Category Archives: Health Guru's Tips

3 Quick Neck Relief Exercises At Work

Give your neck a break or you will break it, literally…

When we are occupied with our work in the office, sometimes we have forgotten that we have been in that same position for a couple of hours. And this is just bad for your body, especially your neck.

Mr. Danny Yee, the Department of Anatomy & Histology, University of Sydney, mentioned that “An adult human cadaver head cut off around vertebra C3, with no hair, weighs somewhere between 4.5 and 5 kg, constituting around 8% of the whole body mass.”

So imagine the pressure the neck is going through when you you maintain the same position for hours.

Here’s some exercise tips that you can try to give your neck some relief .

exercisesfor-neckrelief(FULL)

7 Reasons Why Your Neck Is Aching

7 reasons why your neck is aching

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Causes and prevention of Myopia

myopia

Health tips for your lower back

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Many people use the wrong muscles during hip movement especially the use of lumbar spine as a substitute for hip movement. This causes a high risk of lower back problems. Therefore, to stay pain free, you have to tackle any flexibility, mobility or strength issues right at the hips.

Our hip is the largest joint in the body, and is also the most difficult to train it properly.

Want to check if you have a healthy lower back? Do these exercises to test your hip and lower back mobility.

  • You should be able to bend forward while standing on two feet, and perhaps even more importantly, on one foot.
  • While standing, you should be able to pull your knee straight up until your thigh is parallel to the ground, pulling your toes toward your shin. Do this for 10 seconds with your hands at your sides.
  • Make sure you can side-step with a band or onto a box, without feeling pain/ difficulty in the lower back

Alternatively, you can try out our latest uDivine App Massage Chair which comes with Lumbar Care massage programme. It is a popular massage programme that focuses 75% of its duration on the lower back area giving you an effective massage that soothes lower back stiffness and tension, keeping it strong and healthy.

For more information on the uDivine App Massage Chair, visit HERE!

Our Favourite Healthcare Apps

  1. Smart alarm Clock FREE:

 

This app makes sure you feel well rested and retain sufficient energy throughout the day, you need to wake up at the most convenient time for your body. Smart Alarm Clock monitors your sleep and determines when you hit your REM (rapid eye movement) cycle, where the awakening threshold is minimal.

Features:

  • Smart Alarm Clock FREE monitors sleep cycles and finds your perfect wake-up time!
  • Features 5 special wake-up tunes.
  • Logs detailed statistics and records the duration of each phase of sleep.
  • Turn on the app and set it to background mode; it will retain full functionality!

 Screenshots of Smart Alarm Clock App on iPhone

  

2.  Depressioncheck:

Depressioncheck can  assess your risk of depression, bipolar and anxiety disorders, including PTSD within 3 minutes.  After completing the short checklist you receive a personalized confidential report sharing how much burden these symptoms may be causing you.

Screenshots of Depressioncheck on iPhone

 

 3. Lose It!

 

Achieve weight loss success with Lose It! The average active Lose It! user has lost more than 12lbs.

Features:

  • Comprehensive database of foods and activities
  • Quickly add new foods or exercises to the database
  • Setup recipes for more complicated foods
  • Quickly add to your log with previous meals, my foods, and other shortcuts
  • Track nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, and more
  • Email or print detailed reports directly from your iPhone or iPod
  • Works with or without a network connection

 Screenshots of Lose It! App on iPhone

 4. WebMD Symptom Checker

 This app allows you to check your symptoms, access drug & treatment information, and get first aid essentials.

Features:

  • Find medically reviewed information about conditions relevant to you and learn more about causes, treatments, and related symptoms.
  • Search their extensive database for information on drugs, supplements, and vitamins. Read about uses, side effects, warnings, and more.
  • Handy guide for medical emergencies. From insect stings to broken bones, helpful treatment tips are always available, even without an Internet connection.
  • Identify your prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines by pill shape, color, & imprint.
  • Create & save custom lists of drugs, conditions & first aid information securely. Retrieve your personal information anytime, anywhere.

