Home Health and fitness

Oura announces a new sleeker fitness ring and I want one!

Several months ago I had the opportunity to test and review a very slick fitness tracking device that had the form factor of a ring that you wear on your finger like an ordinary piece of jewelry. That was the original Oura ring and I really enjoyed using it but ended up shelving it due to the size. Now Oura is back with the second generation of their fitness and sleep tracking ring and oh boy, I am excited about it.

The new Oura Ring is now sized like a ring that I would actually want to wear because it’s less than half the size of the first generation Oura ring while still allowing for a seven day battery life. The titanium water resistant ring will be available in three styles and a choice of up to four colors depending on the style.

Like standard fitness tracking devices that you might wear on your wrist or clipped to your clothes, the Oura ring keeps track of your activity and steps. But this ring also helps to improve the quality of your sleep.

During the night, the new Oura ring tracks sleep quality, sleep stages (deep, REM, light and wakefulness), ECG level resting heart rate and heart rate variability as well as body temperature. With the new ring, users can also see their resting heart rate and heart rate variability on-demand during the day, for example during naps, meditation or breathing and relaxation exercises.

This is one of the first wearables available to consumers that offers advice on how to improve your unique circadian alignment. The circadian rhythm is your body’s built-in 24-hour clock that affects everything you do: when it would be optimal for you to sleep, rest, eat and move. The new Oura ring helps you find your optimal bedtime so you will have a more restorative sleep and good optimal recovery from daily stresses.

The second generation Oura ring can be preordered for $239 to $899 with shipping in April 2018. Visit ouraring.com for all the details.

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Oura announces a new sleeker fitness ring and I want one! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 3, 2017 at 11:35 am.

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AliveCor’s KardiaBand takes a medical-grade EKG on your wrist in seconds

When the Apple Watches were first introduced, it seemed there was talk of using the watch to monitor a lot of health conditions that weren’t available at release.  The Watch has been used to monitor some health conditions and for some clinical trials, but not as many as I had envisioned.  Now AliveCor’s KardiaBand is the first FDA-cleared, clinical-grade accessory for the Watch for detecting atrial fibrillation (AF) and normal sinus rhythm in an EKG. 

The KardiaBand replaces your normal Watch band.  It pairs with the SmartRhythm app, and you can take an EKG reading as easily as opening the app, sitting down, placing your thumb on the band’s metal contact, and waiting a few seconds while the band takes the measurements.  The app evaluates your readings and determines if everything is okay or if it detects signs of atrial fibrillation.  It even monitors your heart rate and physical activity, and it can prompt you to take a reading if it suspects something may be wrong.

You’ll require a Kardia Premium membership to use the EKG band; it’s $99 annually or $9.99 a month, with the first month free.  You’ll have unlimited storage of all your readings, and you’ll get a monthly EKG summary report for your doctor.  You can also use the app to store your weight, blood pressure readings, and activity.

Just like the Apple Sport bands, you’ll receive three band components so you can achieve a good fit.   The KardiaBand is available in black only and sized to fit the 38mm or the 42mm Apple Watch.  It’s $199.00 at AliveCor.

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AliveCor’s KardiaBand takes a medical-grade EKG on your wrist in seconds originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 1, 2017 at 10:00 am.

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Santa Cruz Wurf Board review

This is the first time I have written a review while actively using the product I am reviewing.  I am in the standing mode of my workstation and beneath my feet is the Santa Cruz Wurf Board and I feel great.  The Wurf Board is an inflatable pad for use when standing in one place for any amount of time. When I received a standing desk station from my employer, I went out and bought what I thought was the best available pad for standing on while I work.  I thought I had the best there was, that is until I received the Wurf Board.  Don’t get me wrong, there was nothing wrong with the product, it had everything I thought I needed and I was moderately comfortable using it for long period of time.  The Wurf Board has changed my expectations of a pad for my standing desk. 

I honestly didn’t know much about the Wurf Board when I agreed to review it.  I had a picture in my mind of what one of these pads was and I thought that this was just another one of those with some bold graphics on it…wrong.  I hadn’t researched enough to know that it is inflatable.  At first, I thought “why would someone want an inflatable standing pad for their desk and how durable can this thing be?”.  Those questions were answered as soon as I inflated it in a matter of seconds using the pump that is included and standing on it for the first time.  INSTANTLY, I could feel the micro movements in my feet and legs and the pressure on the bottom of my feet was gone.

