Best Home Medical Tests
The kit includes easy-to-follow instructions, a saliva collection tube with an activation code, and a pre-paid return mailer. Go to the website indicated in your instructions and enter the fifteen character alphanumeric activation code printed on the collection tube. Your DNA is analyzed at hundreds of thousands of genetic markers for a personalized report on your ethnicity and newly discovered relatives. It’s easy to access your results online anytime in your password-protected Ancestry account. Combining fascinating genetic information with an extensive family history resource is what sets us apart from our competitors. After you link your results to your tree you may begin to find shared ancestor hints and DNA circles in your account. You can ask us to delete your test results or destroy your physical DNA sample at any time. The #1 selling consumer DNA test is also the leading DNA test with over 1 billion family connections.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Review by Kim England-Before you purchase this product it is important that you know a bit about exactly what ethnicity is. The child could end up with only 25% Italian or any number of combinations - including part of a different ethnicity altogether from their "deep ancestry" from several generations ago. Examples of this occur in England, where some peoples tests show a high percentage of Norwegian. A reason for this could be that since the Viking invasion the generations just so happened to mate with others who shared similar Norwegian ethnicity. While many people like to believe or have been told that an ancestor was a Native, often this is family lore, or, if indeed it is true, it is not likely to show up in a DNA test. The introduction of an ethnicity in one's ancestry will not likely manifest itself in a high enough percentage to be of significance, although it is possible. I have had several family members test and every time Ancestry's "predicted relationship" was accurate. Advances in DNA testing will enable improved accuracy (like getting more specific than "British Isles" or "Asian") but the results are not just "pulled from no where". The test is quick, easy to do, and offers answers to many questions both on line and on the phone. What this test will NOT do: test for diseases or health conditions, nor will it show genetic mutations or if one is a carrier of a particular trait.This kit serves those best who are interested in genealogy, however, do keep in mind that with DNA all closets become unlocked, and more than a few have been made aware of some unexpected relations."
"That right there means that I will forever say that AncestryDNA is worth every single penny and definitely earns and deserves 5 stars!!"
"Ancestry DNA is the clear industry leader in the consumer DNA testing market. With more than 1.4 million people in the database, 23andme and Family Tree DNA just don't compare. I have tested at all three and I am able to confirm relationships with more people at Ancestry DNA than either of the other services. Ancestry DNA is an autosomal DNA test and will provide an ethnicity breakdown, as well as relative matches to anyone in the database whom shares DNA with you. Autosomal DNA testing is, by far, the most popular test offering today. While 23andme is considered the industry leader in this regard (and I totally agree with this assessment), Ancestry DNA is a very close second, while Family Tree DNA is a distant third. If your parents are available and willing to test, test them BOTH! Once results become available, transfer the raw data to Family Tree DNA for just $39. Unfortunately, Ancestry DNA does not provide a chromosome browser, which is a very important tool in genetic genealogy. Don't overlook New Ancestor Discoveries (these are potential ancestors that aren't in your tree but Ancestry suggests them based on your DNA matches). Ancestry hasn't yielded on the chromosome browser, but they did unveil the "Shared Matches" feature and now provide us with the amount of DNA shared (centimorgans). If you're an adoptee, or you're searching for a close relative and need help with how to get there using DNA, check out DNA Detectives on Facebook. For more education on DNA testing and/or genetic genealogy, check out the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) on Facebook. DNA testing for genealogical purposes is an incredible tool and the perfect compliment to traditional genealogy. The first two collages show an individual's breakdown across The Big Three DNA testing companies from Left to Right: 23andme, Ancestry DNA and Family Tree DNA. The last test shows just Family Tree DNA, since unlike the first two people, this person tested at one company only."
