Health Articles

Nowadays, hoodia is one thing which is on everybody’s mouth whether they are vendors or consumers. Everyone is curious to know that what hoodia actually is. Hoodia gordnii or popularly referred to as a cactus is a plant that grows wild in the deserts of South Africa. It is a succulent, something like Aloe Vera. Hoodia is an appetite suppressant which is the subject of some debate, but for the most part hoodia reviews are positive. Hoodia reviews are the comments of the consumers who used it but they are not always positive. Usually mentioned hoodia reviews refer to specific products and not to the overall effectiveness of hoodia as an appetite suppressant.

You’ll be amazed by the fact that there are at least 15 different varieties of hoodia. But only the hoodia gordonii species is believed to stifle appetite. The negative reviews may be of products containing some other variety of hoodia. While checking the authentication always makes sure there are two certifications that a dieter can look for to confirm that a product contains South African hoodia gordonii. Those two certificates are C.I.T.E.S. certificate and the Analytical Report. Majority of the products which are being displayed should carry these two certificates and should be published on their websites or package can be purchased with confidence.

Also some hoodia products carry additional ingredients, such as green tea. According to few health experts’ green tea is also considered to be a natural appetite suppressant, but contains caffeine which is a stimulant. Few people are bit sensitive to stimulants thus they may report a negative hoodia review if they are consuming products which carry green tea. But this combination may work wonders for others that’s why dietary supplements work on an individual basis. It is not necessary to try a product or a variety of products, before the best product for a specific individual is found. Try to read more hoodia reviews and also contact local physician before start consuming hoodia.

Manufactures which guarantee their products a positive hoodia review, sometime offer no guarantee that whether customers will accept that or not. Also many companies accept returns of opened bottles when a customer is dissatisfied and do not charge additional fees. However there are few websites also dedicated to comparing different products and publishing customer comments and reviews. These can be found by typing in the search term “hoodia reviews” or “hoodia review”. Somehow it is difficult to judge a product based solely on a customer’s hoodia review. This reason behind is that customer expectation is often unrealistic. Generally hoodia and other appetite suppressants only work when used in conjunction with a proper diet and reasonable exercise. As far as the information goes there is nothing that will help a person lose weight, if that person does not make any lifestyle changes. Hoodia is nothing but an appetite suppressant and it may also appear that a lot of people say that a specific hoodia product does not work. Thus, it is wise to read all the possible hoodia reviews so that you got to know that hoodia you’re going to consume is useful to you or not. And also it is wise to remember that satisfied customers often say nothing. Anyone who has worked in retail is aware that comment and suggestion boxes contain more negatives than positives. This may be the primary reason for negative hoodia reviews.

About the Author:

Author is an associate editor to the website http://online-pharmacy.2rx.biz/. The website is committed to provide visitors with complete information on weight loss, obesity and hoodia diet pills.

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A good weight loss exercise plan, like a good article, should stick to the basics: “Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?” The “lead-in” should catch the audience’s attention, and the body should hold that attention, while being informative.

That said, would you be interested in a low-cost, low-impact weight loss exercise program that requires no trips to the gym, no recurring health club fees, and no trendy equipment; a program that provides demonstrable results in 4 to 7 days, and just keeps getting more effective as you go along; a plan that is completely under your control and involves no pain, soreness or stiffness; one with easy to follow techniques and lots of resources to guide you through all the steps, from beginner to advanced?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then read on.

* Who? Women from middle-age on, who need to lose anywhere from 10 pounds on up, and are looking for a simple, efficient, low-impact regimen that will provide quick and dramatic results. Age is not a factor in fitness. Whether you are 45 or 75, you can benefit from weight loss exercise.

* What? Isometric weight Loss exercise; a simple and proven low-impact system for reaching and maintaining your goals.

* When? 10 to 15 minutes a day for the isometric exercise component, and 5 or more opportunities per day to implement a specialized rhythmic breathing technique that compliments the exercise by facilitating blood-flow and increased oxygen distribution throughout the body. This breathing can be practiced at any time.

