Let’s say that we are willing to maybe make a change in our diets and maybe we are thinking about exercising. We are to the thinking about it stage. That we are considering it, is a great beginning. What can we do in the mean time? Can we take something that will help us decrease our cholesterol and our triglycerides? In addition to the prescription medications? Yes, there is!

This time I will use myself as the example. I was diagnosed with high cholesterol about 4 years ago. I was not happy and I did not want to believe it. Of course, my doctor stated the obvious, I was over 40 and was eating too much fast food and not regularly exercising. Damn! I am too young to be dealing with this. We all see ourselves about 10 to 15 years younger than we actually are.

Okay, so I begin the “statin” medications and it takes a trial of 4 different ones before I found one that I could tolerate. With the others, I experienced chest pain. That is not a wisely known side effect, howver, I was hurting and miserable. I knew that I had to take something, because there are things worse than death and a debilitating stroke is one of them. It took about a year or so for me to realize that I have this and I need to do something about it. I was beginning to research nutraceuticals anyway. I know, a pharmacist that is looking for alternatives to prescription medications. You need to understand, that we weren’t taught prevention and wellness in pharmacy school in the mid 1980′s. They didn’t teach prevention and wellness in medical school either.

We are now learning that we can use nutrition to better our health and prevent some of the complications of chronic health issues. I knew that by taking “statins” that I needed to take CoEnzymeQ10. I knew why, but, did my patients know why? I knew about free radical damage, but, did my patients?

Two years after initial diagnosis, my Triglycerides were high. I am not happy. I was beginning to take a product called OPC-3, because of some arthritis in my hand that was not responding to any prescription medication nor to the two cortisone injections. I studied more about the benefits and decided to wait on adding another medication for my triglycerides. I knew I was having blood work again in 12 weeks. I was my own guinea pig. I cut the “statin” medication in half and did not fill the prescription for my triglycerides.

My hands felt much better, I could write again and I could pick up a glass and hold it. Now, the other thing….was my blood work going to be as good as I had planned? Yes, it was. My cholesterol was within acceptable limits and here is the great thing—my triglycerides were fine.

So, I got a three for one benefit.
My arthritis was much improved and the pain was much less.
My cholesterol level was within acceptable limits and I was taking half as much of the “statin.”
My triglycerides were fine.

I am now a health professional distributor for these products. They have worked for me and for $40.00 a month, I feel much better and I am much better. Now you are thinking, Is that what this was about? A sales pitch? No, but, how could I not share my benefits? You have the information and now you can do your own research. I am very skeptical myself and I had to research the information for myself.

Check out my website for the nutraceuticals – http://www.nutrametrix.com/medadvocate
Want more information or to talk to me? EMail me – pcollins@medadvocate.net

Just because you can’t visibly see the damage being done inside of your body, doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. Just because you don’t “feel” anything while taking the medication, doesn’t mean that it isn’t working or doing it’s job. Think cumulative effects of what we are doing or not doing to our bodies. It is time for us to look down the road about 10 or 20 years and see the possibilities for our health. You may be feeling fine right now, how do you want to feel in 10, 20 or 30 years from now? What do you want to be able to do and do well? Prevention and maintenance is where our healthcare is headed anyway so let’s get ahead of the game.

I believe the next blog will be on some chronic conditions and how they will eventually have an effect on you.

Are you wearing the correct size of shoe? Feet grow (lengthen usually) as we age. Our arches begin to fall. Take the time to have your feet measured using a Brannock device. Yes, those metal things that were always used when we were little.

Let’s just get the “but, I like high heels” or “I have to wear” or “I want to wear” out-of-the way right now. Make adjustments with padding at the ball of the foot and the heels too. Take flats with you to wear during the day when you don’t have to “be on.” You definitely need foot massages and pedicures and regular appointments to a podiatrist. Shoes that tilt the feet, such as high heels, may just be the cause of back and joint problems as well as damage to the Achilles tendon, hammer toe, bunions, stress fractures, corns, calluses, and nerve damage. Find well padded shoes.

As we age, the fatty tissue, which cushions the foot, decreases and corns may develop. Foot distortion may also occur. If you have neuropathy, circulation problems, or diabetes, you definitely need a podiatrist on your health care team.

