By Paige West, director of interactive projects
What it is: Kinoki Detox Foot Pads; $19.99; www.buykinoki.com
What it claims to do: The foot pads collect “harmful toxins” from your body while you sleep, says the manufacturer, by “cleansing and detoxifying your skin’s outer layers,” boosting your energy level and improving your health and wellness.
My experience: I was surfing the Web on a rainy Seattle night with the TV on in the background when whatever late-night show I’d been watching ended and suddenly, images of a woman in a kimono filled the screen as a voice-over told me about an ancient Japanese secret that would give me better health and well-being. The claims were so fantastic that it took me a while to decide whether I was watching a satirical sketch or an ad for a real product.
The item in question? The Kinoki Detox Foot Pad – and it’s real, all right.
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By Linda Dahlstrom, health editor
What it is: Hula Chair; $129.95 at www.gadgetuniverse.com
What it claims to do: “Beautify” and build the body and “obese waist and belly.” The manufacturer also says it will enhance circulation and, somehow, relieve hemorrhoids.
My experience: Promotional materials that come with the Hula Chair say that a “fat waist and belly are caused by the lack of sports and accumulation of fat on these parts.” That is exactly my problem: No sports and fat on my waist have resulted in, well, a fat waist.
Part carnival ride, part hefty office furniture, the Hula Chair looks rather respectable. It’s when you press the “on” button that things get weird. I’ve never been on a mechanical bull, but I suspect I’m in the ballpark of accurate comparison. On the lowest settings, the Hula Chair feels a little like being in a rowboat during a storm. On the highest, the chair bucked, thumped, crept across the room, threw me against its unpadded arms and generally beat me up. At no point did I feel like I was doing the hula.
But working your muscles isn’t supposed to be comfortable, right? That’s the point. No pain, no gain.
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By Diane Mapes, health correspondent
What it is: PedEgg; $10; available at www.pedegg.com or at Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens, Bed Bath & Beyond and other stores.
What it claims to do: The manufacturer of the PedEgg, Telebrands, calls it the “ultimate foot file” which gently removes calluses and dry skin by using more than 135 stainless steel micro files. The files are attached to one side of a “comfortable, ergonomically designed” plastic egg, which also collects all of the skin shavings in a “convenient storage compartment.
My experience: I live in the city so I’m on my feet a lot, walking at least 10-15 miles a week and sometimes more. By the time summer rolls around, I need to invest in a bit of maintenance to get my little piggies ready for market (not to mention those strappy sandals). But how to go about it?
As much as I enjoy pedicures, they’re a little pricey for my pocketbook and spending an hour in the bathroom with an emery board is about as thrilling as sanding a piece of cement. After a long hard winter, in fact, that’s essentially what it is. The PedEgg – prudently priced at just $10 – seemed a great solution. I could pamper myself and still toe the budgetary line.
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By Linda Dahlstrom, health editor
What it is: Scentuelle’s “libido patch” for women. A 60-day supply is $29.95 at www.scentuellepatch.com.
What it claims to do: Turn you on. Scentuelle’s scented patch is designed to be worn daily on the wrist to “enhance feelings of sexuality through our sense of smell.”
My experience: Let me set the stage: I have a 14-month old son, a cat with a hairball problem, an overworked husband, a full-time job, and lately, what seems to be a chronic cold. Suffice it to say, I just haven’t felt as sexy as I did, say, 23 months ago.
I was dubious that a scented patch could put a dent in that, but the sweet nothings the company whispered across my computer screen were irresistible. “Stimulate your sex drive with a safe, discrete aroma patch backed by scientific research and fully guaranteed,” the Web site promised.
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By Anna Chan, contributing writer
What it is: Adea SeaCell Loungewear ($86-$154 on www.myadea.com)
What it claims to do: Help promote skin renewal. The garments are made from a blend of cotton, elastane and a patented fiber from seaweed called SeaCell. The manufacturer says your body’s natural moisture will help release the vitamins (A and E) and minerals, as well as amino acids, from the seaweed. The garments also help wick sweat and neutralize odors because the fabric contains silver.
My experience:Dry, flaky skin is something I’ve battled with since childhood, so I was intrigued by the idea of clothes that claim to moisturize.. This SeaCell line is not easy on the wallet, so I ordered the cheapest item – the $86 basic tank top. For that much money, this shirt better work miracles on my skin, I thought. (The cost is equivalent to roughly eight bottles of the lotion that has done a good job of keeping my dryness at bay.)
The tank top arrived, adorned with a tag explaining that the fabric would “promote skin renewal” but didn’t have any instructions. Do I wear the shirt as often as I would any other top? Should I hand wash it? I poked around Adea’s Web site and couldn’t find anything to tell me there either.
