Health and Wellness Archives - Page 5 of 17

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.

Building Suicide Safer Communities With CMHA

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), in partnership with London Drugs, is on a mission to bring suicide prevention training to communities across western Canada. Suicide prevention training isn’t just for professionals. Suicide prevention is everybody’s business.

The most basic premise of suicide prevention is that if we are thinking about suicide ourselves we need to tell someone, and if we are concerned someone else may be thinking about suicide we need to ask them about it, clearly and directly. If they are indeed thinking about suicide, we need to listen carefully for long enough to acquire some understanding of what they are going through and then based on what we’ve learned help them link with supports and resources to keep safe for now.

But all of us worry, “will they be offended if I ask them?” Experts agree that you will not suddenly open someone up to the possibility of suicide as an option by talking about it, but rather will show them you care enough both to notice they are troubled, and to ask. The intention is to open up a dialogue that can lead to the possibility of help. And if they are offended? You might get something back like “Hey things are bad but they aren’t that bad!’, and you can again respond that the ask comes out of noticing they were troubled, and feeling care and concern for them.

CMHA’s vision of mentally healthy people in a healthy society has every community working to become suicide-safe, with many people equipped to step in and offer help to someone who is struggling. We can all be part of making this change happen — and one place to start is to sign up for a safeTALK workshop where you’ll learn what to look for, what to do and how to help. Visit askaboutsuicide.ca to learn more.

Askaboutsuicide.ca was made possible through the generous support of London Drugs. We are grateful to London Drugs for recognizing that suicide is everybody’s business and that we all have a part to play in creating suicide safer communities.

Hundreds of thousands of Canadians needlessly fracture bones each year due to osteoporosis

London Drugs’ Osteoporosis Screening Clinics to aid in prevention

Dubbed the ‘silent thief’, bone loss from osteoporosis occurs without symptoms – until the first fracture. According to Osteoporosis Canada, fractures from osteoporosis are more common than a heart attack, stroke or breast cancer combined, and yet over 80 per cent of fracture patients are never offered screening or treatment post fracture . Around 30,000 Canadians each year suffer from hip fractures, and many more suffer osteoporotic fractures affecting the spine, wrist, shoulder, and pelvis .

London Drugs offers Osteoporosis Screening Clinics to help patients determine their risk of developing osteoporosis, before a fracture occurs. Using the World Health Organization’s FRAX assessment tool and Sunlight Omnisense® device, Patient Care Pharmacists scan and measure the patient’s bone strength and assess their risk for falls and fractures. The consultation takes about 45-minutes.

Post-screening, patients are given an assessment of their vitamin D and calcium intake, lifestyle factors, and existing medical conditions as they relate to fracture risk. Each patient is then provided with tips on how to minimize their risks, and a personalized action plan to fit their wellness goals.

“Since osteoporosis often has no noticeable symptoms, routine screenings are crucial to help you stay informed about the changes that happen in the body during the aging process. We can develop an action plan to help improve bone health and minimize your risk,” explains Lily Liang, a Patient Care Pharmacist at London Drugs.

Osteoporosis Screening Clinics can be booked online or by calling the pharmacy.

Respiratory Information During Forest Fires

Forest fires can be an inevitable part of living in Western Canada. The information below provides tips to reduce your personal health risk, as well as contact numbers to report a forest fire in each Western Canadian province.

Air Quality

The Ministry of Environment to monitors air quality impact due to wildfires across the province. For the most up to date conditions and a list of active advisories for BC, please visit: www.bcairquality.ca

Tips to reduce personal risk:

Smoke can affect each person differently, based on their health, age, and exposure.

People with heart or lung conditions may be more sensitive to the effects of smoke and should watch for any change in symptoms that may be due to smoke exposure. If you notice any symptoms, take steps to reduce your exposure to smoke and if necessary see a physician. People with symptoms should go to their health care provider, walk-in clinic or emergency department depending on the severity of symptoms.