Receive 75+ online personalized genetic reports (browse images for a full list of reports).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I highly recommend secondary analysis of your results by Promethease, see further discussion at end of this review. Anc’s was easier, but they automatically put my wife’s test on my previously existing Ancestry account. Anc automatically remembers your logon and password and just opens up when you go to the site. However, actually downloading your DNA file from Anc requires a full sign-on and confirmation link via your e-mail.. 23 also has ‘cousins’ outside the USA (in my case in the UK) which are really valuable contacts for ancestry searching. The application works but is rudimentary and unsuitable for more than brief messages (especially with MS Edge); exchanging e-mail address’s after contact is more satisfying. Anc provides a powerful tree searching tool IF you subscribe to the regular Ancestry service. I have problems with some browsers not opening some Anc connected data (document images). The medical items they are allowed to report on by the FDA are limited to 40 or so rare genetic conditions-not useful for most people. UPDATE-As of April 2017, 23 now reports on your risk of 4 medical conditions, including Alzheimers. Their discussion/explanation of your risks for these conditions is specifically approved by the FDA and is reasonably understandable, informative, and useful. If you are so inclined, you can participate (answer a lot of online questions) in 23’s medical research. Analysis of you DNA results by Promethease, a third party service, provides excellent medical info. CONNECTION to PROMETHEASE – Promethease (Prom) is a third party service that assess’s your detailed DNA results from either 23 or Anc and provides a detailed medical risk report. PROMETHEASE RESULTS –Prom generates 20,000 or so reports (hits) from the 700,000 or so genes that are tested by 23 and Anc. I judge that the unique hits were about equally important, between 23 and Anc - none were critical. It turns out that the genetic > diabetes risk/connection is currently a very hot and complex research topic. My suggestion is to update your Prom report every year or two if diabetes or alzheimers are a concern. If you want a chance of good news, you can write down the stuff your are concerned about ahead of time, and then see if they actually show up. My comments for using the report are: • Make sure you download a copy to your PC for future reference, don’t just look at it online. • After you assess the top 40, which takes a while, you can expand the Magnitude to it’s full range. For me the common themes seem to be heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Rheumatoid arthritis – none of which are a surprise."
"The testing is fairly simple: You receive a test vial (log in and register it on their website) and provide saliva up to the control line. I have tested both of my parents, my two children, two paternal aunts, my daughter's paternal grandmother as well as myself and two cousins whom I tested to confirm our relationship. If you test at least one parent, you can easily sort matches that are shared with that parent to determine which matches are maternal and paternal. Since both my parents have tested mine literally shows who matches me from each side and my children can sort their matches based on me being tested too. Until 17 years into chasing cold trails, I discovered ancestry type DNA testing. After waiting for what seemed like months (it was actually only about 6 weeks) my dad's DNA was online (on 23andme’s secure site) and accessible along with all his many matches - which were basically cousins at various degrees of distance. Just 6 months into researching my father's DNA, I found my grandfather's family and figured out who he really was. I literally mapped my father's DNA and researched every match labeling in an Excel document, which chromosome location that relative fit and what surnames fit within those matches. I tested myself and both parents on 23andme as well as AncestryDNA and Dad was also tested on FTDNA but I met my most useful matches on 23andme. IMPORTANT TO NOTE: You can take your raw data (once your DNA is processed) and download it from any of these DNA testing sites and upload them for free to GEDmatch. It’s a great tool to utilize along with your DNA testing sites."
"However, due to FDA regulations, they aren't allowed to interpret it for you beyond some very basic (and frankly unhelpful) reports. The good news is that you can upload your 23andMe data to other websites and receive detailed reports."
"I'm a sperm donor baby."
No additional lab fee required, and you always have the option to upgrade to add health reports for an extra cost.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Dont spend the extra money for the health version, just go to Promethease and load it in there for 5$, much cheaper!"
"The testing is fairly simple: You receive a test vial (log in and register it on their website) and provide saliva up to the control line. I have tested both of my parents, my two children, two paternal aunts, my daughter's paternal grandmother as well as myself and two cousins whom I tested to confirm our relationship. If you test at least one parent, you can easily sort matches that are shared with that parent to determine which matches are maternal and paternal. Since both my parents have tested mine literally shows who matches me from each side and my children can sort their matches based on me being tested too. Until 17 years into chasing cold trails, I discovered ancestry type DNA testing. After waiting for what seemed like months (it was actually only about 6 weeks) my dad's DNA was online (on 23andme’s secure site) and accessible along with all his many matches - which were basically cousins at various degrees of distance. Just 6 months into researching my father's DNA, I found my grandfather's family and figured out who he really was. I literally mapped my father's DNA and researched every match labeling in an Excel document, which chromosome location that relative fit and what surnames fit within those matches. I tested myself and both parents on 23andme as well as AncestryDNA and Dad was also tested on FTDNA but I met my most useful matches on 23andme. IMPORTANT TO NOTE: You can take your raw data (once your DNA is processed) and download it from any of these DNA testing sites and upload them to GEDmatch for free."
