Why You Need an Electric Toothbrush

Do you ever wonder if an electric toothbrush is effective? For so long, we’ve been inclined to use the manual toothbrush simply because they are the ones available. Back in the day, there weren’t any electric toothbrushes. And if there were, they were very expensive.

However, it was just recently that my dentist recommended me to use an electric toothbrush. She told me that it would help further clean my teeth and prevent cavities. I went right away to look for the best electric toothbrush to buy in Australia.

So far, I’ve enjoyed the electric toothbrush. I can now confidently say that my teeth are clean and healthy. Curious to know what an electric toothbrush gives you? Here are 5 benefits.

5 Benefits of Using an Electric Toothbrush

1. Gentle on the Gums

 
The first thing I noticed was that my gums stopped bleeding when I tried an electric toothbrush. This is mainly because the toothbrush was designed to be gentle on both your teeth and your gums.
Even if you place it right above the gums, it doesn’t brush too fast or too hard. If your gums are sensitive, this is the toothbrush for you.

2. Better at Preventing Plaque

 
An electric toothbrush cleans your teeth and gums better through the movement of the bristles. Unlike manual toothbrushes where you’re not sure if you’ve cleaned your teeth well, an electric toothbrush does all the thinking and moving for you.
The vibrations of the bristles help in reaching the farthest and the deepest bacteria and acid that gets stuck in between your teeth. 

3. Has a Built-in Timer

 
Most, if not all, electric toothbrushes have built-in timers that make sure you clean your teeth long enough. I admit, even if I don’t skip cleaning my teeth, it’s not all the time I abide by the 2-minute rule.
 
Sometimes I finish earlier and sometimes I finish longer, which is also counterproductive because I might be overcleaning my teeth. 
 
With an electric toothbrush, I don’t have to worry if I haven’t cleaned my teeth enough because it will just automatically turn off. 

4. Ensures Proper Brushing of the Teeth

 
Like I said earlier, an electric toothbrush makes sure that your teeth and gums are cleaned in the right way.
 
If you aren’t aware, there are different strokes that you have to do per section of your teeth – it’s not just up and down for all of them. With an electric toothbrush, you get to clean the insides of your teeth properly too. 

5. Easy to Use 

 
Lastly, it’s so easy to use. When I’m feeling lazy, I thank my electric toothbrush for letting me go on autopilot when brushing my teeth. You just turn it on and you can just stare at the mirror while you move the brush to the different parts of your mouth. 

What to Look For in an Electric Toothbrush 

Are you convinced that you need to get an electric toothbrush? That’s great! Before you buy, make sure you do a little bit of research to know what features you want to have and what brand offers that.
 
I suggest that you take time figuring it out before rushing to the store because you don’t want to buy the wrong toothbrush. 
 
Look for brands that are known to be the best in Australia. It helps to check if the reviews it has are good and if customers are satisfied.
 
Pay attention to the features – if it has a smart mode pairing, how charging will be, and if there are different modes of brushing. It’s important that you decide what you want so you can buy one that meets your needs.

Demystifying the Technique of Dry Needling

There are many people who think that dry needling is the same as Chinese acupuncture. For them, the technique is as mysterious as Qi and energy forces. Because it is difficult to explain, they no longer want to get such treatments as dry needling for back pain. I am here to demystify the technique of dry needling and hope to encourage more people to try the treatment.

Focus of Treatment

The most important distinction between dry needling and acupuncture is the focus of treatment. This technique focuses more on the reduction or alleviation of pain. It also works to restore the function of a problematic body part. It does this by releasing myofascial trigger points.

Acupuncture focuses more on the “re-establishment” of the normal flow of life energy. It attempts to restore balance so that this life energy or Qi will move throughout the body in an uninterrupted manner. Unfortunately, this is where many people have trouble understanding. I cannot blame them. It is very difficult to imagine what Qi is or how a blockage in the flow of life energy can cause disease.

Dry Needling and Myofascial Trigger Points

Dry needling is more concerned about alleviating pain and restoring function of the affected muscle. It does this by addressing the source of pain – myofascial trigger points.

We know these “trigger points” as muscle knots. If you try to rub a certain muscle, you will notice a lump. The lump is the result of the muscle fibres not returning to their original, relaxed state after contraction. Because they remain in a contracted state, they also compress the nerves that supply the muscles. It also compresses the small blood vessels in the area.

