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How to Set Smart Health and Wellness Goals for an Awesome 2018

It’s that time again – New Year’s Resolution season. Let’s admit it: we always start off strong with motivation and enthusiasm to eat healthier, exercise more, get more sleep and take better care of ourselves, but come mid-January, that enthusiasm starts to wain. Sometimes we just need that little extra spark to keep the fires of motivation burning, and we’ve got some super-handy tech gadgets to add some fuel to your smart health and wellness fire.

Eat Better

Prep It: Of course preparing your own meals is far healthier than take-out or pre-packaged food, but cooking at home takes extra time and creativity that we don’t always have. Luckily, The Panasonic Steam Microwave will make your meal prep even easier with easy, oil-free dishes that taste great. The steam function can also be combined with microwave, grill, and convection cooking to give you limitless options for making “healthy” synonymous with “delicious.”

Kick Sugar: Everyone snacks. It’s inevitable—that yawning chasm of time between lunch and dinner will find you eventually. In fact, healthy snacking can actually be good for you, as it fends off swings in blood sugar and prevents binge eating when you’re reaaally hungry. Unfortunately, most store-bought snack foods have a shocking amount of sugar in them, so we’ve got some easy tips for cutting down on sugary snacks here.

Move More

Pump It: The perfect playlist can make or break an intense workout. If you’re addicted to the energy that music gives you, make sure you’re taking full advantage of your tunes with a great set of headphones. Skullcandy’s XTFree Wireless Sport Headphones eliminates the hassle of cords and and keeps you free to pump it up. The lightweight buds have a tight comfortable fit, and you’ll get up to six hours of battery life on a charge to keep you going longer.

Get Up: New studies have shown that there’s a direct relationship between time spent sitting and your risk of early mortality. Doctors suggest that for every 30 consecutive minutes of sitting, standing up and moving or walking for five minutes at brisk pace will reduce the health risks from sitting. If you work at a sedentary job, a standing desk is a great way to avoid sitting for long periods of time. Our Certified Data Standing Desk easily changes from sitting to standing position and has a large surface area to accommodate all of your work activities.

Get Down: Fitness is more fun when it’s a family affair! Get the whole gang grooving with Just Dance, available for Nintendo Switch, PS3 & PS4, Wii & Wii U, and Xbox One and 360.

Track It: Some people need a little bossing around to stay on track with their fitness. If you don’t want to hire an expensive personal trainer, go for some wearable tech to keep you accountable. London Drugs has a wide range of Fitbit fitness trackers in lots of different styles and price ranges that can help you reach your goals. With the Fitbit app, you can track your daily steps, caloric intake and output, heart rate, sleep habits–all while looking sleek and stylish.

Get more sleep

Light It: Everyone knows that getting enough sleep is essential support for good health: it helps our bodies repair damage, clean out waste products, balance hormones, renew cells, and so much more. New studies have even shown that a good amount of sleep helps you form memories, solidify learning, reduces your risk of depression, increases fitness levels, and helps to avoid weight gain. If the thought of trying to get more sleep seems intimidating, there is some great technology available to help create optimal conditions for a good night’s rest, like the Sleepace Nox Music Smart Sleep Light. It can help you fall asleep easily with soothing light and sound and wakes you up naturally with a smart light alarm. It also collects data from your bedroom environment that impacts your sleep quality and makes smart suggestions on how to improve your sleeping experience.

Hear It: If you like to listen to music or podcasts as you fall asleep but wake up in a tangled mess of headphone wires, the Furo Bluetooth Sleeping Mask helps you rest in comfort while listening to whatever sounds are needed to take you to dreamland. A soft micro-fibre sleeping mask with built-in Bluetooth speakers and a 6-hour battery life will give you a comfortable, tangle-free sleeping experience.

More self-care

De-Stress: Ideally, we’d all have a live-in massage therapist to help us work out the knots after a stressful day or a hard workout, but alas, most of us aren’t so lucky. The next best thing could be the Homedics Neck & Shoulder Massager with Heat. This invigorating vibration massager adds heat to soothe tense muscles, and the portable design flexes and shapes to your body, providing the perfect fit for the perfect massage. Makes you want to let out a big “ahhhhhhh” just reading that, doesn’t it?

Breathe In: It’s amazing how scent can affect your mood and well-being. Just ask any of your friends who have jumped on the therapeutic essential oils bandwagon recently: lavender can help you sleep, pine can alleviate stress, citrus can help you feel more energized, and peppermint may boost concentration, just to name a few. An aromatherapy diffuser will help fill your home with whatever scent and mood you crave.

Hopefully, with a little help, we can all stick to our goals for the year (and stay off the road that they say is paved with good intentions), and make 2018 into twenty-GREAT-teen!

