Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Saturday, August 21, 2010

The Power of Posture - Choosing Best Travel Pillow

neck pain jpg
While traveling cross-country a few times last year, I experienced something I suspect that a lot of travelers out there can relate to. All of the travel pillows I tried were more uncomfortable than not wearing one at all.

I tried numerous travel pillows, and more often than not, I would arrive tired and with a sore neck that would last for hours or even days. My head and neck just weren't being supported properly.

A little research helped me identify the problem.

All day long, your postural muscles in your neck are in contraction, to support your head. When you try to relax, your postural muscles want to relax with you. This is fine when you are lying down, because your bed supports you. However, when you are sitting up, like in an airline chair, your head is left unsupported.

The travel pillows that I tried were poorly designed for this purpose. There was no support under my chin. To make matters worse, the excess padding in the back, pushed my head forward even further.

Remember this equation:

Posture = Comfort.

When you are lying in bed, gravity helps keep your body in alignment. The trick is to keep that same posture sitting up as you have when you are lying down.
Spine RightWhen you are sitting up and trying to relax, gravity is the enemy. Without full support gravity will take over and as your neck muscles try to relax, your head will drop forward or you will cock it to one side. You have lost your posture.
Spine RightNow you are out of alignment and the weight of your head is placing stress on your neck. In addition to being uncomfortable and unable to relax, you will likely be sore and get very little rest. Remember, the average adult human head weighs 15-20 pounds. Pick up a 20 pound weight the next time you're in a gym and think about that tugging on your spine as the plane bumps and jars.

The best travel pillow is one that is comfortable, lightweight, and gives you full support, including under the chin.

Recently, several major airlines announced they will no longer provide pillows on their flights. Good riddance. In addition to the question about sanitation and hygiene, those little white pillows were basically worthless.

Use this opportunity to get yourself a top quality memory foam travel pillow with full support. You will arrive healthier and happier. Isn't that what travel and life are all about?

Monday, August 2, 2010

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

A Chiropractor Discusses the Best Travel Pillows

A Chiropractor Guides You to the Best Travel Pillows
Author: LisaTeeNYC

More and more airlines are pulling their pillows from their flights. Good riddance! In addition to the questions of hygiene and sanitation, those pillows were largely useless. Do yourself and your neck a favor and upgrade.

As a licensed chiropractor, I see many patients who return from traveling with all sorts of new ailments and re-injured old ones. Usually, the injury occurs during the flight, due to long periods of sitting uncomfortably. The right travel pillow will not only allow you to relax, which offers its own health benefits, but help prevent soreness or even injury.

During the day, the postural muscles in your neck are in contraction, to support your head. When you relax, your neck muscles relax with you.

When you are lying in bed, gravity helps keep your head and body aligned. When you are sitting upright, like in an airplane chair, gravity is working against you. Especially, if you are trying to relax.

The standard U-shape travel pillows lack support under the chin. This allows your head to fall forward when you start to relax. Standard U-shape travel neck pillows have padding in the back. This padding is largely unneeded since the high-back airline chair is there for support, much like your bed supports you when you are lying down. Making matters worse, this unnecessary padding pushes your head forward even further accentuating the lack of support in front.

Your head is now putting extra stress on your spine. Not only will you be uncomfortable and unable to rest, you'll likely end up tired, sore, and perhaps injured.

Picture your head and neck alignment when you are lying in bed. You naturally place yourself in neutral alignment, minimizing stress on your spine and neck postural muscles. This want to keep this neutral position when you are upright in an airline chair. Hanging your head forward or cocking it to one side is not only uncomfortable, but places great strain on your spine and neck postural muscles.

The best memory foam travel pillow is one that provides full support, including under the chin. This support helps you maintain proper alignment while sitting upright. Posture = comfort.

Maintaining proper alignment while traveling or sleeping upright is not only important with regards to personal comfort, but vital in reducing stress, soreness and preventing injury.

So don't be worried about cost cutting measures by the airline industry. View this as an opportunity to get a travel pillow that works.


------

Dr. Kirsti Neely is a licensed chiropractor and owner of Marina Chiropractic in San Francisco. Dr. Neely is a design consultant for the Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Pillow. For more information, please visit: http://www.sleepcollar.com/

Thursday, May 27, 2010

My Press Release on Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Pillow

Breakthrough in Travel Comfort

A Breakthrough in Travel Comfort - The Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Pillow

Brace Yourself for Comfort. Combining innovative design with modern fabrics and materials, the Embrace Sleep Collar is the perfect travel pillow, providing superior comfort, styling, and ease of use.
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) February 10, 2010 -- The new Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Pillow, from Designs in Progress, is a breakthrough in travel comfort. The unique combination of Memory Foam and High Resiliency Foam makes for a comfortable, lightweight, and compact travel pillow. New wicking fabrics used in the washable cover keep the pillow cool. The patented design provides full support, keeping the head and neck in proper alignment, allowing travelers to fully relax.