At this point, I began experimenting with different amounts of air in the board.  When I released some air, the board obviously became softer but I immediately noticed that I was moving a lot more while standing in the same place.  My weight was shifting and I was engaging my core and leg muscles without thinking about it.  I tried it with my shoes on and off, both felt great but honestly, I remove my shoes at every chance I get to use this because of how great it feels.  On the website, there is a link called “The Science” that has a number of resources for customers to utilize to learn about the benefits of standing desks, active standing, overall benefits of movement and more.  I really recommend you checking it out because I was aware of the benefits of my standing desk since, after all “sitting IS the new smoking” but I didn’t think of my feet or legs getting fatigued while using it.

Included in the package is also a poster with different exercises you can do using the Wurf Board.  These are easy motions that you are all most likelyfamiliarr with anyways but using the slight instability of the air filled board helps to further engage those small muscle groups and your core.  I cannot say that I do the exercises every day but I am probably doing some or all of them 2-3 days per work week.  This is a benefit to this product that is not possible with the first standing pad I bought nor did it ever cross my mind.

Nearly every time someone walks into my office and sees me standing on the Wurf Board, they ask what it is.  People have seen standing pads before but never one with a surfboard graphic on it.  I don’t mind the surfboard look since that is part of the marketing behind this product but I do wish there were other options in this product.  I wear a size 14 shoe so the large was the only good option for me.  The Santa Cruz is offered in small, medium and large sizes ($199, $239, $269) for either more space to move on or to accommodate larger feet like mine.  All of the Santa Cruz models have a similar surfboard graphic on them.  They also offer the Maui Wurf Board, which is currently offered in the medium size ($299) and features a slight curve on the bottom that encourages even ore movement while standing.  This product is offered in three different colors and features a water/geometric design.

The large that I have is 32.9″ x 17.7″ and can hold up to 300 pounds.  It weighs in at only 2.2 pounds so it is very easy to pick up and move around.  The surface features a no slip dimpled design that grips all types of flooring when weight is applied to the board.  It is designed to work with or without shoes but not stiletto heals.  Every board comes with a 2-year warranty against manufacturer’s defect and offers free shipping within the USA.  All Wurf Boards are FDA Class I registered Medical Devices, which may open doors for help paying for this product with your FSA or insurance but please check with your individual policy first, I just thought it was worth noting.

Overall I am extremely happy with the Santa Cruz Large Wurf Board.  I use is every day and slip in some desk exercise with it when I can.  I would definitely recommend this product to those who have or who are looking to get a standing desk.  I do wish it was offered with other graphics options as I am not a surfer and it looks a little out of place in my office but the function it provides makes this something I would buy no matter what the color or design is.  The price is definitely more than a vast majority of pads out there but having owned another standing desk pad before that I paid about $150 for, I think this is well worth the money since I am able to stand at my desk for much longer using this than I was able to previously.

The sample for this review was provided by JumpSport Inc.  For more information on the model I reviewed, please visit the product page and order from Amazon.

 

Product Information

Price: $269
Manufacturer: JumpSport Inc.
Retailer: Amazon
Requirements:
  • 300 pound capacity, no stiletto heals.
Pros:
  • Lightweight; adjustable firmness; engages muscles while you stand; eases foot and leg fatigue while standing at your desk; easy to inflate and get going; FDA registered Medical Device
Cons:
  • Only one color/graphic option; price may push this out as an option for some.

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Santa Cruz Wurf Board review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 1, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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New Extreme Sport: synchronized binge-watching and peddling! Made possible with Harvil’s Foldable Exercise Bike

Exercising might have just gotten a lot more convenient… no more excuses!

With this foldable exercise bike, now we can ride essentially anywhere. It’s slim design and foldable technology allows wonderful transportation abilities and very easy storage. The assembled dimensions are 26.4 in L x 20 in W x 46 in H and it weighs 44 pounds. On Amazon, they come in the fun and vibrant colors of aqua and peach. 