"- 6 weeks to get my report online (wish they offered the report in a neater, PDF format to save to computer). Knew I'd get mostly Southern Euro, but seeing the Eastern Euro, Middle Eastern/African & Ashkenazi admixtures was fascinating (gave me a new appreciation for those who came before me). -There are BIG flaws however: 1) They don't distinguish between British & Irish (other brands do). My southern Italian & Spanish relatives who were tested came out as only 85%-95% European, with Middle Eastern, North African and even Sub-Saharan admixtures being prevalent."
"You can buy only the ancestry, download the raw data then use promethease to learn about health and diseases."
"My son who is adopted wanted to know his heritage, It was great for him to be able to find information that we were not able to provide him."
"After ten days with no kit in sight, I checked my account. The time to send in the sample will expire despite never having a kit that is not defective? I ordered a kit for my mother from Ancestry, I will never do business with 23,. The sample for my mother is getting processed in the lab at Ancestry. I received the results from Ancestry about ten days ago."
Best Home Drug Tests
Powered by BACtrack's largest Xtend Platinum Fuel Cell Sensor , the BACtrack S80 Professional Breathalyzer is the most accurate breathalyzer in the BACtrack family, delivering reliable BAC results, with police-grade accuracy. #1 RATED BREATHALYZER BY WIRECUTTER - "After 65 hours of research, which included getting intoxicated at a police station to test personal breathalyzers alongside law enforcement equipment, we're sure the BACtrack S80 is the most accurate, reliable, and easiest-to-use personal breathalyzer that you can buy." These professional organizations trust BACtrack breath alcohol testers because they know they are getting the most accurate and reliable BAC results possible, every time they test. DOT/NHTSA APPROVED & FDA 510(k) CLEARED - The BACtrack S80 was designed to meet the rigorous standards of expert alcohol screeners, from roadside law enforcement to hospital and treatment professionals.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"There are a ton of great and detailed reviews here and Amazon has a great return policy so just go for it."
"Seems to be accurate, although I don't have anything to test against as a control."
"I use this almost daily....Can't be too cautious!"
"If BACtrack can't identify this as a quality issue and honestly address it, why would I trust them to let me know when I am blowing over the legal limit? My bottom line is that I either get a replacement from BACtrack, or I purchase the Trace from Costco and leverage my membership guarantee every time it doesn't pass calibration. The units are expected to last anywhere from 3-5 years (time dependent not based on number of reads). Their calibration service consists of reading the device at high, low and mid BAC standards and comparing it to the acceptable range. According to their customer service, this is a common occurrence after owning the device for three years. At least put an expiration date or some sort of specification that lets your customers know about this or else you'll inevitably have blood on your hands. If it fails to properly operate and there is not safeguard or printed date, then good luck to you buddy!"
"On a follow up email, I received the following information: "Generally, failure of recalibration is the result of the unit being left out of calibration for too long. I did not recall seeing that purchasing this unit would require $29.99 - $59.98 per year for maintanence and that does not include the cost of shipping the unit to the maintenance facility."