* Where? The isometric exercises can be performed anywhere in the privacy of your home. Most of the exercises can be done sitting in a chair or, depending on your needs and abilities, some exercises can be done standing or lying on the floor. The rhythmic breathing can be practiced virtually anywhere: sitting at your computer; watching TV; shopping; even stuck in traffic.

* Why? To fit a simple, effective exercise program into your busy day, and lose those unwanted and burdensome pounds and inches; to increase muscle strength, flexibility and vitality; to reduce mental stress, and to give you back lost self-confidence, and much of your wardrobe.

* How? Isometrics and breathing. Isometric exercise trainers and DVDs teach you all the exercises, breathing techniques and proper positioning to allow you to obtain results in the first week of the program. You will, in fact, start to feel changes in 4 to 7 days from commencing your new routine. The training leads you through the steps, from neophyte to expert. You control your own pace and resistance, so you never have to worry about pain, soreness, stiffness or “overdoing” it.

So what’s the catch? That’s the beauty of isometric weight loss exercise; there is no catch. Get yourself a trainer, a book or a video, learn the methods, find just 10 to 15 minutes in your day to perform the isometric exercises, have faith in yourself, and proceed to regain youthful vigor and improve your self-image. Stop counting calories, and start counting on yourself.

About the Author:

Owner of IsoBreathing Inc. and creator of IsoBreathing® Ellen has been teaching life style and fitness over 20 years and is a certified fitness practitioner and personal trainer. Find out about Isometric Exercise, Weight Loss Exercise or buy her Exercise DVD - visit http://www.isobreathing.com.

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Crohn’s disease is a chronic disease that causes inflammation of the digestive tract, also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Crohn’s disease can affect any area of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus, but it most commonly affects the lower part of the small intestine, called the ileum.

The swelling and inflammation of the small intestine extends deep into the lining of the affected organ. The swelling can cause pain and can make the intestines empty frequently, resulting in the sufferer rushing to the toilet often.

Symptoms of Crohn’s disease include abdominal pain, often in the lower right abdominal area, diarrhoea, arthritis, skin problems, rectal bleeding, weight loss and possibly fever. If bleeding is persistent, this may be serious as anemia may result.

The terrible abdominal pain often causes sufferers of Crohn’s disease to lose their appetite and their friends and family may mistake them to be anorexic. Crohn’s disease is difficult to diagnose and the doctor might dismiss an actual case as merely an intestinal ulcer.

The cause of the disease is unknown, but it is suspected that viruses and bacteria could play a part. Most people develop the disease before they are 30 and the peak age is 14-24. Stress is thought to exacerbate the illness.

Crohn’s disease hampers the ability of the intestines to absorb food, leading to nutritional deficiencies. Many foods aggravate symptoms for sufferers and they find it difficult to find food they can take and tolerate, to derive the necessary nutrients.

The medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil are easily digested and absorbed, and provide high energy lipid to Crohn’s disease sufferers who have lipid absorption problems. Patients often have trouble digesting fats but can derive essential fatty acids from the natural remedy that is coconut oil.

Coconut oil, with its healing properties, has been found to be effective in soothing and healing the inflammation and injury in the digestive tract for Crohn’s disease sufferers. The medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil kill the bacteria and virus in the digestive tract that may cause chronic inflammation.

Protect your immune system and nourish your health with virgin coconut oil, Go to:

http://www.BuyVirginCoconutOil.com

About the Author:

Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included.http://www.buyvirgincoconutoil.com

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Goji juice is juice from the goji fruit and has a great health potential. But watch Out for More than One Scam!

The words “goji juice scam” could be interpreted as a reference to one of two very different scams. One of these scams would relate to the quality of the advertised goji juice. An example: Let’s say an advertisement that did not mention Himalayan goji berries could be seen as a goji juice scam as only the Himalayan berries have a nutritional profile that includes close to one dozen different ingredients.

While there is at least one goji juice scam that deprives consumers of a good quality goji juice, there is yet a second, no less dangerous form for this kind of scam. The second goji scam concerns the nature of information regarding one mineral in the goji juice. The second scam leaves out all of the available information about a mineral called selenium.

