My brother-in-law introduced me to the neti pot, for nasal irrigation, about three years ago. He had had chronic sinus infections that have largely stopped since he started using it. Since I began using it, I’ve had fewer illnesses and just breathe easier. I used to take decongestants regularly in order to sleep soundly (due to mild allergies), but haven’t in the past three years, since the neti pot became part of my daily routine. My sinuses don't dry out as much during winter anymore, and my wife says my snoring has decreased.

The neti pot flushes your sinuses of pollutants, allergens, pollen and dust that build up during the day. By flushing your sinuses you allow your nose to do its secondary job more effectively -- keep the bad stuff out. It also has the added benefit of relieving sinus headaches and congestion. The interesting thing is, it's been around for a long time (several thousand years) and is used by many yoga practitioners to ease breathing during meditation. Eight ounces of warm tap water and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (with no iodine) is all it takes to wash the grime away, and that's a lot cheaper than over-the-counter decongestants.

I recommend getting a neti pot with a pot belly look, like the Himalayan Institute one available from Amazon. I've tried two other brands/styles and they don’t provide as consistent water pressure through the nose. Currently I use my neti pot once a day, in the evenings, to wash the day's grime away and help with sleeping.

Try it once or twice and you'll agree your sinuses have rarely felt better or clearer. As a side note, if it burns a little, stop and add a tad more salt. Too little salt and the water won't flow well through the nasal cavity. If you've had a broken nose, please check with your doctor to make sure your nasal cavity is still properly aligned for nasal irrigation.

We’ve been using this book for nearly two years. We bought it because we were tired of having to resort to Tylenol and/or Ibuprofen for all of our now three-year-old son’s ailments. It’s written by a practitioner of natural medicine, a medical doctor and a pediatric nurse. Since the three authors each contribute her/his respective specialties, Smart Medicine offers remedies in various forms, from conventional treatments to more holistic ones such as homeopathy and acupressure.

Its excellent content paired with Smart Medicine’s practical organization is what makes it better than similar books. The entire volume is a concise A-to-Z reference guide for common childhood illnesses and symptoms, broken down into sections of treatments, supplements, homeopathy, general recommendations and prevention. Dosage charts are clearly laid out and simple to follow. (It’s even become our go-to book for ourselves because the age-appropriate dosage guideline makes it easy to calculate for all ages.)

It’s such a great all-in-one guide, we don't need any other books on the subject. We love this book so much, we give or recommend it to new parents who are looking for alternative choices and ways to play a greater, more informed role, in their child’s healthcare.

I have always been prone to motion sickness. Going out in a boat meant that I would be sick; the only question was how long it would take before I was hanging over the edge. My wife really wanted to go on a cruise, so I looked to see if there was anything that modern science could do for me. Dramamine puts me to sleep, so that was out, and I feared the patch would be just as bad. Then I ran across the ReliefBand. After reading a number of reviews I tried it, and the results for me were amazing. I went on a seven-day cruise and never had a moment’s illness, not even when we were on a small fishing boat with several people bringing back their lunch right near me.

The ReliefBand uses small pulses of electricity on pressure points in the wrist that relieve nausea. It’s approved by the FDA for morning sickness, but it certainly works for motion sickness as well. You can adjust the strength of the tingling from 1 (very mild) to 5 (strong enough to make my fingers curl a bit, involuntarily).

The ReliefBand needs to be worn tightly, and I’m often adjusting the band to make sure the electric pulses fall in the right place on my wrist. I adjust the setting according to the level of ship’s motion; sometimes I’ve set it on 5, mostly I leave it on 2 or 3. The most severe test I put it to was on my most recent cruise, where one evening we had 15-foot swells and Force 7 winds. Half the crew was seasick, and most of the passengers, too. I didn’t feel so good, myself, but I never felt like throwing up; I just went to bed early.

I don’t know why this device isn’t better known or sold more widely because it does the job exceptionally well with no drugs and no side effects. I’ve run into a couple of people on cruises wearing the ReliefBand, and they all have stories similar to mine. Yes, it’s expensive (if you hunt around you may be able to find it for around $110), but if you're planning to spend a lot of money on a cruise it pays for itself in the first sickness-free day.

This is one of the few products I've ever read about in a magazine and then sought out immediately for purchase. I don't recall the publication, but I do know that it was several years ago and I had to search high and low to find it.

No Bite is "a bitter flavored nail bite deterrent that helps break the annoying and often painful nail biting habit." I used it more for my cuticles than my nails, but the idea is the same. It looks like nail polish, and it smells (and tastes) like nail polish remover. Once you paint it on it seems to disappear, but then later when you mindlessly slip your finger in between your teeth you're greeted with a disgustingly awful flavor. The aversion therapy worked so effectively for me that I still have a pretty full bottle of the stuff. A little goes a long way.

My fiance, who wears fake nails specifically to avoid biting her real ones, says that a similar product didn't work for her. She must have had a powerful compulsion, because I can't imagine fighting past the flavor of No Bite. In fact the only problem I had was accidentally tasting it on my fingers while eating. Use of a fork would pretty much solve that problem.

If you've ever tried to give a pill to a cat, you know it's not only not fun, it can be downright dangerous. Dogs will eat anything. Cats, not so much.

I had a cat that was on medication for years, and every day it was the same struggle to get a pill down her throat. Now, I have a semi-feral, and very strong, older cat who needs thyroid medication every day. I would probably have lost a finger or two if I hadn’t found these things. You just fold the pill up into the little pocket, drop it in front of the cat, and it’s gone, like magic. Everyone’s happy, especially the cat. And you don’t need the asbestos gloves anymore.

I originally got the Tersano Lotus Sanitizing System to clean fruits and vegetables...but it does so much more. The pitch sounds like a cross between snake oil and science fiction, but this device works. What it does is infuse water with extra oxygen molecules, which turns it into something of a miracle cleaner.

The system comes with two attachments - a spray bottle and a bowl. The spray bottle lets you use the oxygenized water to clean just about anything - tough stains in laundry or carpet, mildew in the shower, countertop surfaces like granite or tile - with simple tap water and no dangerous chemicals. The bowl lets you clean fruit or vegetables with treated water, resulting in killing bacteria and breaking down and dissolving pesticides.

The system does all this with tap water, and it couldn't be much easier to use. To use the spray bottle attachment simply fill the bottle with water, set it on the base, and press a button. The machine whirs away for a few minutes, and beeps when it's ready. Once the water has been oxygenated, it is charged up for about fifteen minutes...after which time the oxygen has been depleted harmlessly in the air.

To use the bowl attachment, pre-rinse your food to get the "big pieces" washed away, then dump it in the bowl and fill it with tap water until the food is covered. Place the bowl on the base and press the button, and when the machine is done, leave the food in the charged water for a couple of minutes. The base will beep when the time is up, and your food is ultra-clean!

There are other available attachments for the system, including cleaners for toothbrushes and baby bottles, or a floor mop similar to a Swiffer.

The ozone in the water doesn't chap your hands. In fact, I have soaked infected cuts in it on occasion and it seems to help. The only warning they give is not to swallow it... I suspect this is because it would kill the beneficial bacteria in your gut, which would be very bad for you indeed!

It hasn't bleached anything I've tried it on, and that includes a lot of different fruits and vegetables.

I notice that I left out that it's also an effective room deodorizer. Just spray a fine mist of the treated water in the air, and it draws out whatever's floating around making it smell.

All in all, the system sounds like a bunch of malarky but it really does work!

-- Steve Coallier

[Ozone’s snake-oil reputation comes from ozone “air cleansers” -- the EPA warns against breathing ozone. But ozone within water quickly kills bacteria, then vanishes. Detergent, by contrast, leaves edible films of soap behind. -- Bruce Sterling]

Tersano Lotus LBU 100 Sanitizing System
$169
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Tersano

[Enjoy this alarmingly comprehensive, 10-minute Tersano infomercial -- Bruce S.]

If you have serious anaphylactic allergies, Epipens are indispensable and probably the greatest (and simplest) medical contraption ever. Simplicity is key for this auto-injector. Just jab yourself with a dose of epinephrine, in the thigh, through your pants. The pen has saved my life several times.

However, as cool as they are, Epipens are hard to carry -- unless you have a purse. For guys, the "Leg Buddy" makes it so you don't forget your Epipens at home. Basically an ankle holster where you can store two Epipens -- out of sight but never out of mind.

Influenza = Uncertainty. Rumors. Caution. Hysteria. Pandemic. No, wait, a media frenzy. Or maybe, serious medical worry. Where can you go to find out the latest?

The best dynamic snapshot of what is known to the media is, no surprise, the virus's Wikipedia page.

The best source for the latest published news from around the world on the H1N1 virus (and other viruses of human health concerns) is the Fluwiki Forum. This site was started for tracking the avian H5N1 virus, and is now trying to keep up with this latest outbreak of swine H1N1. The in-depth and comprehensive background material on flu available on the Fluwiki itself is excellent ballast for the froth of "news."

If you love the froth of the latest rumors and eye-witness accounts from the street, then the twitter stream from Veratect seems to be the first choice for a real time feed of raw flu news.

-- KK

Fluwiki Forum

Veratect Twitter Stream

A "proxabrush" is the offspring of a menage a trois twixt a toothbrush and toothpick [with floss acting perhaps as a voyeur]. I am 63, getting long in the tooth, with increasing gaps between teeth and receding gums. Recently I thought I was headed for four-figure dental work. Instead, my experienced and honest dentist suggested this minibrush. It is marvelous for a thorough cleansing twixt those teeth and wherever it can gain entry. I had spent a lot of time behind the wheel with a toothbrush in my hand and mouth; what I needed to do more of is floss the spaces a typical toothbrush cannot get to. This brush allows me to get deep into crevices and is much easier to use than floss (it's also used by folks with braces). The good dentist recommended dipping the mini-brush into hydrogen peroxide to really go after Mr. Toothdecay.

Since I started using one, some health has returned to my troubled tooth. I find I'm able to keep my teeth and gums much cleaner that with just brushing or flossing. I can also see these little teeeeny brushes coming in handy for cleaning out some other small spaces.

I have been trying several brands since becoming aware of the genus. Oral B has one with a long handle and another with a two part sliding handle that allows the user to pivot the brush by altering the two part handle -- facilitating guiding the tip of the little guy to the proper orifice. When I am on the go in the car I've been using the little ones from Dentek that have a cap that slips over the handle end like an old fountain pen, making the implement longer and easier to handle. The cap also keeps it clean when I put it in my pocket or set it down in the car. I've noticed there are different sizes with tapered, untapered and cylindrical ones, too. I have not yet tried all the brands or types and am not ready to declare an overall favorite, but am delighted with the search.

