Review: Vionic Shoes With Orthotic Technology

Thanks to Fighting Fifty, the lifestyle website for those of us lucky enough to be embracing this fabulous decade, I was given the opportunity to road test these extremely colourful, and comfortable trainers from Vionic.

My Venture Walker Vionic Trainers - £85 from QVC

Now I've turned 50 (well, 51 actually) I'm finding that exercise is more important. When I was younger, it was relatively easy to keep the weight off but nowadays I seem to be developing a cross between a mum and a menopausal tum.  Yes, I'm "mumpausal"- an entirely new syndrome for us older mums to wrestle with!  So one of my birthday resolutions was to get off my butt and start moving.

I have to confess being unaware of the Vionic brand but had a major "a-ha" moment when I discovered that Vionic is endorsed by the much respected American doctor and best-selling author on holistic health, Dr Andrew Weil MD.  Even more impressive is the fact that Dr Weil donates all of his after-tax profits from the royalties on sales of Vionic orthotic shoes to his not-for-profit foundation - "The Weil Foundation" which is dedicated to supporting integrative medicine through training, education and research.

Vionic shoes were developed by Phillip Vasyli, a renowned Australian podiatrist and founder of Orthaheel Technology. This leading orthotic technology is based on more than 30 years of podiatric success and Vionic sandals, shoes and slippers are bio-mechanically engineered to hug your arches, which supports natural alignment.

This means that the shoes help combat heel pain, ball of foot pain, shin pain, knee pain and, of greatest interest to me, back pain.

Mr Vasyli's theory is that constantly walking on flat surfaces such as pavements and wearing footwear which does not support our feet, leads the feet to roll inwards (over-pronation) when we walk, which in turn leads to these different types of pain. Vionic shoes have an orthotic footbed which help lift your arches and stop this chain reaction of pain from developing.

I was sent the Venture Walker which has a lightweight, durable mesh and man-made overlay to give breathability and comfort.  The shoes have a removable covered EVA footbed and the bio-mechanic, orthotic footbed (FMT Orthaheel Technology) mentioned above that naturally aligns your feet and reduces over-pronation (the rolling inwards). The EVA midsole absorbs shock to help reduce the impact on your knees and ankles.

I have to say that I found the shoes incredibly light and comfortable to wear with no noticeable negative effect on my legs or back. I mention this because when I started to wear my Fitflops (readers of this blog will be familiar with my love of them), I definitely noticed some mild muscle tenderness and tightness for the first couple of times I wore them.

You can definitely feel the orthotic device in the shoes cushioning the arch of the foot and, having walked several miles in these now, I would be quite confident wearing them on long walks or going sight-seeing in them. I've been wearing them on the school run and I am much better at keeping up with Caitlin, and particularly Ieuan, who goes everywhere at an easy canter, now my feet are properly supported.  I'm not promising but I may even break into a jog occasionally.

Vionic shoes are now available in the UK at www.qvcuk.com and there are a great variety of styles and colours to choose from. If you do suffer from foot-related pain and you have a holiday coming up or you are looking for better support from your work-out footwear, I'd suggest you take a look at the range.

Incidentally,  if you are, like me, "fighting fifty",  check out the Fighty Fifty website at www.fightingfifty.co.uk..  You can also tweet them at @fighting_fifty or talk to them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FightingFifty.

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Renew With A Twist of FTN - World's First Wholefood Nutraceutical Stem Cell Recovery Drink

In my usual New Year quest to be fit and hone the bod into a Goddess like state, I like to try everything new and exciting in the Health market but I was particularly intrigued to discover a world first, currently being launched in the UK - FTN.

As our bodies age, they begin to slow down and lose the natural ability to repair and renew cell damage. 

FTN is the world's first wholefood nutraceutical stem cell recovery drink which you take everyday.

The makers say it has a potent blend of five key ingredients which have been proven to work with the body's own natural repair and renewal systems - allowing the body to slow down the ageing process, speed up recovery times from training and also protect against degenerative diseases. 

It is completely natural and free of any chemical or stimulants and its unique properties have already been documented in five published independent research papers - all of which are downloadable via the FTN website. 

It already has a number of celebrity fans such as Sir Elton John and his partner and model/actress Agnes Deyn.