Santa to Visit Seniors Across Western Canada This Year

Well, maybe not the real Santa, but seniors across Western Canada will receive a little extra holiday cheer this year, thanks to London Drugs’ very first chain-wide Christmas campaign.

With Stocking Stuffers for Seniors, London Drugs stores across Western Canada are partnering with hundreds of low-income, assisted living, or palliative care homes and organizations to help make this year’s holidays brighter for seniors living in our communities.

Stocking Stuffers for Seniors was developed as a way to connect London Drugs’ generous customers to local seniors during the busy holiday season. Many seniors do not have family or loved ones they can celebrate the holidays with, so Stocking Stuffers for Seniors will provide a gift or needed item, along with a visit from a friendly face during an often lonely time of the year.

The program concept originated in BC’s Okanagan then expanded to Edmonton, where they had the initial goal to help 40 inner-city seniors and ended up helping over 400. The next year, 2,000 people received gifts, and this year, Edmonton alone will support over 4,000 seniors. With the generosity of our communities, imagine what we could do across all of our communities.

To support Stocking Stuffers for Seniors, visit your local London Drugs store from now until December 11. Simply go to the Stocking Stuffers for Seniors Christmas Tree and take a personalized tag from a local senior, purchase or bring in the new, unwrapped items listed on the tag, then drop everything off at the London Drugs Customer Service Counter where you picked up the tag. Santa and his volunteer elves will deliver all personalized gifts in time for Christmas!

10 POPULAR GIFTS FOR SENIORS

– Blankets or throws
– Slippers or socks
– Candy and chocolate
– Coffee or travel mugs
– Warm clothes such as gloves or scarves
– Paper products such as paper towels and tissues
– Gift cards for groceries and toiletries
– Books or magazines
– Board games or puzzles
– Kitchen essentials

For extra Christmas cheer – include a personalized Christmas card with your gift!

Be sure to check out our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages to see how your gifts made the season a bit brighter for seniors in your community.

How To Get Your Baby to Sleep – Baby’s Best Sleep and London Drugs Q&A

It was 3:30AM.

My daughter was 2 weeks old

I had seen every hour on the clock.

Earlier in the evening I had sent my husband to bed because he needed to work the next day. But here I was: exhausted, desperate and about to ruin his slumber.

I ran into our spare room where my husband was sleeping, handed him the baby and tried to get two hours of sleep in a row. I come back for the baby a couple of hours later to see HIM sleeping with the baby in his arms! It was my Oprah ‘a-ha’ moment: sleep is not a luxury, it’s a necessity!

While we may chuckle with a friend about how exhausting parenthood is, your child’s infancy (and sometimes beyond) can bring parents many sleepless nights if baby isn’t sleeping well–and that is no laughing matter. When we have tired babies, we have tired parents and tired parents are more likely to be involved in an accident, have a higher risk of heart disease, be obese, and even experience anxiety or depression. Sleep deprivation is no joke. And we know that after baby is 6 months and their circadian rhythms look more like adult ones, having broken nights of sleep means they feel just as tired and cranky as you do!

However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. There are a few basics you need to know about baby sleep before you make any changes to way your baby falls asleep. Here are the basics that will answer the most common baby sleep questions and hopefully provide you with a starting point in helping your child become better rested.

Everyone has a sleep dance

“What?” you ask.

Yes! You read right. A sleep dance!

If I asked you to think about your sleep dance it would likely look like this: You hop into bed, take off your socks and turn to your right side. But in another 2 minutes you’re going to shift to your left side, put your hand under your pillow and shift your legs to and fro. These routines and actions are your sleep dance. And if your child or baby has you doing this dance for them (feeding, rocking, bouncing, swaying, pacifying etc.) it means that every time they wake, they will require that same ‘dance’ to fall asleep again…which is challenging because…

Your baby will never sleep through the night.

And neither will you for that matter! All human sleep is actually made up of several shorter cycles of sleep. Most adults have a sleep cycle of 90 minutes but because adults have independent sleep skills, we can get to the end of our cycle, wake, turn over and go back to sleep. A baby’s sleep cycle however can range between 30-90 minutes (depending on their age). This means it’s possible that a baby can wake every 30 minutes! And if baby does not have their sleep dance down, it means they will require a recital from mom and dad all night long! Some of you are nodding right now–if this is you, it means your baby does not have their sleep dance down and is lacking independent sleep skills

Becoming a professional soother replacer

If baby has any sleep associations (things that lully them to sleep: rocking, patting, swaying, swings, pacifiers, dock-a-tots, nursing, bottles etc.) it makes falling and staying asleep extremely challenging because these associations will all stop working. Whatever lulling effect is created by these associations will eventually wear off and you’re left swaying a crying baby for hours. How many of you have had to run back to baby’s room several times at night to replace a pacifier? When we remove the pacifier (or any other association) baby will sleep deeper and more consistently going forward.

