Ask the Pharmacy Expert

May 2012 Article

FOOD ALLERGIES

Good health has a lot to do with maintaining balance; the right balance of work and play, the right balance of nutrients in the diet, and the right kinds of FOODS.  Undiagnosed food allergies may contribute to symptoms and biochemical changes that eventually lead to illness.

With allergies, the immune system reacts by releasing cells called antibodies.  Foods that cause antibodies to be released are called allergens.  Two types of antibodies commonly produced in response to foods are IgG  and IgE.

IgE (immunoglobulin E) Reactions

When we speak of food allergies, most people think in terms of IgE reactions – rapid reactions that occur within minutes of consumption and can cause life-threatening allergies (e.g. peanut allergies).  Skin eruptions (hives, eczema), breathing and digestive problems can also be associated with IgE reactions.  After first time exposure to an allergen, the body remembers what the allergen looks like and has IgE ready for instant release if it sees that allergen again.  Because they appear right after a food allergen is eaten, IgE allergies can often be detected by carefully observing reactions to foods.

IgG (immunoglobulin G) Reactions

While IgE reactions happen in just minutes, IgG reactions take hours or days to develop.  This makes it almost impossible to discover which foods are causing the problem without testing.  In an IgG reaction, the IgG antibodies attach themselves to the allergen and create an antibody-allergen complex.   These complexes are normally removed by special cells called macrophrages.  However, if they are present in large numbers and the allergen is still being consumed, the macrophages cannot keep up.  The allergen-antibody complexes accumulate and are deposited in body tissues.  Once in tissue, these complexes release inflammation causing chemicals that may contribute to disease.

Conditions Associated with IgG Food Reactions

Weight Gain:  Antibody-allergen complexes in tissue cause inflammation, which causes fluid retention and weight gain.  To fight in, the body releases a chemical called ghrelin, which also happens to be an appetite stimulant.  Thus, IgG food reactions can cause weight gain in two ways:  fluid retention and increased appetite.

Digestive Disorders:  Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have been linked to IgG food allergies.  Studies have shown that elimination of foods producing an IgG reaction can alleviate IBS symptoms.

Mood/Attention Deficit Disorders:  Deposition of antibody-allergen complexes in nervous system tissues may contribute to hyperactivity, depression, anxiety, inability to concentrate and other mood disorders.  There is some evidence that eliminating IgG food allergens improves attentiveness in children.

Other Conditions:  Antibody-allergen complexes can be deposited in any tissue and cause symptoms over time.  For example, complexes deposited in lung tissue can cause asthma or other respiratory problems; in skin tissues, eczema may result; in blood vessels, hypertension may emerge; in joints, joint pain could occur; and so on, depending on the tissues involved.

Conditions Associated with IgE Food Reactions

IgE food reactions commonly cause hives and skin rashes, digestive problems, itchy watery eyes and sometimes life-threatening anaphylactic reactions.

How Leaky Gut Contributes to Food Allergies

Leaky gut syndrome is caused by inflammation in the gut lining.  Inflammation can be caused by food allergies, stress, certain drugs, and alcohol.  An inflamed gut lining causes food particles to leak through into the abdomen.  The presence of food particles outside the gut causes the body to produce immunoglobulins to attack them, because it thinks they are invaders, and anyone with a lot of food allergies may need to be treated for leaky gut.

At Millerdale Pharmacy we are committed to offering tests that identify food allergies and other imbalances – so they can be corrected before disease develops!

Millerdale Pharmacy is pleased to announce their grand opening Friday, May 25, 2012. We invite you to join us in celebrating over 30 years of excellence in serving Central Alberta in offering prescription service and specializing in professional medical supplies.

This family owned business is proud to share its history spanning three generations of community-focused service; culminating in a rich knowledge of our long standing clienteles’ needs balanced with future-focused complement of wellness services.

Millerdale Pharmacy is a leader in the pharmaceutical industry as a “one stop shop” for all of your prescription and wellness needs. We offer a wide variety of traditional and specialty services and products. Come down to experience our onsite compounding facility, and check out our holistic and natural remedies.  Learn about our professional counseling and consultation services; including hormone balancing, and weight and lifestyle management.