My doctor told me about this tracheotomy tube when I was putting together an expanded medical/first aid kit for a cabin in the middle of nowhere in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. In the winter up there, 3 - 4 feet of snow is common and it's a mile+ out to the road, so we need to be prepared if something goes wrong. Yes, it would take a little guts to use this (there are clear instructions that come with it), but if someone was turning blue there's not a doubt in the world I could jam it home.

[ed. note: a January 2008 study at the UC Davis Medical Center evaluated the efficacy/safety of this device and concluded: "The LifeStat device provides a relatively safe and effective means of performing emergency cricothyrotomy. The majority of emergency situations in which the device was deployed occurred in hospital settings." -- Steven Leckart]

These laminated cards display "strongly-worded" warnings ("I have a life-threatening allergy to XXX") in a range of foreign languages and even pictures where possible. While I have not seen these cards in use (nor have I used them myself), they really make a ton of sense. I had a friend once who was allergic to soy. Even in the States getting people to believe and deal with the allergy was difficult. Made me appreciate the plight of people who suffer from food allergies.

SelectWisely also tailors basic cards in more than two dozen languages for more than three dozen food allergies, plus phrases for vegetarian, vegan, gluen-free, and lactose intolerance. A great and simple idea. Sure you could mimic this easily with a printer and laminator, but the prices are not outrageous.

If you're camping or hiking in a group, you can't go wrong with the previously-reviewed Adventure Medical Kit. But if you're a citygoing 9-5'er (read: not a search-and-rescuer), the Red Cross' personal safety kit packs many of the basics -- whistle, blanket, face mask, glow stick, poncho, germ wipes and first-aid kit -- for a price that's more or less unbeatable.

We've got a home medical kit. We regularly update the earthquake/disaster kit in our car (a plastic tub complete with basic med supplies, canned goods, MRE's, water, spare clothes, etc.). But like a lot of folks, I spend a chunk of my time working in an office building where I've always presumed/hoped supplies are both plentiful and current. That's why I very recently stashed one of these kits at the desk I keep away from my home office.

Could the pack be more complete? Of course. My first gesture was to rubberband a small handcrank flashlight to the diminutive bundle. Even still, the embellished package remains small, light and manageable.

-- Steven Leckart

Personal Safety Emergency Pack - "Deluxe"
$15
Available from American Red Cross

Beuy's are virtually unbreakable fiberglass combs made in Japan. Always a pleasure to use, they cause no static. Mine is as good today as when I got it over a decade ago (a professional hair stylist gave a couple to my brother and he was good enough to give one to me). There are different style and shape models ranging from $4.50 - $7.50. A rare price for a tool for life.

-- Scott Reynolds

Beuy Combs
$5 - 8
(depending on model)
Available from Beans Beauty

I have a bit of a crowded mouth -- small mouth relative to jaw size -- so it's very difficult for me to scrub the sides of the rear molars. The Sulcabrush, which I've used for about 15 years, is still the only brush I've used that adequately cleans the far surface of my rear molars. The Sulcabrush works because it's thin, has a couple of good angles to it, and the bristles are medium stiffness, so they don't crap out very quickly. It's a pain flossing back there. Flosspicks (even the Reach flosser) are a little too big for my mouth. I've had some success with Reach toothbrushes and some Oral-B's with the stiffer bunch of bristles at the tip, but after about a week, these edge bristles splay and become less effective.

The Sulcabrush keeps working again and again. Since the Sulcabrush's bristle bundle is pointed, I think the total angle is a little more than if it were flat, and better than what I've experienced with average toothbrushes. I've found the pointed end lets me cover more of the molar sides (chewing surface is easily handled by regular toothbrushes). The downsides are that it's essentially another toothbrush to use and it's not particularly versatile -- i.e. I don't like using it to brush the rest of my teeth, because of the small area it targets and the stiffness of the bristles. However, I'm very happy with how it cleans the crud off the rearmost molars.

-- Ken Yee

Sulcabrush
$5
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Sulcabrush

The Remington Shortcut is a clipper designed for self-administered haircuts. A curved clipper head makes it almost impossible to over-cut small or large regions, and the clipper's unconventional hairbrush-like shape makes it easy to reach the most awkward spots on your head. Before getting the Shortcut, I'd tried cutting my own hair several times and always had disasters. On my first attempt with the Shortcut, I got about the same results I'm used to from a pro, which rather astounded me. It seems almost impossible to mess up. Using the Shortcut takes me five to ten minutes, which I usually fit in just before showering for obvious reasons. The cutter can be set from "skinhead" to "George Clooney" and you can easily mix lengths on the sides and top for effect. Once you get used to five minute haircuts on-demand they're rather addictive. Going to the barber for a typical male haircut now seems as silly -- and time wasting -- as traveling across town for a shave. Every time I use the Shortcut I save about $20 and at least an hour and a half of my time -- a good return on my initial investment.

-- Jonathan Coupe

Remington Shortcut
$35
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Remington

Most colds are transmitted through hand-to-nose contact; alcohol-based hand sanitizing gels and sprays reduce the potency of most viruses within seconds, and so provide a good defense -- as long as you keep some handy.

This is the first sanitizer I've found that's not only fits easily in my small purse -- or clips to a pocket -- but is also refillable. The top unscrews, and you can refill it with 70% rubbing alcohol (use ethyl alcohol; less stinky and not as drying as isopropyl). Sprays are more useful than gels, as they can also be used on questionable restroom fixtures, for example. I've seen 1 or 2 ounce spray bottles, but those are usually about 1 1/4 inch wide. This one is the size of a slender highlighter, slightly thicker than a standard pen (at its widest, the barrel is 5/8 inches—not counting the clip—and 5 inches long). It fits easily, even in my inky-dinky overfilled purse, and when I have a cell phone or PDA in my pocket along with the bottle, things don't get uncomfortably bulgy. I'm a pharmacist, exposed to every cold virus that comes down the pike, and I haven't had a cold in a year. Dunno if it's the spray or dumb luck, but I used to get them pretty regularly before I developed the habit of spraying my hands after any exposure to a suspiciously sniffly customer.

-- Barbara Dace

Persani Instant Hand Sanitizing Spray
$2
Available from Drugstore.com

Manufactured by Persani

Compared with my previous visit to Japan 12 years ago, the most noticeable change I find today is in the bathroom. The "Incredible Squirting Toilet" has achieved almost total market penetration, and not just in middle-income homes. It even appears in fast-food restaurants and in public facilities in railroad stations.

As you lower yourself to the thermostatically warmed seat, a concealed motor whirs briefly, providing your first clue that you are about to encounter a piece of highly sophisticated technology. The toilet then remains silent and passive until you reach the point where you would normally apply paper. Instead, you hit the spray button. A hidden tube extends itself beneath you, and with the precision of a heat-seeking missile, it directs a spray of warm water that simultaneously tickles, stimulates, and cleans the place that needs it most. While its aim is meticulous, you can adjust its penetration by gently flexing your sphincter muscle. The experience is so unexpectedly and uniquely pleasurable, I found myself tempted to visit the toilet repeatedly just for recreational purposes.

Paper is needed only to mop up the water when the spray jet has done its work, but such is the effectiveness of the washing action, you will find no visible trace of fecal matter on the sheets of tissue, and can don your underwear in the happy knowledge that you have been cleaned by the same impeccable Japanese engineering that brought the world Honda motorcycles, 170-mile-an-hour trains, and robotic talking dogs.

Higher-end versions of the squirting toilet eliminate the need for paper entirely, by allowing the option of warm-air drying. They also provide adjustment of the water-cleaning jet, including a pulsatile flow which I found especially pleasurable. And for those in Western countries who are sufficiently uninhibited to allow themselves the pleasures of using this rectal equivalent of a water-pic, I have good news: The squirting toilet is available as an imported item and can be retrofitted to older bathroom equipment (you simply swap out the seat). Toto, the primary Japanese manufacturer, offers the most basic model under the name Washlet C100, and if you browse online you can find it for around US$500. This has only the most basic features; you can pay more for more advanced models, including one that welcomes you by raising its lid when it sees you approaching.

A note for female readers: The squirting toilet has a second tube which can be deployed by women who wish to cleanse their labial areas, but for anatomical reasons I was unable to test this personally.

-- Charles Platt

$750
(model: S300)
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Washlet

Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:

Toilet Lid Sink

BB-50 Natural Water Bio-Bidet

Toto Ultramax Toilet

Between being over 40 and having run 14 marathons, I have feet callused enough to require "dealing with" on a regular basis. The PedEgg is a microplane type set of blades attached to an egg-shaped compartment that not only makes it very ergonomic, but also collects all the lovely "stuff." Very easy to use while seated in the living room rather than precariously perched over a sink or wastebasket, or balancing in the shower on one foot. I've tried pumice stones, rasps, and the super coarse emery boards with no luck -- those all take forever to get the job done (and none has a built-in mechanism to capture the shavings or dust). I thought I'd found the perfect answer in a microplane kitchen grater (not something most people would admit, since it makes guests wonder what other kitchen utensils have been pulling double duty). But now that I have the PedEgg, the grater has officially been retired. Ten bucks and well worth it. I use it about once every 2-3 weeks, basically when there's 1/8" or more callus to remove. It leaves a very smooth surface. Surprisingly, it's more aggressive than the fine microplane I had. And you can buy replacement blades should it ever wear out. It also has an emery board on the outside of the cover for final smoothing of your feet. Overall, I'd guess the PedEgg is at least twice as fast as the microplane and four times faster than an emery board on dry calluses. Of course, if you work on your feet after a shower when they're soft, any of these techniques are faster.

-- Yitah Wu

PedEgg
$10
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Telebrands

Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:

Fixing Your Feet

VIVObarefoot Shoes

Sweater Stone

There are certain solutions I can't imagine ever being improved upon. These simple, effective stick-on strips, which help pinch open your nasal passages, are one of them. I've been using them for years now, mostly during allergy season when I'll pick up a pack of the mentholated vapor variety. The cooling relief is instant, impressively so. I often have major trouble sleeping due to severe congestion and allergies. When I don't want to resort to antihistamines, which can leave me groggy in the a.m., these comfortable, non-drowsy strips step in to ensure a decent night's rest. If you're a snorer, an athlete or sports fan, these strips are nothing new to you. I figured they'd already been reviewed on Cool Tools, and was surprised to find they hadn't. I'm also surprised that in all this time, the company has not only cornered the market, but avoided mucking up the product with a confusing number of variations. There are just three incarnations: tan, clear and mentholated. And two adult sizes: small/medium and large.

