Health and Wellness Archives - Page 4 of 17

5 Tips to Help You #KickSugar in 2018

Whether you’re climbing aboard the resolution train or not, a new year really does come with a fresh start feeling where anything is possible. If that anything for you is to reduce your sugar consumption – no problem, these five tips can help you stick with it.

Photo from @eatsmartsweets

For any lifestyle change or new habit, it’s all about making small changes. Any sudden, drastic moves to cut out sugar completely are often paired with some intense cravings that can make someone with the strongest of willpower give up altogether. And that’s not what we’re going for, is it?

Incorporate these small steps to help you on your #kicksugar journey even one per week and you’ll be crushing those new year goals in no time:

1. Stay Hydrated

Boring I know. Drink water? Heard it a million times before. But for real, this is key. Dehydration can cause the body to become sluggish and tired, craving foods it doesn’t even need including high-sugar foods. Keep hydrated by drinking water throughout the day in whichever form you like – on its own, with lemon, herbal tea – you name it, just drink it. Try to get at least 4-6 glasses in a day.

2. Sip Some Apple Cider Vinegar

This might seem like a strange one. What the heck does vinegar have to do with reducing sugar? Well let me tell you. Apple cider vinegar has countless benefits, one of them including balancing blood sugar. When blood sugar is unstable, up and down like a rollercoaster, this is when sugar cravings can come in strong and fast. Start with 1 tsp of ACV in ½ cup of water with meals to help balance blood sugar. You can even start with one meal and work up to taking it with all your meals.

3. Get Those Probiotics

You’d have to be living under a rock to not have heard the benefits of beneficial bacteria or ‘probiotics’ for overall and intestinal health (if you’ve been under a rock, please just Google it). The connection to sugar cravings is that the bacteria living in your intestinal tract can dictate the foods you crave. If there is an imbalance of bacteria in gut, sugar cravings can be fierce and steady. Support your intestinal flora balance by consuming fermented foods like raw sauerkraut and unsweetened yogurt and/or supplementing with probiotics.

4. Keep Low-Sugar Snacks Within Arm’s Reach

Photo from @eatsmartsweets

One of the toughest times to avoid sugary foods is when you’re out and about, haven’t eaten for too long and hunger strikes. Most convenient snacks include a shocking amount of sugar, naturally-occurring or not. Something like keeping a stash of your favourite nuts in your car or desk is great snack to tide you over to a meal. Having low-sugar treats around is also key. Just because you’re reducing sugar, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to treat yourself. SmartSweets Low-Sugar Gummy Bears are a total game changer when you feel like a sweet treat. With 2g or sugar per serving, you can get your sweet fix without falling off the wagon.

5. Check Your Mindset

I totally get it, been there. Reducing sugar can mean saying ‘see ya later’ to some of your very favourite foods. Which can even be slightly emotional. Instead, think of this as an opportunity to invite different foods into your life rather than saying goodbye to the higher-sugar ones. Adding in more variety and new foods you haven’t tried before can mean new favourite foods. Get creative, hunt for some new exciting recipes and get busy in the kitchen.

Remember, it’s all about those small changes. Be easy on yourself and have fun with it! Join the SmartSweets #kicksugar challenge by following @EatSmartSweets on Instagram and share how you’re kicking sugar to the curb in 2018.

Paige Webster
Registered Holistic Nutritionist

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.

Why get vaccinated?

Diabetes, even if it is well managed, can make it more difficult for your immune system to fight infections, and that can put you at risk for more serious complications than someone without diabetes would be likely to experience from the same disease. For example, pneumonia (a lung infection) and meningitis (an infection of the brain and spinal cord) may lead to very serious complications and can even be fatal in people who have diabetes. Fortunately, there are vaccines that can help prevent these infections.

People with diabetes are also more likely to get some diseases—such as hepatitis B—than the general public, and some illnesses—such as influenza (the flu)—can raise blood glucose (blood sugar) to levels that are dangerously high.

Don’t assume that because you have diabetes that you shouldn’t get vaccinated. Discuss this with your doctor or pharmacist. Not getting vaccinated can put you at risk of more serious problems than the occasional minor side effects vaccines may cause.

What vaccines should people with diabetes get?

Your healthcare providers are in the best position to explain which vaccinations you should have and why, but there are some general guidelines. The Canadian Immunization Guide recommends that people with diabetes get routine immunizations with the following vaccines:

diphtheria
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
hepatitis B
herpes zoster
human papillomavirus (HPV)
influenza
measles-mumps-rubella
meningococcal conjugate quadrivalent
pertussis
pneumococcal conjugate 13-valent (children)
pneumococcal polysaccharide 23-valent (adults and children 2 years of age and older)
polio (inactivated)
rotavirus
tetanus
varicella (univalent)

Other vaccines may also be appropriate for some people. You should discuss your personal situation with a healthcare professional to determine if any additional vaccines would help protect your health.

Additionally, anyone travelling outside Canada may require other vaccines related to their travel plans. Your London Drugs travel health pharmacists can help you plan for any travel-related vaccines (such as hepatitis A, typhoid, and rabies) that you may need.