Join us for a day of refreshments at our new coffee counter, enter to win great prizes, and speak with our knowledgeable professionals and product representatives as they share their Expertise in everything from ostomy, sport braces, nutrition, mastectomy, and many other products and services.

We are located at 5201- 43rd St. West of the Red Deer Regional hospital. Millerdale Pharmacy is committed to remaining “Your Community Pharmacy” and now much more!

 

 

April 2012 Article

hCG

What Is hCG?

hCG:  human chorionic gonadotropin

 

hCG is excreted in the placenta of pregnant women.  It helps to mobilize stored fat when nutrition is sub-optimal or caloric intake is low.  hCG also protects beneficial lean muscle mass while burning undesirable fat.

How Does hCG Work?

hCG accesses stored fat to use for energy.  It helps to restore higher metabolism and suppresses appetite.  hCG assists in curbing cravings, resulting in minimal to no irritability for the patient.

Who Should NOT Have hCG?

There are some patient populations in which hCG is NOT recommended including:  pregnant or breastfeeding, patients with cancer or serious illness, uncontrolled diabetes and those with gallbladder disease.

Who Is The Ideal hCG Patient?

hCG is not for everyone!  Parameters for selecting appropriate patients are:

•    15 or more pounds to lose

•    Psychologically healthy

•    Committed to diet for at least 40 days

•    Motivated to make & maintain healthy lifestyle choices after weight loss

•    Labs in ideal range (no liver or kidney abnormalities)

•    No noted contraindications

What Are The Goals to Completing the hCG Protocol?

•    Lose weight

•    Reset/fix/increase metabolism

•    Maintain weight loss

What Is The hCG Protocol?

The hCG Diet had originally been formulated by Dr. Simeon’s and includes:

Phase I – Detox/start up

Phase II – Begin 40 days of hCG

Phase III – Maintenance Protocol for 21 days

Phase IV – Healthy lifestyle changes

How Can I Get hCG?

This diet requires a prescription.  It will be done under doctor’s supervision.  The prescription can be written for sublingual drops or creams most commonly, although nasal sprays and injections are available.

Where Can I Get hCG?

Once you get your prescription for hCG it is important to take your prescription to a reputable PCCA Compounding Pharmacy.  Millerdale Pharmacy is currently compounding human sourced hCG drops and creams.  It is extremely important to get a pharmaceutical grade product that is human sourced and virus validated.  Millerdale Pharmacy uses only the highest quality ingredients in all of our preparations and this caliber of hCG can only be obtained from a compounding pharmacy.

Homeopathic hCG drops are available over the Internet and from some retailers.  These preparations are made from plant, mineral and animal sources.  At this time there are NO regulations governing these products and what you are buying and putting in your body is not of known origin.  Buyer Beware!!!

High quality products and customized service for hCG are available at  Millerdale Pharmacy…your Community Pharmacy.  

 

March 2012 Article

COMPOUNDING – Customized

Medications to Meet Your Needs!

In every field of medicine, there are some patients who don’t respond to traditional methods of treatment.  Sometimes they need medicine at strengths that are not manufactured by drug companies, or perhaps they simply need a different method of ingesting a medication.  Pharmacy COMPOUNDING meets these needs.  It provides a way for physicians and compounding pharmacists to customize an individualized prescription for the specific need of their patient.  Compounding provides solutions which are not met by commercial products.

What is compounding and what are its benefits?

Pharmacy compounding is the art and science of preparing customized medications for patients.  Its practice dates back to the origins of pharmacy, yet, over the years the pharmacist’s role quickly changed as a preparer of medications to that of a dispenser of manufactured medications.  Within the last two decades, though, compounding has experienced a resurgence as modern technology and innovative techniques and research have allowed pharmacists to customize medication to meet specific patient needs.

There are several reasons why pharmacists compound prescription medications.  The most important one is what the medical community calls “patient non-compliance.”  Many patients are allergic to preservatives or dyes, or are sensitive to standard drug strengths.  With a physician’s consent, a compounding pharmacist can change the strength of a medication, alter its form to make it easier for the patient to ingest, or add flavor to make it more palatable.

What kinds of prescriptions can be compounded?

