Filed under: Medicine
Americans are drawn to buying drugs in Canada, either online or by bus trip, because they are much cheaper there. This is due to the fact that the pharmaceutical companies must abide by Canadian government price controls. If fact prices in the US have been found to be nearly twice as high as in Canada and almost three times as high as elsewhere in the world.
While the lure if monetary savings is enticing, it is a risky proposition: some are legitimate and safe, while others are “seconds” and sold in plastic bags. Additionally, substitution are often made for brand names with generics. These generics, while approved in Canada, may not have been approved in the US. Generics have been shown to create different reactions than the name brands. The savings however can be 1000’s of dollars which is difficult to ignore for cash strapped seniors.
Counterfeit and expired drugs are another risk those importing from Canada face. Some online entities will create a website with a maple leaf logo and claim to be a Canadian pharmacy. In reality the site is not legitimate and the drugs sold do not originate there and the labels are not in English making their safe use difficult.
Some states and cities have taken additional measures to legitimize the shopping experience by setting up programs or their own websites to facilitate the importing of Canadian drugs to those in need. Legislatures as well are passing or introducing legislation that will facilitate re-importation programs.
Major drug manufacturers are taking action against Canadian pharmacies by enforcing contract clauses that prohibit them from exporting drugs to the U.S. Others are limiting sales to Canadian pharmacies so that they only have enough to meet their domestic need.
The Canadian pharmaceutical industry is regulated by the government organization Health Canada. Their website catalogues Canadian online pharmacies and you check to see if there have been any complaints against a company. It can also help to check if a particular company is a member of the Canadian online drug industry trade organization: Canadian International Pharmacy Association.
The bottom line is that care must be taken when buying drugs from Canada to be certain that you are purchasing a safe and authentic product. Until a compromise is reached and the gap between U.S and Canadian pharmaceutical costs become more closely aligned, there is not sign the the trends will be changing.
Being diagnosed with a serious or critical illness in aging can be devastating physically, mentally and emotionally. While it is surely difficult to be strong and not give up, it helps to remember those who care about you. They will never give up on you and you honor them by not giving up on yourself either.
Accepting the diagnosis is the first hurdle. We like to believe sometimes that we are invincible and there is only healthy aging. Once you are able to accept your circumstance you can begin to take the first steps toward controlling it and not letting it control you. The first necessary step is to educate yourself about the disease with which you have been afflicted. Knowledge is power and by understanding what your body is going through, you are able to support it in its battle.
The Internet is a great source of information and could be your first stop for research. However, you must be sure that you are certain as to the credentials of the site providing you with the information. There is a lot false information, so be sure to only visit sites you can trust like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This personal research is just meant to provide a little reassurance and understanding. Your main source of information should be your treating doctor. Listen to what your doctor has to say about your condition and be sure to ask questions; even the hard ones.
Emotion and mental stress and aguish are extremely common when struggling to come to terms with a serious diagnosis. This is unfortunate, because stess and depression are serioius enough illnesses on their own. While you may feel hopeless and alone it is important to remember that you are not. Reach out to those around you and be honest about what you are feeling and going through. Be frank about your feelings with your doctor and seek professional counselling if it is necessary.
If your condition is complicate or unusual it may be beneficial to seek a second opinion. Just be care that your are not using the pursuit of a second opinion as a mask of denial. If your diagnosis is clear cut, then it may be better to focus your efforts on treatment instead of a faint hope that you aren’t really sick.
Be sure to help yourself by sticking to your treatment plan. Give your body an additional boost by eating right and getting plenty of rest. But don’t shut yourself out from everyone else. This can take an emotional toll which ultimately can serve to work against you. Try to be sociable and don’t isolate yourself. Ask your doctor about any support groups for your condition or seek one out online. Talking to others who are going through the same thing you are can do wonders for your mental health. You have the opportunity to help others as well which can be equally therapeutic.
It is never easy to have to live through trying times like this regardless of how old you are. Do the right things for the right reasons and accept help when offered will make coping with illness in aging much more endurable.
From the moment we are born are bodies begin a journey of change. Our bodies grow and get stronger through childhood and adolescence. Eventually however we reach a peak. Beyond this point our body’s functions begin to decline. We become more prone to illness and disease.
