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How to Have a Relaxing at-home Spa Day

We live in a culture that glorifies “busy”. Despite the adrenaline-pumping thrill of knocking things off your to-do list, it’s important to carve out space to breathe, calm down, and process all that “doing”. Our nervous systems and minds need regular breaks to reset and reflect on our rich and full lives.

Yet self-care, which more than half of millennial women resolved to do more of last year, isn’t always easy to incorporate, particularly when it involves booking time to get away to a spa.

The good news is that we don’t need to travel to go to the spa. Once you commit to making the time and space, it’s easy to incorporate some basic rituals that help bring the spa home. After all, home is meant to be a place of restoration, so all the more reason to embrace it.

Here are some easy products and practices that will make an at-home spa day nearly as good as the real thing.

Set up Your Spa Space

Part of a spa’s appeal is simply the care they take in creating a relaxing environment. Find a soothing music playlist to set the backdrop and light a scented candle for some natural mood lighting. Crystal salt lamps also cast a beautiful soft light and are known for gently filtering the air. Awaken your senses with an aromatherapy diffuser to relax your mind and encourage some deep exhalations.

Relax with Massage

Massage is deeply therapeutic, stimulating our circulation and releasing muscle tension which creates deep relaxation. In the absence of a professional massage therapist, we can mimic the benefits of this type of treatment with innovative home massagers that focus on the lower back, the upper back, the hands, and the feet. A 10- to 15-minute treatment will help loosen up sore muscles and release tension that may be contributing to higher stress levels.

Take a Long Bath

The power of salt is not only for mood lighting. Epsom salts are widely used in athletic communities for treating muscle aches and pains. They work by drawing toxins out of the body through the skin, minimizing lactic acid build-up in muscle fibres. To use, add about a cup of epsom salts to a hot bath and soak for 15-20 minutes. Short on time? Try a foot soak instead. After bathing, towel off lightly and let the salt continue to work its magic until your next rinse.

Give Yourself a Facial

Facials are truly the ultimate spa experience. The gorgeous scents, myriad creams, and the care taken in applying each one is what makes a facial so unique. The secret ingredient to a great facial is all in the mask, and what gives us that coveted youthful glow. Luckily, masks are easy to make at home with ingredients found in your own kitchen. Coconut oil, avocados, fruit, yogurt, and oatmeal, are simple ingredients that hydrate, exfoliate, and rejuvenate. Once you’ve blended your mask, apply to clean skin and let sit for 15-20 minutes. After rinsing, don’t forget to moisturize and lock in that new-found glow.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Now that you’re massaged, soaked, and masked, the best way to prolong the “aaaahhh” is to get a good night’s sleep. You can support a restful, deep sleep with healthy red reishi mushroom supplements, which are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to strengthen Qi, boost mood, and encourage sleep.

Make it a Regular Date

Your body and mind will be thanking you for the well-deserved TLC. A regular home spa day (or evening) will go a long way to alleviating chronic stress, restoring your energy, and brightening your mood. With some simple products and strategies, bringing the spa home can be simple, fun, and revitalizing.

12 Father’s Day Gift Ideas That’ll Make Dad Smile

Dads are great at bringing a smile to our faces with jokes, silliness and camaraderie that can’t be matched. This Father’s Day, let’s do the same for them, with gifts to get them grinning.

For the Health-conscious Dad

If your dad hasn’t yet jumped on the FitBit craze, now’s a good time to get him started. The Fitbit Charge 3 offers more advanced features than ever before, tracking heart rate, calorie burn, sleep stages, and cardio fitness. It also provides personalized guidance and reminders, guided breathing sessions, and call alerts, text notifications, and quick replies for when he’s on the move.

Help dad keep his ticker in top shape with Omron’s Blood Pressure Monitor. This device is easy to use, offers advanced monitoring features and even allows two users to track and save their results (so mom can share, too).

Are aches and pains keeping dad away from his favourite activities? Give him Dr-Ho’s Pain Therapy System. This digital massage system provides 12 soothing massage techniques to help relieve pain and tension in just 20 minutes.