-- Steven Leckart

Breathe Right - Mentholated
$15
(56 strips; size: s/m)
Available from Amazon

Tan
$21
(60 strips; size: s/m)
Available from Amazon

Clear
$23
(74 strips; size: s/m)
Available from Amazon

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Nosefrida Nasal Aspirator

Lights Out Sleep Mask

Ivy Block

I had a problem taking glucosamine in tablet form. I was gagging on the horse-sized pills and this seemed to cause an automatic antipathy to swallowing pills of any nature. After some research I discovered Utrition liquid vitamins. Their Liquid Vitamin Plus has an excellent lineup of vitamins A, B, C, D, and E + other ingredients and tastes like frozen orange juice (ed. note: it's "pineapple orange juice" according to Utrition). Their Liquid Joint Repair has 2000 mg glucosamine, 1200 mg chondroitin and is good-tasting as well. I keep these in the fridge and take a swig each day. Simple.

I also discovered a very sharp website (Bodybuilding.com) that is totally on the ball, has quick service, and offers thousands of nutritional products.

-- Lloyd Kahn

Liquid Vitamin Plus
$13 (16 fl. oz.)
Available from Bodybuilding.com

$23 (32 fl. oz.)
Available from Amazon

Liquid Joint Repair
$17 (16 fl. oz.)
Also from Amazon

Or $18 from Bodybuilding.com

Manufactured by Utrition

Related items previously reviewed on Cool Tools:

Juvenon

Seven-Day Pill Organizer

Body For Life

My 14 month-old daughter has been wearing these noise-reducing headphones for 9 months, give or take, ever since a friend in Norway sent us a pair (they're made in England). As a touring musician and the owner of a record label, I go to a lot of shows. Now not only can we hang out together, but my daughter's even performed with me. She loves the earmuffs, or seems to. She hates hats, but whenever we put these on -- even at home where it's quiet -- she doesn't want to take them off. They seem comfortable (they fit kids up to 7 years old). I also trust my kid's ears are safe because she freaks out over noises and things normally, but doesn't at all when she's at a show wearing these. Plus, in my travels, I've a seen a lot of kids wearing these exact earmuffs.

-- Syd Butler

Peltor Kid Earmuffs
$17

Available from Enviro Safety Products

Manufactured by Peltor

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Max Earplugs

The Complete Guide To House Concerts

Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems

This simple little carrier hugs a bottle of contact lens solution, so the two are always together and easy to find at the bottom of your pack. In the past, I've relied on rubberbands and plastic baggies, but of course they tend to break and they add an extra packing step. This clip pops conveniently on and off. The colors make it easy to distinguish right from left. And it's reduced a bit more clutter from my dopkit. The price is a tad extravagant, but the case is so effective I'm done using the freebies.

-- Steven Leckart

KABACLIP Contact Lens Case
$8
Available from and manufactured by KABALAB

Previously available from Amazon

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

One Highly-Evolved Belt Kit

Maui Jim Titanium Sport Sunglasses

Banana Bunker

When my six year old daughter broke her arm, we figured our big lake vacation was going to be a real test of her patience. Then a friend told us about DryPro Cast covers. They're essentially a super-thick latex mitten (or 'crab claw') that covers the entire arm or leg. Air is sucked out via a one-way valve to give it a snug fit, like a rubber glove. The device comes with a detachable bulb pump, but we usually just sucked out the small amount of air needed by mouth. Our daughter used it not only while swimming and bathing, but for water-tubing, rope swinging, and general sprinkler fun. She was able to submerge the broken limb completely. The covers are not indestructible, but the only thing I was ever worried about, and warned her to be careful of, was cutting the cover on a sharp rock. I actually purchased a second cast cover in case my daughter tore the first one -- she didn't. And it completely saved the vacation. I'm guessing these will last most kids at least one bone-mending cycle.

-- Chris Crawford

DryPro Waterproof Cast Cover
$34+
(depends on size/type)

Available from Amazon
(x-small, full arm)

Also available in adult sizes from Amazon
(half leg)

Manufactured by Xero Products, LLC

Related items previously reviewed in Cool Tools:

Nexcare Waterproof Bandages

X-treme Tape

The Optimistic Child

A Mason Pearson is like the hairbrush analogue of baby shampoo: it takes good care of the hair, without tears. Our 10 year-old's hair has never been cut, so it reaches almost to her knees; but with an MP, brushing her hair before school isn't a big deal. The brushes are very effective at getting snarls out gradually and they don't hurt the scalp. The ones we use have two kinds of bristles: mostly boar bristles, which are the same hardness as hair, so they don't scratch or cut the hair; and there are some soft, molded nylon bristles that are much gentler than the extruded/cut plastic bristles in typical brushes. Only the nylon bristles touch the scalp, as they are a little longer. All of the bristles are slender and mounted in a flexible rubber mat, which also adds to the softness of the brush.

-- Don Davis

Mason Pearson Hairbrushes
$80
(Pocket)
Available from Amazon

$126
(Junior)
Available from Amazon

Other types/sizes are also available via Amazon

Manufactured by Mason Pearson

We have removed a number of pet ticks with this lasso and every one has come out complete and without effort, even a tiny tick. Because the lasso varies in size, it fits every tick perfectly. Last year we had big tick problems, and we did in fact try out a tick hook, which is basically a mini-crowbar. If your patient is not completely still, I've found the hook impossible! In the end, we started taking our pets to the vet, but this got expensive. As an engineer, I liked the look of the lasso idea and bought one. Some real thought has gone into the design and how to get into small, awkward places, like ears. As with all removers, you do need to use them as instructed to avoid tick damage.

-- Dave Peters

Trix Tick Remover
$11
Available from Ultimate Pet Products
(US only*)

Manufactured by InnoTech
(*see here for non-US orders)

The Nosefrida is a remarkably effective tool for sucking snot out of a kid's nose. It's basically a flexible plastic tube with a mouthpiece on one end and a snot-collection chamber on the other. You put the mouthpiece in your mouth, press the open end of the snot-collection chamber against your kid's nostril (it doesn't go very far inside the nose), and SUCK. An inline filter prevents the snot from ending up in your mouth. The filter only needs to be changed when it gets gunked-up. Such gunking can be avoided by stopping periodically and blowing the collected snot out into a sink or emesis basin. Otherwise, if you keep filling up the snot-collection chamber, it eventually makes its way up to the filter. To clean, I just disassemble it and run warm water through it. Real easy.

It sounds disgusting and bizarre, but it works like a charm. If you've got a snotty kid, it's the best $15 you'll ever spend. My daughter got her first cold when she was three months old. It was a real nasty one, with lots of nasal congestion. My wife is a family doctor, and she suggested the standard course of action: spray saline up the kid's nose and try sucking the nastiness out with a bulb syringe. Anybody who's ever used a standard bulb syringe knows that it's a suboptimal tool for this project, for two main reasons: (1) A bulb syringe is too small to generate adequate suction to pull thick snot out of a kid's nose, and (2) little kids hate having a bulb syringe stuck up their nostrils. Can you blame 'em?

-- Mike Pedone

Nosefrida Nasal Aspirator
$15
Available from and manufactured by Nosefrida USA

Two incredibly handy tools seldom used for their intended uses are dental mirrors (a.k.a. "inspection" mirrors) and dental picks. The one problem with most inspection mirrors is that when you have to look into awkward electronic or mechanical crevices where you need a mirror, you also need a flashlight for illumination and a spare hand to hold the light. This kit (#832) has a dental mirror with a bright flashlight integrated into the handle and a switch in the grip, freeing up your other hand. The other neat thing is that for less than $10 you get two dental picks -- great for nudging or extracting small inaccessible components from assemblies. Recently, I was upgrading a friend's computer. The motherboard was mounted in a "baby ATX" case which was a very tight fit. To locate the CMOS reset jumper or check to see if the memory socket catch was engaged, I needed the use of the lighted mirror to negotiate the dark spots where those components were hidden. In the same manner the picks were handy to snag small cables within the case.

-- Stephen A. Kupiec

GUM Oral Care Kit
$6
Available from Drugstore.com

Manufactured by Sunstar Americas, Inc.

This rapid Strep A Test is great tool for families with kids who get frequent sore throats. It helps you determine whether a throat infection is caused by strep (which requires treatment) or a virus (which does not). You swab the back of the child's throat with the included applicator, add a reagent, and watch for the color change. A kit of 25 tests costs about $90, which works out to about $3.50 per test. That's a whole lot is much cheaper than an unneeded doctor's visit. But since you may only use a couple tests a year, consider a cooperative buy with other families.

-- Dr. Tom Ferguson

QuickVue Strep A Test
$90 for 25 kits
Available from MedCo School First Aid

[I have not used either of these kits below, but they offer a similar test for less than half the price. -- KK]

25 for $39
Available from Mecial Disposables

25 for $35
Available from CLIA Waived

Looking for an effective weight loss motivator? Check out this all-too-realistic anatomically correct replica of one pound of human fat, complete with blood supply. Keep it on your dinner table and watch everybody lose their appetite. For even stronger motivation, you can buy the five-pounds-of-human-fat version.

-- Tom Ferguson

One Pound of Fat Replica
$35
Available from Amazon

Five Pounds of Fat Replica
$85
Available from Amazon

Is it worth it to pay the premium price for organic produce? I have found this wallet guide (folded paper) a handy reference in the supermarket to help answer that question. It identifies 12 fruits and vegetables that are high in pesticides when conventionally grown so I buy the organic versions instead. When I feel like saving a buck, I can check it to find 12 that are typically lower in pesticides. This list is in my wallet along with the Seafood Watch, reviewed earlier. You too can keep the green in your wallet as well as in your diet.

-- V. Seribo

Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce
Free PDF, produced by Environmental Working Group
View the longer list of 43 fruits and vegetables here

I am convinced that the single most effective tool you can have on hand for an ABC disaster (Atomic, Biological, or Chemical) is a good face mask. The danger of nuclear radiation is primarily from fallout, which drifts as air-born particles. Same for many chemical spills; their poison also drifts on microscopic airborne droplets. And the biological toxins we most fear also travel in the air as particles. A face mask covering nose and mouth can reduce (not eliminate) the risk of inhaling these particles.

But face masks are useless unless worn, and are not worn (for long) if uncomfortable. I've been trying out various inexpensive masks that I could wear for many hours without going crazy. I found the Cool Max to be the only respirator I could keep on for long periods. The Cool Max are cheap N95 units (workshop, not surgical quality) that fold out and fit on the face with two elastic straps. The enlarged surface area eases breathing, and removes that suffocating sensation I usually get from wearing respirators. I could talk, drive, and work outside in the garden for hours without much discomfort. These masks are cheap enough that I have stocked a supply for our household (you'll need more than one).

