Despite there is legal controversy regarding its use, since it is considered as an infringement to civil liberties, there proven physic reasons that support the necessity of wearing a seat belt (however there is also medical speculation that claims it may produce neck and spinal injury and let the car occupant trapped in the car).

Whichever the reason you fasten your car seat belt when you drive/ride a vehicle, one thing is for sure: The lap belt may cause uncomfortable rubbing and chaffing in the abdominal area after a prolonged use.

If you have to drive for long distances from home to work and vice versa, especially in summer, you may have experimented the discomfort of the set belt’s friction against your abdominal area.

If there is a belt, elastic of any other pressing object around your waist, the discomfort worsens to the limit of a rash, inflammation, skin allergy and/or breathing obstruction.

This aspect is very delicate when it comes to pregnant women. Actually, doctors recommend a series of precautions to pregnant women when driving/riding a car. One of these important recommendations is adjusting the lap seat belt across the hips and BELOW the belly.

Other recommendation include moving back the car seat to leave a considerable distance between the growing belly and the steering wheel, keeping the air bag switch on and placing the shoulder belt across your chest between your breasts.

As for drivers and travelers, there is nothing more uncomfortable that being on the car for long hours, especially if the car has no air-conditioning, than starting sweating. This may produce chafing, which is a skin irritation that is caused by the rough contact of your skin with other skin, clothes and materials. Thus, when you are in a car you have to wear the seat belt with a snug fit (not tight), and avoid the direct friction of the seat belt material.

Babies on board are especially sensitive to the roughness of seat belts since they are in constant movement in their seats.

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Some time ago Compression socks were just utilized by and showcased to those with traded off circulatory frameworks.  These days, in any case, numerous individuals are finding them gainful for regular utilization.  An expanding number of players and fitness fans have likewise started utilizing compression socks to enhance sports execution and rate recuperation time.  Compression socks have ended up extremely prominent in marathons,  ironman rivalries and other persistence challenges  as members search for each conceivable profit by utilizing the best rigging with the most recent advancements.

How Compression Socks Work?

The profit furnished by compression socks is their provision of graduated weight to the feet, lower legs and legs. The heart tries to pump blood to all limits of the form with equivalent weight, in any case, for a few people, gravity reasons blood to pool in the easier legs and feet, bringing about swelling, exhaustion and leg issues. Compression socks help by making weight on the legs lower legs and feet.

Compression socks are tightest and the lower legs and get less constrictive climbing towards the knees. By applying weight to the veins courses and muscles of the legs, flowing blood is compelled through narrower channels. This expansions blood vessel weight, bringing about additional blood to come back to the heart and less to pool in the feet.

Execution and Fitness Benefits of Compression Socks

Initially utilized within clinical and post-surgical settings for medication of edema, lymph edema, phlebitis, varicose veins, insect veins and profound vein thrombosis, compression socks have recently uncovered their path into running and numerous other physical attempts.  In the latest Ironman Triathlon in Kona Hawaii, over one quarter of the members wore over-the-calf compression socks.

Contenders who take an interest in persistence games need to perform taking care of business actually when exhaustion and spasms set in.  To maintain their execution at the most abnormal amount and enhance their continuance, numerous wear compression socks to:

- Improve oxygen conveyance to muscles

- Enhance warm-up through expanded skin temperature

- Reduce blood lactate fixation throughout maximal practice and quicken lactic evacuation for brisk recuperation

- Stabilize the easier leg for more excellent muscle productivity, improved offset and proprioception

- Reduce muscle wavering upon ground contact

- Enhance venous come back to the heart through additional productive calf muscle pumping

- Reduce postponed muscles soreness taking after strenuous activity

Notwithstanding compression socks, sportspeople are beginning to explore different avenues regarding the utilization of other economically accessible compression pieces of clothing, for example, form suits, jeans, tops and tights.  Some utilize these pieces of clothing throughout preparing and rivalry, as well as throughout the recuperation period, actually dozing in them.

