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Reducing Your Risk for Arthritis

TrusteePharmacy — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 09:26:57 +0000

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the U.S., affecting one in four adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Because aging is a risk factor for arthritis, it may be on your radar of health conditions to worry about as you get older.

While you can’t do anything about getting older, there are steps you can take to protect your joint health and reduce the risk of developing arthritis regardless, of age. Following these steps can also help you manage symptoms of the disease, such as joint inflammation, swelling and pain.

Maintain a Healthy Weight. Being overweight or obese can affect arthritis risk and treatment in several ways. Research shows that obesity is associated with chronic low-grade systemic inflammation, a contributor to arthritic diseases. Weighing above a healthy weight can increase your chances of developing osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, in your knees than if you weren’t overweight, according to the CDC. That’s because being overweight puts more stress on your joints, potentially making hip and knee osteoarthritis worse. If you’re on anti-rheumatic drugs for psoriatic (PsA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA), research finds that extra weight can make it harder to get your symptoms under control. Fitting in daily exercise is a good way to keep your weight in check.

Quit Smoking. Tobacco smoking increases your risk of developing RA. In fact, smoking is responsible for 20 to 30 percent of environmental risk for RA. With numerous resources to help you quit smoking, this is another risk factor you can eliminate.

Protect Yourself from Infections. Bacterial and viral infections may play a role in joint inflammation. One of the best ways to protect yourself from yearly viral infections, such as flu or pneumonia, is by getting vaccinated. Your Good Neighbor Pharmacy pharmacist can recommend and administer vaccinations.

Strengthen Your Knees and Joints. Repetitive stress and joint injury can contribute to osteoarthritis in those joints. A history of knee injury makes you three to six times more likely than someone who’s never had a knee injury to develop OA, according to the OA Action Alliance. The advocacy and educational organization has physical activity guides for every age group with exercises to help you prevent OA and heal from joint injury.

Get Up and Moving. While arthritis may mean you need to adjust your workouts to your comfort level, research finds exercise doesn’t contribute to arthritis. Even an analysis of runners found that people who are sedentary or physically inactive have a higher rate of hip and knee arthritis than runners. Only elite or highly competitive runners showed a small risk for knee arthritis. For arthritis prevention, the OA Action Alliance recommends 2.5 hours of walking, running, swimming or other moderate aerobic exercise each week, as well as two days of strength training.

Focus on Ergonomics. While strength training is good, repetitive knee bending and squatting throughout the day at work may contribute to developing arthritis in the knees. An occupational therapist can recommend better ways to perform the same work tasks while minimizing pressure or injury to your joints.

Tips for Dining Out With Diabetes

TrusteePharmacy — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 09:21:32 +0000

Managing diabetes is hard enough at home. But when it comes to eating out, typically, the challenges are magnified. Larger portion sizes, unexpected ingredients and tempting treats can often lead to increased blood glucose levels, even when you think you are selecting a diabetic-friendly menu option.

You don’t have to forgo a good meal out to maintain your blood sugar level, however. Here are four tips to maintain a healthy, diabetic-friendly diet while still enjoying a meal out with friends or family at your favorite eatery.

Check out the menu before you go. It’s easy to be tempted by all the amazing foods on a menu. That’s why it’s recommended that you plan ahead, and look at the menu options before you even enter the restaurant. This will give you the time to count carbs and choose wisely.

Exercise portion control. Restaurants often give patrons large portions. The Mayo Clinic suggests that individuals living with diabetes exercise good portion control by ordering a child’s or lunch portion instead of a larger dinner portion. You can also avoid eating too much by placing half your meal in a to-go container before you even pick up your fork.

Avoid the extras. The Mayo Clinic also cautions against eating the “extras.” Tell the server not to bring a bread basket to the table, and be sure to avoid (or at least account for) any free refills of sugary drinks. Those extras can quickly add up, resulting in increased blood glucose levels.

Substitute, substitute, substitute. Too often, your favorite entrees come with carb-loaded side dishes. To help control your carbohydrate intake, the Mayo Clinic recommends that you ask for a side salad or fruit instead of fries.

4 Key Conversations to Have with Your Ageing Parents

TrusteePharmacy — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 21:47:36 +0000

As your parents grow older, you may be grappling with how to start some tough conversations with them about how their lives are changing and some of the choices they’ll need to make.

You’re so used to them giving you guidance that when the roles are reversed, it’s not always easy to find the right approach. But if you lead with empathy, you’ll be on the right track.

Here are some tips on how to talk to your parents about four common issues related to aging.

Giving Up Driving

Would you prefer to avoid the subject of declining driving skills with your aging parents? If so, you’re not alone. Many adult children would sooner talk to their aging parents about dying than driving, according to a survey by Caring.com.

But if you think your parents’ driving may be a danger to them and others, that’s a talk you can’t put off. Don’t lead with “You’re too old to drive.” Instead, you might ask what it’s like for them to cope with heavy traffic, careless drivers or night glare. If they have some complaints, ask if they’ve considered driving less or giving it up.

If they’ve already had an accident or close call, you may need their physician’s help to make them see the urgency. Mentioning that their doctor recommends they stop driving will likely go over better than if it’s just you who’s insisting.