Recently I attended a meeting for the world's avian flu experts and asked them how effective a face mask like Cool Max would be in an avian flu epidemic. (I had already learned that touching hands transmits more viruses between people than does sneezing; so it makes no sense to wear a mask without wearing gloves.) About half of the flu researchers believed a mask would not do anything at all (viruses are smaller than the filter pores), and the other half said that of course it would help since the viruses ride along on larger particles. When I asked them how many of them would personally have their families wear one in a flu pandemic, they almost all said they would. Although the efficacy of masks with viruses is unproven, there is no harm in using them, as long as you don't believe it guarantees anything.

My research came down to this: Better than hoarding Tamiflu, sequestering some face masks and disposable gloves is the cheapest, easiest and most productive thing you can do to prepare for a flu epidemic beforehand. Fancier, more sophisticated face masks would probably be more effective if you kept them clean and were willing to wear them. But I find it cumbersome to walk around with a gas mask. These Cool Max respirators will at least be worn for the durations needed, and will reduce your risk of inhaling ABC particles.

And, oh, they work really great keeping dust out, too!

-- KK

Cool Max Respirator
$5 /2 masks
Avaiable from ACE Hardware

Disclosure by manufacture on their respirator and avian flu (PDF) from Aero Technologies

Several years ago I was rafting through an isolated gorge that separates Mexico and Guatemala...at least several days away from the nearest medical facilities. We carried The Extractor for snake bites. A friend was bitten by a flying bug. Her arm immediately began to swell up. She was in intense, burning pain. We attached the extractor over the bite, with its largest cup...Several drops of foul brown liquid were drawn from her arm. Almost immediately her pain dissipated. I have used this tool many times since then on simple bee stings on my children -- their pain leaves almost immediately. I have never seen it used on a snake bite but it appears that it would work great. It is one of the best tools I have ever used. I try to keep one around all the time.

-- Maxwell Kennedy

The Extractor
$20
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Sawyer

Gripmaster consists of four little buttons on springs (think of a trumpet) and lets you exercise each finger separately. It really helps keep hands strong & healthy. I'm on a computer at least 8 hours a day, and using Gripmaster has helped me tremendously.

I gave my mother one (a yellow one) for her arthritis and she's able to open soda bottles again. They come in 4 colors each of different resistance. I use the blue one which is light. The yellow one I gave my mom is extra light. They also have more difficult ones.

-- Joe Spadaro

[I assume everyone understands that the Cool Tools list is not intended as a source of definitive medical advice. If you suffer significant inflammation of tendons in the carpal sheath, perhaps you should check with a physician before embarking on an exercise regime. -- CP]

Gripmaster
$9
Available from
Amazon

Manufactured by
Gripmaster

This is the greatest tool for removing ticks from dogs or people. We have 3 dogs and walk daily in the Oakland, California hills. During tick season, most of the year, they each pick up a couple of ticks daily. Two of the dogs, Bear and Girl, have long hair, Joey has short hair, and the tick twister works well on all of them. It also removes ticks well from the "hairless apes" in the house. It's better than tweezers which grab skin and fur while leaving pieces of the tick behind, also there is no need to worry about poking your pet in the eye with sharp tweezers.

-- Bart Trickel

Tick Twister
$4
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by O'Tom

If you share your house with several children (as I do) it's quite common for one kid to grab another kid's toothbrush, creating a pathway for infection. I decided that this problem was real when my oldest boy got a cold sore on his lip, and my youngest daughter mysteriously acquired one of her own a week later.

The human mouth is well known to be crawling with viruses and bacteria, and a toothbrush naturally picks up its share, along with some saliva to form an excellent culture medium. A toothbrush sitting innocently in the bathroom may be one of the least hygienic items in your home.

Several sterilizers are available, but this one seems the best to me, using ultraviolet light instead of steam. It's also useful if you have a guest who didn't plan to stay overnight and came without his own toothbrush. He won't catch anything from you, and you won't catch anything from him (at least, not by him brushing his teeth).

-- Abigail Fromm

PureBrush
$70
Available from Dental Mart

Manufactured by Purebrush

The Nadachair and Slouchbuster are based on the ropes that Tibetan monks use to sit upright for hours on end when meditating. The monks use these ropes between their knees and back to help them stay upright. The Slouchbuster is a small, much more elegant version than ropes. The Nadachair is a larger version.

I'm a yank who lives in Perth Australia (West Coast). I fly often to the US and Europe, in coach. I've found this little thing is what allows me to sleep and survive 19-22 hours of crowded coach seats. I use the Slouchbuster when I travel because:
(1) It is very small. It is the size of a paperback book when folded up.
(2) It folds up and then zips up inside itself. It is totally self contained. No bags or anything needed.

I also own a Nadachair, too, which I keep at work. I use that a couple times a day to keep my back straight. I write software for a living, so I'm sitting for hours on end. It really makes a difference, especially if you have any sort of lower back problems (like me). I owned them for a couple of years now and I found that I no longer need a monthly chiropractor visit. So it has paid for itself within a month.

-- Ron Larson

Slouch!Buster
$39
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Nada- Chair

[See the more-recently reviewed S'portBacker --sl]

There's no better description of this book by Autodesk founder John Walker, than his own:

The Hacker's Diet ... is a serious book about how to lose weight and permanently maintain whatever weight you desire. It treats dieting and weight control from an engineering and management standpoint, and provides the tools and an understanding of why they work and how to use them that permit the reader to gain control of their own weight. The book is intended primarily for busy, successful engineers, programmers, and managers who have struggled unsuccessfully in the past to lose weight and avoid re-gaining it.

This electronic 250-page book has gone through many revisions over the past decade and is available online for free in four formats, from frame-based web to PDF files. It's been recommended by many readers.

--KK

The Hacker's Diet
John Walker

About a dozen readers wrote in with suggestions for an accurate body
scale, one that would give you a consistent reading within less than
a pound, even if you say, stepped off the scale and back on again.
Four people recommended the Tanita digital scales as providing
repeatable readings to within 1/5 of a pound. The Tanita UM-015 was
selling at Costco for $25, which is a good deal. Three people
recommended the Soehnle line from Germany. (Thanks to Blake
Sobiloff, Bill, Ger, Dan Dubnov, John Biddle, Myles Kelvin, Peter
van Impelen, Phil Mann.) But before you head to the store, read this
note:

"I've got a low-end digital scale and in an attempt to fake quality,
the manufacturer has built in artificial repeatability. If a
subsequent weighing is within about 2 lbs. of the preceding weighing
then the previously reported weight is re-displayed -- regardless of
how much time has passed. So a person loosing a steady .1 lbs a week
will show the same weight for 14 days and then suddenly loose two
pounds. I find that in order to get an accurate re-measure I have to
step on the scale holding a weight between each actual measurement.
Just a word of warning about using repeatability as an indicator of
quality." -- Ryan Brase

With that warning in mind the scale below may be a best choice. Also,
a scale for very large folks.

-- KK

A physicians' balance beam scale is consistently accurate. We've had
one now for at least 25 years; its accuracy has remained constant
through many moves, changes in humidity, and so forth. Measurement is
in 1/4 pounds, which is good enough. There is a readjustment knob if
you think there is an error when changing the scale's placement. If
only my weight and height had remained so constant....

-- Martha Robinson

If you want consistency and accuracy in a body scale, I strongly
suggest an old-fashioned balance beam scale. Even a cheap one
(<$200) will do a better job than most expensive electronic scales.
Also, they are kind of fun to use, they have an eye level display,
and the batteries never run out.

-- Danny Hillis

Detecto Eye-Level Beam Scale
$200
(Fedex shipping $20)
Available from
NorthShore Care

***********

I'm a big dude so most scales don't even cover my weight.
Consequently I had to think different to get a decent scale. I found
this digital postage scale. It reads up to 400lbs in half pound
increments, has a remote, mountable readout auto tare (useful when
weighing the dog). It isn't particularly pretty but being in the top
percentile in weight and height has certain drawbacks and requires
special tools.

-- Bryan Covington

400-pound Digital Freight Scale
$105
Available from
Amazon

Zanfel is very expensive, it's true ($38/oz). But it's worth every penny to anyone suffering with a poison ivy (or oak) rash. Within 30 seconds of treatment, the itching stops. Really. It's the only product I know of that chemically binds the urishol which is causing the problem. Doesn't have to be used as soon after exposure as Tecnu (recommended earlier in Cool Tools).

-- Jimmie Whipple

Zanfel
$40 for 1 oz.
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Zanfel

Rite-Aid drugstores sell their generic house-brand version of Zanfel for about $27 per 1 ounce tube. Curiously, it is not clear what the name of the product actually is. It is either the unimaginatively named Quick Itch Relief, or else it is Rite Aid Poison Ivy-Oak Wash. Both appear on the carton, and neither shows up on the web. There are a zillion "itch relief" products for poison oak and ivy and they are all named something similar, but most of them are merely coritsone derivatives. What you want is Zanfel, or a knock off, which will say "Compare to Zanfel", which this product is, whatever its real name.

-- KK

A macerated foot resulting from exposure to moisture.

Your feet uphold you. They're easy to abuse, hard to repair. This book is considered the authority on maintaining feet by those who most depend on them: athletes, dancers, soldiers, runners and hikers. Keep 'em happy with the great advice and proven remedies in this portable foot hospital. No other source is as reliable and complete, or more recommended by pros.

-- KK

Fixing Your Feet: Prevention and Treatments for Athletes
John Vonhof
2006, 4th edition, 341 pages
$13
Available from Amazon

Author's website

Sample excerpts:

Many athletes who have participated in extreme sports have learned firsthand how one minor problem can be magnified over time and eventually have major consequences. Typically this happens when a blister affects the gait, a backpack's weight throws off balance and stance, or stressed or weakened muscles cause an imbalance in the body's mechanics. Every athlete has different strengths and weaknesses, different degrees of flexibility, and different muscle skills and body types.

As odd as it may look, cutting the toes off shoes helps prevent common foot problems.

The Keeper and the Diva Cup are reusable menstrual cups. I have been using the Keeper for several years now and it is excellent! I enjoy not having to throw away disgusting tampons and also not having to worry about buying them and carrying them around. It is really super and I don't know why it's not better known. It comes with a little cloth pouch. Any woman can use it; in fact some women who can't use tampons (because they get pushed out) are able to use the Keeper. It takes a little practice to get used to inserting it, but you just have to have a positive attitude! It's best to practice first when you are not on your period. The Keeper website has information on how to best insert it. I usually use one or two pads along with it for the heaviest part of my period, but it's a far cry from all the disposable stuff I was wasting before. And, by the way, I'm not a real green freak--I just think it's really convenient.

The Diva Cup is the same but made of silicone, so it's claimed to be better for people with latex allergies, although I have not used one myself.