Many people find that the travel pillows currently available are more uncomfortable than wearing nothing at all. All too often, travelers arrive fatigued and with a stiff neck that can last for hours or even days. Standard travel pillows, including Memory Foam travel pillows, are bulky and poorly designed for their purpose. The inflatables don't breathe, smell funny, and can leak.

Posture Equals Comfort
Posture Equals Comfort
Designs in Progress knew there had to be a better way.
“Maintaining proper alignment while traveling or sleeping upright is not only important with regards to personal comfort, but vital in reducing stress, soreness and preventing injury”
Consulting with doctors, flight attendants, and fashion designers, Designs in Progress set out to find the solution to the travel pillow problem. Posture equals Comfort.
Standard travel pillows push your head forward and most have no support under the chin. The Embrace Sleep Collar gives full support to the front and the sides of the head and neck.
In two separate focus groups, individuals were seated in actual high back airline chairs and tested the Embrace Sleep Collar against other models. Every participant preferred the Sleep Collar. A flight attendant wrote that it solved the "head-bob" effect.
Dr. Kirsti Neely, a San Francisco chiropractor says "Maintaining proper alignment while traveling or sleeping upright is not only important with regards to personal comfort, but vital in reducing stress, soreness and preventing injury".
"Having tested countless prototypes with different shapes, foams, and fabrics, the Embrace Sleep Collar embodies comfort by design", says Tim Duncan, Vice President Product Development. "The new wicking fabric used in the cover is the same technology used in the latest generation running shirts and keeps the pillow cool", he added. "It all weighs less than a baseball cap".
The Embrace Sleep Collar includes the following features:

  • Memory Foam for comfort
  • High Resiliency Foam for support
  • Washable cover made of high-tech wicking fabric to keep cool
  • Lightweight and compact - less than 3 ounces
  • Available in 5 colors

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Bruge, Belgium

People often ask what you would grab first if you're house was on fire.  The first thing most people say is photos.  Here's a photo of my photo I took in Bruge, Belgium a few years ago. 
The photo is blown up to 3' x 4' and hangs on my wall.  I'd grab it.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Travel Can be a Pain in the Neck - Travel Pillows & Posture

A licensed chiropractor guides you to choosing the best travel pillow and explains the relationship of posture and alignment to comfort.

Choosing the Best Travel Pillow
As a licensed chiropractor, I see many patients who return from traveling with all sorts of new ailments and re-injured old ones. Usually, the injury occurs during the flight, due to long periods of sitting uncomfortably. The right travel pillow will not only allow you to relax, which offers its own health benefits, but help prevent soreness or even injury.

During the day, the postural muscles in your neck are in contraction, to support your head. When you relax, your neck muscles relax with you.

When you are lying in bed, gravity helps keep your head and body aligned. When you are upright, like when sitting in an airline chair, gravity is your enemy. Especially, if you are trying to relax.

The standard horseshoe shaped travel pillow has no support under the chin. This allows your head to fall forward when you start to relax. Standard travel pillows also have excess padding in the back. This padding is largely unneeded since the high-back airline chair is there for support, much like your bed supports you when you are lying down. Making matters worse, this unnecessary padding pushes your head forward even further accentuating the lack of support in front.
The weight of your head is now putting stress on your neck. Not only will you be uncomfortable and unable to rest, you'll likely end up tired, sore, and perhaps injured.

Picture your head and neck alignment when you are lying in bed. You naturally place yourself in neutral alignment, minimizing stress on your spine and neck postural muscles. You want to mimic this alignment as much as possible when you are sitting upright. Hanging your head forward or cocking it to one side is not only uncomfortable, but places great strain on your spine and neck postural muscles.
The best memory foam travel pillow is one that provides full support, including under the chin. This support helps you maintain proper alignment while sitting upright. Posture = comfort.

Maintaining proper alignment while traveling or sleeping upright is not only important with regards to personal comfort, but vital in reducing stress, soreness and preventing injury.

So don't be concerned about the airline's cost cutting measures. View this as an opportunity to get a travel pillow that works.

The Power of Posture II - Travel Pillows Not Equal

A licensed chiropractor discussed the link between alignment and comfort and choosing the best travel pillow:

The Power of Posture - What You Need To Know About Travel Pillows

All day long, your postural muscles in your neck are in contraction, to support your head. When you try to relax, your postural muscles want to relax with you. This is fine when you are lying down, because your bed supports you. However, when you are sitting up, like in an airline chair, your head is left unsupported.