Best Home Health Tests
ANCESTRY FEATURES. Ancestry reports. - 5 reports including: Ancestry Composition, Maternal & Paternal Haplogroups, Neanderthal Ancestry, Your DNA Family. - DNA Relative Finder: Find and connect with relatives in the 23andMe database who share DNA with you. Receive 75+ online personalized genetic reports (browse images for a full list of reports).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I highly recommend secondary analysis of your results by Promethease, see further discussion at end of this review. Anc’s was easier, but they automatically put my wife’s test on my previously existing Ancestry account. Anc automatically remembers your logon and password and just opens up when you go to the site. However, actually downloading your DNA file from Anc requires a full sign-on and confirmation link via your e-mail.. 23 also has ‘cousins’ outside the USA (in my case in the UK) which are really valuable contacts for ancestry searching. The application works but is rudimentary and unsuitable for more than brief messages (especially with MS Edge); exchanging e-mail address’s after contact is more satisfying. Anc provides a powerful tree searching tool IF you subscribe to the regular Ancestry service. I have problems with some browsers not opening some Anc connected data (document images). The medical items they are allowed to report on by the FDA are limited to 40 or so rare genetic conditions-not useful for most people. UPDATE-As of April 2017, 23 now reports on your risk of 4 medical conditions, including Alzheimers. Their discussion/explanation of your risks for these conditions is specifically approved by the FDA and is reasonably understandable, informative, and useful. If you are so inclined, you can participate (answer a lot of online questions) in 23’s medical research. Analysis of you DNA results by Promethease, a third party service, provides excellent medical info. CONNECTION to PROMETHEASE – Promethease (Prom) is a third party service that assess’s your detailed DNA results from either 23 or Anc and provides a detailed medical risk report. PROMETHEASE RESULTS –Prom generates 20,000 or so reports (hits) from the 700,000 or so genes that are tested by 23 and Anc. I judge that the unique hits were about equally important, between 23 and Anc - none were critical. It turns out that the genetic > diabetes risk/connection is currently a very hot and complex research topic. My suggestion is to update your Prom report every year or two if diabetes or alzheimers are a concern. If you want a chance of good news, you can write down the stuff your are concerned about ahead of time, and then see if they actually show up. My comments for using the report are: • Make sure you download a copy to your PC for future reference, don’t just look at it online. • After you assess the top 40, which takes a while, you can expand the Magnitude to it’s full range. For me the common themes seem to be heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Rheumatoid arthritis – none of which are a surprise."
"The testing is fairly simple: You receive a test vial (log in and register it on their website) and provide saliva up to the control line. I have tested both of my parents, my two children, two paternal aunts, my daughter's paternal grandmother as well as myself and two cousins whom I tested to confirm our relationship. If you test at least one parent, you can easily sort matches that are shared with that parent to determine which matches are maternal and paternal. Since both my parents have tested mine literally shows who matches me from each side and my children can sort their matches based on me being tested too. Until 17 years into chasing cold trails, I discovered ancestry type DNA testing. After waiting for what seemed like months (it was actually only about 6 weeks) my dad's DNA was online (on 23andme’s secure site) and accessible along with all his many matches - which were basically cousins at various degrees of distance. Just 6 months into researching my father's DNA, I found my grandfather's family and figured out who he really was. I literally mapped my father's DNA and researched every match labeling in an Excel document, which chromosome location that relative fit and what surnames fit within those matches. I tested myself and both parents on 23andme as well as AncestryDNA and Dad was also tested on FTDNA but I met my most useful matches on 23andme. IMPORTANT TO NOTE: You can take your raw data (once your DNA is processed) and download it from any of these DNA testing sites and upload them for free to GEDmatch. It’s a great tool to utilize along with your DNA testing sites."
"However, due to FDA regulations, they aren't allowed to interpret it for you beyond some very basic (and frankly unhelpful) reports. The good news is that you can upload your 23andMe data to other websites and receive detailed reports."
"I'm a sperm donor baby."
Best Pregnancy Tests
The pregnancy tests is highly sensitive, detecting HcG at a level of 25 miu. Value Pack of 50 Ovulation Test Strips and 20 Pregnancy Test Strips.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I tested again the next day again with a Wondfo test and also with a first response test."
"I did not know what I was doing for the first few days and after doing a lot of reading up on these tests I HIGHLY recommend going to [...] (peeonastick dot com)or google "How to use LH test strips" or something similar to learn all about testing your ovulation using these LH test strips. I almost always had two lines show but if the result line is not as dark as the test line it is negative. The test line simply is showing you how dark it would be for a positive."
"The Wondfo ones showed no line until actual ovulation, in which I got a solid second line."
"I use these to track my ovulation till I feel like it's close to positive then track with a smiley clear blue test to feel assured it's a true postitive."
