Hot Tub Therapy - How Hot Tubs Lower Blood Pressure

That wonderful feeling you get whenever you sit back in a hot tub is because of the way your body reacts to the heat and jets of water. Our bodies are infinitely complex, and many types of therapies and drugs can work. Hydrotherapy, or the therapy of water, in a home hot tub is one way to improve on our health.

Hot tubs are great for those with high blood pressure (also known as hypertension), commonly defined as being greater than 140/90. For those with this condition, time in a hot tub or spa is an exceptionally beneficial therapy as it can assist medications.

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Blood pressure is necessary for us to survive, and it is produced in three different ways: heart rate (how rapidly the heart is beating); how much pressure the heart is pumping against (the more relaxed blood vessels are, the easier it is to pump blood into them, the tighter they are, the more difficult it is); and the volume of blood in the veins and arteries.

Hot Tub Therapy - How Hot Tubs Lower Blood Pressure

Hydrotherapy in a hot tub provides relief for high blood pressure because it dilates or opens up blood vessels so the heart doesn't have to pump as hard. This lowers blood pressure and it lowers the amount the heart has to work by up to 20%. Your body opens up the blood vessels because it thinks you are getting too warm and the ones near the surface of the skin relax in an effort to release heat.

This vasodilation (opening up of the vessels) allows oxygen to travel more easily to places where it normally does not go in great quantities. Because of the fact that oxygen is a necessary part of healing, hot tub hydrotherapy hastens healing.

Vasodilation serves a second purpose because the blood clears away wastes from different parts of the body in the same way that it circulates nutrients. Whenever it's been a hard day and your muscles are aching, it is often because there is a build up of lactic acid. The faster blood gets to the muscles to remove the lactic acid, the faster they will feel better. This also permits your muscles to relax.

A hot tub is a significant purchase that can pay dividends on your health for years to come. Make sure you check with a doctor before treating yourself for any disease or condition.

Hot Tub Therapy - How Hot Tubs Lower Blood Pressure

Rebecca Naylor is a nurse who has an interest in how the body works. She is always looking for ways to improve quality of life for her patients. She offers more health improving information on the health benefits page of her hot tubs and saunas [http://www.hot-tubs-n-saunas.com] site. Check out her other sites with helpful info: skin care and cosmetics [http://www.skin-care-n-cosmetics.com] and plus size clothing.

Hot Tub Safety - Are Hot Tubs Bad For Your Health

As inviting and innocuous-looking as your Jacuzzi or hot tub may seem, using it for therapeutic purposes will require more precaution than you probably expect. The first rule is: if there are potentially bothersome health issues, talk to your doctor. There are bodily conditions that warrant some amount of prudence.

Pregnancy

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Most doctors will probably agree that it isn't advisable for pregnant women to take too hot a bath. Who knows what injury the unborn baby may sustain if the mother's body has gotten too warm? Pathogens in the water pose an added danger. Forgoing the delights of a hot tub until after giving birth and healing is a wise option many pregnant women take.

Hot Tub Safety - Are Hot Tubs Bad For Your Health

Heart Diseases

Be careful if you are taking anticoagulants. These blood-thinning drugs can make you vulnerable under extreme temperature. They may combine with the heat of the tub to cause fainting, dizziness or nausea. If the doctor gave you the go-signal to immerse yourself in the water, follow the prescribed duration and temperature, and if you feel anything undesirable or out of the ordinary, get out of the tub as soon as you can. Do it slowly, carefully. Take a cool shower, taking care that the water you shower with is not cold, and drink some more water.

High Blood Pressure

The relaxation brought about by a hot tub bath will be quite beneficial if you are suffering from high blood pressure. But beware of unwanted reactions if you are taking hypertensive mediations. Again, check with your physician first before taking that dip.

Substance Use

Imbibing alcohol while in the hot tub is like driving under the influence. When combined with the heat of the water, the dehydrating and blood-thinning effect of the alcohol may cause you to become weak or dizzy. You may also get sleepy and doze off until you slip under the water. Avoid taking over-the-counter drugs known to have the side effect of drowsiness. These would include cold, sinus and cough medications. Needless to say, you are in even greater danger if you are using illicit chemicals.