Screenshots of WebMD App on iPhone

  

 5. Toothbrush Timer

 The exciting new twist on brushing your teeth! We live in the 21st century, so let’s brush our teeth like it!

Features

  • TIMER: Using a timer makes brushing extremely effective. Toothbrush Timer tells you when and where to brush your teeth using dentist recommended tips. The timer helps to reduce dental/ dental-related risks by giving you the ability to use the two minute interval (for electric toothbrushes) or adjustable intervals for traditional toothbrushes.
  • TOOTHBRUSH TIMER: Worn toothbrushes can damage gum tissue, become a breeding ground for germs, or lose effectiveness. Toothbrush Timer comes with a toothbrush tracker that alerts you how long your toothbrush has been used.

  • DENTIST REMINDER: Reminds you of your last dentist appointment, so that you can make time in your busy day to get checked out.

Screenshots of WebMD App on iPhone

 Pocket Yoga

The practice of yoga becomes beneficial when done on a regular basis. Pocket Yoga allows you to keep up with your practice at your own pace and in the comforts of your own home. There are a total of 3 different practices, 3 different difficulty levels and 3 different durations.

Features:

  • Detailed voice and visual instruction guides you through every pose, including each inhalation and exhalation
  • Over 145 beautifully illustrated pose images
  • Dictionary of poses containing descriptions and benefits of each pose
  • Does not require internet connectivity to function
  • Maintains an ongoing log of all your yoga practices to track your progress and promote consistency

Screenshots of Pocket Yoga on iPhone 

 

Are there any apps that you use for healthcare purposes? Feel free to share with us!

The Anatomy of Beautiful Legs

What are the traits that define a pair of beautiful legs?

Too short or stumpy, your legs are deemed as carrots, too skinny makes them bamboo sticks. Our legs not only has to be straight, scar-free and most important of all, total body proportions must be taken into account when judging.

Check out this chart to find out the ‘perfect’ proportions for beautiful legs.

How ‘perfect’ are your pair of legs?

To get the most accurate measurement, measure the circumference of the thickest portion of the legs.

Formula for ideal thighs:

Your height X (0.29 to 0.3) cm 

Formula for ideal calves:

Your height X (0.2 to 0.21) cm 

Formula for ideal heels:

Your height X 0.118cm

Are your children breathing in clean air at home?

The air we are breathing in everyday contains many invisible pollutants that can be harmful to our bodies. These harmful pollutants in our living spaces can weaken the body’s immune sytem and are often main causes of allergies and respiratory ailments in children.

Nasal allergies are very common amongchildren and many parents often could not differentiate them from the usual colds and flu.

Colds are usually associated with thicker nasal secretions, a sore throat, hoarseness and possibly fever. They also tend to get fairly better compared to nasal allergies.

What are the symptoms of nasal allergies?

Symptoms of nasal allergies can be mild or severe and include:

  • Sneezing
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Itchy, watery, red or swollen eyes
  • Persistent, thin, water nasal discharge

What causes nasal allergies?

Allergens are foreign substances that can cause an allergic reaction in certain people. Nasal allergies are often caused by one or more of the following allergens:

House dust

House dust composes of a number of natural substances, including dried food particles, mold spore, pollen, fabric fibers, animal dander and insect parts. These particles contain proteins that are small enough to be airborne and inhaled.

Dust mites

Invisible to the naked eye, dust mites are microscopic arachnids (resembling tiny spiders) that can attach firmly to fibers, living deep within carpeting, upholstery and mattresses. Fortunately, dust mites do not bite, spread disease or actually live on humans. However, their tiny, airborne fecal pellets are what most children are allergic to.

Pets

As cute as they may be, pets are often a source of allergens. When the animal licks itself, saliva gets on its fur or feathers and when the saliva dries, protein particles become airborne. Cats in particular are the worst offenders because the protein from their saliva is extremely tiny and they tend to lick themselves more often than other animals. Pets allergens can also be found in daner, hair and urine.

Mould

Mould can be found thriving in both warm and moist evironment. Dark poorly ventilated indoor areas such as bathrooms and under kitchen sinks are places where moulds thrive in. Outdoors, moulds can be found in poor drainage areas.

