Expert Advice on Selecting an Orthopedic Pillow For Maximum Health Benefit

Orthopedic pillows have become common these days. Unlike the yester-years where the pillows were tailored to meet only general needs, pillows today are focused on serving specific needs of our bodies while maintaining their general functionality. Orthopedic pillows are such specialized pillows - they would still be pillows that you can use like any other general pillow, but additionally they would attempt to optimize on addressing a concrete requirement of the human physique.

To select your orthopedic pillow, you would first need to answer the following questions.

Do you have a weakness in some specific are of your body? While sleeping, do you tend to lie down more on your side, on your back or on your stomach? After waking up, is there some specific part of body that experiences pain or discomfort? Do you experience back pain while or after sitting for sometime?

If you lie on your back or stomach, then you need a head pillow or a neck pillow. The contour would support your head, neck and shoulders. Using any other pillow with that is optional. If you have a weakness or feeling of pain in your knee then you might add a knee support pillow to this. On the other hand, if you lie on your sire then you may want to use a body pillow. This would support your entire body, right from head and neck to knee and legs. If the body pillow does not support your head then you should definitely consider getting an additional head pillow or neck pillow.

The other kind of orthopedic pillow that you may want to use is for sitting. If you experience pain in your back while sitting for long then you would want to consider getting a lumbar support pillow. This would support your spine and back while you sit, and get rid of spinal issues.

Selecting an orthopedic pillow is easy once you understand what you want - just answer the above questions and you shall know whether you need an orthopedic pillow at all, and if you do then what is the type that you require.

8 Easy Ways to Improve Your Memory

Momentary memory loss is super frustrating, but no matter what the reason (doing too many things at once, stress or the menopause) you don't have to accept it. There are a number of easy ways to improve your memory at any age.

Experts say there are things you can do to improve your memory and keep your brain healthy, no matter how old you are.

Check out these suggestions and see how many you can make part of your regular routine...

- Floss every day - plaque on your teeth is unexpectedly bad for your brain. "The plaque between teeth can cause an immune reaction that attacks arteries, which then can't deliver vital nutrients to brain cells," points out Dr. Michael Roizen, co-author of YOU-The Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger. Keep the floss with all the things you use to get ready in the morning so you're less likely to forget.

- Multitask during a workout - stretching brain and body at the same time can have a real impact on both body and mind. Experts suggest doing double duty revitalizes brain cells. You might try a crossword while riding a stationary bike, listen to books on tape or language lessons while on the treadmill or jogging. If doing two things at once isn't your thing, do the mental exercise right after your physical workout when your brain is pumped full of energy.

- Eat brain foods - DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid known to be important for optimal brain function, can be found in salmon, trout and even fortified options like yogurt. It's good for your brain to try to get all you can from natural food sources. "DHA decreases arterial inflammation and improves repair of the protective sheath around nerves," Roizen explains. "The result is less age-related memory loss, less Alzheimer's disease, less depression, and a quicker mind."

- Play games - handheld or video games aren't just kids' stuff; these help sharpen your memory as well as your problem solving and spatial skills. You can use things like the new 3D Rubik's Cube, handheld games like Tetris or solitaire, electronic games like the Wii or Nintendo DS, even games like Jeopardy or Millionaire on TV, anything that stretches your thinking or is a new-to-you activity will work wonders.

- Get moving - getting your heart rate up three times a week for 20 minutes at a time brings more oxygen to the brain and helps it grow new cells. Walking, cycling or any activity that gets you up and moving on a regular basis is a great choice. In fact, exercise like this may be two to three time more effective as anything else you do for your brain according to Sam Wang Ph.D., an associate professor at Princeton University and co-author of Welcome to Your Brain: Why You Lose Your Car Keys but Never Forget How to Drive and Other Puzzle of Everyday Life.

Even better news for the too-busy-to-workout crowd? The latest research finds that just one moderate to rigorous exercise session a week can make you 30% more likely to hold onto your cognitive functioning as the years pass.