Almost any kind.  Compounded prescriptions are ideal for any patient requiring unique dosages and delivery systems.  The pharmacist can prepare medication using several unique delivery systems, such as a sublingual troche or lozenge, a lollipop, or a transdermal gel or cream that can be absorbed through the skin.  For those patients having a hard time swallowing a capsule, a compounding pharmacist can make a liquid suspension instead.  Other unique dosages and/or delivery devices can take the form of solutions, suppositories, sprays or oral rinses.

Compounding applications can include:  Bio-identical Hormone Restoration Therapy (BHRT), Veterinary, Hospice, Pediatric, Ophthalmic, Dental, Otic (ear), Dermatology, Medication Flavoring, Chronic Pain Management, Neuropathies, Sports Medicine, Infertility, Wound Therapy, Podiatry and Gastroenterology.

Are doctors aware of compounding?

Prescription compounding is a rapidly growing component of many physicians’ practices.  But in today’s world of aggressive marketing by drug manufacturers, compounding can be overlooked.  Ask your physician about compounding.  Then get in touch with Millerdale Pharmacy.  We are committed to providing high-quality compounded medications which have been prescribed by your doctor.

Who can compound?

Compounded prescriptions are both ethical and legal as long as they are prescribed by a licensed practitioner for a specific patient and compounded by a licensed pharmacy.  In addition, compounding is regulated by provincial boards of pharmacy.

Millerdale Pharmacy prides itself in being a member of PCCA – Professional Compounders of America.  PCCA is a complete resource for compounding pharmacists, offering the highest standards for chemicals, equipment, devices, training and education and a consulting department.  Millerdale Pharmacy can meet the unique healthcare needs of our patients through exceptional service, highest-quality products, innovation and education.

One patient.  One physician.  One pharmacist.  A triad relationship with a common goal:  achieving a positive therapeutic outcome for you!

 

 

January 2012 Article

DETOXIFICATION

Chemicals are everywhere – air, food, water, soil, dust, and everyday products.  Every day you’re expose to numerous chemicals that can affect the way you feel.  Over time, a buildup of toxins in your body can make you feel bad.  Tired, achy, poor concentration, irritable/moody, sleep disturbances, bloated, indigestion, and generally unhealthy to name a few.

While you may have limited control over your environment, you have a great deal of control over your own body. A 10-day Metabolic Detoxification Program can help remove toxins from your body.  By taking action now, you can start to feel re-energized soon!

Millerdale Pharmacy is offering a simple 10-day program.  This scientifically designed program includes targeted nutrition, a modified elimination diet, simple exercise, and basic recommendations for stress management.  If that sounds simple, that’s because it is!

Targeted Nutrition

The program includes a powdered beverage mix to support metabolic detoxification, including a “clean” protein, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.

Eating Plan

A modified elimination diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients reduces the allergen and toxin load, helping the body detoxify efficiently.  Avoiding potentially allergenic foods that may impair your body’s ability to cleanse and detoxify is very important for the success of your program.

Simple Exercise

Strenuous or prolonged exercise should be reduced during the program to allow your body to cleanse and rejuvenate more effectively.  You can gain benefit from an exercise program as simple as 30 minutes of walking 3 times a week.

Stress Management

Adequate stress reduction and sleep are important to the success of your program.  Quick and simple tips make it easy to change your response to stress:  breathe from your belly, take a short walk, burst into exercise, listen to music, dance or sing, take a mental break, laugh, journal, take a power nap.  In addition, your body is recharging and regenerating – help it by getting adequate rest!

Professional Supervision

Millerdale Pharmacy has a certified Metagenics Healthcare Provider.  Program adjustments may be made to better suit your individual health needs.

If feeling great and achieving optimal health is one of your New Year’s resolutions, pick up your 10-Day Metabolic Detoxification today!  Millerdale Pharmacy – your healthcare destination!!!

 

 

December 2011 Article

ADRENAL FATIGUE – The Stress Syndrome

Feeling run down and stressed?  Tired for “no reason”?  Having trouble getting up in the morning?  Need coffee or colas to keep you going?   Crave salty or sweet snacks?  Struggling to keep up with life’s daily demands?  Can’t bounce back from stress or illness?  Not having fun anymore?  Decreased sex drive?   If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue.

How Does Adrenal Function Affect Your Everyday Life?

