CastMedic Designs, was created to bring fashion to the medical industry by providing accessories to decorate unattractive medical devices.

I conceived the idea in the summer of 2010 when I broke my foot and was placed in a medical walking boot. I was miserable and would have done anything to make the boot more fashionable so I could feel better about myself. When I found that nothing was available, I realized I had stumbled, literally, on this untapped market in the medical industry.

The first products available are fashion accessories for walking medical boots. These will help the over 2 million people in the U.S. (and more worldwide) who are prescribed boots annually, look and heal their best.

I want to offer people ideas and products that will give them an opportunity to feel good about themselves while they are recovering.

Experience, The Healing Power of Fashion®!
 

Life was so much simpler back then. You love the convenience that technology has brought into your life, but while it continues to amaze you, it also contributes to everyday stress.
As a professional, you are prone to burnout and overload.  Just think about all the roles you have to play and the tools you use every day! In order to enhance productivity and creativity at work, you know you need to recharge.
There are many ways to recharge of course, and we’re pretty sure you have your own list of favorite things to do. Recharging is all about taking time off, having a new perspective, and in effect, working smarter.  It is about taking control of technology, (and not the other way around) and saying no to interruptions. Whether we decide to take a short break or a sabbatical, recharging allows us to rethink our present situation and find ways to make it better. Here’s a list of things you can do in order to recharge:

Take a Walk

When you feel emotionally drained at work or dead tired, take a walk and clear your head. Let your mind wander and think relaxing thoughts. Think happy thoughts. You know you cannot perform at your best when you are stressed, so let a short walk clear your head. You can then go back to the task with renewed strength and vigor.

Travel – With Friends!

Most of us have at least 2 full weeks off per year from work. Take advantage of this time to schedule a fabulous holiday! Think SATC girls getaway to Abu Dhabi. Do absolutely nothing that is work related. We highly recommend an all-girl getaway, but it doesn’t really matter if you’re taking your honey or your kids with you. Having fun, laughing until your stomach hurts and forgetting responsibilities for a moment will recharge you better than anything!

Enroll in a Yoga Class

The daily grind can wear down even the most resilient working woman. Instead of a weekend getaway, why not try a yoga class? Yoga has proven to be great for stress. In fact millions of people all over the world practice it. A weekly practice can be amazing for your mind and body!

Indulge in a Spa Treatment

A relaxing facial and a comforting massage – definitely great ways to recharge!  If travel is not an option and you just want something done in an hour or two, then treat yourself to the spa or get a luxurious beauty treatment. Why, a new hair style or color, a foot scrub or a hot stone massage can work wonders for you! Remember, the most important thing is to take time away from work so you can recharge and refocus. It doesn’t matter where you go or what you do, as long as you take a break from the stresses of your work life. You’ll find that even a short time away can help increase your productivity, widen your perspective and better your attitude!

Tell us, how do you recharge? 

If you have to have foot or ankle surgery, there are a lot of things on your mind. 

You will wonder what to expect from the surgery itself, but you will also need to think about your recovery process.  Your surgeon will take care of the surgery and the nurses and medical professionals will help you with your immediate recover.  Once you get home, however, you are on your own and at the mercy of your family.  Here are a few tips to help you recover once you are at home.

Tip#1: Consider Safety

There are plenty of things you can do before you go in for your surgery that can help prepare your house, making it as safe as possible for someone who will be hobbling around on one foot.  You will want to do things like remove the area rugs so you don’t trip.  Make sure all of your extension cords are against the wall and not running across the room.  And move your furniture so there are wide spaces for you to move through.  Inspect your house and watch for hazards that you can remove in advance before you ever go in for your surgery.
 

Tip#2: Think about Mobility

If you have ever been on crutches before, you know how limiting they can be.  They can also slow you down and if you use them for any length of time, they just plain hurt.  If you know your recovery is going to take some time, you will want to think about how you are going to get around.  Goodbye Crutches has three great mobility aids that you can use instead of crutches.  The Knee Scooter, for example, is a wheeled device that allows you to kneel on the knee of your recovering leg and scoot yourself from place to place with your good leg.  The Seated Scooter works much the same way only you remain seated while you scoot around.  And the Hands Free Crutch straps to your bad leg and allows you to walk much like normal while retaining the use of your hands.  Think through the three options and see which would fit best with your lifestyle and needs.  You can rent any of the devices and have them at your doorstep within 1-2 days.