Investigations of Athletes Wearing Compression Socks

Compression socks, leggings and hosiery have been generally examined and turned out to be advantageous for medicine of a numerous flow issues and have been utilized within the medication of poor venous blood stream for more than 50 years. At the same time is there any evidence they upgrade physical execution?

A study performed by the American College of Sports Medicine reported no measurably critical distinctions in maximal oxygen utilization, heart rate or moment ventilation between treadmill runners who wore compression socks and the individuals who completed not.  However, the study indicated a speedier lactate recuperation rate after activity when wearing compression socks.  Other studies performed in Germany and South Africa recommend a connection between compression socks and enhanced execution.

Despite the fact that exploratory studies have not prepared definitive discoveries on compression socks, The wide and proceeding utilization of compression socks by an expanding number of jocks ought not be taken delicately.  Whether the profits are recognized or genuine, this gathering sees noteworthy profits in utilizing compression socks.

Chose Compression Products Recommended for Athletic Activities

A mixed bag of adequate and minimal effort socks are financially for runners and different fitness aficionados.  The accompanying socks, offered  online by Deluxe Comfort, are quite prescribed:

Aleva Active Sport Unisex Athletic Knee Highs - Provide 15 - 20 mmHg Lite compression help for enhanced dissemination.

Motion Sport Unisex Knee Highs - Provide 16 - 20 Lite compression help together with padded toe and heel.

Activa Coolmax Athletic Performance Crew Socks - Mid-Calf sports socks that furnish 20 - 30 moderate compression help.

Forefoot Compression Sleeve - Provides a stun retaining layer of shut unit, nitrogen-infused Spenco material to give compression and stun absorbtion to the forefoot.

These items are illustrative of the different sports compression hose accessible today. Numerous others meeting particular characteristic or size prerequisites could be found at Deluxe Comfort.

Compression hose can have a huge effect in one's sports happiness and execution, however consideration must be provided for selecting legitimately fitted pieces of clothing that furnish the suitable compression for your size constitution and condition.  Take the opportunity to discover what works best for you and be remunerated with more excellent solace fewer wounds and larger amounts of execution.

Aromatherapy treatment is the act of utilizing unstable plant oils, incorporating key oils for mental and physical well-being.  A vital oil is a fluid that is for the most part refined from the leaves, stems, blossoms, bark, roots, or different components of a plant. Fundamental oils hold the correct being of the plant from which it was determined.

Aromatherapists accept that fragrance based treatment supports well being, mitigate stress and serve to revive the figure by joining the common helpful lands of crucial oils and the recuperating force of back rub help.

Common Aromatherapy Techniques

Notwithstanding aromatherapy back rub in which key oils are assimilated through the skin, different strategies for controlling aromatherapy incorporate the utilization of candles, incense and through the utilization of shawls and wraps that have been imbued with fundamental oils.  Different fragrance based treatment formulas are utilized to address particular illnesses and conditions.  Aromatherapy candles and incense could be obtained instant or might be made by clients.

Essentials oils that are connected to the skin might be retained into the bloodstream. Aromatherapists accept that the constituents of essential oils can support in health, excellence and hygiene conditions. To apply vital oils to the skin, they are typically weakened into a transporter oil, for example a cool pressed vegetable oil. Normal bearer oils incorporate sweet almond oil, apricot piece oil and grape-seed oil.

Vital oils that are sniffed into the lungs are guaranteed to offer both mental and physical profits. Specialists accept that not just does the fragrance of the regular fundamental oil invigorate the mind to trigger a response, however when breathed into the lungs, the characteristic constituents supply remedial profit. Case in point, diffusing eucalyptus vital oil is accepted to help straightforwardness clogging.

Essential Oils Provide Therapeutic Benefits

In spite of their name, key oils don't generally have a sleek feeling. For the most part, they are clear, yet a few oils, for example patchouli, orange and lemongrass are golden or yellow in color. Crucial oils are quite thought and a little goes far.

