Featured Article

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HealthConnection GOOD NEIGHBOR PHARMACY

November 2017

Issue 11 • National Diabetes Month

THIS MONTH’S

Featured Article

YES, YOU CAN LOWER YOUR RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES PG. 3

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Healthy Lifestyle Healthy Eating

Keep Your Family and Guests Safe This Thanksgiving Protect your family and guests with these easy turkey tips from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

stuff the turkey, do so just before cooking. Use a food thermometer to make sure the stuffing’s center reaches 165°F.

•• Thaw safely. Thaw your turkey in the refrigerator, in a sink of cold water that is changed every 30 minutes or in the microwave. Never thaw a turkey by leaving it out on the counter. When a turkey is left out at room temperature for more than two hours, its temperature becomes unsafe.

•• S  afely cook your turkey. To make sure the turkey has reached a safe internal temperature of 165°F, check by inserting a food thermometer into the center of the stuffing and the thickest portions of the breast, thigh and wing joint. Let the turkey stand 20 minutes before removing all stuffing from the cavity and carving the meat.

•• S  afely handle your turkey. Bacteria from raw poultry can contaminate anything it touches.

Senior Health Update

Is It More Than a Cold? Sometimes, colds and flu can lead to complications in seniors, such as secondary infections of the sinuses (sinusitis) or lungs (bronchitis, pneumonia). They also can result in worsening of underlying medical conditions, such as heart disease, lung disease or diabetes. When should you see your doctor? High-risk indicators for flu complications include: ••If you are age 65 or older ••If you have a chronic medical condition such as heart disease, lung disease, asthma, diabetes, cancer or HIV If you have any high-risk indicators, urgent medical attention is required. Call your doctor, go to the urgent care center or head straight for the emergency room if it’s after hours. In older adults, red flags include: ••Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing ••High or prolonged fever ••Chest pain or pressure ••Confusion ••Severe or prolonged vomiting ••Fainting or near fainting Source: UCLA Health at University of California, Los Angeles For additional articles on senior health, visit MyGNP.com.

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•• S  afely stuff your turkey. The safest method is to cook stuffing in a casserole dish. If you

•• T ake care with leftovers. Bacteria grows in cooked foods left at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible and within two hours of preparation. Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

NOVEMBER

– Featured Article

Healthy Lifestyle To-Do List

Make Thanksgiving Less Stressful With This Handy Checklist For those of us who are “in charge” of putting together the Thanksgiving feast, one of the biggest causes of stress is the fear that we’ll forget something. Not this year! Use our checklist to make sure you’re good to go, right down to the last cranberry.

Thanksgiving Checklist Three weeks ahead ••Clean oven, fridge, freezer ••Invite guests ••Order your fresh turkey, if preordering ••Plan menu ••Plan decorations and purchase if needed

November Is National Diabetes Month

Yes, You Can Lower Your Risk for Type 2 Diabetes We’ve all heard the advice when it comes to getting and staying at a healthy weight and working to prevent type 2 diabetes: Make healthy meals at home, make smart choices at restaurants, be active 30 minutes a day. But where to start? It’s not easy to do all of this in today’s fast-paced, fast-food world. It’s easier to make lifestyle changes one step at a time—over months and years. The good news is that making just a few small changes can have make a big impact on your weight and health. Are you ready, willing and able to change? To succeed, you need to answer yes to this question. To make a change stick, it must be important to you. For example, maybe you want to live long enough to see your grandchildren grow up. You must have more reasons to change than reasons not to change. To succeed, take what you want to do and break it down into small steps. Leave other habits for now. What are you ready, willing and able to change? Think about your current eating and activity habits. What foods do you buy? How active are you? Try to keep honest food records for a few days to get a true picture of

what you eat. Then start with a few changes that are easy to tackle. Perhaps choose one change in your eating habits and another in your activity habits. Maybe you tend to eat a bowl of ice cream every night while you watch TV. Can you switch to a healthier snack? Maybe fruit or a small bowl of cereal—or just a smaller portion of ice cream. Can you take a 15-minute break from the TV and go for a walk? For each goal, consider four things: ••How long will you try to reach this goal? Keep it short. ••Is it easy to do in your regular daily life? Keep it realistic. ••Is it limited in scope? Be specific. ••How often will you do this? When you start to experience success over time, add another goal. Start the lifestyle change cycle again. Slowly, goal by goal, over time you’ll be eating more healthfully and becoming more active—and you’ll be at a healthier weight. You’ll also be on your road to preventing or delaying type 2 diabetes. Source: American Diabetes Association

Two weeks ahead ••Confirm what dishes guests will bring ••Check kitchen supplies One week ahead ••Buy wine and other beverages ••Prepare shopping list ••Rearrange furniture to fit in extra chairs, a table leaf, etc. Five days ahead ••Shop for nonperishables and frozen turkey, if using ••Clean common areas of the house Three days ahead ••Make pies ••Start to defrost turkey in refrigerator ••Create cooking schedule ••Decorate Two days ahead ••Shop for perishables ••Chop vegetables Day before ••Buy fresh flowers ••Set table Thanksgiving Day ••Use your cooking schedule to stay on course ••Enlist family members or friends to help ••Enjoy the day with family and friends!