- Start a club - it can be a book club, a bridge club, regular dinners, in fact anything that helps you combine strategy and memory offers a challenge to the brain to learn new things, exercising cells so they don't just die off. Socializing while you play, rather than enjoying a solitary game, adds a level of involvement and challenge that does a whole lot for your brain (not to mention your social life).

- Use your fingertips - any fingertip activity, like knitting, using chopsticks, even rolling a pen/pencil between your fingers helps your brain by boosting circulation. Good circulation serves to eliminate waste products that might prevent much-needed nutrients from reaching your brain. What's more, studies show that using the concentrated areas of nerve cells in your fingertips directly stimulates your brain.

- Be careful with medications - research has shown that nonprescription sleep medications might cause some "cognitive impairment" in older people. Also, the drug known as diphenhydramine (in many allergy preparations and nighttime pain pills) is known to have an "anticholinergic" effect - blocking communication between nerve cells. Talk with your doctor about the right medication for your needs, and be sure to mention any cognitive side effects you experience.

Even if you can't make all of these ways to improve your memory, and include them as part of your life right now, try to adopt one or two into your routine and see how you feel. Chances are these simple, natural choices will bring benefits to your brain (and body) not only today, but for years to come.

Should We Still Be Gaming Past Our 30th Birthdays?

I am 34 years old. Still a young man you would say. So why is it that when I speak to my nephew about video games he always looks at me in a funny way and suggests I should have better things to do at my age?

Video games have, over the years, always been aimed at a younger audience. However as product sophistication has grown, and revenue potentials been realized, so has the target audience at which games are targeted. A good example of this would be the Grand Theft Auto series. Given an 18 rating certificate by the board of classification surely this game is targeted towards a more mature audience?

In some respects this is true. However, much like the 'alcopop' drinks are clearly targeted at an under age audience, so are many video games. Now, I like Grand Theft Auto - a bit. Its a good game and I can see how it has done so well. But I believe the reason is has done so well isn't so much in spite of its 18 certificate but because of it. As a teenager is is seen a highly cool to be seen with anything which has an 18 certificate attached to it. Lots of violence, swearing, nudity and prostitution - these are all super cool things to a teenager!

However, for a man in his early thirties, running around shooting people and having sex with virtual prostitutes isn't really my cup of tea. I prefer to indulge my gaming urges with something which requires rather more thought and strategy.

Some of my favorite all time titles include the Football Manager and Total War series of games. Both require serious time and thought to really gain their full potential. That's not to say they are a hard slog, if that were so then obviously they wouldn't get played - but rather they are enormous fun, just not in the urgent 'shoot em up kind of way.

Closet Organization Systems - How to Make the Most of Them

If you're planning to use a closet for extra storage space, you should learn about all the options you have when it comes to installing closet storage systems. There are literally thousands of different shelving units, bins, and boxes for you to pick from.

You'll first need to decide what's most important to you: Form, function, or a combination of the two. If it doesn't matter how coordinated everything is in your storage area, you'll have more options available to you. Canvas toes, rolling bins, and plastic tubs are just some examples.

There is a vast assortment of plastic bins and totes by Rubbermaid that you can use in your closet storage area. They could be as small as containers used for food (great for craft supplies or tools), or giant tote bags for everything from patio furniture cushions or Christmas decorations.

What you can do is put the large bins on the floor under the shelves, then fill up the shelves with bins of different sizes.

Labeling is one of the keys to good closet storage systems. You should clearly label each tote, bin, and tub so that you'll always know what's inside.

It's best to keep all similar items in one place, so that way you can tell what's in any box just at a glance. You can use a label maker to make the process easier, and you can always peel off the labels and switch them out later if you need to.

Another option is to label the storage bin with a permanent marker, or you can tape a piece of paper to the side or front of the bin that describes the contents.

Some of the most popular organizes are the clear or translucent bins; you don't have to do quite as detailed labels with these. Since you can readily see the contents, you're more organized and you save even more time.

