossing once a day; not only between the braces, but underneath the wires as well, where food is most likely to be caught. Orien Dental Supplies can provide you with the Paro Brush’n Floss that allows you to clean around your braces using the foam-like portion to remove any food particles or plaque that your toothbrush can’t. The Paro Brush’n Floss also has a stiffened end dental threader that allows you to manipulate it around your braces. Additionally, Orien Dental Supplies has a comprehensive range of interdental brushes with a variety of handles and brush sizes to complement your cleaning needs. These products are orthodontically friendly and are ideal for cleaning around your braces.

Toothpaste

During your orthodontic treatment, you may be asked to use a chlorhexidine gel or toothpaste to help with any gum issues that may arise. We can provide you with these dental supplies. There are also two strengths of fluoride toothpaste that we can provide for your daily use that are SLS free with a mild mint taste.

Mouthwash
 
At Orien dental supplies, there are 2 types of mouthwash that you can use to help protect your teeth and gums during your orthodontic treatment. Your dentist is the best person to recommend the type of mouthwash you may require.

Within our chlorhexidine mouthwash range, there are three different strengths of the active ingredient available depending on the oral issue. All are alcohol free. We at Orien are the only Australian dental supplier to have 3 different strengths of chlorhexidine mouthwash.

We also supply fluoride mouthwash, such as the Parodent mouthrinse that has 250ppm fluoride and is alcohol and colour free. It comes in a 500ml bottle with a unique measuring dispenser to reduce wastage. This is only available from Orien Dental Supplies.

Your One-Stop Dental Supply Shop
 
While most people typically only have braces on for 18 to 24 months, it can be quite a difficult period of adjustment no matter what age the wearer is. Looking after your braces is crucial if you’re committed to looking after your teeth, and Orien Dental Supplies is committed to looking after you. As a leading provider of dental supplies in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and across Australia, discover just what we can do for you. Explore our comprehensive range of dental supplies online today.

This is a guest blog post.

Do You Know How the FDA Approves New Medications? It’s Time You Learned!

Over the years there have been so many FDA approved medications that have been pulled from the shelves that it leads many to wonder how they were ever deemed safe for the general public in the first place. If you or a loved one has been prescribed a ‘new’ medication that you are unfamiliar with, and even those you’ve heard of before, it pays to know a little bit about how the FDA approves new medications safe for use in the United States. With drug after drug being recalled and class action suits filed against the manufacturer, like the recent Xarelto Lawsuit filed against Bayer AG and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, consumers should know how the medications they take actually reach their pharmacists’ shelves.

Royalty free photo

Center for Drug Evaluation and Research

The group within the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) that has the final say on whether or not pharmaceuticals are safe to be sold in the U.S. is the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, CDER. By the very name of the group you would think that the FDA has gigantic laboratories equipped to thoroughly test every drug that applies for patent and to be sold here in the U.S. Unfortunately, this really isn’t the case.

Research Is Not Conducted by the FDA

Where consumers go wrong is in thinking that the FDA employs thousands of scientists and research assistants to conduct studies on each and every medication that comes across their ‘desk.’ Unfortunately, this is simply not the case. CDER does limited testing only after the medication (or supplement) has been studied by the manufacturer and that particular formulation meets with the FDA’s requirements. But does it really? Since the FDA, or CDER to be exact, does not do the testing for efficacy and safety, they are pretty much operating on the assumption that the testing conducted by the manufacturer and/or third party laboratories is thorough and accurate. The only research conducted by CDER is usually in terms of quality control. In effect, what the government is looking for is problems in the process not in the safety or efficacy of the drug.

Consumers Can Pay More than They Bargained For

If all the necessary paperwork required by the government is in order and the manufacturer appears to have tested the drug in compliance with FDA guidelines, most pharmaceuticals are approved for sale in the United States. CDER’s Office for Testing, as mentioned above, will do sporadic quality control tests but does not test for safety. Consumers should be made aware of the fact that they are, for the most part, taking the word of the manufacturer who of course wants to sell that drug for profit. Consider the fact that a pharmaceutical company most likely invested tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions, of dollars in producing the formulation so they want to profit from their investment. But at what cost?

