Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Did you know that here in the United States there are biannual days when you can pass in your leftover prescription drugs?  

It happens in April and in October so time to save any drugs that you don’t use up so that you can safely dispose of them.  You may also find other times when this is available.

The United States, Australia and New Zealand are the only countries that coordinate this.  Most countries throw them in the trash.  The problem with this is that it causes pollution, harms the environment and causes accidental deaths.

There are some medicines that need special attention to help stem the opioid crisis in this country.

According to the CDC there are approximately 6 times more people that died from a drug overdose from 1999 to 2022.  Almost 76% of those deaths involved an opioid.

There has been much discussion around the opioid crisis so you may know someone who has been affected.  It’s a very sad situation so this program works to help.

Many groups are collaborating to improve the situation.  This includes medical personnel, substance abuse counselors, first responders and public health people. 

If you have leftover prescription drugs and you want to check where to turn them in you can check the link below provided by the FDA.  

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know/drug-disposal-drug-take-back-locations

Private Home Health Care understands how many prescription drugs are in our communities and we look to a better future with the opioid crisis. 

Grandparent’s Week

In New Zealand they celebrate Grandparent’s Week until November 1.  We decided this year that we would join them because we love and respect grandparents.

How many of you remember your grandmother or grandfather?  If you were lucky your grandparents lived a long life so that you could grow up and get to know them.  

Our grandparents lived at a different time and experienced many different things along the way.  Many came to the United States from a different country.  Some were born in the city and others in the country.

Listening to stories from their lives can be very enlightening and you may even appreciate the times we live in.  All have a story to tell.

Another common factor with all grandparents is that they are a key part of our family and we should respect them as they age. 

Many grandparents watch over their grandchildren to help their children. Grandparents take time and energy to do activities with their grandchildren.  We can remember sleepovers at our grandparents house or apartment and trips to Friendly’s too.  What a treat!

Additionally, grandparents can help us to slow down a bit and look at life from a different perspective.

This coming week Private Home Health Care hopes that if you have a living grandparent you can take time to talk to them and spend time with them to show your appreciation.  

After years of raising children and then watching grandchildren grow up it can bring a smile to a grandparent’s face.

Frankenstein Friday

Yes, today is Frankenstein Friday, celebrated just a week before Halloween!

What do you think about when you think of Frankenstein??

Can you picture what he looks like?  Is he scary?

Is he pale or is he a green hue?  Does he have scars and bolts in his head?

Did you have a Frankenstein Halloween costume as a child?

Mary Shelley wrote the first draft of her book back in 1816.  She was in Switzerland with her husband, Lord Byron and a physician named John Polidorin and the weather was terrible, with days upon days of thunder and rain.

Lord Byron challenged them to see who could write the best ghost story to pass the time and Mary’s Frankenstein was the blockbuster book.  

When her book was published in 1818 it was published anonymously and it wasn’t until the second edition in 1821 when Mary was listed as the author and the rest is history.

Frankenstein has been in movies, comics and cartoons.  The movies go back to a silent movie in 1910 with the latest versions in 2021.  There have been countless Frankenstein costumes and we are sure you will see him this year out trick or treating too.

Frankenstein is immortal thanks to Mary Shelley.

Private Home Health Care especially enjoys the Mel Brooks’ movie version of Frankenstein, Young Frankenstein.  If you want to laugh rather than be scared watch this treasure of a story this Halloween.

Lung Health Day

Today is set aside as Lung Health Day.  

You and I take breathing for granted for the most part.  It is a very natural part of our body functioning and we don’t often think much about it.  It just happens.

As with all other parts of your body, your lungs age as well.  There are however some steps you can take that will help keep your lungs as healthy as possible over the years.

1. Don’t smoke or stop smoking.  This is really a well known benefit so we don’t need to linger on this one.
2. Start exercising.  By walking or doing aerobic exercises you increase your lung span.  Get and keep moving.
3. Avoid exposure to pollutants.  We all try to do this but some ideas include avoiding secondhand smoke, using natural cleaners and dusting and vacuuming regularly.
4. Watch out for infections.  Wash your hands regularly, drink lots of water and add fruits and vegetables to your diet.
5. Try taking time to breathe deeply through your nose and out through your mouth.  We normally take shallow breaths so deeper breaths can help expand your lungs.

