LegendaryLife.com Blog

Sexual health is as important as proper diet and exercise regimen, as such, Trojan Vibrating Rings has been unleashed upon the marketplace.

Features

Trojan found out, to nobodies surprise, that 44% of females where using vibrating products to enhance their sexual experiences, so sticking a vibrating mechanism on a condom is quite a logical step. Each pack contains both a latex condom and the vibrating ring for the price of 9$, they will be available in limited markets across North American due to outdated religiously based laws on their sectarian books.

There is both a standard (one vibrator) version and an extreme with… you guessed it… two vibrating mechanisms! I hope this doesn’t end up becoming like the race by razor companies where each six months they release a blade with yet another blade (up to 5 so far).

What I wish they had

These are a great idea except you cannot re-use the vibrating ring, so expect a few stunned birds at the local landfill if they happen to peck within the wrong garbage mound.

The Bottom Line

A popular Beach Boys song comes to mind…

Reference
http://www.trojanvibratingring.com/
Buzvia: CrunchGear

Every once in a while, you see a product that makes you think… now, why didn’t I think of that! This is such a product at least to me. Well, it’s what is referred to as a carpet alarm!

Features

Tired of waking up to an alarm clock that is easily forgotten or worse, thrown across the room for disturbing your dreams with a certain celebrity? Well, the Carpet Alarm resolves that problem and more! Designed by Sofie Collin and Gustav Lanberg, the Carpet Alarm forces you to actually get out of bed and stand (ei: put force) onto the carpet to make it shut-up. The farther away from your bed you put this item, the more likely it is to wake you up as you need to move your body that much further away from the bed to turn it off. It also has an internal LCD screen to indicate the time… how cool is that!

The Bottom Line

If you need this product, you need to see a psychiatrist as this will simply be yet another helpful tool that ends up being thrown out the window.

Reference
http://crunchgear.com/2007/06/22/the-carpet-alarm-clock-go-ahead-step-on-it/
http://www.yankodesign.com/index.php/2007/06/19/carpet-alarm-clock/

There are few tests that cause so much debate as the 60 second HIV test. Gone are the days when you need to wait weeks to find out IF you have acquired HIV Disease and I believe this is a good thing.

Test Details

The 60 second HIV test is just as accurate as the old “up to 3 weeks” laboratory test still routinely performed today. The test comes in a kit called the INSTI HIV-1 Rapid Antibody Test which is manufactured by bioLytical Laboratories and works by detecting the antibodies to Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 in blood, serum or plasma. INSTI HIV-1 Rapid Antibody Test kit contains the INSTI Membrane Units, sample diluent, color developer and clarifying solution. The nice thing about this test is that it can sense Recombinant HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteins. In case you where wondering, the test cost 8 dollars in Canadian Funds. Heck, I think these should be mandatory when ever you enter into a new relationship as 30% of the people with HIV Disease in North America don’t even know they have it!

60 Second Ramifications

Some people argue that waiting weeks for a test result will make people think twice about potentially exposing themselves to HIV Disease in the future while others say that this in itself is preventing many people who would otherwise get the test, to infect others. I guess it depends on the person facing this possibly life altering test result, if it was me, I would prefer to know right away instead of having three weeks of sleepless nights for what may end up being nothing. No matter your feelings, the advantages are great, especially before making any kind of contact (sexual or otherwise) with a new partner. Sure, it isn’t sexy but hey, neither is the pill regimen that must be taken if you do end up with HIV Disease.

The Bottom Line

Prevention is always the best course of action when faced with a life altering disease.

Reference
bioLytical Laboratories http://www.biolytical.com/
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/06/22/ont-hiv-070622.html

What happens when chopsticks dates a spoon? Well, the kid ends up becoming a Froggetmee. Chopsticks are actually very easy to use once you get the hang of it, they are a eating utensil that has distinct advantages over the western spoon, fork and knife routine. They are easier to clean, easier to eat with (even rice) and far cheaper. The disadvantages of chopsticks is that unless you enjoy slurping your food, forget about soup or foods laden with sauce. The favorite of camping enthusiasts, the spork has been on the marketplace since the wheel was invented, I suspect that it’s the same with the froggetmee… the only difference is somebody finally decided to make a business out of them.

Features

The Froggetmee is made out of plastic, although it isn’t hard to imagine a day when they are made of wood and other materials. They measure 11 inches long and where awarded “good design 2006” by the Chicago Athenaeum (Museum of Architecture and Design). The only problem I can see with the Froggetmee is if you alternate between using the spoon section and the chopsticks section, you will end up with dirty and unhygienic hands indeed. I think I will stick to my western eating utensils for western food and eastern eating utensils for, well, eastern food!