Selenium is a mineral that can act to lower a man’s risk of prostate cancer can be added to the diet by drinking goji juice. Selenium has the great ability to slow or prevent the occurrence of cancer. Researchers have linked selenium’s cancer-fighting abilities to the action of certain enzymes. This mineral aids the production of those enzymes, thus giving it the capacity to ward-off cancer risks. At the present time studies have shown that a daily intake of at least 70 micrograms of selenium should be the goal of all who wish to remain free of cancer

Now the offering of such information on the selenium mineral should not be seen as a goji juice scam. If, however, the imparter of that information tried to encourage people to a daily intake of more than 70 micrograms of selenium, then that could be seen as a goji juice scam. That is because it is possible for a person to eat too much of this mineral.

If one were to eat a quantity far above 100 micrograms each day, then that excess amount of selenium could cause nausea, bad breath, rash, dizziness, weakness and cold symptoms. Further, consuming more than 60 micrograms of selenium per day is bad for pregnant women because a high intake of selenium has in several studies appeared to be linked to birth complications.

A man who wants to prevent developing prostate cancer, needs a slightly different diet than a woman who is carrying a child. That fact should definately be included in any serious literature about selenium. It should also be mentioned in an advertisement for goji juice products or on its packaging as the failure to highlight that fact might be seen as a goji juice scam.

About the Author:

Gary Holdon is a writer and internet publisher of health related information like herbs, alternative medicine and goji. Check out http://www.goji-4-all.com for more detailed information.

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Dental defects have always caused problems, be it to an adult or an aged person. There are a variety of dental defects such as misaligned tooth, missing tooth, tooth decay and stained yellow teeth that can cause problem to an individual. Root canal therapy is a special treatment that is meant to cure tooth decay. Tooth decay is such a dental defect that will not only spoil your tooth, but can pose a danger to the gums. Root canal treatment is available for you to get rid of the inflammatory reactions. These inflammatory infections lead to tooth decay that occurs in nerve tissues.

If you are staying either in New York or any other place, consulting an experienced dentist is mandatory for you. It is the dentist only who is going to carry out the treatment on the affected tooth. You may require certain number of sittings with your dentist to discuss the problem. Health is the most precious thing one can have and it is important to have healthy teeth too. A beautiful smile is that, which has healthy and white teeth. After all, an attractive smile enlightens one’s day and who won’t like to have perfect smile. The first impression is said to be the last impression and your smile has to be just right.

The treatment process of root canal is carried out to take out the putrefied nerve tissue. Firstly, the problem area is cleansed so that room can be created to carry out the second part of the treatment. The second stage of treatment deals with the filling and sealing part. The main aim of the filling and sealing of the interior of tooth is to avoid the leakage of any tissue fluid in it. It is because if the tissue fluid becomes inactive in the tooth, then it can also break the tooth. The seal applied to the tooth covers the debris that is left out during the cleaning process of root canal. If this part of treatment is not carried out, then there are clear chances of leakage that can cause inflammatory reactions.

People all over US, including New York, have become health conscious. Nobody wants to face any kind of problem due to their dental health. It is because of this reason that people are continuously visiting their dentists and go for regular check ups. The main reason behind this is that they don’t want to suffer from any dental defects such as tooth decay that poses a threat not only to the neighboring tooth, but also to the gums. You may also have to undergo surgery, if any problem occurs in your gums. Endodontics is a scientific term for root canal therapy that is meant to save you from this serious matter.

The root cause of tooth decay is the excess intake of sweets. Those people who are in a habit of eating so many sweets, they might run the fear of catching this infection. In this concern, the root of the teeth starts decaying and catching bacteria. The bacteria are the main cause of all the problems. Consulting your dentist in this regard would be best for you. It’s the matter of your health and no compromises can be made with it. Isn’t it?

