LivingwithaChoice
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Blog
  • My Quick Tips
    • Favorite Quotes
  • Contact
  • Having a Choice

Share

Monday: Mind/Spirit
Tuesday: Metabolic/Endocrine
Wednesday: Cardiovascular
Thursday: Women
Friday: Diet/Nutrition
Saturday: Leadership
Sunday: Superfoods

Do you or someone you know take Warfarin?

1/9/2013

0 Comments

 
If so, a few important tips:
  1. Do not miss a dose. If you do, do not double up your dose. Keep track of missed doses.
  2. Check your INR (International Normalized Ratio) as scheduled. This number tells you how thick or thin your blood is. Your physician will adjust your dose as necessary. This is why it's important to keep track of any missed doses.
  3. Keep your dietary vitamin K intake consistent day to day. Warfarin works on vitamin K to prevent clots. Vitamin K is found primarily in green leafy vegetables. Ask your physician or pharmacist for a list of vitamin K containing foods.
  4. Warfarin interacts with many things. Consult with your physician or pharmacy when making changes to vitamins, OTC items, diet, and other medications. Any changes made, let your physician know.
  5. Take warfarin with a full glass of water at the same time every day.
  6. Store your medication away from heat, light, and moisture.
  7. Make sure your physician knows of any upcoming surgeries, procedures, and especially dental work. (Let all of your providers know you take warfarin)
  8. Carry an ID card that states you take warfarin.
  9. If you take warfarin, it is for an important reason. Education is needed for friends and family also.
  10. Read your patient information leaflet that comes with your medication. It tells you a lot!
0 Comments

Tired? Irritable? Cold?

1/2/2013

0 Comments

 
Iron is necessary to ensure oxygen delivery to every cell in your body. Do you have low energy? Feel tired? Have trouble sleeping? Are you replenishing your iron stores to ensure you have oxygen for times of stress and illness? I do not have to explain why our bodies need oxygen. Low levels can manifest slowly as headaches, sexual dysfunction, irritability, swelling of the tongue, brittle nails, and lack luster hair to just name a few.

Iron can be obtained from your diet. Some examples of dietary sources include: red meat, lima beans, kale, spinach, watermelon, beets, prunes, clams, almonds, and chlorophyll. Check with your doctor if you need further supplementation.

Keep in mind just like any food you can consume it but are you absorbing the necessary nutrients? The tannins in tea, polyphenols on coffee, phosphates in soda, and calcium if taken within two hours of an iron supplement all impair iron absorption.

You subsequently can also increase iron absorption by combining foods rich in vitamin C (tomatoes, peppers, green veggies, citrus fruits) with iron rich foods.

I routinely boost my iron stores. Sometimes in the winter my lips crack in the corners. When I consciously increase my iron intake, I am able to avoid this. Women especially need to be aware of the benefits of iron very month. Your immune system will thank you. Prevention is the treatment!

One other tidbit I wish I knew earlier is if you aren't ensuring oxygen stores you will burn carbohydrates first instead of fat during exercise as it takes less oxygen to burn carbs. If you are exercising for weight loss ensure your body has plenty of iron.

Oxygen, oxygen, oxygen! The key to optimal wellness :)

A bit of information, to your health! Explore Iron! Questions welcome!

0 Comments

You Tell Me

1/1/2013

0 Comments

 
What do you want to know more about to improve your health? Mind, body, and spirit. Put in a comment.
Picture
0 Comments

Quick Detox

1/1/2013

0 Comments

 
Eliminate all aluminum from your diet and lifestyle!!!

Read Labels:
Salt 
Baking Powder
Cake Mixes
Antacids
Soda Drinks
Pickled Foods
Processed Cheeses
Deodorant
To name a few!

Avoid cooking with aluminum foil or using as a wrapping for food.  Avoid drinking out of aluminum bottles or cans (beer/water).

Aluminum is a heavy metal that leaches into food and settles in the kidneys, brain, and intestines. I won't begin to explain what these three organ systems do for your body and mind. 

Aluminum has been associated with Alzheimer's and interferes with the body's ability to absorb calcium and phosphorus, two essential components for almost every body function.  

A Quick and Easy Detox: Reduce and Eliminate Aluminum in your Diet/Lifestyle.

There are options!!!!  Read labels and educate yourself.  Prevention is the treatment.

Your body will love you for it!

To your health 

0 Comments

Can't sleep?