Be ready to discuss some transportation alternatives. For instance, will you or another family member drive them? Are local transportation services available?

Coping with Chronic Illness

If your parents have ongoing serious medical issues, you’ll probably be facing conversations about topics like managing medications, going to the doctor and other health services, like dialysis and physical therapy. Tell them about some of the products available to make things easier for them, like pill organizers and medication management apps for smartphones. Offer to help them research and vet home health services if they need them.

Along with how they’re managing their day-to-day health, you should discuss their long-term care needs and plans. Consider mentioning the experience of a relative or friend who is dealing with long-term care. Ask them if they’ve thought about what they would want to do if they faced that situation.

Addressing Sensitive Issues

Remember those cringeworthy talks your parents had with you when you were growing up? That should help you put yourself in your parents’ shoes when you bring up sensitive topics like incontinence, needing mobility aids (such as canes, walkers and wheelchairs) and requiring help with private tasks, such as bathing and toileting.

Sometimes the conversation opener will come from them. Suppose they mention having too many steps to climb or long corridors to walk to visit their favorite people and places. That could be your cue to ask whether a cane or walker would make it easier for them to get around and do the things they enjoy. If they’ve had an embarrassing episode of incontinence, you might say, “It’s not uncommon for older people to have bladder leaks. There is underwear made of absorbent material to prevent leaks from showing.”

Aging in Place — or Making Other Arrangements

At some point, you’ll probably face the question of whether your aging parents can safely remain in their home. If staying put — that is, aging in place — still seems like a viable option with a little housekeeping or personal care assistance, feel them out about their willingness and financial ability to get that help.

But let’s say you think it’s time to explore alternatives to aging in place, like a retirement community, an assisted living facility or moving in with family members. Ask them how they feel about some of the challenges of living on their own. Then ease into a discussion of the pros and cons of moving. If they won’t hear of leaving, you may have to drop the issue for a while and revisit it when they seem more receptive.

In fact, don’t expect any of these talks about aging to be one-and-done events. Issues like driving, chronic illness, personal care and living arrangements will be part of an ongoing dialogue with your aging parents. Following these tips will help them feel empowered, not pressured, in deciding how they will live in their old age.

5 Ways to Improve Your Gut Health

TrusteePharmacy — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 21:40:03 +0000

The digestive system is also referred to as the gut. Your gut contains trillions of bacteria that are responsible for breaking down food, absorbing nutrients and expelling waste.

Many of the microorganisms in your gut are helpful. These “good” bacteria can ward off infection, help you digest food and keep your gut healthy.

However, problems arise when there are too many so-called “bad” bacteria. Normally, these problematic bacteria are kept in check by the good bacteria. However, if your gut becomes imbalanced (meaning there’s too much of the bad bacteria), it can cause inflammation.

Bad bacteria can also break down the lining of your gut, leaking toxins into your bloodstream. In fact, gut health imbalances can affect everything from the effectiveness of diabetes medication to cancer cell growth and anxiety.

Here’s how to tell if you gut is out of balance, and ways to strengthen your digestive health.

Signs of an unhealthy gut

Bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation are common signs of an imbalanced gut. Signs also include inflammation and immune disruption, which can show up in other ways, such as:

Migraines and headaches
Eczema, acne or skin rashes
Chronic fatigue
Joint pain or arthritis
Cravings for sugar or carbs
Unintentional weight changes
Food intolerances or food allergies
Gastroesophageal reflux disease or heartburn

How to improve gut health

1. Eat fermented foods. Fermented foods, such as yogurt, kimchi, kefir and kombucha, contain good bacteria that help rebalance your gut. Naturally fermented foods containing live cultures pack the biggest benefit.

2. Focus on fiber. Fiber aids elimination and feeds the beneficial microorganisms in your colon and gastrointestinal tract. Skip processed foods like lunch meat, ice cream and white bread that contain added sugar, fat and salt. Instead, opt for whole food sources of fiber, like legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, vegetables and fruit.

3. Get tested for food allergies. Research has linked bad gut bacteria to food allergies. Your doctor can perform a blood test to determine if you have food allergies that need to be addressed. A breath test can be performed to identify food intolerances to fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPS), such as milk (lactose), beans, certain vegetables, fruits, grains and sweeteners.

4. Avoid unnecessary antibiotics. Antibiotics disrupt your gut biome, killing off the good bacteria along with the bad. A gut-friendly diet or probiotic supplement can help repopulate your digestive tract after a course of antibiotics.

Practicing good hygiene is the best way to avoid bacterial conditions like bacterial pneumonia, bacterial meningitis or eye infections that require antibiotics. You should also avoid taking antibiotics for a cold, flu, bronchitis or another viral infection, because antibiotics don’t effectively treat viral infections. Do not continue taking antibiotics after you have finished the course prescribed by your doctor, and never take leftover antibiotics for another illness.

5. Implement healthy habits. Stress has a direct impact on your gut. So much so that the stomach is sometimes called the second brain. Stress can increase diarrhea, and contribute to inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal diseases. Practicing mindfulness, getting plenty of sleep and exercising are smart ways to keep your stress in check. When your mind is balanced, it helps your gut be balanced, too.