About the Author:

Erzana Jones has special interest in dentistry and health related topics.She has been working for Manhattan dental SPA since the last 3 years.For more information about Manhattan Dental SPA,Dentist New York,Root canal New York or any kind of dental emergency visit http://www.manhattandentalspa.com

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What is the difference I hear you ask? For most people the answer would be nothing.

Whether you sit on a shoulder press machine and press your equivalent bodyweight above your head or kick up into a handstand (against a wall ) and lower head to the floor and push back up again, there does not seem to be a difference.

You would think that if you could do one, then you could do the other.

Well in 99% of cases, that is not the case. Surprisingly, for most people and especially those who lift weights, handstand push ups are far harder to perform than shoulder presses.

In a shoulder press movement, and especially on a seated press machine, you do not use a single muscle to balance yourself. By using the secondary muscles in the shoulders, you are working them a lot more and from different directions as you keep balance in a handstand push up. More effort is needed and greater shoulder strength required to perform a handstand push up.

Other benefits of handstand push ups are in increase in blood flow to your brain and vast improvements in spatial awareness. Most people, who have never tried to do a handstand, or rarely find themselves upside down for that matter, become disorientated and lose their bearings.

After only a few attempts, your brain becomes used to seeing things from a different perspective, which greatly improves spatial awareness, and with the increased blood flow, improves your well-being.

Handstand push ups also offer much more range of movement. When performing shoulder presses, the weight bar is lowered as far as the tops of the shoulders, and then pressed back up.

When you become stronger and more confident at performing handstand push ups, you can raise your hands by placing them onto books and even chairs. A handstand push up between two chairs almost doubles the distance you have to travel until your head touches the floor and is an extremely impressive feat of strength.

On top of all the health and strength benefits of handstand push ups, you do not need to visit a gym or spend money on weights for a home gym.

Handstand push ups can be performed at home and build tremendous shoulder and upper body strength that far outweigh the benefits of using weights.

If you find, you do not have the strength to perform a single push up, start by kicking into a handstand (against a wall) and just hold this position for time. The strength gains from just doing this will be dramatic.

If you want superior upper body strength that will blow you away, then turn your training upside down and include handstands into your daily routine.

About the Author:

James Holder is a full time operational firefighter and has been helping people lose weight and getfit for over 10 years. He is also the best selling author of ‘How to become Firefighter Fit’. Go tohttp://www.firefighterfit.com

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Even in the winter months when your skin is covered by lots of clothing, it is still important to take care of your skin and reduce the risk of damaging it. This does not just apply to your face, but to your whole body.

Try not to spend too long soaking in hot baths or Jacuzzis. With added oils in the water it may feel great and a nice way to relax, but it does not do your skin any good. Be nice and gentle to your skin when drying off, by using soft towels. Make sure you apply some moisturizer straight away, even if the skin is still damp, as this will help to avoid dehydration of the skin.

It would be a good idea to get a humidifier for your house, especially as you are probably using artificial heating in your home. Humidifiers can also be quite useful for members of the family with other health problems, and are not too expensive to buy. If you live in a large dwelling, you might require more than one.

Try not to use any oils when having a bath, as it only makes the surface of the bath slippery, and may encourage you to spend too long in it. After your bath or shower is the best time to apply any oils to your skin. Use a few drops of virgin olive oil and massage into your skin after applying the moisturizer. This type of oil is rich in antioxidants, and thus very good for your skin.

Another good thing is to exfoliate your skin, as this removes dead cells and encourages the growth of new ones. This cell turnover is vital if you want to have smooth, healthy skin. You do not need to do this every day, but when you do, try to use a product which is gentle to your skin.

Your lips need a bit of extra help, as they are particularly vulnerable to the winter climate. You do not want your lips becoming dry and chapped, and a good defense against this is a good lip balm.

Sunscreens are a good idea, even during the winter months, as the winter sun can damage any exposed areas of your body.

About the Author:

James Hunaban is the owner of http://skin-care-tips.jims-info.com/ a site full of Skin Care information.

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It is known that vegetarians have lower rates of heart disease and some forms of cancer than non-vegetarians. You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy vegetarian dishes and the benefits of a vegetarian diet. Trying a couple of meat-free days each week can help your digestion and detox your body.

