Oral absorption -vs- Pills

For years, millions of us have taken pills to supplement our nutritional needs and created a ritual of gulping them down with a glass of water, leaving a chalky taste in your mouth, creating a dumping feeling in the stomach, or even having them get caught in your oesophagus. No matter the size or shape, whether gel caps or coated tablets, it’s not an easy task and a burden for many.

Spray technology – An amazing break through!

There is now a revolutionary way to take your vitamins, minerals and other nutritional supplements – through oral absorption!

VitaMist® intra-oral sprays are patented delivery systems for vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids and other supplements. A 55 micro-liter spray delivers high concentrations of nutrients directly onto the mouth’s sensitive tissue called the buccal mucosa. This transfers the nutrients directly into the body.

Oral absorption is the fastest, most effective and convenient way to get a daily dose of vitamins, minerals and other nutritional supplements

Oral Absorption is up to 90 % effective, allowing your body to utilise all the necessary nutrients. Pills, which have a digestion rate of only 10 to 50 percent, use fillers (such as talcum powder or sugar) and binding agents (e.g. wax) to hold the ingredients together and coatings to “protect” them against unwanted influences of digestive juices. Having a spray that does not have these fillers and binders means you are getting the purest form of vitamins, minerals and other nutritional supplements available.

Through oral absorption, nutrients go directly into the blood stream and then into the cells within a matter of minutes.

Weight management the natural way.

Shape Up Spray

Shape Up™ spray takes bitter orange extract, used in Chinese medicine for 5000 years, combines it with other traditional herbal ingredients like ginger, guarana, ginseng, and modern discoveries such as pyruvate and chromium to make a cutting-edge weight control tool. It energises and nourishes your body in ways that may aid in weight management control.

SlenderMist

SlenderMist

A dietary aid with a different twist, Slender-Mist® aids in providing your body what it needs to satisfy cravings – without overeating or the use of drugs.

Slender-Mist® has nutrients that may help you maintain a more balanced diet during regularly scheduled meals, and may provide extra vitamins and nutrients to compensate for the shortage suffered by eating less.

Shape Up packs the power of vitamins, minerals and amino acids into a good tasting, convenient to use spray that may curb your appetite and jump-start your metabolism.

It is often said that everyone wants to grow old, but no one wants to be old.

Vitamist 50 Plus Multi Vitamin Spray

More and more scientific research has shown that it is not only genetic predetermination that allows us to “grow old healthily”, we can also influence this ourselves through our lifestyles and eating habits. Several nutrients are essential for helping us remain healthy as we grow older. VitaMist® 50 Plus Multi Vitamin contains vitamins A, D, E, C, K, B1, B2, B3, B5, B12, folic acid, Biotin, choline, chromium, iodine, manganese, selenium and coenzyme Q10 – all essential nutrients for our bodies – in an easily taken and absorbed oral spray.

We’re sure you’re already familiar with the brilliant BBC Ouch! website and blog- especially the bitingly funny Disability Bitch articles.

Blogging these days is massive – even we at TheDisabledShop are at it! The rise of easy-to-use blogging systems such as Google’s Blogger, and Wordpress.com has meant that people can share their thoughts and experiences (and frequently, get their rants off their chests, usually with hilarious insight!) with the world at large – all without moving from their armchair – and even better, without paying a penny to do so!

We have come across some great personal blogs which we have listed below – two of which have also been recommended by the BBC Ouch! team.

• Crip’s Column – wheelchair eye view from a BBC radio producer
• Disabilities Unlimited – a really positive blog from someone who does not let his disabilities get in the way of anything he wants to do.
• Life Kludger – great solutions and workarounds (“kludges”) for everyday issues and problems.
• Trials and Tribulations of a Deaf/Blind Bint – a brand new blog about living with Ushers
• Mum on Wheels – fairly self-explanatory!

If you have a favourite blog, or write a disability related blog of your own, we’d love to hear about it!

Afer years of negelct and ignoring pleas for assistance from  charities and mental health organisations, the Government has today (very shortly before the next General Election) announced a “radical shift” to their mental health strategy and approach.

The strategy is aimed at preventing the development of mental health conditions amongst “at risk” victims of abuse, the homeless,  and ex-servicemen.