For the Techie Dad

Techie dads love their toys, and this one does not disappoint. The Ryze Tech Tello Drone is super easy to fly; just toss it up in the air and it goes. Your phone acts as controller, and lets you perform cool tricks, flips and spins. It comes with an HD camera for high-quality photos and video, too, so you can capture the whole fam from a bird’s eye view.

Is dad a bit of a homebody? Then make his home life all the more convenient with a Google Home Voice Activated Speaker Assistant. Google Home will answer his questions, relay weather updates and sports scores, and even tell him jokes.

If dad is drowning in cords for all his tech, give him the gift of a cordless charging pad. With the IQ Wireless Charging Pad he can set his phone down to charge without fiddling with any cords. Happiness really is about the little things sometimes.

For the Outdoorsy Dad

What dad doesn’t love to grill? With the Coleman Roadtrip Grill, he can take his love of grilling with him wherever he goes. This 36” grill with collapsible scissor legs makes it perfect for camping trips and cooking on the go.

Help your dad get where he needs to go (without ever having to stop and ask for directions). The Garmin GPSMAP is perfect for hikers with its multisatellite handheld navigation system and expanded wireless connectivity for access to weather forecasts and other essential information. Its large colour display makes maps and info easy to see, even in direct sunlight.

Is your dad into ornothology? Help him check out all-things-winged with these Steiner BluHorizons Binoculars. Ergonomic eyecups shield eyes from wind, glare and peripheral light while the binoculars automatically adjust brightness levels, so dad can keep his eyes on the prize.

For the Beautiful Dad

Dads like to look good too, and it’s never too late to start a good moisturizing routine. Bulldog Skincare for Men offers an age defense moisturizer that’s perfect for “mature” skin. It helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and will brighten your dad’s skin, along with his day, every time he uses it and thinks of you.

Every dad needs a good razor — even if it’s just for trimming his beard. If your dad is of the bearded variety, get him the Braun Beard Trimmer Shave and Trim Kit. With 39 different length settings, this shaver’s got your dad covered no matter how he prefers his facial hair.

And, finally, he’ll be grinning from ear to ear with his ultra-clean pearly whites thanks to the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Electric Toothbrush.

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, from all of us at London Drugs.

Travelling Outside Canada? Get Current on Your Vaccinations First

With the summer holiday season approaching, you might be making plans to do some travelling abroad. While booking flights and hotel rooms is usually the first step, making sure you and your family are up to date on all age-appropriate vaccinations is another important part of the trip planning process.

The majority (78%) of Canadians believe that travelling outside of Canada puts them at risk for a number of vaccine-preventable diseases, according to a survey conducted by Insights West on behalf of London Drugs. Despite this, only half (52%) of those who have previously travelled overseas say they have ever received a vaccination specifically for travel. Just three in 10 (31%) are aware that the Government of Canada recommends that Canadians visit a travel clinic before travelling.

A Convenient Way to Update Your Immunity

“Travel vaccinations can be administered by pharmacists and this can be a more convenient, time-saving option for Canadians,” says Lily Liang, a Travel Clinic Pharmacist at London Drugs.

Travel Clinics are offered at select London Drugs locations and Certified Injection Pharmacists can administer common travel vaccinations such as hepatitis A and B, yellow fever, typhoid, and traveller’s diarrhea as well other recommended vaccinations like rabies, Japanese encephalitis, meningitis, pneumonia, shingles, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, and rubella.

Liang says getting current on your measles vaccination is particularly important right now, due to reported outbreaks throughout North America.

“The measles vaccine is the best way to prevent the spread of this highly contagious virus. If you’re planning an international trip, or if you are unsure of your immunization status, get vaccinated before travelling.”

More than a quarter (28%) of Canadians say they did not receive vaccination for travel because they didn’t feel it was necessary. Yet nine in 10 (89%) Canadians say they strongly believe that travel vaccinations and medications protect themselves and others when travelling and six in 10 (61%) agree that it’s important to review their immunization history before travelling.

“The results seem contradictory but the reemergence of vaccine-preventable diseases has caused some concern and confusion about vaccination. It is particularly important for those planning to travel internationally to get vaccinated,” advises Liang. “Beyond the serious health threats of not being vaccinated, travelling without them can really ruin a holiday if you or your loved ones become sick. No one wants to spend their vacation at a doctor’s clinic or hospital in a foreign country.”