-- Maria Blees

[What do I know? But several women readers have suggested the silicone Diva Cup as the improved version. They claim it is non-allergic, it tends to deform less over time, offers an easier grip to removal, and lasts longer. A good discussion of the merits of both, and tips for use, can be found on Metafilter. -- KK]

The Keeper
$35
Available from
The Keeper
Also from Amazon

Diva Cup
$36
Available from
Diva Cup

For taking your blood pressure at home, I recommend this excellent, beautifully engineered wrist sphygmomanometer. The great wizards at Panasonic have taken the cumbersome apparatus used to measure blood pressure, shrunk it into a little box and made it easy to use by anyone. That, to me, is wizardry.

You push the yellow button, the cuff squeezes your wrist and then deflates, showing your blood pressure in a nice, easy-to-read digital readout along with your heart rate. The whole unit measures 2.5" x 2" x 1"; and uses two AAA batteries. It costs $42 from Amazon*.

But will it deliver valid blood pressure measurements? Unequivocally, yes.

I took my little Panasonic into the Operating Room where I work and put it on the wrist of my patients, on the same arm on which I put my professional-grade anesthesia machine blood pressure cuff which, by the way, costs around $5,000. As soon as the anesthesia machine-value came up on my monitor screen, I pushed the little button on my Panasonic and then recorded both readings on a flow chart I'd created.

My conclusion after doing this informal study on six or seven patients was that the Panasonic is accurate, reliable and in fact better than the medical-grade equipment I use in two areas:

1) It's much easier to use: goes on in a couple seconds, as opposed to screwing around trying to get the blood pressure cuff and Velcro seal positioned just so, and then having to move the long rubber connecting tube to the anesthesia machine out of the way.
2) It's much faster: a reading from the Panasonic takes maybe 30 seconds from button push to obtaining a value; the anesthesia version takes 1-2 minutes.

I keep my little Panasonic in my fanny pack when I'm in the OR, as a backup, 'cause you just never know when your monitor's gonna crash.

-- Joe Stirt, MD

I hope you don't need one of these, but we do. This little gizmo is incredibly compact, fast, easy to use and trouble free (no mercury either). It's one small marvel, and now part of our home medical kit.

-- KK

Panasonic Precise Logic Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor
#EW3002W
$42
Previously available from Amazon

[*This model has been discontinued and replaced with the more recently-reviewed #EW3006S from Panasonic --sl]

I have a real talent for cutting my fingers. While cleaning the grille of an air conditioning duct last week I somehow managed to injure myself in three separate places.

Normally, this would have meant replacing a slew of conventional finger bandages ("Band-Aids") until my boo-boos healed. But I noticed this new product on my pharmacy shelf and decided to give it a try. It was a great improvement.

A typical finger bandage has a 1-inch gauze pad with a 3/4-inch adhesive strip at each end. This gizmo has a normal 3/4-inch adhesive on one side, plus a 2-3/4-inch length on the other-enough to wrap all the way around your finger two complete times, plus a little more. They stay on until you decide to take them off.

-- Tom Ferguson, M.D.

Curad Extreme Lengths Finger Bandages
$3.39
From a variety of online sources, e.g.,
Amazon

The next time you or a friend are in the ER getting stitched up, ask your provider if you can have the suture set when he or she is done. Most places will hand them over if they are the disposable type. Hospitals use disposable suture sets since they are fairly inexpensive and decontamination of the reusable ones can be costly. The curved hemostat, the toothless needle driver, small surgical scissors and the pickups (tweezers) come in handy around the house.

-- Fritz Araya

(About $10 new)
From Grogan's Healthcare Supply

You can get a free sample of the cool flosser I reviewed last issue by clicking here. I have no idea how long this offer will last.

-- KK [Suggested by Richmond Parker]

Sample Reach Access

The civilized way to floss. A tiny, easily replaceable harp on the end of a stick. More hygienic (no fingers in your mouth), more effective at flossing the hard parts, more comfortable, easier to use. Our kids love 'em. I floss much more often myself since I started using one. A really cool tool more folks should use. [Suggested by Alan Greene, MD.]

-- KK

Reach Access Daily Flosser Family Pack (w/14 heads)
$5
Amazon

Long the standard reference for working doctors and nurses, thumbworn copies of the Merck Manual could be found in most clinical offices. It had the kind of detailed and reliable summaries of an ailment that an intelligent person might want to know about, but its jargon and medical logic were difficult to decipher. Five years ago Merck translated this legendary book into plain English and issued a home paperback version. It was so far superior to any other form of home medical information (except the original Merck Manual itself) that it quickly became THE medical reference for our family. Last year Merck issued a second edition that updated, expanded, and improved this already great material. This Second Home Edition now approaches the professional Merck Manual in depth and completeness, except it retains its plain layperson's approach. Most home medical information sucks; collectively the web is better, but by far the best single source for dependable quick medical guidance is this handy book.

Merck Publishing (a non-profit organization) generously makes this book and the Merck Manual available in full text online. This version is very easy to search, and it is free.

-- KK

The Merck Manual of Medical Information: Home Edition
2003, 1907 pages
$14
Amazon

Excerpts:

The very first stop on the Web for anyone newly diagnosed with the big C should be the non-profit ACOR site. Home of 200+ support groups for cancer, the life-changing advice on this clearinghouse is supplied outside the view of search engines, so you probably won't encounter it by Googling.

Talking with survivors of your type of cancer is the best place to start. It normalizes the experience, provides vital information and support, directs you to the other resources you will need, saves you many wasted hours on the Net, helps you make sure that you're getting the best available medical care, and plugs you into a continuing network within which you can both ask for help and be of help to others.

About half of the ACOR communities are composed of patients and family caregivers concerned with a specific type of cancer, e.g., the Lung Cancer Online Support Group, the AdenoCarcinoma of Unknown Primary Online Group, and the Prostate Problems Mailing List. Other groups focus on topics of interest to patients with cancer, e.g., the Cancer Patients Christian Online Support Group, the Cancer and Fertility Discussion Group, and the Complementary & Alternative Medicine Clinical Trials Discussion Group.

ACOR was established in 1995 by New York artist Gilles Frydman to host his wife's breast cancer mailing list. It then opened it's virtual doors, offering to host any noncommercial cancer-related mailing list. It now hosts nearly all such lists, and Frydman (gfrydman@acor.org) and his ACOR colleagues are always happy to help patients, family caregivers, or medical professionals start new cancer-related lists on needed topics. They've made a special effort to develop new support groups for rare cancers. And their Rare Cancers Discussion Group can be a godsend for patients with extremely rare forms of cancer.

To find the group you need, click on the Mailing Lists/Online Communities link at the ACOR home page, then search or browse till you find the group you're looking for. You will then be prompted to enter your e-mail address and to choose a password. ACOR will immediately send you an e-mail message confirming your request. When you click on the link in this e-mail, your password will be activated. (This procedure protects users from search engines and spam.)

Once your password is activated, you can browse or search the list's archives of past postings. You can also sign up to receive future postings. For active lists, the once-a-day "daily digest" option is strongly recommended.

Since ACOR blocks search engines and links for privacy protection, the group you're looking for may not show up on a Google (or other search engine) query for general terms. So if you know anyone with cancer, do them a favor: Send them a copy of this review.

-- Tom Ferguson, M.D.

The Association of Cancer Online Resources

I was recently reminded of this cool tool for sprained ankles when my wife and I were hustling to locate an obscure theater before the doors shut. Not watching my foot path, I stepped on a misaligned concrete sidewalk and went to the ground after rolling my ankle. I couldn't wait to get home to put my Aircast on. This product stabilizes your injured ankle well enough that you'd have to go hiking on poorly maintained trails to reinjure your ankle after a sprain. My last sprain was twelve years ago and the Aircast got me 95% healed within three weeks; without it, I've gone longer than three months. Truly amazing if you sprain your ankle. They can be ordered direct from the company, but even in my town of 16,000, there's one pharmacy that carries them in stock. Around $40.00 and worth twice that, easily.

-- John Monguillot

Aircast Air-Stirrup Ankle Brace
$37
From the Ankle Shop, among others
Also from Amazon

Manufactured by
Aircast

It's been a long time since we had a child at home. But our favorite pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene, recommends the EarCheck Middle Ear Monitor, which uses sonar to check for ear infections, the number one reason kids need to see a doctor. Just slip the nose cone of the device into child's ear and press a button. The child hears a chirping noise but feels nothing--and you get a reading that indicates how well the eardrum is moving. A "Green" light means the eardrum is functioning well, and most likely your child does not have an ear infection. A "Red" reading suggests that there is fluid behind the eardrum, so a visit to the physician is needed. Further details on using the monitor can be found at Dr. Greene's Housecalls.

-- Tom Ferguson, M.D.

Ear Check
Middle Ear Monitor
$50
Available from Amazon

These bandages simply won't come off. Not underwater, not in oil or sweat, not by wear and tear. They are extremely flexible, very comfortable, and hard to notice, too. To tell you the truth, they are so thin at the edges and stuck down they are hard to get off when you want to. A hot and messy test kitchen tried out ten different brands of bandaids, and Nextcare were the only ones to never come off. Most bandaids are put on kids for boo-boos as a placebo; for the times when you need a covering that must stay on, this one by 3M (the adhesive folks) will really do the trick.

-- KK

3M First Aid Nexcare Waterproof Bandages
$5
Available from Walgreens

Or $10 for 3pk, 20 each from Amazon

A cocktail of three popular antibiotics invented in the 1950s that is synergistically more powerful than any of the three alone or in sequence. Trials have shown that triple antibiotic combo reduces scarring better than double or a single antibiotic. It's an over-the-counter ointment.

-- KK

Triple Antibiotic Ointment
1 oz., $6
Available from any drug store, also from Amazon

One of the things medical staff used to nip from hospitals to bring home is inexpensive moist wound pads. Keeping a wound moist - particularly a burn wound -- has been proven to aid its healing. Moist wound pads contain a layer of gel that holds either sterile water, or additional therapeutic ingredients, wrapped under a large adhesive bandage. Doctors' offices stock these aids, but they are only now getting into the consumer market. Drugstore over-the-counter pads like Spenco 2nd Skin Moist Burn Pads come in a package of 5 small (2 x3 inches) sterile packages. New-Skin (UK-based) Burn Relief Dressing comes in 3 3x3 pads -- but these have less than half the useable surface area of the Spencos. Johnson and Johnson is introducing household bandages with moist gel pads inside, too. These pads aren't cheap, but hopefully you'll only need them occasionally.