Pollen

Another major cause of allergies, these tiny particles are releaed into the air by trees, weeds and other plants for fertilisation. Large quantities of lightweight pollen are usually produced and they can carried for great distances and easily inhaled, bringing it into contact with the sensitive nasal passages.

How nasal allergies can affect your child?

Besides being a health threat, nasal allergies can cause discomforts for your child. He may lose sleep at night due to allergens such as dust mites and house dust being circulated into the air when tossing in bed. A lack of good quality sleep can impede proper rest and development of the child’s body. The child may become cranky or tired esaily in the day and a school-going child mya have trouble paying attention in class.

What can parents do about nasal allergies?

While there is no real cure for allergies, it is possible to relieve the symptoms by reducing or eliminating exposure to allergens. Indoor air in homes in 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air and children tend to spend a large amount of time indoors. As parents, you can do your part by helping to keep your child’s allergies under control by reducing the amount of allergens in the house with the new OSIM’s uVenus, the world’s 1st ambient purifier.

How the uVenus can remove allergens and give your children cleaner air

Fine Mesh Filter

Large dust particles such as dust & pet hair are removed at this initial stage of the purifying process.

True HEPA filter

Commonly used in clinical laboratories and hospitals, the True HEPA Filter removes 99.97%  of harmful particles in the air. Dust, moulds, dust mites and allergens as small as 0.3 microns are removed at this stage.

Highly Absorbent Deodouriser Filter

Activated carbon and aluminum curbs bacteria growth and neutralises odour for fresh-smelling air.

UV Catalytic Filter

Ultraviolet light from the UV LED lamp falls on the Titanium Dioxide coated filter and produces hydroxl radicals (OH). Bacteria, viruses, moulds and spores are deactivated here.

Active Ioniser

The uVenus with its Mutli-action Tru-air purification process purifies stale indoor air and provides clean, fresh air for easier breathing and better well-being for your family.

It is also a mood light with 3 scientifically-researched light modules and specially-composed music to help RELAX, BALANCE or ENERGISE the mind and body.

OSIM uVenus comes in 2 easily interchangeable display options: standing or table-top, to fit your home environment. It also has a night light controller that allows you to access the wake-up and sleep timer functions.

It’s award-winning sleek design and innovative technology makes it an essential accessory for any homes. Transform your living space into an urban sanctuary with uVenus, the world’s 1st ambient purifier.

Live Well, Drink Well

Stress Buster Juice ingredients(the ingredients below are enough for a large cup or a tall glass. You can adjust the amount or alter the amounts of individual ingredients).Carrots are a good source of Vitamin A and Beta Carotenes, providing anti-ageing and cancer-fighting antioxidants.

3 whole carrots
4 sticks celery
1/2 a beet
2 cloves of raw garlic (If you prefer, you can omit the garlic, but it does have many health benefits)
1/4-1/4+ Cup lemon juice 100%

Top 5 myths & tips on children’s sleep every parents need to know!

Sleep plays an essential role in every child’s growth and health. Our body repairs, regenerates cells and refreshes the mind during this period. Children are likely to perform better and are less prone to behavioural problems and moodiness with a good sleep. Below are some common sleep myths and facts parents should take note of.

Myth: Babies need a perfectly quiet place to sleep.

Fact: Babies are already used to hearing and sleeping with some background noise.

The womb is actually a very noisy place filled with noises such as the mother’s digestive sounds and heartbeat. To help babies sleep better, use white noise recordings (eg. ocean waves or rainfall), lullabies or soft music to soothe and calm their minds.

Myth: Not taking naps will make a child sleep longer at night

Fact: A child’s biology is not created to go from morning to bedtime without a rest.

Nap and night-time sleep are both necessary and independent of each other. Children who nap well are usually less cranky and sleep better at night. The table below shows an estimate how much night-time sleep and naps children of different age require.

Baby & Children Sleep Chart. Adapted from http://www.parents.com/baby/sleep/basics/age-by-age-guide/

Myth: Keeping a baby up late will make him really tired so he’ll fall asleep. 