 

Tip#3: Arrange Help

When you are just arriving home, you will definitely need help doing some of the basic things that you are used to doing without even thinking.  You should arrange for that help in advance so once you get home, you don’t have to think about or worry about anything.  Have friends or neighbors bring you meals so you don’t have to cook.  Ask someone to drive your children to and from school for a while.  Have a family member stop by and do a little laundry or cleaning for you.  Create lists of errands for others to run until you feel up to it.  Anything you can have others do for you will be one less thing you have to attempt to do yourself.  At first, you will need to rest and simply concentrate on getting better.
 
The more you think about your recovery in advance, the better the process will go once you head back home after your surgery.  Follow all of your doctor’s orders and arrange as much as possible before you go in.  Once you arrive home, you will be glad you did.

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For most office workers this is normal, but sitting for long hours can wreak havoc on your body. Long hours of sitting can cause:

• Shoulder aches

• Eye strain

• Neck pain

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Lower back pain

If you are one of the many who have to be at a desk all day, make sure you follow these simple steps to minimize any injury:

• Sit properly – back straight, shoulders back and your monitor should be level with your eyes.

• Keep legs bent at the knees so they are slightly higher than your hips.

• Keep your feet flat on the floor or on a stool.

It’s also very important to do some stretching exercises during your workday. This will help alleviate the feeling of stiffness after long hours of sitting. These simple exercises will help you loosen up and reenergize your weary-from-sitting body:

Neck and shoulders:

To lessen tension and strain, bend your head forward/backward, side to side then look right and left.  Roll your shoulders forward around 8-10 times, then backward. This also helps release the tension. 

Wrists and ankles:

Roll your wrists around at least 10 times clockwise, then reverse. This will help prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome if you type a lot. Do the same thing with your ankles. Rolling them around will help improve blood circulation.
 
Calves:

Lift up your legs on the balls of your feet while sitting and set them down. Repeat until your legs are comfortably tired. Repeat after about 10-15 minutes later. Do this several times during the day -- this will exercise your calves, and will help prevent blood clots from developing in your legs.

Last but not least, take a walk. 

A short walk around your building is not only good for your feet and legs but it’s also a great way to recharge. You can even go up and down the stairs for some much needed exercise. Aside from giving your legs and heart a good workout, a good walk will allow you to take in fresh air as well!  
 
 
 

There are certain foods that will help keep your skin looking healthy and radiant with zero chemicals.  Take a break from chemical laden cleansers, scrubs, creams and serums for a while and consider alternatives that are good for you and the planet. 

We all need to eat more fruits and vegetables anyway, so load up on these super foods to give your skin a healthy boost! 

Almonds and Walnuts

Extremely rich in Vitamin E, which is essential for healthy skin, almonds have significant quantities of Vitamin B and several other minerals that keep your skin well nourished. It also has very high omega-3 content, an essential fatty acid that keeps skin supple.

Walnuts, on the other hand, contain the essential fatty acids that help improve skin. The antioxidants found in them are essential to skin regeneration and elasticity! In fact, just four walnuts daily will provide you with all their skin-protecting benefits!

Avocados

Abundant in essential oils and B-complex vitamins that nourish the skin, creamy and delicious fruit Avocados also contain plenty of Niacin (vitamin B3). This vitamin acts as an anti-inflammatory and soothes irritated or red/blotchy skin.

Unknown to many, avocados also contain more potassium than a banana (approximately 60 percent more!). Skin care products infused with avocado penetrate the skin evenly and quickly, making your skin smooth and moisturized!

Cantaloupes

With high amounts of vitamin A present, this fruit makes it one of the best foods for maintaining healthy skin. Cantaloupes also increase antioxidants in our body, which helps increase our ability to absorb free radicals. This of course means that skin problems are reduced because your skin is protected!

Baked Potatoes

Get your dose of copper from baked potatoes! Copper deficiency can reduce skin’s ability to heal and cause it to become rigid and lifeless. One baked potato (with the skin) provides 75% of our daily copper needs! When combined with vitamin c and zinc, copper produces elastin fibers that support the skin structure. Moreover, eating baked potatoes helps your body get those free radicals flowing and fighting off skin problems!

Mangoes

Have a dry, flaky complexion? A deficiency in vitamin A could be the cause. Get your dose of vitamin A from mangoes -- they contain more than 80% of daily vitamin A requirements, which is essential for maintaining and repairing skin cells. Mangoes also work as an antioxidant, fighting free-radical damage that cause premature skin aging.

Pick your favorites from this list and start adding them in your diet. It will surely work wonders for your skin!
 

Among all the parts of our body, the feet are more prone to drying and cracking.  Dry and calloused feet generally affect women at large because of lack of foot care and usually shoes that often expose the feet like sandals and flip-flops.