Essential oils, the immaculate character of a plant, have been discovered to give both mental and physical profits when utilized effectively and securely. There are more or less 400 fundamental oils, yet just practically 40 are usually utilized as a part of fragrant healing. Notwithstanding crucial oils, Aromatherapy treatment utilizes an assortment of other sweet-smelling fluids removed from plants and refined by different compound forms.  The term essential oils is utilized as a cover term to incorporate all regular, sweet-smelling, unstable plant oils incorporating Co2s, Absolutes and Hydrosils.

Not only limited to essential oils, aromatherapy joins the utilization of other corresponding regular elements incorporating frosty pressed vegetable oils, jojoba (a fluid wax), herbs, milk powders, ocean salts, exfoliant sugars, etc. Items that incorporate engineered fixings are not acknowledged inside the comprehensive fragrance based treatment group.  "Scent oils" or "aroma oils" (recorded as scent on a part mark) are recognized from essential oils and are not accepted, by specialists, to give the same restorative profits of essentials oils.

Buyer Beware

In light of the fact that the United States does not manage the utilization of the saying aromatherapy on item bundling, marking or in item promoting, any item could be advertised as suitable for aromatherapy.  However, comprehensive aromatherapists alert that there are numerous items available that hold unnatural parts incorporating scent oils yet claim to be aromatherapeutic. They encourage purchasers to deliberately look at the part name when looking for correct aromatherapy items.

Aromatherapists additionally educate alert with the use regarding claims that an item is "Made With Essential Oils" or "Made With Natural Ingredients." If the cases as these don't state that the item is just made with the fixings specified, the item might hold substantial amounts of undesirable manufactured aroma oils and one moment amount of essential oil. Minute amount of essential oil to basically have the ability to maintain the "Made With Essential Oils" claim.

Does Aromatherapy Really Work?

In April 2008, specialists at Ohio State University distributed a study that inspected the impacts of aromatherapy treatment on an assortment of medicinal circumstances incorporating insusceptible reactions, wound recuperating, and torment control. They discovered no change around volunteers laid open to lemon and lavender fragrances. The study, supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, incorporated 56 sound volunteer subjects, some of whom were advocates of aromatherapy and some of whom had no presumption about it.

Dissection of the blood specimens demonstrated that the aromas had no impact on biochemical markers of invulnerable and endocrine status, stress, torment control, and wound mending. On the other hand, lemon oil (yet not lavender oil) enhanced mind-set. One of the Ohio State scientists remarked that if these oils greatly improve the situation, there's no solid approach to discredit that they have a constructive effect on that individual's health.

Different specialists  have been researching the impacts of aromatherapy on slumber, torment, and restlessness, and also attempting to confirm if it can decrease the respiratory blockage of colds and influenza, alleviate obstruction and post-agent sickness, and even help develop hair. There is as of now great prove that certain aromas can help actuate unwinding and enhance rest.

Safety Concerns - Do's and Don'ts

- Some essential oils can cause unfavorably susceptible responses in a few clients - Try weakened on a little skin fix before general requisition.

- Some essential oils ought to be abstained from throughout pregnancy and by those with asthma, epilepsy and certain other health conditions.

- Utilize the most diminutive measure that can get achieve the craved outcomes.

- Some essential oils ought to be dodged - Wormood, pennyroyal, onion, camphor, horseradish, wintergreen, mourn, astringent almond and sassafras  may as well just be utilized by qualified aromatherapy professionals, if at any time whatsoever.

- Don't permit youngsters to utilize essential oils without proficient mature person supervision.

- Don't take essential oils inside.

- Essential oils are combustible and ought to be treated in like manner for well being.

Therapeutic aromatherapy rather than utilization of key oils in spa medications) is all the more greatly respected and advanced a few nations (e.g. France, Italy, and Japan)  than in the U.S., which is still a work in procedure.  If aromatherapy brings about a noticeable improvement, then you may as well utilize it. In any case be mindful of  claims that it can treat all sicknesses or that it ought to be a substitute for accepted and demonstrated therapeutic  medicine.  And determine that your aromatherapist is qualified, since,  in the United States, anybody can get a bit of paper verifying "accreditation." For data on fragrant healing confirmation courses sanction by the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, visit: www.naha.org.

