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Health Tips for the Upcoming Fall Season
As we gear up for flu season (which typically begins in November and lasts through February/March), it’s not a bad idea to get the flu shot a bit early. Typically, many clinics and pharmacies around Vancouver and surrounding areas will offer the flu shot as early as October. If you are high-risk (such as a senior over the age of 65, have a previously diagnosed chronic illness, have a weakened immune system or are pregnant), I recommend getting the flu shot. It is also recommended for children under the age of 5. There are many types of flu strains and it is a highly contagious illness, so it’s always a…
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Are You Getting Enough Vitamins & Minerals?
Vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients as they play a key role in maintaining your health – physically and mentally. Without them, you’re at risk of developing a number of health complications. In order to help you have a better understanding of just how important vitamins and minerals are, I’ll break down the different types as well as which ones are required in order to help you achieve optimal health. There are 13 essential vitamins: Vitamin A, C, D, E, K, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B7 (biotin), B6, B12 (cyanocobalamin) and B9. Vitamins are grouped into two different categories: Fat-soluble vitamins, which are absorbed…
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Healthier Sugar Substitutes
It goes without saying that sugar is bad for you. It’s not only high in calories which can lead to weight gain, high cholesterol and heart disease, but it can also cause tooth decay and cavities, which can result in you requiring dental work such as fillings or even root canals. Furthermore, sugar can also be problematic if you have certain pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes – and those are just some of the reasons why it’s recommended you stay away from sugar and make better food choices. If you’re craving something sweet, then there are healthier alternatives you can try… For example, if you prefer drinking soda, swap it…
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How to Soothe an Upset Stomach
If you suffer from a sensitive or upset stomach, finding relief can sometimes be difficult. There could also be a number of reasons as to why you have an upset stomach. It could be due to pregnancy, overeating, food poisoning, alcohol consumption, or you could have the stomach flu; after all, it is flu season. (Click here to find out more about flu season and how to protect yourself.) It’s also not uncommon for certain medications to cause stomach upset, especially antibiotics. For the stomach-sensitive person, doctors and pharmacists will often recommend taking antibiotics with a small amount of food or a probiotic, such as yogurt. Although oral probiotics in…
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Medication and the Stomach
Certain medication bottles, as you might notice, often come with different labels on them. These labels may say ‘TAKE WITH WATER, ‘DO NOT STORE IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT’, ‘AVOID ALCOHOL, DRIVING AND OPERATING HEAVY MACHINERY’, and, more commonly, ‘TAKE WITH FOOD.’ Any time a medication has any of these labels, it’s important that you take them seriously, as failure to follow these instructions could lead to serious complications and may even alter the way in which the medication works. One of the most common questions doctors and pharmacists are asked is whether or not medications (prescription or non-prescription) actually need to be taken with food – and if so, why. While…
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Healthiest Fruits
If you’re looking to make healthier food choices, incorporating more fruits into your diet is one of the best things you can do. Unlike cookies, cake and candy (which contain no nutritional value), fruits are great sources of vitamins and minerals – especially Vitamin A and Vitamin C – as well as water. If you’re looking to get more Vitamin C, citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, lemons, cantaloupe and strawberries are all great choices. Vitamin C helps to protect the body against things like respiratory infection and certain viruses, and can also help reduce the risk of gum disease. Oranges, in particular, have been linked to a decreased…
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Eating Healthy as You Age
As you reach different stages in your life, your nutritional needs will also change. From infancy, to adolescence and adulthood, you will find a wide range of information on how you can make the most out of what you eat and implement that into your health. When it comes to healthy eating, this starts long before birth. For women who are pregnant, there are certain foods that should be avoided, while there are certain foods that you should try to include more of for not just your own health, but the health of your unborn baby. Whether scrambled, hard boiled, or used in an omelette, eggs are one of the…
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High-Risk Pregnancy
When a medical professional deems a pregnancy “high-risk”, this means that the chances of the mother and/or baby developing health problems or complications as a result of said pregnancy are significantly increased in comparison to pregnancies that are not considered to be high-risk. While being told you that have a high-risk pregnancy can certainly sound scary and seem overwhelming, it doesn’t always necessarily mean that you will run into problems. It’s simply a way for doctors to ensure that you get special attention, and that any problems that might develop during your pregnancy are taken care of early on. There are a number of factors that can come into place…
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What Supplements Do You Need?
When it comes to knowing what vitamins or supplements someone should take, this is a hard question to answer, as not only does everyone have a different opinion on the subject, but also, the types of vitamins and supplements that one individual may need might not be suitable for another. For example, you might need to increase your intake of vitamin C, while someone else may need more B vitamins. The types of vitamins and supplements you need to take will also typically depends on several different factors, such as: • Your age • Your gender • Pre-existing health conditions We all need trace vitamins and minerals, although we get…
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Why Vitamin D is Important
As many as 70% of Canadians are Vitamin D deficient. This can lead to chronic health concerns and even increase the risk of being diagnosed with certain cancers (breast, prostate and colon.) Vitamin D, also often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin”, has always been important to ensure optimal health. Not only does it help the body to absorb calcium, improve bone health and boost the immune system, but it is also helpful in fighting against many different diseases and health problems including Alzheimer’s, arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, depression and anxiety, infertility, and chronic pain, in addition to lowering the risk of stroke and heart disease and helping with weight maintenance…