Surviving Christmas

5 Tips to stay healthy over the holiday season

Come January, everyone will be lamenting all the chocolate, , mince pies and fruitcakes they ate over Christmas. So here is your survival plan.

1. Start your day with a healthy breakfast. Some breakfast   suggestions: Poached or boiled eggs with chopped up tomatoes and avocado, a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. A smoothie made from plain yoghurt with frozen berries and a tablespoon of linseed or flaxseed oil. Plain greek yoghurt with mixed nuts.

2.    Half an hour before you have your morning or afternoon teas or meals, make sure you have a glass of water. Not into water? Why not consider using chilled herbal tea with a couple of thinly sliced orange to “dress it up” a bit; adding 3 tablespoonful of natural fruit juice into soda water or simply squeezing some lemon or lime into it. Water is a solvent needed by your body to get rid of toxins, so it helps you detoxify. Studies have also suggested that by drinking half an hour to an hour before food, you tend to eat less.

3.    Stay active and keep moving. Suggestions: take evening strolls; if you are going to the shops, park the car a bit further than you usually would; use a shopping basket rather than a trolley if you are only buying a few items; instead of using your remote; walk to the TV to change channels; get a couple of light dumbbells (or books) and start doing arm raises if you are not mobile.

4.    If appropriate, take some Chromium. Chromium is a powerful trace mineral that helps increase insulin sensitivity, allowing for better transport of blood glucose into cells.

5.    To help boost your energy and cope with stress, consider the following: Vitamin B, C, Magnesium and Zinc. If you don’t have high blood pressure, try some liquorice tea. 

What is Irlen Syndrome?

Irlen Syndrome is a visual processing disorder that affects 15% of the general population, 50% of individuals with reading and learning difficulties, and 30% of people with ADHD and autism. Irlen Syndrome has also been linked to traumatic brain injury in athletes and others.

Irlen Syndrome symptoms may include light sensitivity, particularly bright or fluorescent lighting, headaches or migraines, eye strain, distorted text or environment, and difficulty or discomfort reading. These symptoms are frequently misdiagnosed as ADHD and other afflictions, some involving medication. However, early and prompt identification can prevent a lifetime of academic struggles that can lead to school failure, damage to self-esteem, and unrealized potential. Although it is hereditary, it may be acquired, and many football players and professional athletes have found Irlen’s non-invasive solutions relieve their symptoms.

Some nutritional supplementation may help some of these symptoms. Alvina, our pharmacist is available for consultation to assist you. Please contact Blooms the Chemist Nowra Mall for more information 02-4421-3946

Omega 3 vs Omega 6

Omega 3 and Omega 6 are called "Essential Fatty Acids" for a reason…it is essential for our well being. An imbalance can result in inflammatory diseases, and inflammation is the beginning of chronic conditions. 

Speak to our staff or pharmacists to see how we can best help you correct any Omega 3 and 6 imbalances.

Is Acne an Essential Fatty Acid deficiency?

When we look at the physiology of the skin, you will find the tiny glands of the hair follicles producing a mixture of wax and oil to protect our skin. One of the many roles of omega-3 Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) is to prevent this mixture from "caking up". 

By now, you may have heard one or two things about omega-3 EFA having an anti-inflammatory effect. In fact, there are hundreds of studies looking at omega-3 EFA in inflammatory diseases, like arthritis. Acne too, is an inflammatory condition. When the glands at the base of the hair follicle get blocked, bacteria can start to thrive, causing inflammation. 

There is recently a study showing positive result in the use of omega-3 EFA in the treatment of moderate to severe acne. The dose used was relatively high, about 3-4 caspules of the concentrated omega-3 EFA. 

Burns-Whitmore, Bonny and Khayef, Golandam, et al. Effects of fish oil supplementation on inflammatory acne. Lipids in Health and Disease 2012,11:165

What is Compounding?

Sometimes one size just does not fit all

Pharmacy  compounding is the art and science of preparing tailor-made medicines for patients. Its practice dates back to the origins of pharmacy, although compounding’s presence in the pharmacy profession has changed over the years. In the

1930s and 1940s, the majority of prescriptions were compounded.

in the 1950s and ‘60s, compounding declined as the pharmacist’s role as a preparer of medications quickly changed to that of a dispenser of manufactured dosage forms. However, this “one-size-fits-all” approach to medication meant that some patients’ needs were not being met. Within the last few decades, however, compounding has experienced a renaissance as modern technology, innovative techniques and research have allowed more pharmacists to customize medications to meet a patient’s unique needs.  

