WORKING OUT AT THE BRAIN GYM? SOAK IN YOUR HOT TUB FIRST!

March 30, 2009 By Alice 1 Comment

Last Friday’s Wall Street Journal had an article about “brain gyms”.  Especially popular with baby boomers who want to stay sharp, brain gyms offer a number of ways to work out on 20 computer stations loaded with “mental fitness” software, including a “neurobics circuit” that purports to stretch the brain.

The Journal reports that thousands of Americans are choosing to join a small, but growing, number of “brain gyms” springing up around the country. Similar brain-teaser programs are available on home computers, sometimes free of charge. The scientific jury is still out on the efficacy of such software.

The centerpiece of most outlets is a computer lab equipped with software from companies with names like Posit Science Corp., CogniFit Ltd., Lumos Labs Inc. and Happy Neuron Inc. Like gym rats who hit the weight machines or take Pilates classes, some users of the new technology say they prefer working with personal trainers. In this context, sessions are spent doing things like mental-fitness assessments and relaxation exercises in addition to basic cognitive training.

Even community centers and retirement homes are offering “brain gyms” to help residents stay sharp.

Have you joined a brain gym or do brain “exercise” online?  If so, increase your performance by soaking in your hot tub BEFORE a session.  The increased blood flow to the brain as a result of soaking helps with alertness and mental acuity!  Do a controlled test on yourself.  Do the “exercises” without soaking for a week. Then, soak and do the “exercises”.  Send us your results!

Your health-mental and physical is your most important asset. Soaking is good for you in more ways than one!

SANUM PER AQUA Latin for Health Through Water.

  • Share/Bookmark
Filed Under Health Tips, Hot Tub Lifestyle Tagged With brain exercises, Brain gym, CogniFit Ktd, exercise to increase cognistion, Happy Neuron Inc., hot tub, hot tubbing, hot tubbing is good for the brain, hot tubs, increase mental fitness: soak in your hot tub, Lumos Labs Inc., mental fitness, mental health, Posit Science Corporation

STAY HYDRATED WHILE HOT TUBBING

March 27, 2009 By Alice Leave a Comment

Surprise: my doctor does not encourage his patients to drink eight glasses of water a day!  He believes that 8 glasses will deplete vitamins and minerals as well as interfere with bodily functions in most people. But he does acknowledge that too little water can have negative effects on your body and mood, resulting in stress. In fact, once you start to feel thirsty, you’re already somewhat dehydrated.  Research has shown that if you’re mildly dehydrated, you’ll feel more tired, drained and less able to concentrate.

A 2001 study found that mild water restriction (no fluids from midnight to 11AM-just as you would experience when you’re going to have surgery) had a negative effect on self-measured alertness.

Your weight and activity level, the air temperature and humidity all affect fluid needs and some people take longer to dehydrate than others.  It’s always a good idea to drink a glass of water before or after soaking in your hot tub to make sure you’re hydrated enough.  Think of hot tubbing as exercise which it is! All of the many of the effects of exercise are present when you’re hot tubbing-increased circulation, blood flow and increase in heart rate per minute.  So just as you would drink water before and after exercise, be sure to drink it while hot tubbing.

We like unflavored, ice-cold San Pellegrino (Trader Joe’s carries it). It has the right blend of minerals for our taste and the carbonation’s not overdone.  It’s very refreshing winter or summer. If you’re in a celebrating mood: try Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider. Almost like proseco or champagne.  Whatever your choice, just don’t make it alcohol which is a depressant and very dehydrating. And, use plastic glasses!

What’s your favorite hot tub beverage (non-alcoholic, of course)?

