This article first appeared on The Review Smiths on May 27, 2020. To read the full article, click here.
Interview with TouchPoints Founder Vicki Mayo and Channing Seidman, who rides horses to raise awareness about Epilepsy
I am pleased and honored to share the story of Channing Seideman with you today. Channing and I had a chance encounter when she submitted a donation request to my company TouchPoint Solution, makers of the revolutionary stress relieving devices. Channing was seeking donations for an event she is hosting in November to raise funds for the organization, CURE Epilepsy. Out of the hundreds of requests we get a month, my team escalated her request to me because they noticed that she, like myself is a horse lover. Channing and I connected, and her story is so powerful and inspiring I felt compelled to share it with you.
Tell me about you and your horse.
My name is Channing Seideman and I am 29 years old. I had my first seizure at the age of 9 and was diagnosed with refractory epilepsy shortly thereafter, meaning that - while approximately 70% of people diagnosed with epilepsy are able to manage their seizures with medication - unfortunately, I am one of the 30% whose epilepsy is non-responsive to medication.
I have a 22-year-old Holsteiner mare named Perla who has been a part of our family for 13 years.
Tell me how your got interested in horses and dressage in particular?
When I was 5, I visited my grandmother in Arizona. She took me on a pony ride, and it was a done deal after that. Yup, the world has revolved around horses ever since! I started out jumping. I was a die-hard jumper. Dressage didn’t come into my life until one time Perla had a really bad abscess, which we needed to treat 2x/day, but the barn where she was boarded was 45 minutes away. So we moved Perla to a barn closer to the house, and as it turns out, there was a dressage trainer there, and I watched part of the lesson and caught an interest. Then, when Perla’s abscess healed, I took a dressage lesson with that trainer, and I can honestly say she did not know what to think of the jumper in Perla. I think we went around in a circle the entire time working on suppling. In the end, she definitely corrupted me into loving dressage, and once Perla’s abscess healed, we moved to a dressage barn – Majestic Farm – where I remain to this day!! Once I got that feel… it’s that cool feeling of communicating with your horse that you just can’t stop. This was about 6 years ago. Right now we are working on Second Level and First Level Freestyle. We hope to start Third Level movements soon!
You are an ardent spokesperson for Cure Epilepsy. Tell me about the organization and what you do with them?
The organization that I work with is CURE Epilepsy, the second largest organization (next to the US Government) in advancing research for Epilepsy. One of the ways they do that is through a program called CURE Champions. CURE Champions are people who have been impacted by epilepsy and raise money on behalf of finding a cure. The champions hold events to raise funds, and my platform is Dressage for a Cause, which consists of an annual horse show at Majestic Farm plus a raffle. In 2019, we held our first CURE Champions event and my barn family was right behind me with their support! They donated items for the raffle, in addition to highlighting purple which is the color of Epilepsy. They asked the competitors to wear purple, surrounded the arena in purple pumpkins and flowers, and there were purple ribbons.
In 2020, our event was disrupted, but not by COVID like it was for so many, but by epilepsy. That morning I woke up having seizures and I wasn’t able to make it to the farm for my own fundraiser!
I was devastated because I fight for other Epilepsy warriors like me who can’t participate in their passions either, because their epilepsy prevents them from doing so. And they’re the reason I ride – to help drive awareness about the debilitating effects of treatment-resistant epilepsy! The next day, however, I dragged myself to the barn. I had the headache from hell, which often happens after I have a seizure and which normally would prevent me from putting on my helmet. But then I remembered Roman the Warrior, an Epilepsy Warrior in Austria who has to wear a helmet, not for horseback riding but for seizures. I remembered Roman and put on my helmet and got in that arena and rode - for Roman and all the Epilepsy Warriors. We made it happen and it was great!
This year, we are doing the Purple raffle again. The Raffle is open from Oct. 17 – Nov. 10, and you can purchase raffle tickets and contribute via this link. Our goal is to raise $100,000 for a research grant awarded by CURE Epilepsy in partnership with the Cameron Boyce Foundation. We have already raised $24,000 of our $100,000 goal.
You have the podium - if you could express just one thing to the person residing this article what would it be?
There’s always been a stigma around epilepsy. In fact, many people are hesitant to even say the word. But if we can’t talk about it, then we can’t find a cure. So please help us raise awareness about epilepsy by talking about it. It’s okay to say the word! And once we start doing that, it will be easier to find a cure so that others like me can have their own ride of a lifetime.
Cure Epilepsy
CURE Epilepsy was founded in 1998 by a group of parents desperate for answers to save their children. Since then, CURE Epilepsy has led a dramatic shift in the epilepsy research community from simply treating seizures to enhancing understanding of underlying mechanisms and causes so that cures and preventative strategies can be found.
From creating groundbreaking initiatives on SUDEP and genetics, to developing a team-science approach to study post-traumatic epilepsy for the U.S. Department of Defense, we remain laser-focused on funding research to find the cures for epilepsy.
]]>TouchPoint’s BLAST® technology has already been scientifically validated in over a dozen academic studies. Currently TouchPoint is working on the product development of their newest AI enabled version of the device, Thodian Tokens which will utilize the patented BLAST® technology to reduce users stress in seconds. Thodian Tokens are meant to be utilized in conjunction with a user’s smartwatch device and a companion app using a closed loop biometric function to monitor and deliver BLAST® technology in real time to manage a user’s stress.
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Phoenix, AZ August 8th, 2022 — The Partnership for Economic Innovation (PEI), a passionate collective of business and community leaders dedicated to accelerating Arizona’s economic opportunities, is connecting researchers at Arizona State University’s Luminosity Lab with industry experts at TouchPoint Solution to develop and commercialize healthcare technology through the WearTech Applied Research Center. TouchPoint Solution partnered with the Wear Tech Applied Research Center to utilize it’s patented scientifically-proven BLAST® (Bi-Lateral Alternation Stimulation Tactile) Technology along with the development of it’s new AI tech to create the World’s first AI powered stress relieving device.
At the WearTech Center, TouchPoint will follow the applied research model which accelerates product development and commercialization via collaboration with public and private sectors partners. The center will shepherd this innovative product through the idea generation, project formation, validation, and commercialization phases.
“TouchPoint’s innovations and AI are dedicated to lessening the toll stress has on us physically and mentally. Leading interdisciplinary researchers at ASU’s Luminosity Labs together are building a breakthrough solution that provides fast relief, improving sleep, increasing focus and creating the ability for users to stay in perfect homeostatis stopping stress and anxiety before it even begins,” said Kathleen Lee, Director of Applied Research Centers for the Partnership for Economic Innovation. “The WearTech Center is providing these innovators the tools they need to accelerate product development of their wearable over-the-counter anti-anxiety device.”
TouchPoint’s BLAST® technology has already been scientifically validated in over a dozen academic studies. Currently TouchPoint is working on the product development of their newest AI enabled version of the device, Thodian Stones which will utilize the patented BLAST® technology to reduce users stress in seconds. Thodian Stones are meant to be utilized in conjunction with a user’s smartwatch device and a companion app using a closed loop biometric function to monitor and deliver BLAST® technology in real time to manage a user’s stress. Thodian Stones will be available for pre-order in Fall of 2022 with delivery and official launch in conjunction with the Consumer Electronics Show at CES in January of 2023.
“For the development of TouchPoint’s newest stress-relieving device, we needed an interdisciplinary team with expertise in mechanical engineering, industrial design, app development and data scientists. WearTech helped us mitigate the risk of working across different vendors by connecting us with ASU’s Luminosity Labs. They also provide oversight to make sure that our device would fit the market’s needs. We could not bring this idea to life without the WearTech team’s support,” said Vicki Mayo, CEO and Founder of TouchPoint Solution.
The WearTech Center has so far supported the development and the path to commercialization of wearable technology projects, including a drug-free anxiety treatment device and dynamic fall risk assessment tool. The Arizona Commerce Authority recently awarded $1.6 million to support new applied research projects through WearTech. State funding matches private and nonstate funds raised by industry partners. This additional funding will support eight new projects, including TouchPoint’s device, more than doubling the number of applied research projects through the WearTech Center and achieving 360% growth in total research funding compared to 2019.
Information on WearTech Center projects and more is available at azweartech.org. To learn more about the Partnership for Economic Innovation and its initiatives, visit azpei.org.