Exceeding Time Limits

There's a limit to how long you, or anyone for that matter, should stay in a steaming tub. No more than twenty minutes inside is a good guideline. Conversing can make some people stay in the water more than is necessary. Getting overheated or dehydrated can be the result.

Water-Borne Diseases

Beware of the following conditions that may result from a poorly sanitized tub water, already made conducive to bacterial growth by the warm temperature in the first place:

• "Hot tub" folliculitis, or pseudomonas folliculitis, an infection characterized by reddening and pus-filled blisters, and requiring medical attention.
• The even more serious and potentially fatal Legionnaires' disease, a form of pneumonia that is transmitted through water spray when breathed in.
• Infections of the upper respiratory tract and the middle ear caused by bobbing of the head in and out of water.

Besides being a great way to relax, hot tubs offer therapeutic effects, when done the proper way, which is, with safety in mind. There are times when it should be altogether avoided, even under professional supervision. Otherwise certain precautions should be put into place. Hot tub or spa owners, take heed!

Hot Tub Safety - Are Hot Tubs Bad For Your Health

For more information on Hot Tub Safety visit Facts About Hot Tubs Guide, a popular site about the therapuetic benefits of hot tubs. Find out how to choose the right hot tub, where and how to install it and the safety and health aspects that must be observed.

Cheap Hot Tubs - How You Can Find One

Not everyone can afford to pay ,000 (or more) for a hot tub. Add expenses for chemicals, accessories, installation, and a good quality hot tub cover and you are spending some serious cash. Are there less expensive ways to get a good soak? Absolutely! Leaving aside the possibility that you could build your own, there are several other ways of finding a cheap hot tub.

After shopping at your local spa dealer you might be discouraged with how high the prices are. Even the discount factory warehouse chains sometimes seem to lure you in with a low price in a newspaper ad, then try and talk you out of buying the advertised one and spending instead on a top of the line hot tub. They will use arguments like, "this discount tub is a closeout and the technology has come a long way since this has been manufactured". Or come up with things like "the insulation in this other tub is much more efficient", "the motor is more powerful", or have some other reason to steer you toward a more expensive tub. Some of the things salespeople are saying might be absolutely true, but they are trying to play on your fears and emotions to get you to spend more than you might have initially budgeted.

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Step back for a minute and really evaluate your needs and budget. Recently our local factory warehouse ran a newspaper ad and featured a hot tub on sale for 0. "A cheap hot tub, a piece of junk" the salesman said, when I asked about it. "Let me show you a real hot tub". What he didn't say of course was that the "real hot tub" sold for ,000. But if you are willing to put up with cheaper construction, a less powerful motor, and higher lifetime heating costs, the difference in purchase price between the two hot tubs might make buying the less expensive one a perfectly reasonable decision. You can normally add lights and some other accessories after you have used the tub for awhile. You can probably decide later to add an accessory if you are missing something you really want.

Cheap Hot Tubs - How You Can Find One

If you research spas you'll find lots of information about acrylic shells, fancy heating units, insulation, and dozens of other factors you to consider when buying a hot tub. If the one factor that is most important to you is price, then there is at least one manufacturer who makes a cheap hot tub [http://www.spa-hot-tub-covers.com/pages/other-hot-tub-info.php#5] -- a new and complete unit for less than ,000. It's also very light so it is inexpensive to ship. Of course there are lots of things that you won't get with a lower end model, like fancy lights, seating for 8, or a powerful heater, but any hot tub is better than no hot tub, right?

eBay, the king of online auctions, typically has dozens of hot tub auctions running at any one time. Most of these tubs are new and you do need to be careful about the shipping costs which can run 0 or more. Frequently the delivery company will only put the spa on the curb and it will be up to you (and probably take a lot of your neighbors) to find a way to lug it to the location where you want it.

Buying a used spa is another way of acquiring a hot tub without paying full price. Local classified newspaper advertising or your area's ad rags will frequently carry offers from people who have a unit to sell. You do have to be cautious about the quality of used hot tubs. If someone has one sitting empty in their backyard be very careful and check it out completely. There are dangers to buying used spas, and if the hot tub is not set up and running so you can test the pump, heater, and other features, then you might be very disappointed when you get it home and set up.