SANUM PER AQUA-Latin for Health through water

  • Share/Bookmark
Filed Under Hot Tub Bliss, Hot Tub Health Benefits, Hot Tub Lifestyle Tagged With drink water while hot tubbing, health and hot tubs, health and hot water, hot tub, Hot Tub Lifestyle, hot tubbing is like exercise, hot tubs. hot tubbing, physiological effects of hot tubbing on the body., San Pellegrino, stay healthy when hot tubbing, stay hydrated while hot tubbing

DR. OZ RAVES ABOUT INFRARED SAUNAS ON OPRAH’S SHOW

March 25, 2009 By Alice Leave a Comment

Dr. Mehmet Oz, “America’s Doctor”, hosted a show on life extension yesterday and showed Oprah everything from calorie restriction diets to magical powder that could re-grow a finger!  Most of the products could be life extenders, but at great cost. Most of the inventions were far from being accessible to the average person. Either the cost was prohibitive or the practical application far in the future.  But, we were thrilled to see that he selected an infrared sauna as a great product for life extension. And, only the infrared sauna was affordable, widely available and ready for anyone to purchase and use now for the great health benefits he described.

Up to now, infrared saunas have been a product that are featured on the internet, but not much is know about them. You might say they were a “fringe”product. Are they for real? Are they healthy? Do the results live up to the hype?  Well, yesterday, Dr. Oz told the infrared sauna story! And, yes, infrared saunas are the “real deal”.

He raved about infrared saunas which he said make the same rays that come from the sun and filters out the UV radiation leaving only the infrared radiation which is not dangerous at all.  “That radiation that’s infrared goes a little bit into your skin (deeper than a traditional steam sauna) , without heating you or the external environment too much ( Note: the air stays cool. There’s no claustrophobic feeling which some people feel in a traditional steam sauna). It heats the body up.”  Dr. Oz says that the high temperature the body feels helps lower blood pressure and increase blood circulation.  “It gets your heart to beat faster, and it burns calories,” says Dr. Oz. “It raises your metabolism a little bit, and also when you sweat, you sweat out toxins through the skin. He even claimed that one could burn 700 calories in a half hour session without exercising!

Lower blood pressure, increased blood circulation, release of toxins AND weight loss (although 700 calories does seems like a big claim)!! What are you waiting for??  For quality of life and, perhaps, life extension, using an infrared sauna is one of the best things you can do for your health! Take it from Dr. Oz.

Check out our Olympic website for more on infrared saunas’ health benefits and how to use one for maximum effect.  There’s no time like right now to improve every aspect of your health!

Saunas-the good sweat.

  • Share/Bookmark
Filed Under Sauna Health Benefits, Sauna Lifestyle, Saunas Tagged With better health, burn calories, Dr. Oz, health benefits of infrared saunas, how to use an infrared sauna for maximum benefit, increase blood circulation, infrared saunas, life extension, lose weight, lower blood pressure, Olympic Hot Tub Company, Oprah show, sweat out toxins

HOT TUB OWNER USES HIS TUB DAILY

March 21, 2009 By Alice Leave a Comment

Here’s an email I received on Monday from Karen in our Fife store:

I just had a water care customer in this morning who had purchased a Prodigy (Hot Spring Spa) from me. It’ll be 4 years in August. He’s an older gentleman, I’d say over (just guessing) 70 years old. He was asking about our new line and saying how much he loves his. I asked him if he would be willing to write down his feelings about Hot Spring and he did. The words aren’t anything I guess we haven’t heard before but his appreciation was so heartfelt… when I got to the bottom of his comments, I was quite moved… as I knew he really meant it.  I knew you’d appreciate reading what he had to say:

“I am on my second hot tub from Olympic. The first one was used for over 11 years. It is absolutely wonderful. The present one is essentially maintenance free. Only need to change the water once a year. The Everfresh sanitation system is wonderful and makes cleaning a breeze.

I use it daily and am not sure I would be here with out it.

Absolutely wonderful.”

Marvin Holcomb

This is a real example of SANUM PER AQUA- Latin for Health Through Water.