So what now? Tips for success!

Find a way to teach your baby independent sleep skills. Whether it’s with a consultant like me or with another program, method or practice that aligns with your family goals–teaching baby to sleep on their own is a must.
Whenever you start a program don’t give up! Consistency is challenging with babies but its a MUST with any child. You can’t go half way and expect 100% results. If you want baby to learn to sleep, they must sleep unassisted every single time.
Finally, get support. If your partner can’t be around to help, find a friend or family member to support you in helping baby sleep. It can be challenging and sometimes having another person to talk to through the challenges can be helpful (this is also why hiring a consultant is so great–we’re with you every step of the way!)

If you’re feeling like you’re ready to get you and baby to sleep, feel free to reach out! I (and many consultants!) offer free discovery calls to try to get a better sense of your sleep issue and let you know what working within a program may look like. You can reach me here: www.babysbestsleep.com/15mins

Good luck and teach that baby to dance!

Diabetes and Vaccines

A lot has been written about vaccine safety in recent years, and much of it has been based on false information and bad research. If you have diabetes and are wondering about whether you should receive vaccines, the answer is “Yes!” Your London Drugs pharmacists can help you sort out the facts from the falsehoods and figure out which vaccines you should get.

Preventing and Treating Hypoglycemia

Understanding hypoglycemia (the medical term for low blood glucose, also known as low blood sugar) is a very important part of diabetes management. When you eat foods that contain carbohydrates, your body breaks down these sugars and starches into glucose, a form of sugar, and your blood glucose level rises.

When your blood glucose levels drop below your target levels, this is known as hypoglycemia. It can happen for a number of reasons:

Services and Resources for New Parents at London Drugs

A new baby brings so much joy…and a lot of questions. We’re here to help!

London Drugs aims to support new families at home and in our stores by offering a variety of services and resources to make life for moms and dads a little easier.

Mom with Baby - London Drugs Blog

1) Health Advice for Parents

If you have questions about your child’s health, our pharmacists are an accessible resource. They can recommend over the counter medications that are safe your children and provide information on proper dosage to help you treat common baby health conditions such as diaper rash, eczema, cradle cap, constipation, pain and fever, rashes, teething and others.

Our pharmacists can also refer your child to a doctor or other health professional if they feel they require further medical attention.

2) Baby Welcome Packages

The London Drugs Baby Welcome Package provides new parents with product samples, as well as helpful information and special offers.

Simply fill out this form and you’ll receive an email with the steps to redeem your Baby Welcome Package. For online orders, enter the promo code you receive via email to add a free baby package to your next online order at londondrugs.com.

3) In-Store Diaper Stations

Taking the baby with you shopping isn’t always easy. Sometimes the ‘unexpected’ happens – just when you’ve run out of diapers, or forgot the diaper bag at home. That’s why we are excited to announce a new pilot project at select Calgary London Drugs stores: you’ll find our store washrooms fully stocked with change table supplies, including free Huggies diapers in a variety of sizes as well as wipes, for when you’re in a pinch.

The diaper stations can be found at:

Mount Royal Village – 1508 – 8^th Street SW
Brentwood Village Mall –3603 Brentwood Road NW
London Place West – 5255 Richmond Road SW
Sage Hill Crossing – 50 Sage Hill Plaza NW
First Calgary SE – 4701 – 130^th Avenue SE
Royal Oak Centre – 8888 Country Hills Blvd NW

4) Breastfeeding Supplies and Tips

We carry a selection of products from trusted brands such as Medela Canada, including their mobile Freestyle breast pump system, the Easy Expression bustier, Calma feeding system and much more. If you prefer, you can also rent a complete, hospital-grade Medela kit at London Drugs.

Of course, we know breastfeeding is a topic that brings many questions for parents. To answer your most frequently asked questions, we brought together our London Drugs buyer, Medela expert and a London Drugs pharmacist for a 2-part video discussion on breast pumping. You can watch both videos here.

5) Children’s Passport Photos

Getting a passport can be challenging enough as an adult, let alone trying to take an acceptable passport photo for a squirming infant. Luckily, our Photolab Experts have some tricks up their sleeve to make your passport photo experience a breeze.

If you’re bringing your infant, our Photolab Experts recommend dressing them in an open shirt or onesie that you can easily unsnap. This will make it easy for you to put your hands under your child’s shirt to support them while the photo is being taken. They also recommend visiting the Photolab when your child is well-rested and satiated (not in the middle of nap time or lunch time) so they are more likely to be cooperative.