The Bottom Line

The Froggetmee is a nice idea whose practicability is somewhat dubious.

Buzzvia http://www.uberreview.com/2007/06/froggetmee-eating-with-chopsticks-made-easier.htm

I am unsure where this comes from but I have yet to date an Asian woman who isn’t obsessed with cleaning out their ears on a regular basis. Well, thanks to this new wonderful USB powered ear scope, they can now amuse themselves even more to make sure their ears are 100% clean.

Do we need to clean our ears?

Unless you have a medical problem where this may be necessary, there is no need to clean out your ears on a regular basis. I have gotten away with 31 years of ear cleaning neglect and I can report that I have perfect hearing, I had no problem putting in hearing plugs when I drove my motorbike nor clearing water out after swimming. You see, our bodies have their own ways to getting rid of substances through our bodies various orifices. If you have ear pain, go see the doctor. The bigger concern about personal ear clearing is causing damage to the ear drum or ear canal.

The Bottom Line

Some beauty procedures may cause more harm then good, I consider ear cleaning one of these.

References
http://www.thanko.jp/usbearscope/
(buzzvia gizmodo)

I saw this video and was truly inspired, this guy flies a jet engine strapped onto his back and literally allows him to FLY! Hey, those are the Swiss Alps… no problem!

What is this doing on this site?

Well, take a look at the guy flying, he is approaching 50 years old! Add this to the list of things you MUST do within your lifetime, sure makes keeping yourself in top shape throughout your lifetime worth it huh? Just think, each time to junk food, you are a dollar closer to affording this and your body will be in that much better shape to handle the g-forces! It’s a win / win no matter how you cut it! Health is about far more then just hitting the gym and eating… it’s about getting the most out of your body THROUGHOUT your life to experienced the most out of the gift of life that you where given.

JetCat Information

As the site is in German, I will translate some of the information for you! This jet pack is manufactured by JetCat Germany and they have extensive turbo-jet engine production experience. I noticed on the video that there where six jet packs (that I could see) on the wings so my guess is you wanted one of these babies, your looking at at least 15-25 thousand dollars US, that is, if they will sell you one.

The guy in the video

As Yves Rossy has a web site in French, I guess I need to translate that for you as well! Yves has extensive flying experience from being a co-pilot for Boeing 747 Swissair to flying over a thousand hours at Mach 2 in a military jet. He has over 1100 parachute, skysurfs and other drops using prototypes under his belt. He was born in 1959. Suffice it to say, he knows what he is doing and has trained his body to handle the stresses involved with flying a JetCat!

Would I do this

Absolutely! It would probably take a few months of training as you don’t want it to be a one way trip but being a pilot myself, this is the equivalent of driving a car vs riding a motorcycle but for the air.

The Bottom Line

You are never too old to dream but a neglected body cannot implement them.

References
http://www.jetcat.de/
http://jet-man.com

When I was a kid, pedal boats came in all shapes and sizes but they where not very efficient. Those swans you rent out by the half hour where like pedaling up a 45 percent grade using a bike with flat tires!

Things have changed!

Modern pedal boats are build using light materials, gone are the days of steel frame supports. Most come with canopies so you don’t get a bad sunburn when visiting the local wildlife and best of all, they are a fantastic way to have a very active few hours, even if all you do is tie it with a rope in your pool! If you want to really go high-end, some of these pedal boats even have gears (like on a bike) to really get you moving.

Pedal boats… what’s not to love?

I like pedal boats because you never need to worry about running out of gas if you bring enough food with you, sure they get pushed by the wind but this is an advantage. You can pedal at one end of a lake then allow the wind to push you back to where you started while trolling for fish. They also produce very little noise (when not on) and some even come with glass bottoms so you can see underneath at what is going on. You can also sneak up on wildlife relatively easily to get the best photographs. If you have kids, pedal boats are great, they will get exhausted after a few hours and sleep early all while building up their neuro-muscular pathways!

Where can you get one?

Here is a directly link to… Get your very own Pedal Boat!
The Bottom Line

Healthy activities are abound if you open your eyes.

I have used Oral-B electric toothbrushes for years now along with a waterjet irrigator that lasts but a few months a pop due to the salt I add to the water to kill bacteria. After a session of these two, my mouth is as sterile as an operating room!

Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide Features

This new electric toothbrush features a pressure sensor, separate timer display for cleaning duration which you can stick anywhere you wish, interchangeable heads that are compatible with old “pro-level” Oral-B toothbrushes, MicroPulse brush head technology and a visual display on the toothbrush itself that lets you know how much power is left in the toothbrush itself.

Why do we need this?