Are FDA Guidelines Strict Enough?

This is not to say that a manufacturer knowingly withheld pertinent information from the FDA when seeking approval for their new medication. Many times it took being released to millions of people to realize the full extent of potential side effects. Whether the pharmaceutical company fell short on their ethical responsibilities or the required testing wasn’t sufficient to find those exceptions to the norm isn’t really at issue here. The point is, consumers are led to believe that the FDA approved each and every drug after doing their own independent studies and this is just not the case.

Consumer beware. Do your own research before taking any new medication because there may already be problems reported that you should be aware of. If you don’t take your own safety into your own hands, who will?

This is a guest blog post.

The Anti-Snoring Toolkit - Helping You Combat Snoring Easily

Snoring occurs when the nasal and throat airways are obstructed, causing the surrounding tissues to vibrate. Snoring can be caused by a number of factors including poor diet, weight gain, the aging process, sedentary lifestyle, stress, etc.

While snoring can usually be a symptom of a more serious ailment, it can also affect your relationship with your family and loved ones. Therefore, it’s important to follow regulated methods to eliminate snoring once and forever.

Reduce those love handles

Obesity can drastically increase the accumulation of fatty tissue around your throat area, by following a healthy weight loss program, you can shed the extra calories to decrease fat cells around your neck and help ease your airways to breathe better, thus eliminating snoring once and forever.

Follow a fitness program

Adopting a vigorous cardio or weight lifting regime can help tone your muscles and keep you fit. An active lifestyle contributes to optimum sleeping habits, thereby reducing your snoring levels over time. It is a good idea to monitor your fitness habits via a fitness journal and periodically check to evaluate your snoring levels.

Kick the Bud

Smoking has been proven to be one of the leading causes of sleep disorders such as sleep inertia, insomnia, sleep apnea, etc. all of these disorders cause snoring as their symptoms. Quit smoking to improve your overall health as well as clearing your lungs to receive clean and fresh air.

Avoid Alcohol Consumption

If you are an alcoholic or partake in the frequent consumption of liquor, it’s recommended to decrease or completely stop alcohol consumption. Alcohol is a muscle relaxant and can cause your throat tissues and muscles to contract, this can proceed to cause episodes of snoring.

Change your Sleeping Position

If you are someone that prefers sleeping on their back, you might want to opt to sleep on your sides. Sleeping on your back can cause your tongue and muscles to rest on your throat, this, in turn, can cause obstruction to your throat passages and may promote snoring.

A simple way to force your body to sleep on the side is to wrap a tennis ball or body pillow to your back, enabling your body to forcefully shift to your side.

Eliminate Dust Mites

Dust mites encourage allergic reactions causing your nasal airways to relax. This can increase your snoring levels. Also, avoid playing with pets in your bedroom to prevent them from shedding animal dander, an irritant that causes nasal allergies.

Cleaning your pillow covers and bed sheets every two to three months can relieve your snoring condition.

Regular Sleeping Patterns

It goes without saying, if you have a sleep problem, your chances of snoring are high. It’s advisable to stick to the same sleeping pattern daily to keep your biological clock in check. Getting a good night’s rest can improve your chances of decreasing snoring altogether.

Meditate to Improve Lungs

Yoga or meditation can cause a deep sense of relaxation. Incorporating breathing exercises can clear your airways and increase lung capacity for better air flow within your nasal and throat passages. Meditation has also proven to decrease stress levels, which can aid immensely in gaining a good shut-eye every night.

Seek out Anti-Snoring Appliances

There are quite a few devices that help combat snoring either by forcing your head to attain a relaxed position or by oral application.

