Gateway Pharmacy

With back-to-school, and the return of cold and flu season just around the corner, now is the perfect time to review hand washing with your kids.

Good hand hygiene not only helps to prevent your child from getting sick, but it also reduces their risk of infecting others. If you have any questions, stop by and talk to our pharmacist.

To teach kids about proper hand washing technique, check out the popular Operation: WASHUP program. It contains fun, easy-to-understand tools you can use at home: https://www.tevacanada.com/en/canada/your-health-wellness/operation-washup/

Gateway Pharmacy is excited to announce a new service we are offering to our patients. You can now book an over the phone physician consultation appointment. It’s just as simple as scanning the QR code!

Pollinators like bees are vital to growing the foods we need, and most will ignore us if we leave them alone.

But do you know what to do when you or someone with you has been stung by a bee or wasp?

For most people, a sting is just painful. Dropping into the pharmacy for pain medications or an antihistamine can do the trick!

But for a few, it can be life-threatening. You may not know you're one of them until after you've been stung. A severe allergic reaction to bee stings (anaphylaxis) requires emergency treatment.

Talk with us to know the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, and what you can do to protect you and your family. Learn more about caring for an insect sting: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/care-insect-sting

During the hot, hazy days of summer, it’s important to pay attention to your body’s hydration needs. If you’re spending a lot of time outside, or you and your children are playing sports, and sweating heavily, you could be at risk of dehydration.
The signs of dehydration can include:
• Thirst
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Flushed skin
If you or someone you are with is showing signs of dehydration, get some liquids in right away. An electrolyte-infused water will help to replenish your body with depleted nutrients. Certain medications can increase your risk of dehydration. Ask our pharmacist for more information.

A red, itchy, sore ear could signal a common complaint during the summer months: swimmer’s ear.

Swimmer’s ear is an infection in the tube that runs from your eardrum to the outer part of your ear. It’s often brought on by water that remains in your ear, creating a moist environment where bacteria can grow.

This infection can usually be treated with prescription ear drops. Ask our pharmacist if you should see your doctor.

Today is World No To***co Day – and we are here to help you reach your goal of being smoke-free!

Our pharmacist can recommend the right type of ni****ne replacement therapy for you—including the patch, gum, lozenge, spray, or inhaler –– and explain how to use it, while also providing guidance on support services that are available.

If you are looking to make a change and go smoke-free, also check out Smoke Free Curious, an online hub of supports available for Canadian adults who want to quit smoking: https://www.smokefreecurious.ca/s/?language=en_US

***coDay

Summer is upon us and for some of you this means a hair removal product has been added to your shopping list.
If you are considering your options, hair removal creams (depilatories) can be a good way to dissolve hair on legs, underarms, bikini lines and more. When used properly, they are safe and effective—but they’re not for everyone. People with damaged skin or chronic skin conditions, like rosacea, psoriasis or even a sunburn, should not use these products.

If you have questions, stop by and speak with our pharmacist.

If you’re frequently hungry, often feel sluggish during the day, and struggle with constipation, you might not be getting enough fibre in your diet.
A diet rich in fibre assists with bowel regularity, lowers cholesterol levels, and helps you feel full. According to Health Canada, women need 25 grams of fibre per day and men need 38 grams daily, but many Canadians only get about half of that.
If you are struggling to reach these daily requirements, our pharmacist can help by finding a fibre supplement right for you. Stop by for personalized advice tailored to your needs.

Read more about how you can work more fibre into your diet:
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/nutrients/fibre.html #

It’s common to pack on a couple extra pounds over the winter months, but spring is here and it’s time to give those healthier habits a kickstart!

The warmer weather upon us is perfect for increasing your activity levels (hello long walks and bike rides!). Your farmer’s market will soon be ushering in local produce to freshen up your diet. Get ready to spring into a more energized and healthier you. The pharmacy team is here to help. Stop by the pharmacy if you have any questions.

For many, spring weather can exacerbate asthma symptoms. Pollen is a common trigger, but did you know that asthma symptoms can also be triggered by temperature changes, insect repellants and yard fertilizers?

Now is a great time to check the expiry date of your inhalers—or if you can’t find them, call the pharmacy to request a refill.

Get more tips to help you breathe easier outside: https://asthma.ca/get-help/asthma-triggers/outdoor-triggers/

It’s that time of year when many people are making resolutions for improved health.

Whether you are hoping to better manage a condition like diabetes, get your cholesterol under control, or just get a clear understanding of your medications, our pharmacist is here to assist you.

Stop by any time to share your questions, concerns, or plans for improving your health––we’re here to help!