MyGNP.com

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Drug Facts Q&A Moms’ Corner

Teaching Thankfulness and Appreciation As parents, we can model thankful behavior for our children through words and actions. The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has some great suggestions: ••Involve your children in charitable events. Discuss upcoming events in routine family conversation and brainstorm ways that your family could assist. Even a very young child can assist in choosing a toy for a holiday toy drive. ••Tell and read stories about generous people and characters. The book “The Giving Tree,” by Shel Silverstein, might be a way to open a conversation about the “attitude of gratitude.” ••Create a family baking day. Prepare small packages of homemade treats to share with an elderly neighbor, your mail carrier, bus driver or teacher. ••Notice people who display generosity and kindness. Say “thank you” out loud when someone opens a door for you, lets you cut in front of them in the checkout line at the store or brings you your morning cup of coffee. Don’t miss an opportunity to model and teach kindness, gratitude and compassion. Source: Michigan State University Extension; Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

Kids’ Health

Toddler Tips: Introducing New Foods Parents and caregivers need certain skills and techniques to ease mealtime struggles with picky eaters. Even the most finicky toddlers and preschoolers can be encouraged to try a few bites of new, different, nutritious foods at every meal. Follow these tips for handling a picky eater: ••Be patient if your child wants to eat the same food over and over. This is called a “food jag,” and it doesn’t usually last long enough to cause harm. If the food is a healthy one, allow your child to eat it until the food jag passes. ••Introduce only one new food at a time. Let the child know whether the new food will taste sweet, salty or sour. ••Seat a reluctant taster beside a friend, brother or sister who is a good eater, especially when a new food is introduced. ••Let the child decide the amount of food to try, and wait for him to ask for more.

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Give permission to eat small amounts. A “taste” can be as small as ½ teaspoon. ••Encourage your child to at least taste food, but never force him to eat it. If the food is not eaten after a reasonable time, simply take it away and bring it out again later. ••Serve an unfamiliar food with familiar ones. This will increase the likelihood that the child will taste the new food. For example, serve a peanut butter sandwich made with one piece of white bread and one piece of whole wheat bread. ••Include your child in meal planning, grocery shopping and food preparation whenever possible. Even the most finicky eater is more likely to try a food they helped prepare. This sense of ownership creates interest and curiosity to help “sell” that first bite. Source: Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service For additional articles on healthy eating for kids, visit MyGNP.com.

Drug Facts Q&A Your Healthy Pet

Common Pet Medications: What Do They Do? When your pet has a medical condition, your veterinarian might prescribe one or more medications intended to manage, treat or cure the problem. This list contains many commonly used medications for dogs and cats, but it is by no means a complete list. ••Antibiotics kill microbes, such as bacteria and yeast, and are used to treat infections. They don’t kill viruses, but they are sometimes prescribed to treat secondary bacterial infections that can occur when an animal is ill from a viral infection. Examples include penicillin, trimethoprimsulfa, cephalexin and enrofloxacin. ••Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories reduce swelling, inflammation, pain and lameness. Examples: carprofen, deracoxib, firocoxib and meloxicam. ••Opioid pain relievers are generally derived from morphine and can be potent pain relievers. Examples: oxycodone, hydromorphone, butorphanol, meperidine and fentanyl. Most of these drugs are controlled substances because of their addictive potential.

••Steroids have many different uses. They can be potent anti-inflammatories and are frequently used to reduce allergic and anaphylactic reactions. They are also used at high doses to suppress the immune system. Examples: prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone. ••Antiparasitics are intended to prevent, repel or kill internal or external parasites such as intestinal worms, intestinal protozoans (Giardia, etc.), heartworms, fleas and ticks. ••Behavior-modifying drugs and sedatives are used to quiet anxious pets or help in reducing anxiety associated with various behavioral issues in pets, prepare pets for anesthesia, and to reduce pet movement during delicate procedures. Examples: diazepam, xylazine, acepromazine and midazolam. ••Chemotherapeutics are used to treat tumors and cancer. Examples: cisplatin, vincristine, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide. Source: American Veterinary Medical Association