How does Compounding benefit me?

There are many reasons why doctors and pharmacists provide compounded medicines for patients. Many patients are allergic to preservatives or dyes, or require a dosage that is different from the standard drug strengths. With a doctor’s consent, a compounding pharmacist can adjust the strength of a medicine, add flavour to make it easier to take or easier to swallow. For those patients who find it difficult to swallow a capsule, a compounding pharmacist can prepare the drug as a flavoured suspension or gels or cream that can be absorbed through the skin, suppositories or sub-lingual troches.

What kinds of prescriptions can be compounded?           Almost any kind! Compounded prescriptions are ideal for any patient requiring unique dosages and/or delivery devices.

Compounding applications can include:

bio-identical hormone replacement therapy; 

pain management

dental

otic (for the ear) 

skin 

medication flavoring 

neuropathy

veterinary

sports medicine

wound therapy

podiatry

gastroenterology

We are a proud member of PCCA

PCCA stands for Professional Compounding Chemists of Australia

With PCCA you can have your medicine compounded with confidence knowing that PCCA is endorsed by Pharmacy Guild of Australia.

PCCA is licensed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) as a supplier of ingredients     

Tricolour Quinoa Porridge

By Alvina

Ingredients:

1 cup of Tricolour Quinoa

2 cups of filtered water

1/2 cup of pitted dates (soaked in some of the filtered water)

Zest of 1 lime

Juice from 1/2 a lime

1 grated pear

A pinch of sea salt

1 tbsp of raw honey

Blueberries

Toasted sunflower, pumpkin seeds and almonds

Instructions:

Soak Quinoa in water overnight and rinse well to remove the bitter soap like substance called saponin

before cooking.

Pour water, quinoa, dates, lime juice, pear, salt and honey in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa is soft. 

Serve with blueberries and toasted seeds and nuts. Sprinkle some lime zest over the top of the porridge.

Serves 4

Garcinia Cambogia

After been asked on numerous occasion about Garcinia Cambogia, and not been satisfied with the glossy marketing materials, I decided to do my own review on Garcinia Cambogia. 

Some interesting findings...Garcinia has been used for centuries in Asian countries for cooking. It is used as a condiment, a flavouring agent and in food preservation. It is also used as a treatment for intestinal worms and other parasites, dysentery and other digestive complaints. 

Studies, even though there were over 20 trials identified, only 12 fit into the clinical trial standards. All the studies are measuring the weight loss effect of Hydroxycitric acid (HCA). HCA is found primarily in the rind of the Garcinia Cambogia. 

Safety There are a handful of drugs in the market to help weight loss, but we need to consider the effectiveness, the cost and adverse effects/safety. 

Reductil (Sibutramine) was withdrawn from the market in 2010, due to its risk of serious cardiovascular events. 

Duromine (Phentermine) has been reported to cause palpitation, fatigue,dizziness, headache, dry mouth and insomnia.

The side effects of Xenical (Orlistat) include oily and loose stools, flatulence with oily discharge, faecal incontinence and frequent or urgent bowel movements.  

From the research I have been doing on Garcinia, there has not been an adverse reaction report relating to HCA since 1964. 

Does it work? Most of the studies are short term studies, the longest study went for 12 weeks. When combining the results of all the studies, HCA was favoured to have a small but significant difference in weight loss. In at least two trials that I know of, cholesterol profile was improved; leptin (which is a protein produced by fatty tissue) level was reduced. The author from one of these studies wrote, "At the end of 8 weeks, body weight and BMI decreased by 5.4% and 5.2%, respectively. Food intake, total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides and serum leptin levels were significantly reduced, while HDL and serotonin levels, and excretion of urinary fat metabolites (a biomarker of fat oxidation) significantly increased. No significant adverse effects were reported." I have to remind you though, apart from taking the HCA, these patients were also walking 30 min 5 days a week, and not eating more than 2000kcal diet per day. 