-- KK

Spenco 2nd Skin Moist Burn Pads
2 x 3 in. 5ea.
$6.50
Walgreens

New-Skin Burn Relief Dressing
Med Shop Express

I got mine - made of surgical stainless steel -- from a set of used dental tools at a garage sale for 25 cents. It's incredibly handy for inspecting missing fillings, infections, gum complaints, particularly in kids. And you can look for sharp edges on dental braces. There really is no other way to look deep inside the mouth. The key is to get a proper front-surface mirror, which some drugstore plastic versions don't have. Otherwise at close range there is a slight double image which confuses the image.

-- KK

Front Surface Dental Mirror
32851 (mirror) + 32906 (handle), $6,
Smart Practice.com
800-522-0800

Dental Mirror
item #16-114, $4.50
Revival Animal Health
712-737-5555, 800-786-4751

Dentemp is a traditional dental combination of zinc oxide and eugenol (clove oil) mixed when needed to make a temporary tooth patch for lost cavity filling, or to re-cement a cap or inlaid on a tooth. It's strong enough that you'll need to have a dentist remove it later. Since an emergency Dentemp kit weighs less than an ounce, it should be part of your traveling or backpacking kit. You can get it at almost any drug store.

-- KK

Dentemp
$3
Amazon

My wife, who is an RN, brought some of this stuff home one night -- they use it to hold IVs in place, I think -- and it wasn't long before I started tinkering with it. Turns out that if you're a distance runner or a hiker or are breaking in a new pair of shoes, this stuff is a godsend. At the first sign of irritation, take off your sock and put a layer of this tape on the affected area. It is very thin, so it just feels like your skin conveniently got a bit thicker and less sensitive. Unlike cloth tape it has a minimal amount of adhesive, so there's little need for trepidation when it comes time to remove it. Because of this stuff I was hero for a day last November when on the day of her high school Cross Country finals my daughter had a HUGE blister on the inside of her arch. Nothing was going to completely take away the pain, but she was able to finish the race without too much distraction.

-- Paul Dulaney

Johnson & Johnson's Non-Irritating Paper Tape
$3
Amazon

Those of us who take vitamins or other medications may find ourselves fumbling through assorted vials and pill bottles several times a day--if we remember to take them at all. And if we're going to be away, we need to remember to take our medications with us. This remarkable pill organizer changes everything. You fill it once a week. Then, when Thursday comes, you open the sliding lid of your Thursday pill box to find all your pills waiting in large compartments labeled morning, noon, evening, and night. Comes with a medication alarm (it reminds you when its time to take your pills) and carrying pouch. Epill.com also offers other medication organizers, reminder watches, and a variety of other medication aids.

-- Tom Ferguson, MD

Seven-Day Pill Organizer
$60
Epill Medication Reminders
800-549-0095
781-239-8255

This is a must for any 1st aid kit. QuikClot is a topical blood clotting agent for scrapes, cuts and wounds (they claim some even very serious). You basically apply this stuff to an open cut, and it instantly clots to stop bleeding. Tested by the US military. This stuff works great for those scrapes, cuts and wounds encountered on the road. I've been using it in the bathroom for shaving cuts, too.

-- Gregory Winer

QuikClot
3.5 oz
$25
From here among other places
Simpler Life

Manufacturered by:
Z-Medica

A cure for aging!? In part at least it seems indeed to be that � not only preventing but reversing. Evangelism is not my style, but this one has me collaring people. So far.

Many years ago I co-wrote a piece for CoEvolution Quarterly with Bruce Ames, creator of the renowned �Ames Test� for carcinogenicity. So when I saw a news item that Bruce Ames had discovered something that dramatically reversed some of the effects of aging in his lab rats and was starting a business called Juvenon to peddle the elixir to humans, I visited the web site and then began dosing myself with the substances named in the research. They are two standard anti-oxidants available in any health food store online or on the street � alpha-lipoic acid and L-carnitine. Apparently due to a combined effect, �our old rats are doing the Macarena,� Ames told the press � suddenly the rats were fitter, happier, and had better memory.

I�m 63. For several years I�ve been watching my ability to recall proper names degrade (regular words you can always work around in synonym-rich English), and I�ve lamented how an ever shorter section of mountain could get me out of breath. Ten days after I started taking the two drugs, my memory began improving; it�s been getting steadily better in the months since. I can remember names like a politician. Four months on, I�m noticing a return of peripheral awareness, most welcome when driving in traffic. About two and a half months after I started, my wind began to come back in a significant way. In Aspen last week, a post-breakfast stroll turned into a quick climb of 2,000 feet to 9,600 feet because it was so easy.

The organelles in question are one�s mitochondria � wee energy factories in the cells. Their decline in number and efficiency is a well known effect of aging and cause of its deterioration. With the combination in Juvenon, the mitochondria come back. (For the mechanisms, read the scientific papers at the Juvenon site, starting with the lead piece in the Press area, which summarizes nicely.) The rejuvenative effect is felt first in brain function because the brain uses one-third of the body�s energy.

Side effects? None I�ve noticed. What age is a good time to start? Dunno. My wife just turned 50 and she�s trying the pills. Is there an accumulative good effect or gradual nullification over time? Too early to say.

The Juvenon company now offers the pills directly � convenient tabs instead of the multiple caps of doing it home-brew; about a dollar a day. Though the two drugs are over-the-counter legal, the company is pursuing rigorous double-blind human trials just as if this were a new drug seeking FDA approval. Coming soon: Juvenon for aging pets.

(Other daily additives in my bloodstream: generic multivitamin from Costco, vitamin E which delights male muscle, and folic acid �prescribed by a passing Doctor Without Borders for prevention of heart attack.)

-- Stewart Brand

Juvenon
60 capsules - one month supply
$40, 1-800-JUVENON
Good article at Science Daily

For wrapping up wounds, both large and small, you want a wrap that is secure, yet not so tight it will decrease needed blood circulation. Ace bandages are considered too constricting and likely to wind up tight; in their stead pros use conforming bandages, with brands names like Kling. The key here is "wider is better." Get the widest width you can and wrap liberally. The bandage will cling to itself (you still have to tape the end of it) but will not shift around much in normal use. The same stuff as Kling, but about 10 times cheaper is Vet-Wrap, used for the same purposes on animals. Better yet, Vet-Wrap comes in a choice of cheery colors instead of hospital white.

-- KK

Vet Wrap
#15-230, 4 inch, $2
from Revival Animal Health
712-737-5555
800-786-4751
or try Amazon

It's a great idea to put all your medical stuff into a kit of some sort, even if it never leaves your house. The worst place to store medicines and supplies is in the bathroom, where most people keep them. It is moist and warm there, while what medical stuff wants is dry and cool. You also want to be able to grab supplies quickly and take them where they are needed. We put ours into plastic cases the size of shoe boxes, There's one for bandages and first aid, and another for medicines. The lids seal tight, prolonging the shelf life of the contents. When there is an first aid injury, we get the kit and have everything together on site.

-- Alan Greene, MD

In the worst-worst case scenario that you experience a nuke explosion, dirty bomb, toxic chem attack or biological disaster, what should YOU do? The first ten minutes are crucial. Don't "ask your local officials" as much advice to date has suggested. Do read this short booklet prepared by RAND, and prepare. You can print it out from the free PDF file (including handy 3-fold card reminder version), or if you need to distribute many copies to employees, neighbors, etc., you can order printed copies for $15 a piece.

I highly recommend reading the full version first (also available as a series of PDFs and/or a longer book) which gives the logic behind their suggestions and scenarios. This is the best practical advice I've yet seen for personally dealing with the consequences of an actual weapon of mass destruction in your neighborhood.

--KK

Excerpt:

There is no need to determine the location of the source or direction or speed of the chemical cloud. Technical evaluations indicate that such basic sheltering can reduce chemical exposure by 75 percent or more compared to the exposure outside the shelter. These results are consistent with the outcomes of the aerosolized sarin attack by the Aum Shinrikyo group in a residential area in Matsumoto, Japan, in June 1994. In that incident, all seven people who died had their windows open. All of those individuals who had closed their windows-including many people closer to the source, those in units adjacent to buildings in which fatalities occurred, and those on the lower floors of these buildings-survived the attack (Yanagisawa, 1995).

Quick Guide
Free PDF from Rand
Click on the Quick Guide.

Full Version PDF

Individual Preparedness and Response, Quick Guide [book]
RAND
$11
Amazon

Back pain is ubiquitous in developed countries. Yet the honest truth is that science is uncertain as to what causes it. Theories abound, as does a lot of pseudo-therapy. There are probably multiple origins and different varieties of lower back pain. However, one theory says a large portion of back pain starts with mental tension. If you have an inkling that your back pain is linked to stress, I strongly suggest you seek out this perennially-in-print book (since 1972). My speaking agent, who deals with hundreds of stressed-out type A's and the consequential epidemic of back pain they carry with them, routinely hands out this book. It seems to be the one thing that helps them the most. It helped me. By adopting the view that lower back pain is a syndrome in large part fostered by the mind/body complex, I've been able to avoid surgery and painkillers and resume my life. Your mileage may vary, but it's worth a read.
-KK

Mind Over Back Pain
John Sarno, MD
1982, 124 pages
$10
Berkley Books
New York
Amazon

Excerpt:

The reason for this obsession with discs is that it does seem logical. There are those degenerating structures at the lower end of the spine, right where a lot of pain and spasms occur; there are lumbar and sacral nerves conveniently located so that they can be compressed by bulging or herniated discs; there is pain in the leg, proving that those nerves are compressed.
*
What these data confirm is that degenerative processes have nothing to do with most back pain. Degeneration is progressive and relentless; serial X rays as one ages document this fact. Yet back pain is far less common in the older age groups. According to the conventional diagnostic concepts, everyone over the age of sixty should have back pain.

The bar graph in Figure 9 [above] gives the age by breakdown by decade. Seventy-seven percent of the group fell between the ages of thirty and fifty-nine. Note that there are fewer patients in their sixties than in their twenties! Since the majority of back pain syndromes are attributed to degenerative processes - for example, degenerative osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease - it is strange, indeed, that there were only thirteen patients aged sixty to sixty-nine, and seven in their seventies.

Kids hurt their fingers a lot. You can make an okay bandage with Kling wrap (see Vet Wrap, above) � but if the injury is on a fingertip (a common spot) the cylinder shape you get from rolling doesn�t do as nice a job of protecting or of providing gentle pressure. You can fold over the end, but it gets bulky and inelegant for everyday activities. Tube Gauze is a quick, easy, elegant way to make a stocking cap for your finger or toe. The applicator (sold separately, but you can do without it) is a metal cage that holds the tube of the gauze open. You slide the applicator (or just the gauze) over a finger, lift it up, twist once, and then slide it back down. You can repeat several times to get the thickness of bandage you want. It gives a smooth, flat, elegant bandage � and it�s kinda fun to do. A hit with kids.
�Alan Greene, MD

Surgitube Tubular Gauze Bandage
1P-Small fingers and toes
Item #08302, 50-yds
$6
Aluminum Applicator
Item #08291
$3.50
Moore Medical

The strongest non-prescription numbing substance you can apply around a scrape, wound, or burn is Lidocaine. You can find 2% lotion in expensive little tubes (8 per pack) for burns called Activ BurnStuff at most drugstores. You can also get topical anesthetic pads with 2.5% Lidocaine from Chinooks. Good for bee-stings, too.