Health Q&A How Can I Help My Elderly Parent at a Doctor Visit? Q: How can we make the most of everyone’s time during my elderly parent’s medical appointment? A: If you go with your parent to see the doctor, here are a few tips that will help you be an ally and an advocate: ••Bring a list of questions, starting with what is most important to you and your parent, and take notes on what the doctor recommends. ••Before the appointment, ask your parent, the primary caregiver and your siblings if they have any questions or concerns they would like you to bring up. ••Bring a list of ALL medicines and dietary supplements your parent is taking, both prescription and over-the-counter, and include the dosage and schedule. ••When the doctor asks a question, let your parent answer unless you have been asked to do so. ••It’s easy to get into a two-way conversation between the doctor and yourself. Try not to do this. Always include both your parent and the doctor when you talk. ••Respect your parent’s privacy, and leave the room when necessary. ••Talk to the doctor about how you can keep up to date on your parent’s health if you live out of town. ••Ask the doctor to recommend helpful community resources. ••Larger medical practices, hospitals and nursing homes may have a social worker on staff. The social worker may have valuable suggestions about community resources and other information. Source: National Institutes of Health

Do you have more questions? Our website has the answers. Visit MyGNP.com for more information. MyGNP.com

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Diabetes Health Diabetes and Women

Got Diabetes? This Pre-Pregnancy Physical Exam Is Important

If you’re trying to get pregnant, a pre-pregnancy physical is the best way to protect both your and your future baby’s health. Your doctor will look for any problems that could be an issue. If possible, these problems should be found and treated before pregnancy. Tell your doctor: ••How well you are managing your diabetes ••Menstrual and pregnancy history ••Birth control method ••Health problems, including kidney disease, high blood pressure, infections, other diseases ••Whether you have support from family and friends

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Your doctor will check the following:

••Heart and blood pressure. Pregnancy puts an extra workload on your heart. ••Nerves. Your doctor should look for signs of nerve damage (neuropathy). This can affect heart rate, blood pressure and even your stomach. ••Kidneys. In some women, kidney disease gets worse during pregnancy. Sometimes, these problems are only temporary during pregnancy. If you have kidney problems now, pregnancy may be harder for you. Kidney disease increases the risk of high blood pressure in the second half of pregnancy. ••Eyes. See an eye doctor for a dilated eye exam. If you have diabetic eye

disease (retinopathy), have it treated before you get pregnant.

••Medications. Your doctor should review all your medications. ••Lab work. Lab tests should include bloodglucose control (A1C) and a kidney-function test. If you have type 1 diabetes, a blood sample will be checked for thyroid problems. Once the exams are done and the lab work is back, you and your doctor should have a frank talk about the risks pregnancy will pose to your health, the risks to your fetus if your bloodglucose levels are not in the normal range and the work that it will take to lower these risks. Source: American Diabetes Association

Diabetes Health

Living With Diabetes

Do I Have to Avoid Carbs?

The most popular comfort foods seem to contain lots of carbohydrate and fat (think macaroni and cheese), leaving one to wonder how to include them in a diabetes meal plan. You can include starchy foods in your meal plan, but make them count. When you reach for comfort foods, select the most nutrient-dense choices and keep your portions small. Here are some tips to get the most from your carbs: •• A  void sugary drinks. This includes regular soda, sweet tea, fruit punch and sports drinks. •• Eat whole fruit instead of drinking juice. •• C  hoose sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes.

•• T ry whole-grain breads and wholewheat pasta instead of white bread and regular pasta.

To gauge your portion size, use the plate method to guide you:

•• E  at whole-grain oatmeal instead of processed cereals.

•• K  eep only about 1/4 of your plate for starchy foods, including starchy vegetables or grains such as rice.

•• T ry brown rice or barley instead of white rice in soups, stews and salads.

•• F  ill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables.

•• D  o you have a favorite white-flourbased recipe, such as zucchini bread or pancakes? Get creative with your own recipes and try substituting whole-wheat flour for up to 1/4 to 1/2 of the white flour to make your favorite comfort foods more wholesome. For healthier recipes, go to diabetes.org/recipes.

•• T he last quarter is for protein foods such as fish or chicken. •• T o keep portions smaller, keep the food to a depth of about the thickness of your palm. Source: American Diabetes Association

This newsletter is not intended to replace or substitute the medical advice provided by a healthcare provider. The content of the newsletter is to be used as a reference tool. While Good Neighbor Pharmacy uses commercially reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of the content, it does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the content and specifically disclaims all responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the material contained in the newsletter, unless such liability is due to the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Good Neighbor Pharmacy. The content is not intended to be relied upon by any person or entity for purposes of medical diagnosis or treatment.

MyGNP.com

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National Diabetes Month

Living well with diabetes can be challenging, but with the right management and treatment, it’s possible to lead a full and active lifestyle. Your local Good Neighbor Pharmacy has the products and advice to help you take steps towards living your best with diabetes. For more information, talk with your pharmacist or visit MyGNP.com.

Good Neighbor Pharmacy features affordable, high-quality products with many of the same ingredients found in the top name brands. All items may not be available in every Good Neighbor Pharmacy location.