Some of the drugs that may be used to treat diseases such as the flu and pneumonia may be less effective than they used to be, making it more important than ever to prevent the diseases. In addition to helping prevent pneumonia, the pneumococcal vaccine also protects against bloodstream infections and meningitis caused by pneumococcal bacteria.

Because the flu virus changes every year, the shot you get one year isn’t likely to protect you the following year, so getting a shot at the beginning of each flu season is recommended.

London Drugs certified injection pharmacists are available to answer your questions about vaccines and to provide any vaccinations you need conveniently, right in the pharmacy. If you have any questions, please ask us.

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:

Reasons to get a Flu Shot

Alas, there are still lots of people who don’t get a flu shot every year which is something I simply don’t understand in large part because the potential downside seems to be so terrifically small.

So, unless someone one day clearly shows that getting a flu vaccine can impact your health negatively in an important way – like for example, making you more likely to get some type of flu in following flu seasons (this potential problem is being vigorously studied, by the way) – the positives that we do know from getting a flu shot every year have won the day in a large way.

Why do I say that?

For a start, the flu can be a severe infection with huge potential complications such as pneumonia and death so it’s important to remind flu-shot doubters that every year the flu kills thousands of North Americans, usually the very young, the very old, and those with diminished immunity or who have certain chronic illnesses, but some seasons flu also kills the healthy and vigorous in large numbers.

And then there’s this key reason: Herd immunity, meaning that the more people who are immunized against the flu, the more protection the vulnerable have against the flu.

And finally, every year, we learn more advantages from an annual flu vaccine, such as this recent study presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting in San Francisco which found that even though the overall flu vaccine effectiveness was only 52 % in the recent flu season, young kids who got a flu vaccine had half the rate of being hospitalized with flu-related illness compared to kids who didn’t get a flu shot.

This fall, do yourself – and the rest of us – a favour and get a flu shot.

And try to convince those around you to get one too.

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) 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:

Brentwood Village Mall –3603 Brentwood Road NW
London Place West – 5255 Richmond Road SW
First Calgary SE – 4701 – 130^th Avenue SE
Royal Oak Centre – 8888 Country Hills Blvd NW

3) 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.

4) 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.

5) 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.

6) 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.

Could One Sleep Position Be Better Than Another?

You generally don’t think about how you sleep until you can’t sleep. But not being able to sleep can have adverse affects on life—and sleep position might be a factor.

An adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep a night, and if you’re not meeting that need, you might want to think about the position you’re sleeping in instead of fruitlessly counting sheep all night.

But is one sleeping position really “better” than another? We delved deep and here’s what we found out about these common ways to get some shut eye and the pros and cons of each position.

Back Sleepers

Pros
Congrats, back sleepers. Sleeping on your back is widely considered to be a good position for your spine and neck, as the back is straight and not bending haphazardly, as with some of the other positions. In fact, the best possible sleeping situation for your spine would be to sleep on your back, but with no pillow. Not that we are suggesting that (it sounds terrible)!
Bonus: there’s also some evidence that sleeping on your back leads to fewer wrinkles!
Cons
Sleep apnea is so directly linked to sleeping in this position that doctors literally recommend sleeping on your side to combat it. And any snoring associated with sleep apnea, of course, may impact partners or anyone nearby. Studies have also shown that those who sleep on their backs tend to be worse sleepers overall.

Side Sleepers

Pros
A very popular position. Sleeping on one’s left side in particular is good for pregnant women, as well as for those who deal with acid reflux and heartburn, making it easier for people dealing with those conditions to nod off.
Cons
Sleeping on the left side is thought to be hard on the stomach and lungs (it puts pressure on those organs), and, as side sleepers will know well, the chances you come out of the morning with the dreaded dead-arm due to numbness are high. Switching sides can help.

Fetal Position Sleepers

Pros
A slight variation on side sleeping, the fetal position has you curled up with your legs tucked in. This position has some of the same benefits as sleeping on the side: it’s great for those who are pregnant (but not too pregnant!) and for overall blood circulation, and it’s actually more popular than the standard side sleep. It’s also good for snorers.
Cons
Curling up too tightly in this position might become a bad habit as you get older, as it can restrict breathing in your diaphragm. It can also leave you aching in the morning, especially if you have arthritis. If you’re a fetal sleeper, try to straighten out when you can to help ease your breathing.

Stomach Sleepers

Pros
There’s a virtual guarantee that you won’t snore.
Cons
Sleeping on your stomach can be hard on your back, as it tends to flatten the spine. Stomach sleepers can also strain their necks if the head gets turned to one side all night.
If you are already in the habit of sleeping on your stomach, you might want to try using pillows to train yourself to eventually sleep on your side. Your back and neck will thank you for it.

The Verdict on Sleep Position

The fact of the matter is that people sleep in whatever matter they find the comfiest, and knowing the pros and cons of each position may not change that. But if you’re experiencing aches, back pain, or an angry partner due to your snoring, it might benefit you to try out a different position. Here’s to peaceful nights and restful days.