  • Share/Bookmark
Filed Under Hot Tub Bliss, Hot Tub Health Benefits, Hot Tub Lifestyle Tagged With EverFresh water care system essentially maintenance fre, health, Hot Spring is absolutely wonderful, Hot spring Prodigy Spa, Hot Spring Spa, Hot Spring Spa from Olympic essentially maintenance fre, Hot Spring Spa owner says its absolutely wonderful, hot tub, Hot Tub Health Benefits, hot tub owner uses tub daily, hot tub soaking daily, hot tubbing, longevity, love my Hot Spring Spa, low maintenance hot tub, low maintenance spa, Olympic Hot Tub Company, Spring

MORE ON HOT TUBBING AND THE BRAIN

March 19, 2009 By Alice 2 Comments

Continuing our celebration of Brain Awareness Week, I’m reminded of what many customers call their hot tubs: “think tanks.”  Years ago I sold a Hot Spring Classic to a woman who had been working 6 -10 hour days a week.  When she got the tub and began to use it every night after a long day, she was surprised to find that her mind relaxed so much that new ideas bubbled up.  She soon had an idea percolating that when put in place would allow her earn twice as much in half the time. She never did share her secret for making twice the income in half the time, but her use of the hot tub as a “think tank” was a turning point for her and many, many others since.

So take a cue from Rodin’s “The thinker”.  We all need a place to get away and think..if not to think, to calm the chattering brain and sort out all the input from the day. The world is becoming more complex everyday and as we try to keep up, our brains which were designed for far less input are not able to keep up.  Give yourself and your brain a break by soaking in your hot tub nightly to restore your mind and to let those great ideas bubble up. You really will get your best ideas while relaxing in your hot tub aka think tank.  I guarantee it!

If you’ve gotten a terrific idea while soaking in your think tank, share it, won’t you?

SANUM PER AQUA- Latin for Health through Water.


  • Share/Bookmark
Filed Under Health Tips, Heart Bliss, Hot Tub Lifestyle, Lessons I Learned, Stress Relief Tagged With best ideas while soaking in a hot tub, Brain Awareness week, deep relaxation, health benefits of a hot tub, health benefits of hot tubbing, hot tub, Hot Tub Lifestyle, hot tubbing, hot tubs, new ways to use the hot tub, place to think, reasons to get a hot tub, relax in a hot tub, relax in peace, stress relief, think tank, use the hot tub as a think tank

HOT TUBBING AND YOUR BRAIN

March 16, 2009 By Alice Leave a Comment

Last Friday night my husband and I went to a dinner party where the guest of honor was John Medina, author of “Brain Rules” . Dr. Medina has dual professorships at the University of Washington and Seattle Pacific University where he is involved with an institute on the brain and learning. I’ve been wanting to meet him since I read his book last year. He didn’t disappoint. What a fascinating evening.  He is passionate about the brain and research into how the brain learns and functions at its best.

Turns out, he is an Olympic Hot Tub Company customer! He and his wife own a Vanguard model Hot Spring Spa-our #1 best selling model. When we were introduced to him and told him that we owned a hot tub company, he said: I hope it’s Olympic. I’ve had such good service from them.”  How great was that to hear!!

His book, “Brain Rules” outlines 12 rules for taking care of your brain. #3 is STRESS as in stress reduction! He documents the effects on the brain while under stress. Learning is far diminished and the brain can’t function at it’s normal rate.  Did you know that stress damages cognition in every way that cognition can be measured?  The human brain is designed to function when we’re walking 20 km a day and eating small bites along the way. That’s the opposite of what we do to ourselves in a sedentary world punctuated with big meals at long intervals.  To survive, the brain needs increased blood flow..aerobic exercise is a key!  And, soaking, yes, soaking in your hot tub will help, too.  Hot tubbing increases circulation!

I’m not suggesting that you give up aerobic activity in favor of sitting and soaking. But as you will see in the next few posts that when immersed in water, the volume of blood in your chest cavity and in your heart increases dramatically. This is due to the hydrostatic pressure on your body and the effects of being in a buoyant state: Your heart’s ability to pump blood goes up, while at the same time, your heart rate goes down. Your cardiovascular system becomes far more efficient, and that affects just about every function of the human body including the brain.

Stay tuned. More on this in the days to come as we celebrate BRAIN AWARENESS WEEK March 16-22.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health Through Water.