The travel pillows that I tried were poorly designed for this purpose. There was no support under my chin. To make matters worse, the excess padding in the back, pushed my head forward even further.


Remember this equation:

Posture = Comfort.



When you are lying in bed, gravity helps keep your body in alignment. The trick is to keep that same posture sitting up as you have when you are lying down.
When you are sitting up and trying to relax, gravity is the enemy. Without full support gravity will take over and as your neck muscles try to relax, your head will drop forward or you will cock it to one side. You have lost your posture.


Now you are out of alignment and the weight of your head is placing stress on your neck. In addition to being uncomfortable and unable to relax, you will likely be sore and get very little rest. Remember, the average adult human head weighs 15-20 pounds. Pick up a 20 pound weight the next time you're in a gym and think about that tugging on your spine as the plane bumps and jars.

The best travel pillow is one that is comfortable, lightweight, and gives you full support, including under the chin.

Article Being Distributed!

The Power of Posture is spreading!

Friday, April 16, 2010

The Power of Posture - Travel Pillows

A licensed chiropractor discussed the link between alignment and comfort and choosing the best travel pillow:

The Power of Posture - What You Need To Know About Travel Pillows

All day long, your postural muscles in your neck are in contraction, to support your head. When you try to relax, your postural muscles want to relax with you. This is fine when you are lying down, because your bed supports you. However, when you are sitting up, like in an airline chair, your head is left unsupported.

The travel pillows that I tried were poorly designed for this purpose. There was no support under my chin. To make matters worse, the excess padding in the back, pushed my head forward even further.

Remember this equation:

Posture = Comfort.

When you are lying in bed, gravity helps keep your body in alignment. The trick is to keep that same posture sitting up as you have when you are lying down.

When you are sitting up and trying to relax, gravity is the enemy. Without full support gravity will take over and as your neck muscles try to relax, your head will drop forward or you will cock it to one side. You have lost your posture.

Now you are out of alignment and the weight of your head is placing stress on your neck. In addition to being uncomfortable and unable to relax, you will likely be sore and get very little rest. Remember, the average adult human head weighs 15-20 pounds. Pick up a 20 pound weight the next time you're in a gym and think about that tugging on your spine as the plane bumps and jars.

The best travel pillow is one that is comfortable, lightweight, and gives you full support, including under the chin.

Choosing the Best Travel Pillow

A licensed chiropractor guides you to choosing the best travel pillow and explains the relationship of posture and alignment to comfort.

Choosing the Best Travel Pillow

As a licensed chiropractor, I see many patients who return from traveling with all sorts of new ailments and re-injured old ones. Usually, the injury occurs during the flight, due to long periods of sitting uncomfortably. The right travel pillow will not only allow you to relax, which offers its own health benefits, but help prevent soreness or even injury.

During the day, the postural muscles in your neck are in contraction, to support your head. When you relax, your neck muscles relax with you.

When you are lying in bed, gravity helps keep your head and body aligned. When you are upright, like when sitting in an airline chair, gravity is your enemy. Especially, if you are trying to relax.

The standard horseshoe shaped travel pillow has no support under the chin. This allows your head to fall forward when you start to relax. Standard travel pillows also have excess padding in the back. This padding is largely unneeded since the high-back airline chair is there for support, much like your bed supports you when you are lying down. Making matters worse, this unnecessary padding pushes your head forward even further accentuating the lack of support in front.

The weight of your head is now putting stress on your neck. Not only will you be uncomfortable and unable to rest, you'll likely end up tired, sore, and perhaps injured.

Picture your head and neck alignment when you are lying in bed. You naturally place yourself in neutral alignment, minimizing stress on your spine and neck postural muscles. You want to mimic this alignment as much as possible when you are sitting upright. Hanging your head forward or cocking it to one side is not only uncomfortable, but places great strain on your spine and neck postural muscles.

The best memory foam travel pillow is one that provides full support, including under the chin. This support helps you maintain proper alignment while sitting upright. Posture = comfort.

Maintaining proper alignment while traveling or sleeping upright is not only important with regards to personal comfort, but vital in reducing stress, soreness and preventing injury.

So don't be concerned about the airline's cost cutting measures. View this as an opportunity to get a travel pillow that works.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The Next Top 10 Travel Tips

The Next Top 10 Travel Tips
Lisa Teller
The Travel Doc

Earlier, I wrote my Top 10 Travel Tips.   I had a number of people offer suggestions, so I thought it was time to write the next Top 10 Travel Tips.

