Most people are aware that prescription medications can interact with each other, sometimes causing adverse side effects. However, over the counter products such as vitamins or herbal products can also interact with prescription medications – these interactions can potentially change the effectiveness of the drug and lead to harm, such as a fall. If you are on prescription drugs, it is important to have a discussion with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any over the counter medications to ensure you are taking the right products at the right times. A pharmacist can also conduct a full medication review with all of your prescriptions and over the counter products and advise you on safe medication use.
Community News
Clean Eating Recipe: Strawberry Chia Jam
Chia seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids and protein. They will absorb several times their mass in liquid, creating a jelly-like substance in the process. Instead of cooking fruit down, relying on pectin, and adding sugar to help it set, all we need to do is mash up some fruit and stir in a few tablespoons of chia seeds! So easy! Ingredients: 2 cups chopped strawberries, 1-2 tbsp lemon juice, 1-2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp chia seeds. Cook the berries on medium heat until they start to break down. Mash the fruit with the back of a spoon or a potato masher, leaving it as smooth or as lumpy as you like. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbsp of the honey and lemon juice. Stir in the chia seeds. Let stand until thickened. If you’d like a thicker consistency, stir in more chia seeds 1 tsp at a time. The jam will thicken further and become more set once completely chilled.
Mental Health Resources
Did you know that the Canadian Mental Health Association has information online regarding different mental health issues? As well, your local Canadian Mental Health Association branch can answer any questions you may have and provide services to the public. Workshops and courses are another great way to learn about these issues. The Canadian Mental Health Association along with other organizations in your community offer this service. Research what organizations are around you and call them to find out times, dates and whether courses are available for free at a cost. Visit your local library to take advantage of free resources or head to a bookstore or shop online to purchase.
5 Reasons to Eat Flaxseed
Flaxseeds are the richest sources of Plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) in the world! 5 Benefits of consuming this super food are 1. High in Fibre – Fibre aids in digestion, prevents constipation and suppresses hunger. 2. Women’s Health – The lignans present in them help in battling high levels of estrogen and assist in balancing hormonal levels. 3. Healthy Hair & Skin – The ALA fats in flax seeds benefits the skin and hair by providing essential fats as well as b-vitamins which can help reduce dryness and flakiness. It can also improve symptoms of acne, rosacea, and eczema. 4. Lower Cholesterol – The soluble fiber content of flax seeds trap fat and cholesterol in the digestive system so that it unable to be absorbed. 5. Weight Loss – Since flax is full of healthy fats and fiber, it will help you feel satisfied longer so you will eat fewer calories overall which may lead to weight loss.
Book Club: Is Your Child’s Brain Starving?
By Michael R. Lyon MD and Christine Laurell, PhD
Michael Lyon went from overweight academic underachiever to graduating as the top male student in his high school a year later, thanks to a total change of diet and lifestyle. He ultimately became a medical doctor involved in research on nutrition. This book is an inspiring guide to better brain function through diet and lifestyle changes. The minor downfall is the promotion of supplements he has helped to develop, but it is still a valuable book for parents and has a good recipe section.
IQ and Nutrition
What if you could increase your child’s IQ with nutrition? Inhabitants of a tiny island off the coast of Japan have the highest IQ scores in the world and produce seven times as many geniuses as any other place in the world. Seniors living there don’t seem to struggle with cognitive decline either. The secret: DHA, an essential fatty acid found in fish, krill, squid and some algae. The brain is made mostly of fat, 60% of which is DHA. DHA is found in mother’s milk and has long been recognized as aiding IQ scores in children. Almost everyone nowadays is deficient in DHA. This may be one of the reasons for the increased rates of ADHD, learning disabilities and autism as well as increasing rates of Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related cognitive problems.
Foods for a Healthy Gut
Our bodies rely on microbiota (bacteria living in our colon) to maintain healthy digestion. There are many recipes available to help you increase your intake of fruits and veggies. Here are some foods that can help build and maintain your digestive system: 1. Artichokes – High in inulin fiber, healthy prebiotic potential. 2. Bananas – Restore health of the bacterial community, may reduce inflammation 3. Blueberries – Can modify microbiota to enhance immune function 4. Cruciferous vegetables – Contain sulfur-containing metabolites, which are broken down by microbes to release substances that reduce inflammation and lessen the risk of cancer. 5. Beans – Releases short-chain fatty acids strengthening your intestine cells, and improves absorption of micronutrients. 6. Polenta – High-fiber, corn-based complex carbohydrate has a fermentable component. Inject your gut with healthy live micro-organisms that crowd out unhealthy bacteria, and improve the absorption of minerals!
Trenna Reid, RCRT, Discover Reflexology, www.discoverreflexology.ca
The Power of a “Master Teacher”
Master teachers enter into our lives unannounced and create havoc in our worlds…until we can discover what they have come to teach us and the meaning they have in our lives. They come in the form of a child, sibling, parent, boss or employee, illness, job loss or accident. They situate themselves front and center in our lives and don’t make it easy to be discarded or released. They ask us to dig deep inside ourselves to discover the mirror they are reflecting and the message they provide, to learn how to unhook and detach ourselves from the internal struggle they create. As we discover the hidden gems inside, we can free ourselves from their holding that binds us and reclaim the disowned part of ourselves that welcomes integration and restored balance from within.
D’Arcy Bruning-Haid
Power of Phaseolamin
Whether you exercise or not, it seems that adding Phaseolamin as a method of weight loss, does work. Phaseolamin is a partial-protein substance extracted from white kidney beans. This ingredient combines with an enzyme in the body called alpha-amylase – which is involved in the digestion of starch – and helps to temporarily block its activities. Alpha-amylase is secreted in saliva and is produced in the pancreas, and is responsible for breaking down starch into simple sugars, which can then be absorbed in the small intestine. Blocking this digestive enzyme prevents the digestion of carbohydrates, which means they are able to pass largely undigested through the gastrointestinal tract. The end result is a decrease in the number of calories absorbed, thereby helping to promote weight loss. One of the active ingredients in SlimROAST weight loss coffee from Valentus. The Healthiest Coffee on the Planet!
Grant Nordman – Valentus Independent Representative
The Effects of Stress on Your Hair
It has been said that stress can make you go gray, or cause you to lose your hair. But can it? Hair loss due to stress can occur after a traumatic life event such as divorce, death or severe financial worries. This temporary hair loss, called ‘telogen effluvium,’ can also be caused by factors such as hormonal changes (think menopause or post-pregnancy), illness or poor diet. The significant stress of some sort may spark a change in your body’s routine physiological functions. Hair evolves in a cycle of growth (anagen); transition (catagen); and resting (telogen). Prolonged or extreme stress can cause hair to prematurely enter telogen and break off more easily. When you have a really stressful event, it can shock the hair cycle, pushing more hair into the shedding phase.
Jenna Wilcox, www.jennawilcox.monat.com
Pharmacy Budget
We know that the cost of prescriptions is often difficult to manage for patients. We want everyone to have access to good care and safe medication use – to accomplish this, a customized budget plan for clients. This allows you to remain on your medications and manage the expense throughout the year. Along with the budget, a visiting pharmacist will counsel you or your loved ones in the comfort of your own home on a regular basis. They will help you manage multiple or complex medications and collaborate with other members of your health care team to ensure your health needs are met. This gives you and your family peace of mind with the knowledge that this aspect of your life is taken care of and contributes to a positive quality of life. Better Health and Wellness can be achieved through medication management – call a visiting pharmacist to arrange a home visit.
Care at Home Pharmacy, www.careathomepharmacy.ca