Apparently, Oral-B (a division of Proctor and Gamble) has found out that few people brush their teeth for the full 2 minutes recommended by dentists. A visual display that isn’t attached to the toothbrush makes sense as you can get instant feedback as to how much cleaning is left to be done. Otherwise, there isn’t much reason to upgrade to the latest and greatest in my opinion when it’s released.

Features I wish the Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide had

I wish this toothbrush had technology to tell us when we a mouth is actually clean… maybe all you need is 30 seconds instead of two minutes, using a timer isn’t very helpful in this case. Another great feature is if they could stick a UV light and a red diode light to both kill bacteria and promote healing of the gums. The vibrations, rotations etc. are great but I am sure there can be much more thrown in even if it uses up all the battery power in 2 minutes, most toothbrushes stay in their charger when not in use anyways.

Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide ETA

They already have promo pictures of the Oral-B Triumph with SmartGuide so my guess is that it will be widely available once September hits as they are probably ramping up production for worldwide release as we speak. Regardless, expect to begin seeing it in a few months.

The Bottom Line

I like the pressure indicator that warns your putting too much pressure on your teeth and gums but wish it had a bit more anti-bacterial technology under the hood. Wireless timer is neat but old Oral-B toothbrushes already had indicators for this so I fail to see a reason to upgrade from an earlier model that still works.

References
Proctor and Gamble Corporate German Newsletter
http://www.de.pg.com/presse/newsletter/PG_Newsletter_Mai_07.pdf
Originally seen in CrunchGear article

Like many other people interested in “peak” health, I have read up and discussed anabolic steroid use with both users and health practitioners - consequently I have learned a lot about anabolic steroids. I have skimmed over a lot of information on purpose - it is up to you to educate yourself.

Essentially it comes down to health practitioners and politicians who say NO and people deeply involved in their own health being either on the fence or dabbing in it.

What are steroids and how do they work?

Anabolic steroids are the synthetic derivatives of the naturally occurring male anabolic hormone testosterone. Testosterone is a hormone that is responsible for the secondary sex characteristics you see in males such as deep voice, body hair etc. It helps in the burning of fat and increases protein synthesis (ei: more and faster muscle buildup).

Although there is a very large variation in the amount of testosterone produced by a healthy male throughout their lifetime, the testes produce between 50 and 70 mg (milligram) a week, usually peaking in the mid 20s. Woman also produce testosterone, but in far lesser quantities. What athletes are doing with steroids is simply augmenting their natural production artificially, usually several fold.

Although their exact working mechanism is still unknown, it is theorized that it they prevent muscle breakdown (catabolism) after an intense workout and greatly accelerates muscle protein synthesis.

This stuff actually works

Honestly, I would love to add an extra 50lbs of muscle onto my frame increase my overall strength and have the body of my dreams. Unlike 99.9% of the supplements sold at your local health food store, anabolic steroids actually do work - when mixed with the proper diet, exercise, growth hormones, IGF-1, insulin, post cycle therapy etc- its quite dramatic what can be achieved in 1-2 years of a carefully executed regime. Unlike what you may read, steroids are not the lazy mans muscle builder, if you don’t eat and exercise correctly; you will get nothing from taking them. More importantly, the stronger your foundation is BEFORE you take them, the better you will respond and be able to keep the gains made.

To take or not to take?

I think it’s a very personal issue whether to go to what term the “dark side of athleticism”. I have seriously considered taking them myself but let me tell you why I chose NOT to take that route.

Steroids are incredibly easy to secure, the fact that many countries consider them “illegal” simply makes for a larger markup by suppliers. Laws do very little to curb their use and I would argue once again that prohibition does nothing but harm those who are uneducated before taking the plunge. Do not fool yourself in believing availability equals safety; they can still cause lifelong disruptions in your hormonal balance which may lead to both psychological and physiological consequences.

My main reason oddly is health related, remember those “Popeye the Sailor Man” comics, for those unfamiliar with the character, when his girlfriend would get in trouble, he would chug down a can of spinach and develop a super human body that would allow him to save her. Well, when executed as part of an overall plan, your body is working 200%+ at making your dream body a reality. This has negative side effects that aren’t fully realized until you really get “off the juice”. You go from giving your body all the testosterone it wants to 0 (you must get completely off eventually) but your body doesn’t adapt that quickly so if your lucky, with proper post cycle therapy your body will return to its normal balance. You will still slowly loose your gains regardless, there is nothing you can take other then more steroids to get those gains back and keep growing beyond your natural genetic potential. Many bodybuilders as a result refer to steroids use as two-steps up and one-step down system. I simply do not see myself doing this to my body; I believe mine deserves better then a hormonal roller coaster ride.