Looking for an exercise program that is easy to learn, requires little equipment and relaxes and soothes the mind while toning the body?  Do you also want to strengthen your cardiovascular system, tone and stretch your muscles and improve your mental fitness? If so, and traditional exercise programs haven't captured your interest or aren't working, yoga may be the answer for you.

Although yoga seems like a hot new trend, it began more than 3,000 years ago in India.  Yoga is a Sanskrit word meaning to "yoke" or unite the mind body and spirit.  Yoga is a lifestyle practice in which physical exercise is just one component. Other yoga aspects involve training the mind and breath and developing one's spirituality. Westernized yoga tend to focus on learning physical poses called asanas.

A new form of healing based on a merging of traditional yoga and modern medicine is known as yoga therapy.  Within this approach, medical assessments are taken into consideration to tailor yoga practices to meet individual needs for treatment of a variety of physical and mental-emotional conditions.  Yoga therapy has also been useful during pregnancy to help women prepare for child birth and it has proven beneficial to the elderly, helping them to maintain strength and flexibility while promoting their mental and physical health.

Yoga offers a variety of benefits to improve one's flexibility, strength, overall health and fitness.

Improvement in Flexibility

No matter how old you are, or what physical condition you are in, it is never too late to improve you flexibility.  Yoga does this by safely stretching your muscles, thereby releasing the lactic acid that builds up with muscle use, the accumulation of which causes stiffness, tension, pain and fatigue. Yoga also increases the range of motion in joints and produces a more fluid feeling in the body.

In addition to stretching muscles, yoga also stretches the soft tissues, such as ligaments, tendons and the fascia sheath surrounding muscles.  Improvement is usually seen in a short period of time.

Improvement in Strength

Yoga styles vary in the level of vigorous movement. Styles such as astanga and power involve a high level of vigorous activity, while other styles, such as lyengar focus less on movement and more on precise alignment in poses.  While some styles may provide faster results than others, they all provide significant strength and endurance benefits.

Some poses, such as the Downward Dog http://yoga.about.com/od/yogaposes/a/downdog.htm or the Upward Dog http://yoga.about.com/od/yogaposes/a/upwarddog.htm build upper body strength, a crucial element of physical conditioning as people age.  Standing poses such as the Chair Pose  http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/info/chair-pose.asp build strength in the lower body.

Improvement in Balance

Increased strength and flexibility promotes better posture.  Greater core strength of deep abdominal helps you to sit and stand upright, and the increased body awareness developed by yoga tells you quickly when you are slouching or slumping so that you can adjust your posture.

Improvement in Breathing

Most forms of yoga emphasize deep breathing which stimulates the relaxation response, the opposite of the fight-or flight adrenaline spike of the stress response.  Even though yoga doesn't stress aerobic fitness, because of the emphasis on focused deep breathing, lung capacity usually improves.

Calming Effects and Stress Reduction

Many yoga techniques employ meditation and deep breathing to focus the mind on the breath, thereby quieting random thoughts and "mind chatter" that often accompanies stress.  The overall feeling is one of calm and lowered stress.

These effect are based on the body's biological responses to yoga poses and exercises.  There is a decrease in the hormones produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress, and a lowering of the neurotransmitters, dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine, which creates a feeling of calm.

Getting Started

Many gyms, community centers and YMCAs offer yoga classes, or there may be a yoga studio in your neighborhood.  It's also possible to try using a yoga DVD.  Books and DVDs aren't as effective as learning yoga from a teacher, but they can be very useful if you have already attended any classes in person and want to do it at home.

Before starting a yoga program, it is  good idea to talk with your doctor, especially if you have any kind of health problem. And it is important to advise your yoga instructor of any orthopedic problems so that modified poses and exercises can be provided as needed.