Most (79%) Canadians say they are likely to visit their personal doctor to learn about vaccinations before travelling overseas, with pharmacies being the next most popular choice (61%).

London Drugs’ Travel Clinic

London Drugs’ Travel Clinic Pharmacists have obtained specialized training from the International Society of Travel Medicine and have their Travel Health® designation. They can provide advice about medications, vaccinations and health supplies needed for travel as well as the following services:

Comprehensive destination consults
Personalized travel health advice and record keeping
Administration of vaccines and boosters
Direct insurance billing

To book a Travel Clinic appointment before your next trip, visit LDTravelClinics.ca.

The Best Stretches You Can Do Right Now to Relieve Stress and Anxiety

We all know that exercise is good for our body, but it’s also good for our mind. In fact, our mental health is intrinsically linked to our physical health. So set yourself up a soothing environment, then slide into some easy yet powerful stretches that will stimulate happy hormones and lead to a calmer mindset.

Here are six steps to easy stretches you can do right now to relieve stress and anxiety.

Set up Your Healing Space

Before you jump into stretching, take a few minutes to set up your space. Research shows that certain environments can have a calming effect on our minds. Being out in nature is a sure bet, with fresh clean air and natural light. But you can also set up a beautiful indoor space and tap into the air purifying effects of salt lamps , aromatherapy diffusers, and scented candles.

Release Endorphins with Sun Salutations

Don’t worry about not having enough time or energy for a full yoga workout. You can still get all the mind-clarifying benefits through a few Sun Salutations. Formally known as Surya Namaskar, this simple sequence is designed to build heat in the body and synchronize our breath with our movements.

A sun salutation is like a mini yoga workout in itself. It incorporates all major muscle groups and is just the right intensity to get your heart pumping and endorphins flowing. Endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain to reduce your perception of pain. Famous for creating the “runner’s high”, endorphins also trigger positive feelings that will energize your body and mood.

Release Stored Tension with Hip Poses Like Pigeon and Saddle

The key to releasing tension is to stretch parts of your body that hold deep tension, namely your hips, lower back, shoulders, and neck.

Pigeon and Saddle poses are a yoga stretches that get deep into your glutes and hip flexors. Hold the poses for 5 to 10 minutes each and they will create therapeutic effects similar to a deep tissue massage.

In our sedentary lifestyles, sitting muscles like glutes and hip flexors are especially prone to holding stored tension. Targeting these muscle groups will increase blood flow, helping to stimulate receptors in the nervous system, which decreases production of stress hormones.

Invert Yourself with Supported Shoulder Stand and Plow Pose

Sometimes you just need a different perspective on life, and there’s no better way to get it than flipping things upside down! Inverting our bodies has been shown to improve focus, balance, and brain function. It allows oxygen-rich blood to flow to your brain and helps reverse the effects of gravity.

Supported Shoulder Stand and its variation, Plow pose, are beginner inversions that don’t have the intimidating risk factors of headstands and handstands. They are fantastic full-spine stretches that will leave you feeling refreshed and ready for action.

Be Still with Child’s Pose and Corpse Pose

No stretching routine is complete without a few final minutes to come back to centre. Yoga poses are inherently reflective, but Child’s pose and Corpse pose are the culmination of that, allowing your body to return to its normal pulse, quiet the mind, and experience a restful moment of savasana. Tune into your breath and let it flow easily. Bring your mind back to your healing space, and accept whatever thoughts that come, letting them pass away.

Allowing ourselves time for stillness, presence, and meditation, gives a chance for deep feelings to surface. Strengthened by our stretches, we can witness our thoughts and let them pass without attachment. In this way, our stretching routines can help us become more resilient in daily life, restoring vitality to our bodies and minds.

Take a Bath with Epsom Salts

Maximize the effects of your stretching by drawing out the toxins released with an epsom salt bath. Epsom salts are high in magnesium and sulfates, promote better sleep, and will further alleviate any muscle soreness from released tension. Besides, you can revel in the relaxation you created for yourself and celebrate your new healing routine.