Natural Realistic Results

With proper diet, exercise, sleep and monitoring - anybody can develop the body they desire (within reason). Sure I may never be a solid 250lbs guy with 25-inch arms and a six-pack but when I consider the emotional, physical and financial costs of introducing “supplements”, right now it doesn’t bother me very much. I am very happy with the slow but steady gains I can produce with my bodies own testosterone supply. I have great admiration and respect for what bodybuilders and other athletes are able to achieve either on or off the sauce, I am a great fan of bodybuilding. I simply realize that the life they lead not one I wish to proceed with at this point in my life.

Will I ever take steroids?

I honestly do not know. I love my body and what it is able to do for me, and I continue to feed it a steady diet to keep is as healthy as possible. I have seen many articles about how older men benefit greatly from testosterone augmentation. There is no such thing as a testosterone overdose nor can you die from using it, unlike what you may read, the health “costs” are negligible as long as you are monitored by a doctor and do not abuse them. All those horrible stories you hear from users are those who didn’t know what they where doing to begin with. As for me, time will tell me if and when I need them.

The Bottom Line

Educate yourself about a product before you take a plunge, read as many sources as possible (both “for” and against), then make your own personal decision. I, for one, would not stop politics from either side, in getting in the way of my own goals in life.

UPDATE - May 28, 2006

Here is a fantastic report about Steroids in Health Men
http://www.steroidlaw.com/images/steroids_0002.wmv

Against

Steroids use is NOT an HIV risk factor anymore then diabetes testing is. Ignorant scare tactics and absolute rubish have no place in this discussion - use a new needle each time & don’t share them and you don’t need to ever worry about HIV
Fastastic Educational Resource
Anabolex.com

Fantastic site! Learn from users, see how others have faired over months and years then make up your own mind.

For the past 6 years, I have been producing my own pure water at a fraction of bottled water using city water. If you want to be healthy, you got to start with the quality of your water as it is essential for just about every bodily function.

Reverse Osmosis VS Distillation

For me, the choice was easy, the two leading methods of water purification are reverse osmosis and distillation. The main advantage to reverse osmosis is that it uses filters, which means you can produce water, as you need it. This is also a huge drawback because you need to keep buying these filters and my guess is that water quality slowly degrades as the filters fill up with gunk. The other method, distillation, uses no filters and simply captures the steam from boiling the water in an enclosed capsule. The huge advantage to this is you purchase it once without any ongoing expense other then electricity but the disadvantage is you may have to wait for the water (run it over night and this isn’t a problem).

Distilled water controversy

There seems to be a controversy regarding drinking distilled water, the main one is you ONLY have H2O (2 Hydrogen atoms and 1 Oxygen atom), everything is taken out - including minerals and fluoride. This is the reason why I bought mine in the first place! I want all that stuff out of my water! Since when is water considered as a way to supplement an inadequate diet? Toothpaste has fluoride by the way
I have also heard that distilled water is bad for your organs as it leaches out minerals from your own body, this is a property that all water types have - the hydrogen and oxygen molecules making up water hate being alone. Generally speaking, the purer the water, the more aggressive an absorber it becomes (both toxic and helpful ones to the body) BUT a healthy diet provides more then enough nutritional compounds for the body to offset this loss. If you want to start comparing leaching agents, alcohol and carbonated drinks are far more effective in the body at leaching then water. This is a fact often lost in the statistics and studies shown against the use of distilled water.

Why are distillation systems so hard to find?

Simple answer is a 5-letter word that starts with G and finishes with D. Listen, if you could purchase 1 system and never need anything else for 10-15 years, those companies would go out of business. They push reverse osmosis (and other systems) for a reason; you need to keep coming in to purchase filters and equipment. If they try to pull this on you, go somewhere else - they don’t have your health in mind, only their bottom line.

The Bottom Line

If you want pure cheap water, get a distillation system. They range from a few hundred to a few thousand depending on the quality you need. For one person, a counter top version produces more then enough for cooking and drinking. Nothing comes close to the quality of water it produces short of mixing hydrogen gas with oxygen gas. From all that I have read, I have come to the conclusion with a good diet, distilled water is superior to “polluted” water in every way except one, the profit margins for other companies.

Additional Information
I have not cited any scientific studies regarding the effects of distilled water on the body, I consider them flawed and to narrow in scope as they do not take into account diet (before, during or after the study), exercise (amount or type) and medical history of the people involved. This is a HUGE and glaring hole in their methodology, enough to make them worthless in my opinion.
“No to distilled water” camp
Lenntech_Water treatment &_Air Purification
Dr. Joseph Mercola
Dr. Rona Zoltan
“Yes to distilled water” camp
Durastill Export
Living Nutrition
Dr. Ron Kennedy