Dress comfortably in loose clothing that allows you to move your body fully. Stretch or loose pants and a T-shirt or tank top are best.  Because yoga is usually practiced barefoot, no special footwear is required.  If you do your yoga workout on a carpeted floor, no special equipment is needed, but if you plan to work out on a hard floor, a workout mat is recommended.  Some people like to use a yoga met even on a carpet, because the sticky surface provides cushioning and extra grip for poses.

The key to yoga success is consistency, with regular practice three to four times per week.  Doing your workout with a friend helps you to stay motivated and on schedule.  In four to six weeks your body begins to release the endorphins that make exercise such a pleasant experience.

Recommended Yoga Equipment

The following products are highly recommended to get you started on your yoga program:

Yoga Starter Kit - Includes a sticky mat, a large wall poster illustrating various poses, a foam block and cotton exercise straps.

Yoga Sticky mat - For use on any hard floor, this mat provides extra cushioning and traction for your yoga exercise.

Yoga Stick-e-Socks - These compression socks provide exposed toes for gripping while maintaining that barefoot feeling.

Thick foam Mat - This cushioned mat provides for comfortable exercise on any kind of floor, whether concrete of hard wood.

Yoga foam Block - the ideal support to ground your lower hand in standing poses or to space the hands.

Cotton Yoga Strap - Ideal for use in stretching and for selected yoga poses.

Any medical condition that is not promptly diagnosed and properly treated can have serious consequences. Of particular concern to both patients and medical professionals  are those conditions that, when not properly treated,  can quickly escalate to life-threatening status.

One such condition is Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), a potentially deadly condition caused by a blood clot that forms in a vein, most commonly in the deep veins of the leg.  DVT often causes pain and swelling in the legs, but sometimes it produces no symptoms at all. If a blood clot in a deep leg vein type breaks off, it can travel in the blood stream to the lungs.  This situation, called a Pulmonary Embolism, often causes shortness of breath and chest pain, and if the lung damage is severe, it can cause a quick death before treatment can be administered.

Although there are several known and effective methods to prevent and treat blood clots, a 2004 study reported in the American Journal of Cardiology that almost one half of patients diagnosed with a DVT in the hospital did not receive any of these preventive methods.

Who is Affected by DVT

Although many are unfamiliar with Deep Vein Thrombosis, it is a common medical problem.  Blood clots form in the leg when a vein is damaged or if blood flow in the vein is slow or has stopped.  If the  clot is in a deep vein, it is called DVT, a condition experienced by  two million Americans each year, many of whom aren't even aware of it.  And of those who develop a pulmonary embolism, 200,00 die each year, more than the death toll in the US from breast cancer and AIDS combined!

Some people are prone to blood clots in the legs. The likelihood increases with age and doubles with each decade of life over 40.  People who have had them in the past are more likely to get them in the future, as are those whose parents had a DVT.  Other factors that increase the chance of getting a DVT include:

  - Major surgery under general anesthesia, particularly those involving leg joints or a hip

  - Obesity

  - Varicose veins

  - Prolonged immobility or confinement to bed

  - Serious illnesses such as cancer, heart or lung problems

  - Paralysis

  - Pregnancy and childbirth

  - Estrogen treatment

  - Long-distance travel

Diagnosing a DVT

The most common methods for detecting a DVT are:

d-Dimer test - A blood test to detect clot formation

Ultrasound of the legs - Good for detecting large clots but can miss smaller ones

Blood samples - to check for conditions such as inherited predisposition to clotting

Venogram - Involves injecting dye into the veins of the foot and taking x-rays in the leg to detect blockage

Preventing a DVT

The best way to avoid DVT problems is to prevent a DVT before it happens by:

- Regularly exercising the legs - A brisk walk every day is excellent

- Maintain a reasonable body weight

- Avoid sitting or lying in bed for long periods

- Avoid tight fitting or restrictive clothing

- Avoid sitting for long periods with both feet on the floor (i.e. legs uncrossed)

