Sets – a Freudian Slip?
Remember Cool Sets? Last year I was asked to try out their wicking PJs — (sounds wicked), which rely on Cool Balance technology — a unique weave that allows the fabric to draw moisture away from your body, speeds evaporation and leaves you cool rather than soaked and suddenly cold from that awful night sweat or hot flash. You may recall I loved the concept but wasn’t too psyched about the fashion.
Well, the folks at Cool Sets approached me again to see if they could change my mind with some of their new designs. Admittedly, when it comes to what I put on my body, I’m pretty picky, even if it’s just a tee and shorts. I was even more skeptical when the company representative wrote and described what she was sending as “sassy.” Uh-oh.
Cool Sets – I love love love what you are doing for women everywhere. But the “fun and flirty” item of clothing you sent reminds me of a vintage slip, actually, the vintage slip that I wore to a Halloween Party several years as a ‘Freudian Slip.’
Is the fashion statement behind Cool Sets a Freudian Slip? Honestly, I do believe that you are meaning one thing, and producing another. And yet again, I willing to overlook the fashion wrong to see the product right: I remain thoroughly impressed by what your product does, not how it looks.
Now, can we get you on Project Runway for a redesign?
p.s. The photo is not a close up of a Cool Sets nightgown. It is a piece of vintage lace.
[Disclosure: I received no payment from Cool Sets to write this post. They did, however, send me an article of clothing to “test drive.” No terms were expressed by other me or the company regarding what I would write or when or if I would write it.]
Read MoreWednesday Bubble: Bedfan – the real deal
[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8524491813343499145&ei=mu2fS_7UHYP0qwKqr-jDDQ&q=Bedfan&hl=en#]
Seriously, when I wrote about the Bedfan last May, I thought it was a joke, a perfect topic for a futuristic Friday.
Guess what? I’m bursting my own bubble. Because evidently the Bedfan Personal Cooling System is the real deal. In fact, Texas-based Thompkins Research has just announced that Columbian women who suffer from menopausal night sweats will soon have access to the legendary cooler. Seems sort of random, Columbia, but hey, I’m sure that Columbian women sweat as much as their American peers.
Meanwhile, here’s a nifty video of the Bedfan, which the manufacturer says, was developed to keep individuals comfortable at night by eliminating the body heat that builds up between the sheets (sometimes that heat is desirable; just sayin!) Developer Kurt Thompkins explains that the whole idea behind the Bedfan was to deliver a gentle breeze that would float between the sheets to push the hot air out.” Although he developed the concept with his own needs in mind, evidently it’s taken off.
One satisfied consumer is quoted as saying that the device is “analogous to standing under a waterfall without getting wet.”
Hmmm.
Read MoreHope for hops: hot flashes and night sweats
Do you remember last August’s post about beer and bone health? If not, research suggests that beer boosts bone density, or more specifically, a certain component in hops — namely female flowers — have high estrogen properties that help bone formation. More recently, researchers have been evaluating a standardized hop extract (8-prenylnaringenin) for the treatment of menopausal hot flashes. Among the many phytoestrogens contained in the female hop flowers, 8-prenylnaringen has been associated in laboratory studies with the highest estrogenic potency compared to others.
In a small, randomized, scientifically-sound study, researchers assigned menopausal women to either a hops extract 8-prenylnaringenin for eight weeks or placebo for 8 weeks; then they switched. Although both groups showed modest reductions in mild vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats) during the first 8-week period, only women taking the hops extract after first taking placebo experienced higher average reductions in their flashes and sweats. Although these changes were not considered “significant” they did lead the researchers to conclude that preparations containing 8-prenylnaringenin might offer an alternative to hormones for women who experience mild vasomotor symptoms.
Are hops completely safe?
Most people do not experience side effects when taking hops. However, like any herb or drug, reactions are individual. In some people, hops can cause allergic skin reactions (e.g. rash) when handled. Hops can also cause mild drowsiness, which is why hop extracts shouldn’t be taken with sedatives. In some cases, hops has been shown to lower blood sugar levels. And of course, as a phytoestrogen, it should not be used at the same time as hormone replacement and only under doctor supervision if you’ve had breast cancer.
So, it’s too soon to tell. But indeed, there’s hope for hops!
Read MoreKeep it cool: Sheex
[Image: sheex.com]
I am a huge fan of innovative solutions to keeping cool. Which is why I am a huge fan of Sheex. Disclosure: the company did not contact me to write about them nor have I tried the sheets. However, I have written previously about alternate use of fabrics that were originally developed for athletes to promote a cooler, more comfortable sleep for flashers and sweaters.
According to the website, the technology breathes twice as well as more traditional bedding and transfers body heat twice as effectively as cotton does. It also claims to have three times the drying power of cotton. I also like the fact they’ve taken the time to develop sheets for travel, so that you can keep comfortable wherever you are. What’s more, the company is owned by two women who were former basketball coaches, so clearly they understand women’s needs.
Granted, the sheet sets are expensive. But can you really place a price on comfort and a good night’s sleep? I’d rather spend a bit more money and a bit less time changing sheets or clothing because I’m drenched.
Hat’s off Sheex! Thanks for thinking of us! And let us all “sleep fit” and not fitfully.
Read MoreWednesday Bubble: take care of your wants and needles
Thinking about trying acupuncture for those menopausal symptoms? Make sure they are the real deal!
Researchers say that non-invasive acupuncture, often preferred by the needle-phobic, will not have much effect on hot flashes and symptoms. In fact, in a small scientific study published in the online edition of Menopause, women with daytime and nighttime hot flashes and symptoms received laser acupuncture treatments or fake laser treatments once every two weeks over a three-month period. (Laser acupuncture (laser acupoint stimulation) is a technique that uses laser light that is applied to — but not inserted into — the skin to stimulate common acupuncture points.) Specific acupuncture points were selected from a series of 10 points and then individualized for each participant and her respective needs.
At the study’s end, no differences were seen between the groups in terms of menopausal symptoms.
Does this mean that acupuncture doesn’t work for hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms? No, not at all. In fact, acupuncture has shown to be effective for alleviating hot flashes and the like. But you need real needles. If you are needle-phobic, speak a licensed acupuncturist or check out some of these wonderful links provided by the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. I’ve a huge fan of acupuncture and don’t care for needles. Yet, my experience with acupuncture is that in most cases, it is virtually painless and may simply be associated with mild tingling or brief ache that quickly dissipates.
How about you? How has acupuncture worked for your symptoms?
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