Activ Burnstuff
8 tubes
Item # F1-750-08001-01
$4.50
Activ USA

Lidocaine First Aid Lotion
Item #01041
$5
Chinook Medical Gear
800-766-1365
970-375-1241

I've had this little gray tool for years. You open the little container up and put in your little bottle of eyedrops. Snap it back shut. When you want to use the drops (for me, every morning while still in bed, half-asleep and with shaky hands) you pop the top back on a hinge--the top part being shaped like an eye-wash cup somewhat--unscrew your bottle cap and pop the top back on. Lift to your eye and squeeze the device; there are squeeze panels on either side of it. The top fits in your eye socket and keeps the dropper tip at the right distance from the eye, so you don't
a) blink
b) contaminate the tip
c) shake drops everywhere but in your eye, and
d) stab yourself in the eye with the eyedrops bottle.

Since I developed a tremor, the thing is indespensible. I don't know how I'd get on without it.

--Elle Walter

[Also perfect for kids; the black hood encourages their eyes to remain open.]

Opticare Eye Drop Dispenser
$16
Available from Westons Internet

This nifty little pocket reference was designed for EMTs to use in the field, but it also is great for anyone with basic first aid training in urban situations, or anywhere emergency services or a hospital are available within a reasonable period of time -- basically, any situation other than a wilderness environment.

Concisely covers the essentials of responding to the most common situations encountered in urban areas, such as cardiac emergencies, pediatric injuries, poisoning and childbirth. While this is no substitute for first aid/CPR training or a more comprehensive first aid guide, its concise outline style is perfect for quickly refreshing one's memory. In this sense, the Pocket Reference is actually better than a full-boat first aid book, because when an emergency strikes, minutes count and would-be rescuers are doing the victim no favors by sitting around reading long texts or fumbling through large tomes.

The Reference contains information specifically tailored to the DOT EMT/First Responder curriculum that readers unfamiliar with those courses may find a bit alien. For example, there are multiple unfamiliar acronyms, and an emphasis on patient assessment not commonly taught in more basic first courses . But taking a few minutes to read the material will remove the unfamiliarity and actually give the reader some extra skills and confidence that will pay off well in an emergency. I recommend putting a copy in all your first aid kits, both at home and in your car.

-- Paul Saffo

Pocket Reference for the EMT-B and First Responder, 2nd Edition
Bob Elling
2002, 202 pages
$23
Amazon

A fantastically well-stocked source of the smartest medical supplies around. Highly versatile, highly effective (and portable) self-care gear. The audience is expedition doctors and search and rescue teams, but 90% of these state-of-the-art supplies would serve home and homestead as well. The catalog is a real education and wonderfully broad -- for instance, they rightly see keeping insects at bay as a health issue. They sell the full line of Adventure Medicine Kits, as well as empty kit containers and the basic items, books, and non-prescripts to assemble your own medical tool box. Among suppliers of emergency medical gear, Chinook stands out for honoring the intelligence and independence of their customers, as you might expect from a company serving the health concerns of strong-willed lunatics heading off the map for three months.

-- KK

Chinook Medical Gear, Inc.
Custom Medical Solutions for the Harshest Environments on Earth
970-375-1241

Israeli Bandage. Phenomenal new product that works as several different devices -- primary dressing, pressure applicator, secondary dressing and tourniquet. Sterile, non-adherent and easy to use, this bandage is designed to treat every possible bleeding wound in the most extreme conditions. An injured person can even apply it with one hand!
#05130 Israeli 4 $6.95

Sawyer Controlled Release DEET Formula
Sawyer Controlled Release insect repellent lotion uses a newly patented technology called Sub-Micron Encapsulation. It works with your own skin's natural chemistry so you can reduce DEET exposure and have 24-hour insect protection. It is also non-greasy, virtually odorless and water and sweat-resistant. In areas infested with flies, or for use with clothing and hair, supplement with Broad Spectrum Composite Repellent. 4oz.
#03107 $6.95

Ultrathon. Originally developed for the U.S. military for use in challenging environments requiring long-lasting protection, Ultrathon soon became highly recommended by the travel medicine community. 99% effective for more than 8 hours against mosquitoes, 92% effective against ticks and also works against biting flies, gnats, chiggers, and fleas. Cream contains 33% DEET, lasts up to 12 hours. 2oz.
#03108 $8.95

Early defibrillation is the best thing for somebody having a heart attack. The quicker you can get a defibrillator onto somebody, the better the outcome. Standard non-automated defibrillators, like the ones with the paddles you see doctors using on TV, require costly and time consuming training to use, and anybody who doesn't do it all the time is likely to get rusty pretty quickly. However the particular condition (ventricular fibrillation) that a defibrillator remedies can reliably be detected by a computer. New automated defibrillators decide themselves if the patient needs to be defibrillated, or "shocked." The machine will not apply a shock under any other situation...i.e. people can't use them to shock each other for kicks. All the responder needs to do is attach the sticky-pads to the right place on the body (there is a picture on each pad), turn on the machine, and do what the machine tells him to do. One could argue that somebody with no training could do it pretty well; it's definitely easier to do correctly than the Heimlich Maneuver, and everybody seems to have a pretty good grasp on how to do that. However, the AHA and manufacturers currently require training to qualify to use one. Almost any Red Cross or Emergency Medical course with Basic Life Support training will teach students how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) as well.

The bottom line is that if I were having a heart attack, I'd be OK with somebody with no medical training having access to an AED and just following the instructions that the machine gives. It's better than being dead. These are rather expensive at the moment -- $2000 $3000 -- but they are state-of-the art and their price will likely come down as the market expands. My guess: they will soon be as common in public buildings as fire extinguishers are now.

-- Jason Roosa
National Registry Emergency Medical Technician-Basic & Mountain Rescue Association Member

Heartstart FR2 Automated External Defibrillator
$2,100
Manufactured by Laerdal
The AED Superstore has many different brands and models for retail sale
920-499-7777
800-544-0048

Also see the Phillips HeartStart AED: $1,275
Available from Amazon

The V-700 is a government issue Geiger counter stockpiled during the 1960's for Civil Defense use in the event of nuclear war, and now available to you and me for $20 to $80 from surplus suppliers and
auction sites such as Ebay.

Built like a tank, most of them are still in great shape 40 years later, and set an example that should be met by more tool manufacturers. The Geiger counter reads gamma and beta radiation, with a probe shield
to discriminate between the two. It includes a check-source on the side of the can for instant testing, runs off standard flashlight D-cells, and comes with a carry strap, earphone, and manual. The manual (while short) covers use, calibration, maintenance, emergency/MacGyver repairs, and has full schematics and parts list. The schematic is also reproduced inside the case, which is water tight, and EMP resistant.

While most people have limited (if any) genuine need for a geiger counter, they are interesting devices, and are useful for a variety of purposes - from aids in learning about natural background radiation and
geology (while hiking?), to adding radiation survival equipment to an emergency kit. Radiation detection equipment, being too niche to really feel market forces, has evolved surprisingly little in the last 40
years, so most of the difference between one of my $20 V-700s and one of my $800 modern meters is bells and whistles, and more reliable calibration systems.

However, since these are sometimes over 40 years old, and there are many differing models and manufacturers, a little buyer savvy is needed: Most, but not all are still in working condition, so avoid "untested, as is" if you need it to work out of the box. Many are sold with accessories missing (eg no manual or earphone), but any missing manuals can be found online in pdf format at Southern Radiation.

(Note: These manuals are also useful for researching a particular model of v-700 before you buy).

A quick rundown on the models: Do not buy a V-717, V-720, or V-715 - these are ion chamber survey meters, not Geiger counters. They are designed to complement the v-700 in times of nuclear war - their needle only starts to move when the Geiger counter is off the scale (so you'll need a radiation lab just to test if they even work). If emergency gear is your purpose, one of these might be on the list after a v-700. They are cheaper than a v-700, but a lab test will likely be $60.

For the v-700, I recommend the Victoreen model 6A or 6B, because it has a depleted uranium check-source with millions of years half-life, so the "level" of the check-source remains constant. The Lionel 6B has a more elegant circuit that only requires two batteries instead of four, but the check-source often has a half-life of as little as 6 years, so calculations must be made to compensate when calibrating. The Anton models I would avoid - they are older, in my experience much less reliable, and have the short half-life check-sources. The Anton model 5 is worth a mention though if space is a consideration because it is smaller than the rest. The Electro-Neutronics Inc (ENI) are apparently good, but I do not own any, so have no experience.

--Justin

Civil Defense V-700 Geiger Counter
Check Ebay

Gallery of models

A sprained ankle on the trail or a weak knee in sports needs a really firm bandage that won�t move in strenuous activity. That�s what a self-grip bandage does. I�ve been amazed at how firm a purchase this tape can make against itself. It holds itself together much tighter than a velcro grip (and far better than any Ace bandage), yet is quite smooth against your skin (it only sticks to itself). In fact it is so steadfast that unwrapping can be a challenge. It even adheres (to itself) under water. Comes in colors, too.

��KK

SelfGrip
Manufactured by Dome Industries
800-432-4352

SelfGrip Self Adhering Athletic Tape/Bandage
$7
Walgreens

We now know that mercury is a potent neurotoxin, too harmful to keep around the house. When mercury thermometers get broken or are tossed in the garbage, toxic mercury is released. So you may want to swap out your old mercury thermometer for a non-mercury model at one of the many drugstores that now offers a thermometer exchange program. (Nine of the ten largest drug chains currently do so�for details, see noharm.org.) Or take your old thermometer to a local mercury-recycling site. Safer options include an inexpensive alcohol glass thermometer from your local drugstore or a digital oral thermometer�Vicks makes a good one for about twelve bucks. And with squirmy youngsters, an electronic ear thermometer like the Braun Thermoscan can be a godsend.
��Tom Ferguson

Vicks Digital Thermometer
$12
from Amazon

Braun Thermoscan Ear Thermometer
$50
from Amazon

Cutaway view of boxed wine.