- Take anti-coagulant medicines as prescribed by a physician

- During long distance travel, exercise the legs once every hour if possible

- Wear Graduated Compression stockings to assist blood flow and reduce swelling of the legs

Treatment after a DVT is Diagnosed

After diagnosis, prompt treatment is absolutely necessary in order to:

- Prevent enlargement of the clot

- Prevent the clot from moving to the lungs

- Prevent new clots from forming

- Reduce post-thrombotic syndromes

The major treatment for a DVT is anticoagulant medicines which turn off the clotting system in the body. The length of time that the drug must be taken depends on the patient’s situation.  If the clot was not provoked or caused by some chronic conditions, best treatment will be using an anticoagulant for a period of minimum 6 months. However, if the patient has had two or more unprovoked recurrent clots or if there is a biochemical condition that increases the risk of clot formation, then an anticoagulant may be required for the rest of the patient’s life.

To reduce the swelling caused by DVTs and prevent other side effects (known as Post-Thrombotic Syndrome), physicians often recommend that patients wear graduated compressions stockings throughout the day.  These stockings come in different lengths and different levels of compression pressure.  Patients should consult their health care provider for advice on which design and pressure gradient level is best.

Being aware of the its signs and symptoms are critical to dealing effectively with DVT.  Patient awareness together with quick intervention by a medical professional are the critical elements in avoiding this deadly and stealthy condition.

Although most Americans are aware of the fact that regular exercise is beneficial in maintaining good health and combating health problems such as cardiovascular disease and obesity, studies show that less than one half of the population engages in regular physical activity.  Even though the senior population is one of the fastest growing U.S. demographics, and despite the proven benefits of exercise for that group,  as a nation we tend to relate to physical exercise as an activity primarily for younger people.

Center for Disease Control (CDC) data for 2007 indicate that 59% of the 18 - 24 age group performed the recommended amount of exercise  during an average week.  For the 25 - 34 group this dropped to 52%, for the 35 - 44 group, a further drop to 50%, and 45 - 64 year old were at 46%.  For the 65+ group, less that 40% reported even moderate weekly physical exercise.  

Motivating Factors for Older Exercisers

People exercise frequently when they are young for a variety of reasons including school requirements and participation in organized sports, but mostly because sports and athletic games are fun for this age group. These activities allow kids to burn off youthful energy while hanging out with and meeting new friends.

But with the onset of adulthood, changing priorities and increasing responsibility, regular exercise often becomes less important.  Years pass and sometimes it's not until a beer gut begins to form or upper arms start losing their weight at the top and doubling in size underneath, do thoughts of exercise return.  Or perhaps it is a doctor's recommendation.  This reawakening to the importance and benefits of exercise might occur at an age anywhere from early thirties to the sixties, and requires re-acclimation to the exercise scene in a way that fits one's physical condition, time availability and budget.

Consistent Exercise - The Real Key to Fitness

The key to achieving fitness is to establish a regular exercise routine that can be religiously maintained. Exercise sessions should be intense enough to maintain/enhance core strength, muscle strength,  agility and cardio-vascular fitness, but not so onerous as to discourage regular exercise.

Home vs. Gym Exercise

Many options are now available for the more mature physical fitness seeker.  There are an abundance of physical fitness salons and gyms offering the benefits of great equipment and facilities that include personal training and a variety of classes for aerobics, yoga, spinning and the like.  These settings are good for those who find motivation in a gym filled with hard working fitness enthusiasts and the availibililty of a trainer to lay out an exercise program and keep you on it.   And once you start getting results, it's fun to strut your stuff in front of other gym members who know the hard work involved and can see the results you've achieved.

For some, however, a home work out is the preferred option.  A home workout for strength and flexibility training combined with home or outdoor aerobics training (walking, running or biking outdoors/ stationary bike or treadmill indoors) avoids the time and travel costs of getting to the gym and saves the cost of the gym fees.  No fancy gym wear is expected, and you can fit a home work out into convenient time slots.  Many find the convenience helps them to stay on a regular exercise schedule that might be harder to do when using a commercial gym.