No one wants dry feet of course, but if you are already suffering from this, we feel you! Untreated, dry, calloused feet could result in cracks in the heels and between the toes. Most of the time, it is the tightness or looseness of our footwear which causes bruises or injuries on our feet. Shoes that don’t fit well cause regular friction, which cause dryness and calluses, and we all know that this can be as painful as they are unsightly. Worse, the thick, dry skin on the heel and other parts of our feet can crack, posing a risk for infection.  

There are many creams and lotions out there that claim to make the feet soft, but while many of them work well, often times, you have to pay a high price for them. This is why we highly recommend some natural remedies, and in this case, we’re rooting for one of the main ingredients -- olive oil.

Olive oil for dry, calloused feet

Olive oil is a well-known remedy for dry, cracked, calloused feet. Olive oil can soften and smooth, and help maintain elasticity of skin. Even your nails can benefit too.  Olive oil can heal dry, brittle nails and soften cuticles.

We have an amazing list of ingredients in today’s recipe, but if you want to use olive oil on its own, apply a liberal amount to your feet at bedtime, wear cotton socks, and sleep with them on.

Olive Oil Foot Lotion

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp almond oil

12 drops of eucalyptus essential/ fragrance oil

1 tbsp wheat germ oil

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
Put the mixture in a bottle and shake well.
Rub the mixture on your feet for soothing, healing relief.
Store your foot lotion in a dry and cool place.

With regular use, your dry, cracked feet should be softer and smoother!

We all have those days when we feel like our minds are too cluttered. When this happens, we feel more stressed and often daydream about going away for a couple of days.  While that sounds like a very good idea, there are other alternatives that don’t involve packing your bags or spending a lot.

Here’s something to consider: instead of a weekend getaway, how about a little redecorating at work? Whether you’re an office worker or a work at home mom, take a good look at your workspace. How’s your desk looking at the moment?

Our desk is the place we spend the majority of our time every week. There’s always room for improvement and a little rearranging, don’t you think?

Redecorating can be very therapeutic, not to mention can give you a fresh, new perspective! Working in a new and improved, green workspace can do wonders for your mind, body and the planet!

So why not take steps to green and de-clutter your workspace? Here are some of the things you can do to green and liven up your work area – and eventually de-clutter your mind:

Decide which items to keep and toss.

Clear the clutter – papers, envelopes, old receipts, used scribble pads, candy wrappers, etc. When you clean out your desk drawers for example, take out some old shoeboxes and label them “for recycling” and “give away.” Place items from your drawers in the appropriate boxes as you go through all your other stuff.  

Add plants.

This is perhaps the quickest, simplest way to liven up your workspace. Putting a plant or two on your desk or anywhere near your work area will help purify the air and prettify the office environment instantly! There are plenty of great office plants. The Peace Lily, for example, makes a great air cleaner and is the perfect size for the cubicle desktop!

Replace office supplies.

There’s nothing like giving your desk a new look with new office supplies. We’re not encouraging spending a lot on staplers, penholders and sticky notes, but maybe you can “upgrade” your old, worn out supplies with some environmentally friendly versions. It’s so great that there are now many eco-friendly versions, from green writing instruments, stationery, envelopes, and notebooks to computer paper. Stock your office space with all the green supplies you need.

Switch to reusable mugs.

Ok, it’s been said before but we’ll say it again. Styrofoam and plastic cups take a hundred years to break down in landfills. Make that green switch by taking your own reusable coffee mug to work. For water and cold drinks, get one of those cool eco water bottles. They come in different colors and designs so pick one that expresses your personality! After all, your mugs and water bottles are part of your office décor – they’re a staple in your office desk!

Switch to smaller trashcans.

Yes, you read that right. Switching to a smaller trash can will encourage you to think twice before you toss, thus helping you to recycle more. Take away the luxury of conveniently tossing away things because of a large waste-basket. It will take a while to get used to, but it’s a great green habit to cultivate.  

Green your office lights.

Office lighting can suck up a lot of energy, so do what most green newbies are doing today -- switching out conventional light bulbs and replacing them with compact fluorescent bulbs. This will initially cost slightly more money, but over time, this translates into real savings for you because CFLs use way less energy.
Our office space is the place we call home for the better part of the day so let’s do as much as we can to keep it conducive to productivity and friendlier to the planet. With a savvy green workspace, we can definitely say goodbye to stress! 

Time to relax ladies! Why not decide to have a stress free week?

We all need regular breaks, so we came up with a new list of To Do’s for you:

1. Start every day with this mantra: I am strong. I am invincible. I am woman! (We love that part in Sex And The City 2 where the girls belted out this song!)

Stress comes if you allow it to. So think positive! Always. You’ll be amazed at how having the right attitude can get you through the week. You can look at the plus side of every situation and make it a good one, and be on your way to a stress-free week!