The chin strap is a popular device recommended by sleep experts to help prevent snoring, the apparatus works by strapping the belt across your head and chin to assist in keeping your mouth closed while you snooze. With your mouth closed, your airways remain clear to eliminate snoring.

The anti-snoring mouthpiece is a device that when inserted into the user’s mouth enables the user’s mandible or jawbone to widen and increase airways, this reduces wind turbulence inside the mouth and allows the user to breathe without restriction.

If none of the above-listed methods have proved to be effective in relieving your snoring condition, then perhaps it’s time to visit a Somnologist or Neurologist to determine the underlying condition. Snoring is a condition that should never be ignored, it could relate to a more serious and undetected sickness that could prove to be fatal if not caught early. 

Danielle Ward

How CEOs With Learning Disabilities Innovated Groundbreaking Technologies

CEOs are different from almost everyone else. They thrive on risk and reward. In today’s economy, many run multi-million dollar high-tech companies. It takes charisma to persuade thousands of employees to share a corporate vision and to believe in “the evidence of things not seen.”

It takes unusual talent and persistence to create gigantic corporations, handle nationwide marketing campaigns, deal with Internet security issues along the way, and fight against all the calamities associated with network security and data loss prevention. And it takes courage to handle the massive financial losses or career reversals that can unexpectedly occur in the course of building an empire. For example, Steve Jobs was fired from the company he founded.

It’s only natural to assume that these CEOs must have extraordinary mental talents to be able to invent new technological systems, detect emerging marketing trends, and make a fortune from opportunities that most people failed to notice in the first place.

However, what may surprise you is that this is often not the case. A number of CEOs and entrepreneurs have learning disabilities, the most common being dyslexia.

Against all reasonable assumptions, they have often managed to turn their weaknesses into strengths or found a way to make their weaknesses irrelevant.

Here are four stories of famous people who have created high-tech companies that changed the world. They did not let their disabilities slow them down, and have done things most people would consider bordering on the impossible.

Dyslexia

According to Medical News Today,“Dyslexia is a specific reading disability due to a defect in the brain's processing of graphic symbols. It is a learning disability that alters the way the brain processes written material and is typically characterized by difficulties in word recognition, spelling and decoding.”

Often people with dyslexia find it difficult to read because of reversals of numbers, letters or words

Three famous technologists who suffered from dyslexia were Steve Jobs, who founded Apple; Bill Hewlett, who started Hewlett Packard; and John Chambers, the former CEO of Cisco Systems.

Steve Jobs

Steven Paul Jobs was an American inventor, visionary, and tech entrepreneur. He co-founded Apple, Inc, and served as its chief executive and chairman. He was also the CEO of Pixar, the American computer animation film studio in Emeryville, California famous for making Toy Story.

He is well-known for his thought-provoking quotes about the nature of innovation:

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”

“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.”

Although dyslexia made it difficult for him to read, it didn’t stop him from his prolific urge to make a dent in the universe in the world computers, animation films, and telecommunications.

Bill Hewlett

American engineer William Redington Hewlett and David Packard founded the computer manufacturing company Hewlett-Packard. At one time, it was the second largest computer company in the world. He also founded Agilent Technologies, Hewlett Foundation, and Public Policy Institute of California.

John Chambers

Executive chairman and former CEO of Cisco Systems John Thomas Chambers did not let dyslexia stop him from running the famous multinational technology company that designs, makes, and sells networking equipment.

He not only managed a multinational company, but he also wrote the popular book, “The Truth about Networking for Success: The Top Tips to Becoming a Great Networker, the Facts You Should Know.”

Asperger’s Syndrome

Here is how WebMD describes it. “Asperger's syndrome, also called Asperger's disorder, is a type of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). PDDs are a group of conditions that involve delays in the development of many basic skills, most notably the ability to socialize with others, to communicate, and to use imagination.”