Many of the steps listed to help your lungs are common ways to help your body overall as well.  We often speak of getting enough exercise and eating more fruits and vegetables.  That’s good news really. 

Private Home Health Care works with people who have COPD, a chronic obstruction to the lungs and asthma.  Breathing can be very difficult so any changes you can make to help your lungs is important.  

Tips on Managing Medications

As you age you can often find that your list of medications has grown over the years.  What is the best way to manage your medications?  

Here are some tips to help you:

Make sure you and your pharmacist have the same information. Don’t hesitate to ask questions or get any additional information you might need.

Write down a schedule of when you are to take your pills and be sure to make updates when anything changes.

Keep your list in an obvious place, on the wall or on your fridge or a table that you always go by.

Your bottles most likely look the same.  Add colored labels to each one for the different medicines.  This can help you keep them straight.

It’s important to work your pill taking into a schedule so that it becomes part of your daily routine.

You can also get a pill organizer if that makes it easier for you.  There are many easily available at your pharmacy or online.

Make a list that you can carry in your wallet or pocket book for when you have doctor’s visits.  Much of this information is online and shared among doctors but it’s good to have just available.

If you are digitally minded you can set up reminders on your phone or on any digital watches you might have.  (We get that this could feel overwhelming to you!)

Finally, review your medications with your doctor annually or as needed.  It’s important for you to feel good about any medicine you are taking.

Private Home Health Care understands that it can get harder to manage everything in your life as you get older.  Keep the faith and try not to get discouraged.  Hopefully every little bit of information you get will help.

The Mighty Sloth?

Saturday, October 19 is International Sloth Day.   How much do you know about the sloth other than it moves very slowly and sleeps a lot?

The Sloth Conservation Foundation has some interesting facts about this mammal that was first described in 1749.

Avocados – The now extinct giant ground sloth feasted on avocados, seed and all.  They were large enough to digest the seed and after they spread the seeds hither and yon.  Without these extinct sloths we might not enjoy avocados today.

Strength – the sloth has 30% less muscle but can lift its entire weight from birth with one arm.  If you are an average human, the sloth is three times stronger than you so beware.

Digestive System – unlike you and I a sloth only goes to the bathroom once a week but when they do they lose a third of their body weight! For those looking to lose weight that could be a dream come true.

Vision – we humans have one advantage over the sloth and it’s our sight.  Sloths are color-blind and can only see in dim light.  Bright daylight blinds them.  Good thing their sense of smell is phenomenal.

Speed – while sloths are not known for speed they can swim three times faster in water than they can move on land. Too bad they spend most of their time on land.

Private Home Health Care hopes you can share this information the next time someone talks about a sloth!

Pasta

Do you like pasta, what kind and how often do you eat it?  We are wondering if you are like others we know and eat pasta at least once a week?

Pasta is very popular, inexpensive and easy to make.  The sauces you make with it might be more work intensive but the pasta is easy.  It comes in boxes at the grocery store or in many places you can find fresh pasta for extra deliciousness.

You can cook boxed pasta on average 10-12 minutes and fresh pasta can be ready in seconds, yes seconds.

What kind of pasta do you prefer of the approximately 51 different kinds of pasta available?

Is it angel hair, thin spaghetti, linguine or do you like shapes like farfalle, elbows, orecchiette or ziti?

Now you might say that pasta is high in carbs and you would be correct.  It also contains gluten so some of you need to avoid that.  

On the other side, there are wheat and chickpea options of pasta with slightly less carbs, and you will also get higher fiber, manganese, selenium, copper and phosphorus.  That’s an extra bonus.

What you put on your pasta can add good nutrients too so if you want to make a pasta primavera you’ll have great benefits from the vegetables and the great taste of pasta.  

To be healthier It’s really a pairing game and watching out how big your serving is.

