H E A L T H FREE • Take One November 2014 National Diabetes Month ELMER HOMETOWN PHARMACY MATLACK HOMETOWN PHARMACY 201 Front Street Plaza • (856) 358-0777 116-118 N. Harding Highway • (856) 697-1111 RIVERSIDE HOMETOWN PHARMACY 37 Scott Street • (856) 461-0610 www.TheHometownPharmacy.com LINDENWOLD HOMETOWN PHARMACY 799 Emerson Avenue • (856) 435-7444 $5 OFF your next purchase of $25 or more Must present this coupon at time of purchase. Must be redeemed at Pharmacy Counter. Not to be used with cigarettes, lottery, prescriptions or dollar items. Expires: 11/30/2014 HM607838 CLAYTON HOMETOWN PHARMACY 216 N. Delsea Drive • (856) 881-4797 DIABETES UPDATE Live (Well!) with Type 2 Diabetes WHAT’S INSIDE Teen Mental-Health Update What Is a Fasting Blood Glucose Test? Fight Winter Colds! 2 3 4 It’s common to feel a bit overwhelmed when you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. You may be learning the steps you should take to stay healthy, but that doesn’t make it easy to adjust to this new lifestyle. Stress can raise blood sugar, so it’s important to learn ways to lower your stress levels. Try deep breathing, gardening, taking a walk, meditating, working on a hobby or listening to your favorite music. Ask for help if you feel down. A mental-health counselor, support group, friend or family member who will listen to your concerns may help you feel better. Eat well. Make a diabetes meal plan with help from your healthcare team. Choose foods that are lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar and salt. Eat foods with more fiber, such as whole grain breads, cereals, rice or pasta. Choose foods such as fruits, veggies and low- fat dairy products. Drink water instead of juice and regular soda. Set a goal to be more active most days of the week. Start slowly if you have been inactive by taking 10-minute walks three times per day. Discuss how your diabetes plan is working each time you visit your healthcare provider. — Source: National Institutes of Health The Great American Smokeout Mark Your Calendar for November 20 — Then Make Your Plan to Quit Winter’s Coming Stay Safe with a Home Check-Up The American Cancer Society marks the Great American Smokeout on the third Thursday of November each year by encouraging smokers to use the date to make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit smoking that day. By quitting — even for one day — smokers will be taking an important step toward a healthier life; one that can lead to a reduction of cancer risk. Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the U.S., yet about 43.8 million Americans still smoke cigarettes — nearly 1 in every 5 adults. As of 2010, there were also 13.2 million cigar smokers in the U.S., and 2.2 million who smoke tobacco in pipes — other dangerous and addictive forms of tobacco. There are lots of ways to get additional info: Get the “Quit for Life” mobile app for iPhone or Android, visit www.cancer.org for tips for quitting smoking, or call the American Cancer Society at 800.227.2345. (Or do all three!) Although winter comes as no surprise, many of us aren’t ready for its arrival each year. Plan ahead, starting this month, so you won’t be caught unprepared. Take these steps to keep your home safe and warm during the coldest months. ■ Have your heating system serviced professionally to make sure that it is clean, working properly and ventilated to the outside. ■ Inspect and clean fireplaces and chimneys. ■ Install a smoke detector if you don’t already have one. Test batteries monthly. ■ Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) emergencies. Install a CO detector to alert you to the presence of the deadly, odorless, colorless gas. Check batteries monthly. Learn the symptoms of CO poisoning: headaches, nausea and disorientation. — Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — Source: American Cancer Society Teen Mental-Health Update These Years Can Be Tough — But You Don’t Have to Go It Alone Being a teenager is hard. You’re under stress to be liked, do well in school, get along with your family and make big decisions. You can’t avoid most of these pressures, and worrying about them is normal. But feeling very sad, hopeless or worthless could be warning signs of a mental-health problem. You might need help if you have the signs mentioned above, or if you: ■ Think your mind is controlled or out of control ■ Use alcohol or drugs ■ Exercise, diet or binge eat excessively ■ Hurt other people or destroy property ■ Do reckless things that could harm you or others Mental-health problems can be treated. To find help, talk to your parents, school counselor or healthcare provider. ■ Often feel very angry or very worried ■ Feel grief for a long time after a loss or death HEALTH smart November 2014 2 — Source: National Institutes of Health SENIOR HEALTH UPDATE You Can Have Healthy Winter Skin! As we get older, our skin naturally becomes drier. Add winter’s dry, heated indoor air to the equation, and dry skin can become a real issue. Fortunately, there are things you can do to treat this common condition. Long, hot, soapy baths are out, as they leach the natural oils out of the skin. Water should be as cool as is comfortable. Keep baths and showers short — just long enough to accomplish soaping and rinsing. Use moisturizing soaps such as Basis, Aveeno, Neutrogena or Dove Unscented. When you get out of the bath, blot your skin. Don’t rub it dry. Vigorous toweling removes an almost microscopically thin layer of protective skin that helps