The purpose of your adrenal glands is to help your body cope with stresses and survive.  The adrenals are known as “the glands of stress.”  It is their job to enable your body to deal with stress from every possible source, ranging from injury and disease to work and relationship problems.  Your resiliency, energy, endurance and your very life all depend on their proper functioning.

No bigger than a walnut and weighing less than a grape, each of your two adrenal glands sits like a tiny pyramid on top of a kidney.  From this central location they not only significantly affect the functioning of every tissue, organ and gland in your body, they also have important effects on the way you think and feel.

What Adrenal Fatigue?

Hypoadrenia, from the root word “hypo” (lower) and adrenia (related to the adrenals), is a deficiency in the functioning of the adrenal glands.  Normally functioning adrenal glands secrete minute, yet precise and balanced amounts of steroid hormones.  But because they are designed to be so very responsive to changes in your inner physical, emotional and psychological environment, any number of factors can interfere with this finely tuned balance.  This means that too much of any kind of stress can deplete your adrenals, causing a decrease in the output of adrenal hormones, particularly cortisol.  This lowered adrenal activity (hypoadrenia), resulting from adrenal fatigue, can range in severity all the way from almost zero to almost normal.

What Causes Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue, in all its mild and severe forms, is usually caused by some form of stress.  Stress can be physical, emotional, psychological, environmental, infectious, or a combination of these.  It is important to know that your adrenals respond to every kind of stress the same, whatever the source.   Adrenal fatigue occurs when the amount of stress overextends the capacity of the body (mediated by the adrenals) to compensate and recover from that stress or combined stresses.  The worse the overload relative to the ability of the body to respond, the worse the adrenal fatigue.

Who Suffers From Adrenal Fatigue?

Anyone who does not get enough rest and relaxation to enjoy life, who drives him/herself constantly, who is never satisfied or is a perfectionist, who is under constant pressure (especially with few outlets for emotional release), who feels trapped or helpless, who feels overwhelmed by repeated of continuous difficulties, or has experienced severe or chronic emotional or physical trauma or illness is probably already suffering from some degree of adrenal fatigue.  Do you recognize any of these patterns in your own life?  In short, anyone can experience adrenal fatigue.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Adrenal Fatigue?

Some of the common symptoms of low adrenal function are:

•            Difficulty getting up in the morning.

•            Continuing fatigue not relieved by sleep.

•            Craving for salt or salty foods.

•            Lethargy (lack of energy).

•            Increased effort to do everyday tasks.

•            Decreased sex drive.

•            Decreased ability to handle stress.

•            Increased time to recover from illness, injury, or trauma.

•            Light-headed when standing up quickly.

•            Mild depression.

•            Less enjoyment or happiness with life.

•            Increased PMS or symptoms of Menopause.

•            Symptoms increase if meals are skipped or inadequate.

•            Thoughts less focused, more             fuzzy.

•            Memory less accurate.

•            Decreased tolerance.

•            Don’t really feel awake until  10AM, afternoon low between 3PM and 4PM, feels better after  evening meal.

•            Decreased productivity.

No single one of these symptoms gives a definitive diagnosis of adrenal fatigue, but taken collectively as a syndrome, they strongly suggests its presence.  If many of these seem familiar, then you are probably suffering from some level of adrenal fatigue.  Although we have come to accept it as such, adrenal fatigue in not a part of  normal life!  These symptoms indicate defective adaptation of your adrenal glands to the stresses you are experiencing.  They are warnings that something needs to change if you want to feel well again.

How Can Adrenal Fatigue Be Treated?

Caring for the adrenal glands means applying body, mind and spirit to the task.  Unfortunately, there is no one “magic pill” to improve adrenal function, so it is important to work with a health care practitioner who can develop an adrenal care program for you.  Book an Adrenal Function Consultation at Millerdale Pharmacy today and get started on the path to wellness!

 

 

November 2011 Article

DETOXIFICATION

Chemicals are everywhere – air, food, water, soil, dust, and everyday products.  Every day you’re expose to numerous chemicals that can affect the way you feel.  Over time, a buildup of toxins in your body can make you feel bad.  Tired, achy, poor concentration, irritable/moody, sleep disturbances, bloated, indigestion, and unhealthy to name a few.