ABOUT THE WEARTECH APPLIED RESEARCH CENTER
The WearTech Applied Research Center was created by Partnership for Economic Innovation (PEI) in 2019 to help launch a future-of-health technology ecosystem around Arizona’s thriving biomedical scene. The Center offers an engineering lab and community space for innovation teams bringing disruptive IP to life. Their process connects entrepreneurs and industry to world class research teams and resources, helping through the idea generation, project formation, research prototyping validation, and commercialization of products. The WearTech Center is able to work towards its mission of growing Arizona’s wearable tech ecosystem with support from key partners including the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation, Startup AZ Foundation, and the City of Phoenix. Learn more at azweartech.org.
ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP FOR ECONOMIC INNOVATION
Partnership for Economic Innovation is a passionate collective of business and community leaders dedicated to accelerating Arizona’s economic opportunities. We believe innovators are problem solvers who come from anywhere, if they have access to pathways to do so — which is why PEI is investing in community-building technology and R&D designed to make Arizona more resilient and empower innovators to bring world-changing ideas to market. PEI initiatives include:
Travel can be fun and spark positive mood changes. It also inevitably triggers a wide range of stressors which can induce depression and anxiety. Or worse, the stress of traveling alone or traveling at night can potentially worsen symptoms in people with existing mental health issues. Therefore, navigating lodging and transportation systems and helping travelers cope with emotional anxiety and mental stress before, during, and after a trip is smart healthcare practice as well as an opportunity for the hospitality industry to proactively strengthen customer relationships.
For women and diverse travelers, travel-related stress can be compounded by existing trauma and post-traumatic stress that comes from simply living their day-to-day lives. For these people, travel-related stress looks like worrying about whether they will be safe traveling alone at night (even in so-called “safe” areas), experiencing aggression or microaggressions in air travel (which is on the rise and worse than pre-pandemic travel), or even simply trying to cope with triggered post-traumatic stress while on a business trip when they’re expected to function at 100%.
What if there was a way to create a less stressful journey that travelers of all ages and backgrounds could easily embrace? What if there was a tool that made coping with post-traumatic stress easier, especially when traveling? What if there was a way that savvy hospitality operators could help boost more confidence in the tourism industry?
What exactly is travel-related stress? It is the body’s response to pressure: the pressure of coordinating multiple itineraries, getting stuck at the airport, misplacing a passport, getting stopped at security, handling last minute flight cancellations, and managing a budget at every turn on the vacation. It is not packing enough of the right gear. It is over packing too much gear. It is missing a dinner reservation and finding out the top local restaurants were booked months in advance. (Also see Irene Macabante on travel trauma: https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4109218.html).
With the ability to personalize service and answer consumers’ rising demand for digitalization, TouchPoints present an opportunity to facilitate these desires and optimize new technologies and innovative products to seamlessly align travel and healthcare.
What Are TouchPoints?TouchPoints are a high-tech amenity designed to improve the travelers’ end-to-end experience by reducing the stress and anxiety often associated with travel. These wearable devices enable travelers to pay attention to the holistic experience - which includes self-care for the mind and body - and thus improve the overall outcome of a trip.
TouchPoints, placed on both sides of the body, gently vibrate to activate a user’s “calm” response. In seconds, users gain control over their stress, and are able to think clearly and experience a sense of balance. This process creates lasting new behavior patterns, lessening the negative impacts of stress over time.
Because travel-related stress usually begins weeks before the trip, imagine sending TouchPoints to customers prior to their departure date to help mitigate the biggest anxiety-inducing culprits - from planning and packing to experiencing motion sickness and turbulence once the trip has started - to be part of a “hospitality X healthcare” solution.
Hospitality industry players can all benefit from low-cost, high-impact amenities that deliver the “gift” of balance and stress-reduction. As modern travelers make booking decisions based on rewards and perks, luxurious upgrades that address pre-trip stress before the vacation has even begun serves as a savvy marketing and sales “well-being welcome” tool. Adding self-care to the hospitality checklist right alongside ratings for decor, ambience, cleanliness, value, etc. to address stress aligns with the full brand service experience.
Staying away from home can be super stressful. Fear of uncertainty, safety concerns, massive flight cancellations, Covid protocols. Modern travelers deserve modern solutions to trip stressors.
Just as spa-like airport lounges with complimentary refreshments or hotels with in-room yoga mats have been created to provide quiet sanctuaries and ease travelers into new environments, TouchPoints provide a high-tech path to a calm, meditative state of mind by helping shift the parasympathetic nervous system functioning.
Our bodies react to minor stress the same way they do to serious danger, activating our “fight or flight” response and triggering stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, making us feel anxious and out of control. But our default stress reaction can literally be rewired with TouchPoints. The wearable devices have been designed to keep stress at bay; consequently, helping travelers stay in a meditative state of Zen at the wellness retreat or in a focused top performance state of mind for their adventure travel experiences.
And, at the end of the day? TouchPoints help combat the factors that stand between your customer and a good night’s rest. Stress is one of the most common and pervasive sleep disruptors keeping even the savviest global travelers awake.
TouchPoints' proprietary neuroscience technology uses gentle, alternating micro-vibrations to return users back into a calm, sleep mode in seconds. And with so much riding on online ratings, improving the quality of a peaceful night’s sleep looms large against the backdrop of travelers’ reviews.
What Hospitality Leaders Can DoWhat goes into a successful vacation rating and repeat, loyal customers? The coveted five-star rating is dependent on many factors, especially the final brand impression that helps create lasting memories of joy.
Just as Disney and Princess Cruise Lines have used Disney Magic Bands and Medallion Pendants respectively as part of branding initiatives, sending travelers home with TouchPoints is part of the full guest experience to not only help manage stress upon return but remind travelers their holistic well-being has been prioritized.
There is no doubt about it: travel is back - but it comes with a unique set of stressors. Embracing technological advancements can positively impact the well-being of one of the hospitality industry’s most vital customer segments: the leisure travel guest returning to the skies, rails, roads, and sea for the first time in years.
TouchPoints could be a Healthcare-meets-Hospitality (H2H) solution. For more information, please see www.thetouchpointsolution.com.
*Acknowledgment: This research paper is sponsored by the GloMed.Education website.
Frederick DeMicco, Ph.D., RDN
Northern Arizona University
Read original article on https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4111691.html
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Phoenix, AZ – TouchPoint Solution and the Touch of Hope scholarship fund have delivered dozens of free TouchPoints wearable devices everyday since the mass shooting on Independence Day at the Highland Park holiday parade. The stress-relieving wearables are being donated to a network of frontline anxiety specialists, grief counselors and social workers as well as directly to victims and local community organizations in an effort to provide a resource of post-traumatic stress relief to all those impacted by the tragedy. Requests for the neuroscientific devices poured in from trauma counselors stationed in police departments, libraries and the local high school following the act of violence at the July 4th parade in the Chicago suburb.
“We’re grateful for all the trauma counselors and anxiety specialists in the field offering their comfort, connection and support as they attempt to deal with the emotional and psychological impact of this latest tragedy,” said Vicki Mayo, CEO of TouchPoint. “The shooting in Buffalo, then Uvalde, then Highland Park only intensified the urgency for an at-home resource for immediate stress relief that TouchPoints can provide alongside professional in-person counseling.”
As the community worked to recover from the horrific tragedy, TouchPoints were immediately distributed to counselors in Chicago’s school districts, including Brenda Marwede, Founder of the Professional Family Solutions in Gurnee, Ill.
“Following the shooting, the collective intention was to bring stress levels down and connect individuals with local groups for ongoing counseling services. TouchPoints were a good tool for helping bring stress levels down at home, thereby directly supporting the crisis goal,” said Brenda Marwede, MA, LCPC, CIMHP. “I work with many trauma patients. There are many strategies including breathing, mindfulness, cold exposure. TouchPoints are unique in the way that users don't have to do anything more than put them on.”
Following the shooting incident, a network of over 600 volunteer licensed therapists mobilized and worked together to support a community of over 3200 members who sought some form of in-person counseling. Gathering in libraries, schools the volunteers deployed immediate protocols knowing there would be a need to transition to long-term strategies.
“Someone in the Highland Park Strong Facebook community suggested TouchPoints,” noted a parent of three young children who received TouchPoints wearables, and agreed to be interviewed under the condition of anonymity. “Before TouchPoints, I was jumpy and had issues with falling asleep at night. After the shooting, I was triggered easily by things unrelated to the parade. They say the body holds trauma and I had clearly reinjured past trauma by being at the parade.”