Pasta is here to stay and has become a staple in most households.  It’s been around for quite a long time, starting originally in China, then heading to Europe and then to America thanks to Thomas Jefferson and his travels to Europe.  A very long history.

Private Home Health Care loves to make pasta, especially on a busy weeknight, and we try to add vegetables either in our sauce or as part of the recipe to make it a healthy choice for dinner.

Today’s Holiday

Many of us have today off to make a three day weekend to enjoy.

You may celebrate it as the traditional Columbus Day or you may think of it as Indigenous People’s Day.

It’s interesting to look at this holiday from both sides.

Christopher Columbus was and is considered a great navigator.  From a job on a merchant ship to later studying mathematics, astronomy, cartography and navigation, sailing the world was quite a feat.

In 1492, he began what would be three journeys sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean, a new route to travel.  He made land on a Bahamian Island, likely San Salvador with later trips to Trinidad and the South American mainland. 

He never did actually sail to North America but his journeys did open up new possibilities for exploration.  He died in 1506.

From the Indigenous people’s point of view, the trips made by Columbus had harsh repercussions for the native peoples. 

Along the way Columbus enslaved many native people and on the trips to the places of their enslavement the trip or from the work required many died. 

One example is the Taino population of South America.  They were forced to search for gold and work on plantations.  They were decimated to only a few hundred within 60 years of Columbus’ journeys.

Additionally, when Columbus and his men traveled to new countries they brought with them diseases.  The native peoples could not fight them and many died.

Private Home Health Care can see both points of view and we hope that whatever your feelings you can find time to make the most of the extra day off.

Bones and Joints

The foot bone is connected to the leg bone, the leg bone is connected to the knee bone, the knee bones connected to the . . .

Do you remember that song that taught us about the bones in our body?  It’s most remembered by the older folks but it was a fun song.  It didn’t talk about the 206 bones in our body but it got us thinking.

Your bones are an important part of your body and we know we have to be careful of osteoporosis, both men and women.  Calcium and physical activity are key along with watching tobacco and alcohol use.

Your joints are also important though and until you have a problem with one, it’s possible that you don’t think about them too much.  They connect your bones and help to protect a lot of structures in your body.

What do we need to do to keep our joints healthy?

Healthy joints need the right foods and exercise like your bones.  In addition, you need to watch your weight as too much weight puts extra pressure on your joints.

Your diet can help both your bones and your joints and truthfully many other areas of your body.  Good items to choose include:

Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids. Think salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, white fish and even European anchovies.

Vegetables that include cruciferous vegetables like arugula, broccoli, bok choy, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower to name a few. 

Turmeric, used in many curry dishes.  It’s best absorbed by the body when in food.

Yogurt, best are the unsweetened and plain yogurts with live and active yogurt cultures so check your labels.

Ginger, add ginger to foods for best absorption and good anti-inflammatory agents.

Green tea, get a good quality tea that is either organic or loose leaf that you make yourself.

Private Home Health Care tries to take care of our bones and our joints.  As we age it gets harder but adding some of the foods and exercises above can help.

Salmon

Salmon, that great pink fish that tastes delicious and is filled with great health benefits.

You may already know that there are a number of different types of salmon.  The ones from the Pacific coast are Sockeye, Pink, Coho and King (Chinook).  

On the East coast Atlantic salmon are an option too, but only farm-raised.  It is prohibited in the United States to fish for Atlantic Salmon.  

What are the benefits from salmon and what is the difference between farm-raised and wild salmon?

Both are low in calories and high in protein. You’ll get a high amount of Vitamin B12, potassium, and iron and Vitamin D as well.

Additionally, you’ll love salmon for the omega-3 fatty acids.  These are healthy fats that support all the cells in your body. You can get help for your heart, with symptoms of autoimmune diseases and depression to name a few.

With farm-raised salmon you could find more pollutants and contaminants.  The levels are considered safe by the FDA but it is something to keep in mind.

Overall, salmon is a great and healthy choice for fish.  You should check with your fish store and see the kinds available.  Think about the benefits of wild versus farmed and decide.

Private Home Health Care loves to have a nice fish dinner at least once a week and salmon is often a delicious choice.