So, with no instructions, I plunged in.
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By Julia Sommerfeld, health editor
What it is:Soleil Sun Alarm, a dawn-simulator alarm clock ($79.99)
What it claims to do: Gently nudge you awake by gradually increasing the intensity of its built-in light, designed to mimic a sunrise. You can set your fake sun to rise over 15, 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes. And if you’re a deep sleeper you can end your sun rise cycle with the back-up beeper, radio or strobe light. The maker claims that waking up to light resets your internal clock, making it easier to rise on subsequent mornings.
My experience:In the interest of full disclosure, let me say that I’m nocturnal by nature and have never met an alarm clock I like. Whether they beep, make soothing rainforest sounds or blare my very favorite song, I find alarm clocks to be singularly sadistic; it’s a cruel irony that it takes three of them to wake me every morning.
So you can understand why I was hopeful about the sun alarm’s promises of a kinder, gentler start to my day.
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By Diane Mapes, contributing writer
What it is: Leg & Foot Massager by Sirius ($59.99)
What it claims to do: According to the manufacturer, the Sirius Leg & Foot Massager (with Rhythmic Massage Action!) will “reduce heart rate and blood pressure, improve blood circulation and muscle relaxation, relieve muscle soreness, stiffness and pain and alleviate pain due to stress and tension” and a whole bunch of other stuff.
My experience: One of the things about living alone – and on a budget – is that you usually don’t get as much massage action as you’d like. There’s no loving partner to rub your aching muscles after a long day. And if you spend all your money on boring stuff like groceries and rent, you may not be able to hire a professional to take care of you, either. That’s one reason the Leg & Foot Massager seemed interesting to me. You just Velcro the massaging straps onto your legs, plug the thing in and you’re good to go. Instant massage therapy at the touch of a button. No fuss, no muss, no tip!
But “instant” isn’t exactly the word I’d used to describe my experience.
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By Diane Mapes, contributing writer
What it is: "Still Point Inducer” ($21.95)
Amazon.com
According to the manufacturer, the new and improved Still Point Inducer (SPI) will put you into “a state of deep relaxation,” relieve your headache and muscle pain, enhance your immune system efficiency, and encourage your body’s natural health. The SPI does this by reaching “soothing still points similar to those of CranioSacral Therapy,” an alt-med approach that’s been touted on everything from Oprah to ESPN.
My experience: I tend to work on a computer for 12 hours a day which can often result in blindingly bad tension headaches, so I was intrigued by the Still Point Inducer’s claims of easing headache and muscle pain. What I wasn’t prepared for, though, was the SPI’s appearance. It basically looks like a pair of small red rubber breasts. The idea is to rest the back of your head onto these rosy mounds for 10-15 minutes, up to four times a day. And let me tell you, those babies are firm, even on the “soft model” I tested.
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By Linda Dahlstrom, health editor
What it is: Ear candling (also called ear coning). Spa sessions are generally between 30 and 60 minutes and cost between $40 and $80.
Getty Images
Advocates of ear candling say it’s a natural way to remove excess wax and debris from inside the ear. A long, hollow, tapered “candle,” usually a cone made of muslin and coated with wax, is inserted into the ear and lit. Proponents say the smoke moves down the cone, into the ear and back out, creating a vacuum effect that draws out debris and wax.
My experience: I wouldn’t have thought that spending an hour with fire coming out of my ears would be relaxing. But the cushy massage table, heated pad cradling my neck, luxurious shoulder massage and soothing sounds of Enya quickly put aside my anxiety.
I’d read about ear candling online and seen horror stories about candle wax dripping back down into the ear itself, causing excruciating pain and serious injury. But I’d also read its praises and the accounts of people who swore by the procedure, saying it helped relieve fluid buildup and even tinnitus.
I’d had a mild cold a while back that was still causing my ears to pop. Maybe candling would make it go away?
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By Jacqueline Stenson, contributing health editor
What it is: Push Up Pro ($19.95)
Amazon.com
The user manual says the Push Up Pro is “the ultimate upper body workout!” With this product, which is actually two push-up grips that allow the user’s arms to rotate during the move, “more muscles are targeted more effectively while reducing strain on wrists and joints.” The Push Up Pro is “a must for anyone who is serious about getting in shape.”
Our experience: I’ve always found push-ups to be pretty punishing, so the idea that a fitness gadget might make them somehow better -- perhaps even easier or at least more likeable -- was enticing.
But the Push Up Pro certainly did not make them easier for me. With a normal push-up, you push against a stable floor surface. But the Push Up Pro has a rotating base that creates an unstable surface and requires additional effort just to stabilize your arms and support your upper body.
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