12/29/2012

0 Comments

 
Can't sleep, try a handful of raw pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds are one of the best sources of tryptophan, an amino acid that increases serotoninin in our brains resulting in increased mood, decreased stress/anxiety, and insomnia relief. Pumpkin seeds are also high in magnesium and zinc. Try soaking the seeds in water for half a day for easier digestion. Pumpkin seed butter is also delicious! Keep in mind tryptophan is considered to be the least abundant amino acid in people's diets. Maybe this is why Ambien is one of the most commonly prescribed medications. Something to chew on... tryptophan= pumpkin seeds :) To your health!
0 Comments

Schedule of posts/blogs

12/18/2012

0 Comments

 
Monday:        Mind and Spirit
Tuesday:       Metabolic Processes (Diabetes, Thyroid, etc)
Wednesday:  Blood Pressure/Cardiovascular
Thursday:      Women
Friday:           Nutrition and The Gut
Saturday:       Surprise!!!
Sunday:         Superfoods



This will be the general outline of my posts from this point on. If there is a topic that most interests you, you will now know which day to best frequent my writings.  I love to help, educate, and inspire. I hope to do just that! <3
0 Comments

Do you choose to...

12/16/2012

0 Comments

 
What are the side effects? Are there drug interactions? Do I take this with food? Do I refrigerate? How do I tell if I'm allergic? How does it work? Can I drink alcohol? Where can you find all this information? On that leaflet we give you with your medication at the pharmacy. Look for it. Do you read it? Or do you choose to throw it away? Don't ask me to discard the packaging and leaflets because I won't. I choose to empower you. We give it to you for a reason. Afterall, it's your body. Take a moment to read that leaflet. It just may save your life.

"You never see a crash till its head on..."
0 Comments

Have you put on a white coat?

12/12/2012

0 Comments

 
I overheard a conversation today, on my day off from the pharmacy, about how the pharmacist didn't even smile when she picked up her prescription. Let me ask you one thing, have you ever worn a white coat? Do you understand the amount of responsibility a pharmacist holds on their shoulders every day they go to work? Enough to know that if one pill gets into the wrong bottle, a medication overdose isn't caught, or a doctor's handwriting is misread that one error can kill you. We, as pharmacists, are not allowed even one error. We must be 100% every hour, every day. There is a lot on our minds, including, yes, YOUR health and well-being. So, if the pharmacist provides you with the correct medication, in the correct dose, for the correct indication, please don't sweat it if the pharmacist didn't smile at you that day.  Who goes to the pharmacy for emotional support anyway. There are other doctors for that. We care about you but please understand what it means to do our job. Until you have put on a white coat, don't judge. We provide a professional service in a retail environment where less help and greater pressure exists today.  Know what service that is and help us help you. If you don't like the service, find a pharmacist you do like!  In love and respect and in service to your health! We do care about you.  
0 Comments

Magnesium

12/7/2012

0 Comments

 
  • Magnesium: 4th most abundant mineral in the body responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions. It only makes sense that if magnesium is deficient in the body something, somewhere won't be functioning correctly. Magnesium effects muscle, nerves, our heart, immune system, blood sugar, bones, and energy production. Magnesium is absorbed in the small intestine. If the "gut" is not functioning correctly, magnesium malabsorption occurs. As related to my last post, the gut is underrated. You can eat all the magnesium rich foods and supplements you want but if it isn't being absorbed your body and mind are suffering. Point 1: Magnesium is an essential mineral for our body. Point 2: The gut is extremely vital to our health. 
  • Testing for Magnesium levels in the blood is misleading. Only about 1% is found in the blood. Magnesium is found mostly in tissue and bone. Therefore, understand the signs and symptoms of low magnesium.


Picture
0 Comments

LIVINGwithachoice:anxiety

12/4/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
One of the most common questions I am asked at the pharmacy by young women is "what can I take for anxiety that is natural?". There are options. People do ask. Listen to you body.  You are not the only one. Simple diet and lifestyle changes can make a big difference. Then if you still require medication, at least you have explored your options. Anxiety medications can have side effects, drug interactions, dependency, and contraindications. Know what you are putting in your body. More to come...
0 Comments

JointheTeam

12/2/2012

0 Comments

 
Do you ask your doctor questions about the prescriptions they write for you? An impromptu survey reveals that 75% of those presenting a prescription at the pharmacy do not know how to take the medication prescribed.  Before you leave your doctor appointment, make sure you know what is prescribed, how to take it, and ask questions. 