The plan is to employ mental health co-ordinators in job centres, and to launch nine occupational health advice lines for small businesses, to help them retain employees with mental health difficutlies.  The Access to Work programme is to be extended, to provide temporary cover when a worker is unable to work because of his/her condition.

However, to date, there is no explanation of how the proposals are to be funded, and we await this information with interest,  as Paul Jenkins, Chief Executive of Rethink said “We know that in a recession mental health budgets are vulnerable to cuts, and we need to hear some government guarantees about funding priorities”

This writer just questions the timing of this long awaited “feel-good” bit of news……….

Read the full story at www.disabilitynow.org.uk

Did you know that, on average, 8,000 older people fall every day? Falls are often the biggest fear for older people.

The new range of Voice Alert Monitors and Sensor Mats can help detect falls and summon assistance as quickly as possible.

The Voice Alert Monitor

The Voice Alert Monitor attaches to the user’s clothes with a magnetic pull cord. If the person falls out of bed, a alarm is sounded. A recording feature allows a familiar voice to be heard by the user while assistance is on its way.

The Sensor Mats provide a pressure alarm system, notifying the carer if the user falls out of bed or their wheelchair.

The system can also be used to prevent Alzheimer’s or Dementia sufferers from wandering off by using the Sensor Mats or Door Banner to sound the alarm.

We also have the Wandering Alert Floor and Door Sensor Kit available which includes includes a door opening sensor with transmitter, a weight sensing floor mat with transmitter and a pocket pager alarm, and the Personal GPS Mini Mobile Tracker, an easy to use tracking device to help locate the whereabouts of an individual. This non-invasive device only sends location information when it is actually requested. The precise location can be pin-pointed on an online street map.

The Simple Mobile Phone & Alarm

Another brilliant device is the Simple Mobile Phone & Alarm. This product is great for those who find using a standard mobile phone difficult (that would be most of us then!? Hands up whoever has used their phone for more than just making a phone call?!).

This phone has four large buttons, each of which stores a contact number as a speed dial. With one press of a button, the user can answer a call, call the emergency services by pressing the SOS button or activate the alarm system by pressing the alarm key on the back of the phone for 3 seconds. If activated, the phone will send an emergency text message to all the numbers on an emergency contact list. The phone will then dial each of the numbers on the list in turn three times until the call is answered.

I have just found a super new product to list on our site – the Life Story books. These beautiful books are available as single books at £5.85, or in packs of 11 for £49.50 (great for care homes).

My Life Book

These are memory aids, where, often with assistance, the recipient records details of his, or her life, like an autobiography. This could make a lovely present for a friend or family member having problems with Dementia or Alzheimers, and has been shown in a recent trial that it can be useful in these cases, stimulating the senses and giving pleasure. it is also wonderful to share thse memories with family and friends.

Completing the book is very individual-focused. It will also help carers and family members understand the history of the “author” and this in turn can improve the type of care they receive.

The company is at present undergoing final development of a similar book for children who are separated from their birth parents – more news about this when we receive it.

There is also a stapled option for care homes which comes in packs of 10 for £24.50.

I’ve been reading the story of Kerry Robertson and Mark McDougall, who are in the news today after Social Services in Ireland have taken their newborn baby boy, Ben, into care. Kerry and Mark ran away from Scotland in the middle of the night after being told that their baby would be taken into care at birth. Fife Social Services’ view was that Kerry’s disability meant that she was incapable of looking after a baby. This “disability” is reportedly mild learning difficulties.

Kerry and Mark thought that they had escaped that fate by fleeing to Ireland, but four days after Ben was born, Irish Social Services arrived at the hospital and took Ben away, acting on behalf of Fife Council. Kerry and Mark are now only able to see Ben for two hours every other day, under supervision. Kerry is particularly distressed as she wants Ben to be breastfed, to give him the best start – and as recommended by doctors.

Whatever your thoughts on intervention and Social Services, there is no denying that this is a heartbreaking case. Mark and Kerry are clearly devoted to their son and I cannot imagine the pain they must be going through knowing their son is with strangers rather than with them, no matter how caring and experienced those strangers are.

Obviously, Social Services should step in if there is any risk of harm to a child, and have been lambasted for their failures to do so in the past – those dreadful images of Baby P are seared on most people’s brains for life. But it seems a harsh judgement if people are not even allowed the chance to prove that they are capable of being good parents – after all, most brand new parents have the steepest of learning curves!