Rubbermaid also has a good selection of clear bins you can use as part of your closet storage systems as well. You can also find specialty storage items for your closet too, designed to hold things such as gift wrap, hobby supplies, and craft items.

Orthotics Insoles For Flat Feet

Some people are born with them, while others over-pronate when they walk causing their arches to collapse. Whichever case applies to you, chances are you have developed foot related problems because of it. Flat feet can cause discomfort and pain from your toes all the way up to your back. This pain occurs when you stand, walk or run. Flat feet can also lead to other problems such as foot pain, calluses, bunions, corns, Achilles tendonitis, ankle pain, leg pain and lower back pain. However, with technological advances in the insole world, people with flat feet are not forced to deal with the pain. Through the use of orthotics insoles, people who suffer from chronic pain due to flat feet can have their over-pronation corrected and pain relieved.

Orthotics insoles can help to vastly improve the symptoms and pain that flat feet can cause. The orthotics are designed to provide arch support so that you arches do not collapse under your full weight. The insoles are rigid and stiff so that the insole can provide complete support and not collapse each time you step on it. The insoles will also align the foot properly so that over-pronation is prevented. Proper foot alignment can significantly improve the pain you may be experiencing not only in your feet, but in your ankles, legs and back as well.

Insoles are easy to use and are not too pricey, unless of course, you purchase custom insoles. Those will run you quite a bit more. The insoles slide into your shoes and come in either full length or ¾ length versions. If you are looking for a more versatile insole, the ¾ length insoles can be moved from shoe to shoe, whereas the full-length insoles will only fit into one shoe. Also, orthotics insoles take some time to get used to. Just like a new pair of shoes can be troublesome at first, your feet will have to adjust to the orthotics. They are very rigid and this can be abnormal for your feet at first. After adjusting, you will wonder how you lived without them for so long.

If you have flat feet, you should be using orthotics insoles in all of your footwear. There is no good reason for you to be suffering through another day of foot pain when you don't have to. You can pick up a pair of orthotics are any insole retailer or you can speak with a podiatrist or physician to get a custom pair or a recommendation. Don't suffer through any more foot pain due to your flat feet.

Memory Exercise

I can remember memory exercises and assignments all the way back to second grade, and they always involved drudgery and tedium, like memorizing and reciting the Gettysburg address, and making faces at the kid reciting to try and make them lose their place.

I actually did that and feel some embarrassment at this moment as I remember that.

And now I am noticing that I am having issues with word recall, which tells me that my brain is now 62 years old, and my brain is earning its living recalling words and using them in counseling sessions, and I am worried that I am going to have to return to those tedious memory exercises from my childhood to keep my professional vocabulary.

However, I do hear the cavalry trumpet sounding not too far away, and I do believe that I can do memory exercises which reflect recent discoveries about the human brain and recent technological developments.

So here is what I have learned. We grow new brain cells every day, which is called neurogenesis, and those brain cells migrate to the hippocampus, which is a very important part of the memory process in the human brain, and we are making lots of discoveries about neuroplasticity, which is the capacity of neurons to form new connections when they are presented with novel learning experiences, sometimes within minutes of the learning experience.

Neurogenesis is a new discovery, perhaps a decade old.

The good news is that both neurogenesis and neuroplasticity can be encouraged, which impacts memory, and influences memory exercises, by taking care of the pillars of brain fitness.

The Pillars of Brain Fitness?

It turns out that the best memory exercise that we can do is what Simon Evans,Ph.D. and Paul Burghardt,Ph.D. tell us to do in their wonderful e-book Brainfit for Life.

We need to commit regular time to our brain fitness, which means that we take care of what the experts in the brain and memory exercise fields are calling the pillars of brain fitness.

When we do that, we are whipping the brain into its best shape for neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, which are the keys to a longer memory, or a quicker memory, certainly a brain that is ready to use any of the traditional memory exercise tools like associative images.

So what are the pillars of brain fitness? Physical activity/exercise, nutrition including lots of antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids, stress management, good sleep, which is the time of day when memory consolidation happens, and novel learning experiences, which might include the use of the new computerized brain fitness programs.