Residents with asthma, COPD or other chronic illness should activate their asthma, respiratory or personal care plan.
Use common sense regarding outdoor physical activity – if your breathing becomes difficult or uncomfortable, stop or reduce the activity.
Stay cool and drink plenty of fluids.
Smoke levels may be lower indoors, however levels of smoke particles will still be increased. If you stay indoors, be aware of your symptoms.
Commercially available HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters can further reduce poor indoor air quality near the device.
Reduce indoor pollution sources such as smoking or burning other materials.
Consider visiting a location like a shopping mall with cooler filtered air. Keep in mind that staying indoors may help you stay cool and provide some relief from the smoke, however, many air conditioning systems do not filter the air or improve indoor air quality.
You may be able to reduce your exposure to smoke by moving to cleaner air. Conditions can vary dramatically by area and elevation.
Pay attention to local air quality reports; air quality may be poor even though smoke may not be visible.
Maintaining good overall health is a good way to prevent health effects resulting from short-term exposure to air pollution.

Report a Wildfire

To report a wildfire or irresponsible behaviour:
In B.C. call 1 800 663-5555 or *5555 from a cell phone.
In Alberta call 310-FIRE.
In Saskatchewan call 1-800-667-9660.
In Manitoba call 1-800-782-0076.

Information from the public is crucial to ensuring wildfires are responded to as soon as possible.

When reporting a forest fire, any information you can provide is helpful, however, you can expect the emergency call-taker to ask for details about the fire, such as;

Location
i.e. Where is the fire? How far up the hillside?
Size
e.g. Metres? Hectares? Size of a house? Size of a football field?
Rate of spread
i.e. How quickly is the fire spreading?
Fuel
i.e. What is burning? Grass, bushes, trees?
Smoke/flames
i.e. What colour is the smoke? Are flames visible?
Threat
i.e. Are there any people or buildings at risk?
Action
i.e. Is anyone fighting the fire?

Some information for this post sourced from:

http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status/wildfire-situation

Emergency Pharmacy Services and Complimentary Charging Stations for BC Wildfire Evacuees

Our thoughts are with everyone dealing with the wildfires in British Columbia. We are currently assembling essential supplies and staff to support evacuees where we can, in and around the wildfire areas. In addition, donations to the Canadian Red Cross can be made by phone at 1.800.418.1111 or at any London Drugs location in BC or Alberts, or by clicking the donate button below.

We also understand that people may have been required to leave their homes without important personal health information, prescriptions, or health aid items and may be requiring temporary emergency pharmacy services.
Please know our pharmacists are here to help in the following ways:

look up past medication history, contact your insurance provider and fulfill an early emergency supply of your prescription(s)*
access your CareCard number so you are able to visit a doctor if needed
adapt or prescribe an emergency supply of medication*

*Please note not all medications can be released early or prescribed. See your pharmacist for details.

You do not have to be a current patient of London Drugs to access essential health care services and medications.

For individuals with major health concerns requiring emergency health prescriptions, please contact London Drugs’ emergency health information line at 1-844-782-0051.

In an effort to help evacuees keep connected to your loved ones, or access important information, all stores in the region are set up with complimentary charging stations. Please feel free to visit any location in these areas to charge your mobile device or computer to keep connected.

LONDON DRUGS LOCATIONS CLOSEST TO THE CARIBOO / KAMLOOPS WILDFIRES:

Kamloops – Lansdowne Village
450 Lansdowne Street
Kamloops British Columbia V2C 1Y3
Pharmacy: (250) 372-3445

Store Hours
Monday – Saturday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Holidays 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Prince George – Parkwood Place
1600 -15th Avenue
Prince George British Columbia V2L 3X3
Pharmacy: (250) 561-1118

Store Hours
Monday – Saturday 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Sunday 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Holidays 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

To find another location, please visit: www.London Drugs/locations or call us toll free at: 1-844-782-0051 for emergency pharmacist assistance.

What Time Should My Child Go to Bed? A Sleep Guide for Canadian Parents

Exactly how much sleep should your kids be getting? Check our handy chart below.

If this four-year old girl went to bed at 20:30 and rose at 07:00, did her growing mind and body get enough sleep? Afraid not. Check out our guide below.

In Canada, the shortening days are upon us. In the six months between the longest and shortest days of the year, Torontonians, Vancouverites, and Edmontonians lose six and a half, eight, and nine and a half hours of sunlight, respectively.

If you have children, you’ll know that a 9:00 p.m. bedtime, more than reasonable during the summer, means putting a kid down some five hours after the winter sun. Is he getting enough sleep? Who knows? When many Canadian parents factor in the back-to-school routines of dinner, bath, and storytime (and later, after-school activities, homework, and team sports), it’s hard to imagine getting kids to bed much before nine o’clock. READ MORE

20 Best Full-Fat Foods for Losing Weight

The idea here—supported by a new report from Switzerland— is that North Americans have been on the wrong diet for 50 years. We’ve been avoiding natural, healthy fats—such as those found in red meat, butter and eggs—to disastrous effect.