For more tips on relieving stress and anxiety, check out our Health Topics library.

22 Thoughtful Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day in 2019

Mother’s Day presents are so easy when you’re a kid. Paint her a picture, treat her to breakfast in bed, and her day is made just knowing that you thought of her.

As we grow up it can get a little more difficult. What’s a good enough gift for the woman who made you the person you are today? Honestly, though, the same principle applies: show her that you thought about her, that you love her, and that’s all that matters.

Whether you’re celebrating your mom, or another important mother figure in your life, these thoughtful gifts will show how much you care.

Take Care of Her

Show your mom how much you love her with gifts that help keep her healthy and well!

A Fitbit or Apple Watch is a fun way to keep her active, monitor her heart rate, and help her get a good night’s sleep. The Apple Watch even has an emergency SOS feature that can initiate a call for help when it notices a dangerous irregular heart rhythm.

For a mom who likes to exercise, the iHome Bluetooth Water Bottle is another great gift, with a built-in Bluetooth speaker to make exercising and staying hydrated more enjoyable.

Oral health is an incredibly important part of overall health. A rechargeable toothbrush is more effective than a regular toothbrush, removing up to seven times more plaque and ensuring that users brush the full recommended two minutes per session. Plus, brushes like the Philips Sonicare Health White Electric Toothbrush have “White” modes specifically focused on removing stains from the visible front teeth, making her smile even more perfect for those pictures you’ll be taking.

Know an expecting mother? Make her life easier with a breast pump. It can help her continue to feed her child breastmilk when she’s away or goes back to work, help other family members like dad to feed and bond with the baby, and can help her maintain her milk supply. There are even smart breast pumps with connected apps to track pumping and feeding!

Pamper Her

Give her the gift of relaxation with an aromatherapy diffuser and TheraPearl eye mask. She can work out the kinks with a Homedics Percussion Massager and Foot Spa with soothing heat and gentle vibrations. Then she can light a stress relief candle with eucalyptus and spearmint scents, or turn on a Himalayan salt lamp to improve the energy in the room. She’s done so much for you over the years, now it’s time to pamper her.

Entertain Her

You can’t go wrong with tech toys these days. Show your mom you still think she’s hip and modern with the latest in technology, like an iPad Mini or a Kobo Reader.

Noise cancelling headphones make travelling a dream while cute phone cases keep her stylish.

A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words

If you can’t think of what to say to your mother to thank her for all she’s done for you, say it with pictures. Photos of your family will do so much to remind her what an important figure she is within the family.

With the London Drugs Photolab, it’s easy to make a customized card, photo book, poster, and more, each available in a range of Mother’s Day themes. Pair it with a Polaroid Original Camera so she can keep creating those memories in the years to come.

Your mom deserves the best. Show her your love this year with a thoughtful gift from London Drugs.

Best Locations Across Canada for Mother’s Day Photos

Planning a mini photo session for Mother’s Day? From picturesque beach-side spots to locations full of colourful spring blooms, here’s our list of the best places across Canada to snap those adorable moments between mother and child for Mother’s Day! Our #LDExperts are also sharing a few tips to keep in mind while shooting, check it out in our Mother’s Day photography tips blog.

Experimental Farm, Ottawa

Photo by @rachaeljamesphoto

Located just a few kilometres from downtown Ottawa, the Central Experimental Farm has enchanted visitors for more than a century. From the Ornamental Gardens to the Tropical Greenhouse, this place offers a multitude of options for some great photos of mom and the family.

Pacific Spirit Park, Vancouver

Photo by @evagracephoto

Located on the west side of the city of Vancouver, the Pacific Spirit Regional Park offers more than 750 hectares of forest. With its convenient location, its perfect for a day out in the wild, especially if you’re photographing moms with kids that love to explore.

Robert’s Creek, Sunshine Coast

Photo by @folkfotos

Looking for a spot that offers a perfect blend of beaches & forest? Roberts Creek is just the place! The B&K trail offers a beautiful landscape for some fun candid shots. When the tide is low there is a nice sandy area for kids to play and go for a swim as well.