Vegetarians get abundant fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals that help to prevent cancer. In addition, blood analysis of vegetarians reveals a higher level of specialized white blood cells that attack cancer cells.

According to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarians are at lower risk for developing heart disease, Colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers, diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.

People who follow vegetarian diets typically have lower blood pressure. No one knows exactly why vegetarian diets work so well. It is probable that cutting out meat and dairy products reduces the blood’s viscosity which, in turn, brings down blood pressure. Vegetables and fruits are also rich in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure.

A vegetarian diet, if followed properly would consist mostly of alkaline forming foods. Our blood is slightly alkaline and needs to be kept that way by reducing intake of acid-forming foods like meat and more of alkaline forming foods like vegetables.

This is probably one of the main reasons that people who are sick see health benefits when they go to these diets. However, some vegetarians eat French fries and potato chips with soft drinks everyday, and do not see the benefits of the alkaline diet.

Also, some vegetarian diets are very heavy on the carbohydrates. As a result, many vegetarians have found themselves full of candida and other pathogens, since candida thrives on foods that contain carbohydrates and sugar.

Another mistake some vegetarians make is almost totally eliminating high quality fats and proteins. Fats give you the energy you need to do your daily activities. Fats also provide essential nutrients like fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids. Your body requires a certain amount of these fat nutrients.

The fat in coconut oil is a high quality fat. The medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil are more easily digested than the long-chain fatty acids found in other oils. This is because they are processed directly in the liver and immediately converted into energy.

There is therefore less strain on the liver, pancreas and digestive system and, being easily digested, they also tend to improve the absorption of other nutrients. Thus, it is beneficial foe vegetarians to use coconut oil to cook and prepare their meals.

Protect your immune system and nourish your health with virgin coconut oil, Go to:

http://www.BuyVirginCoconutOil.com

About the Author:

Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included.http://www.buyvirgincoconutoil.com

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G’day Groovers.

Sorry for the lack of input and inspiration over the last day or two; slack really. Dock my pay. I deserve it.

Things at the Harperdome, the new kids gym (Gecko), the corporate speaking world and radio-land have been somewhat frantic and demanding. Sometimes the realities of being a business owner, the boss of a bunch of people and Mr. I-can-do-fifty-things-at-once…. is just way too grown-up for me.

Sometimes I’m so mature and responsible, I think I’m becoming my Dad. Bugger.

Hi Ron.

I’ve been suffering from Blogger withdrawal today… so I thought I best put pen to paper…er, finger to keyboard.

So it seems that the article on the National Geographic Diet (my tongue-in-cheek description of instinctive eating) has generated some significant interest. For those of you who missed the piece, I explored the crazy dietary notion of not following any set eating plan (times, amounts, RDI’s), but rather, learning to listen to, interpret and act upon the signals our body is constantly giving us; the signals we’ve so effectively trained ourselves to ignore over the years.

The physiological signals which tell us wacky things like: STOP EATING YOU DON’T NEED THIS! The signals which clearly tell us (when we choose to listen) what our body does, and doesn’t need (in terms of food).

Not to be confused with the emotional and psychological urges and desires which tell us every five minutes that we need to medicate, sooth or reward ourselves with another unnecessary, indulgent, high-calorie ‘prize’.

If you missed the article you can check it out here.

Okay, for those of you who want to re-connect with your body, learn something about yourself and give the instinctive eating thing a crack, here are my thoughts, ideas and suggestions (I would say rules but then I sound bossy.. and we really shouldn’t have too many ‘rules’ when the very thing we’re trying to do is listen to our body and let it tell us what to do).

1. Before you start your 28-day journey collect some base-line data. In other words; measurements and photos. Body-weight, girth measurements, body-fat percentage and a visual record (photos) are all good ideas. Remember; it’s almost impossible for you to be objective about you…. so the pre and post-program testing helps us get some real perspective and objectivity about the worth of the concept we’re exploring (in this instance; instinctive eating).