Until now I didn't drink. Never liked the taste of beer, and wine didn't tickle me either. Hard stuff had no appeal at all. But recently the medical benefits of wine have become so established that it's hard to ignore. One respected study published in JAMA in December 2002 claims that not drinking at all was as bad for the heart as morbid obesity, and that moderate alcohol has health benefits equal to one hour of physical exercise a day. Take that you gym rats! And just this summer another high-profile study at Harvard published in Nature revealed that an ingredient in red wine -- resveratrol -- carried huge longevity effects, extending the life of yeast 60-80%.

I decided that I would take one glass of wine a day, as medicine.

Unfortunately, resveratrol is easily oxidized, disappearing within hours of opening the bottle. Since my consumption was so low, the medical effects I wanted from the wine would evaporate quickly, to say nothing of the wine's taste. I discovered however, that boxed wine retained the freshness of wine almost indefinitely. By means of a tap on the bottom, and a collapsible bag, the wine is never exposed to air at all before it is dispensed. I can drink at a nibble and retain the goodies. Even better, the economics are impressive: about 35 cents per glass. No one should depend on my evaluation of taste, but several wine connoisseurs, including ones in the New York Times, have declared their surprise at how good the box wines are. A few upscale wines are now being package this way, too. I find the tap extremely handy to use (no drip) so the box sits on a shelf in the pantry awaiting my daily draft. Here's to taste, longevity and the good life!

--KK

Box Wines are in supermarkets and beverage stores. The elixir of youth I am drinking:

From Bevmo.com

Almaden Burgundy Box (5 liters)
$11

[When this review originally posted, KK recommended Franzia's Cabernet Box (5 liters); though BevMo no longer carries that particular wine, they do sell a 5-liter Cabernet from Almaden for $12 --sl]

List of Box Wines

Nature article abstract

JAMA article abstract

For those wine snobs that must drink wine from a bottle, there is one tool that can prevent oxidation in bottles fairly well. Devices that try to make a vacuum often don't succeed for long, but an inert gas called Private Preserve can make a useable seal. A few zips of this mixture of heavy inert gases (nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon) down the neck of the wine bottle creates a barrier to oxygen which preserves the wine's freshness for up to a year. Each seemingly weightless can holds enough for more than 100 applications. Easy enough to use when boxed wine might embarrass the guests.

--KK

Private Preserve
$10
Available from Amazon

Tecnu (reviewed last week) as a remedy for Poison Oak is ok, but for really allergic folks like me, it's not enough. I'm a regular mountain biker, and in Northern California, we have a ton of poison oak in the summer.

I discovered Ivy Block which came out a few years ago, and haven't had a problem since. You apply it to your arms and legs **before** going out, sort of like putting on suntan lotion, and voila! -- no poison oak. Really works great. Check it out.

--John Zeisler

Ivy Block
$10
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Enviroderm

* * *
Ask Ed: Marijuana Gold- Trash to Stash
Ed Rosenthal
2003; 178 pages
$11
Amazon

This is a very important book, but it's mistitled. It should be called "The Cannabis Revolution." Three very important things have happened in the marijuana world in the last decade or so: vaporizers, home-made hash, and sophisticated marijuana cookery. It's amazing that imbibers know little or nothing about say, vaporizers. Their pot consciousness is where mine was in the '60s -- the "toke and choke" mentality.

VAPORIZERS refer to vaporizing the cannabinoids (the active ingredient) in the plant at a much lower temperature than smoking, without combusting the leaf. The essence of the high is extracted and the lungs are not being subjected to hot tars. No carcinogens1 Various devices are used to produce a temperature of around 350?. Ed reviews a bunch of vaporizers.

HASH can now be made at home in a very simple process using a number of screens in a 5-gallon bucket and ice water. Voila! (Thus the "trash to stash" subtitle.} You can use "shake" (what's left over after manicuring buds) for the process.

POT COOKING. There's a hash butter recipe using a crockpot, "Mystic Muffins, "Wamm's Mother's Milk," plus many others. Even if you're only an occasional smoker, get this book and listen to Uncle Ed. It's a whole new ball game.

* * *
The Big Book of Buds
Ed Rosenthal
2001; 214 pages; 4-color, soft cover
$14
Amazon

Another advance is the categorizing of pot varieties for effect. In very general terms, sativa for cerebral, high-energy high, indica for stonier, body, buzz high. Growers are dialing in genetics to produce the desirable effect.This 4-color book is a small encyclopedia of the different varieties and the sophisticated breeding going on. "Flo has an energetic, motivating buzz with unusual clarity. This is a true wake and bake pot, great to start the day off right without losing sight of your intentions. The flavor has a floral quality similar to Nepalese temple hash..."

* * *

The Eterra Tulip Vaporizer
I am a long-time (40 years) cannabis user. Since discovering vaporizers I seldom "smoke." My lungs feel a lot better. The taste of the herb is like the essence of the flower and resin. Once the cannabinoids are vaporized, you throw out the herb. This means you're not pulling all that foliage through your lungs. It's a revolution and especially beneficial for those using herbs for medical purposes. A vaporizer that is simple and that I recommend is the Eterra Tulip. It takes a bit of getting used to, but once mastered it's rather elegant, as well as less expensive and complicated than other vaporizers:

Eterra Tulip Vaporizer
$122
Lightwell

Ed Rosenthal, who has been in the news for his efforts to legalize medical marijuana, runs a website with yet more books on cannabis here.

--Dan K. Holly

A super light-weight (only 4 oz.) foam-padded aluminum splint that can be unfolded and bent into almost any shape to conform to almost any part of the body (around the neck, at the elbow, etc.). Re-usable and transparent to X-Rays, which means it can be kept on during scanning. Every expedition doc and EMT crew packs one of these as a standard item. It�s a great thing to have in your car�s first aid kit, or at home, camp, or vacation where you have active people.

SAM Splint
4 1/2� x 9� folded, 36� extended
$16
Chinook Medical Gear
800-766-1365
970-375-1241

Most drugstores sell pathetically lousy tweezers. These are blunt, imprecise instruments suitable for plucking eyebrows, if that. They are useless for medical purposes. What you need is a needle-sharp, stainless steel, surgically precise tool that can remove the teeniest splinter from the smallest toe. What you want is a pair of Tweezermans. Their incredibly sharp points should be protected with a plastic cap. They are a joy to use; I don�t think I�ve failed to get what I was after since using them. Backpackers favor a compact medical tweezers called Uncle Bill�s. It does a fine job, although I prefer the longer handles of Tweezerman.

-- KK

Tweezerman SPA Splinter Tweezers
$14 from Amazon

Uncle Bill's Tweezers
$5.25
Available from Chinook Medical Gear
800-766-1365
970-375-1241

Also from Amazon

For years midwives have been using over-the-counter superglue to "suture" perineal tears after birth. It's better than stitches. Veteran backpackers have been known to pack a tiny tube of super glue for emergency repairs of deep cuts in places where there is no doctor.

Superglue is ethyl-cyanoacrylate. While fine for small cuts, it has several weaknesses when used as a substitute for heavy-duty suturing. An improved version, butyl-cyanoacrylate was developed for heavier surgical repairs, and this stuff was used widely in the Vietnam War to patch up soldiers in the field. Butyl-cyanoacrylate is a little more flexible on a wound than commercial superglue, generates fewer toxic byproducts, and is now commonly used by vets to repair animal wounds. You can buy the stuff as 3M Vetbond. This is also what midwives have started using.

In 2000, the FDA approved a new version of tissue adhesive for human use, sold as Dermabond. This new composition, octyl-cyanoacrylate, is a longer chain, still more flexible, and possess the yet-unexplained ability to inhibit bacterial growth -- a godsend in surgery. It's strong enough that it will likely replace a lot of suturing altogether someday. Small quantities of octyl-cyanoacrylate are sold to non-medicals for "research purposes" -- it's the genuine stuff, only in dispensers that aren't sterilized, and therefore not approved for human use (only animal use).

To use any cyanoacrylate on a wound, keep it on the surface layer of skin, not down in the well of the wound - imagine you are taping the top of the wound together. The glue sloughs off by itself in time.

Despite all the improvements of cyanoacrylate, small amounts of hardware store superglue will work in a pinch. I know a physician who uses ordinary superglue at home on his kid's cuts. A vial of Vetbond would be even better. It's dyed blue so you can easily see where it is on the skin and where it is not, and it is made for cuts.

Vetbond
(Butyl-cyanoacrylate)
3ml
$15
Revival Animal Health
Also from Amazon

Intac SuperGlue
(Ethyl-cyanoacrylate)
$1.15 for 2 g
Nasco Arts & Crafts
800-558-9595

Arthritis has taken its toll on my body. My extremities have few muscles and most of my spinal column is fused. Oddly though, this morphed architecture has created Schwarzeneggerian neck muscles. Recently I've gotten very serious about maintaining my health and exercising. Daily lifting of hand weights has helped me build some decent arm muscles, but it's also made my shoulder/neck muscles EVEN tighter. Brave humanitarian souls have broken parts of themselves trying to massage my shoulders. A typical scene is someone messaging me and they're the one making all of the ugh-ing and uh-ing noises. They usually give up before my knotted muscles do. So, imagine my relief (literally!) when I discovered this gizmo. The Thera-Cane is a curved fiberglass "self-messager." This thing really has balls when it comes to deep tissue message -- 6 of them, in fact-- on various parts of the cane for getting at those hard to reach places. A little amount of pressure applied to the "body" of the cane translates to significant pressure on the balls. I can now pressurize (and release) those gnarly neck muscles to my heart's content, and nobody else has to lose finger joints, knuckles, elbows, etc. No one gets hurt, and my neck (and everything else I can reach) feels SO much better!

-- Gareth Branwyn

$29
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by
Thera Cane

The biggest health risk after an accident at a nuclear plant or a nuclear attack results from exposure to radioactive iodine. Other radioisotopes are dispersed and quickly excreted, but radioiodine is concentrated and retained in the thyroid, increasing your risk of thyroid cancer. Even tiny doses, which can be carried downwind for hundreds of miles, can be harmful. Children are at greatest risk. Taking potassium iodide (KI) before or immediately after exposure saturates your thyroid gland with safe stable iodine so that the uptake of radioactive iodine is blocked. There won't be time to get it when an incident occurs. So if you live downwind of a nuclear plant, or worry about a nuclear attack, you might want to keep some KI tablets at home. (But please note that this may not protect you from the radiation of a terrorist "dirty bomb" made of spent nuclear waste) The FDA recommends keeping a 14-day supply on hand; radioactive iodine has a half-life of eight days. Only two brands have received FDA Approval, Iosat and Thyroblock. Children should take half an adult dose. A related salt, Potasium Iodate, (KIO3) is less bitter, and may stay down better in babies.

-- Tom Ferguson, M.D.

Iosat potassium iodide tablets
(an adult 14-day supply)
$9.50
NukePills.com
866-283-3986
or from Amazon