  • Share/Bookmark
Filed Under Health Tips, Hot Tub Health Benefits, Stress Relief Tagged With "Brain Rules", aerobic exercise for stress relief, Brain Awareness week, brains can't function well under stress, Dr. John Medina, Hot Spring Spa, Hot Spring Spa Vanguard model, hot tub, hot tubbing, hot tubs, hot tubs and the brain, Olympic Hot Tub Company service, Olympic Hot Tub Compay, soak in a hot tub to think better, stress damages congition, stress kills, stress relief thru hot tubbing, think better with a hot tub

OLYMPIC HOT TUB COMPANY DONATES RECYCLED CARDBOARD FOR EARTHCORPS’ HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS

March 14, 2009 By Alice Leave a Comment

Earthcorps is an amazing nonprofit that started right here in Seattle.  They recruit young people ages 18-25 from the US and all over the world to come here and learn about trail and habitat restoration.  The leaping salmon is their logo for this year as they restore watershed habitat for salmon runs. They work through the cold and rainy winters on steep slopes and stinging nettle and blackberry infested areas.  Over 850 young people have graduated from the program in the past 10 years and gone back to their homes in Mongolia, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Ecuador and Kenya to name just a few.  They and the US graduates have gone on to leadership positions in environmental efforts in their countries.

You’re probably thinking what does this have to do with hot tubs? I first heard of Earthcorps in 1998 when they came to restore the ravine behind our home. The neighbors on the ravine had all pitched in, but we didn’t have the expertise and skill to work on steep slopes. Earthcorps crew members did. To my surprise they used cardbard boxes to eradicate (control) blackberry.  First they hacked the blackberry to the ground-grueling, tiresome work. Then they dug the biggest root balls out. Finally they placed cardboard boxes flat on the ground, pinned them down with stakes and covered over with bark and mulch.  In 6 months or so, the area was ready to be planted in native species..right through the cardboard. Using the cardboard is ingenious! It blocks the light so the blackberry can’t grow and the native plants have a chance to survive with out competition from blackberries.

The cardboard comes from our Olympic Hot Tub cover boxes!  Giving the cover boxes to Earthcorps is only one of many things we do to reduce, reuse and recycle. Olympic chooses to be green!

We’ve been supplying Earthcorps with as much of the cardboard from our hot tub covers as they can take since that first meeting. They love the big boxes which are approximately 3′ x 7′.  What a relief to cover such a big area after using boxes from grocery stores which cover a much smaller area. The boxes are very sturdy. And, if there is a secret to getting rid of invasive blackberry, Earthcorps using this method, has found it.

So-a win/win. The cardboard doesn’t go to a landfill; Earthcorps has essential material for their restoration efforts at no cost and together we have seen restoration efforts blossom all over Seattle and the Eastside. It doesn’t get any better than that!

SANUM PER AQUA.  Latin for Health through Water.

  • Share/Bookmark
Filed Under Green Tubs, Lessons I Learned Tagged With blackberry eradication, cardboard recycled for habitat restoration, Earthcorps, free cardboard used for restoration efforts, habitat restoration, hot tub, hot tub cover boxes used for habitat restoration, hot tubbing, hot tubs, native plants, native plants restoration projects in Seattle, Olympic Hot Tub Company donates cardboard to Earthcorps, restoration of salmon habitat, salmon runs, salmon runs restored in Seattle, trail restoration, watershead restoration, watershed restoration projects Bellevue.

HOT TUBBING IN THE MOONLIGHT

March 12, 2009 By Alice Leave a Comment

Last night it felt bitter cold dashing out to the hot tub wrapped only in a towel. But, sinking into the hot water up to our chins swept all memory of cold away. The full moon over our rooftop deck shone down so brightly that we didn’t need lights in or out of the tub. Jets on, steam rising, muscles relaxing, we had a heart to heart talk about the ups and downs of the day as we bobbled in the hot water.  (For the record we keep out winter time temperature at 104 degrees) .  So, a scare at the doctor’s turned out to be nothing ( what a relief!).  We owe less in taxes than we thought. And, the stock market may have hit bottom and begun to inch it’s way up.

There are all sorts of things to feel gratitude about. Life looked pretty good last night. And, hot tubbing in the moonlight made it even better.

