Archive for the ‘Health Tips’ Category

Tackle a Headache without a pain reliever.

Posted by on April 20th, 2012

We all get the occasional headache, they are one of the most common health issues and most disappear on their own (after a little time) or with the help of mild pain relievers. Canada Drugs, Canadian Pharmacy offers a full line of brand name and generic over-the-counter treatments for the common headache at prices quite a bit lower than your neighbourhood drug store, but an article in Men’s Health Magazine this month had some tips on how to deal with chronic headaches, which over-the-counter pain relievers might not treat and may actually make worse because they lower your pain threshold. If you find yourself taking over-the-counter medication for your headaches more than twice a week it’s best to talk to your doctor and try some of these methods to reduce your need to pop pills.

  • Apply Ice

An ice-lack can offer a quick short-term fix and help ease inflammation.

  • Yoga

A 2007 study from India showed that yoga can reduce chronic tension-headache pain by 71 percent as well as decrease spasms in your temporalis muscle, a chewing muscle on the side of your head.

  • Acupressure

Peter Goadsby, M.D., director of the headache center at the University of California at San Francisco, says some people find relief by using their right index finger and thumb to gently squeeze the muscle between their left index finger and thumb.

  • Hit the Gym

Not so good when you have a headache. But to prevent one in the first place it’s recommended to get 40 minutes a day of regular exercise to reduce your risk of developing migraines.

Headaches are never fun, so hopefully combination of these measures and maybe the occasional discount Tylenol from CanadaDrugs.com can get you feeling yourself again!

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Cut Back on the Red Meat (and Watch That Bacon) to Live Longer

Posted by on March 22nd, 2012

New research from the Harvard School of Public Health in a study published this week suggests that moderate consumption of red meat — as little as just one serving a day— poses more of a serious health risk than first thought. Red meat has been linked to chronic diseases in the past, but this study on more than 120,000 men and women conducted over a two-decade span is by far the largest and longest research study done on this subject and has compelling results for those that like to eat red meat every day.

The researchers concluded that one daily serving of unprocessed red meat, about the size of a deck of cards, resulted in a 13 percent increased risk of death overall, 16 percent greater risk of cardiovascular death and a 10 percent greater risk of cancer death. The results were even worse for those who love bacon (pretty much every non-vegetarian alive!) because the study showed that just one daily serving of processed red meat, such as a hotdog or two slices of bacon, was associated with a 20% increased risk of death.

It’s thought that the saturated fat in red meat—and the sodium in processed meats—is partially responsible for the shorter lifespans of red meat-eaters. Sodium is known to increase blood pressure, which is a risk for cardiovascular disease. As well certain carcinogens form during the cooking process — all of which have long been linked to an elevated risk for chronic diseases in other health studies.

The study did show that small changes in eating habits could make a big difference in our health. Replacing one serving of red meat with one serving of a healthier protein like fish, or poultry or beans all lowered mortality of those in the study. When it comes to death – an estimated 9.3 per cent of men and 7.6 per cent of women could have lived longer by just consuming 0.5 servings less red meat a day. That means simply changing up meals a few times a week. Making veggie lasagna, or having a tuna sandwich instead of processed lunchmeat one can easily reduce your red meat consumption.

If you love red meat, try only having it a couple of times a week, keep it to leaner cuts that are well trimmed and make your portions smaller and you’ll make a real difference in your health over the long term.

At Canada Drugs, Canadian pharmacy we know that with summer just around the corner that it’s hard to imagine of a world without BBQ’ed burgers and it’s still okay to enjoy them, just maybe leave the bacon off the burger, and after indulging in a big burger or a juicy steak, try to have some fish or humus and veggies for lunch the next day.

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Valentines Healthy Heart Tips

Posted by on February 14th, 2012

Today is all about hearts, whether it’s a heart-shaped box of chocolate, those little candy hearts that say “You’re the 1” or a last minute trip to pick up a heart-shaped Valentine’s Day card that Hallmark store has left on it’s picked over shelf. But what about your actually heart?

Besides Valentines Day, February is heart month, when we are reminded heart disease is still the biggest public health problem that faces Americans of all ages. Everyone can do a better job to improve his or her heart health. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day. Heart disease is also expensive because over $444 billion in health care expenses and lost productivity are the direct results of cardiovascular issues.

Too often, when we think of heart disease, we think that it only affects men.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Nearly 43 million women, one-third of all women in America, are living with or are at risk for heart disease.  More women die from heart disease than from anything else, more than from all forms of cancer combined, and it’s largely preventable.

Elizabeth McSpiritt, MD, MPH recently wrote about 10 tips for making sure you’re heart will be healthy for many Valentines Days to come:

1.  Stop Smoking.  This is one of the most important changes you can make to improve your health and prolong your life.  Smokers are twice as likely to have a myocardial infarction, or heart attack, than non-smokers.  The good news is that once you stop smoking, your risk begins to decrease.

2.  Exercise Regularly.  Exercising 30 minutes most days of the week will improve your overall health, as well as your cardiovascular health.  Women who exercise regularly reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease 30 to 40 percent.  Additional benefits include improving your quality of life, helping maintain a healthy weight, reducing cholesterol levels, and demonstrates to children the importance of being active.

3.  Reduce Salt Intake. Approximately 90 percent of Americans are eating more than the recommended amount of salt every day.  Too much sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure, which leads to heart disease and stroke.  On average, Americans take in about 3,300mg of sodium per day, which is much more than the recommended limit of 2,300mg per day.  Surprisingly, most of the salt we eat is not from the shaker on the table, but from processed foods, such as breads, pastas and processed meats.  By eating foods that are less processed and closer to the source, we can both decrease our salt intake and improve the overall quality of the foods we eat.

