Elvie Kegel Exerciser with Gift Set - $199.00

Elvie Trainer is an award-winning kegel exerciser for your pelvic floor, an important muscle group that supports bladder control, postnatal recovery and intimate health. Elvie Trainer is designed to cut out all of the guesswork, creating a fun, easy, and effective way to strengthen and tone your pelvic floor that can be used anytime, anywhere.

 • Elvie Trainer connects to an app that guides you through fun, 5-minute workouts while visualizing and correcting your technique in response to your muscle movements.

• Alongside expertly designed workouts and personalized training programs, Elvie Trainer provides motivation via real-time feedback and viewable workout history.

Marathon season is upon us, and whilst running might bring to mind rippling abs and toned calves, the muscles deep in our cores matter just as much when we’re striding towards the finish line. Planks and crunches are indeed important for developing a strong core, but don’t underestimate the pelvic floor!

What does the pelvic floor have to do with running?

A strong pelvic floor does more than improve orgasms and bladder control (as if that wasn’t already enough!); this muscle group also helps stabilize the core and prevent injury during exercise. As a high impact sport, running creates a lot of physical force in the body with each stride. When our feet make contact with the concrete, this impact travels up the legs and through the pelvic floor. This can lead to progressive weakening of the muscles and so stress incontinence is a relatively common complaint among runners (and other athletes too).

In fact, sports and urinary incontinence are more closely linked than you might have thought - probably because the topic makes so many of us squirm! But there's no reason to feel embarrassed. Pelvic floor dysfunction is widely experienced, with studies reporting over 50% of elite female athletes experience leakage during exercise, and yet only 3.3% have discussed it with their doctor, and only 4.6% had tried pelvic floor training.

5 pelvic floor exercises for runners

As they say, prevention is better than a cure. To keep you fighting fit, here are five pelvic floor exercises to get these deep-core muscles in top condition, so you can take home the gold...

1. Start simple

Work on building up your core strength and pelvic floor control with regular pelvic floor or Kegel training. Biofeedback devices, like Elvie Trainer, connect to an app that helps you visualize the exercises in real-time and can even guide you a fun, five-minute workout that exercises every aspect of your pelvic floor. It can be really tricky to know if you’re exercising correctly and to stay motivated, but Evie Trainer can detect the direction of your contractions and alert you if you’re exercising incorrectly. The app also tracks your workout history and progress over time so that you don’t get bored or give up!

Using exercises that isolate the pelvic floor is the first step in building core stability... which means fewer leaks! Once you’ve perfected the technique for Kegel exercises, it’s time to incorporate the pelvic floor into more dynamic movements.

2. Weighted bridge 

• Lie on your back with bent knees and make sure you have your neck well supported. Hold a small weight with both hands and hold them out above you. While you hold this position, take a deep breath, and relax your pelvic floor
• As you breathe out, squeeze your pelvic floor, and continue to do so as you lift your hips. Push through your heels, and make sure your ribs are aligned with your hips. Continue to squeeze as you lower your arms to your hips
• Breathe in again, relaxing your pelvic floor as you move back into the starting position. Repeat 8 times

3. Kneeling squats

• Stand placing your feet hip-width apart, then step backwards onto your right foot. Place the ball of the right foot onto the floor, keeping your shin straight and maintaining balance over your front foot
• Take a deep breath as you bend your knees, lowering your body until your right knee is just above the ground. Maintain this position for few moments
• Breathe out and squeeze your pelvic floor, continue to exhale and lift as you push through your left heel and rise to stand. Repeat this 8 times for each foot

4. Donkey Kicks

• Start by getting into a plank position, anchoring yourself on your elbows with your feet hip width apart. Breathe in as you relax your pelvic floor, drawing your right knee in towards your chest
• Breathe out, squeezing your pelvic floor. As you do so, extend your right leg to “kick” yourself in the bum, keeping your knee bent. Inhale as you relax your muscles and draw your knee back to the starting position. Repeat 8 times, remembering to switch sides

5. Wall Sit

• Stand with your back against a wall, placing your feet hip width apart
• Take a deep breath, relaxing your pelvic floor muscles. As you exhale, lower yourself into a 90 degree squat against the wall, squeezing your pelvic floor as you do so
• Hold this position for 20 seconds, maintaining an engaged pelvic floor as you breathe. Return to a standing position and slowly relax your pelvic floor as you do so. Repeat 8 times
•  As you continue this exercise, gradually increase the amount of time you hold the sitting position, working your way up to a minute wall sit (we believe in you!)