Sunflower Gardens, Sturgeon County

Photo by @blurrruby

Located north of Edmonton, Sunflower Gardens is ideal for a photoshoot among the sunflowers, raspberries, strawberries or saskatoon berries – depending on which time of year you go. If you plan to use this location though, you’ll likely need to shoot in late spring or summer and save those photos to share with mom next Mother’s Day. But it will be worth the wait once she sees those sweet photos in print!

Wildwood Conservation Area, Stratford

Photo by @nataalc

Best described as a 3,500-acre outdoor playground, Wildwood Conservation Area is located just minutes west of Stratford. With a lake, 20 kilometers of hiking trails and a large day use area, you definitely won’t run short of fun and creative spots to capture the perfect Mother’s Day shot!

Echo Valley Provincial Park, Saskatchewan

Photo by @kelseydawn.photo

Situated in the legendary Qu’Appelle Valley between Echo and Pasqua Lakes, Echo Valley Provincial Park offers a wide variety of scenic surroundings. With two beaches, access to two lakes, lush lawns and a playground, there are tons of options for a picturesque photoshoot with mom.

Blind Bay, Shuswap

Photo by @christine.nicole.photographybc

Blind Bay’s beaches are two of the most popular beaches on Shuswap Lake near Kamloops and are perfect for a Mother’s Day mini session. For the more adventurous mom, Scotch Creek in Shuswap also offers the Shuswap Trout Scout which the kids will absolutely love!

Sullivan Heights, Surrey

Photo by @modabellaphotography

Looking for a spot that offer those dreamy spring blooms for your Mother’s Day photoshoot? Sullivan Heights in Surrey has loads of great options! With many small parks that bloom with cherry blossoms, it offers the perfect mix of beauty and convenience.

Once you’re done capturing and editing your shots, check out our Photolab’s wide variety of printing options, from prints and enlargements to canvas gallery wraps and even cute customizable novelties like keychains, ornaments, crystals and puzzles. For easy access download our London Drugs Photolab App which is available for iOS and Android, or you can simply order online. If you’re looking for help with what prints would work best for your photographs, just visit your nearest London Drugs store and speak to one of our LDExperts in the Photolab!

You could also participate in our #PicturePerfectMom contest for a chance to be the lucky winner of a 16×20 canvas gallery wrap with frame! Wouldn’t it make a great gift for mom this Mother’s Day?

How to Get Your Kids Playing Outside

Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash

Thirty years ago, a common refrain from parents to kids was “Go play outside.” These days, many kids would respond with “Well, what are we supposed to do out there?” According to new studies, children are “taller, heavier, fatter and weaker” than their parents were at the same age, mostly due to declining rates of physical literacy. Only one third of Canadian kids are meeting the physical activity recommendation of 60 minutes per day. We can blame this decline on the prevalence of screens and more sedentary activities, but those are just a symptom of a bigger problem — kids aren’t playing outside like they used to.

Less time outdoors isn’t just linked to decreased fitness levels in children, it also causes a decreased appreciation of the environment, vitamin D deficiency, diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher rates of emotional illnesses like anxiety and depression.

Being outside has so many health benefits for children — both physical and mental. Movement through unstructured play, especially outside, has been shown to improve creativity, academic success, and mental stability, among other things.

With all of the distractions indoors, it can be challenging to get kids to “go play outside,” but these tips can help your kids turn off the screens and get off the couch.

Set Strict Limits on Screen Time

This tip is first and foremost. Everyone knows that too much screen time is bad for your health, especially for kids. Health professionals recommend children aged 2 to 5 be limited to one hour of screen time a day, with consistent limits for older children on the amount of time and place they get to have screen time. Parents can help by setting timers for recreational screen time, keeping all screens out of kids’ rooms (living/dining room only), and limiting it to certain times of the day (i.e. video games after dinner for two hours, and only if homework is done). Screen time limits will open up time in their lives to find other, healthier things to do for fun.

Spend More Time Outdoors Yourself

This one is easy. Kids learn by example, especially when they’re little, so if they see you enjoying a walk, a bike ride, a hike, or a run, they’ll grow up knowing that these things are normal and fun. Studies have shown that 60 minutes of a parent’s physical activity adds 15 minutes to a child’s average daily physical activity.