“I noticed the first night that right away I felt like I wanted to sleep at a normal time. I started to yawn like I should, instead of my state of constant arousal and wanting to stay up out of fear. The next day, I noticed I would take random deep breaths when I didn't expect. I figured my body was finding a way to calm itself down. By the second day, I noticed my body was starting to notice when it would hit those 'fight or flight' moments and it was often. It felt like that rush would still hit, but the battle in my body would calm down and stabilize within thirty seconds, “she continued. “I could work on things that stressed me out when I'd normally want to walk away and not deal with the anxiety. TouchPoints have truly changed how I'm able to handle stressful situations.”
TouchPoints wearable devices provide a safe, effective at-home treatment that works especially well when paired with a counseling plan. TouchPoint uses a patented method leveraging advances in neuroscience and technology to directly affect the body’s biological mechanism by altering the body’s natural stress response and keeping users in a calm state of mind in as little as 30 seconds; consequently, utilizing the most effective treatment to support and inoculate against PTSD.
TouchPoints are based on a pre-established, effective component of PTSD therapy that a team of neuropsychologists sought to provide to consumers as a real-time solution outside of their clinical appointments. Users are advised to include TouchPoints as part of a comprehensive treatment plan as a consumer product adjunct to treatment, including managing panic attacks.
To receive a complementary set of TouchPoints, Highland Park families and community members are invited to email the company at hello@thetouchpointsolution.com
About TouchPoints
TouchPoints work by altering the body's stress response with patented scientifically-proven BLAST (Bi-lateral Alternating Stimulation Tactile) technology. BLAST uses gentle, alternating vibrations on each side of the body to shift your brain from your default "fight or flight" response to your calm and in-control response. Over time, TouchPoints retrains your body, creating new behavior patterns that lessen the negative impacts of stress.
Analysis from TouchPoints users showed that within just 30 seconds of using TouchPoints, people experienced an over 70% reduction in their stress levels and a 68% reduction in body sensations related to stress.
TouchPoints are non-invasive and safe for use by adults and kids to relieve stress without drugs or side effects.
For studies, data, and a step-by-step guide how to use TouchPoints, visit: https://thetouchpointsolution.com/
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About TouchPoints
TouchPoints work by altering the body's stress response with patented scientifically-proven BLAST (Bi-lateral Alternating Stimulation Tactile) technology. BLAST uses gentle, alternating vibrations on each side of the body to shift your brain from your default "fight or flight" response to your calm and in-control response. Over time, TouchPoints retrains your body, creating new behavior patterns that lessen the negative impacts of stress.
Analysis from TouchPoints users showed that within just 30 seconds of using TouchPoints, people experienced an over 70% reduction in their stress levels and a 68% reduction in body sensations related to stress.
TouchPoints are non-invasive and safe for use by adults and kids to relieve stress without drugs or side effects.
For studies, data, and a step-by-step guide how to use TouchPoint, visit: https://thetouchpointsolution.com/
]]>“It’s incredibly difficult to once again address a mass shooting, but we are here for families and individuals that need to reach out to trauma counselors for help. The needs are real and long-term, and we know there is no ability to heal without asking for help,” said Vicki Mayo, CEO of TouchPoint. “If we can support the specialists counseling victims, victims’ families, and the community in our small way by offering some form of stress relief, TouchPoint is here to provide a solution.”
Seven people were killed and dozens more were wounded during a Fourth of July celebration in Highland Park, IL, one of several deadly shootings across the country on the holiday. In response, TouchPoints were immediately sent to community counselors, including Brenda Marwede, Founder of the Professional Family Solutions in Gurnee, Ill.
“As the community is currently dealing with the immediate shock of this horrific violence, we’re addressing anxiety and sleeplessness, a typical immediate acute response in a grave situation like this,” said Brenda Marwede, MA, LCPC, CIMHP. “The stress-relief that TouchPoints wearables can provide is a welcome tool in our counseling tool box when dealing with the profound grief that a mass shooting incident like this can exacerbate.”
TouchPoints wearable devices provide a safe, effective at-home treatment that works especially well when paired with a counseling plan. TouchPoint uses a patented method leveraging advances in neuroscience and technology to directly affect the body’s biological mechanism by altering the body’s natural stress response and keeping users in a calm state of mind in as little as 30 seconds; consequently, utilizing the most effective treatment to support and inoculate against PTSD.
TouchPoints are based on a pre-established, effective component of PTSD therapy that a team of neuropsychologists sought to provide to consumers as a real-time solution outside of their clinical appointments. Users are advised to include TouchPoints as part of a comprehensive treatment plan as a consumer product adjunct to treatment, including managing panic attacks.
To receive a complementary set of TouchPoints, Highland Park families and community members are invited to email the company at hello@thetouchpointsolution.com.
About TouchPoints
TouchPoints work by altering the body's stress response with patented scientifically-proven BLAST (Bi-lateral Alternating Stimulation Tactile) technology. BLAST uses gentle, alternating vibrations on each side of the body to shift your brain from your default "fight or flight" response to your calm and in-control response. Over time, TouchPoints retrains your body, creating new behavior patterns that lessen the negative impacts of stress.
Analysis from TouchPoints users showed that within just 30 seconds of using TouchPoints, people experienced an over 70% reduction in their stress levels and a 68% reduction in body sensations related to stress.
TouchPoints are non-invasive and safe for use by adults and kids to relieve stress without drugs or side effects.
For studies, data, and a step-by-step guide how to use TouchPoint, visit: https://thetouchpointsolution.com/.
]]>TouchPoint Solution announces the donation of hundreds of stress-relieving wearable devices to the Uvalde, Texas community in response to the deadliest US school shooting in a decade. The Touch of Hope scholarship fund will provide free neuroscientific devices designed to provide fast relief from stress to any of the families impacted by the tragedy and experiencing stress triggered by yesterday’s act of violence. TouchPoint uses a patented method leveraging advances in neuroscience and technology to directly affect the body’s biological mechanism by altering the body’s natural stress response and keeping users in a calm state of mind in as little as 30 seconds; consequently, utilizing the most effective treatment to support and inoculate against PTSD.
“Our hearts go out to the families and children impacted by the tragic shooting that occurred in Uvalde yesterday,” said Vicki Mayo, Founder and CEO of TouchPoint. “When a massive stressor of this level engages our bodies’ “fight or flight” response, there is a significant and direct impact on the body’s health. TouchPoint’s mission is to provide a form of comfort through stress relief at this critical time when we know these families have been rocked by an unimaginable tragedy.”
TouchPoints are based on a pre-established, effective component of PTSD therapy that a team of neuropsychologists sought to provide to consumers as a real-time solution outside of their clinical appointments. Users are advised to include TouchPoints as part of a comprehensive treatment plan as a consumer product adjunct to treatment, including managing panic attacks.
To receive a complementary set of TouchPoints, Uvalde families and community members are invited to email the company at hello@thetouchpointsolution.com.
About TouchPoints
TouchPoints work by altering the body's stress response with patented scientifically-proven BLAST (Bi-lateral Alternating Stimulation Tactile) technology. BLAST uses gentle, alternating vibrations on each side of the body to shift your brain from your default "fight or flight" response to your calm and in-control response. Over time, TouchPoints retrains your body, creating new behavior patterns that lessen the negative impacts of stress.
Analysis from TouchPoints users showed that within just 30 seconds of using TouchPoints, people experienced an over 70% reduction in their stress levels and a 68% reduction in body sensations related to stress.
TouchPoints are non-invasive and safe for use by adults and kids to relieve stress without drugs or side effects.
For studies, data, and a step-by-step guide how to use TouchPoint, visit: https://thetouchpointsolution.com/
]]>Join Dr. Holmes as she interviews Dr. Hagemen in a discussion about non-invasive wearable devices that alleviate stress and anxiety for both the person on the autism spectrum and caretakers. The podcast will cover the effects of stress and how the devices use BLAST (Bi-Lateral Alternating Stimulation Tactile) for reducing anxiety. Originally designed by Dr. Amy Sherin to help those with PTSD, she referred to the device as a somatosensory method put into a wearable device.
Dr. Nathan Hageman- TouchPoint Research Director: Nathan has a life-long interest in science and medicine. He received a Bachelor of Science in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology from Johns Hopkins University, and an MD and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Neuro-Engineering from UCLA with a focus in brain mapping and medical image processing. Nathan has extensive knowledge of high- level mathematics and statistics, data analysis, image processing, and medicine, especially neuroscience/neuroanatomy.