Surely in this sort of case, Social Services’ role should be to supervise, and to assist, as far as possible, rather than breaking up yet another family where the love for the child, if not yet the ability to fully care for him, doesn’t seem to be in question?

Struggling for ideas for gifts for a disabled or elderly person that are actually useful and wanted? Jean gives her advice!

Having set up The Disabled Shop some years ago, I have quite a bit of knowledge about the many aids on the market, but having recently had a hip replacement operation myself, I can now really appreciate which are most useful for those who are unable to bend or reach safely or without pain!

I think the most useful item has been the magnetic tipped reacher – these come in varying lengths and are just so useful, and avoid the frustration of looking at items in the wrong place and waiting for someone to do something about them!!!!

Perhaps second has been the long handled shoe horn, and of course the long handled sponge and the body care washers (they reach the parts …..!) A valuable gift would be the bath kit, or the long handled sponges and applicators – so frustrating not to be able reach one’s toes! The same can be said of the long handled toe nail scissors, as regaining some independence is invaluable for one’s self-esteem.

Body Care Hair Washer

A possibly less attractive, though very useful and portable present, would be the new Quick Suction rail and the Stick ‘n’ Stay Mobility Handle. These are designed for areas where you do not want to drill – tiled bathrooms, etc. The advantage is that guests can bring these with them when they visit friends or stay in hotels, for extra security when in unfamiliar and less prepared surroundings.

The Sock Aid is an essential tool if you can't bend down

Very practical aids are the stocking and sock aid – again it is impossible to complete this part of dressing without these when unable to bend – and again, the long handled shoe horn has become an essential. The Bra Angel is also a good seller! To have to wait for assistance is both frustrating and somewhat humiliating, and confidence and self respect is restored if one can look after oneself as much as possible.

Another practical gift for those with other difficulties in living independently are many kitchen aids – one handed tin openers are very useful for those with arthritis (whilst balancing on a crutch, this is still challenging!). A new introduction is the mounted table top scissors, for people with poor hand strength – it all comes back to being able to do things independently for as long as possible, even cutting a piece of sellotape.

Good Grips Y Peeler

There is also an excellent, comprehensive range of kitchen utensils made by Good Grips, with comfortable handles to prevent slipping. The pressure absorbing handles are great for those with arthritis or limited grasp ability. These make very useful, thoughtful presents. I know these are appreciated, because quite often the recipient comes back to us to ask for more items in the range.

The Cheekey is a great aid for those who struggle with dexterity

Again, a small gift that is appreciated is the Cheekey – your house key fits into this and it makes locking and unlocking the door so much easier (it also doubles as a ring pull!)

There are so many aids available, many making good presents that show someone has put some thought into their choice, making it so much more appreciated.

We have selected some and put these into a gift section on our comprehensive web site – I will also always try to help source any product that we do not yet have listed. Contact me at info@thedisabledshop.com for more advice!

Do you have any great ideas for gifts that aren’t mentioned here? Have you got any of the above products and find them a lifesaver? Let us know by leaving a comment!

Pomegranates have already been hailed as a super-food but a team of scientists from Kingston University in South West London has found a new use for the deep red fruit. The team, led by Professor Declan Naughton, has discovered that the rind can be turned into an ointment for treating MRSA and other common hospital infections.

In a series of tests conducted over three years, Professor Naughton and researchers from the School of Life Sciences learnt that the infection-fighting properties of pomegranate were greatly enhanced by combining the rind of the fruit with two other natural products, metal salts and Vitamin C. “We have developed a topical ointment that can successfully attack a range of drug resistant microbes,” Professor Naughton said. “It’s a significant breakthrough and a striking example of the effectiveness of adding more components to create a more active product.”

Professor Naughton said “The idea of using a foodstuff is unusual and means that the body should be able to cope more easily with its application; patients are less likely to experience any major side-effects.”

“Superfoods” is a term given to certain food which contain very high levels of antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals and phytochemicals – bioactive non-nutrient components – that are good for health.

To ensure that you are getting your recommended daily allowances of vitamins and minerals, why not try one taking a supplement, such as Antioxidant Supreme, or to maximise your intake of antioxidants, Acai Berry Extract – which also has weight-loss and cholesterol lowering properties!

To read the full story, click here