After hearing from medical and scientific experts describing carrageenan’s link to intestinal inflammation, cancer, and other human health risks, the NOSB voted to remove carrageenan from the list of approved synthetic and non-organic substances for use in organic food production.

In a move unprecedented during the last quarter century of organic industry rulemaking, the USDA ignored the NOSB vote in the Federal Register without an opportunity for the public to comment on their decision before it goes into effect.

“This is the latest instance of the Trump/Purdue administration siding with powerful agribusiness interests. They are running roughshod over the will of Congress that established the NOSB as a buffer to insulate organic regulations from corrupt corporate lobbyists,” said Mark A. Kastel, Senior Farm Policy Analyst at The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit that acts as an organic industry watchdog.

A report issued in 2016 by The Cornucopia Institute summarized research on carrageenan, exposing the industry’s hidden data demonstrating that all food-grade carrageenan contains a carcinogenic contaminant—low molecular weight poligeenan.

Carrageenan, harvested from specific species of red seaweed, is a highly effective thickener/stabilizer found in processed foods including infant formula, plant-based beverages, deli meats, and some dairy products, such as ice cream. The controversy over carrageenan has existed between food industry representatives and public health researchers for decades, but it has flared up again over the past few years with its use in organic food.

Cornucopia’s report, Carrageenan: New Studies Reinforce Link to Inflammation, Cancer, and Diabetes, was formally submitted to the NOSB before a supermajority of the board voted to remove carrageenan from use in organic food in 2016.

Ironically, the organic industry is way out ahead of the USDA policymakers, having removed the substance from products due to consumer feedback. The Cornucopia Institute’s report and web-based buyers guide show which organic brands have been reformulated without carrageenan or have never included it.

“Iconic brands in the organic industry, like Organic Valley, Stonyfield, and Eden Foods, all looked at the research, listened to the concerns of their customers, and purged carrageenan from their products,” stated Dr. Linley Dixon, Senior Scientist at The Cornucopia Institute.

This is the second time in the almost three-decades-long organic rulemaking process (both during the nascent Trump administration), that the USDA has overruled the NOSB in making sunset recommendations. The NOSB, according to their congressional mandate, evaluates materials in terms of their impact on the environment, human health, and essentiality in organic food production.

“Just as the NOSB found there were safer certified organic alternatives to carrageenan, the 15-member panel had previously unanimously voted to remove conventionally produced dairy whey protein concentrate from the list of approved materials because certified organic options were available,” Kastel added. “Unlike this go-round with carrageenan, Secretary Perdue did request public comments for whey protein isolate but ultimately overruled the entire organic community based on concerns from the powerful industry lobby, the Organic Trade Association (OTA).”

“The USDA has violated the public’s trust in the USDA organic label, and will continue to undermine the value of the label in the market as long as it ignores the legal authority of the NOSB, and of public process, to establish the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances,” said Jay Feldman, Executive Director of Beyond Pesticides and a former member of the NOSB.

In their report, Cornucopia, a farm policy research group, made available the full set of data that was originally published online 10 years ago by the Marinalg Working Group, a carrageenan industry trade-lobby group. The data showed widespread contamination of food-grade carrageenan with poligeenan, an intestinal inflammatory agent that leads to cancer.

Marinalg had posted the illuminating research on its website, but later removed it, and has since aggressively lobbied food safety regulators for continued approval of the use of carrageenan in food.

“This type of subterfuge by powerful agribusiness might have been successful at the FDA, or before European regulators, but the NOSB, carrying out the mandate of the U.S. Congress, weighed current evidence and voted to protect organic consumers by banning this dangerous material,” stated Cornucopia’s Kastel.

The “smoking gun” data was originally published to meet the demands of a 2005 European Commission recommendation that no more than five percent of food-grade carrageenan fractions should have a molecular weight below 50 kD, due to the published, peer-reviewed, health research associating the contamination with inflammation and tumor formation.

Joanne Tobacman, M.D., a physician-researcher at the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago who published the most prominent independently funded studies of carrageenan said, “The vote of the National Organic Standards Board to remove carrageenan from the list of approved substances was based on their careful review of the available evidence, which clearly shows that exposure to carrageenan causes inflammation and may contribute to human disease, including diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.”

Most of Tobacman’s published research was funded by the National Institutes of Health. She added, “It is unconscionable to permit the continued use of carrageenan in organic foods after this decisive vote, and reflects the impact of commercial interests over science.”

