Pharmacy Month

Practical and simple tips to help you stay well, from our Medirite pharmacists

Staying motivated

It's important to find exercises that are suited to your body's needs, shape and size. Additionally, staying positive and celebrating even small successes can help maintain motivation. Rather than cutting out "bad" foods completely, making small daily changes to eating habits can be a more sustainable approach to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Leche Marco

Healthy with medication

Knowledge is power. As pharmacists, we need to empower patients with adequate and relevant knowledge about their medications and make them aware of possible interactions from food or other medications. They also need to be encouraged to stay fit, adopt a positive mindset and not let the fact that they are on medication allow them to lose their ability to be happy. It’s also a good option to advise patients to add holistic activities to their treatment regimes, for example yoga, so that they have a balance of medication and physical activity to combine into a positive treatment plan. Krishen Harinarain

Children’s nutrition

High amounts of sugar have a detrimental effect on children’s health and can lead to behavioural issues and obesity. Teach them healthy eating habits when they’re young by limiting access to these foods. My favourite snacks for my toddler include apple wedges, rice cakes, cheese cubes and raw nuts. Drinks you can offer include Rooibos tea, water, and fresh milk. Thabiso Maphanga

Medication safety

The most common error that I have observed in pharmacy is medication not being taken with water, but with juice, coffee, or other beverages. Not taking medication with water might influence the absorption of the medication and impact its efficacy. Sue-Marie Mattheus

Boosting immunity

Over and above eating healthily, regular exercise can help enhance our immunity. Just 30 minutes a day is more than enough. Exercise also helps reduce our stress levels as stress alone can compromise the immune system. Jabulile Xaba

Medication costs

Firstly, consult with your pharmacist; they might be able to save you from a trip to the doctor. I would always provide advice and recommend medications to the best of my knowledge. If I’m not able to assist you, then I would refer you to a doctor and save you some costs by not letting you spend money on something that won’t work. Paula Hartmann

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only. Always check with your doctor or medical practitioner about any health concerns, before embarking on any fitness or nutrition programme, or using any medication.