So what are the five key ingredients?

Green Tea extract which helps to support the health of the digestive and respiratory systems and enhances the proliferation of cells within the skin

Wild blueberry extract which further promotes maintenance of healthy brain, cardiovascular, vision, joint and urinary tract function

Vitamin D which supports adult stem cell renewal and helps these cells become immune cells for naturally fighting infection

Organic blue-green micro-algae which contains protein, essential fatty acids, chlorophyll, beta-carotene and a vast array of micro-nutrients that supercharge the body’s ability to maintain superior overall well-being

Amino Acids which can be thought of as pieces of a complex protein puzzle which build and repair all kinds of tissue in the body.

All delivered in organic fruit juice which gives a refreshingly cleansing taste.

FTN is available in Citrus and Super Berry Flavour and your daily dose is a 60ml shot which comes in a neat little, 'twist and drink' bottle.

My unwilling guinea pig (The Husband) tried the Citrus and I tried the Super Berry and the drink is pleasant tasting with a slightly smoothy-like texture.  

It's certainly a very easy way to take a powerhouse of nutrients without spending hours wrestling with a juicer or a blender. 

The bottles would be very handy to carry around in your handbag (or gym bag) and for busy mums, are a good energy booster when you start to flag around 4 pm. 

FTN is currently being sold online at www.ftnbelieve.com, www.amazon.co.uk and stocked with specialist retailers Win Naturally. 

It will be available at Holland & Barrett and Boots in the New Year. You can currently try FTN for two weeks at a cost of £19.99 with free shipping. 

You can also find more about FTN on Twitter (@ftnbelieve) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ftnbelieve).

*PR samples were sent for the purposes of this review.

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Review: Spatone Liquid Iron Food Supplement - Apple & Vitamin C

Did you know that 91% of women between the ages of 16 and 64 do not get sufficient iron in their diet? Quite a staggering statistic.

Iron is needed in the body to transport oxygen and to help maintain a healthy immune system.

 

Spatone liquid iron supplement - delicious apple taste with vitamin C 

It is particularly important for pregnant women.

When I was pregnant with Ieuan in 2009, just a few weeks away from a planned caesarian, the midwife found my iron level was low.

She made it very clear that there would be no delivery until my iron levels were back up - for both my and Ieuan's safety.

She recommended Spatone (from Nelsons Natural World) - made from iron rich water sourced from the Snowdonia mountains as it was easy to take as a liquid supplement and gentle on the stomach.



Spatone comes in easy to open individual dose sachets.

The recommended daily dose is one sachet for adults and children but pregnant women are advised to take two sachets.

It certainly did the trick very quickly and I had none of the stomach aches, constipation or headaches that sometimes a side effect of the more traditional iron tablets.

When I was pregnant, I tried the original Spatone but there is now a new variety - Spatone Apple combined with Vitamin C, which aids the absorption of iron from non meat sources.

So you're getting the recommended daily dose of iron and Vitamin C together.

The Husband and I both tried it (one sachet = one daily dose).

You can see from the picture the size of the dose but it really does have quite a pleasant apple-y taste and you would not know you were consuming iron.

It would be easy to add a dose to some apple juice, should you need to give an iron supplement to your children (only suitable over 2 years old). T

The Husband, never one to be taken in by marketing in any shape or form whatsoever (why he married an ex-marketing professional on that basis I'm not quite sure) and my trusty benchmark for testing said "Hmm. That was quite nice".

And so it was.

Nelsons are running a competition on their website to win a box of Spatone Apple. Just enter your details on their website.

You can buy Spatone Apple from Boots, Waitrose, Tesco, Asda, Lloyds Pharmacy and independent pharmacies and health food stores priced around £10 for 28 sachets.

Disclosure: I received one box of Spatone Apple for the purposes of this review.

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Review: Braun ThermoScan 3 Compact One Second Ear Thermometer [IRT 3020]

You'd expect a brand with the pedigree of Braun to produce top notch equipment and so it is with this lightweight and extremely easy to use compact ear thermometer.  Having previously struggled with forehead strips and other branded thermometers that were simply too cumbersome and uncomfortable to use when dealing with a poorly little one, the Braun ThermoScan Compact 3 gets the job done swiftly and gives an accurate reading in approximately 1 second.

