15 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Saturday, April 11, 2009 HEALTH AND WELLNESS Don't let the medicine cabinet overwhelm you (NC)--Over 55% of women and 40% of men over the age of 65 are on more than five drugs.* With statistics like that, it's clear many boomers and elderly people already have their hands full simply managing their often complicated medication regimens, let alone cleaning out the medicine cabinet. But some may be surprised to learn that unused, expired or improperly stored medications stockpiled in our homes can actually be a major source of danger to you, our families and even the environment. With spring just around the corner, adding the medicine cabinet to your spring cleaning checklist will help you stay healthier. Checking your medicine cabinet regularly helps you ensure all the contents are uptodate and stored safely so next time your arthritis starts acting up, your medication can really be effective! During the months of March and April, Rexall pharmacies are offering medication disposal for free and a handy medicine disposable bag and check list to help you keep your medicine cabinet and your health in tip top shape. Here are some tips from Rexall to help you get started: · Store your medication in a large Tupperware container in a cool, dry place out of reach of children and pets. · The bathroom and kitchen are not the best places to keep your medication because of the heat and humidity. · Don't throw your medication down the drain or in the garbage take your unused or expired medication to your local Rexall pharmacy for environmentally safe disposal. · Use your local pharmacy for all your medication needs. This will help minimize the risk of meds being taken in unsafe combinations. · Keep medication in its original labeled container, so you know what's in the bottle, the expiry date and how to use it. Speak with your pharmacist for more information on the dos and don'ts of medicine cabinet clean up. Happy cleaning! - News Canada Strong bones are an investment worth protecting Taking care of your bones is an investment that is important for a lifetime. Your bones can gradually be robbed of their calcium by a condition known as "the silent thief". Identifying the Thief: Osteoporosis, which literally means "porous bones", is known as the "silent thief" because bone loss occurs slowly and with no symptoms. When bones become severely weakened by osteoporosis, something as simple as sneezing forcefully or bending over to pick up a heavy bag of groceries can cause bones to break. Building up Your Bone Bank: Your bones are like a bank account. Old bones cells are constantly being broken down (or withdrawn) and new bone cells are being deposited. If your withdrawals outweigh your deposits, you're heading for trouble. The bone bank has the greatest ability to accept deposits from childhood to young adulthood, so getting enough calcium and vitamin D to build a good savings account for withdrawal later in life is especially important. Later in life it is still very important to get enough calcium in your diet to replace the calcium that is lost each day. Exercise also helps keep bones strong. Calcium and vitamin D are like the dynamic duo. Vitamin D helps our body absorb calcium, so you must get enough of both. Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt are excellent sources of calcium which are also well absorbed by the body. Milk has the added bonus of being fortified with vitamin D so it makes a great addition to your diet. Many adults do not drink as much milk as they did when they were young. Find ways to include more milk in your diet such as on a whole grain cereal in the morning. Cereal and milk make a healthy anytime of day snack, especially at bedtime. Replace water with milk when making hot chocolate or where possible in soup. Make your coffee a latté by adding lots of milk to it. - News Canada On your mark, get set, breathe (NC)--Allergies may not be contagious, but spring fever is so it's important for seasonal allergy sufferers to be prepared for hay fever and other pesky allergens this season. While the much-anticipated warm weather should be an invitation outdoors, many Canadians who suffer from allergies are getting ready to stay inside. Seasonal allergies-- allergic reactions to pollen from grasses, trees and weeds affect more than 9 million Canadians annually, and for many who enjoy biking, running and all outdoor activities, the sneezing, water eyes and stuffy nose that go hand in hand with allergy season can get in the way of an active lifestyle. Yet effective options do exist when it comes to managing allergy symptoms, so there's no need to sacrifice exercise and enjoyment. Since early mornings are the peak time of day for pollen related allergies, it is recommended that exercise be postponed to later in the day. - News Canada NEW Diagnostic Imaging Clinic g clinic is fully digital X-ray nsitometry and NOW OPEN IN OAKVILLE Got Pain? Get BOWEN Bowen Therapy Can Be Used To Treat Many Conditions DEMONSTRATION NIGHT Wednesdays (6 - 8pm) Plus FREE 20 min. Bowen Treatment Call for an appointment. · Back Pain · Fibromyalgia · Neck Pain · Frozen Shoulder Sciatica · · · · · · Sports Injuries Muscle Pain Migraines Nerve Pain Arthritis · Ankle / Knee · Post Surgery Problems Recovery · Insomnia · Stress essionals are committed to providing the best imaging services to the community. We pride ourselves on high quality imaging in a timely and efficient manner. 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