“Weedless Wednesday” is on the third Wednesday of January each year and lasts for a week. It’s ideally timed for people who finally want to quit smoking. Sponsored by the Canadian Council for Tobacco Control, it aims to prevent
tobacco use among Canadians, raise the awareness of the dangers of second-hand smoke as well as educating citizens about the marketing strategies and tactics of the tobacco industry. Now is a great time to stop smoking.
Many parents are concerned that their teenagers are using cannabis or are thinking of using it because some of their friends are. There is a great push on to minimize recreational use of cannabis in this age group. Parents will get some good advice on this topic by visiting drugfreekidscanada.org for some excellent tips.
The term brain fog has emerged over the past year as being associated with many maladies including the COVID-19. Symptoms include difficulty concentrating and focusing, feeling confused and forgetful and experiencing
mental fatigue. Some people may be tempted to try “smart drugs” to help these symptoms. But be cautious. Some may contain chemicals not listed on the label and may cause problems. Get professional help first.
Looking to change your diet? The Pesco-Mediterranean Diet might be a good one. It consists of plants, legumes, nuts, whole grains, extra-virgin olive oil and moderate amounts of dairy products, fish and/or seafood. It can be good for your heart, too.
Have you changed your toothbrush lately? It can be a breeding ground for bacteria, especially during sickness. You can put the head of your toothbrush in boiling water for three minutes to remove most of the bacteria. The same rules apply to electric toothbrushes as well. If it’s more than 3 months old, get a new.
When using eye drops, it’s important to let the drop “fall” into the eye. Try not to let the dropper touch the eye at all. Pull the lower eyelid down and place one drop in the pocket produced. Then close your eye for a minute or so. It helps to put a bit of pressure on the corner of the eye. This prevents the drop from draining from the eye too soon.
Are you drinking enough water? Not being well-hydrated is one of the causes of mental confusion among seniors. Uncontrolled diabetes and urinary tract infections are two other causes of confusion in this age group. But dehydration is another that can easily be rectified by drinking enough water each day. If you feel thirsty or your urine is dark yellow in colour, drink more water.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder occurring when stomach acid juices flow back up the esophagus producing a heartburn feeling. In the old days, prior to the 1970s, surgery was one of the options to relieve it. Now there are many drugs that will help. However, one of the best ways to deal with the problem is to lose weight and to reduce consumption of coffee and alcohol.
Some users of metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) like salbutamol, complain they don’t work sometime. The effect of these inhalers can be enhanced by using a special chamber (Aero2Go) which attaches to the inhaler after shaking. The dose is discharged into the chamber and inhaled slowly. Results in better distribution into the lungs and the MDI can be stored in the device for future use.
It’s recommended that when repeating your blood pressure, to wait five minutes between measurements. Research done recently said that in most cases two minutes will be OK for most people. The five minute interval is sometimes difficult in clinical settings so a little shorter time should be fine.
One of the interesting outcomes of the coronavirus pandemic is a possible increase in a number of neurological conditions including Parkinson’s disease. Evidently, after the big flu pandemic of 1918, the number of new cases of Parkinson’s tripled. One of the causes of Parkinson’s is inflammation and evidently the virus encourages that inflammation. The same might be true with COVID-19.
Haven’t had your flu shot yet? It’s not too late.
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.
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