The carrageenan industry, funding its own research, has long claimed that food-grade carrageenan and poligeenan (a known carcinogen) are two distinctly different substances. The industry still denies that food-grade carrageenan contains poligeenan, however, their own data and the publicly funded scientific research has shown otherwise.

“Just like with the USDA’s lack of enforcement of ‘factory farms’ producing eggs, dairy, and meat labeled organic or its allowance of soil-less/hydroponic production for organic vegetables, consumers, regrettably, need to do their own research over and above looking for the organic seal,” affirmed Kastel.

In addition to Cornucopia’s guide on carrageenan-free organic products, they have also published ratings for organic dairy products, eggs, soy foods and other items on their website: www.cornucopia.org

Prominent companies that have removed carrageenan from their formulations include:

• Silk and Horizon, WhiteWave/Groupe Danone
• Eden Foods
• Stonyfield (Lactalis)
• Trickling Springs Creamery
• Organic Valley
• Amy’s
• Lakewood Juice
• Annie’s pizza
• Califia almond “milk”
• Almond Breeze (Blue Diamond)
• Good Karma flax “milk”

“The hidden industry data we discovered revealed that all 12 food-grade carrageenan samples tested did, in fact, contain poligeenan in varying quantities of up to 25%,” said Linley Dixon, PhD, Cornucopia’s Senior Staff Scientist.

Carrageenan is such an efficient inflammatory agent and carcinogen, it is widely used with laboratory animals to study the molecular signals involved in cancer and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Publicly funded researchers have published dozens of studies on the harmful health effects of consuming food-grade carrageenan, but the industry has aggressively responded by funding its own studies, many of which Cornucopia critiques in its report.

Dr. Dixon stated, “Marinalg’s cover-up of this scientific data demonstrates how damaging the results could be to the carrageenan industry.”

University of Illinois researcher, Dr. Tobacman, who has published widely on the subject, said, “The carrageenan industry has tried for decades to retain using carrageenan in food products because of its biological reactivity with ingredients. This same biological reactivity is what makes carrageenan harmful. Food-grade carrageenan inevitably contains some lower molecular weight forms naturally.”

Dr. Tobacman continued, “Additional lower molecular weight forms are produced by processing, heat, acid, intestinal bacteria, and chewing.”

Research has shown that besides the initial contamination in food-grade carrageenan, stomach acid in the human digestive tract can convert a percentage of carrageenan that may otherwise be safe into the most dangerous, carcinogenic form.

Tobacman’s findings, along with others in her field, demonstrate the molecular mechanism by which food-grade carrageenan causes inflammation, cancer, insulin resistance, and an immunogenic response in humans.

Cornucopia’s report details many flaws in some of the industry-funded studies used by the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) as justification for the continued use of carrageenan in food. In addition, the report provides a rebuttal to the industry’s critique of publicly funded research (the majority of U.S. studies were funded by the National Institute of Health).

“In the past, a successful tactic by many financially powerful interest groups, including the tobacco and fracking lobby, has been to attempt to discredit reputable, publicly funded research and to fund their own flawed studies to create the impression that there is scientific debate,” Dr. Dixon stated. “The carrageenan industry has used both of these tactics and, to top it off, has not been forthcoming with its own counterproductive results as well.”

Cornucopia’s Kastel added, “If these scientists were accountants working for a corporation, they might be accused of ‘cooking the books’ due to their protocols and the selective data they chose to discuss in the publication of these studies.”

Through experimentation, many people have discovered a correlation between carrageenan in their diets and a myriad of symptoms such as diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, more serious inflammatory bowel disease, and colitis. For many, when carrageenan is removed from the diet, symptoms quickly dissipate.

As part of its investigation over the last eight years, The Cornucopia Institute has received almost 1,500 questionnaire responses from individuals self-reporting that they had suffered adverse health effects after consuming carrageenan. One respondent, Charlene Beebe of Townsend, Montana stated, “My husband has been ill with ulcerative colitis for 20 years, and has been in remission since we removed carrageenan. Unknowingly, I began buying cream with carrageenan in it and he started bleeding and had a terrible gut ache for weeks. I since found out the cream contains carrageenan and about fell through the floor. I am furious!”

Cornucopia also points out that carrageenan is not “essential.”

“For every organic product that contained carrageenan, an organic alternative existed, produced by one or more competitors,” said Kastel. “That has allowed the marketplace to prove, conclusively, that carrageenan does not meet the legal threshold as an ingredient in organic food, based on a lack of essentiality.”