We are so confident in the quality of our passport photos – for parents and children alike – that we offer a London Drugs $50 Quality Guarantee. If a London Drugs passport or identification photo is declined for quality reasons, we will refund your purchase, retake the photo, and give you a $50 London Drugs gift card for your inconvenience.

Feel free to visit us in the Photolab, and we can walk you through the process and photo requirements for children.

6) Customizable Baby Announcements

The London Drugs Photolab offers an easy way to create baby announcement cards . Include an adorable photo of your newborn, and text with time of birth, weight and more, so you can share the excitement of your new arrival with family and friends. You can even choose from a selection of our baby announcement templates to help get you started. Just visit us in-store to order using our Photolab kiosks, or order from the comfort of your home through our Photolab website.

7) Shopping Essentials

You’ll find everything else you need for your children at London Drugs. From bottles and baby food, to children’s medicine and toys, we have you covered. Visit us in-store, or have it all shipped directly to your door by ordering online. Or you can order online and pick up your order in two hours or less.

10 Fall Chocolate Desserts You Need to Eat Now

For some food lovers, the end of summer means saying goodbye to backyard cookouts and delicious BBQ meals. For others, the cooler fall weather is a welcome excuse to warm up in front of the oven and enjoy a piping hot mug of cocoa after dinner.

Whatever you may prefer, there’s no doubt that the following dessert recipes are bound to inspire you this fall season (and satiate your sweet tooth)! Besides – who can say no to chocolate?

1. Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

The chocolate chip cookie is beloved for a reason! And because fall is the season where you can finally dust off your cast iron skillet, this cozy take on a household classic provides the perfect dessert option on a chilly evening.

[Find the recipe at Dinner with Julie]

2. S’mores Chocolate Pudding Jars

Just because camping season is coming to a close doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to s’mores just yet! These pudding cups call for the basics – marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers and some pantry items, and allow you to enjoy a campfire treat in the comfort of your own home.

[Find the recipe at Seasons and Suppers]

3. Churros with Chocolate Dipping Sauce

Dipped in a luxurious dark chocolate sauce, the crispy cinnamon coating and sweet, soft dough make these churros to die for. A fair favourite that can easily be made at home, there’s no need for a clunky deep fryer if you have a wok on hand!

[Find the recipe at Recipe Tin Eats]

4. Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate

If you haven’t already heard, the pumpkin spice latte (or PSL) has made yet another comeback this fall. And whether you’re on board with the trend or not – we guarantee you’ll love this pumpkin spice hot chocolate recipe!

[Find the recipe at Lemons for Lulu]

5. Baked Double Chocolate Donuts

Donuts are not only delicious, but they can be a great baking activity that the kids will love. These double chocolate donuts are a quirky (and easy to transport) alternative to birthday cake. If you don’t have a donut pan on hand, simply use a muffin tin!

[Find the recipe at i am a food blog]

6. Coffee Ice Cream Chocolate Mud Pie

Although some may argue that the fall season is too cold for ice cream, we beg to differ. Complete with an Oreo crumb crust and filled with your favourite brand of coffee ice cream, this mud pie is a perfect dish to bring to your next fall potluck!

[Find the recipe at Coco Cake Land]

7. Cherry Chocolate Crumble

When you think of a fruit crumble, chocolate doesn’t usually come to mind. This crumble, however, brings the classic flavours of black forest cake into a rich cherry crumble – loaded with fresh Bing cherries and rounded off with a coconut and cocoa topping.

[Find the recipe at Kitchen Heals Soul]

8. Gluten-Free Chocolate Pecan Tart

Nothing quite says “fall” like a warm pecan tart fresh out of the oven. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we’ve found a recipe that will excite any chocolate lover! A maple pecan filling sits atop dark chocolate for a unique – and tasty – dessert.

[Find the recipe at Salted Plains]

9. Pain au Chocolat

Pain au chocolate – or chocolate croissants – are usually a coffee shop treat. Thankfully, we’ve found a recipe that’s as simple as it is delicious! With only three ingredients: egg, puff pastry and your favourite dark chocolate bar, you can have your *croissant* and eat it too.

[Find the recipe at Simply Beautiful Eating]

10. Decadent White Chocolate Brownies

Believe it or not – not everyone is a huge fan of dark or milk chocolate. For anyone who can’t eat chocolate, or prefers the taste of white chocolate, we’ve got you covered! This delectable brownie recipe is the perfect balance between rich and fluffy, and can be tweaked to whatever sweetness level you prefer.

[Find the recipe at Simple as That]