The novel learning experience that the brain requires for enhanced neurogenesis and neuroplasticity is the novel learning experience that we usually get when learning a new language or new musical instrument, because that kind of learning exposes the brain to increased complexity and provides an opportunity for the appropriate amount of positive feedback (correct answers) for strong circuits to form.

Evans and Burghardt go into some detail about research on the dual n back task and how practice on the dual n back increases neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, so I found a program to use based on the dual n back task, and discovered in about three minutes that my attentional style when it comes to memory and brain fitness exercise is of the wandering kind, which makes it hard for my brain to form short term and then move short term memory to long term.

I highly recommend the dual n back task to anyone seeking increased brain fitness, or a highly effective memory exercise.

It is fun, frustrating, and addictive. Once you get a handle for how the program works, and get some improvement, you will be amazed at how this attention and memory exercise impacts your ability to remember stuff.

The dual n back task has in interesting side effect too, which is an increased I.Q.

Since I had success with the dual n back, I decided to look at and try a couple of the other brain fitness and memory exercise programs out there, and both proved to be beneficial also.

The benefit of the online program is that it can be booted up anytime, and used on demand, anytime I want to refresh my smokin' neurons.

Wonderful break which actually helps the neurogenesis and neuroplasticity.

The other program I tried is the brain child of Michael Merzenich, Ph.D., one of the world's leading experts in neuroplasticity, and it has been put to the test in the recently published IMPACT study. Both the researchers and the participants were quite amazed at the results.

So, you memory exercise folks, who grew up reading Harry Lorayne's material on memory, try his tools out after increasing your brain fitness with the computerized brain fitness tools.

You may still forget where your keys are once in awhile, but your word recall will be excellent, the envy of all.

Gravity Waves Inside a Hurricane

Is a Hurricane Eye-Wall limiting enough to allow us to manipulate gravity waves within it? What if we could slightly change the gravity waves inside a Hurricane ever so lightly? If we could increase them we could make a vortex funnel into the ocean or if we could decrease them we could raise the ocean surface.

What if the eye-wall of a Hurricane with the rushing winds all around could be made as a barrier to waves, which we put in side of the Hurricane? What if we could have a sound device in the center pulsating to the edges of the eye-wall and then these multiple factors provided us the barriers to do such an experiment? What if the experiment stopped the Hurricane or made it worse?

What if it actually worked and along with the upward winds we could incite a gravity wave to launch something extremely heavy up into the atmosphere near the top? Like a large spacecraft? Sounds a lot like a runaway Science Fiction movie doesn't it? Well indeed it does, yet nevertheless someone recently brought this way-out concept up at an online think tank recently and ever sense we just cannot stop talking about it.

Meanwhile the 2006 Atlantic Tropical Hurricane Season is upon us now and well why not try and learn all we can about all that we really do not know about Hurricanes and their eye-walls? Consider all this in 2006.

How Long Is a Typical Squash Match?

This question of how long is typical squash match is very interesting, because with it flows the inevitable problem of how to make sure you are fit enough physically and emotionally to withstand all the demands that the squash match will bring.

Recently there has been a shift both in the amateur and professional to adopt Par or American scoring where every point counts regardless of who is serving. This tends to shorten the total match time as players are constantly moving their score on each rally to their goal of 11 points. Should they reach 10 points each one player must win by a margin of 2 clear points 14-12. International scoring was played with a method of scoring where a player had to be serving and win the rally to score a point.

I witnessed the longest match. It was played at the Chichester Open England 1983 between Jahangir Khan, World Champion from Pakistan and Gamal Awad, Egypt's #1 whom I as coaching between games. He had been my training partner for a couple of years and we had discussed a plan.

The first game lasted 75 minutes. The plan was to not open the court and to simply wear Jahangir down. Gamal played to the game plan brilliantly but Jahangir matched him length for length. The first rally took 7 minutes and resulted in a let, meaning the point was replayed!