2. Stay at your favorite hotel or at the beach. Pick any day of the week to just lounge around, eat your favorite foods or soak up in the sun. If you’re a beach lover, we know that just the smell of salt water and the open air can be relaxing, so enjoy! If staying in your favorite hotel is more your thing, enjoy room service!

3. Attend a yoga retreat! The outdoors has always been a favorite way to connect to the world and a stress free environment. Free your mind from work and other worries and give your body the relaxation and rejuvenation it needs.

4. Have a sleepover. Remember how much fun this was in high school? Get your girlfriends together in someone’s house or apartment and relive those days! You can play games or go crazy singing and dancing! If your girls are up for it, what about a pillow fight? You deserve a day of pure fun!

5. Lend a hand. Got a friend who’s moving? Help her clean out her closet. Volunteer at your community’s clean up drive. Cook something for your sick neighbor. Visit an elderly shelter and have a good laugh with the grandmas. Helping others and seeing them benefit from your help can erase your own stress and worries!

How do you chill out? What other creative ways can you think of relax and feel good? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

There are days when deadlines seem never-ending or the kids are sick. When you’re a working a mom, sometimes both can happen at the same time. You wish for the weekend and it’s only Tuesday! You want to de-stress and crave some serious R&R, but where can you find the time for pampering in the middle of the week? Actually, there are a few quick fixes that would lessen your exhaustion when a whole day at the spa is impossible.

Here are some surprisingly simple de-stressing ideas that won’t take but a few minutes of your time:
• Spritz on your favorite scent. If you love the scent of relaxing lavender or you want a citrusy lemon to perk up your mood, it will take only a few seconds to rub aromatherapy oil or spray scent on your elbows, temples, or the back of your neck and enjoy the aroma before you slip under the covers. It will make you feel pampered before you drift off to sleep.

• Brush your hair. Yes, brushing your hair is a soothing activity. It helps you stop stressful thoughts as you get into the soothing and repetitive movement of brushing your hair. It is pretty much like the feel of soothing fingers running through your hair.

• Hydrate your skin. You can hydrate your insides by drinking water and you can spray your face with a cooling face mist. A fresh cucumber-scented face mist will instantly make you feel good and freshen stale office air.

• Turn your shower into a relaxing ritual. If you’re a shower buff, make your next one not the usual hurried routine. It will only take a few extra minutes to make showering a pampering activity. Don’t reach for drying soaps. Indulge in a creamy and luxurious shower gel and use a scented shower infuser. Pat yourself dry with the softest bath sheet you can find. It’s like being transported to a spa!

Sleeping in during a weekend or getting a long, therapeutic massage is not always possible for most busy women. But you can always take a few minutes to be kind to yourself with these little pampering techniques.

We have to admit, after a day spent mostly standing or walking, all we want to do is kick off our shoes and put our feet up. And it always feels so good, doesn’t it?

This is especially true if you are wearing the wrong kind of shoes. Once you take them off, it’s such a relief! Reflexologists say that there are energetic and neurological connections between the feet and other parts of the body, and this may explain how exhausted we feel when our feet are aching.

If good shoes feel very comfortable and look good at the same time, is it safe to say that bad shoes are just the opposite?

What are bad shoes exactly?

Generally, here are the factors that make some shoes bad for you:

• Thick soles. Aren’t they good because they give cushion? Thick soles elevate your center of balance and prevent you from sensing the ground. When you can’t feel the ground, it is harder to react to things like slippery ice or rocks that can make you fall!

• Narrow Toe Box. Shoes with a narrow toe box definitely look chic and stylish. On the other hand, they deform your feet. Disfigured feet can be painful!

• High heels. This is the culprit of most injuries. The elevated heels make you lean forward which in turn puts a strain on your lower back. It is not only your feet that is affected, but your back can also suffer from high heels!

• Artificial arch support. They are artificial because the natural ones are those you already have. Your ligaments, joints, tendons, and muscles are your body’s natural shock absorbers. If you use arch support, it makes these natural shock absorbers weak and stiff. A weak shock-absorption system leads to a lot of body dysfunctions.

• Heavy shoes. If your shoes are heavy, you are carrying extra weight which naturally leads to exhaustion.

• Inflexible midsoles. Midsoles that restricts the natural movement and twisting of your feet. If your joints can’t move, they will eventually become bones.

Now that you know the characteristics of a “bad” pair of shoes, maybe you can scan your shoe collection and identify the bad ones. You can still keep your favorite pair of heels of course, (because we know how hard it is to toss or give them away!) but as with most things, moderation is key. After all, we may be able to afford to buy all the shoes we love, but we only have one pair of feet to take care of!