Winter dryness affects our skin, eyes, and sinuses. Protection from the cold and dry weather is necessary to prevent cracking heels and dry lips, eyes, and nasal passages. It is easy to forget that winter can dry us out more than summer. As it gets colder, the humidity drops, and we make things worse
Demands on your heart may be greater in winter, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. In cold weather, blood vessels will constrict so that blood to your brain and major organs is ensured, but it is harder work for your heart. Winter living takes physical effort, walking through snow drifts, wearing heavy clothing. Add
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression. With winter it’s not uncommon to feel a bit down. However, winter blues should be taken seriously if it affects your daily activities, or you feel depressed beyond a few days. Mood changes that are causing problems at home or work, feeling unusually tired, having depressive
Accessing mental health support is the largest block of mental self-care. Did you know that in a given year, 1 in 5 people will experience a mental health issue? By the time we reach the age of 40, almost 1 in 2 of us will have suffered a period of mental illness. Nearly one-half of
Thinking about kicking the habit? That’s a better start than you may think. Take it to the next level, and start talking about it. Tell everyone what you hope to do, and as you get used to the idea, start talking about a quit date. Use the people around you to motivate and keep you
Eyes bigger than your stomach? Oddly it’s a common ailment during the holidays. As we relax and enjoy, we graze. To avoid unwanted weight gain, the amount of food we eat should be guided by our activity level, age, and gender. Healthy eating is balancing how much we should eat each day with choices that
Sometimes no prescription is the best prescription for an infection, but if you get an antibiotic prescription be sure to take it exactly as prescribed, and for the full duration your doctor intended. Don’t take less, and definitely don’t save a few for later, or worse, give to someone else. Why does your pharmacist
Where do you store your medication records? Are they up to date, and can they be easily retrieved in an emergency? What if there is no power, no phone service, and you are away from home? To receive the right medical care, your care team needs to have an accurate account of all your medications.
Addicted to sugar? Pasta lover? Did you know that many low fat food options contain more sugar and carbohydrates than normal fat options? You’re not alone, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes continues to rise. Type 2 diabetes may be preventable or you can delay its progression. If you have not been diagnosed with
Do you have a sore throat? While a sore throat can be an indicator of many different illnesses and viral infections, there are some symptoms that can set strep throat apart from others. The key to getting better is determining what is the cause of your illness, which is why we will take a closer
