HEALTH & BEAUTY
You&Your health
The Honest Pharmacist Dear Santa,
This year, I have been a very good little pharmacist and given the Aroundtown readers lots of interesting health advice based around various ailments and topics. But now I think it is time you and your festive friends faced a few health home truths so you can start 2019 healthier and happier all round.
I hope this doesn’t come between us and the bottle of gin I’ll be expecting under the tree this year. Yours,
Andrew Watson of Good Measure Pharmacy Father Christmas or
just Fat Chris? For you, jolly old Saint Nick, the magic of Christmas could be the only thing keeping you alive and well as your poor diet, busy lifestyle and lack of exercise is wreaking havoc on your health.
That distinctive red suit gets a little tighter every year and your cherry red nose and rosy pink cheeks could be a warning sign of hypertension, or high blood pressure, which puts you at risk of multiple morbidities and serious conditions such as heart disease, stroke and vascular dementia.
We believers are not helping the situation by feeding the bad habits you’ve developed. But this year, why not swap the sherry and mince pie for something a little less sugary to cut down on the excess calories you no doubt consume from house to house.
All this midnight munching along with swallowing lots of air during the sleigh-ride will leave you feeling full and bloated with a bad bout of indigestion burning away in that bowlful of jelly belly.
It would be wise to stock up on antacids which contain aluminium and magnesium to neutralise stomach acid. Eating smaller meals more frequently, taking your time when chewing and refraining from
laying down after meals can also reduce indigestion.
Granted, you set an excellent example of exemplary behaviour but by making a few small changes, such as walking from home to home rather than taking the sleigh, you could also encourage others to follow a healthy lifestyle, too.
Rest those reindeers Flying through various time zones
before Christmas morning is bound to leave Rudolph and the gang feeling a little jet-lagged. Following a long journey, the body may find it difficult to adjust back to a normal sleeping pattern and sleep can be disturbed or of poor quality for a couple of days. This is made worse if you are tired before travelling so allow the reindeers a few days beforehand to ensure they leave feeling refreshed. I have also been told that, once firmly back on solid ground, these reindeers of yours go searching for other ‘highs’ to get blitzen-ed in the form of the hallucinogenic fly argaic mushroom. Although toxic to humans, these red and white spotted mushrooms typically associated with gnomes can be metabolised by reindeer and result in Dancer and Dasher behaving in a drunken fashion, running aimlessly and making strange noises.
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aroundtownmagazine.co.uk
‘‘All this midnight munching along with swallowing lots of air during the sleigh-ride will leave you feeling full and bloated with a bad bout of indigestion burning away in that bowlful of jelly belly’’
Mental ‘Elf is important too
We often think of your elves as happy and smiley little souls who spread Christmas cheer by singing loud for all to hear. But up in the frozen realms of the North Pole, this isn’t quite the reality. Due to seasonal zero-hour contracts, lack of pensions, constant surveillance and mounting pressure for orders, the workshop elves are seeing a rise in stress-related illnesses.
Feeling overworked and under- appreciated with a cotton-headed ninny muggins boss (their words not mine) who takes all the credit, the demands of a holiday elf are taking their toll on many of the workforce. And that’s before the rising costs of candy canes and gingerbread. Stress can affect anyone, particularly at Christmas time when juggling family, work and play. But adverse reactions to excessive pressures can cause an overload of health issues such as depression and anxiety, sleep problems and tiredness, change in appetite and tension along with asthma, headaches and heart disease. Managing stress is important for positive mental health all year round; keeping active, eating healthily and sharing problems with others can help those struggling to take back control and realise they are not alone.
Feeling Frosty? After spending long days and
nights stood out in the cold winter air with only a scarf on at best, your coolest of pals, Frosty the
Snowman, is more susceptible to winter illnesses such as the common cold and chilblains.
Every year, he comes to me in search of remedies for his runny carrot nose, streaming stony eyes and icy sharp sore throat. And every year I send him home with a pack of decongestants and advice to rest, keep warm and drink plenty of fluids. Following good hygiene can also reduce the risk of spreading germs. If typical symptoms are accompanied by sudden fever, aching body, difficulty sleeping and loss of appetite or tummy troubles, snowmen and women may have flu and should seek GP advice if they are over 65, pregnant or have a chronic condition.
Bundling up in loose layers can help protect Frosty against the elements which can also trigger wheezing and shortness of breath in asthma sufferers in winter. Covering the nose and mouth with a scarf when going outdoors along with keeping an inhaler handy can help prevent bouts of coughing.
And remembering to wear gloves, warm socks and ear muffs or a hat can prevent those red, painful and itchy lumps called chilblains from developing on extremities.
Merry Christmas to all our customers and Aroundtown readers from Andrew and the team at Good Measure.
In future editions of Aroundtown l hope to address your concerns.
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