Verdict?  Pros: HCA has a good safety profile. It can cause short term weight loss. It may be a good way to kick start a long term lifestyle plan in acheiving a healthy weight. Cons: More longer and rigorous trials needed.

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Hayfever and Allergies

 Tips on how to survive the allergy season:

The most common allergies in the spring are hay fever (pollen from e.g. ryegrass, canary, wild oat grass and casurina trees) and moulds. Although dust mites are all year round, the ideal conditions for their growth are 25ºC and 75% relative humidity making the South Coast a perfect dwelling place. Here are some suggestions to decrease exposure to allergens:

·       Wash sheets, mattress covers, pillow cases and curtains weekly in water hotter than 55^oC. This will kill dust mites and wash away the allergen they produce. Reduce dust mites by covering mattress, pillow and quilt with dust mite resistant covers. The covers must be washed every 2 months. If you cannot wash them in hot water, use a commercial product with essential oils formulated to kill dust mites in cold water. Tumble drying items for 10 minutes after normal washing will also kill dust mites.

·       Consider replacing carpets with hard floors. Use throw rugs instead as you can wash them.

·       Consider replacing heavy curtains with Venetian blinds or flat blinds as they are easier to clean.

·       Expose mattresses to sunlight for several hours (but beware of high pollen count on the day)

·       Remove sheepskin or woollen underlays.

·       Remove all soft toys from the bed and bedroom. If this is not possible, wash them on a regular basis. If they are too big, freeze them in a plastic bag for 24-48 hours to kill the mites, but this will not remove allergens.

·       Leave your shoes at the door so you do not track outside allergens around the house.

·       Keep pet dander low by giving your pets a regular bath.

·       Use a damp or electrostatic cloth to clean hard surfaces weekly.

·      Clean your air by using an air purifier with a HEPA filter to remove allergens from the air. Use a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner and vacuum weekly. Beware that the amount of house dust mite allergens in the air will increase for up to 20 minutes.

·     Although pollen is known to be blown long distances on windy days, most pollen is deposited within a short distance of its source. The peak pollen season is between late September and Christmas. Keep your windows shut during peak pollen level periods. Pollen counts are usually highest between 6am and noon.

Use a dehumidifier to decrease the level of indoor dust mite and mould. Avoid water cooled air conditioners as they release water into the air.

·       Wash hands and face frequently to stop contact with eyes, mouth and nose. Washing your hair at night washes out the allergens trapped in your hair from landing on your pillow and being inhaled while you are sleeping.

Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS), also known as Pollen Food Syndrome (PFS), usually happens in people who are allergic to pollen from trees, grasses or weeds. It has been shown that pollens from trees, grasses and weeds contain proteins of similar structure to those present in many different fruits, vegetables, nuts and even spices. These proteins, which have essential roles in plant growth and defence against disease, are recognised by the immune system of a hay fever sufferer, and can trigger an allergic reaction in a susceptible person. This condition therefore usually affects people who get spring or summertime hay fever, but can occur in people who do not have hay fever but test positive to pollens.·       

If the allergen is ragweed pollen, consuming cucumber, banana, melon, watermelon, zucchini, pumpkin may trigger an allergic reaction. If the allergen is birch pollen, consuming apple, pear, cherry, peach, and plum may cause an allergic reaction. Plantain grass pollen is common and people may react if they consume melon, watermelon, tomato, orange and kiwi fruit.

Allergy symptoms could still occur even with everything above in place. Here are a few tips on ways to treat allergy symptoms:

1.    Antihistamine tablets and syrups– work by blocking a natural substance in your body called histamine. This is released by your immune system during an allergic reaction.

2.    Nasal sprays such as Rhinocort®, Nasonex® and Beconase® - work by reducing and controlling the inflammation that cause nasal blockage and the other symptoms of hayfever.

3.    Nasal saline irrigation – cleansing the nasal passges with saline is very effective in washing out pollen and mucus.