Make Family Time Nature Time

We know you plan family time every week, so instead of movies on the couch every Sunday, why not pack up the car and head to the park, beach, forest, or ski hill as a family once in a while? Make a family challenge to explore new areas of your town together at least once a month: visit as many different parks or playgrounds and find your favourites.

Plan Outdoorsy Vacations

Hotels or theme parks are fun, but your family vacation is the perfect opportunity to unplug and connect with nature. Seek out destinations that cater to camping, RVing, surfing, hiking, biking, or even the beach and see how much it replenishes everyone. Even if you are stuck in a hotel, every city in the world has playgrounds — why not find the best one close to where you’re staying? Thank goodness for Google Maps!

Extend Play Date Times

Modern kids are used to being entertained and scheduled every minute of their lives (which has been shown to be detrimental to their mental development), so a two-hour playdate may not give them enough time to know what to do outdoors. Clear your schedule and head to the beach or forest until dinner time. If given enough freedom, that boring, old stick will eventually become a tool or a game, and they’ll come up with more complex levels of free play on their own.

Incorporate Natural Materials and Loose Parts into Play

Swing sets and playgrounds are fun for a while, but they’re very specific and limited. Equip your play space with stumps, small logs, a fun sprinkler, sticks, plants, gravel, dirt, and sand for imaginative building and exploration. Loose items like balls, hoops, ropes, sidewalk chalk, kitchen wear, wood pieces, pots, shovels, and trays are ripe for creative play. Long sticks and old bedsheets are perfect for building forts. A water source and buckets will provide hours of messy fun. If you’re nervous about any of it, put them on a time limit, or better yet, get out there with them.

Encourage Them to Get Dirty

Yes, you spend a lot on their clothes, but kids are meant to be outside, exploring everything nature has to offer. Just remember that their health is more important than the laundry. If it is an issue, keep inexpensive or hand-me-down clothes and shoes on hand especially for outdoor adventures.

Photo by Anna Samoylova on Unsplash

Bring in a Blast from the Past

What was your favourite thing to do outside as a kid? We’re pretty sure it’s still fun, even though your kids might groan at first. Teach your kids how to build a fort, play catch, toss a frisbee, build a forest fairy village, play tug of war, catch bugs in a jar, or play kick the can. You’ll be surprised how much they love it, especially if you’re doing it with them.

Get a Dog

If you’ve always wanted to get a best friend for the kids, now is the time. Not only will it teach them about daily responsibilities, it will get them outside daily for walks and epic games of fetch. If you don’t have the space for a dog, rabbits and guinea pigs can play outside in an enclosed area.

Register Your Kids for Outdoor Sports and Summer Camp

If they’re into it, leave the volleyball, basketball, and hockey behind and lean more toward sports like soccer, baseball, or field hockey – they’ll be outside getting fit and making friends at least once a week. As soon as they’re ready, register them for summer camp. The benefits of camp are huge, from life lessons beyond the classroom to appreciating nature, making friends for life, and building resilience and leadership skills.

Gear Up

Birthdays and Christmas roll around every year, so why not make them an excuse to get some new outdoor gear? A bike, baseball glove, gardening tools, in-line or roller skates, a soccer ball, a kite, or a badminton set for the back yard would light up any kid’s eyes. And dad would love a new camp chair!

Game-ify Nature

Outdoor activities aren’t limited to gentle nature walks. If your family loves games and competition, you have lots of options. Geocaching could be your new favourite hobby. PokemonGo is still hugely popular and will get you and the kids outside. Organize a scavenger hunt, beat your best time around the block on a bike, get a deck of nature cards, or challenge the whole family to get in the most steps in a week on your fitness trackers.

Do Indoor Things Outside

If you have the space, make an inviting outdoor area in the backyard where the kids can do their homework, eat meals, or just hang out as a family during the warmer months. If you live in an apartment, pack up the kids’ textbooks (and a book for yourself) and find the nearest picnic table, or play a game of Go Fish on a park bench.

Photo by MI PHAM on Unsplash

We hope these easy tips inspire you and your family to go from indoorsy to outdoorsy types. If you need more inspiration, check out everything London Drugs has to offer for outdoor living, from camping to gardening to just relaxing.