This compression reduces the flow of blood to and from the affected muscle. Not only are the muscle fibres unable to receive nutrients and oxygen; they also cannot get rid of lactic acid in a more efficient way. This can also exacerbate the pain experience.

In addition to these effects, the other muscle fibres will also compensate by contracting. This forces the myofascial trigger point to grow and create more intense pain. That is why we often feel tenderness. It also becomes very painful to move this part of our body.

How the Technique Works

One can think of dry needling as controlled and purposeful bleeding. It uses the same sterile needles that acupuncturists use. It is important to ascertain the germfree state of the needles. Dry needling practitioners are very careful about introducing any microorganism into the patient’s body. That is why it is necessary that they use only sterilised needles.

As the needle gets inserted into the muscle fibre, it creates a miniature tissue injury. The destruction of the tissues will allow blood to leak into the area of the needle. The nutrients and oxygen in this pool of blood get absorbed into the tissues of the myofascial trigger point.

At the same time, the controlled tissue damage facilitates the more efficient removal of lactic acid. It also aids in the decompression of the area. This frees nerves and blood small vessels from the pressure exerted by the contracted muscle fibres.

It is for this reason that therapists who use the dry needling technique should have an excellent knowledge of human anatomy and physiology. This is very fundamental to the practise. They should know where to insert the needle.

This makes more sense than the meridians and life energy points used by Chinese acupuncturists. Of course, if you understand the different terms that acupuncturists use, then there should be no problem at all.

When You Should Use Dry Needling

Dry needling does not promise to improve your mood or to make your anxieties go away. What it does provide is pain relief. However, one has to understand that it only works if the cause of pain is due to a myofascial trigger point. If pain is due to another cause, then you should not use dry needling.

If the myofascial trigger point also creates problems in your mobility, then you can also use dry needling. This will help restore the normal movements of the joints.

The technique of dry needling is a lot easier to understand because it uses terms that we are already familiar with. There are no “energies” to talk about. Everything has a scientific basis as well. I hope this article helped demystify the process of dry needling. It is not the same as acupuncture.

When to Visit a Physiotherapist

There are injuries that can be treated at home. In fact, it would be impractical if you went to the doctor for every single injury you get. Wounds, minor pains, and swellings are kinds of damages on the body that you can treat yourself. However, there are also injuries that need professional advice and treatment for them to be healed. If you try to self-medicate, chances are that the injured body part might be more damaged.

An example of this kind of injury is a sprain. A sprain can either need or not need professional help depending on its level of injury. It can happen on your wrist or an ankle and this is pretty common to anyone even if they are not athletic. A sprain is a damage on the ligaments found between two bones (example: bones of the hand and the arm). The damage can either be a stretched, twisted, or even worse, a torn ligament. In my case, I twisted my ankle due to a bad step. It was as simple as that. I did not do anything wrong nor did I do any strenuous activity. I just had a bad step. 

The pain was terrible, like a level 3 type of sprain. Just to further explain, sprains have three levels gauging the kind of damage they have. Level 1 is when you have stretched ligaments. This can be caused by a bad step, fall, or a twist of the ligaments. Level 2 is when the ligament is somewhat torn. The tear is not that severe so it takes a relatively short time to recover. Level 3 is the most painful of them all as I have mentioned. It is also the most severe because the ligament is fully torn. If this is the case, you should consult a doctor immediately. The difference to my situation was that the pain was unbearable that seeing a physiotherapist at Wyndham Physio and Rehab was necessary.

Why Wyndham Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation? Aside from the fact that it is within the area I live in, it has been a trusted clinic for over 30 years. This family-owned physical therapy clinic and rehab area has a number of services that can surely help you in your recovery from any injury. Some of their services are pregnancy therapy, pilates training, nutrition guidance, and rehabilitation. Aside from this, their staff and professionals are also welcoming. As a patient there, I immediately felt the caring environment that urged their customers to recover. The clinic’s atmosphere along with the people there create encouragement to the customers. One of its newest renovations was an addition of a Physio Gym. This was made to have more facilities that can answer to the growing needs of their customers. 