Fact: Once a child becomes overtired, it will be difficult for him to fall asleep.

The child should be put to bed when they are feeling drowsy, but awake. Take advantage of your child’s natural biology so that he is actually tired when his bedtime arrives. You can help align sleepiness with bedtime by dimming the lights in your home during the hour or two before bedtime.

Myth: A good sleep means sleeping through the night

Fact: One in three children wakes up at night.

As frustrating as it is to parents, night waking is normal. It is natural to have the child waking and feeding frequently, especially during the first three months. Furthermore, all human beings wake up five or more times each night, when shifting from one stage of sleep to another. The issue is not for a child to sleep all night without waking up, but for a child to be able to fall back to sleep.

Myth: Children will learn how to fall asleep on their own, as it’s a natural process.

Fact: Parents can take steps to start cultivating good sleeping habits from young

Although some children do learn to self-sooth more easily and naturally than other babies, for most babies it is a skill that they need to learn. Parents can help children to form positive associations with sleeping. The child who falls asleep on his own will be better able to return to sleep during normal night-time awakenings.

To address the above common issues, parents can start by creating a soothing and comfortable sleeping environment for the children with OSIM uVenus, the world’s 1st ambient purifier.

 

Air purifier

Give your children a clean, fresh sleeping environment with uVenus’s Mult-action Tru-air purification process. An active ioniser, True HEPA filter and UV Catalytic Filter, purify the air for easier breathing and better well-being during sleep time.A clean and healthy indoor space is vital for children, especially those with respiratory conditions or allergies. uVenus can remove dust and harmful particles for easier and safer breathing during sleep.

Mood light & Music

uVenus offers you 3 different programmes – RELAX, BALANCE and ENERGISE, each with a scientifically researched mood light programme and clinically-proven music, to create the ideal ambience.

For bedtime, choose the RELAX programme where cool colour tones gently alternate in a slow flowing rhythm, accompanied by music based on alpha waves. The mood light calms children’s restless mind and tense emotions while alpha waves music encourages their brainwaves to a state of relaxation, making them fall asleep easier.

Watch this clip to learn more on how uVenus protects your family from air, light and noise pollution!

 

OSIM uVenus comes in 2 easily interchangeable display options: standing or table-top to fit your home environment. It also has a night light controller that allows you to access the wake-up and sleep timer functions.

It’s award-winning sleek design and innovative technology makes it an essential accessory for any homes. Transform your living space into an urban sanctuary with uVenus, the world’s 1st ambient purifier.

For more details, please visit http://www.osim.com/SG/product/uvenus.aspx or visit our outlets to experience uVenus.

References:

http://www.parentsask.com/articles/sleep-facts-sleep-myths-10-things-every-parent-needs-know

http://www.sleepforkids.org/html/sheet.html

http://www.nesting.com/experts/article/120031/Sleep-Myth-Busters-The-Sleep-Lady-Sets-the-Record-Straight.html

http://www.babysleepfairy.com/types_of_sleep_issues_handled_at_babysleepfairy/sleep_myths

Binge eating during Festive Season?

Dear blog readers,

Holidays are here! This means holiday shopping, gifts exchanging, catching up with old pals, and of course this also means eating more! Why is it that we tend to eat excessively during the holiday season? Well, maybe simply because we are all in the spirit of eating, that’s why!

So instead of chowing down all the roasted turkeys, Christmas cookies, candy canes and pecan pies of the world, lets try to have a healthier eating lifestyle this holiday season!

You can start by following these simple tips to prevent yourself from eating excessively:

  • By drinking more water before a meal, we will tend to eat lesser, thus this helps us to eat sensibly
  • Try eating in small portions. Having holiday food in front of you can be tempting. But try to eat them in small portions every 3 to 4 hours!
  • Use a smaller plate. This way, you are able to control the food you put on your plate!
  • Eat more greens this holiday season! By adding in more salad and fruits to your menu, they will give you the essential minerals and vitamins needed to stay healthy

So this holiday season, eat light and sensibly! And with that, we can ring in the New Year healthily!