Posted by Pharmasave Smith Drugs on Thursday, May 15, 2014,
How do you respond when asked, "How are you today?"
Most of us fall into the comfortable, but guarded, "Fine thanks, how are you?", whether we mean it or not.
How often have we responded with that lie, "fine, thanks" when we actually were not fine at all? How often do we wish that we could be blatantly honest instead of participating in that socially acceptable "dance of deceit"? Wouldn't it be nice to be honest enough to share any hurts, anxieties, or sense of hopelessness that we may be feeli... Continue reading ...
April 2014 - Cold Sores
Posted by Pharmasave Smith Drugs on Thursday, May 15, 2014,
The most common cause of cold sores is the HSV-1 virus. This virus is contracted by most Canadians during childhood or adolescence and the vast majority of adults, up to 80%, are seropositive for HSV-1, but often without symptoms. For those who develop occasional cold sores, episodes tend to be mild and self-limiting, but the impact on quality of life can be significant for those with frequent recurrences. There are a number of common misconceptions about the cause, transmission and treatm...
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March 2014 - Pharmacist Awareness Month
Posted by Pharmasave Smith Drugs on Thursday, May 15, 2014,
As your pharmacist, I want to encourage each of you to be aware that we at Pharmasave Smith Drugs & Apothecary care about you and your health. In particular we care about your understanding of how your medications work and how they affect your physical or mental health.
We care about you, your health, and your privacy. Everyday our dispensary staff prepare your prescriptions with the utmost care. The accuracy of each prescription filled is always our primary concern. Beyond that, we also check...
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December 2013 - 10 Tips for Holiday Peace of Mind
Posted by Pharmasave Smith Drugs on Tuesday, December 3, 2013,
The holiday season, anticipated by most, promoted to the extreme by businesses, the media, and our society in general, often is a time of anxiety, depression or sadness for many. Even though the message of Christmas is love, many of us can become anxious or feel down due to various pressures. worries or unmet expectations. The holiday season can especially be challenging for those who are grieving or who are suffering with physical or mental health issues. "Peace on Earth may seem impossible ...
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November 2013 - Myths - The Influenza Vaccine
Posted by Pharmasave Smith Drugs on Tuesday, December 3, 2013,
Autumn has arrived and officially launches the annual flu immunization program. Many myths have developed over the years regarding the influenza vaccine. This article is written to dispel some of the myths associated with the annual flu vaccination by providing the facts.
1. The influenza virus will give me the flu.- The virus in the Canadian vaccine is killed and cannot cause influenza.
- The killed virus is in pieces and cannot recombine into a live virus.
- The antigens (mainly hemaglutin and neura...
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October 2013 - Pharmacy 101
Posted by Pharmasave Smith Drugs on Tuesday, December 3, 2013,
"The words just get in the way"
"Take this caplet 3 times daily on an empty stomach."
"Take this tablet twice a day, but not with dairy products"
"Take this antibiotic until finished" (but what happens if I have a bad reaction to it?)
Have you ever had questions about instructions like these? Have you always felt clear about what medicine to take and how to take it? Often, instructions are given, but not always heard or understood.
Sometimes, we in the "pharmacy world" talk, assuming that we are...
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June 2013 - Foot Care
Posted by Pharmasave Smith Drugs on Wednesday, June 12, 2013,
Many people neglect to look after their feet. However, feet need the same care as your hands and face. Life isn’t always easy for your feet. Each day they take you where you are going and support your entire body weight. Keep them healthy by introducing simple and effective habits into your daily routine. A well-pedicured, callus-free, smooth looking and well moisturized foot with clipped toenails is important for both males and females. Every day, take a few minutes to care for your feet b...
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May 2013 - Mental Health Week
Posted by Pharmasave Smith Drugs on Thursday, May 9, 2013,
May 6 to 12 is Mental Health Week
(This is the Canadian Mental Health Association's 62nd annual mental health week) This is as good a week as any to learn how to take care of your own mental health, to get facts about mental illness, or to find help for yourself or for others.
Prevalence of Mental Illness:
"Mental illness indirectly affects almost 100% of all Canadians at some time through a family member, friend or colleague. Mental illness affects people of all ages, educational and income l...
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January 2013 - Mental Health Issues... Anxiety Disorders
Posted by Smith Drugs on Friday, January 11, 2013,
We all can feel anxious from time to time about various issues or incidents in our lives. Feeling anxious about having to speak in front of a group is quite normal for most people. Worrying about whether a certain person likes or dislikes you is a common source for concern. It is also normal to think about how close you might have come to having had a car accident when you were driving on an icy road.
Some level of anxiety can even be helpful. For example anxiety can help a person study harder...