Even some toothpaste brands have shunned the use of carrageenan (covered in Cornucopia’s toothpaste buyers guide to empower consumers and wholesale buyers).

"When the CEO of the iconic Dr. Bronner’s brand became aware of the research on carrageenan, their CEO, David Bronner, researched the alternatives and found that xanthan gum performed just as well in their toothpaste,” Kastel said. Dr. Bronner's, known for its line of soaps along with other body care and food products, is a prominent leader in the fight to maintain organic standards and advocate for GMO labeling.

“Armed with the organic brand guide to carrageenan, consumers can make sure they are protecting their families while simultaneously rewarding the true heroes in the organic industry,” Kastel added.

How to Treat a Torn Ligament Caused by Sports & Exercise

In addition to being painful, torn ligaments are also notoriously difficult to treat. Even though these injuries usually heal on their own, competitive athletes often need to be back on their feet and training as quickly as possible. Here is a look at a few steps that you can take to speed up your recovery and prevent future ligament injuries.

Get an Accurate Diagnosis

The first thing that you will need to do is schedule an appointment with an orthopedic center at a hospital, such as Valley View. Many of the top hospitals throughout the country build these specialty centers in order to diagnose and treat common sports injuries. Before starting any treatments, you want to be absolutely sure that your injury isn’t a broken bone or any other serious medical issue. An orthopedic team will also be able to give you an accurate recovery timeline.

Rest for a Few Weeks

Even if you are diagnosed with a minor tear, you will still need a few weeks to recover. The best thing that you can do during that time is rest. Your orthopedic team will most likely immobilize the ligament and give you some suggestions for pain management. You must also stay hydrated, get plenty of sleep, and stick to a nutritious diet during your recovery. After about six weeks, the damaged fibers inside the ligament should be completely replaced with new collagen.

Compression, Ice, and Elevation

Inflammation is going to slow down your recovery, and that is why excess fluid can’t be allowed to pool near a torn ligament or sprain. Many medical experts believe that the R.I.C.E. method is the best way to treat soft tissue damage. This method includes resting the damaged tissue, compressing the area with a garment, icing a few times a day, and elevating the affected body part.

Massage Therapy

After the initial swelling has gone down and the area is no longer as sensitive, you will then need to stimulate the tissue. Non-surgical treatments such as massage therapy trigger the production of collagen and flood the area with healthy cells. You can also use some type of heat source to stimulate the injury once your skin is no longer inflamed. When choosing a massage therapist, you should only hire a certified specialist who has experience with athletes. An inexperienced massage therapist could actually make the injury worse.

When it comes to torn ligaments, you should always err on the side of caution. Postponing your training for a few extra days could help you avoid permanent damage to your ligaments, muscles, and joints.

New Study Says: Men, Don’t Take Antihistamine Tablets if You’re Worried about Your Fertility

Sexual health expert Dr. Laura Berman discusses shocking new findings regarding antihistamine tablets and a man’s fertility

Allergy season is almost upon us, which means that millions of us are going to be reaching for popular anti-histamine medication to help relieve our red, itchy eyes and stuffy noses. But, beware: A new study has found that men who take anti-histamine tablets could suffer from reduced fertility as a result.

Dr. Laura Berman, sex and relationship educator and therapist, New York Times best-selling author, and assistant clinical professor of ob-gyn and psychiatry at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, says:

“This new study from the Institute of Biology and Experimental Medicine in Argentina found that the regular use of antihistamine drugs could affect male sexual hormones, and in turn negatively impact sperm production and sperm health.”

Dr. Berman says that men should keep this in mind if they regularly use anti-histamine medication and if they are at all worried about their fertility. She also points to other recent research which found that men who take ibuprofen regularly are also more likely to have reduced fertility than men who do not.

“Research into male fertility is still relatively new, but as these studies show, even the most everyday decisions that men make can potentially impact their journey to fatherhood,” she explains. “It’s time we stop thinking about fertility as only a women’s issue, because a man’s lifestyle, diet and other personal choices can change his sperm count and quality in the future, and that is important for men to know.”

Dr. Berman says men should also consider the type of lubrication they are using.

“When it comes to making babies, not all lubricants are created equal,” explains Dr. Berman.

“There is only one lubricant on the market which has an FDA-cleared formula and is recommended for fertility enhancement, and that is ToConceive.”