Because much of his doctoral work involved mathematical modeling and software algorithm development, Nathan has familiarity with programming and software development (mainly in C/C++) on both Windows and Mac OS platforms, as well as experience with scripting and pipeline computing. He has experience with large scale software projects and delivering on a deadline. Nathan also loves to teach and has years of experience educating at the university level (undergraduate and graduate/professional students), from one-on-one tutoring to lecturing to large classes. Both as a doctoral student and as a post-doctoral fellow, Nathan has a wealth of experience in grant writing and editing (both public [National Institutes of Health (NIH)] grants and private sector grants) and writing, editing and reviewing medical/scientific research papers submitted for publication in academic journals. Nathan has published numerous papers and abstracts and written and been awarded several major NIH research grants.
www.thetouchpointsolution.com
This article first appeared in Spreaker in June 2020 To read the full article, click here.
Stress affects everyone at some stage of their life. From upsetting life events to something positive like moving home, most of us have experienced those restless nights where we just cannot switch off and get to sleep. However, when the occasional restless night becomes a regular occurrence, it can have a significant negative impact on your health, both mental and physical.
There are many solutions out there to help you get to sleep, one of which is the TouchPoint Solution, non-invasive wearables that provide instant relief for stress and anxiety. The TouchPoint Solution for Sleep is a rather unique sleep aid, using a technique we hadn’t come across before. TouchPoint works by using proprietary neuroscience technology and creates a gentle, alternating micro-vibration to calm you down, ready to fall into a natural sleep.
Established in 2016 by founder Vicki Mayo, who originally set out to find a way to help her own four-year-old find relief from night terrors, and a team of expert neuropsychologists TouchPoints developed a range of products available for adults and children alike to tackle common stress and anxiety-related issues. From irritability, stress-related headaches, PTSD, sensory sensitivity, and task avoidance, the TouchPoints wearable devices have been scientifically proven to help relieve the physical symptoms of these common disorders.
The TouchPoint Solution for Sleep comes with two soft zippered sweatbands in either navy or grey as well as the TouchPoints Basic units (to be worn on either side of the body) a dual-pronged charging cable and a linen carry bag to store everything. The devices are incredibly simple to use, with a multifunctional button needs to be hit once to switch it on and again to scroll through the three-speed settings. By holding them next to each other you only need to select the speed on one device and the other with automatically fall into the right rhythm.
The TouchPoints can be worn on the wrists or ankles although with my skinny wrists the one size fits all band was a little large, so an adjustable strap would be a nice addition to get a precise fit and feel the vibrations effectively. It is recommended that the bands are worn for fifteen minutes before bedtime then removed when you feel drowsy and ready for sleep. However, if you forget to take them off, they will automatically switch off after 30 minutes to conserve the battery.
The lights (green, blue, amber, and pink) indicate that the units are switched on and what level they are set at. I noted that this can be quite bright if you activate them in the middle of the night after waking, the button can be activated through the wristbands if needed and the light doesn’t come through. As expected, the devices do make a little buzzing noise when switched on, this also made the metal zip rattle a little during our tests, it is not hugely irritating but perhaps a plastic zip or Velcro fastening would be more appropriate.
Tests carried out by TouchPoint showed that their BLAST (bi-lateral alternating stress tactile) technology can reduce stress by up to 70% in 30 seconds and also reduces the objective marker of cortisol both during and after a stressful event. This we can believe, whether it is a placebo, a distraction or neuroscience, the TouchPoint Solution for Sleep is producing a relaxing effect, their simple and effective use is well worth a look at for anyone who struggles with sleep or relaxing in general. RRP $135.99
https://thetouchpointsolution.com/pages/sleep
4 out of 5
This article first appeared on The Review Smiths on May 27, 2020. To read the full article, click here.
We had the good fortune of connecting with Vicki Mayo and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Vicki, so given that most of us are stuck at home due to the crisis, we’ve been asking folks about what they’ve enjoyed doing during the quarantine. We’d love to hear what your favorite thing to do has been.
During quarantine, I’ve taken up a new hobby - watercolor painting! I’ve always loved art and people that could see something and paint it realistically. My first painting was terrible- a kindergartner would have done better, 🙂 I have been watching YouTube videos and following some amazing painters on Instagram. I also stumbled across a watercolor subscription box from Let’s Make Art and the founder is amazing at walking you through step by step instructions with templates and techniques. My 9-year-old daughter has really gotten into it and together we have made this a “painting affair” a few times a week!
What should our readers know about your business?
After a personal experience with EMDR therapy, I partnered with a neuropsychologist to find a way to bring the benefits of this powerful treatment to the masses. Through multiple research studies, we realized that a haptic technology called BLAST (bilateral alternating stimulation tactile) could reduce stress and anxiety in seconds by “hacking” the brain’s stress response system. BLAST technology is the basis of our company and since releasing our first product we’ve released several additional products including the TouchPoints for Calm and for Sleep. The journey has not always been easy but I can certainly say it hasn’t been dull! One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is to learn to delegate. Sometimes it can seem easiest to just do something yourself versus teaching others because I can do it faster, but this mentality can be detrimental. Not only does it lead to burnout for yourself but it creates a bottleneck. Instead, I’ve learned that if I am the only one that can do it, that I should do it once and document how I do it step by step with written instructions, pictures, and videos. Then I can share this “Standard Work” with another team member as well as housing it in a data repository so it can be used as a reference for new team members. This is the building block of scalability.
Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
I’m not an Arizona native, but I’m close! I moved to Sedona, Arizona when I was 11 years old. While I currently reside in Paradise Valley if a friend came to visit me I would take them to Sedona. We would start our day with a hike- Doe Mesa in West Sedona and Westfork trail in Oak Creek Canyon are two of my absolute favorites! After the hike, we would stop at Oak Creek Market in Oak Creek Canyon for fresh pastries or a wine and cheese plate. If you go out the back door of the Market you can sit in one of the most beautiful tucked away hidden spots in Sedona, the Secret Garden. If the garden was closed or full we would cross the street and sit on the banks of the Oak Creek. We wrap up the evening by walking through the incredible Art and sculpture galleries in Tlaquepaque and then eating dinner at one of my Top 5 restaurants in the world- Elote Cafe. Don’t let the non-assuming facade fool you. Elote is a food lover's delight! I dream of the Prickly Pear Margaritas and duck flautas.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I started TouchPoint Solution in 2016 after a lot of encouragement from my husband and friends (Thank you!!). We were unsure of how people would react and respond after realizing that you could reduce stress at the press of a button. Our initial launch was amazing! We sold over $250,000 in our first month and that enabled us to give hundreds of TouchPoints for free to those in need. As we began to grow, I found incredible support from Project Entrepreneur, the organization supported by UBS bank and Rent the Runway Foundation. TouchPoint Solution along with four other companies was picked among thousands that applied to participate in a summer program at the Rent the Runway headquarters in New York. Our cohort, which we affectionately named the “Fabulous Five”, along with the resources and support of @pjtentrepreneur made such an impact on our success. They have new cohorts that start every year, so if you are a budding entrepreneur, please follow them for support.
Website: https://thetouchpointsolution.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ilovetouchpoint/?hl=en
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickimayo/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ilovetouchpoint
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilovetouchpoint/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4Y5jgd3pXLB7z3QCbVOp1g
This article first appeared on Shoutout Arizona on May 27, 2020. To read the full article, click here.
Az Business magazine has selected the 30 companies that will be honored at the first Arizona Business Innovation Awards.
“We were overwhelmed by the number and quality of nominations,” said AZ Big Media Editor in Chief Michael Gossie. “With triple-digit nominations, selecting the 30 most innovative companies in Arizona for 2020 was tough, but it gave a sensational list of game-changing honorees.”
The Arizona Business Innovation Awards will take place on May 6, 2020, at The Clayton House in Scottsdale. The title sponsor is Keyser and the signature sponsor is Gallagher & Kennedy.
In addition to honoring all 30 of the most innovative companies in Arizona for 2020, there will be several spotlight awards that will be given out at the awards dinner to recognize exceptional achievement. All 30 companies will also be featured in the May issue of Az Business.
“The innovative things happening in the Arizona business community — across all sectors — are truly astonishing,” Gossie said. “That’s why this is guaranteed to be a cannot-miss event. You have to hear these companies’ incredible stories of innovation.”