4.    Use natural antihistamine products that contain Quercetin and Vitamin C.

5.    Horseradish, fenugreek, marshmellow and garlic have traditionally been used for the relief of hayfever. Horseradish contains mustard oils which are thought to have a decongestant effect. Fenugreek and marshmellow act as demulcents which help to soothe inflammed mucous membranes. Garlic has anti-inflammatory and decongestant properties

6.    Drink lots of water, natural teas and juices to keep the mucus moving.

7.   Probiotics are a helpful option. Allergies are the result of your immune system reacting with allergens. Probiotics help balance your beneficial intestinal bacteria that keep your immune system strong.

Prep before marathon

Some supplements to consider 2-3 days before the marathon and race, and 5 days after for recovery:

* Magnesium chelate - this helps reduce inflammation, cope with the physical stress on the body, to help energy production and nourish the muscle tissues.

* Vitamin C (preferably in mineral asborbate form for better absorption) - about 500mg, helps reduce inflammatory response, increase stress tolerance, enhance thyroid function and increase antioxidant store.

* Coenzyme Q10 - about 100mg, make sure you get a good quality CoQ10. This helps reduce muscle damage and energy production. Studies have shown that athletes who take CoQ10 take less time to complete the race. 

* DO NOT take non-steriodal anti-inflammatory BEFORE (or during) your race. Studies have shown that it increases inflammation and endotoxemia (see next paragraph for explanation) and worsen kidney function post race. 

Long term training…

Gut health is extremely important for an endurance athlete. Long duration of exercise can induce Endotoxemia. Sorry for the big word! In layman's term, this is what it means - As you train, blood gets shunted from your gut, this leads to the dying off of bacteria. The cell walls of the bacteria that are released into the blood stream are called endotoxins. Endotoxins then bind to the muscle tissue and trigger inflammatory cytokines, which damage your tissue overtime. 

To improve gut health, you may want to consider:

Probiotics, Digestive enzymes and supplements to enhance the integrity of the gut cell membrane.

Happy Training!

Vitamin D

An article caught my eye in one of the pharmacy journal. 
"Millions of dollars wasted on Vitamin D supplements"

In the study, the authors said that the high levels of spending on vitamin D supplements were "concerning" given that the vitamin could be obtained from alternative sources such as sunlight and food." 

My argument:

- Only a small amount gets absorbed from food, the form in food is Vitamin D2, not D3. Vitamin D2 is NOT an active form. 

- In summer, about 21% of Queenslanders are still Vitamin D deficient and they spent over 7 hours in the sun, according to a study. 

- Once the skin absorbs the vitamin D, it still needs to be transported into the liver and kidney before it becomes the active form. Have they considered the patients kidney and liver status?

- And what about the Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in Vitamin D? SNPs in layman's term is gene mutation. We all have certain SNPs. Sometimes it works to our advantage, but sometimes not. If patient has the particular SNPs, they're not efficient in converting the Vitamin D from the sun. I don't think the authors have taken that into consideration. 

Super Nutritious Bliss Balls

Ingredients:
1/2 tsp Psyllium husk
1 tsp organic Chia seeds
90mL of filtered water
1/2 cup raw Almonds
1/4 Sunflower seeds
1/4 Pumpkin seeds
1 vanilla pod
1/2 cup Cacao powder
1/4  cup dessicated Coconut 
2 tbsp plant based protein powder
1 tsp Camu or Kakadu plum powder
1 tsp green tea powder
1/2 tsp super Green or Spirulina powder
A good pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup Sultanas
3/4 cup dates
(Makes about 30 small size bliss balls)

Method:

1. Soak the psyllium husk and chia seeds in water for at least half an hour. 
2. In a food processor or a good quality blender (I use BioChef blender), grind the almonds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds until you get a meal. 
3. Transfer the nut/seed meal into a large mixing bowl. 
4. Scrape the contents of a vanilla pod, and together with dessicated coconut and all the powders, add to mixing bowl. Use a spatula and mix well. 
5. Blend the dates and sultanas, until it forms a lumpy paste. 
6. Transfer the paste into the mixing bowl.  
7. By now, the psyllium husk and chia seeds would have formed a gel-like mixture. Add the sea salt into the gel mixture and stir well. 
8. Transfer the gel mixture into the mixing bowl.
9. With clean hands, mix the ingredients well and roll them into balls.
10. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving.

