Capsule Comments by Bill Coon, Muskoka Medical Centre Pharmacy

Massage therapy was once considered only a self-indulgent extravagance but it has become useful in many physiological and psychological problems. Some large companies, like Apple, have in-house massage programs for their employees. Apple management feels it’s definitely worth the investment.

This is a good time of year to remind everyone that cold viruses enter the body often through the nose. People touch objects like telephones, computers, and other public items, pick up viruses and bacteria, touch their noses and inoculate themselves with infection. Washing hands often throughout the day as well as keeping hands away from mouth and nose is good insurance.

About two per cent of Canadians find the long, dark days of winter very depressing to the point where it affects them both physically and mentally. The malady is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Keeping busy during the winter with hobbies, social activities and cultivating new interests can help. Also, 30 minutes of light exposure per day may relieve that “down in the dumps” feeling. The light should have an intensity of 10,000 lux and these lamps can be bought or rented.

Heartburn is common during the holiday season. It’s usually not what you eat but how much. Stuffing the stomach with too much food can lead to feelings of heartburn and indigestion. Moderation is the key. Also, be aware that heart attacks seem to occur more often in winter than at other times of the year. Be sure you are familiar with the differences between heartburn and a heart attack.

E-cigarettes are being touted as a method of helping people quit tobacco use. There is no doubt they have fewer pollutants in them than tobacco and can be useful in smoking cessation. However, not much research has gone into seeing how difficult it is to quit the e-cigarettes. Nicotine is still an addictive substance. Health Canada will be releasing new regulations on the sale of e-cigarettes hopefully in 2018.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year.

Be sure to visit Penny at Muskoka Medical Centre Pharmacy in the Home Health Care department for your compression stocking, mastectomy or ostomy needs.

Bill Coon graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto in 1984, and was the Faculty’s Centennial Scholar that same year. Bill and his pharmacist wife, Barbara, along with Paul Whitehead, opened Muskoka Medical Centre Pharmacy in 1990. The understanding that medications are only part of the health solution has lead to Bill’s interest in fitness and health, both personally and professionally. Bill’s Capsule Comments provide a full range of up to date health information.

Muskoka Medical Centre Pharmacy is conveniently located in the Huntsville Professional Building ~ 348 Muskoka Road 3 North, Huntsville Phone:(705) 789-1785

Read more from Bill on the Muskoka Medical Centre Pharmacy Facebook page.