The Braun ThermoScan 3 Compact 1 Second Ear Thermometer

The thermometer comes with full instructions and a box of 10 replacement lens filters

It works by measuring the infrared heat generated by the eardrum and the surrounding tissues and also has a memory function which remembers the last temperature taken.

Checking Ieuan for signs of fever

And speed is of the essence when taking temperature. I'm sure most parents can remember trying to keep a crying baby's head still to take their temperature whilst they are teething in the middle of the night.

This thermometer is suitable for the whole family, including newborns.  It is soft and gentle in the ear (we all tried it!), and readings can be taken in either Celsius or, for those of us who haven't quite managed to go metric yet, in Fahrenheit too.  The disposable lens filters ensure no cross contamination and the thermometer comes with a two year guarantee.

The current RRP is £32.99 and the thermometer is available from Mothercare, Tesco, Asda and Amazon.co.uk.

I would certainly recommend the Braun ThermoScan 3, particularly if, like us, your kids regularly succumb to lurgies and ear infections.

Further information at:  www.braunthermometers.co.uk

Disclosure:  We were sent a thermometer for the purposes of this review.

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Review: Good Night Anti-Snoring Ring

Despite the fact that snoring is usually portrayed in full comedic glory and we've all chortled at partners so desperate to get a good night's sleep, they've sewn cotton reels or (now this is a sewing challenge), tennis balls on the back of their sleeping partner's PJs, snoring is categorically NO JOKE.

The Good Night Anti-snoring Ring

Unless you are in the privileged position of having a spare room in which to decamp and a partner whose feelings won't be hurt by such an act of noctural treachery, for many, the only recourse is to lie there and try to quell any murderous urges to stifle the blighter with an anti-allergy pillow (well, you want to give them a fighting chance, don't you).

When I met The Husband, he swore blind he did not snore. This was a blatant fib. Being a long term sufferer of hay fever, depending on the pollen count, he is capable of emitting sonorous rumbles which wake me (and occasionally even him) with a start.  

We've tried nasal strips and throat sprays with little effect and now the best defence I have is wax ear plugs which manage to muffle most of the sound but not the vibration.  So it was with grudging acquiescence on his part that I managed to get him to test the Good Night Anti Snoring Ring.

The Good Night Anti-Snoring Ring is a beautifully crafted ring which uses the theory of acupressure. The ring is shaped to include "acu-activator" points which apply pressure on, uniquely, two specific points on the little finger. It is non-invasive, comfortable to wear and, more importantly, drug free.

The Good Night Anti-snoring Ring has 2 Acu-Activator (acupressure) Points

Acupressure is the ancient Chinese practice dating from 3,000 BC which treats a number of ailments by applying pressure to specific points on the body.

The snorer should put the ring on about 30 minutes before retiring and it should be worn only when sleeping and for no longer than 12 hours at a time. It is suitable for adults over 18 years of age but you should not wear it if you are pregnant or suffer from sleep apnea.

How to wear the ring

The Good Night Anti-Snoring Ring comes in three sizes and is supplied in its own velveteen bag for storage. It comes with a useful leaflet containing full instructions and some excellent anti-snoring advice. Best of all, the manufacturers offer a No Quibble 30 Day Money Back Guarantee - so it is a no risk purchase. It is available to purchase at Boots, local pharmacies and health shops and online at www.goodnightsnoring.com. The current retail price is £30.00.

So did it work? Although it did not stop The Husband's snoring completely over the few nights we tested it, it did make it gentler and a little quieter and on this basis I have high hopes for it. The manufacturers say that it takes the body a good 3-4 days to acclimatise to the effects of acupressure so we are going to continue using it and also incorporate some of the lifestyle changes suggested.  

For example, our favourite tipple is red wine which is implicated in increasing snoring! It is also suggested that heavy snorers may benefit from two rings and that may well be required in our case. It is likely, that since The Husband is a hayfever sufferer, we need better treatment for this problem to help address his snoring and that once this is in hand, the Good Night Anti-Snoring Ring will help us to eliminate the problem altogether.

If snoring is a problem for you or your partner, I would certainly recommend giving this product a go. You have absolutely nothing to lose and possibly a relationship to save!

*A PR sample was received for the writing of this post.

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