Arizona is home to some of the most cutting-edge innovative companies in the country. From med-tech and real estate to engineering, education, and manufacturing, Arizona continues to produce and attract some of the most talented leaders in the country. The Arizona Business Innovation Awards will showcase that innovative spirit.
For information on sponsorship packages for the Arizona Business Innovation Awards, contact Publisher Josh Schimmels. For ticket and event information, contact Marketing and Events Manager Aseret Arroyo.
Here are the 30 companies that will be honored at the Arizona Business Innovation Awards and will be featured in the May issue of Az Business magazine:
Arizona Bioindustry Association (AZBio)
Arizona Federal Credit Union
CFM
Calero-MDSL
Casago
Design Pickle
Emerge
Footprint
Freeport-McMoRan
HOPCo (Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company)
Hexagon Mining
In-Position Technologies
Kitchell Corporation
Neighborhood Ventures
Outlier
Paradox
RJ Russo
Rosendin
SRP
STORE Capital
SmartRent
Solugenix
StrongMind
Team Select Home Care
Touchpoint Solution
TriWest Healthcare Alliance
Verdigris Holdings
Veyo
Waymo
Xcellerate Biomedical Technologies
This article first appeared on AZ Big Media on March 9, 2020, by AZ Business Magazine. To read the full article, click here.
The founder’s journey is usually marked by many ups and downs and detours along the way. For female founders, the road can often be rockier. Women have made significant strides in the last several decades and are among the fastest-growing and most productive entrepreneurs of our day. But funding gaps and other barriers are still pervasive. In 2018, less than 2 percent of venture capital dollars went to female founders, and yet, female-led companies have delivered 78 percent more revenue for every dollar raised compared with their male-led counterparts.
Fortunately, the landscape is changing. As more women put new companies on the map, they are clearing a path for other female founders to follow. It was this realization that inspired UBS, the world’s largest global wealth manager, to create Project Entrepreneur. Launched in 2015, the initiative has provided training to more than 1,600 female founders, 50 percent of whom identified as ethnically diverse—from 200-plus cities across the country. Project Entrepreneur alumnae have gone on to raise $45 million in funding.
Their success helps pave the way for other female entrepreneurs—and in the end, that benefits everyone. After all, innovation cannot happen in a vacuum. It requires a diversity of ideas coming from people who see and solve problems from many different angles.
However, far too many women remain cut off from the capital and support networks they need to take their companies to the next level. Knowing this, Project Entrepreneur is now shifting its focus to helping more established female-founded companies gain greater access to capital. As more of these companies achieve scale or successfully exit, it creates a virtuous cycle that opens more doors for female entrepreneurs.
To that end, UBS, in a new partnership with Female Founder Collective, a network of 5,000-plus women-led businesses co-founded by Rebecca Minkoff and Alison Wyatt, will open doors to more female founders via Project Entrepreneur multicity cohort programs, capital access summits and community building events for founders and investors.
Here, three Project Entrepreneur alumnae share their own startup journeys, including the lessons they learned and the connections they made.
Tina Hedges officially launched LOLI—short for Living Organic Loving Ingredients—in March 2018, but the idea for a waste-free organic beauty line was decades in the making. Growing up in Jamaica, Hedges watched her grandmother and mother make their own skincare products with natural ingredients they sourced locally.
Hedges would go on to work as a marketer for some of the world’s largest beauty brands, start a vegan haircare company and play an instrumental role in other startups. When she realized that her own beauty routine needed a reboot, she went back to the basics, blending food-grade ingredients into her own serums, scrubs, and moisturizers in her Manhattan studio. So began LOLI, which has since won industry accolades, attracted outside investors and gained a large and loyal following.
I chose to self-finance the initial product development and market testing because I knew what I was doing was disruptive. I wanted to unbottle beauty and make a fully zero-waste skin, hair and body brand at a time when consumers still clung to their pink plastic tubes and gold foil. If I wasn’t willing to bet on myself, how could I ask others to invest in me? Also, having been in the startup world before, I knew how difficult it was to raise money, particularly as a female founder over the age of 40.
I put in about $150,000 of my own money to create the initial product, built a website and did some pop-up experiences. In 2016, I shipped more than 1,000 boxes and got some incredible press. The next year I raised $1 million in angel funding, got into a tech accelerator and spent the year reinventing the brand for launch.
I could talk for hours about how the experience is different as a female entrepreneur. Women, I think, tend to be more transparent about the challenges ahead, whereas many male founders walk in a room with an attitude of “I’m crushing it.” I’ve been told that I ask a lot more questions when meeting with investors, including what their expectations are and what I can expect from them. This can make fundraising more difficult, but in the end, I think it’s a benefit.
One of the best things about Project Entrepreneur was the relationships it helped me cultivate, including with people who would eventually become investors and the other women in my cohort. Three years later, we still talk regularly. The journey of an entrepreneur can be quite lonely. As much as you want to share with your family and friends, it’s hard for them to understand the pressure that you’re under. Having that camaraderie has been so important.
Looking back, I regret not raising more money upfront. The initial funding gave me enough money to launch and get through the first critical days, but just as we started to get some traction, I had to go back and raise money. Raising money can be an incredible time suck, and it is virtually a full-time job. To raise my second seed round, I must have talked to 75 investors over a period of four months.
My advice for anyone starting a business is to ask some deep questions about why you’re doing this—because you need to have superpowers. You need a construct for how to build a business and make it profitable, but your motivation has to be something more than money or ego. What gets me up every single day is that I truly believe that the beauty industry is wasting water, exposing people to toxins and putting plastic in the oceans. Without this as my dharma, I would have given up on LOLI a long time ago.
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A biomedical engineer, Christine Schindler spent the early part of her career living and working in Tanzania, where she helped develop low-cost technologies to solve medical problems. When she moved back to the United States, she was struck by the pervasiveness of foodborne illnesses, most of which could be avoided with better control of hand-washing in food preparation.
This was the impetus for PathSpot, a hand-scanning device that mounts on the wall in restaurants, food packaging facilities and farms that detects bacteria and viruses. Less than three years after its launch, PathSpot is installed in hundreds of locations and is expanding into new markets and verticals.
It seemed like every time I turned on the TV, there was news about people who were getting incredibly sick from foodborne illnesses. There are systems that can detect harmful contaminants, but they are incredibly expensive and aren’t set up for restaurant environments. It reminded me of what I was working on in the developing world, and I wondered if I could build a lower-cost solution.
I went to a RadioShack liquidation sale, bought different electronic components and started experimenting with ideas at night and on weekends. Meanwhile, my cofounder and I went door to door, asking restaurants if they’d be interested in a system that could spot contaminants. They all said yes. The only thing most businesses usually have to protect the public against foodborne illness in restaurants are signs that say “Employees must wash hands before returning to work.”
Then I quit my job, sold my car and bought a 3D printer. My co-founder and I agreed we had about six months to make this into something. Every single day, we used the 3D printer to build a new prototype, took it to restaurants to get feedback and came back to make changes at night. We did that for about three months until someone said, “Yeah, OK, I’ll put it on the wall.”
Going out and getting that initial feedback was key. With some of our early customers, we said, “You can have the technology for free if you take 10 investor calls.”
When it was time to bring in investors, we made a wish list. We approached fundraising not just from a capital perspective but also by thinking about what kind of expertise we needed. Then we searched for investors who fit those profiles.
A lot of the introductions came through other founders. Through that process, not only did we learn more about potential investors but we also got to know other founders. We raised $4 million in seed funding in 2018 and 2019. We’re now preparing for additional capital raises in 2020.
If I could do this again, I would be more honest with myself when something was a “no.” In sales, hiring and fundraising, you want to believe that “maybe” is a “yes,” when it usually is not. There were times when I got held up by a lot of wishful thinking when I could have been doubling down on people who really bought in on the vision quickly.
Project Entrepreneur was instrumental. Being in the accelerator for five weeks, touring offices of other startups and hearing from so many groups made it possible to visualize what the next stage might look like. I also can’t say enough about the connections I made with the other founders in my group. We are constantly pinging each other, whether it is “Hey, what tax software do you use?” or “I just had a really bad meeting. Can we hop on the phone for 30 seconds so I don’t get discouraged?”