"I used the ovulation strips to get pregnant with a second child."
"The ovulation tests are spot on and are great for someone trying to conceive and needing to track their cycles."
"The expiration date for the batch I got is a bit into 2017, so I should be able to get some use out of the large stash I have left over (or pass them along to a friend)."
"I ovulate very late since I have a long cycle and just when I start to get discouraged that I may not be ovulating for the month, I start to see it progress towards a positive test result."
Best Ovulation Tests
Clearblue is #1 OB-GYN Recommended Brand*.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A few days after my period I peed in a cup and dipped the test in everyday at 6pm."
"Before I bought this digital test, I was using an app on my phone to track my menstrual cycles (they are regular and about 31 days). I got a smiley face on the digital test a full 4 days before my app said that I'd be ovulating! So, it was no surprise we didn't get pregnant the first month we tried...the chances of that happening were very slim because we were BDing (baby dancing) outside of the timeframe that I was actually ovulating. I didn't have high hopes or anything when I decided to take a pregnancy test 6 days before my period was supposed to come. I think having this digital test definitely helped in terms of timing our lovemaking to increase the chances of getting pregnant sooner rather than later."
"We tried a cheap brand with excellent reviews and they didn't work at all but these show a smiley face every month, a day before "ovulation pain"."
"I got this when I first started TTC, I wasn't sure about any of the ovulation information or anything at the time and felt that this was def."
"The second month I was testing on day 5 and received an error that the instruction sheet told me meant the test holder failed."
"Easy to use and no guessing with results."
"I have used First Response ovulation prediction kits in the past with my first pregnancy, but decided to give this a try due to the great reviews."
"So I went out and blew another 30$ on the advanced test to try and confirm my surge, and lo and behold THAT test had a faulty stick too!"
Best Ovulation Tests
Clearblue is #1 OB-GYN Recommended Brand*.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A few days after my period I peed in a cup and dipped the test in everyday at 6pm."
"Before I bought this digital test, I was using an app on my phone to track my menstrual cycles (they are regular and about 31 days). I got a smiley face on the digital test a full 4 days before my app said that I'd be ovulating! So, it was no surprise we didn't get pregnant the first month we tried...the chances of that happening were very slim because we were BDing (baby dancing) outside of the timeframe that I was actually ovulating. I didn't have high hopes or anything when I decided to take a pregnancy test 6 days before my period was supposed to come. I think having this digital test definitely helped in terms of timing our lovemaking to increase the chances of getting pregnant sooner rather than later."
"We tried a cheap brand with excellent reviews and they didn't work at all but these show a smiley face every month, a day before "ovulation pain"."
"Easy to use and no guessing with results."
"Good product, service and price."
"So I went out and blew another 30$ on the advanced test to try and confirm my surge, and lo and behold THAT test had a faulty stick too!"
"This is my second package."
"I thought maybe I got a dud of a kit so I reordered another identical kit after the first kit was used up."
Best Fertility Tests & Indicators
The iProven FK127 is the one stop solution for predicting your most fertile moment in the. month, and monitoring if it worked out as per your expectations. Based on the outcome the strips produces, you will see if your LH hormone has. raised compared to the day before. If you have intercourse right after you detect your LH-. surge within the 24 hours following, the chance to get pregnant will be highest. Predicting ovulation and concluding pregnancy have been high on the priority list of scientists. for decades. OVULATION TRACKER - These tests have optimal sensitivity to determine when your Luteinizing Hormone (LH) level is at its highest point which show you that your ovulation is near, or when your HCG level show you that you are pregnant with the 10mIU/ml pregnancy test strips. Test strip kits are popular for people that want to chart their fertility at home, as well as ept for early detection of pregnancy.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This time with iProven, I've tested twice a day once midday and one in the evening since my period ended. I was excited... did the deed, lol....and tested one more time late at night 11pm just to let myself really believe it... And you still positive. I also bought PreSeed to help the little swimmers have something more to swim in, even though I don't have that problem... hahaha! And took a tip from my pregnant friend, and bought the Blossom cup (menstrual cup) so that after intercourse I put that thing in and hold the sperm high up in me all night long and take it out in the morning."