Take Responsibility
This natural lifelong change is not beyond our influence. Leading a healthy aging lifestyle as you get older will give your body the additional strength it needs to combat this evolution. It is your responsibility to get proper sleep and exercise as you age. You should also avoid excessive use of alcohol, caffeine and tobacco etc. As your body changes due age and is more susceptible to disease and injury, you want to give it the best fighting chance you can.
Get Regular Checkups
It is essential to see your doctor for regular checkups as age. Your doctor will conduct routine tests to ensure that your overall health is appropriate for your age and personal circumstances. By knowing your family history your doctor can be proactive and watch for potential diseases before it is too late for treatment.
It is not just your family doctor who you should see regularly, but your eye doctor as well. After age 35 it is very common for your eyesight to deteriorate to the point where you would require glasses or other corrective lenses. The sooner this is identified, the sooner you can benefit form treatment. This will allow you a better quality of life in addition to avoiding headaches from having to strain to see things clearly.
Your hearing is another victim of getting aging body changes. It is natural to lose a degree of hearing as you age. This can cause a whole slew of frustrations and anxieties. Your interpersonal relationships may become strained due to misunderstandings in what is said and what is heard. You may be prescribed a hearing aid, but feel to ashamed or embarrassed to where it. It may help to remember that you are certainly not alone in the bodily changes and while your health is not what it once was, we are fortunate that medicine and science has evolved to the point where there are suitable treatments for the majority of these challenges.
Watch What You Eat
Weight control is a serious problem for people of all ages, not just seniors. For some life is a never ending battle of dieting, frustration and disappointment. Yet while it seems hopeless, it is very important to not give up or lose sight of the tremendous strain obesity puts on our bodies as we age. If you are able to keep your weight gain to a reasonable rate you will be far better off when you are in your more fragile elderly years.
Remember life is a journey and while we can not slow down or speed up the pace we can significantly control the quality of the “vehicle” we travel in. Eat right, sleep well and excursive are a simple but proven recipe for long lasting health. Visit your medical professionals regularly for a tune up and your aging body changes are nothing to worry about.
As we get older our bodies change and we need to make lifestyle changes to accommodate this. It is sometimes more difficult to find the energy to be active, but it is extremely important to persevere. It can become a vicious circle otherwise, as a lack of physical activity can actually result in us feeling more lethargic.
The first step to a healthy active lifestyle is getting a good night’s sleep. This foundation will boost your energy and help maintain your weight. You mind becomes sharper and you can make decisions with less anguish. A good night’s sleep is beneficial for your immune system, which keeps you from getting sick easily. A lack of sleep slows growth hormones and converts muscle to fat. While our focus in this article is to discuss how staying active promotes healthy aging, you need to understand that sleeping well is a key factor to your success.
Let’s start with walking. Walking keeps your muscles limber and relieves anxiety, depression and stress. This improves the quality of your sleep, which we already mentioned is necessary for a healthy aging body. You wake up in the morning, more rested. Also if you don’t get the right amount of sleep your body needs to compensate for the lack of energy it needs. Your body releases glucose or insulin in response, which will slow down your metabolism. A slow metabolism causes weight gain.
Exhaustion from lack of sleep has a ripple effect. You are unable to think or perform at your peak, which snowballs into a myriad of other problems. Proper rest will balance your body’s needs and give you the fuel to be more active which will initiate a positive snowball effect.
Don’t set yourself up to fail. Limit your intake of caffeine, cigarettes and other harmful stimulants that may keep you awake at night.
If you are retired start you’re walking routine first thing in the morning. You will begin your day feeling more alive and “loose”. This exercise will assist you in burning fat and calories and will make a big difference on your outlook for the rest of the day. Begin your walking and really any excursive routine by taking it slowly at first. As you fall into a regular habit and your body can endure more, then you can pick up your speed. But remember as we get older it is even more critical that you do not push yourself beyond the limit of what your body tells you it can endure. You do not want to extend yourself to the point where you are out of breath. You simply want to get your heart rate up.
Find a walking buddy! This can be your spouse, friend or even a pet. Unless you enjoy periods being alone and allowed to think, walking can be lonely. Nothing will derail an exercise routine faster than not enjoying it. Walking with a partner will make the experience infinitely more enjoyable and will aid in the hours flying by.
When you reach the end of your walk, don’t stop abruptly. Instead slow your pace and allow your body to cool down.
Ensuring your begin your day with a brisk walk and end your day with a fulfilling night’s sleep, you have take the first key steps to walking and sleeping your way to good health as you age.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!
Healthy Aging 