It might take a little more time and energy to find them, but there are some cheap hot tubs out there. Be patient and persistent, and you'll be soaking in a steaming hot tub before you know it!

Cheap Hot Tubs - How You Can Find One

Rodney Wallin writes about hot tubs and helps to sort out the facts from the hype. Head over to his website at www.spa-hot-tub-covers.com for direct links to sources of cheap hot tubs.

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the author's bio and the website link.

Mold in Spas & Hot Tubs

We've seen White Water Mold (WWM) in swimming pools for almost 20 years. Now we are beginning to see it spas & hot tubs as well. WWM is a "naturally" ocurring fungus that can show up anywhere there is water or moisture.

Customers are calling and asking about and mentioning a "wet tissue like" substance on the surface(s) of the spa shell, filter pleats and other places. Sometimes, a slight "pinkish" coloring is noticed alongside the mold. That is called "pink slime." The two often go hand-in-hand.

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Unfortunately, by the time you notice the WWM or pink slime in the spa itself, it almost always means that the plumbing lines, jets, pump components, etc. are completely infested. By the way, WWM & Pink slime is not harmful - it just looks REALLY bad.

Mold in Spas & Hot Tubs

How do you get rid of it? With lots or effort! The WWM is a biofilm that builds up overtime in the plumbing lines & gradually spreads throughout the spa. Customers typically notice that the spa has a "funky" odor and they can't maintain a good level of sanitizer (chlorine, bromine, or biguanide). The biofilm build-up is VERY resilient against any kind of shocking or high levels of halogens (chlorine or bromine). The bottom line is you want to prevent it rather than treat it.

How do you prevent White Water Mold & Pink Slime? Pretty simply. Follow these steps:

1. Maintain a good sanitizer level.
2. Shock regularly (at least weekly).
3. Maintain good water balance (pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness).
4. Add a good quality natural enzyme such as SpaGuard Natural Enzyme or Natural Chemistry Spa Perfect. Enzymes do great jobs "eating up" organic matter. That's what these 2 critters are - organic matter. Using enzymes according to label instructions will make a world of difference. A couple of ounces weekly makes the difference.
5. Keep up on your regular maintenance - keep the surfaces wiped down (all surfaces under the water). Wipe around spa pillows, jets, lights, handrails, etc.
6. Chemically clean the filter at least every 6 weeks. Rinsing alone will not suffice.
7. Drain & refill the spa every 3 to 4 months. The bulk of problem cases we see occur when the spa is not regularly drained, cleaned & refilled.
8. When draining & refilling, be sure to use a product like Spa Purge, Swirl Away or Spa System Flush. These products will break down a lot of biofilm build-up prior to draining. Regular use whenever the spa is drained will prevent re-infestations.

One of the newer products that we are having very good success with is AquaFinesse. AquaFinesse specifically targets biofilms allowing a better "kill" by the chlorine or bromine. Customers who are or have been using AquaFinesse, report really nice feeling water, simpler water balancing care and a significant decrease in the use of chlorine.

Proper maintenance makes spa & hot tub care easy. It also enhances your enjoyment of your hot water investment.

Mold in Spas & Hot Tubs

Find out more at our Knowledge Base at http://www.spacareonline.com, or directly at this White Water Mold link.

http://www.parpools.com

House Plans - Selecting a Bathtub

One of the most significant additions to your new home is selecting your bathtubs. Choosing the proper tub for each bathroom is an important decision. Just as you had to choose amongst everything from luxury home floor plans to traditional ranch plans, bathtub options are plentiful. Bathtubs can be built-in or freestanding, soaking tubs, shower combinations, or tubs built for two. And each style is offered in an abundance of materials, shapes and sizes.

The size of your bathroom will set the stage for your options. Keep in mind that home style often guides but certainly doesn't dictate bathroom size. Colonial houseplans, for example, may often feature smaller bathrooms. Tubs can range from 40 to 85 inches in length and 22-72 inches in width and 12-32 inches in depth. Different sizes account for different functions. A deeper tub is more suitable for soaking, or for people of larger stature. In contrast, a petite person may be uncomfortable in a deep, larger tub. Design your bathroom to meet your needs and accommodate the home's style.