"Does a nice job of explaining and describing how to use the Ovulation Test strips and pregnancy test kit are very well explained?"
"First month using the ovulation strips I used them very casually (basically I did not wait 4 hours beforehand to go to the bathroom, did not test at the same time every day, etc) and I never got a surge — not surprising. This month I wasn’t using the LH strips at all, until mid cycle when I just felt like I was ovulating, and I took a test out of curiosity."
"This set of ovulation and pregnancy test strips was purchased as a gift for a friend who will soon be attempting fertility treatments."
"I did have to read the instructions a few times to make perfect sense of it, only because there is a large amount of very specific instruction for both the ovulation and pregnancy testing."
"The directions are laid out very easy to read for someone that has never really done any ovulation or pregnancy testing before."
"Only been able to use the ovulation ones so far but the lines show up clearly and make it easy to identify whether or not your LH is surging (even tried another more expensive brand on the same day to make sure it was accurate)!"
"Also, it's so convenient and great that you can take a test while you are in the office or at the store."
Best Funeral Products
This RELIGIOUS CREMATION URN is approximately 10 inches x 6 inches and has a volume capacity of 220 cubic inches (Note: 1lbs weight prior to cremation equals to 1 cubic inch after cremation). This FUNERAL URN comes with a velvet gift bag and is approximately 10 inches x 6 inches and is ideal as a tribute within the home, or also as a BURIAL URN.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This urn was large enough to fit his ashes entirely. This was a plus considering that I've watched way too many movies where an urn is knocked over and the ashes go scattering about."
"The urn itself had a good built quality, the etching on the surface has some minor imperfections but is otherwise clear, the threading on the cap works well and I didn't have much trouble opening and closing it."
"While at the mortuary with my mother and brother making arrangements for my Step Father of 47 years who had just passed, we did not see an Urn that was fitting for him."
"We just lost my husband’s grandfather (who raised him) and we needed an urn to put his ashes in."
"It seems odd to write a review for a funeral urn but I have to say that the urn was beautiful."
"This Urn is very beautiful."
"I bought it for my aunt whose husband had recently passed."
"This urn was even more beautiful in person!"
Best Occupational & Physical Therapy Aids
-THE PACKAGE INCLUDES: 1 control unit; 4 sets of dual leads wires; 4 pair of inserted pin electrode pads (8 pcs pads); 1 pads holder 3 AAA batteries; 1 Application placement chart; 1 User Manual. Any acute disease; tumor; infectious disease; pregnant; heart disease; high fever; abnormal blood pressure; lack of skin sensation or an abnormal skin condition; any condition requiring the active supervision of a physician.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As I lay on the toy strewn floor quivering in battery operated pain one brave child who is forever striving to be my favorite grabbed the evil devil box and in the brave attempt to turn it off, instead turned up the frequency of the attack. The injured and now fear filled mom is a quivering mass of pain and the children are now gleefully trying out the Devils toy on random body parts. I am giving this evil box a five star rating as the original pinched nerve pain is now completely gone."
"After speaking with the company I found that while it has an 80 minute timer displayed, it is not possible to adjust this so that you can relax, read a book, watch a movie, or do whatever without being concerned about leaving it on too long."
"I have found that I can use it in some cases and do find that even just the distraction of a different sensation helps with pain, but once I remove the tens the pain returns fairly quickly."
"No problem - with this TENS unit, I can place the electrodes on the different spots and get relief all at once. I would definitely recommend this unit."
"Years ago we spent about 10X the price for one at a State Fair booth that works, but this easily replaces it with more options and more pads."
"Bought to use when I was dealing with weird leg swelling."
"As of now, the only thing I would change on this product is I wish the keys lit up."
"Have been going to Chiropractor for a while and he uses a larger version, but sometimes cannot wait in between appointments."