Enough geekiness? Okay.

Unfortunately, we need to get a little scientific and quantify things as much as possible. For the program evaluation we want to take out opinion, estimation, guessing and simply assess the results.

2. Length of Program and start date. The length of our little research project is 28 days and you can start any time you like up until January 1, 2007… Then I can get your results, feedback, ideas and thoughts by the end of January. I will write up my report on my (personal) experience as well as provide an overview of the group results, vibe and feedback.

3. Keep a diary. Yes it’s a suggestion… but consider it a strong suggestion. We know there are no ‘rules’ here at RYL (Renovate Your Life) but seeing as we’re trying to conduct a pseudo-scientific study, we best document some stuff and look like we know what we’re doing. Record EVERYTHING which will have some bearing on the outcome and be specific and thorough. What you eat, when you eat it, how much you eat, fluid intake, exercise, moods, hunger levels and sleep patterns (time to sleep, time awake).

For example: don’t write in your diary - Breakfast: cereal (not enough info).

Instead, write Meal 1: (7.05am, very hungry) - 1 cup of oats, 1 cup of skim milk and 1 small banana. Meal 2: (10.45am, hungry) - 1 apple, 1 peach and half a cup of low-fat yoghurt… and so on. What we’re trying to do is establish what works best for your body, and when we diarise everything we collect lots of valuable information, which over time will tell us what works best for us.

3. Don’t eat until you’re hungry. No matter what. The point of this study is for us to listen to what our body is really telling us and for us to learn what is optimal eating for our body. While I’m not going to tell you what to eat, or when to eat, I do suggest that you keep your intake of refined and processed foods to a minimum for the 28 days as they can mess with your blood-sugar, which often results in cravings. When we experience blood-sugar-related cravings, we often mis-interpret those signals for hunger and overeat.

And get fat(ter).

4. Size of meals. Again, a suggestion.. smallish meals is usually the best option. Spend time establishing what is the best portion size for you. Typically, it’s better to eat a small meal at 8am (for eg.) and another small meal at 9.40am if you’re hungry again. Eating a huge meal at 8am and then nothing till February ain’t a great plan. Better for digestion, blood-sugar, energy levels and metabolic function to stick with the smaller (more frequent, if necessary) meals. Not always practical, convenient or easy (we’re about results and learning; not easy), but you’re better to have seven or eight very small meals than one or two whoppers. However, if you do eat a big meal (not illegal in most states) then listen to your body….it will tell you when next to eat. Having said all of that, you may find you’re weird and you function great on two bigger meals per day. Remember there ain’t no rules, no absolutes and it’s all about you listening to your body and seeing what works.

You might eat four pounds of cheesecake on Monday (there’s an idea) and a cow on Thursday ….and feel great.

Doubt it.

5. Warning - Do not get involved in this trial if you have a pre-existing medical condition which could be exacerbated by a change in your eating habits. Diabetics, kids, people with eating disorders and pregnant women are just a few who should give this a miss. If you’re not sure, see your doctor.

6. Change how you think - A lot of people who change the way they eat struggle simply because they weren’t mentally or emotionally ready for the transition. Their body is fine but their head feels a little (nutritionally) neglected because they are accustomed to eating a certain (different) way. If you go into the process with the “I’m-a-martyr-and-I’m-making-a-huge-sacrifice” attitude, you’ll last five minutes, you’ll hate the process and you’ll annoy the crap out of everyone within five miles. Focus on what you’re gaining and learning; not what you’re missing out on and before you eat every meal ask yourself this question: “Do I need this… or want this?”

7. Make sure you get enough micro and macro nutrients. If you think your body is telling you to eat nothing but donuts, there’s a fair chance you’re not listening properly… or you’re listening to your head, not your body.

8. A Reward? Everyone who completes the 28 days, sends me a before and after photo and a brief report (no more than 250 words) will receive a RYL T-shirt… we will (okay, Johnnie will) set up a new section on the site and post your photos and report (we can omit the photo if you like). Then other people can learn from your experience… that’s what we’re about. Please ensure that you send us legitimate pre and post program photos.. we don’t want photos taken two years apart!