The first point was scored after 15 minutes and the and the entire match which was only 4 games was 2 hours 46 minutes. What do you say to a guy who came back from an 8-1 deficit to win the game but has to face the onslaught of winning 2 more games. All Gamal could ask me was to please rub his legs as they were cramping, he knew that he could not keep this up for ever but was prepared to try to stick to the game plan. We had no idea about how Jahangir felt, it could not have been great, but that first game had taken it's toll.

He played the rest of the match and in the middle of the second game started to go for winners as he knew he had given all he had to give. The final result was 9-10,9-5, 9-7, 9-2.

The interesting thing about this match was that Gamal was never the same again. This match broke his spirit, realizing that he could not beat Jahangir was devastating to him, and he retired from competition a few years later.

Squash lost a legend when in 2004 at the age of 49 he died suddenly of a heart attack.

The longest women's match was 1 hour 57 minutes, with 90 seconds between games and with a 5 minute warm up the match lasted a total of 2 hours 7 minutes. It was played in 1981 at Mayfair Parkway in Toronto in the Final of the Women's World Championships between Rhonda Thorne now Clayton and Vicki Hoffman now Cardwell.

This match also had a tragic outcome, the loss of the friendship between these two fellow Australians. Vicki was fine all the time she was No1 in the World and Rhonda her training partner and team mate, was No2 but the moment that was reversed, it seemed to be more than Vicki could accept. Emotionally it took years for Vicki to get to grips with this. So often this is the case in life when the status quo is upset the new order is not always readily accepted.

This match even changed Rhonda, who having achieved the goal she had strived for, for so long, she lost some of her competitive edge and retired a couple of years later after the 1983 Women's World Squash Championships in Australia. Again this is not uncommon in life to focus and drive towards a goal once achieved, resetting a new destination is often very challenging.

Now most amateur matches are around 35 minutes for amateurs and 45 minutes for professionals. This means there has been a slight shift in the emotional and physical demands for competitors. Par scoring favours the opportunist and with shorter rallies the intensity must inevitably be high, any lapse in concentration will probably mean a point is scored, unlike international scoring where there might be only a loss of serve.

However, be sure that anyone winning any major competition is going to have to focus, concentrate and gather up reserves of strength and courage to finally come out victorious.

Creative Query Letters

Query letters are you first impression on the editor, your customer. That's why you need to use all your creativity to write an effective query letter. Telling an editor you have an idea isn't enough. Writer's Digest editor Thomas Clark has identified five essential aspects that should be in every query you write:

1. A working title

2. A projected length

3. Your idea's place within the publication's departments (where it will fit)

4. Reference to previous articles

5. Results of some initial research done for the project

Remember, at this point you haven't actually written the article. You've come up with a unique idea, researched publications until you found one that fit, and done initial research--both to prove you're serious and to show what direction the article might take.

As I mentioned before, the query letter needs to fit on one, typed page. If it exceeds one page, you need to go back and rework, or tighten, your story angle. Write your letter in traditional, business-letter format, on professional letterhead if you have it. If you're a novice, you probably don't, but computer programs like MS Word come with several templates you can use in a pinch.

Your first paragraph is the most important, a creative, curiosity-arousing first paragraph hooks the editor, just as the first paragraph of your piece hooks the reader, and gets the editor to read more. Then outline--briefly--your story idea, in a way that makes it sound exciting and fresh. (If that's hard, you probably don't have the right idea yet.)

Aside from that, your letter needs to contain:

1. Address, email and phone number

2. Your background as a Writer (If you're a beginner, don't reveal that. Act professionally and you will be treated professionally.)

3. Your particular qualifications to write on your chosen subject

4. Your availability and prospective timeline for completion if you get the assignment

5. A request for a response.

There's more to writing query letters, much more than I can put here, but there are lots of excellent reference books that can give you more details. I use Professional Feature Writing: Third Edition by Bruce Garrison (which is now in its fourth edition), which also contains excellent advice on feature writer in general. However, this advice is a beginning. Now, start writing!