Advice for Life Blog

Did you know that pneumonia is the leading cause of hospitalization and death for seniors with chronic disease? Unfortunately this common infection, which is easily fended off by most of us, can kill others who lack defense. Pneumonia can be life threatening for those with weaker immune systems due to other chronic conditions, the very

Wish you could get back to the way you were? Feel sick but don’t look sick? Can’t concentrate? Always tired? Dizzy when you stand or lie down? Resting doesn’t help? If this started a while ago, and just won’t go away, seek advice from your doctor.    Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) also known as Chronic Fatigue

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Why is this important? Did you know that breast cancer is the second highest cancer diagnosed in Canada? For women it is the number one cancer, where 1 in 8 women will have breast cancer at some point. Good news is that if detected early, survival is much greater.

After a meal, have you experienced discomfort higher than your stomach? Perhaps burning, uncomfortable fullness, even some acid coming up – almost to the point of retching? Do you feel full even when you should be hungry or have trouble or even pain when swallowing? Do small amounts of food make you feel “topped up”

Does it hurt to move? Most of us have experienced joint pain. Joint pain can be short term due to injury, or chronic due to arthritis.  Causes may be different, but treatment is often similar with the common goal of reducing pain and inflammation to allow joint function. Joint pain may limit your range of

Even if you are healthy, rarely get sick, or recover easily from illness, getting a flu shot can prevent the flu from harming the vulnerable people in our lives. It’s a win-win to protect yourself and those around you from contracting the flu or reduce the severity of its effects.   Symptoms of flu are

Almost everyone has had a pimple. Pimples are blocked pores that become inflamed, and fill with clear, or white to yellowish exudate. The number, severity and frequency of pimples can vary between people and even for the same person at different times. There may be more than one cause and knowing the cause will help

Did you know that hair is what keeps lice in business? Staying clean won’t keep lice away, only being hairless can. The louse has evolved to depend on a shaft of hair. Life starts with a gravid female laying her egg at the base of a hair shaft so that the larvae emerges close to

Don’t know anyone who would abuse drugs? The epidemic of drug overdosing won’t affect you? Unfortunately, it’s no longer true. Opiates may be obtained through both legal and illicit means, affecting all of us.   Did you know that fentanyl, an opiate that has been implicated in many drug toxicity deaths, can be found in

Excited for back to school? A return to routine requires considerable preparation and a list is your best friend.  You have a list for school supplies, a list for lunch kits, a list of medications.   For those in the know, a pharmacy can cover much of your preparations. Nowadays it is even easier to