If you packed on a few extra pounds over the holidays, you’re not alone. Seasonal setbacks are common, and not simply due to overindulging. Stress, changes in sleep cycles and seasonal depression can all set the stage for weight gain. But you can get your health goals back on track.

Take control with these strategies:
• Establish a healthy routine of eating right, moving your body often and sleeping well every night.
• Schedule workouts (or even walks) with a friend or use a diet and fitness app for support.
• Be patient and stick with it!

Ask our pharmacist for additional tips to help you get to your healthy weight.

Even during the coldest months of the year, our skin is still at risk of sun damage. Check out these three surprising facts to help you stay sun safe this season.
1/ UV strength doesn’t significantly decrease from summer to winter. If the sun is shining you are exposed to damaging rays, whether it’s +20C or -20C.
2/ The sun’s rays can pass through fog, haze, windows (including in the car) and reflect off snow.

3/ The Canadian Dermatology Association recommends applying a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher to exposed skin daily, all year round.

x

Did you know up to 80% of premature heart disease and stroke can be prevented through healthy lifestyle habits, including eating well?

Take these three nutrition tips from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada to heart:
• Whole grain foods are packed with fibre, vitamin B and protein, to help you maintain a healthy weight, which is good for your heart.
• Protein is essential to your heart health.
• Eating fewer processed foods is one of the best steps towards a heart healthy diet.

Check out this blog post about learning to stick to a new diet, post-heart attack:
https://www.tevacanada.com/en/canada/life-effects/6-tips-to-stick-to-your-new-diet-after-a-heart-attack/

Ask our pharmacist for more information about how to protect your heart‘s health.

A fever, dry cough, sore throat, and fatigue are common symptoms of the flu. And we know they can make you feel awful. But, if you are otherwise in good health, not pregnant and younger than age 65, you are at low risk of complications and should feel better within a week.

It’s very important we all do our part in stopping the spread of the virus that causes the flu! If you or your child have the flu, be sure to stay home from work, school, and other public places, for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medication.

Learn more about the spread of flu and how you can prevent it:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/flu-influenza/prevention-risks.html

Winter is coming, and so are eczema flare-ups for many living with the condition.

The itch that often is associated with eczema can be the hardest part of living with the condition. Consider these tips from the Eczema Society of Canada to help calm the itch:

 Keep nails smooth and trimmed short to reduce damage from scratching.
 Try a cool compress or take a cool bath or shower.
 Try to reduce stress as much as possible. Find activities you enjoy and help you to relax.
 The use of moisturizer may help to relieve dry skin and itch.

Learn more about eczema from the Eczema Society of Canada:
https://eczemahelp.ca

Got your first nasty cold of the season? That sore throat, runny nose, and/or mild cough is probably going to last one to two weeks.

Although you can be contagious throughout the time you have symptoms, you’re most likely to infect someone else during the first few days. If you can, stay home to rest and recover, and reduce the risk of passing it on to someone else, particularly those around you who may be at risk of complications.

If you have concerns about worsening symptoms or are wondering if it’s time to see your doctor, our pharmacist is here to help.

It’s that time of year again! Many parents dread packing lunchboxes, but you can make the job easier on yourself (and send a midday meal your kids will actually eat!) with this key tip from Canada’s Food Guide:

Involve your little ones in planning and prepping their lunches. Having them help will improve their food skills, encourage them to try new things and cut down on the amount of food that comes back uneaten.

Read more about your child’s nutrition needs: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/tips-for-healthy-eating/school/

Kids are headed back to class in a few weeks! Did you know that as much as 80 percent of the learning they do at school is visual? Children who have trouble seeing can encounter many difficulties in class and their ability to read and write may be affected.

Read more about what you can do to ensure your children’s eyes are healthy and that they are seeing well: https://opto.ca/health-library/the-eye-exam

If the skin on your chest or face looks unusually red, blotchy, and swollen after being active outdoors, or your child has raised red patches on their cheeks or upper back after playing outside on a hot day, it could be a case of heat rash.

To get some relief, move indoors or to a shaded area, remove excess clothing and apply a cool damp cloth to the affected areas.

Ask our pharmacist for tips on soothing your skin, and for advice on when to call your doctor.

A red, itchy, sore ear could signal a common complaint during the summer months: swimmer’s ear.

Swimmer’s ear is an infection in the tube that runs from your eardrum to the outer part of your ear. It’s often brought on by water that remains in your ear, creating a moist environment where bacteria can grow.

This infection can usually be treated with prescription ear drops. Ask our pharmacist if you should see your doctor.