Life still looks rosy this morning. After soaking in the tub, I slept like a baby. The sun is shining. It’s great to live in Seattle. And, even better to own a hot tub company that makes our customers happy every day.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

  • Share/Bookmark
Filed Under Hot Tub Bliss, Hot Tub Lifestyle Tagged With best place for a heart to heart talk with your spouse:, best place for relaxing: a hot tub in the moonlight, better sleep after hot tub soak, better sleep with a hot tub, get a hot tub for great conversations with your spouse, have a heart to heart talk with your spouse in a hot tu, health, hot tubbing, hot tubbing in the moonlight, hot tubs, life in Seattle is good, Olympic Hot Tub Company, sleep all night after hot tubbing, talk to your spouse in a hot tub, well being, wintertime hot tub temperature 104 degrees

MORE WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR GOLF GAME! SEE US A THE GOLF SHOW THIS WEEKEND

March 11, 2009 By Alice Leave a Comment


The Seattle Golf show is the largest golf show on the West Coast. You won’t want to miss it. If it ever stops snowing (and it will, have faith!), you’ll want to be prepared for a great golfing season.  We’ll be there with our Finnleo Saunas and Hot Spring Spas (both great choices for improving your game-ask us how!!) as well as a host of other exhibitors who are all dedicated to one thing: improving your game! Go to www.seattlegolfshow.com for hours and a list of all special events.

2009 Seattle Golf Show
March 13-15
Qwest field event center

  • Share/Bookmark
Filed Under Hot Tub Health Benefits, Hot Tub Lifestyle Tagged With golf, great jets in Hot Spring Spas, health, Hot Spring Spas, hot tub exercises, Hot Tub Lifestyle, hot tub soaking loosens tight shoulder muscles, hot tubbing, hot tubs, hot water health, improve your golf game by soaking in a hot tub, Olympic Hot Tub Company, Olympic Hot Tub Company hot tub exercises, Seattle Golf Show, soaking before playing improves golf game, well being

WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR GOLF GAME? SOAK IN A HOT TUB

March 11, 2009 By Alice Leave a Comment

If you’re frustrated by your lack of progress on the links, it may be because your muscles aren’t warmed up when you begin play.  Many avid golf and tennis players find that soaking in a hot tub for 20 minutes before play is a way to loosen tight shoulder muscles. Many hot tubs, such as Hot Spring Spas, feature jets that specifically concentrate on the upper back, getting those tight shoulders to loosen.

An old favorite exercise from the 1920’s has made a comeback that will help, too. What you ask? Indian club swinging! They’re not just for old musty boxing gyms anymore.  Many trainers (including mine: Cody Moss at Survival of the Fitness in Seattle) are using Indian clubs to get rid of “computer shoulders’-the slump that comes from hunching over a computer all day. Computer shoulders can really wreck your game. Indian clubs strengthen these muscle groups: back and shoulders, pecs, biceps and triceps.  Strengthening your forearms improves your grip.  The improvement in shoulder efficiency and mobility, elbow and wrist flexibility and range of motion from swinging 1lb clubs around will astonish you!

Combine a gentle Indian club workout with a soak before playing golf and you’ll lower your handicap in no time.  If you’re shoulders and arms are too tight to start with Indian clubs, begin a gentle exercise program in your hot tub (before play!) using our Olympic Hot Tub Company Hot Tub Exercise Guide.  Download it, laminate it and you’ll be ready to begin your easy work out concentrating on your shoulders and arms.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for Health through Water.

  • Share/Bookmark
Filed Under Hot Tub Health Benefits, Hot Tub Lifestyle Tagged With Cody Moss, golf, Hot Spring Spas, hot tub exercises to improve your golf game, hot tubbing, hot tubs, improve your golf game, Indian club swinging to improve your golf game, Indian Clubs, loosen tight muscles, lower your golf handicap, Olympic Hot Tub Company, Olympic Hot Tub Company Hot Tub Exercises improve your , soak in a hot tub before golfing to improve your game, Survival of The Fitness Seattle
« Older Posts