HealthConnection GOOD NEIGHBOR PHARMACY

January 2017

Issue 1 • New Year’s Resolutions

THIS MONTH’S

Featured Article

STRENGHTEN YOUR HEART AND IMPROVE YOUR LIFE PG. 3

Your Full Service Pharmacy Including Compounding & More! 1279 South 2nd Street, Raton, NM 87740 • Mon-Fri 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-5pm; Sun 9am-2pm

Phone: (575) 245-6372 Fax: (575) 245-3291

Immunizations • Mobility Aids • Vitamins & Supplements • Natural Products Like us on Facebook doTERRA Essential Oils • Russell Stover Candies •

www.mesa-pharmacy.com

FREE

Delivery!

To the Communities of Raton, Cimarron, Springer, Maxwell, Capulin, Des Moines & Folsom

GN3212610

Healthy Lifestyle Senior Health Update

Pneumonia: Protect Your Respiratory Health Pneumonia, an infection of the lungs, affects millions of people worldwide each year. Pneumonia infections can often be prevented and can usually be treated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend two pneumococcal vaccines for adults age 65 and older:

Healthy Eating

Give This Favorite Winter Comfort Food a Healthy Makeover January. Just the word makes us want to cozy up by the fire with our favorite comfort foods. For many people, chicken pot pie brings thoughts of a delicioussmelling kitchen, family and warmth. Moist chicken and savory sauce topped with a rich, flaky crust… What’s not to love? How about the fact that some varieties have nearly 700 calories and 41 grams of fat per serving? But before you ban this dish from your diet, here’s an easy recipe for a much lighter version, with 100 calories and 5 grams of fat per serving. Chicken Pot Pie (Makes 6 servings) Ingredients 1 cup cooked chicken, diced 1 cup frozen vegetables, thawed 1 (10-ounce) can low-sodium cream of chicken soup 1 cup reduced-fat biscuit mix ½ cup nonfat milk 1 egg Preparation Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix chicken, veggies and soup in a large bowl. Spread mixture into a 9-inch glass pie pan. Mix remaining ingredients, then pour on top of chicken mixture. Bake in oven until top turns golden brown, about 30 minutes. Per serving: 100 calories; 5 g fat; 52.6 mg cholesterol; 4.4 g carbohydrates; 1.3 g sugar; 8.6 g protein; 369.6 mg sodium —Source: University of Utah Health Care

2

New Year’s Resolutions

••You should receive a dose of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) first, followed at least one year later by a dose of the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23). ••If you’ve already received any doses of PPSV23, the dose of PCV13 should be given at least 1 year after receipt of the most recent PPSV23 dose. ••If you’ve already received a dose of PCV13 at a younger age, another dose is not recommended.

In addition, there are vaccines that help prevent infection by some of the bacteria and viruses that can cause pneumonia: ••Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) ••Influenza (flu) ••Measles ••Pertussis (whooping cough) ••Pneumococcus ••Varicella (chickenpox) Talk with your doctor about your health and immunization history and whether you need to receive any of these vaccinations. —Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention For additional articles on this topic, visit www.mygnp.com.

JANUARY

- Featured Article

Healthy Lifestyle To-Do List

Stick to Your New Year’s Resolutions! Here’s How New Year’s resolutions are easy to break, as many of us know from experience. What are some steps we can take to make them last? “Any resolution to change needs to include small goals that are definable and accompanied by a solid plan on how you’ll get to that goal,” says Dr. Linda Nebeling, an expert in behavioral change and nutrition at the National Institutes of Health.

Strengthen Your Heart and Improve Your Life in Just 30 Minutes per Day It is hard to imagine a single practice with more health benefits than regular physical activity. To get benefits, you don’t have to run a marathon. Regular activity— something as simple as a brisk, 30-minute walk each day or almost every day—can help you reduce your risk of heart disease. (If you’re also trying to manage your weight or prevent gradual, unhealthy weight gain, bump that up to 60 minutes of moderateto vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week.) Multiple Benefits Throughout the Body In addition to protecting your heart in numerous ways, staying active: ••May help to prevent cancers of the breast, uterus and colon. ••Strengthens your lungs and helps them to work more efficiently. ••Tones and strengthens your muscles. ••Builds stamina. ••Keeps your joints in good condition. ••Improves balance. ••May slow bone loss. Regular physical activity can also boost the way you feel. It may: ••Give you more energy. ••Help you to relax and cope better with stress. ••Build confidence.

••Allow you to fall asleep more quickly and sleep more soundly. ••Help you to beat the blues. ••Provide an enjoyable way to share time with friends or family.