fight against dryness. While the skin is still damp, apply a skin moisturizer to trap moisture in the skin. Pump Up Your Healthcare IQ What Is a Fasting Blood Glucose Test? Keep your bedroom moist. A coldsteam vaporizer is your best bet, and it should run constantly. Unless you are putting close to a gallon of water a day into the air in a room, the humidity is going to be low. A fasting blood sugar (FBS) or fasting glucose test measures blood sugar levels. Elevated levels are associated with diabetes and insulin resistance, in which the body cannot properly handle sugar. Your doctor will explain where your levels should be. This test requires a 12-hour fast. You should wait to eat and/or take a hypoglycemic agent (insulin or oral medication) until after blood for the test has been drawn, unless told otherwise. — Source: Brown University Health Services DID YOU KNOW? Preventing Indigestion Indigestion is discomfort in the upper abdomen or chest. It is often linked to nausea, belching or bloating. The exact cause is not known. Most often, the condition is linked to a number of unhealthy lifestyle factors. These factors can result in poor digestion. To help prevent indigestion: ■ Avoid overeating. ■ Eat slowly and regularly. ■ Avoid greasy, high-fat foods. Eating and digesting carbohydrates forms glucose (blood sugar). Glucose is needed by your body to provide energy to carry out your normal activities. Insulin is needed by the body to allow glucose to go into the cells and be used as energy. Without insulin, the levels of glucose in the blood will rise. Diabetes is a disease that occurs when either the pancreas is not able to produce insulin or the pancreas makes insulin, but it does not work as it should or does not make enough to keep blood glucose in a normal range. Fasting blood sugar is a part of diabetic evaluation and management. An FBS greater than 126 mg/dL on more than one occasion usually indicates diabetes. ■ Limit spicy foods. ■ Do not smoke. ■ Drink coffee, alcohol and caffeinated beverages in moderation. — Source: Cleveland Clinic ■ Maintain a healthy weight. ■ Exercise regularly. — Source: NYU Langone Medical Center 3 HEALTH smart November 2014 HEALTH MART IS YOUR LOCALLY OWNED COMMUNITY PHARMACY We offer all the benefits of national chains with the highly personalized care you expect from a family-run business. See how we’re making a real difference every day. www.healthmart.com/healthmartbrand PLAN ACCEPTANCE Health Mart pharmacies honor nearly all prescription plans at the same co-pay as the national chains, and our pharmacists are always here to answer any questions you have about your medications. Your Health. Your Choice. Our Brand. DEDICATED SERVICE Our pledge to you: care, quality, value, expertise and dedication. EVERYDAY SAVINGS Because your locally owned, award-winning, customer servicefocused Health Mart is part of a nationwide network of community pharmacies, you will find everyday low prices on all prescription and over-the-counter products. Not only does your Health Mart pharmacy have the brand names you want, it also offers a wide range of generics and over-the-counter products, including the best selection of Health Mart brand products. Fight Winter Colds! These Tips Can Help Keep the Sniffles Away FOUR STEPS TO HELP PREVENT HOLIDAY STRESS Plan Now for a Calmer, Happier Holiday Season Want this year’s holidays to be more joyful and less stressful? Try these tips: 1. Recognize how you deal with stress. Determine if you are relying on unhealthy behaviors such as smoking or eating to manage stress. 2. Take care of yourself. This helps keep your mind and body primed to deal with stress. Pay attention to your own needs and feelings. Engage in holiday activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly. Eat healthfully. Make sure you get enough sleep. Make time for yourself. 3. Manage your finances. Decide how much you can afford to spend on gifts and other HEALTH smart November 2014 items before you go shopping. If possible, donate to a charity in someone’s name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange in place of spending more than you can afford on gifts for everyone. 4. Learn to say no. More times than not, people will understand if you can’t accept a certain project or attend an event. If you say yes only to the things you want to do and should do, you will feel less resentful and less overwhelmed. Ah, November … the beginning of prime time for those pesky winter cold viruses that seem to get passed around so often when we’re all cooped up together in offices and classrooms. Colds are usually distinguished by a stuffy or runny nose and sneezing. Other symptoms include coughing, a scratchy throat and watery eyes. No vaccine against colds exists because colds can be caused by many types of viruses. To help avoid a cold this winter: ■ Wash your hands often. ■ Limit exposure to other people who have colds. ■ Keep stress in check. ■ Eat right. ■ Sleep enough hours. ■ Exercise regularly. — Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration — Source: West Virginia University 4 Health Mart’s Health Smart newsletter is not intended as medical, legal or regulatory advice. The information provided is intended to educate and inform. Please consult with your physician or other licensed professional for advice. Health Mart and its affiliates and member pharmacies disclaim all liability arising from or related to reliance on information contained in Health Mart’s Health Smart newsletter.