Itchy Eyes, Runny Nose, Scratchy Throat.........

Ragweed is Blooming!

Are your eyes itching a little? Is your nose running and your throat a little scratchy? Do you have a tickly cough? If so you may be suffering from Ragweed Allergy. The Ragweed plant is currently in full bloom and its pollen is blowing in the wind. In Elk River the end of July the pollen level was 6.7. August 24 it was 11. Pollen levels between 9.7 and 12.0 tend to effect even people with mild Ragweed allergy. The bad news is that Ragweed can bloom until October. For Ragweed Pollen levels in our area, click on the following link: http://www.pollen.com/allergy-forecast.asp?zip=55330


If you are having allergy symptoms there are several things that you can do:
Reduce your exposure to the pollen: Keep your air conditioning on and windows closed during ragweed season. Take a shower after spending time outside so that you aren’t rubbing your face in a pillow that is covered with pollen that was on your skin and in your hair. Try to stay indoors from 10am to 4pm when pollen levels are the highest. Don’t hang sheets or clothing outside to dry – pollen can settle on them.

Try a daily saline nasal flush. Neti Pots or Squeeze bottles can be used to flush your sinuses with a mild salt water solution to help keep mucous membranes moist and to flush out irritating pollen from your sinuses. The water that you use to mix the saline solution must be sterile (boiled) or distilled so that you aren’t squirting bacteria or other microbes into your nose.

Antihistamines help your body react less to the pollen in the air. They work best when you begin taking them regularly before your allergies start rather than waiting until your eyes are itching and nose is running. We are currently recommending Fexofenadine (Allegra) and Cetirizine (Zyrtec). They are effective in treating seasonal allergies and tend to cause less drowsiness during the day. If your symptoms have already started, antihistamines will still work to decrease future symptoms from occurring but don’t immediately stop the symptoms that you are having. Adding a decongestant, if appropriate for you, for a few days usually helps until the antihistamine starts to work.

Corticosteroid Nasal Spray: If you have significant nasal allergy symptoms, talk to your Doctor and discuss using a Corticosteroid Nasal Spray like Fluticasone. This is used regularly during allergy season. It makes your sinus passages react less to the allergens in the air. It helps to reduce sinus drainage into your lungs and can also help reduce wheezing and coughing during allergy season. And unlike antihistamines, corticosteroids don’t cause drowsiness or irritability.

Our Pharmacists are Medication Specialists and are happy to answer your medication questions. We can help you pick out over the counter medications that best meet your allergy needs or contact your Doctor if a prescription medication is the best option for you.

Should You Be Taking Dietary Supplements?

There are some medications that reduce levels of vitamins, minerals or nutrient in our bodies. Sometimes this change can be significant.

The following list of medications have been shown to reduce the nutrients listed after them in some people. If you are taking one of these medications and are having no side effects or symptoms of a deficiency, I would not race out to buy the nutrient. If however, you have noticed changes in how you feel since you have started a medication it could be related to a deficiency of the nutrient that it affects. Blood levels of many nutrients can be measured by your Doctor. It may be worth taking a supplement to increase that nutrient in your body. If you feel better or the side effect goes away that is a good thing. If you don’t notice a difference after trying the supplement for a month or feel worse, stop taking the supplement and talk to your doctor.

As people get older, they do not absorb vitamins as well. It can be good preventative medicine to take a multiple vitamin/ mineral daily. Women on Birth Control Pills can supplement with a multiple vitamin/mineral daily so that in the event they do decide to become pregnant that they have good levels of folic acid.

It is a good idea to check with your Doctor or Pharmacist before starting a supplement to make sure that it won’t interact with another medication or conditions that you may have.

Acid Blockers like Proton pump inhibitors (Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonix) and H2 Blockers (Zantac, Tagamet, Pepcid) : B12, folic acid , Calcium, Vitamin D, Iron, Zinc

Corticosteroids (Prednisone) long term use: Calcium, Magnesium, Potasium

Aspirin, NSAID (Ibuprofen, Naproxen): Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Iron

Diuretics (Thiazide): Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium and Zinc + (Loop Diuretics) Thiamine

Hormones (Birth Control Pills, Hormone Replacement): B Vitamins, Folic Acid, Magnesium, Vitamin C

Metformin: Folic Acid, Vitamin B12

Methotrexate: Folic Acid

Phenytoin, Carbamazepine: Calcium, Vitamin D

Statin Drugs: (Lipitor, Crestor, Simvastatin etc.): Coenzyme Q10

This list continues to grow. There are also medications that aren’t very commonly used that I haven’t included here. Please check with our Pharmacists if you have any questions about your medications and their ability to decrease nutrient absorption.

Links to additional information on medications and supplements:
Birth control pills: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09323.html
Specific Drug Information: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html
Specific Dietary Supplement Information: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all

Foie Gras in People

Question:
What do Ducks or Geese overfed with large amounts of corn and not allowed to exercise have in common with people?

Answer:
Fatty Livers - in Ducks we call it Foie Gras and some consider it a delicacy to eat. In people we call it non-alcoholic liver disease and it is frequently found in people with Diabetes, Insulin Resistance and Metabolic Syndrome (Abdominal Obesity, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, & Insulin Resistance). Just like the ducks, our livers get fatty when extra calories not needed for energy are stored there as fat.

Question:
Can children have fatty liver disease?

Answer:
Yes, fatty liver disease has been found in children as young as 2 years old - it becomes more common as their weight increases. In a study in California, 81% of the case of fatty liver disease in children were found in those who were overweight.

The good news is most cases of fatty liver disease can be reversed!
As the liver becomes less fatty, cholesterol levels improve and insulin resistance decreases.

Eating a healthful diet and engaging in regular exercise are essential for reversing fatty liver. Following are several visualizations you can use to help you make positive changes in how you take care of yourself:

· Instead of thinking of white carbohydrates or fatty, fried foods as delicious treats, think of them as disguised pieces of lard. Imagine the gluey mess that lard creates in your blood vessels, contributing to feelings of sluggishness, being bloated and tired.

· Plan on eating a fruit, vegetable or other healthful snack when hungry between meals. Increase the fiber in your diet. Picture your nutritious food melting away the fat in your liver, and the fiber grabbing the fat and escorting it out of your body. Make a mental connection between this dissolution of your liver’s fat with feeling good and having increased levels of energy.

· Choosing to flop on the couch and stare at a television encourages your liver to grow fat. Whenever you know you should move but just don’t feel like it, visualize evil smiling fat globules racing to your liver and growing before your eyes. Walk around during commercials, lift weights while you sit and give those fat blobs the evil eye.

· As you move around, imagine your muscles kicking the extra fat out of your liver. Whether you walk, bike, swim, box, dance or do other forms of exercise, an active body moves the calories to parts of your body that need them so they don’t get stuck in your liver.

Choose to be more healthy now so you can stay more active as you age!