Posted in January 2009

Heavy Hints Ignored

Source: Big Boy
Monday 12th January 2009, 3:37pm

Do you want me to paint a picture?

Pre Chistmas I was dropping hints galore that attention to health was in order and to see the effects of any New Year regime and if anyone was looking for gift ideas I'd be grateful for a new blood pressure monitor. I even spelled out the model I had my eye on - Omron M10 - but guess what Santa left under the tree - a cheap and nasty Lloyds pharmacy machine and something called RespErate.

Lloyds Pharmacy

Every high street is blessed with a Lloyds Chemist however they insist on branding themselves as a "Pharmacy"

Lloyds blood pressure monitor

My local Lloyds Pharmacy looked more like they were trying to grab the Woolworths market this year on the run up to Christmas - kiddies toys, hair care electricals, perfumes and even watches. Amongst their home medical equipment they sell cheap blood pressure monitors however I recall reading that their accuracy was second only to the ones stocked by Lidl in 2004 - way off.

Resperate

Accompanying this monitor on sale in the shop is gimmicky device called Resperate which claims to help lower your blood pressure natually. Its a device that plays annoying music for you to practise controlled breathing but I'll give it a go none the less. Well its no more than a mp3 player and with its straps, wires, heavy price tag and MASSIVE HEADPHONE I don't see it competing with iPod for a while.

Resperate has been popular in the US for several years - it was "cleared by the FDA in 2002 - but who trusts an organisation that focuses on food and drink?

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