A wheelchair cushion is one of the most important accessories used in a wheelchair. It prevents pressure ulcers and increases body comfort and support. A lot of research and technology development goes into developing wheelchair cushions.

The results are remarkable and because of this, there is a wide range of products to choose from which makes it even more difficult to decide on a particular wheelchair cushion. Major factors which determine the kind of cushion that a user may need are weight, sitting balance, type and extent of injuries, how much time is spent on the wheelchair, etc.

An ideal wheelchair cushion should easily assume the shape of the person,distribute the person’s weight uniformily and must not create any pressure points. It should not slip from the wheelchair either. Slipping of wheelchair cushion could lead to a lot of undesirable consequences like rashes,sores etc., also activities of the person are affected.

Various different types of materials are used make these cushions, having their own benefits and shortcomings. Generally, a wheelchair cushion should be water proof and shock proof so that user can easily move around in tougher terrain and weather conditions.

Selecting the right material is the first vital step, when you go for a good wheelchair cushion. There are mainly three types of materials:

Foam cushion

It is basically made out of polyurethane. They are typically lightweight, low maintenance and they vary widely in stiffness and density. Sometimes they can get hot and damaged by moisture and light, so a protective cover is often used to cover them. Foam cushions impacts well, so it’s great in case of collision with obstacles of accidents. They are less expensive than the other types of wheelchair cushions.

Gel cushion

As its name implies, it’s made with gel on the sitting side, and foam on the other side. This wheelchair cushion distributes weight evenly which effectively diminishes pressure on one single area. it also propogates heat in an effective manner.

Air cushion

It is composed of many pockets of air which are interconnected so that the air is quickly transferred from one pocket to the next. You can easily modify the cushion to ease pressure on a particular part of the body. This cushion should be checked for air leaks regularly.

Hybrid cushion

It is a wheelchair cushion which combines two or more of the materials from above. The idea is that that one material’s weakness can be compensated with the other material’s strength and vice versa.

In the end, the right wheelchair cushion should be selected by testing different brands and by self experience.

What is brown and green and grows on ropes in the ocean? You guessed it…a green-lipped mussel!

Green-lipped mussels are highly valued for their potent Omega 3s and lipids. In fact, green-lipped mussels are shown to have contain the highest amount of Omega3s in the world. Not bad, hey!  

Green-lipped mussels are only found in the unspoiled coastal waters of New Zealand. The main producing region is the Marlborough Sounds. This is a gorgeous part of New Zealand with deep, cool and unpolluted waters which makes it an ideal environment for farming mussels from spat through to harvest.  

All mussel farming and processing in the Marlborough Sounds is tightly controlled by New Zealand’s Ministry of Agriculture to enforce that the product meets the highest International quality standards. The shellfish’s health and the seawater purity are {monitored`audited} daily to keep the long term viability of the mussel industry and the safety of the area’s unspoiled beauty.
 
Nowadays, green-lipped mussels are becoming more and more known for their powerful ability to heal. As more people benefit from taking a green-lipped mussel supplement daily, they can also have peace of mind knowing that they are grown sustainably and naturally in clean waters. It’s a win-win situation! Green-lipped mussels contain eight kinds of Omega 3s, all of which are essential to the human body.

Most people aren’t aware of how important Omega 3s are to their long-term overall general health and well being. Omega 3s have a big role in heart health, joint strength and brain function development. Just google Omega 3 for an amazing list of movies and testimonials.

Omega 3s have also been known to benefit those people who suffer with ailments such as asthma, allergies, menstrual pain, multiple sclerosis, inflammation,gastrointestinal and bowel disorders, depression, dry eye, and the many various types of arthritis and skin conditions.
      
So, “I’ve got it covered, I’m taking a fish oil supplement,” you say. Fish oil has long been recognized as being a great source for Omega 3s, however, through newer research and knowledge we now know that it may also contain high levels of mercury.  Because of their habitat, and that green lipped mussels are only farmed at accredited marine facilities, with no outside input at all, the presence of mercury is eliminated.

Then there are those people who take Krill oil supplements. Krill, being the tiny marine organisms at the bottom of the food chain are also exempt from mercury. However, “commercial fishing of krill (a “foundation species”) is “very risky” to the delicate marine ecosystems of the Antarctic, and other vunerable ocean areas, and can actually “compromise the entire ecosystem.” says Dr. Boris Worm, Professor of Marine Biology at the Dalhousie University. The evidence is pointing squarely toward yet another unsustainable exploititive ocean harvest.

So if you’re trying to find a good Omega 3 supplement, or if you are currently taking a fish or Krill oil supplement, I strongly encourage you to do some research and think about the benifits of your Omega 3 source coming from the powerful green-lipped mussels of the unspoiled waters of New Zealand. In doing so, you will be doing a favor to both yourself and the enviroment!