Best Braces, Splints & Supports
Physix Gear puts you in the driver’s seat, by bringing you a well-designed Compression Support Sock that provides graduated compression from the Heel to upper Calves. Get the Results you need with an excellent durable Compression Sock, constructed with a new fashionable look, and in a variety colors! Your durable (20 - 30 mmHg) compression sleeves work within your routine. We know you're a big deal, and we'll only provide you with the finest product and the best service around. Great for relief of varicose veins, Calf Compression or other leg swelling issues. Prevent Blood clots after surgery & Fits well unlike other Dr. prescribed Stiff varieties. Stay put Cuffs Soothing feeling at the bottom and sides of foot with no pinching seen with lesser quality socks without ankle support. GRAB CONTROL OF YOUR WELLBEING IN STYLE – An Excellent compression hose very durable with a fashionable look and variety colors available. Use them on a plane during that 9 hr flights or during that 6 mile walk Your durable 20 - 30 mmHg sleeves work with your routine. Feel the shock absorption effect instantly that really helps reduce fatigue and swelling in your lower leg.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The three pairs I purchased are these: VitalSox Graduated Compression Performance Exercise Socks, ABD Athlete Compression Socks, and Physix Gear Compression Socks for Men & Women. Important issues for me included: Length (long enough to go to the top of my calf just below the knee), Support (a good sense of compression support through the foot, ankle and calf), comfort (ability to wear all day without being overly constrictive at the top band, but also not sagging throughout the day), and fit (I’m 5’10”, 195 lbs., size 9 shoe, with fairly large legs – 17” calf, 10” ankle). VitalSox – This is a comfortable compression sock that comes just below the knee cap and has a nice wide top band and a nice thicker footbed for comfort. Because sizing of compression wear is really based on both calf and foot size, I was concerned that the Medium might be too tight in the calf, but that is not the case. These socks have a fairly narrow top band, but because they are long enough (come up to the bottom of the knee cap), and wider at the top, they are very comfortable to wear all day, and provide nice, noticeable support throughout the foot and leg."
"I stand for over 9 hours a day at work, so I can't begin to explain how badly my legs and feet ached."
"I'm a nurse with varicose veins, (no pain or swelling from it) but I work 12+ hours a shift and my feet are killing by the time I go home. The colors are vibrant ( I have pink and blue) I hope they make more colors soon:). At the end of each shift, I can honestly say I don't have the foot pain like before and I do have more energy."
"Sizing was a bit off - I'm a women's 9.5 but the large was way too big, but did fit my husband's size 13 foot."
"I wish I could give these socks more stars but unfortunately they were disappointing. Anyway, I am very particular with my socks and wanted to get one that will also work for running. Again, my goal was to use them for fast walking (I stopped running) for distances of 2-5 miles and use them at the gym and look cool, i.e. My shoes felt loose compared with my other socks.This is not so much a negative and I guess it will work on my work shoes but that is not what I bought it for. I went back to using my prescription socks. I just wished they made it in cool colors and reduced the price. I tried other compression socks and will be reviewing them soon."
Best Activity, Health & Wellness Monitors
Make every beat count with Fitbit Charge 2—the all-new heart rate and fitness wristband built for all-day, workouts and beyond. PurePulse continuous, automatic wrist-based heart rate tracking to better measure calorie burn all day.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I found the Fitbit to be an incredible fitness device compared to the Apple watch. The fitbit can also track sleep, and give you an estimate of your cardio fitness score (V02 Max). Other features: Clearly the fitbit is not a smart watch, but the text and call notifications are great when you're working out and don't have quick access to your phone. Accuracy: Tie. I have no idea what the negative reviews are talking about (Maybe they received a defective device or have exceptionally hairy arms?). The apple watch is slightly more accurate when it comes to distance, and probably more suited for someone who runs at a competitive pace. I love watching my cardio fitness score change and keeping an eye on my resting heart rate overnight. Apple has a ton of 3rd party apps which are great, but it lacks the complete integration of the fitbit. I haven't decided which one I will be keeping yet, but if I were basing my decision on fitness alone, at a non competitive level, I would choose the fitbit hands down. There are other useful features that make the Apple watch appealing in my line of work, so I'll have to weigh those into my decision. The apple watch doesn't have the same coolness factor with regard to fitness, and really doesn't motivate me to workout anymore than my iPhone would. It is perfect for someone who doesn't care about tracking fitness goals, but wants to leave their phone at home during a workout. The ability to stream music, track distance with a built in GPS, and respond to text messages are wonderful. I have a 7 inch wrist and the large band fits me on the last 2-4 holes (keep it loose when not working out)."
