Penny Pinching Mom

Is Your Pillow Making You Sick?

Pillows aren’t something we think about every day. In fact, unless we work in a pillow factory or the bedding section of the local department store, we probably don’t give them much thought at all until we lay our heads on them at night. But did you ever stop to think about all the stuff that’s in your pillow?

It’s worth considering, especially if you have any type of respiratory health problems. Personally, I have a lot of trouble with my sinuses. I had surgery on them a few years ago, and that improved things, but they still give me a good bit of trouble. And my daughter has allergies and is highly prone to strep. As a matter of fact, she just finished a round of antibiotics for that very thing.

I never really considered the possibility that our pillows could be contributing to these things. Then I watched this video:

Now, our pillows are far from new. Hubby and I bought pillows for our bed about 5 or 6 years ago. He also uses a feather pillow that was handed down from my great-aunt to prop his head up due to his acid reflux, and heaven only knows how old that thing is. As for daughter, she insists on having her head propped up too, and the pillows on her bed range in age from 3 years to who-knows-how-old.

After watching that video, I’m ready to buy some new pillows as soon as possible. But after a while, they would just be in the same shape as those old pillows, right? Well, not necessarily. National Allergy makes some nifty allergen pillows that are designed to keep all that nastiness out. They have a bio-filter that keeps microorganisms from getting into or out of the pillow, eliminating the cause of infections and allergic reactions. They also have a treated cotton shell that prevents any of that junk from growing on the surface, and a membrane that keeps moisture (which provides an optimal environment for bacteria and fungi to grow) from entering the pillow.

I’ve noticed that my sinus problems and the daughter’s allergy symptoms are usually worse in the morning. I’d love to give these pillows a try and see if they make a difference!

Why I’ve Never Been a Flosser

Flossing is one of those things that we all know we should do, but relatively few of us do it regularly. I’m a prime example. I’ve flossed on occasion, but it’s never been one of my favorite activities. And there’s a very simple reason why: because it’s always been a pain for me to do.

And I’m not just talking about it feeling like a chore. After all, brushing your teeth isn’t exactly my idea of fun, but I manage to make myself do it at least twice a day because I want to keep my teeth healthy. But flossing has always been a painful prospect for me. You see, my teeth are very close together, and it’s quite difficult for me to maneuver a strand of floss between them. Just about every time I’ve done it, I’ve ended up hurting my gums because I had to use so much force. Not fun. Plus, by the time I was done, the piece of floss I was using would always be all shredded, leaving pieces between my teeth and not doing its job very well any more.

Then I got the chance to try Dentek Complete Clean Floss. It’s touted as an “easy sliding floss,” and that sounded like it would be right up my alley. So I gave it a whirl.

Once I had the product in hand, the first thing I noticed was its cute little blue and white stripes. But they’re not just for decoration. The floss is actually made from two thin strands of floss that are twisted together, making it easier for it to grip the particles between the teeth. It also means that there are no sharp edges to worry about cutting your gums with. Very nice!

Still a little skeptical, I pulled out a strand and gave it a try. And lo and behold, it did not massacre my gums! I can honestly say that it was the easiest floss to get between my crowded teeth that I’ve ever used. Here’s a video review I did for it:

This awesome product hasn’t yet made flossing a habit for me. That’s something I’ll have to work on after so many years of not doing it very often. But now I don’t dread it. And that’s certainly a step in the right direction.

*This review is a result of a feedback campaign by DenTek Oral Care Inc. The recipients were asked to give their honest opinion about the product they received. Good reviews were not incentivized and poor reviews will not be censored for their opinion of the product.

Lingerie on a Budget

Looking to spice up your love life, but don’t think you can afford lingerie? Bodystockings are totally the way to go. Sure, they’re not much more than an extended pair of pantyhose, but the price is definitely right. You can buy two or three of them for what you would pay for one lingerie set.

You can find some very nice bodystockings at Lingerie Diva. And with Christmas coming up, they would make nice stocking stuffers for the spousal unit. Obviously they’re great for husbands to let their wives know how attractive they find them, but it works nicely the other way around, too. And if your husband’s not so quick to catch on and doesn’t know what it is, you can just give him a wink and tell him you’ll show him later.