Comment:

• If possible, try to use organic. All the ingredients I used were from our pharmacy Blooms The Chemist Nowra Mall. We do not normally carry organic vanilla pods on the shelf, but if you have trouble getting them, we can always order them in. 
• See my previous recipe on sprouted seed spread about soaking nuts and seeds. 
• I use a variety of superfood/anti-oxidant powders because I really want to "inject" as many nutrients as possible into this snack/treat. You don't have to use all the powders if you don't want to. Simply use more Cacao powder. 
• You can easily turn this into a nut free bliss ball by substituting the almonds with  1/2 cup Sunflower and 1/2 cup Pumpkin seeds.

Introductory Autism Talk at Bomaderry Preschool Fund Raiser

Written by Alvina Foo

By the time you read this, the statistic is probably already outdated. Nevertheless, it gives you a good idea of how fast these illnesses are progressing. We are faced with Childhood Epidemics. 

1 in 100 children diagnosed with Autism
1 in 100 children with ADHD
1 out of every 13 children diagnosed with asthma
1 out of every 20 children with food allergies
1 out of every 6 children suffers from eczema

As compared to some of the other developmental disorders, there is a rapid increase in Autism. Is Autism the tip of the iceberg in childhood illnesses?

What is Autism?

There are many types of autisms, there is not just the one type. Therefore, sometimes Autism is also called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Autism is a whole body, a biochemical and biological disorder. It is not a psychological disorder. 

The spectrum consists of Autistic disorder; Childhood Disintegrative Disorder; Persuasive Developmental Disorder - Not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS); Asperger's disorder and Rett's disorder. 

How would an autistic child present itself?

They are generally not very sociable. They have no interest in friends; avoid eye contact and prefer their own company. 

He or she may have problem communicating and may repeat words and phrases. 

An autistic child may display unusual behaviour such as, hand flapping; picky eating (sometimes only eating specific coloured food) and throw frequent tantrums.

They may have intense unusual interest in a specific topic which requires mechanical workings or be fascinated by facts and figures. 

This is an example of an autistic child…
"She always hated noise, people and busy places. She would scream, have a tantrum or cry because she was so overwhelmed."

Is there a single cause for Autism? Most people would like that answer to be a "Yes", then we can move on and find a cure for it. Unfortunately, it is a lot more complicated than that. I'm afraid we are looking at a multifactorial problem; genes interplaying with the environment. It cannot be a genetic epidemic, as this just doesn't occur in such a such period of time. Our environment, however has made drastic changes. 

The persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as DDT and PCB persist for years in the environment. They are stored in fatty tissue and biomagnify up to 10 million times…yes, 10 million times through the food chain. Some sea creatures are deemed as so toxic that their carcasses must be treated as toxic waste. 

"Tests Find More Than 200 Chemicals in Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood"made the headline in Dec 2009 in the American Scientific journal. In other findings, of the 287 toxins they found in newborn babies, 180 are known carcinogens, 217 are toxic to the nervous system and brain. 

Kids are more vulnerable to environmental toxicants than adults because:

There are more hand to mouth behaviour; more exposure to the ground; immature immune and detoxification system and higher absorption and metabolic rate.

It is also less comforting to know that our Australian preschoolers have higher levels of pesticide residues than our counterparts in America and Germany!

The question is no longer "Are we toxic?" It is rather "How toxic are we?"

So...what can we do about it? 

There're some simple measures that we can do to reduce exposure:

• Remove shoes at home
• Wash our hands before eating
• Keep indoor plants
• Minimise food packaging
• Eat organic food if it is possible

In regards to the last point,there is data suggesting that toddlers eating mostly organic food have less than 1/6 the pesticide residues in their urine. 

With the permission of Dr Debbie Fewtrell (NZ), who by the way is a great teacher and a passionate doctor. I was able to share the case history with the audience and show by using a biomedical approach, that we may be able to help many of these children. 

See link for Sienna's story:

http://www.nzwomansweekly.co.nz/your-stories/weekly-people/our-autistic-daughters-new-life/

I am a member of a non-profit organisation called MINDD Foundation. They provide a lot of wonderful resources for carers and healthcare practitioners. If you think that they're an organisation worth supporting, please either become a member or make a donation and help them make a difference!