9. Be organised. While we don’t want our life to revolve around food preparation, organisation or consumption for these 28 days, it is important to be organised when it comes to your meals. This means having quality food available when you are hungry. Planning and Tupperware; the keys to success! Finding yourself in a situation where you’re hungry with no access to quality food ain’t what we’re after.

10. Get going! Okay, off you go. Get organised, get your head where it needs to be, plan, prepare, change your body for the better, learn something and tell us about it.

If you have any questions post them on the comments section and I will answer them as quickly as possible.

P.S. It’s a few hours later now and I just got back from doing my Saturday radio show.

I interviewed one of Australia’s most respected dieticians, Glenn Cardwell and ran the whole instinctive eating concept by him on air … He’s of the opinion that the whole ‘listening to our body and eating accordingly’ thing, has plenty of merit. Smart man.

His latest book; Gold Medal Nutrition (edition 4) is a great read and provides lots of quality information with no B.S. Love that. Check it out if you get the chance.

About the Author:

Craig Harper (B.Ex.Sci.) is an Australian motivational speaker, qualified exercise scientist, author, columnist, radio presenter, and owner of one of the largest personal training centres in the world. Craig Harper http://www.craigharper.com/

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A recent survey on wheelchair users rated comfort on the wheelchair as the most important issue for individuals who use them. Like drivers who are paying more for comfort, wheelchair users now are willing to fork out more money for comfort. I understand where wheelchair users are coming from, since they are in the wheelchair for most part of the day, in fact around 15 hours.

While agreeing that comfort is a big issue, wheelchair usage safety is lacking in attention. This article will focus on wheelchair safety issues, maintenances and things to look out for when using a wheelchair.

The top most priorities of wheelchair safety are the brakes. Check the brakes on a regular basis because they might get loose over time, compromising the user’s safety. For example, good brakes are needed when a user is transferring over to a wheelchair. If the brakes are not working well and the grip on the floor is not good enough, the chair might just budge and move causing the user to lose balance and fall!

If the fall causes further injury, or when the user lack physical strength to help himself up to the chair, he is stuck until someone comes along to offer assistance. Even if he has the capability to pull up from the floor to the chair, the ineffective brakes are still a problem because it is much more difficult to mount a moving wheelchair.

Secondly, stability and balance is important to use a wheelchair safely. In order to ensure stability and balance, there are some simple rules to follow:

1. Remember to use your seat-positioning strap if it is available.

2. Do not lean forward out of the wheelchair any further than the length of the armrests, when leaning forward, always ensure that the wheel casters are pointing forward to provide more stability.

3. Do not try to pick up objects from the floor by reaching down in between your knees.

4. Do not shift your weight toward the direction you are reaching as the wheelchair may tip over.

5. Do not lean over the top of the back upholstery as this may cause you to tip over.

6. Do not attempt to ride over curbs or obstacles.

7. Do not tilt the wheelchair without assistance.

8. Do not use an escalator to move between floors without assistance.

9. Do not attempt to move up or down an incline with water, ice or oil film on it.

10. Do not move across, go up, or go down ramps or slopes greater than a 9-degree angle.

Thirdly, when assisting a wheelchair user, there are some simple rules to follow:

1. Assistant must always let the wheelchair user know what he or she is doing, and to avoid sudden movements.

2. He should always use good body posture for his own safety and keep his back straight and bend knees slightly when tipping the wheelchair or moving over curbs.

3. Tipping a wheelchair without a tipping bar requires two people, one at either end.

Listed above are some of the common safety issues to look out for and is definitely not comprehensive. The wheelchair is meant to allow greater freedom and independence to its user, not to become the tool of further harm. Do practice wheelchair safety always and get the most out of life on a wheelchair!

About the Author:

Moses Wright is the webmaster of http://WheelchairUser.net. He provides more helpful information on Wheelchair, Wheelchair Ramps and Wheelchair Lift that you can learn in the comfort of your home on his website. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

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