GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR DIGITAL HOME ASSISTANT
More and more people are welcoming in the Amazon Echo or the Google Home into their spaces. Everyone knows they make great Bluetooth speakers and can tell you the weather forecast, but they’re also capable of so much more. Digital assistants can do a variety of tasks depending on how much you want them to do for you. For example, if you want your digital assistant to be heavily involved in your daily life, you can use the Echo or the Home as the core of your “connected home.” You can connect numerous compatible devices to these assistants, including other Bluetooth or networked speakers, lights, thermostats, coffee makers, refrigerators, and even microwaves. Of course, therein lies the challenge — you must have compatible devices to make a connected home efficient. And let’s be honest: Many of us aren’t going to buy a connected fridge or Wi-Fi enabled lightbulbs just to get the most out of our digital assistants. What you can do, however, is make use of what you already have. Here are some ways to put your digital assistants to work without committing to a connected home.
Both the Echo and the Home make excellent communication hubs. In the home, they can be used as a local intercom system. Do you have a few Echo Dots or Google Home Minis? If you do, you’re set. You can communicate in any room where another device is present. Your digital assistant can also make outgoing calls. As long as the device has access to your contacts (or the person you’re trying to contact has an Echo or Home), you can easily make the connection. Want to send a text message? No problem! You can dictate a text to anyone in your smartphone’s contact list and send it without ever touching your phone. Aside from communications, the assistants can handle calendars, appointments, emails, and more. You can ask for information relevant to you, like “When is my flight again?” Google Home can recognize your voice, or the voice of anyone in the house, and respond accordingly. There’s no worry that anyone’s calendar or appointments will be mixed up with yours. If you want to learn more, search for tutorials online. We’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to what these digital assistants can do for you.
AN ARM AND A LEG OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES OF LYMPHEDEMA
There are few things more terrifying than no longer recognizing your own body. While we might assume those “surprising changes” mostly stop after puberty, this crisis is what many patients experience when they are diagnosed with lymphedema. Lymphedema is a condition in which damage to your lymphatic system causes fluid to build up in the fatty tissue beneath your skin, causing areas of your body to swell to alarming size. Lymphedema is usually confined to the arm or leg, but in some cases, it can occur in the face, neck, breast, chest, underarm, and abdomen.
• Undergoing surgery or radiation therapy for any type of cancer, most often breast cancer, prostate cancer, or pelvic area cancers • Scar tissue in the lymphatic ducts, veins, or under the collarbones • Inflammation in the arm or leg after surgery • Age • Excess weight or obesity • Rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis Decreased mobility due to a swollen limb can lead to major lifestyle changes. Patients with lymphedema often aren’t able to work or enjoy their favorite activities as easily as they used to. Plus they are more likely to get sick because it becomes more difficult for their body to fight off infection. Fortunately, lymphedema patients don’t have to give up hope and
resign themselves to a lifetime of struggle. Through physical therapy, it is possible to reduce the effects of lymphedema and improve your life. Using your muscles helps lymphatic fluid to drain properly, but it’s important to remember that some exercises can increase your chances of lymphedema. Ideally, you want an exercise plan customized to your needs that focuses on solving the problem and doesn’t put you at risk for further injury. Instead of starting a workout routine that could potentially harm you, your physical therapist can teach you the best exercises to treat lymphedema. If you are at risk, call M3 Physical Therapy at 310.275.4137. Be proactive and learn what to do before your body starts to suffer.
Factors that may increase your risk for developing lymphedema include:
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