Tis the Season to Indulge!

Sarah Lee, PharmD Your Neighbourhood Staff Pharmacist Holiday thoughts are in the air – plans for gift-giving, friends and family get-togethers and food preparations. A joyous time of the year but also a time of overindulging. Celebrations often...

Aspirin & Life Jackets

By Steve Bond, BScPhm, RPh, CDE Recently, the concept of whether or not acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, Aspirin) should be taken regularly and the benefits versus risks has reemerged in the news. This is because on October 12th, the...
Women holding a glass of water to her mouth

Simple Remedies — by Diane Alavie, B.Sc.Phm.

The other day, a patient complained about “all of a sudden having to pee frequently and a little burning sensation.”   It was Saturday morning and her physician’s office was closed. So I asked her the following questions: Do...
Ginger whole and sliced

Simple Remedies — by Diane Alavie, B.Sc.Phm.

The other day, a patient who had to go on a new medication complained about suffering from nausea. Consequently, she had lost her appetite. It was late Friday afternoon and her physician’s office was closed. So I recommended...
sign that says caution poison ivy in the forest

Leaflets of Three-Let it Be

We are truly blessed to live in St. Thomas and surrounding area. We have world-class, fresh-water beaches and water sports, some of the continent’s best bird watching, and excellent camping/hiking destinations. At some point, each of us have...

I have a bone to pick with you

November is Osteoporosis month. (It’s hard to tell because, for some reason, greeting cards manufacturers have decided to overshadow the Osteoporosis cards with Christmas cards!). According to Osteoporosis Canada, about 1 out of 4 four women and 1...

What is Thalassemia? by Steve Bond

One of the nice things about being a community pharmacist — and writing for local media — is that I often receive feedback from patients and even suggestions on topics. Recently, a patient told me about his relative...

Care for the Caregiver

Working in a Pharmacy and Home Healthcare store, we often see customers rushing in and out of the store picking up items or looking for equipment/supplies for their loved one. Often times, these caregivers seem tired or even...

Know the Signs- Elder Abuse Awareness

By Peter Yurek Elder abuse is a widespread problem, which deserves our attention and action. Care and trust are at the heart of every community. We can help keep our seniors safe from abuse by reporting signs of...

Biometeorology – You can feel it in your bones

April showers bring may flowers.  They also bring changes in the weather, which can affect your health. Do your joints hurt during an impending storm?  Can you predict changes in weather better than the Doppler radar system? Or...
World Cancer Day 4 February

World Cancer Day

World Cancer Day It’s February 4th. It is the day that Rosa Parks and Alice Cooper were born. On this day in 2004, Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook from his dorm room at Harvard. It has also been designated...