Some who might consider a home workout routine are deterred by perceived equipment and space requirements.  This concern is unwarranted because some of the most effective exercise programs require little or no exercise equipment.   

Exercise Equipment for the Home Workout

For example, one of the best pieces of exercise equipment known to man is the floor! Using a carpeted surface, or an exercise mat on a hard floor, one can perform all manner of stretches, sit-ups, crunches, leg lifts, push-ups, other calisthenics and yoga poses.  And for squats and deep knee bends, you don't even need a mat.  A good, age-appropriate exercise book or fitness magazine will provide many ideas.

Another excellent "home" exercise tool is the great outdoors. It's hard to beat a half hour or hour of brisk walking for a combination of aerobic fitness, stress reduction, calorie burning and sheer enjoyment of nature's beauty.  And it can be done year round (with proper layered clothing for colder climates). For more intense cardio training, outdoor running/jogging is an alternative, but for older exercisers, bicycling might be a better option as it can be aerobically intense while avoiding the high impact that is stressful to older knees and hips.

For enhanced home workouts, a few additional low-cost exercise devices can provide exceptional benefits.  Pull-up bars are available that can be easily used in a doorway and quickly removed after use.   Many feel that there is no better single device for development of overall upper body fitness and strength.  They can be used for either pull-ups or chin-ups, both of which are categorized as "compound exercises"  because they involve the movement and strengthening of more than one joint and they work out a group of muscles.

Another excellent home workout device is an exercise bench and a set of hand dumbbells.  Compact and easily stored after use, these devices allow for a wide range of upper body exercises.  Best results are achieved with a three days per week resistance program, progressing up to three sets of 8 to 10 repetitions for each exercise using weights no greater than 80% of your 1 repetition maximum. Aerobic workout days can be alternated with resistance training days.

Tips for Getting into a Successful Exercise Routine

Although the benefits of exercise are well understood, how much and what types of exercise is needed to maintain fitness is not always clear.  However,  various studies indicate that older individuals have a higher physical potential than has been believed in the past.  Before starting an exercise program, make sure that  pre-exercise screening is performed by your doctor.

- Safety is an important concern, especially for older exercisers with preexisting cardio-vascular, obstructive pulmonary, osteoporosis arthritis or metabolic conditions.  An appropriate exercise prescription should address these conditions.

- Individualized, realistic, and attainable goals should always be set.  Progress toward achievable goals is a great incentive for continuing exercise.

- A warm-up lasting 10 - 15 minutes is always recommended to avoid injury and strains.

Resistance training is known to provide clear and consistent results for all age groups, even those above 90!  And for older exercisers with stable cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, there are few contraindications to strength training. So even though pull-ups, for example, are usually associated with young athletes, there's no reason why older exercisers can't develop the capability to lift their own body weight.  This type of exercise makes you not only look good, but also feel good about yourself.

The correlation between exercise and improved health, higher self-esteem and a better quality of life for older people is unmistakable as a sedentary lifestyle is a predisposition to disability, early death and a depreciated quality of life.  So start thinking of your home as not only a place to relax, eat and sleep, but also a place to work yourself into shape no matter what your age.

Selected Products Recommended for Home Exercise

A variety of effective and low cost products are commercially available to assist you in performing the home exercises described above. The following fitness equipments are highly recommended:

Pull Up Bar - Home Pull Up Bar allows you to perform pull ups and chin ups at home using any doorway

Exercise Mat - Foam Mat enables you to exercise on any type of hard wood floor, concrete or gym floor

Resistance Band - Exercise Band is designed to strengthen, condition and firm buttocks, hips and thighs by stretching an elastic band attached between the ankles, and performing exercises that cause the band to be stretched.

Home Fitness Equipment - Strength Training Equipment is designed to improve your strength  through various band stretching exercises.