Good Shoes Can Do Amazing Things

Being the penny pincher that I am, I have bought my share of cheap shoes. You can find some pretty nice looking footwear for cheap if you know where to look and catch the clearance sales. But these kinds of shoes aren’t usually the best thing for your feet.

Good shoes can obviously prevent a number of foot problems, but did you know they are good for your posture as well? But that’s not all. MBT shoes are designed in such a way that they can actually increase your metabolism and relieve stress on the back and joints. That’s pretty awesome.

These shoes aren’t as cheap as the clearance sale footwear I’m accustomed to, but I wouldn’t mind giving them a try. I could certainly see them paying for themselves through decreased medical bills, especially with my budding knee and back problems. And if they can help me lose some weight, that would be even better.

Why Didn’t This Happen to Me?

Have you heard the story of how Orovo Detox was created? If not, let me summarize it for you:

• Woman watches Oprah episode about 10 foods to eat every day for 10 days to look younger.
• Woman tries eating said foods for 10 days to see if it works.
• Woman doesn’t look younger at the end of 10 days, but has lost 10 pounds and her adult acne.
• Woman develops supplement based on these results, and laughs all the way to the bank.

Awesome story, no? My thoughts:

• Why couldn’t something like that happen to me? and
• Where can I get my hands on some of this stuff?

Herbs for Longevity

Some days (most days lately), I have a hard time convincing myself to get out of bed. It’s not surprising with all that has been going on in my life lately, but it’s more than just that. I have precious little energy, and I just don’t feel really well all that often. My sinuses have been acting up again, and I’m on antibiotics right now for strep. Bleh.

Sometimes I wish there were a magic pill that would just make me feel good all the time. Not a harsh drug or anything, something natural that would make me feel like I did when I was 16: Ready to conquer the world.

I’ve been curious about those longevity supplements that have been making waves lately. Companies such as Biotivia are making herbal supplements that are said to boost your immune system and increase energy and longevity. Interesting.

One of the ingredients used in some of Biotivia’s supplements is Astragalus. It’s a relative of the pea plant that has white or yellow flowers, and the large taproots of 4 to 7 year old plants are used for medicinal purposes. Astragalus contains selenium, which is an antioxidant and immune system stimulant. Sounds like good stuff.

There are also lots of other beneficial herbs used in these supplements. Maybe soon I can give them a try and let you know how it goes.

Cell Phones and Mountains Do Not Mix

I live in a tiny town (if you can even call it a town) way up in the mountains of North Carolina. Cell phone service is extremely spotty around here. I can’t get a signal in my house, and can barely get one on my back porch. Sometimes I have luck if I stand on one foot, tilt my head back slightly, touch my tongue to my nose, and put the phone to my left ear with my right hand. But it’s pretty hard to talk like that.

I have home phone service, so it’s not that big of a deal not getting a signal here. What I don’t like is being on the road without a signal. I hate the thoughts of breaking down or being in an accident on a lightly-traveled road and not being able to call anyone for help. Especially when Pumpkin is with me. When I’m by myself, I’m brave enough to go knock on someone’s door if worse comes to worst. With her, I’d rather not.

What really stinks is when I drive up to visit my mom. She lives a little over an hour away, and it is impossible to get a signal just about the whole way up there. I went to see her the other day, and fortunately I didn’t need to use my phone on the way up. But when I got there, the door was locked and she was in a room where she couldn’t hear the doorbell. I tried to call her and tell her to let me in, and it took me 20 minutes of walking around her house to get a good enough signal to get through.

As you might imagine, I would love to have a mobile cell phone booster. If you’ve never heard of them, they are portable devices that are easy to install in your car. They consist of an antenna, amplifier, and power supply. Using one of those can get you a much better signal. It can also increase your cell phone’s battery life, because it won’t use so much juice looking for a signal.

The SignalBoost mobile cell phone booster comes in a nice, portable vented bag, similar to those that once held bag phones. So you can take it with you in the car wherever you go, and easily move it to another car if needed. It also comes with an AC adapter, so you can use it in the house. That would come in handy if we were ever without phone service. I want one!