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The inspiration to start TouchPoint Solution came to Vicki Mayo (pictured left) in 2015 after many sleepless nights spent helping her young daughter deal with night terrors. Mayo shared her frustrations with her friend, Dr. Amy Serin, who suggested Mayo try a technology she had been testing in her clinics. “It was like magic,” says Mayo, who urged Serin to make the technology widely available.
Together they created TouchPoints, wearable devices that administer micro-vibrations that alter the body’s stress response. Their Scottsdale, Ariz.–based company has won dozens of innovation awards, and the treatment has been recognized as effective for a wide range of users, from children prone to tantrums to stressed-out adults.
We self-financed the initial development of TouchPoints in part because we were able to negotiate with vendors about purchase minimums. I talked to the manufacturer and said, “I can only pay you for 100 units, but I’m going to sell them and when I do, I’ll use that money to buy more.” I held the first prototype in my hands in May 2016. We launched on Kickstarter in December 2016 and did more than $250,000 in sales in a month.
TouchPoint Solution was my sixth startup. My philosophy has always been to work hard, grow the business slowly and reinvest the profits. I have never had outside investors, but I decided that TouchPoint was different. I wanted to get it into as many hands as possible, and I thought that would require capital. That realization is what led me to apply for Project Entrepreneur.
My husband, our four kids and I moved to New York for the summer for Project Entrepreneur. We were basically able to get under the hood of operations at more established companies during the accelerator program. Things that I picked up from a marketing perspective were priceless, including understanding how to pitch to the media and how to do better email marketing. By the time I left, I’d put together strategies that allowed us to take the company to the next level.
But when it came to investors, we struck out. TouchPoint Solution had already done about $1.5 million in sales, so it wasn’t unproven. Still, we’re in a unique niche that sits at the intersection of manufacturing, technology, and health science. It’s cutting-edge, but it’s a strange area—and it’s a strange area for a woman. In 2019, we decided to stop seeking investors.
I wish someone had said to me, “Vicki, do what you know is right for you, for your company and for your team, and every other piece is going to fall into place.” It is hard to stick to your guns and to trust yourself. But if you don’t trust yourself, then who else is going to?
We went back to our original model of having a core staff but using outside contractors as needed. This has proven to be the right path. In addition to our consumer sales, our devices are now in 20 rehabilitation facilities, more than 40 school districts and hospitals and other clinical settings. Now, instead of our going out and begging investors for meetings, I have people calling me saying they’d like to invest.
I think the landscape has improved dramatically for female founders. Yes, I ran into roadblocks with TouchPoints, but I don’t think it was solely because I was a woman. I actually think the playing field has leveled out a lot over the last few years and that the investor community has embraced female founders. Do we have a long way to go? I’d say 100 percent. But have we made a lot of progress? Again, 100 percent.
This presentation is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as investment advice or the basis for making any investment decisions. The views and opinions expressed may not be those of UBS Financial Services Inc. UBS Financial Services Inc. does not verify and does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information presented.
In providing wealth management services to clients, UBS offers both investment advisory and brokerage services which are separate and distinct and differ in material ways. For information, including the different laws and contracts that govern, visit ubs.com/workingwithus.
Persons included in this document may or may not be clients of UBS but were not selected for inclusion based on any existing or prospective relationship with UBS. The Female Founder Collective and UBS Financial Services Inc. are not affiliated. The individuals profiled in this document were selected based on their experiences and professional history.
UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. Member FINRA/SIPC.
This article first appeared on Worth on February 26, 2020, by Sarah Max. To read the full article, click here.
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Today Brad and I are reviewing Touchpoints, which is a product that helps reduce anxiety.
So today I’m going to talk to you about TouchPoints, how they work, and
when to use them!
TouchPoints work by harnessing the power of bilateral stimulation which is a process that is used in EMDR therapy as well as other therapies and relaxation tools.
Essentially how it works is that TouchPoints alternate vibrating left and right. So when you’re holding them in each hand the right and left side of your brain are stimulated.
The left/right brain stimulation simulates the REM cycle in sleep. REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement, which is a phase of sleep when your eyes move extremely quickly under your eyelids as you sleep and your brain processes the events from your day.
So in essence TouchPoints helps you simulate the REM process during the day.
TouchPoints are great because they can be used anywhere, and although they are pretty loud (so you wouldn’t want to use them in a crowded place), it’s great to have on hand to calm you down when you need it.
You can also use these right before bed to help get a calmer and more peaceful night sleep.
If you’re interested in learning more about TouchPoints and whether or not they will work for you, you can check out their website here.
I hope you enjoyed our review of TouchPoints!
This article first appeared in Overcoming PTSD in July 2019 by Kayleen Wright. To read the full article, click here.
]]>Time for a spring tune-up...for your mental and physical health! Watch Colleen Burns share some amazing ways to take care of yourself and your home in her recent episode of 'Spring Tune-Up' on the Daily Lounge.
For a healthier home and more free time Try a robotic vacuum that does double duty The Ecovac Deebot 711 cleans your floors AND keeps allergens in check automatically. Control it with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or use the remote app and you can spend more time with family, walking or meditating. It uses something called Smart Navi Mapping, think GPS, to map your room and avoid missing anything and it has 2 specialized cleaning modes, edge and spot mode, to focus on particularly troublesome messes. The Deebot 711 is an Amazon exclusive. Click here to learn more.
And the Best of CES Winner for Wellness TouchPoints is a wearable device that can reduce your stress level by 70 percent in just 30 seconds. 80-90 percent of diseases are caused by stress, and your body reacts to stress and anxiety in the same way as a physical threat, but the device uses alternating pulses scientifically proven to interrupt the Fight or Flight response. Helping with stress, aggression, sleep, and attention. It’s a hack your entire family can use. Click here to learn more.
This article first appeared on the Daily Lounge. To read the full article, click here.
]]>Stress affects everyone, and it’s not all bad. Without some positive stress, we wouldn’t get out of bed in the morning, or run that marathon, or write the great Canadian novel. Still, the negative impacts of stress are well known, ranging from psychological issues like anger, irritability, and loss of sex drive, to physical symptoms like chest pain, indigestion, and even skin eruptions.
Most studies show a higher percentage of women report being stressed, but men may simply be reluctant to admit it. Denying stress and holding it in may cause even more problems.
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a magic button that could somehow clear away stress? I found something that claims to be just that, at my favorite store in San Francisco. Target Open House is a smart home showroom, where you can see hot new tech products that the retail chain might someday sell in their stores.
That’s where I met Amy Serin, a PhD-holding psychologist from Arizona. She was demonstrating TouchPoints™ — two small vibrating buttons that, she claims, “can decrease stress by up to 70 percent in as few as 30 seconds.” The underlying technology is BLAST (bilateral alternating stimulation tactile). You can hold the devices, wear them on wristbands or even put them in your socks to help you sleep.
Serin is the inventor of the device and co-founder of the company that makes and sells it. She was demonstrating it to a woman who said she freezes up with stress when she has to attend a certain business meeting. After trying the Buzzies, as they used to be called, she asked how to order some.
Then it was my turn. Serin had me think about something that was causing me stress and asked what part of my body I was feeling it in. Sure enough, after a bit of vibrating, I did indeed feel calmer and more relaxed, in all parts of my body.
I wound up with a set to test out, along with pointers to some of the studies at https://thetouchpointsolution.com/pages/research. Various researchers report good results using the devices for anxiety, autism, irritability, sleep problems, PTSD, and even post-concussive syndrome.
My first brainwave was to take them along when I went to sea with the Royal Canadian Navy since there have been suggestions that vibration devices can help counter motion sickness. But the seas were dead calm.
Then I lent them to a friend with a teenage son who is on the autism spectrum. He gave them a try but found the noise too annoying. He also objected to the thought that the device was manipulating his brain waves, which is exactly what the company claims on their website, showing before and after brain scans with significantly reduced beta wave activity.
The device has three modes, blue for sleep, green for calm and red for anger. There’s also a free app that allows finer control of the frequency, intensity, and overlap, and provides pre-sets for things like focus, performance, and craving.
I sought out Jaideep Bains, Ph.D., professor of Physiology & Pharmacology at the University of Calgary. He’s a noted expert on neurophysiology and stress and a principal investigator whose research is highlighted at stressynomics.com.
His first reaction to holding the TouchPoints™? “Cool toy, but it would drive me crazy.” He acknowledges that the company has some very prestigious people on their advisory board, but objects to the characterization of the devices as being based on neuroscience. “They looked at beta waves, but beta waves happen in the cortex for a lot of reasons. They don’t necessarily have to do with stress.”