Exercise Ball - used for performing rotational abdominal exercises, upper extremity cross-body patterns and lower body dynamic and loco-motor drills

These products are representative of the various fitness equipment devices available today.

Compression Stockings is probably the best method for controlling the painful and dangerous pooling of blood and fluid buildup in the leg's lower part.  There are two types of compression stockings; Gradient and Anti-Embolism. Gradient (or graduated) compression hose are woven in a way that applies maximum compression at the ankle with decreasing compression towards the top of the garment.  This compression expressed as mmHG (millimeters of mercury) helps by decreasing the leakage of fluids from capillaries, increasing the absorption of fluids and controlling the size of superficial veins beneath.  Anti-Embolism stockings, commonly referred as TED (Thrombo Embolic Deterrent) stockings are a type of compression stocking designed especially for those who are bedridden.

Compression stockings are typically recommended as treatment for:

Lipodermatosclerosis - An inflammation of the fat layer beneath the epidermis

Chronic Peripheral Venous Insufficiency - An inability of the veins to adequately pump oxygen-poor blood back to the heart

Varicose Veins - Veins that have become enlarged and tortuous

Edema - Abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body

Lymphedema - Fluid retention and tissue swelling caused by a weakened lymphatic system

Prevention of Blood Clotting and Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) - Prevention of blood clotting in leg veins or deep veins of the leg or pelvis

Graduated compression hose are particularly beneficial to the legs, counteracting the increase in pressure within the legs caused by gravity.  Pressure at any point in the leg is proportional to the vertical distance from the heart to the point of interest. Pressure is greatest at the ankle and decreases gradually up the leg and body.  Compression hose counteract this pressure, thereby helping weak veins and muscles pump blood toward the heart.

Although Compression Therapy is the most common form of treatment for chronic venous disease, compression hose can be beneficial to almost everyone, especially those who spend considerable time in sedentary sitting or standing positions or those who complain of tired, aching or heavy feeling legs.  Compression hose have proven particularly beneficial to pregnant women and travelers to reduce the incidence of thrombosis.

Compression Levels

Compression stockings are available in different levels of compression for different physical problems.

Stockings meant for preventing varicose veins, for example (usually under 20 mmHg), are available without a prescription. Firmer compression levels (available at up to 60 mmHg) should not be worn without the advice of a doctor or a physical therapist.

Getting the Right Fit

Because compression stockings are meant to be quite snug, and won't accomplish much if they are loose, fitting is important. Compression hoses are available in off-the-shelf standard sizes and custom made.

Applying Garments

Because they are designed to compress the legs, compression stockings are often not easy to put on.  After practice, however, application usually becomes easier. Consider the following:

- New compression hose are easier to put on after the first washing.  Washing makes the stockings more flexible and easier to put on. Always hand wash.

- Before applying a compression stocking, take care to dress any wound in place.

- When you are applying stockings, sit in a chair which supports your back. This provides you the best support as you are pulling up the stockings.

- Early morning is the best time to apply stockings since it will be the time when the swellings will be minimum. Use talcum powder or silicone lotion for the stockings slide easily.

- During application, it will be easy for gripping the fabric if you wear a rubber gloves.

- Consider using a "stocking butler," which is a metal device which keeps the stocking stay open when you enter your feet into it.

Other Tips for Getting the Maximum Benefit from Your Compression Hose

- Never roll stockings down allowing them to form a restrictive band around the leg. This will restrict the blood flow causing serious medical problems and sores.

- Consult a physician if you experience itching or a rash as you may have an allergic reaction to elastic fibers in the stocking.

- Remove stockings at least once a day to take care of hygiene needs and to check for skin issues, rashes and stocking damage.

- Pain, numbness or "pins and needles" feeling in the feet or leg may indicate that you are wearing stockings that are too tight.

Properly fitted compression stockings should feel comfortable. Talk to your doctor or certified fitter at your medical supply store about any difficulties you might experience.