Often people with Asperger’s syndrome find it difficult to get a job because of difficulties in socializing with others and communicating their interests.

Bram Cohen did not let his Asperger’s syndrome stop him from becoming one of the top computer programmers in the world by creating a disruptive protocol that changed the Internet.

Bram Cohen

American computer programmer Bram Cohen authored the peer-to-peer protocol called BitTorrent. He also authored the first file sharing program that used the BitTorrent protocol.

Essentially, what the protocol does is allow users to transfer huge amounts of information over the Internet.

He did not have a learning disorder, but many psychologists consider Asperger’s syndrome a disorder that falls within the autism spectrum.

Bram Cohen turned Asperger’s syndrome to his advantage because it gave him a deeper interest in patterns and puzzles than most people have the patience to figure out.

Making A Dent in the Universe

Despite difficulties that would have stopped most people in their tracks, these four technology innovators have changed the world in a significant way. What is particularly impressive is that they excelled in a field that requires tremendous study and knowledge to excel in.

This is a blog post by Nancy Evans.

Transforming Public Health Worldwide

As technology advances, new ways of tracking outbreaks are continually evolving. As you work toward your online MPH degree http://mphdegree.usc.edu, you’ll learn that Medical Geographic Information Systems have become an important tool for transforming public health worldwide. Here’s how (click to enlarge):


University of Southern California Master of Public Health Online
This is a guest blog entry.

Top 4 Alternatives to Seeing a Primary Care Physician

When you have the sniffles or a sore throat, you might think that it’s time to pay a visit to your family doctor. However, as the healthcare industry continues to change in the U.S., a doctor’s visit can be very expensive and you could end up spending a lot of time in the office without receiving the results you want. Instead, consider some of these alternatives to seeing a primary care physician.

Utilize E-Visits

Image via Flickr by Army Medicine

There are a growing number of healthcare professionals who offer online tools and resources to diagnose and treat basic symptoms. Curely.co is a site where patients can talk to certified medical staff members about specific health problems and even receive prescriptions for medications if appropriate. These online alternatives are more affordable than regular office visits and can save you time as well.

Check Into a Retail Health Clinic

Many retail stores, such as drugstores and supermarkets, now offer another option to see a doctor for your symptoms. The purpose of retail health clinics is to provide a faster and more convenient experience for a patient who has an episodic minor illness. Similar to an urgent care facility, a clinic of this nature isn’t a substitute for regular medical checkups or annual wellness exams. Instead, it is a great option for when you are ill but want to see a provider while you are already at the store picking up over-the-counter meds for your symptoms.

Homeopathic Remedies

You can also use homeopathic alternative remedies to treat your symptoms instead of bundling up and heading out to see your doctor. Many illnesses are viral, so there aren’t any prescription medications that will offer relief. A primary care physician might prescribe or recommend a medication that will help with symptoms, but homeopathic options often provide similar or better results. The main benefit of choosing homeopathic medicine is that is more natural and safer than using drugs. It is practiced throughout the world and remedies will not interact with other conventional medications.

Consider Alternative Care Providers 

There are other types of healthcare providers that can assist in providing relief. If you are experiencing sore and aching muscles, schedule an appointment with a massage therapist who can give a treatment that heals inflammation, releases endorphins to help you feel better faster, and works on both a hormonal and cellular level. Hypnotherapy is an alternative treatment for chronic pain or addiction. Osteopathic doctors focus on health management through strengthening of the joints, muscles, spine, and connective tissues. A naturopathic healthcare provider will use natural resources, including exercise, nutrition, meditation, and herbs, to heal bodies. The goal of naturopathy is overall balance, which promotes wellness.

With so many options available to you, skip the visit to your primary care physician the next time you have an illness that isn’t life-threatening. Of course, anything that is cause for concern should be evaluated by a licensed medical professional. These other options make it easier to find a provider in your area so you can feel better sooner through additional treatments and remedies.

This is a guest blog post.