4.  Eat Heart-Healthy.  A healthy diet is one of the best ways to prevent cardiovascular disease.  Ensuring that your diet is low in fat, cholesterol and salt and rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains decreases your risk of heart disease.   Decreasing sources of saturated and trans-fats in your diet is a big step in making your diet heart healthy.  Major sources of these cholesterol-raising fats include red meat, dairy products, fried foods and packaged snacks.  By avoiding these sources and adding at least five servings of fruit and vegetables, your diet will be a building block in your goal of heart health.  Unfortunately though, a recent study found that more than 90 percent of Americans fail to consistently eat a heart-healthy diet.  These poor eating habits increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and obesity.

5.  Maintain A Healthy Weight. Maintaining a healthy weight throughout adulthood decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol and diabetes.  This is especially important in the US today, as 2/3 of the US population is overweight.   A Body Mass Index (BMI) >25 is directly associated with an increase with many risk factors of heart disease, including increased cholesterol and diabetes.  You can calculate your BMI at http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

6. Limit Alcohol Intake.  Excess alcohol intake can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and lead to weight gain.  If you do drink alcohol, do so in moderation-limiting intake to 1-2 drinks per day.

7.  Get Regular Check-Ups. Regular visits to your primary care physician can help control blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugar.  Chronic, untreated high blood pressure can lead to an increased risk of both stroke and heart attack and a shortened life expectancy.  High levels of cholesterol can lead to an increase in fatty deposits in the blood vessels that supply your heart, which can result in a myocardial infarction.  Obesity and dietary insufficiencies can increase the risk of Type II diabetes, which is a risk factor. These risk factors are treatable with both lifestyle changes and medications, but the first step is getting these factors identified.

8.  Decrease Stress. While the connection between stress and heart disease is unclear, it is clear that chronic stress leads to an increased likelihood of unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking, drinking and eating an unhealthy diet.  By decreasing stress in your life, you will increase the quality of your life and may decrease your risk of heart disease.

9.  Know the Warning Signs of a Heart Attack.  A heart attack is a medical emergency where every second counts.  The sooner a heart attack is recognized, the sooner medical attention can be sought.  Today, heart attack victims can benefit from new medications that can be given as soon as a heart attack is identified.  The sooner these medications are given, the greater the benefit.  The most common symptoms of a heart attack are chest discomfort, discomfort in other areas of the upper body, shortness of breath and sweating or nausea.  For women, these symptoms may differ.  One in three women will not experience chest pain while having a heart attack.  Nearly three-fourths of women experience flu-like symptoms in the weeks leading up to a heart attack.  The greater the awareness of the signs of a heart attack, the sooner medical attention can be sought.

10.  Educate Your Loved Ones About Heart Health.  Not only can you decrease your risk factors for heart disease, you can help your loved ones decrease their risk.  By incorporating exercise and a healthy diet into your family’s lives, you can keep your Valentine’s heart healthy all year long.

At Canada Drugs, Canadian Pharmacy we hope you all have a happy Valentines Day with your loved ones, and that you treat your heart well all year long.

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Just in time for New Years Eve New Stories Report FDA “approves:” a hang over pill

Posted by on December 30th, 2011

It’s almost the end of the year and if you’re planning on saying goodbye to 2011 and hello to 2012 with a few glasses of champagne to go along with a kiss at midnight the FDA has a little holiday present for you ready to go. It’s marketing “approval” of a “hangover pill” called “Blowfish” that will start hitting the shelves and be available for over-the-counter purchase in 2012.

We will put approval in quotation marks because while news reports like this one from the New York Daily News make it sound like the FDA has approved it, all they have really done is adhered to packaging requirements laid out by the FDA for marketing purposes. This “Blowfish” pill is not a new drug; it’s just the combination of several common over-the-counter remedies into one new tablet. There is actually no FDA-Approved designation toward Blowfish because Blowfish is just a mix of aspirin, caffeine and an antacid, all of which are already FDA approved. So it’s a situation of “Buyer Beware”.

The pill contains 1,000 milligrams of aspirin, 120 milligrams of caffeine and a stomach-soothing agent. It’s to be taken in two sparkling tablets much like Alka-Seltzer, the morning after a night of heavy drinking. The manufacturers claim it will work in 15-30 minutes. It will only be available in New York City, the home of the famous midnight dropping ball and Dick Clark’s Rocking New Year’s Eve, but if enough people find it useful it will be more widely available later in the year.

A hangover is a collection of symptoms that emerge when alcohol’s intoxicating effects start to wear off. Research on hangover treatments is scarce, but alcohol is thought to trigger an inflammatory response – a process blocked by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin. The inflammatory response is similar to the body’s defense against flu, and is linked to lethargy – an energy lull boosted by caffeine. Finally, the chemicals produced by the body to break alcohol down are hard on the stomach – collateral damage tempered by an antacid.

The question for those looking at this pill as a magic bullet to wipe that morning headache away is how is it any different than having a cup of coffee, an aspirin, and taking a few Tums or having a glass of gingerale. It combines all these traditional hangover cures into one pill, but really won’t work any differently and nor should you expect it to let you get away with drinking too much and feeling fine the next day. The best advice for avoiding a hangover is to drink plenty of water, and don’t drink too much alcohol. And if you do enjoy a few too many drinks, remember to never drink and drive because no hangover pill can fix the tragic results of mixing booze with cars.

Everyone at Canada Drugs, Canadian Pharmacy wishes you the very best this New Years and hope that you don’t feel the need for a hangover pill at all on the first morning of 2012.

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