For instance, a resolution to lose 30 pounds may seem overwhelming. Instead, try setting smaller goals of losing 5 pounds a month for 6 months. Next, develop an action plan. You might decide to walk a half hour each day. You might stop buying vending-machine snacks. Or you might track calories. Think about why you want to make the change. Is it important to you, or is it mostly influenced by others—like your doctor, your spouse or a friend? Research suggests that if it’s something you really want for yourself, if it’s meaningful to you, you’re more likely to stick to it. —Source: National Institutes of Health

“But I Don’t Have Time!” Physical activity does take some time, but there are ways to make it manageable. If you don’t have 30 minutes in your daily schedule for an activity break, try to find three 10-minute periods. If you’re aiming for 60 minutes daily, perhaps you can carve out some “fitness time” early in the day, before your schedule gets too busy. Another idea is to combine physical activity with a task that’s already part of your daily routine, such as walking the dog or doing yard chores. Many people find that they become more efficient with their work and daily tasks when they are exercising, and have said they feel that they have more productive time during the day. Once you begin regular physical activity, you’re likely to have even more energy than before. As you progress, daily tasks will seem easier. Regular, moderate-to-brisk physical activity can also help you to reduce fatigue and manage stress. So grab a friend, or your dog, or just head out the door by yourself for a brisk walk. In just 30 minutes you’ll feel more energized—and your heart will thank you. —Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

MyGNP.com

3

Drug Facts Q&A Mom’s Corner

Expecting? What You Need to Know About the Zika Virus The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend special precautions for pregnant women regarding the Zika virus. If You Are Pregnant, Do Not Travel to Areas with Zika ••If you must travel, talk with your doctor or other healthcare provider first. ••If your sexual partner travels to an area with Zika, protect yourself from getting Zika by practicing safe sex. The amount of time you need to protect yourself depends on whether your partner has symptoms and whether you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. For specific guidelines, talk with your doctor. ••If you are trying to get pregnant, talk with your doctor about your travel plans. If You Live in, or Travel to, an Area with Zika ••Take steps to prevent mosquito bites. (Even if you do not feel sick, travelers returning to the U.S. from an area with Zika should take steps to prevent mosquito bites for three weeks so they do not spread Zika to mosquitoes that could spread the virus to other people.) ••Take steps to prevent getting Zika through sexual contact by practicing safe sex. ••Talk with your doctor about any additional precautions you should take, even if you don’t feel sick. —Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Kids’ Health

Is My Child’s Cough Serious? Coughing is very common in normal, healthy children. Children younger than 5 years old often have four or five upperrespiratory infections with a cough every year. A normal, healthy child who coughs in conjunction with a cold, for less than four weeks, doesn’t generally need to be examined by a doctor unless he has other symptoms as well. Take your child to a doctor if he or she has a cough and breathing difficulty, vomiting or high fever (temperature of more than 100.5 °F). If you think your child may be choking on something like a toy or a piece of food, seek immediate medical help. If the cough goes on for more than four weeks, take the child to see a doctor. A cough that persists for longer than four weeks may have an underlying cause that should be investigated. One of the most common causes is asthma.

4

New Year’s Resolutions

If the cough has lasted longer than four weeks, the doctor may order a chest X-ray. A child about 5 years old or older should have a spirometry test, which measures how much air he can breathe in and blow out. This is also called a lung-function test. You can help your child’s cough by keeping her away from tobacco smoke and other pollutants, such as wood smoke from a stove or fireplace. Tobacco smoke has proved to increase coughing in children. If you have any concerns about the severity of the cough or how long it has lasted, talk with your child’s doctor. —Source: American College of Chest Physicians

Drug Facts Q&A Your Healthy Pet

What Healthcare Does My Older Pet Need? Due to improved veterinary care and dietary habits, dogs and cats are living longer now than they ever have before. One consequence of this is that pets, along with their owners and veterinarians, are faced with a whole new set of age-related conditions. In recent years, there has been extensive research on the problems facing older pets and how their owners and veterinarians can best handle their special needs.

••joint or bone disease ••senility ••weakness

••cancer

Talk to your veterinarian about how to care for your older pet and be prepared for possible age-related health issues. Senior pets require increased attention, including more frequent visits to the veterinarian, possible changes in diet, and, in some cases, alterations to their home environment. Geriatric pets should have semiannual veterinary visits instead of annual visits so signs of illness or other problems can be detected early and treated. Senior pet exams are similar to those for younger pets, but are more in-depth and may include dental care, possible blood work, and specific checks for physical signs of diseases that are more likely in older pets.

••heart disease

—Source: American Veterinary Medical Association

It varies, but cats and small dogs are generally considered geriatric at the age of 7. Larger breed dogs tend to have shorter life spans and are considered geriatric when they are approximately 6 years old. Geriatric pets can develop many of the same problems seen in older people, such as:

••kidney/urinary tract disease ••liver disease ••diabetes

Health Q&A

How Does Snacking Affect Dental Health? Q: My dentist mentioned that my snacking throughout the day at work isn’t good for my teeth. What, specifically, should I be looking out for? A: Do you sip soft drinks or other sugary drinks all day long at your desk? Do you use breath mints or eat candy often? Instead of meals, do you tend to snack throughout most of the day? Do you often grab a sports or energy drink when you’re tired? Any of these habits can lead to tooth decay. Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that forms on teeth. Plaque bacteria use sugar to make acid that attacks enamel, the hard surface of the tooth. The acid can attack tooth enamel for up to 20 minutes after you consume sugary foods or drinks. When you do this on and off all day long, these repeated attacks on the enamel can cause tooth decay. What to do to turn this around? Read labels to look for sugar. Choose fresh fruit, such as an apple, for snacks. Drink plenty of water instead of sugary drinks. Chew sugarless gum. And brush your teeth regularly. —Source: American Dental Association

Do you have more questions? Our website has the answers. Visit MyGNP.com for more information. MyGNP.com

5

Diabetes Health Diabetes and Men

Diabetes Management Can Affect Prostate Cancer Survival Rates

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer found in men in the U.S., affecting 14 percent, whereas diabetes affects about 9 percent of the population. Even though both conditions are often present in the same individual, it has not been clear how a diabetes diagnosis affects clinical outcomes for prostate cancer. Research at Fox Chase Cancer Center showed that the answer depends on what type of anti-diabetic drugs, if any, prostate cancer patients are taking. By examining a large database of prostate cancer patients, the researchers found that diabetic individuals who either took insulin or did not take any anti-diabetic medications had lower survival rates and worse adverse effects from radiation

6

New Year’s Resolutions

therapy compared with non-diabetic patients. The findings were presented at the 57th annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology in San Antonio, Texas. “The implication of the study is that prevention and control of diabetes is important, particularly among cancer patients,” says lead study investigator Nicholas G. Zaorsky, MD, resident physician in radiation oncology at Fox Chase.

a history of type 2 diabetes. Diabetic patients who were either taking insulin or not taking any anti-diabetic medication had a lower five-year survival rate, with a 200 percent increased risk of death as well as a higher risk of radiation-related adverse effects, compared with individuals who did not have type 2 diabetes. Men who did not take any medication to treat their diabetes also showed an increased risk of cancer-related death.

Zaorsky and his collaborators reviewed a database of 3,176 men undergoing intensity modulated radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer. They then compared the outcomes of the 2,576 patients without a history of type 2 diabetes and the 600 patients with

“Men who are having their prostate cancer treated should be mindful of any other conditions they have been diagnosed with, and they should continue to see physicians who will manage these conditions appropriately,” says Zaorsky. —Source: Fox Chase Cancer Center – Temple University

Diabetes Health

Living with Diabetes

How to Buy a Blood Sugar Monitor

How do you choose a glucose (blood sugar) meter for home use? Ask your doctor for a recommendation. Meters differ in several ways, including: •• accuracy •• amount of blood needed for each test •• ease of use •• pain associated with use •• testing speed •• overall size •• ability to store test results in memory •• likelihood of interferences •• ability to transmit data to a computer •• cost of the meter and test strips •• t echnical support provided by the manufacturer •• s pecial features such as automatic timing, error codes, large display screen or spoken instructions or results There are three ways to make sure your meter works properly:

1. Use liquid control solutions

•• w  henever you open a new container of test strips •• o  ccasionally as you use the container of test strips •• if you drop the meter •• whenever you get unusual results Check with your meter’s manufacturer about how often to use control solutions to check your meter. You will test a drop of these solutions just like you test a drop of your blood. The value you get should match the value written on the test strip vial label. Some meters require a calibration code with each new vial of test strips. Make sure you follow the calibration directions for your meter, if indicated.

meter is working properly, call the toll-free number in your meter’s manual or contact your doctor.

3. Compare your meter with a blood-glucose test performed in a laboratory Take your meter with you to your next doctor appointment. Ask your provider to watch your testing technique to make sure you are using the meter correctly. Ask to have your blood tested with a laboratory method. If the values you obtain on your meter match the laboratory values, then your meter is working well and you are using good technique. If your meter malfunctions, tell your doctor and contact the manufacturer. —Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

2. Use electronic checks Every time you turn on your meter, it does an electronic check. If it detects a problem, it will give you an error code. Look in your meter’s manual to see what the codes mean and how to fix the problem. If you are unsure if your

This newsletter is not intended to replace or substitute for the medical advice provided by a healthcare provider. The content of the newsletter is to be used as a reference tool. While Good Neighbor Pharmacy uses commercially reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of the content, it does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the content and specifically disclaims all responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the material contained in the newsletter unless such liability is due to the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Good Neighbor Pharmacy. The content is not intended to be relied upon by any person or entity for purposes of medical diagnosis or treatment.

MyGNP.com

7

Enjoy the Holidays in Good Health!

Surviving the holidays with your health and wallet intact is always a challenge. Colds, flus, big festive meals and one too many visits from the in-laws can leave you feeling run down and stressed out. Luckily, your local Good Neighbor Pharmacy has everything you need to fight off winter woes and feel great all season long!

Good Neighbor Pharmacy features affordable, high-quality products with many of the same ingredients found in the top name brands. All items may not be available in every Good Neighbor Pharmacy location.