durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, December 22, 2022 | 2 No Sledding Thin Ice, Stay Off No Skating P: 905-430-4300 E: info@whitby.ca whitby.ca What You Need To Know This Week in Whitby Christmas Tree Collection Christmas trees will be collected in blue collection areas from January 16 to 21 and yellow collection areas from January 23 to 28. Please clean natural Christmas trees of any tinsel, decorations, wire, stands or bags, and cut trees longer than 3 metres (10 feet) in half. The Town unfortunately can't collect trees that are frozen in snow banks. Visit whitby.ca/Waste to learn which colour area you are in. Apply For A Community Grant Community groups do so much good in our Town! To help them continue their important work, we are offering Community Development grants of up to $25,000. Mayor's Fundraiser grant applications are due by December 31, 2022. whitby.ca/CommunityFunds Join Us For A Free New Year's Eve Family Skate Looking for a fun, free activity to enjoy on New Year's Eve? Join us for a free skate on December 31 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Iroquois Park Sports Centre. Bring the whole family for a festive afternoon on the ice as we ring in New Year's Eve early! Thanks to our sponsor, CUPE Local 53 Whitby. whitby.ca/Calendar Stay Safe, Stay Off Stormwater Ponds Winter is here, and that means it's time to be extra careful around stormwater ponds. While they may look tempting for skating or other winter activities, they can be extremely dangerous. Even if they look frozen on the surface, the water underneath is always moving, and runoff from salty roads make the ice unpredictable. The Town has plenty of skate times available or you to enjoy: visit whitby.ca/Skating Chronic diseases are broadly defined as persistent health conditions that can be treated, but not cured -- and are a pressing health concern many Canadians face. In fact, 44 per cent of Canadians over the age of 20 have at least one chronic disease, with cancer, heart disease and stroke as the most common conditions. Chronic diseases can have a detrimental effect on an individual's overall health and directly impact quality of life. There are several risk factors, which might lead to the development of a chronic illness. While certain risk factors, such as age, gender and genetic makeup cannot be changed, we may reduce our chances of getting chronic diseases by implementing lifestyle adjustments. Some of these behavioural changes include implementing a healthier diet, quitting smoking and exercising on a regular basis. Although living with a chronic disease is challenging, many Canadians can self-manage their symptoms and maintain independence with support from their health care team. As your local pharmacist, I am here to help you manage your chronic conditions. Here are some ways pharmacists can support chronic disease management: • Mental health and wellness. Receiving a chronic disease diagnosis is difficult. Managing chronic conditions can take a toll on your mental and emotional well-being. People living with chronic diseases experience anxiety and depression at twice the rate of the general population, demonstrating the fundamental link between our mental and physical health. Your pharmacist is an excellent resource for discussing mental health issues. Pharmacists are knowledgeable about community mental health services and may be able to recommend other practitioners who can provide specialized mental health help. • Accessible education. From chronic disease risk factors to resources like support groups and counselling, pharmacists can connect you with information to help you self-manage your chronic condition. By providing accessible education and support in the community, pharmacists can help you better understand and manage your chronic conditions and overall health, which in turn can lower your risk of developing further complications and improve your quality of life. • Diabetes management. One in three Canadians has diabetes or prediabetes, a staggering rate that continues to rise. It is easy for individuals with diabetes to feel overwhelmed, since the diagnosis often means making significant lifestyle changes, including diet adjustments, and learning how to monitor and administer insulin. As part of your health care team, pharmacists are trained specialists who answer questions, provide practical advice and guide you through treatment options to find what works best for you. If you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, you may be eligible for a diabetes medication review with your pharmacist, which will include a thorough discussion of all your medications, whether they are prescribed or over the counter, to make sure that each one is appropriate, effective and safe. Parth Vaidya is a pharmacist and owner of the local Shoppers Drug Mart in Bolton. You can reach him at newsroom@caledonenterprise.com. OPINION YOU ARE NOT ALONE DEALING WITH CHRONIC DISEASES THEY CAN'T BE CURED, BUT YOU CAN TREAT THEM WITH HELP FROM YOUR LOCAL PHARMACIST, WRITES PARTH VAIDYA PARTH VAIDYA Column SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT DURHAMREGION.COM