Yes, we are well trained at reading physician handwriting but YOU must be your own advocate. Take ownership of what's going into your body; you will lessen the chance of error. Those patients who are empowered protect themselves. 

One of the first questions we are trained to ask you is "how did your doctor tell you to take this medication". Not only does your  answer to this question ensure the correct the drug, dose, and schedule for your body, but it helps us help you. If pharmacists recorded every time they had to call a doctor for clarification on a prescription, this number would reach to space and back several times!

Pharmacist are just as responsible for a prescription as your physician. We take this seriously. 

Be empowered and become a vital part of YOUR own healthcare team.
0 Comments

InaBox

12/1/2012

0 Comments

 
Vitamin "X". Really? Anyone care to guess?

I was told at a doctor's appointment that I should leave with a prescription for Xanax because I am young, single, live in NYC, and have a stressful job. So what?!  No thank you, I'm fine.  And by the way, did you know I am a pharmacist? Xanax is not a vitamin. Far from it!
0 Comments

Doctor of Pharmacy

11/29/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Helping Others: Why I am a Pharmacist
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs.

 Due to the changes to health care in today's society and the increasing need for counseling and medication maintenance, pharmacists have taken on a larger role as clinicians. This increase in the need for accessible health care information for consumers has led to great strides in the field of pharmacy. One result of this has been a change in the way pharmacy schools structure their curriculum as well as a first professional doctorate degree, which further sets the pharmacist apart as a trusted ally in a patient's health care treatment regimen. In fact, pharmacists consistently rank as one of the most trusted professionals in today's society. This degree usually requires on average 7–9 years of college education at present time, depending on which state you live in.

--Wikipedia:  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Pharmacy
0 Comments
    Picture

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Dr. Jessica Lewis

    A Balanced Life

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Categories

    All
    2013
    Abundance
    Accomplishment
    Accuracy
    Advocate
    Age
    Alternative
    Amino Acid
    Angelic
    Antioxidant
    Anxiety
    Awareness
    Baking
    Balance
    Basics
    Beautifying
    Beauty
    Believe
    Benzodiazepines
    Blessings
    Blood Sugar
    Blue
    Body
    Butterfly
    Calories
    Celebrate
    Chakras
    Change
    Children
    Choices
    Cholesterol
    Cleanse
    Coffee
    Color
    Communication
    Courage
    Creativity
    Cycles
    Dangerous
    Degree
    Demand
    Details
    Detox
    Diabetes
    Diet And Lifestyle
    Dive In
    Divinity
    Diy
    Doctor
    Documentary
    Drugs
    Educated
    Education
    Einstein
    Embrace
    Emotions
    Empowered
    Energy
    Enjoy The Ride
    Enzymes
    Example
    Exercise
    Expression
    Family
    Fatigue
    Food
    Freedom
    Friendliness
    Gift
    Goals
    Goodness
    Green
    Happiness
    Happy
    Healing
    Healthcare
    Healthy
    Heart
    Help
    Holiday
    Hope
    Individualized
    Insomnia
    Inspire
    Integrative Medicine
    Intention
    Intuition
    Iron
    Keep Moving
    Knowledge
    Leadership
    Lemon
    Let It Shine
    Life
    Light
    Light The Way
    Listen
    Look Up
    Love
    Magnesium
    Masculine
    Medications
    Meditation
    Mental Health
    Metabolism
    Mind
    Minerals
    Modeling
    Moments
    Money
    Mood
    Nature
    Negative Ions
    New Year
    New York City
    Nutrients
    Nutrition
    One
    Options
    Oral Contraceptives
    Outdoors
    Outline
    Oxygen
    Passion
    Path
    Peace
    Pharmacist
    Pharmacy
    Positive
    Powerful
    Prayer
    Prescriptions
    Present
    Prevention
    Professional
    Protein
    Question
    Quick Fix
    Raw Food
    Read
    Rejuvenate
    Relationships
    Rest
    Results
    Schedule
    Self-realization
    Self Respect
    Simple
    Sisters
    Skin
    Sleep
    Smile
    Song
    Spices
    Spirit
    Sports
    Stop
    Stress
    Success
    Sun
    Superfood
    Synchronicity
    Take A Stand
    Time
    Together
    Toning
    Treatment
    Visualize
    Vitamins
    Water
    Women
    Worth

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Blog
  • My Quick Tips
    • Favorite Quotes
  • Contact
  • Having a Choice