ToConceive was created by ob-gyns in conjunction with Callitas Health Inc. (CSE: LILY, OTCBB: MPHMF, FWB: T3F2). The fertility enhancing gel is unlike any other fertility product on the market in that it may help encourage the woman’s body to create more of her own lubrication, which in turn may increase the activation of sperm and the woman’s chances of pregnancy. Unlike every other lubricant on the market, ToConceive doesn’t just add chemical lubricants to a woman’s body, it may help  encourage her to make more of her own natural lubrication which not only adds to her pleasure, but also may improve her chances of natural conception.

“In many cases, it’s the man who buys the lubricant in the relationship,” says Dr. Berman. “So it’s important for men to become educated about the best type of lubricant when they want to have a baby, otherwise, they could be harming their chances of conception before they even begin.”

A radiant skin experience all wrapped-up for Mom

For everything Moms do for us, this Mother’s Day, treat her to a gift that helps her take more time for herself.

Inspired by ancient Ayurvedic spa practices, Arbonne’s Rescue & Renew collection is a holistic approach to wellness that helps detoxify the body by cleansing the skin’s surface of impurities, while also protecting the skin’s moisture barrier.

" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D3CB4F.0387C240" alt="Arbonne Group Image 1" align="right" hspace="12" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_4" class="Apple-web-attachment Singleton">Vegan, cruelty free, non-GMO formulated and made with botanically-based ingredients, Arbonne’s Rescue & Renew collection offers a complete pampering experience with products that help Mom release her stress, soak in goodness and achieve smoother, softer and more radiant skin. Plus, it’s safe for all skin types (including sensitive skin), delivering rewarding results for the mind, body and soul:

-          Detox Face Mask ($57): This creamy French pink clay formula cleanses to draw out impurities from the skin’s surface resulting in smaller-looking pores, and features 5 self-neutralizing acids to help clarify and brighten skin’s appearance.

-          Detox Bath Soak ($49): These quick-dissolving sea salt crystals help remove surface impurities and cleanse the skin, while turmeric root extract helps boost radiance so Mom can emerge from her bath with smoother, softer skin.

-          Detox Oil ($65): This hydrating oil contains grape seed oil to support collagen and skin firmness, plus sesame seed oil that moisturizes to help dimpled skin appear smooth.

-          Detox Lotion ($46): The Anise seed oil in this creamy lotion helps improve the appearance of dull, tired-looking skin, while vitamin B5 helps it look soft and smooth.

-          Detox Gelée ($75): This cooling gel helps to soothe tired muscles, and provides hydration for soft, smooth-looking skin thanks to green algae.

-          Pure Essential Oils ($32 to $38): Arbonne’s 100% pure essential oils are sustainably sourced from the seed, peel, stem, root, and flower, all carefully extracted using steam distillation or cold pressing techniques. Available in Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint single notes and Harmony Blend, each oil can be diffused to create an aromatic surrounding, or applied topically to the skin.

#SheRules, the Centennial College movement for women’s empowerment

Public Relations and Communications students raise funds for Interval House

Toronto, Ont.- Since Jan. 1, 2018, 16 Ontario women and their family members have lost their lives due to intimate partner violence. In light of these numbers, Corporate Communications and Public Relations students from Centennial College have partnered with Interval House to help bring attention and support to the issue.

About Interval House.

As the first centre for abused women and children in Canada, Interval House is a leader in the campaign for women’s empowerment, providing innovative, specialized services that help abused women and their children transform their lives and break the cycle of violence. Interval House provides a continuum of services and a holistic approach to help women and children escape violence and rebuild their lives.

Related links: Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/216213532449715/

• Watermelon extract protects skin deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) against free radicals.
• While most products protect against just one form of free radical damage, this serum fights both reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) free radical damage.
• Probiotics increase skin energy.

• Natural polymer acts as a moisture magnet, binding hydration to the skin.
• Sea Kelp replenishes the skin’s electrolyte balance.
• Lipids replenish the skin’s natural barrier.
• Treats dry skin by nearly doubling hydration and delivering essential electrolytes.
• Leaves skin feeling cool, refreshed and more radiant.

• Significantly lightens age spots.
• Combats hyperpigmentation.
• Evens out skin tone and texture.
• Improves skin elasticity.

The Movember Foundation Urges Men to 'Know Thy Nuts' for Testicular Cancer Awareness Month

Support Family Caregivers with Innovation, Flexibility and Choice

This April Take Two Minutes to Help Save Lives