Hope these are helpful!


1.   This one is from a friend.  Pack with travel cubes - or any other type of bag within a bag. This helps keep clothes organized and when security rifles through everything, "things" won't go flying.


2.  Wear shoes that slip on and off easily to the airport - I like Dansko.


3.  Drink a glass of water every hour (when the water is safe).


4.  This one if from friend…and a little gross.  Put a little Vaseline in your nostrils and a just a little in the corners of your eyes - you get less dry.  I tried it and it works!


5.  When making decisions about activities, ask yourself how you’d feel 5 or 10 years from now about each decision.  Do I go to the museum or do the boat tour? Do I have a fancy dinner or go to a play?  Spend an extra day in Paris or see the countryside?  Lie at the beach or site see?


6.  This one is also from a friend.  He was in Cambodia after traveling for months.  There was a movie theater playing an American movie.  He fully enjoyed the movie and forgot where he was.  When he walked out he had a renewed appreciation for where he was and where he came from.


7.  It’s hard to enjoy yourself if you are tired or sore.  A quality memory foam travel pillow is a necessity. You’ll find yourself wearing it on planes, trains, and long car rides.  The best travel pillows. will provide full support for your head and neck.  Also, more and more airlines are no longer offering airline pillows.


8.  Bring a couple packs of Wet One’s or Handy Wipes.  They are useful for hygiene, comfort, and even make-up removal.


9.  Save a copy of your itinerary on the Internet.  Just email it to yourself.


10.  This one is from a friend.  If you find yourself trying to sleep and there is a mosquito in your room, ask the front desk for a fan.  Turns out, mosquito’s hate even a light breeze.

Happy travels!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

My Top 10 Travel Tips

Top 10 Quick & Easy Travel Tips


Travel can be fun. Travel can be exciting. Travel can also be a pain in the neck. Here are 10 quick and easy tips to make your travels better.

1. This is my favorite tip, so I put it first. If you are spontaneous with your travel or find yourself somewhere you are unfamiliar with, check out the postcards in the gift shops. That will give you a quick snapshot of local scenery and sites. I had an unplanned 3-hour layover in Milan a few years ago. When I checked out the post card rack, I learned that Di Vinci’s Last Supper was a short cab ride away. Much better than just killing time in a restaurant next to the train station.

2. If you don’t already have your ticket, make sure and check flight to/from surrounding airports. The smaller airports surrounding the major hubs can be more convenient and save you hundreds of dollars.

3. Always, always, always check the status of your flight before heading to the airport. Few things are worse then finding out your flight has been delayed or canceled after all the hassle of getting you and your luggage to the airport.

4. Arrive at airport early enough not to rush. That extra 30 minutes does wonders to lower your stress level.

5. Think ahead while packing. Do you really need 3 pairs of shoes and 3 pairs of pants? Figure out which shoes and clothes are multi-functional. Also, coordinating around one or two colors helps cut down on clothes.

6. If you’re flight is longer than an hour, do yourself a favor and get a travel neck pillow. A good quality memory foam travel pillow will get your trip started right. The best travel pillows have full support that keep your head and neck in proper alignment. Remember, posture = comfort.

7. Bring only one or two credit cards. If your wallet is lost or stolen, it won’t be such a hassle.

8. Drink Gatorade. Often the water in different countries has impurities that can make you sick. Sightseeing is surprisingly strenuous.

9. Best money saving tip. Take a moment to reflect on what travelers visit in your area. I can’t believe how many people in Southern California have never been to the Grand Canyon, for example.

10. If you do research on your travel online, don’t forget to glance at the reader’s comments. Often, you will find great insights.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Pillow Facebook

Embrace Sleep Collar Memory Foam Travel Pillow Facebook

Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Pillow Amazon

Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Pillow Amazon

Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Pillow Website Launch

Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Neck Pillow Website Launch

Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Pillow YouTube Ad

Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Pillow YouTube Ad


Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Pillow Press Release

Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Neck Pillow Press Release

A Breakthrough in Travel Comfort - The Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Pillow

Brace Yourself for Comfort. Combining innovative design with modern fabrics and materials, the Embrace Sleep Collar is the perfect travel pillow, providing superior comfort, styling, and ease of use.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) February 10, 2010 -- The new Embrace Sleep Collar Travel Pillow, from Designs in Progress, is a breakthrough in travel comfort. The unique combination of Memory Foam and High Resiliency Foam makes for a comfortable, lightweight, and compact travel pillow. New wicking fabrics used in the washable cover keep the pillow cool. The patented design provides full support, keeping the head and neck in proper alignment, allowing travelers to fully relax.