\"Garden Tubs\"

Built-in and freestanding tubs are the two most common styles in most homes. Built-ins can either be alcove, drop-in or corner designs. Alcove tubs are the standard American bathtub. These frontal exposure tubs are on the shallow side, typically include a shower, and are available with limited customizable options.

House Plans - Selecting a Bathtub

Drop-in, or sunk-in, models are sunken into the floor or a tub deck and can also be described as garden tubs. The expansive deep spa tub makes them ideal for relaxing, especially in large bathrooms with a separate shower. The surrounding deck space is ideal for candles and soaking accessories for a spa-like experience. Corner models are similar, as they are situated to the corner of the bathroom with surrounds on the two sides.

Freestanding tubs include an abundance of styles, including the classic claw-foot, pedestal and other legged designs common in many country farm house plans. These models have exposed pipes so they are easier to install, require no additional framework and are often thought of as antique with a certain amount of charm. They are also typically deeper than standard built-in models to accommodate for soaking.

Bathtubs can be made from a multitude of materials. Porcelain on steel (POS) is the most common due to its resistance to corrosion, acid and abrasion. It is also lightweight and moderately priced in comparison to other materials. Fiberglass is also a popular choice because of its price. It is not the most durable of materials, but can be repaired fairly easily. Acrylic is also used, although are prone to wear and tear over time. Products are available to resurface acrylic and buff out any scratches. On the pricier side is enameled cast iron. With the high cost comes a very durable material as it is extremely resistant to chipping and scratching. Other "high-end" options include marble and granite.

House Plans - Selecting a Bathtub

With all of the options involved, it is best to visit showrooms and search sites such as House Plans and More to find a tub to suit your home. Whether you are building from colonial houseplans or country farm house plans, any plan can turn into luxury home floor plans with the right bathtub in place.

The History Of Steel Reinforced Concrete

There is a number of building materials that have been found to be exceptional when used in the construction of buildings. One of these exceptional building materials is steel reinforced concrete. Steel reinforced concrete is a specific type that has had strong steel rebar or fibers added to it while wet, creating a very strong type of concrete that is able to withstand almost anything when it has dried. Because the results of using steel reinforced are so good for the strength of the building, most modern buildings today use steel reinforced concrete in the construction process.

The advantages of using this in building construction was first discovered in the mid 1800's by a man by the name of Joseph Louis Lambot. He found that by adding thin steel bars or steel fibers to concrete, he could greatly increase the strength of the concrete, making it better for use in a variety of applications. In the early years, this was used for making a number of items, such as reinforced garden tubs, road guardrails, and reinforced beams. There were a number of different types of reinforced concrete products on the market because construction firms all wanted to use the product, but no standard method of production had yet been developed.

\"Garden Tubs\"

Over time, many different companies tried their hand at creating the perfect type of steel reinforced concrete. Through much trial and error, the best versions of this became widely known while the lesser brands slowly faded away. Buildings that used reinforced concrete in their construction began popping up all over the world, especially in the United States and Europe. This caused the buildings to have stronger support and last longer, allowing constructors to begin building upward and reducing limitations on weight and height for the buildings. One company in Europe completed over 7,000 buildings using reinforced concrete during its first ten years of operation.

The History Of Steel Reinforced Concrete

In 1878, the first system was patented in the United States by an American by the name of Thaddeus Hyatt. The Pacific Coast Borax Company refinery, located in Alameda, California, was the first building constructed in the United States using this new system. The popularity of the process skyrocketed in the early 1900's and soon, a majority of the developers in the country were using steel reinforced concrete in the construction of their steel buildings. The process has been refined over the years, constantly changing and improving the formula for making high-quality steel reinforced concrete.

Today, many of the buildings located in industrialized nations use steel reinforced concrete to make the buildings stronger and better able to withstand the ravages of time and the weather. Reinforcing the concrete that will be used on the building adds tensile strength to the concrete, making it much stronger and more flexible that regular concrete, which helps prevent cracking and breakage. Steel reinforced concrete can be used in a number of building applications, including floors, beams, supports, walls, and frames.

The History Of Steel Reinforced Concrete

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