When I went to inquire of possible physiotherapy sessions to speed up the healing process of my ankle, they gave me a long list of physiotherapy services. I did not know that they did a lot! Some of them are treatments for back and neck pain, correcting balance, and managing both spine and headache. The treatments they apply during physiotherapy vary from manual handling training to pilates. Moreover, they have services that aren’t actually focused on treating your injury. Some are focused on preventing certain injuries to take place. At Wyndham, they try to emphasize the importance of preventing injuries from occurring rather than just reacting to it when it gets there. 

Going back to my sprained ankle, I thought at first that it was under level 3. It was just the pain after all. When I got it checked, the doctor on-duty explained that it was only a level 1 sprain. Nonetheless, it was right to see a physiotherapist since the pain was excruciating. Since I was so bent on getting it healed, I enrolled in physiotherapy sessions. This decision was not entirely mine. Of course, I cannot just demand to have those sessions. The physical therapist advised that I avoid moving my ankle and put a cast on it. However, I could not afford to have this drag on for a longer time than usual. Luckily, the physical therapist agreed to give me sessions. My appointments focused on exercising my sprained ankle. There were times that the therapist massaged it to ease the pain. I was also taught exercises that I can do at home. 

Wyndham Physio and Rehabilitation is a great clinic to go to when you are experiencing injuries. If they are near you, then I recommend that you go here right away. You can also reach them at (03) 9741 8268. 

Should you like more health-related articles such as this, click here to read more. Keeping up with good health is the best prevention tip to bear in mind. One good example is when you get to visit a physiotherapist for any pain problem encountered in your body.

Essential Foods and Vitamins to Boost Energy


EnergyWhether you go for a walk, go shopping, attend a party or simply sit in front of the computer, you need energy. Without having the essential energy, you will feel tired, burnt out, sluggish and unable to perform well. Similar to charging your gadgets, you need vitamins to power up your body. The body needs lots of vitamins but are not able to produce in ample amounts. Vitamin deficiency can easily upset the metabolic reactions or internal balance of the body.

Eating healthy foods is one way of acquiring energy for the body. Sometimes, the body needs to take vitamin supplements to help boost energy even with a healthy diet. For example, those who are just recovering from an ailment, or for pregnant women. Considering that it is not always possible to get vitamins from your daily diet, the nutritional supplements play a main role in providing energy to your body. Thankfully, there are a variety of vitamins to help you obtain that much-needed energy.

At times, taking medications can come between the absorption of nutritional vitamins. In such a case, the intake of energy supplements has to be increased. Not enough vitamins are normally the result of poor eating habits, stress and alcoholism. Remember this to be able to avoid health problems. Take all these vitamins in moderation; do not consume any specific food just to get more energy.

Eggs, bananas and nuts are major energy-boosting foods which can easily be part of your diet. Some of the foods mentioned below are rich sources of vitamins and minerals, which also provide energy:

  • Vegetables and Fruits
  • Whole Grains (milk, skim milk smoothies, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese)
  • Dairy Product
  • Legumes
  • Non-vegan Foods (beef, fish, meat, chicken, lamb, pork, veal, turkey, shellfish)

The following are the top vitamins to take that boost, particularly if you have been feeling worn out:

Vitamin B

It is the most vital source for the use and production of energy. Every one of the vitamins that belong in the group, is essential to avoid weakness and to energize the body:

Vitamin B1 – It is also referred to as thiamin, which improves the immune system of the body so that the nervous system and the brain can perform more efficiently. It is also necessary for metabolizing food properly in the body that gets the energy for all the work.

Vitamin B2 – It is commonly known as riboflavin, which is essential for the energy production by way of chemical reactions. People who are lacking in riboflavin usually feel tired and sluggish.

Vitamin B3 – This is also called niacin that treats high cholesterol, which is the reason for the decrease of the energy of the individual.

Vitamin B5 – This vitamin is also called pantothenic acid that works in strengthening the defense mechanism of the body. If you are ill, your body needs lots of energy in order to combat sickness. It helps your body to store energy by strengthening the immune system.

Vitamin B6 – It is also referred to as pyridoxine, which helps protect the arteries. Without the right circulation of blood, the cells will be unable to make enough energy for the system to get plenty of oxygen in order to meet the energy requirements.

Vitamin B9 – It is also called as folic acid, which plays a crucial role in the development of the red blood cells that are essential to maintain levels of energy.

Vitamin B12 – This one is also referred to as cyanocobalamin, which has a huge role in absorbing foods, contributing to the replenishment of energy.