Though generally condemned, many natural fats found in food have positive impacts on your body, including increased energy, lower rates of diabetes, and weight loss. Read on to discover the full-fat foods that help you lose from the waist by adding to the plate. Your diet will never be the same.

Grass-Fed Butter An excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids, grass-fed butter helps keep energy levels stable by slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates and sugar.
Heavy Cream in your Coffee Unlike milk, heavy cream is a healthy fat that keeps blood sugars stable, helping to maintain energy and brainpower. It also has the added effect of neutralizing any negative consequences of caffeine consumption, like the jitters.
Whole Milk Although whole milk technically has more calories than its skim counterparts, it is much more filling and may actually crank up your body’s calorie burning centers. In fact, studies have proven that those who drink whole milk are less likely to be obese than other milk drinkers.
Bacon A paleo hit, grab a few slices of full fat pork bacon to up your energy. Packed with protein and heart healthy monounsaturated fats, real bacon can actually be better for you in the long run than its low-cal competitors.
Salad Dressing Skip the raw veggies and add a little dip! Studies show eating a moderate amount of fat with your vegetables helps your body absorb important nutrients like lycopene and beta-carotene, which can help fight cancer and improve heart health.
Avocado A power food, avocados pack protein, fiber, monounsaturated fats, and oleic acid, which stops you from feeling hungry. Be sure to limit yourself to a quarter or half of an avocado for proper portion control.
Avocado Oil Good in any format, try avocado oil in your cooking to benefit from those same heart healthy monounsaturated fats!
4% Yogurt Loaded with protein, calcium, and probiotics, full fat yogurt is one of the best foods for health and weight loss. An added bonus, yogurts with higher fat content tend to have more protein and less sugar than their leaner versions!
Regular Ice Cream Besides having extreme levels of sugar, low fat ice creams can sometimes contain propylene glycol, better known as antifreeze. To avoid this toxic mess, choose a small bowl of regular ice cream to satisfy cravings in a natural way.
Grass-Fed Beef Grass-fed beef is proven to contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and less calories, making it the tastier, and healthier, steak dinner option.
Regular Mayo Use a little bit of regular mayo to spice up your sandwiches and avoid the added sugars, vegetable oils, and artificial preservatives that get substituted into its low-fat alternatives.
Natural Peanut Butter Natural peanut butter is heavy in healthy monosaturated fats, and tends to have lower sodium and sugar content than non-natural spreads. Stick to the natural, full fat jars to prevent trading good fats for bad sugars.
Coconut The high levels of saturated fat in coconuts are mainly caused by lauric acid, a unique lipid that actually battles bacteria and lowers cholesterol. Studies have found that diets high in lauric acid can even help remove stubborn abdominal fat!
Olive Oil Not only is olive oil rich in cancer fighting polyphenols and monounsaturated fats, but it also helps increase levels of adiponectin, a hormone responsible for breaking down body fat.
Whole Eggs Eggs are the number one source of Choline, a nutrient found in lean meats and greens, which helps fight the gene mechanism that stores fat around your liver. Eating full eggs, yolk and all, can thus keep you looking slim and trim, inside and out.
Dark Chocolate Dark chocolate contains pure cocoa butter, which is a source of digestion slowing stearic acid. As a result, eating just a few ounces of dark chocolate before a meal can actually help reduce your caloric intake by up to 17%!
Walnuts While saturated fats like those found in baking cause weight gain, polyunsaturated fats reduce fat storage and improve insulin metabolism. With 13 grams of polyunsaturated fat per one ounce serving, walnuts are one of the best natural sources of these healthy fats.
Walnut Oil Besides the obvious benefits listed above, a diet filled with walnuts and walnut oil can also help the body respond better to stress and keep diastolic blood pressure down.
Salmon Everyone knows that salmon is loaded with heart healthy omega-3s. But did you know that just two servings of salmon a week can get you the total amount of omega-3s recommended by the American Heart Association?
Tuna Tuna is an excellent source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), two fatty acids that are proven to regulate fat genes in the abdomen and keep fat cells from expanding. To lower your risks of ingesting mercury, go for smaller species of tuna like those found in light canned options, which are safe to eat throughout the week!

[More at Yahoo Health]