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It’s Wellness Wednesdays! We’ll talk about medication safety tips for seniors living alone. By staying aware of medication safety guidelines, you can avoid complications and other issues. Did you know that simply storing your medications in the wrong spot at home can affect them?
Use these medication safety tips to stay organized and healthy:
1. Educate yourself about your medications.
The first step to medication safety is understanding why and how you have to take every pill.
- Turn to your doctor and pharmacist for advice. They can help you understand the role each medication plays in helping you. They can also help you schedule your medications and inform you of any foods to avoid while taking it.
- It’s important to ask questions and keep a list of every pill you take. Write down what your doctor or pharmacist tells you and keep it in a safe place.
2. Check your medications at the pharmacy.
Before you take your medicine home, take a moment to talk to your pharmacist. Cases of incorrect dosages and wrong pills are on the rise, so you want to ensure your prescription is filled correctly.
- Check that both the dosage and type of medication are correct. The wrong pills can create a serious reaction that sends you to the hospital.
3. Know the side effects.
By knowing the side effects of each medication, you can watch for any abnormalities in the way your body reacts to the medicine and seek help if you need to.
4. Know the proper storage techniques.
Some medications are highly sensitive to temperature changes while others can’t be exposed to the sun.
- Talk to your pharmacist or doctor about storage tips for your drugs. They can recommend places in your home that will keep the medications at an opportune temperature.
5. Organize your medications carefully.
Pill organizers are a popular way to store medications at home, but you have other options.
- You may want to consider a customized pill organizer that lists your medications’ names and other information above the compartments. You can find organizers from a variety of retailers.
- Pill packs are an alternative to traditional plastic organizers. They’re individual packs that contain all of the pills you need to take in one day. The exterior of the pack can list the date and type of medication. They’re available from multiple pharmacies and can help you track your pills.
- It’s crucial to have organized medications. Not only do they make it easier for you, but they also help you avoid medication errors that can cause serious harm.
6. Avoid changing your dosage on your own.
Although you may feel better, it’s important to talk to your doctor before changing a drug dosage. Changing the dosage or stopping a drug can lead to withdrawal symptoms or even health emergencies.
7. Consider the source of your medications.
Medication safety can be affected by where you purchase your prescription. Always use a reliable source.
- If you’re purchasing your medications from online retailers, foreign pharmacies, or other sources, you may want to discuss it with your doctor. Cases of contamination and other issues are possible.
- In addition, medications from foreign pharmacies may have instructions printed in a different language.
Take control of your medications. After all, they are there to make you feel better! You can stay safe, healthy, and confident about your medications with these easy steps and routines
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I really wanted to talk about this topic today because your natural health and wellness is important. You can adopt healthy lifestyle practices that improve your health, your environment, and enrich your life, which can in turn improve the lives of those close to you. You have the power to break the cycle of poor health, including chronic disease, so that you can leave a legacy of health to your loved ones.
I use functional medicine and lifestyle medicine as the first line of treatment, before medications, to treat lifestyle-related chronic diseases. Lifestyle-related chronic diseases include diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and some cancers, just to name a few. Lifestyle practices, such as eating a whole-food plant-based diet and regular physical activity, can help you lose weight, reverse some chronic diseases (if you suffer from them), and can even help you with detoxification. In certain cases, these approaches may even outperform pharmaceutical therapy.
But I always tell my patients that conventional medications may be appropriate at this time to prevent catastrophic illness, but over time, you can work to make the necessary lifestyle changes to possibly reduce and/or eliminate medications. Please remember to always consult your physician for your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any decisions whatsoever.
Is Dietary Supplementation Right For You?
For some people, vitamin and mineral supplements offer important health benefits. Supplements are designed to fight deficiencies found in our diet and complement the food we eat regularly. Supplements are basically “helping hands” to our daily food.
If you suspect that you aren’t getting the nutrients you need, consider shifting your focus from supplements to eating better.
But it is very important to note that we are not eating the same foods we ate years ago because the soils have been depleted of critical nutrients through current industrial farming practices. And because the soil is not as good as it used to be, the food supply (grown from the depleted soil) is not as good as it used to be. For example, you are not getting the same levels of magnesium as you would have gotten 30 or even 50 years ago.
Second, much of the food has been genetically altered, which can impact the inherent and unique nutritional composition that each food possess. For example, ancient einkorn wheat has less gluten, more protein, more Vitamin A, and more beta carotene, than modern genetically modified wheat.
Third, the toxic load in the environment today is much higher than 100 years ago. We can see this with global warming, toxic landfills, polluted oceans and waterways, etc. Toxicity levels interfere with nutrient assimilation and absorption not just into the foods, but into our bodies as well.
So… if you are unable to eat better, the supplements in my MaxHealth Essentials Bundle may provide the extra boost you need.
These are my favorite Wellness and Immune-Boosting Supplements to use! This MaxHealth Essentials Bundle will ensure you have the intake of the important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to decrease inflammation and boost your innate wellness day and night. Taken together, it’s a solid plan for increasing your body’s natural resiliency.
For best results make sure you use the supplements with dietary changes including a whole food plant-based diet, regular exercise (at least 2-3x per week), regular sleep (8 hours per night), and intermittent fasting (at least 1-3x per week).
Weight Monitoring
Since weight management is very important in combatting chronic diseases, I recommend that you be mindful of your weight and its fluctuations, and that you monitor your weight AT LEAST on a weekly basis. I recommend a scale that includes a body composition monitor (*this scale cannot be used with a pacemaker or other implanted devices).
Physical Activity
Physical activity (or exercise) can improve your health and reduce the risk of developing several chronic diseases like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, just to name a few. Physical activity can improve your mood, boost your immune system, help you maintain a healthy weight, and is a great way to detox your body!
I often recommend yoga and resistance training for physical activity, but as you are aware, there are plenty of forms of “movement” that you can do! But for the basics, especially if you’re just getting started, yoga and resistance training are where I would start.
Yoga
Yoga can be a great way to improve your strength and flexibility, manage your stress, improve your heart health, and lose weight! I recommend using a grounded yoga mat to connect yourself with the earth and reduce inflammation.
Resistance Training
Resistance training is the mainstay for overall health. It not only has beneficial effects on reducing body fat, it also increases muscle size and strength. Check out some basic dumbbells/free weights that I recommend to everyone.
Another alternative for dumbbells/free weights are resistance bands. They are great for physical therapy, yoga, strength training, and excellent for traveling.
Remember, living a healthy lifestyle including eating a whole foods plant-based diet, regular physical activity, and reducing stress are the best ways to maintain a healthy weight. Let me know what you think in the comment section below.
Dr. Nicolle Martin
Dr. Nicolle is double board-certified in Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine. As one of the nation’s most acclaimed primary care and public health physicians, she is a nationally recognized author, speaker, researcher, consultant and media personality. She is the Founder and Chief Medical Advisor of DrNicolleMD.com, where she discusses actionable ideas and real-world strategies to help people take control of their health using integrative therapies and lifestyle change.
Dr. Nicolle also shares her knowledge via her popular social media accounts “Maximize Health” to help people pursue a healthier life. Her motto is simple: Minimize Medications, Maximize Health. With her credentials and warm “bedside manner,” it’s no wonder that the doctor is renowned as “America’s Favorite Family Physician.”
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Last updated on December 14th, 2021 at 05:46 am
Minimize Medications. Maximize Health.
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