Biotin is another important vitamin source for energy, as it provides both protein and fat metabolism that helps in converting food into energy.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is another source of energy. It works on the cellular functionality in the body, by it making it sure that if any damage is brought on throughout the day, it repairs that damage whenever you sleep or rest. The body would have difficulty performing at its full capacity without vitamin C. Moreover. It sends the chemicals to the mitochondria in the cell, and thus promoting the energy production needed by the body.

Other Supplements for Energy

Iron

Iron deficiency can lead to anemia. Iron also supplies oxygen-transporting pigment in the blood that is commonly called hemoglobin, giving energy to your body. The majority of people require about 15 mg of iron every day. Iron is one of the most ideal sources of energy for women.

Magnesium

Magnesium is responsible for body functions such as in muscle health, absorption of calcium, and in the production of red blood cells. Magnesium gives the body cells with more fuel that are useful for energy production.

Generally speaking, it is best to get vitamins from food sources and it is advisable to take vitamin supplements after consulting with your physician.

4 Top Health and Life Benefits of Playing the Drums

drum lessonsUnlike other instruments such as the violin, playing the drums does not require advanced knowledge and physical abilities. It does not even require interested individuals to have an understanding of music theories or to be able to read notes. Drumming is not a thing of the modern era. It has been a part of human life and transcends age, gender, nationality and race.

Aside from its cultural significance, drumming is known to have numerous health benefits, which in effect improve a person’s outlook and life. According to Oliver Sacks, a renowned neurologist, every human being has the capacity to perceive harmony, intervals, melodic contours, music, pitch, rhythm, timbre and tones. So, whenever we play instruments such as drums, we integrate all these elements, which enable many parts of the brain to work and create a music that we want. When this happens, we experience an emotional reaction that is so profound, which in effect improves our overall physical health. You can look for Top Melbourne drum lessons – Red Drum Music to start enjoying the benefits.

Below are the ways by which drumming can improve your health and life in general.

Boosts the immune system.

In general, playing the drums does not only help the immune system in a little way. It actually enables it to create certain mechanisms that will fight certain things harmful to the body. There have been numerous researches and studies that prove this. One example is Barry Bittman’s discovery. He is a renowned neurologist who worked with his research team about a drumming approach that is group specific. They called it HealthRHYTHMS protocol, which they claim to help circulating white blood cells to be stronger in fighting diseases. They also found out that the natural killer cells become more functional in destroying virally infected cells and cancer cells.

Dr. Bittman explained that to create illness-killing cells, it is necessary to organize a group drumming activity. The collective effort to play drums tunes the human biological body. Then it orchestrates the immune system and starts the healing or disease killing process. 

Works out the body.

If you’re looking for a fun and enjoyable workout routine, then drumming is one of the options you must really try. Playing the drums require the use of your hands and feet. It also requires the use of your brain to coordinate things and music elements such as rhythm. Though it can be classified as an overall fitness work, which means it involves physical, mental and emotional aspects, it is still a great exercise to workout the different muscle groups of the body. According to Nick Headon, former drummer for The Clash, drumming is a physical activity that stimulates the different parts of the brain. It keeps the four limbs to do different tasks all at the same time.

Develops intellect.

According to Howard Russell, a clinical psychology, the human brain is locked in a way that its function is limited to a certain level. Well, this is true for many of us. However, he added that this could be changed. When it is easy to slow down or speed up the brainwave activity, then the brain would level up its functioning. There have been several research works done for this. One example is the Stanford University’s research on Attention Deficit Disorder individuals who were subjected to rhythmic music activity. They are middle-school boys who played drums for 20 minutes. The results showed that the students have improved their concentration and gained a boost in IQ scores.

Combats depression, neurological conditions, and stress.

Nowadays, people always get stress from numerous sources. We know that too much stress is one main factor for other life threatening diseases such as strokes and heart attacks. In his research, Dr. Bittman shared that playing the drums helps people to relax, which consequently reduces stress and even lowers blood pressure. When hitting the drums, people are like letting go of the stresses and other negative feelings.  

With these benefits, it seems that acquiring drums or other alternatives is a wise decision. The drum kit is the most common and famous form. However, there are other options that can be considered. These are tablas, xylophones, tom-toms, wood blocks, congas and tambourines.