He notes that much of their research results are subjective reports. “They’re very careful in their literature to say they’re not recommending this for any disease or any medical benefit. If this were to be thought of as a medical device, what you’d need is a randomized trial. You’d need cortisol levels, you’d need autonomic outputs like heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and sweat.”
He does agree with some of the material on the company’s website, especially when it says that stress activates circuits in your brain over which you don’t have control.
As Bains and many others have observed, there’s a huge possibility of a placebo effect here. Indeed, that may be what happened to me, and to the lady in the store. We felt reduced stress because we expected to feel it.
“That woman would probably be better off just going for a walk, and breathing deeply,” says Bains, “and removing herself from the stressful situation.”
Of course, a stress-busting walk isn’t always an option. If you’d like to try TouchPoints™, they cost $159.99 US (plus shipping, duty, and taxes) from the company’s website. They do offer a 30-day free trial, though dealing with international returns might raise your stress level.
You could just wait to see if and when they make it onto the shelves at your nearest U.S. Target store
Dr. Tom Keenan is an award-winning journalist, public speaker, professor in the Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary, and author of the bestselling book, Technocreep: The Surrender of Privacy and the Capitalization of Intimacy.
This article first appeared in the Calgary Herald on April 13, 2019 by TOM KEENAN. To read the full article, click here.
]]>Savvy Living is a fun and fast-paced half-hour lifestyle TV show hosted by lauded lifestyle, travel and consumer goods expert Merilee Kern. It airs on select weekends on the top-rated CBS5 San Francisco KPIX-TV, airing in the #6 U.S. market! The ever-charismatic and affable host helps locals and visitors end their weekends informed and entertained. Learn more at SavvyLiving.tv and click the video below to view TouchPoints feature.
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Share self care this holiday season with our health and wellness gift guide.
TouchPoints-
Corn Bag Warmers are re-usable microwave heating pads that you are certain to fall in love with!!
They are used for everything from staying warm during the cold winter months to helping relieve frustrating aches and pains. The company has been in business since 2001 and has thousands of happy customers.
Customers report that they use them for all sorts of things from arthritis, fibromyalgia, help during cancer treatment, using as dog warmers, migraines, menstrual cramps, blepharitis, knee pain, earaches and many others.
Their Cornbag Warmers are hand made in Oklahoma and they have over 100 beautiful patterns to choose from.
One thing that makes them different is their outer cover is removable, so if you spill something on it, you can remove the cover and wash it in the washing machine.
Order one today for yourself or as a gift to see how wonderful they really are!
** Be sure to watch this spot for more gift ideas-
This article appeared in Stretching The One Income Dollar on November 18, 2020. To read the full article, click here.
RALEIGH, N.C. January 2, 2020 – Monica Smiley, publisher and CEO of Enterprising Women magazine, has announced the winners of the 2020 Enterprising Women of the Year Awards, an annual tribute to the world’s top women entrepreneurs. Honorees will be recognized at the 18th Annual Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration & Conference, to be held from Sunday, March 29 to Tuesday, March 31 at the Wyndham Grand in Clearwater Beach, Florida.
The Enterprising Women of the Year Awards is widely considered one of the most prestigious recognition programs for women business owners. To win, nominees must demonstrate that they have fast-growth businesses, mentor or actively support other women and girls involved in entrepreneurship, and stand out as leaders in their communities. Many of the honorees also serve as leaders of the key organizations that support the growth of women’s entrepreneurship.
Award winners were recognized in categories based on the annual sales revenues of their businesses.
Finalists for the award, called Champions, were also named to the prestigious list of honorees.
Winners in the “over $50 million in annual sales” category:
Winners in the “over $25 million and up to $50 million in annual sales” category:
Winners in the “over $10 million and up to $25 million in annual sales” category:
Winners in the “over $5 million and up to $10 million in annual sales” category:
Winners with “over $4 million and up to $5 million in annual sales” category:
Winners with “over $3 million and up $4 million in annual sales” category:
Winners with “over $2 million and up to $3 million in annual sales” category:
Winners with “over $1 million and up to $2 million in annual sales” category:
Winners in the “up to $1 million in annual sales” category:
Enterprising Women Champions (Honorable Mention) — all revenue levels:
The 2020 Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration & Conference will bring together dynamic women business owners from North America and around the world for two-and-a-half days of top-notch workshops, networking opportunities, corporate sponsor exhibits, and awards presentations. The celebration will shine the spotlight on honorees, with award presentations at the Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Gala Dinner. During the annual “Hall of Fame Luncheon,” one woman entrepreneur and one nonprofit leader will be inducted into the Enterprising Women Hall of Fame.
In honor of the 20th anniversary of Enterprising Women magazine under the leadership of Monica Smiley, Publisher/CEO, 20 past recipients of the Enterprising Women of the Year Award will be honored with the Enterprising Women “Top 20 in 2020 Award” and recognized at a special reception held in their honor.
The event is open to 2020 award honorees, alumni (previous) award winners, corporate supporters, members of the Enterprising Women Advisory Board, VIPs in the women’s business community, readers of Enterprising Women magazine, and members of the many partner organizations affiliated with Enterprising Women.
Partner organizations represented on the Enterprising Women Advisory Board and supporting the 2020 event include:
QUOTES:
“The recipients of the 2020 Enterprising Women of the Year Awards represent an amazing group of women entrepreneurs from across the United States and as far away as Japan, India, Turkey, Kenya and the UAE,” said Monica Smiley, publisher and CEO of Enterprising Women. “We are so proud to recognize their accomplishments as CEOs of fast-growth companies, community leaders, and role models and mentors to other women and girls. We look forward to shining the spotlight on them at our 18th annual awards event in March.”
DETAILS:
– For more information or to register to attend the 2020 Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration and Conference, visit http://enterprisingwomen.com.
NEW MEDIA CONTENT:
Enterprising Women Facebook Page:
https://facebook.com/EnterprisingWomen
Enterprising Women Twitter Page:
https://twitter.com/EWMagazine
Enterprising Women Linked In Page:
http://linkedin.com/groups/Enterprising-Women-Magazine-4470189
“Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, but the health and wellness sector is a bit of minefield. It’s not always easy to find the gadgets and services that are based on sound science, that can actually alleviate suffering and improve lives because there’s a hefty chunk of snake oil out there. We scoured CES 2019 in search of the best health gadgets and, where possible, put them to the test. Here’s what we found.
The negative impact stress can have on our daily lives is well understood nowadays. Stress can be crippling, causing all kinds of physical symptoms, and often making people ill — it’s estimated that 1 million people call in sick every day because of stress. The Touchpoint Basic is two watch-sized wearables that emit haptic vibrations at three different intensities. Developed by neuropsychologist Amy Serin, the idea is that bi-lateral stimulation can reduce the physical effects of stress in just 30 seconds, slowing your heartbeat and getting rid of the butterflies in your stomach.
We tried it out for ourselves and found that it did make us feel less stressed. You simply press the buttons on top each unit to start them off, holding them close together so they sync and vibrate sequentially. If you still feel stressed, press again for a higher level of vibration. There are three levels and then another press turns them off. Touchpoint quickly reduces the physical feelings of stress and helps you to focus better. The big problem is that the vibrations are quite loud, it sounds like an incoming call when your phone is set to vibrate which makes it tough to use unobtrusively.
There’s a lot of solid research to back up the claims on this one and it worked for us, so if you struggle with stress, it might be worth considering.”
“Stress impacts millions of people every day. It can cause unwanted physical effects, prevent us from having fun or going to work, and even make us gravely ill in the long term if we don't take steps to deal with it. Touchpoints is designed to shake you out of your usual stress responses, slowing your heart rate and killing the butterflies in your stomach within 30 seconds of turning it on. A twin set of vibrating devices that look like watches send out synchronized vibrations that disrupt your body's typical stress routine. You can wear one on each wrist and pick a vibration intensity that works for you.
Developed by neuroscientist Amy Serin, Touchpoints relies on a proven bilateral stimulation technique to reduce cortisol levels and help you focus. It's backed by solid research and studies, and Touchpoints put it into action at CES with brain scans and blood pressure monitoring to show the impact. We have been testing it out for ourselves and feel a tangible reduction in our stress level each time we use it. The basic version costs $160.”