The bike features 10 levels of magnetic resistance which can be adjusted to achieve your desired routine. Like most bikes, the cushioned seat can be adjusted to suit any height and preference. The pedals are anti-slip and have straps to keep your feet secure. The digital monitor displays speed, distance, time, calories burned, and heart rate. 

There’s no need to drive to the gym anymore, which means that you don’t even have to go out in public! So, workout in your “I’m with stupid” t-shirt and Spongebob pajama shorts in your living room while binge-watching Stranger Things 2 on Netflix. You won’t regret it. How would I know? …Nevermind. Have a glass of wine, because after that ride, you deserve it. Then place your bike back in its super small and secret hiding place until next time.

It gets better! We can help our economy by supporting Harvil, a family owned company out of the USA!

Purchase a Foldable Magnetic Exercise Bike by Harvil on Amazon now for @129.99.

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New Extreme Sport: synchronized binge-watching and peddling! Made possible with Harvil’s Foldable Exercise Bike originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 22, 2017 at 8:16 am.

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Any essential oil users out there?

Four or five years ago my wife was introduced to essential oils by a friend who was selling them as a side business.  She quickly became hooked and honestly, I kind of rolled my eyes at the idea of the incredible power of oils to “cure what ails ya”.  Now, I don’t want to say that I have been fully converted to the point of thinking that the only medicine I need is the oil of an orange peel or a peppermint leaf but I have really come around to some of the homeopathic qualities of some of these oils. 

Have I lost some of you already?  Do you think that I’m a Colorado hippy trying to cure serious disease with crystals and positive thoughts?  I’m not.

My background is biochemistry and chemical engineering so I have taken a lot of classes concerning neurological and musculoskeletal chemical pathways and how the triggering of certain neurotransmitters or other natural chemicals in your body and although I don’t know exactly how each of these oils work on things like mood, stomach aches, sore muscles, etc. I have seen the results.  I will pause again for the rest of you who think I’m crazy to think of another topic you would like to find to read about on our site.

……ho hum……just waiting…….

If you have read this far you might be in the same camp as I am or maybe even some serious oil users.  Or maybe you are just amazed that I think some of this stuff works.  Either way, you are still with me so let’s press on. I have a pretty decent collection of oils that are in my office that either I have wanted to have or my loving wife has sent with me to help me with any of a number of things I battle regularly like bad moods, stress, tense muscles, allergies and acid reflux.

At home, we have a much much larger collection of them that I have no idea what they are for and cant pronounce about 20% of them.  I have a diffuser that has sat on my desk for the last couple of years and I use it daily.  I also apply oils directly to my skin.  People always come into my office and ask “why does it smell so good in here?” or “what is that smell?  I love it!”.  I am not trying to fill the halls of my office building with the magical healing power of lavender oil but I enjoy it and I think it helps me, if for nothing more than having a pleasant scent that occupies one sense while I am hard at work.

We also have diffusers throughout our home that my wife puts different oils in to add a nice scent to the house but also to serve a purpose.  Mixing lemon, lavender and peppermint are great for seasonal allergies so we often have that going in the living room in the spring when the kids are running in and out of the house and the doors are open and you can see the pollen from the pine trees falling like snow.

My favorite oil is by far frankincense.  I put a little on my neck a couple times a day and just the smell of it makes me feel good.  After months of using it and going through a couple bottles, I finally asked my wife “what is frankincense supposed to be used for?  I just love the smell and it makes me happy.”.  She replied, “its main use is for depression, mood and stress”.  Okay, that was a pretty good blind study for the scientist in me.

I also use lavender to help me turn off my brain and get to sleep, peppermint to ease sore muscles (just like Icy Hot) and upset stomach, and different blends for stress and allergies.  Don’t get me wrong, I still take my medications for my migraines, and eat an antacid if I had too much red wine and pasta sauce, but I have seen a real benefit to these oils.  Anyone out there had the same experience?  Is anyone still reading at this point?

Anyways, I wanted to take a break from the tech product reviews for a second to tell you about my experience but I really want to hear from you all and your experiences and/or thoughts good, bad or indifferent. Tell us about your experiences in the comment section of this article.  Thank you for indulging me.

All of the oils and diffuser were purchased with my own funds.

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Any essential oil users out there? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 21, 2017 at 8:08 am.

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