The invention is a portable heater assembly for retaining a disposable heating element within and further providing a means for controlling heat output therefrom.

A garment for providing relief from menstrual pain, the garment comprising at least one fabric layer conforming to contours of a lower and middle body portion. The fabric layer further comprises a plurality of heating pouches accommodating replaceable heating members, placed on an inner side of the fabric layer. The replaceable heating member is configured to produce heat as a result of an exothermic chemical reaction and transfer the heat to predefined parts of the body for pain relief.

A food heating method of using an exothermic gel to minimize metallic odors in a presence of food or within a food container. The method can include generating an exothermic reaction that produces heat by exposing a mixture of the expandable exothermic gel-forming composition to water and one or more electrolytes in the absence of air to form the expandable exothermic gel, the mixture comprising first metallic galvanic particles and second metallic galvanic alloy particles, a metallic secondary shell comprised of at least one transitional metal, and a super absorbent polymer; and suppressing at or about 95% hydrogen byproducts of the exothermic reaction within the gel while in the presence of the food or the food container so that steam permeates around the food or the food container.

A means for controlling the temperature of a warming material includes an air-permeable film or the like. The warming material includes the temperature control means and a heating composition. The temperature control means for controlling the heating temperature of the warming material includes one or more aliphatic compounds that have a melting point of 35-65 C. and a solubility in water (g/100 mL) at 20 C. of 5 or less.