"As a Blaze and original Charge HR owner, figured I'd try my hand at the newest Fitbit Charge 2. It replaces the original best selling Charge & Charge HR. Steps, Flights, Heart Rate, Calories Burned, Connected GPS (shows a little map post workout when tied to your phone, and yes, you need to bring your phone with you on walks/runs), and notifications (as of now, just texts, calendar alerts, and displays phone number of incoming calls). The Charge watch has been the workhorse of the fitbit line. Since you're familiar with the Charge already, let's go over some of the issues you may have experienced and highlights/common questions answered: 1) Build Quality: The Charge 2 is a far far superior quality than the original Charge. **If you had problems with your original Charge band bubbling, the ability to swap bands and how the tracker is connected to the bands should eliminate the issues you have experienced ** Obviously way too early to make a call on how the device will hold up, but given my experience with Blaze & Alta, this feels similar in build quality, if not better, and neither of those devices have suffered from bands falling apart on a wide scale. 5) Display is nice, 4x larger than the original Charge. The font is a bright offwhite, as opposed to the original Charge that had a soft almost blue to it. Some display day & date, and most have option to where when you tap the display it will cycle through stats (may display heart rate, date, steps taken, how far you are in your goals, your hourly movement reminders, etc). Yes, two of the watch faces are digital (numbers display, not hands) and have seconds displayed. There is no 3rd party support at this time such as facebook, instagram, etc (The Blaze watch will be offering these soon in next software upgrade, so I guess there is hope the Charge 2 will get those as well). Heart rate was spot on as it usually was with original Charge HR & my Blaze. Obviously some folks have trouble with them due to body hair and whatnot, but the sensors on Charge HR, Blaze, and now Charge 2 seem to be spot on. An issue I had with the original Charge was it getting "lost" when I hit higher cardio levels. CONS: - vibration is notably weaker than the original Charge. The Charge HR slowly scrolls texts and notifications to you, which can be annoying if you're used to the Blaze. They serve their purpose well though, and I can't ding it for this as it's a step up from the original Charge. The Blaze is their high end product at the moment, but the Charge 2 is a very close second. I'll happily answer questions as I did for when I originally reviewed the Blaze out of the gate, and edit this review to reflect common questions or any issues I face as I put the device through its paces in the coming days."
Best Mobility & Daily Living Aids
The Squatty Potty helps you to eliminate faster and more complete by putting your body into a natural squatting position over your own toilet. This will speed up the elimination process therefore reducing the risk of toxic build up of fecal matter left in your colon. Its designed with a forward slant to ergonomically align the body for a comfortable and complete elimination. The Squatty Potty Original has 2 sizes that work perfectly with ANY standard (14""-15.5”) or comfort height (16""-18”) toilet.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Oh Squatty Potty, You fill me with endless joy, Yet leave me empty."
"I dont know what to do with all the extra time I save now that I poop faster."
"Then it went from bad to worse... adding blood and could no longer pass my rainbow snow cones of Fallout 4 style waste. Usually in a 3 week interval I'd get very sick and spend 3-4 hours in about 9-10 trips of liquid dookie stew and could barely function for the next 48 hours. In fact I think I'm starting to feel better and my cramps are no longer happening. I swear to God, when I go on my next road trip, I'm taking the damn thing with me, and IDGAF if my friends laugh at me. This damn thing may have saved my health and possibly my life."
"You may think I'm just some made up spam account, but I honestly have bought multiple squatty potties."
"I bought this about a month ago for my wife and I, and really wanted to get some good time in with it before I wrote this review. We are pretty healthy people, work out when possible, and have no "problems" when it comes to #2. Sit down, pull it out from the toilet, put your feet up, and bombs away!"
"I gave it 5 stars because it's a 5 star product."
"It has helped the bathroom routine not be so painful and has helped ease his constipation."
"Another added benefit I find myself not needing to sit on the toilet as long as I did before, mainly because this posture helps your body get rid of your waste a lot faster and healthier."