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October 2012 - Mental Health Issues... Depression
Posted by Smith Drugs on Monday, October 1, 2012,
"Snap out of it!" "Get
a grip!" "Just pull yourself together." "What's
wrong with you?" "You just need to pray more." "You
need to get out of yourself and give back to others." Some
well-intentioned people have said things like these to individuals
with depression. Rather than helping however, these foolish bits of
advice hurt. Words spoken without proper understanding of clinical
depression have made depressed people feel worse. Before giving
advice it only makes sense to obtain some knowled...
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August 2012 - Mental Health Issues... Stigma
Posted by Smith Drugs on Wednesday, August 8, 2012,
I
have terrible vision. Without my glasses I cannot recognize if you
are smiling or frowning at me. If I try driving a car without my
glasses, I would cause an accident! I wear eyeglasses because I need
them to see, and I am willing to admit it!
Why
is it that so many people are willing to get help when they recognize
that something is wrong with their eyesight, and yet refuse to get
help with many issues dealing with how they see life! Looking at life
filtered through a lens of depression ...
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July 2012 - Skin Health During the Summer
Posted by Smith Drugs on Tuesday, July 3, 2012,
Photo-protection
is a key preventative health strategy based on evidence that
sunscreens can help to reduce the risk of skin cancers and other skin
damage. Avoiding the sun completely is unrealistic for most people,
so the regular use of a sunscreen is a useful compromise. Sun
exposure is a factor in the development of three types of skin
cancers. Basal cell carcinoma, the most common skin cancer, is
caused by the exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It affects
fair-skinned individuals ...
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May 2012 - Sports Injuries
Posted by Smith Drugs on Tuesday, May 1, 2012,
Participation
in sports activities and exercise programs is increasing as people
become more health conscious. Although commonly associated with
health benefits, sports and exercise can also cause injuries.
Individuals in all age groups benefit from regular exercise when it
is performed properly. The benefits of exercise (e.g. prevention of
coronary heart disease and osteoporosis, weight control, muscle tone,
etc) outweigh the risk of injuries.
This
article will focus on minor sports and exe...
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March 2012 - Vitamin Supplement
Posted by Smith Drugs on Thursday, April 5, 2012,
Do you need a vitamin supplement?
Everyone knows that proper nutrition is necessary for good health, but just what exactly does that mean? What is good nutrition? And how do you know if you are getting all the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy?
A good place to start is with Canada's Food Guide. Health and nutrition experts developed the guide to help Canadians choose the right foods in the right amounts to maintain their health.
Whole foods (non-processed foods) are the best source of vi...
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November 2011 - Diabetes
Posted by Smith Drugs on Thursday, April 5, 2012,
The
month of November is acknowledged as Diabetes month. Every November
the
world unites in support of a campaign led by the International
Diabetes Federation to mark the birthday of the co-discovery of
insulin – Sir Frederick Banting. This year is significant, because
2011 is the 90th anniversary of the discovery of insulin. The number
of Canadians with diabetes is estimated to be 2.7 million people
(7.6% of the population) in 2010, and is projected to rise to 4.2
million (10.8% of the po...
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July 2011 - Total Knee Replacement
Posted by Smith Drugs on Thursday, April 5, 2012,
Is
your pharmacist patient... a patient...impatient....in pain... or a
pain?
Well,
this pharmacist, Phil Smith has been all of these recently as I
am currently recuperating after TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT surgery.
Yes, I am your pharmacist (along with the two Norms). Yes, normally I
am quite patient. Yes, I am a patient of Dr. Woolfrey who has done a
great job of surgery by replacing my arthritic bowed knee with a nice
straight titanium one that can actually bend as well as straighten!
Yes, ...
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March 2011 - Medication Records
Posted by Smith Drugs on Thursday, April 5, 2012,
It
is important to review your personal medications with your pharmacist
to ensure you are receiving full benefit of your medication to
maintain and improve your health. It is a good idea to create
and update annually a best
possible medication record during
a medication review especially if you take several medications each
day. It is particularly important to arrange a medication
review/update with your pharmacist if:
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February 2011 - High Blood Pressure
Posted by Smith Drugs on Thursday, April 5, 2012,
What
is high blood pressure (hypertension)?
Blood
pressure is a measurement of the force of your blood against the
blood vessel walls. The recommended target for people
with diabetes is less
than 130/80 mm Hg.
The top number is the pressure when your heart contracts and pushes
blood out (systolic). The bottom number is the pressure when the
heart relaxes between beats (diastolic). For
non-diabetic adults,
normal blood pressure is considered to be less
than 140/90 mm Hg.
There are often no sym...
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