Guys, you too need to heed the above. Some of you have the ingrown toe nails and cracked heels. You think to yourself, “It’s just dry skin” or “It’s just a few cracked places.” Cracked skin allows fungus and bacteria to enter your body. Get a pumice stone and work on smoothing the rough places. Check your feet for cuts, wounds (especially ones that won’t heal) discoloration and any other abnormalities that you observe. Place a mirror on the floor and put your foot above it and take a good look. Have someone else take a good look. Get over the, “Feet, Toes – Yuck!” What is the big deal about feet and toes with some people? I don’t get it and I am sure that is a topic for another day.

Just because you don’t have diabetes, does not mean that you don’t have neuropathy. If you have a “fungus amongus” use an antifungal over-the-counter product for 7 to 10 days. Lamisil or Lotrimin are good (generics are fine too). If it is under a nail, get with your doctor for help. If you need to take a tablet by mouth for the fungal infection–DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL while taking the medication and for 3 days after stopping. Most of the time, they use the one week on and 3 weeks off method. Warm epsom salt soaks are good and remember to moisturize your feet. Do not put lotion between your toes. Why you ask? You don’t want to create a warm moist place for a fungus to go and grow.

Flip-flops, crocs, sandals, barefooted – only for a short period of time if at all. Think protection and cushioning. I know a lot of you are thinking to yourself – “I am not giving up _______.” I understand that and I am saying to modify a little at a time and see how it goes. Not all flats are ugly.

For those that have neuropathy, please check your feet daily or at least every other day. You may find a wound or ulcer that needs medical attention. You may find a tack stuck in your foot as my uncle did. No, he didn’t feel it and when it was found, it was too late, because gangrene had set in and he lost his leg from the knee down.

If your hips, knees, legs or feet hurt when you walk figure out if you need new shoes. Low back pain sufferer? It might be aggravated or caused by your foot problems. Your whole body will thank you when you take care of your feet.

On to the meat of this blog.

I know that a lot of our seniors are extremely private about their money situation, their health, and they are afraid of losing their independence.

What you should know-
Names and Phone numbers of their physicians, dentist, pharmacies
Date of Birth
Insurance Information
Allergies
Allergies to Medications
Past Surgeries – dates and where
Major Medical Procedures – ex. pacemaker
Medications
Supplements
Advance Directives
Powers of Attorney – both Financial and Healthcare
Lifestyle Informations – use of alcohol, tobacco, religious beliefs
Last Will and Testament – where is it?
Financial – Banking locations, Investment locations, other Monetary locations
Funeral and Burial information
Safe or Gun Safe – combination to open
Any specific wishes?
Location of important papers

Nobody really wants to discuss these things. It is always better to know and have it written down. In an emergency, it is hard to recall a lot of needed information on the spot.

The Lat. of the quake was 35.731904 degrees (no, I couldn’t find the symbol)
The Longitude was -83.971218 degrees

Reverse GeoCoder http://www.findlatitudeandlongitude.com/find-address-from-latitude-and-longitude.php

Finding Latitude and Longitude of your address: http://geocoder.us/

Have fun with it and let me know how close you were. Let me know when I should tell you how close I was.

Personal care products (lotions, shampoos, deodorants, etc.) enter the water supply in the same way.

Is there a safe level? We don’t know.
Does bottled water protect me? Probably not.
What may happen to us over time? We don’t know.
What may happen to our aquatic life? We don’t know.
Am I trying to scare you? No, just make you aware.

I know that it is “trace amounts.” What can we do to help? Well, we can dispose of the things that we have control over, properly. At this point, there are no approved drop-off points for unused medications. We are told to take them out of their bottle and mix them with kitty litter or used coffee grounds and then place in a container and throw in the trash. I had a lot of folks come by the pharmacy and ask if we could take them back or dispose of them. We couldn’t. It was against the law in some cases and the company that we used for our expired medications would not take back anything that was not in its original container. We couldn’t help them dispose of their needles either. It is best to buy a sharps container and mail it in to the destruction/incineration center.

I am not getting into the cost or who should pay for x, y, or z. That is not my area. My area is right where I am and what I can do for my “neck of the woods. ” What if everyone took care of their own” neck of the woods? ” Would it make an impact? Sure, it would on the water issue and keeping our kids from “pharming.”

Here is a link to the guidelines:

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/pdf/prescrip_disposal.pdf