- By Simon Hill
*These articles first appeared in DIGITAL TRENDS on January 9, 2019, by SIMON HILL To read the full articles, click here and here.
]]>Nothing says the holidays like braving maddening airport crowds, eschewing prying questions at big family gatherings, or looming end-of-year work deadlines. With the perpetual golden glow of twinkly lights and a flurry of parties filling your calendar, it may be the merriest of seasons, but, by the same token, it can—and probably will—send your stress level into overdrive.
The good news is that the breadth of offerings that take high cortisol levels to task has never been greater, allowing for a release in tension and a feeling of ease during this spirited season. From calming neuroscientific wearables to the latest CBD oil elixir, here are five new ways to get through the most wonderful—yet laughably fraught—time of the year.
As the gold medal winner of the 2018 Edison Awards, which recognizes groundbreaking technology in wellness, this anxiety-minimizing gadget lives up to the recognition. Using a neuroscience technology called BLAST, which stands for bilateral alternating stimulation–tactile, the wearable device administers gentle micro- vibrations on either side of the body that have been shown to reduce stress by 70 percent in as little as 30 seconds. While designed to help manage everyday triggers, it may prove particularly fruitful during chaotic holiday travel—or if you’re getting the third degree at the Thanksgiving table.
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You’ve deadlines to meet, a presentation to give and a colleague is proving difficult. There’s no hope of skiving off to recalibrate the body back into calm mode.
Yet might that device on your wrist just have the answer? Or those voices in your head … courtesy of Bluetooth earbuds and a meditation app?
Few people may argue with American neuropsychologist Dr. Amy Serin, co-founder and chief science officer of biotechnology company The TouchPoint Solution – which created the “press and de-stress” TouchPoints wearables – when she says that stress is at epidemic levels in modern society.
Or, that stress – along with its evil cousins, anxiety, and depression – is possibly the biggest hindrance to overall well-being.
"Technology can and should be incorporated as part of a holistic wellness environment at home" -
However, Dr. Michael Eason, a psychologist at the Hong Kong private practice, MindnLife, believes that technology can be part of the solution.
He says that home is a perfect place to establish one’s own wellness retreat, aided by technology.
“Technology can and should be incorporated as part of a holistic wellness environment at home,” he says.
“I often remind clients that they cannot find peace or a time to unwind while living inside both a pressure cooker at work and a pressure cooker at home.
“Home should be a safe space to decompress from the stress of the day.”
Eason says the use of technology is an excellent way to help use our precious and limited “self-care” time in an efficient manner.
“I find that phone apps assisting clients to learn meditation and mindfulness skills are particularly useful, he says.
“Some of them even help those coping with insomnia and other sleep issues. Other apps help motivate them to keep achieving their exercise goals.”
The more control we have, the less stress we feel, he says.
“So, a technologically controlled home has good potential for creating a holistic and low-stress environment.
“I’ve heard many stories from my clients about how these devices can help provide them a safe harbor in the storm.”
Success certainly varies from person to person, but Eason says he is “always willing to give a new treatment method a try”.
He says: “I say if the technology exists and is effective, we should use it and use it wisely.”
"A technologically controlled home has good potential for creating a holistic and low-stress environment" -
In touch with stress relief
TouchPoints are twin neuroscientific wearables that can help to provide fast relief from stress.
They are embedded with a technology called BLAST (bilateral alternating stimulation tactile), which uses gentle, alternating micro vibrations to alter the brain’s reaction to stress – the “fight or flight” (and also “freeze”) responses – and restore calm.
The TouchPoint Solution says that physical indicators of stress, such as head or stomach aches – are also relieved with the use of the wearables.
Published research shows a 70 percent reduction in stress within 30 seconds of use., it says.
The two devices, which are worn on either side of the body, send out synchronized vibrations according to the user’s choice of intensity: yellow for calm, blue for sleep, and purple to reduce anger or irritability.
The devices don’t need to touch the skin and may be carried in pockets or socks if preferred.
A stand-alone app is available for both Android and iOS, which allows users to take a stress profile test and offers customized suggestions for TouchPoints use.
Vicki Mayo, CEO of The TouchPoint Solution, says that while the technology was originally derived from a successful treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, executives also found it was a solution for stress reduction “that has allowed them to not only be calmer but to enhance their performance and even to sleep better at night”.
So what do users say? Reviews are mixed, with some citing “no change”, and others noting a marked improvement in mood and focus, and even – when in sleep mode – a sensation of drowsiness.
Some other people report issues with the app; others find the vibrations a bit noisy. But the overall consensus seems favorable.
A road less stressful
Meanwhile, another device – a collaboration between smartwatch maker Garmin and the German carmaker, Daimler – aims to help relieve the stress caused by the daily drive on the way to work – by offering suggestions such as alternative, less-stressful routes.
From this month, Mercedes-Benz owners have been able to pair their Garmin vívoactive 3 GPS smartwatch with the Mercedes Me mobile app to monitor their stress levels and heart rate directly from the system.
Once the information is compiled, drivers will be presented with customized recommendations for enhancing their well-being.
Drivers will have the option, for example, to select the potentially less stressful routes from the navigation system.
They also may be offered stimulating or soothing music to suit their particular mood, or be calmed by a seat massage, or even order up their preferred fragrance and ambiance lighting inside the vehicle.
Garmin says these technologies will not only benefit driver comfort and well-being but also encourage road awareness.
Bright ideas for relaxation
Another technology – but this one for use in the home – the Auri “smart self-care light” from Chinese start-up Ling Technology, purports to be “your yoga and meditation coach, your personal sleep helper”, as well as an entertainment hub.
Light-emitting diodes under the outer shell diffuser produce the intelligent lighting designed to promote a sense of calm and relaxation, which work in combination with soothing sounds to create a natural ambiance in the room.
The Auri is equipped with both Wi-fi and Bluetooth and is compatible with the cloud-based voice service, Amazon Alexa.
Late-night digital curfew
For all those people who can’t resist checking their smartphone one last time at night – a sure-fire way to disrupt sleep – the Seraphin bedside book helps remove temptation by setting a digital curfew.
Pop your devices inside, and the Seraphin turns them into a bedside lamp that delivers a light routine to help relaxation.
In the morning, it wakes users with soothing sounds, radio or podcast – and a waking light routine.
The device threatens to name and shame, by counting the number of times users reach for their phone during the night. It then delivers an analysis of their sleep quality, with recommendations for improvement.
Waterbed with a difference
With sleep, an underlying tenet of holistic wellness, beds, too, are becoming smarter to help everyone get the rest they need.
For those long hot summer nights, the Wi-fi-connected Pod from Eight Sleep, stores water within its high-density foam mattress to keep the bed’s temperature cool and comfortable.
As morning approaches, the Pod adjusts the surface temperature of the bed to wake you up gradually and naturally, without the sound of an alarm.
Hi-tech sensors track things such as sleep time and phases and report back every morning through the Eight Sleep app.
Voice-controlled bedtime concierge
Also new this year is an Alexa-powered bed from luxury Swedish bed maker, DUX, which the company says introduces the concept of a bedtime concierge.
“We know those 15 to 30 minutes right before bed are so important, as you start to unwind and get ready to sleep,” Ed Curry, president of DUX North America, says.
“Our partnership with the smart speaker company, stellé, is the first step in positioning DUX as a bedtime concierge that handles everything from dimming the lights and guiding your evening meditation, to changing the temperature for ideal sleeping conditions.”
The bed will go on sale in the US in May.
Smart technology enhances health
However, why not wrap home wellness into one convenient package?
Delos, a New York wellness property and technology company, has developed what it calls the Darwin Home Wellness Intelligence Network, which is designed to “improve health, well-being and happiness” of its occupants.
Darwin, launched initially in the US and Australia, uses proprietary software, wellness algorithms and sensor technologies to enhance energy, sleep, and overall well-being.
It also works to reduce indoor contaminants that negatively affect respiratory, cardiovascular, immune and cognitive health by monitoring and calibrating air, water, and light quality.
“[People around the world are] now spending US$4.2 trillion globally on health and wellness-focused products – from fitness apps to personal health care to nutrition programmes,” Paul Scialla, founder and CEO of Delos, says.
“Darwin is designed to empower people to be healthier, happier and more productive in their own homes by adding a layer of wellness intelligence to the smart-home landscape.”
This article first appeared in South China Morning Post on March 4, 2019 by Peta Tomlinson. To read the full article, click here.