While you may have limited control over your environment, you have a great deal of control over your own body. A 10-day Metabolic Detoxification Program can help remove toxins from your body.  By taking action now, you can start to feel re-energized soon!

Millerdale Pharmacy is offering a simple 10-day program.  This scientifically designed program includes targeted nutrition, a modified elimination diet, simple exercise, and basic recommendations for stress management.  If that sounds simple, that’s because it is!

Targeted Nutrition

The program includes a powdered beverage mix to support metabolic detoxification, including a “clean” protein, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.

Eating Plan

A modified elimination diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients reduces the allergen and toxin load, helping the body detoxify efficiently.  Avoiding potentially allergenic foods that may impair your body’s ability to cleanse and detoxify is very important for the success of your program.

Simple Exercise

Strenuous or prolonged exercise should be reduced during the program to allow your body to cleanse and rejuvenate more effectively.  You can gain benefit from an exercise program as simple as 30 minutes of walking 3 times a week.

Stress Management

Adequate stress reduction and sleep are important to the success of your program.  Quick and simple tips make it easy to change your response to stress:  breathe from your belly, take a short walk, burst into exercise, listen to music, dance or sing, take a mental break, laugh, journal, take a power nap.  In addition, your body is recharging and regenerating – help it by getting adequate rest!

Professional Supervision

Millerdale Pharmacy has a certified Metagenics Healthcare Provider.  Program adjustments may be made to better suit your individual health needs.

If feeling great and achieving optimal health is one of your goals this fall, pick up your 10-Day Metabolic Detoxification today!  Millerdale Pharmacy – your healthcare destination!!!

 

 

August 2011 Article

INTESTINAL HEALTH

The GI tract or “a tube approximately 15 feet long, running through the body from mouth to anus,” is where food from the stomach passes into the intestine for further digestion and absorption.  Many practitioners believe that a healthy gastrointestinal GI tract is the basis of overall good health.  Studies show there is a direct link between GI health and immune responses.  An estimated 70% of the body’s immune cells reside in the GI tract, suggesting that maintaining GI health is essential to immune system function and overall health.

THE INSTESTINE AS A PROTECTIVE BARRIER

The atmosphere surrounding the earth and its role in protecting our environment parallels the function of the intestine and its role in protecting our overall health.  The earth’s atmosphere provides a protective barrier to support and sustain an abundant variety of life.  But most importantly, balance is the key!

In principal, the intestine provides a very similar protective barrier.  The intestinal wall is coated with hundreds of different species of both healthy and unhealthy bacteria.  This serves as a protective coating in concert with the physical of cells lining the intestinal tract.  Damaging substances like unhealthy bacteria, toxins, chemicals and wastes are filtered out and eliminated.  As well, critical factors for life, such as nutrients and water are absorbed into circulation and made available to the billions of cells in the body that need them.

Just as the atmosphere selectively filters out excessive UV radiation to protect life on earth, the selective barrier function of the intestine is equally protective.  In the healthy state, small sugars, fats and proteins are absorbed through the intestinal wall and circulate throughout the body, providing nourishment.   At the same time, damaging substances from unhealthy bacteria, incompletely digested food, toxins or chemicals are largely prevented from being absorbed and transported throughout the body.

BAD HABITS THAT IMPACT INTESTINAL HEALTH

Unfortunately, human beings have developed bad habits that promote imbalance in both the atmosphere and the intestinal tract.  For example, pollutants such as CFCs have punctured holes in our ozone shield, resulting in increased UV radiation reaching the earth.

In parallel, bad habits in our society have contributed to an imbalance of intestinal protective factors.  These bad habits include consumption of a diet high in fat and refined simple sugars and deficient in nutritious, whole, unprocessed foods and fiber.  This diet tips the intestinal balance toward overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria and yeast or fungal organisms.  It also leads to less frequent bowel movements and chronic intestinal dysfunction.  Other bad habits include excess alcohol consumption, use of antacids and anti-inflammatories like aspirin and ibuprofen.  These contribute to breakdown or deterioration in the physical integrity of the intestinal wall.  Another bad habit is the overuse of antibiotics, causing alterations in the balance of the bacteria in the intestine.

ACHIEVING OPTIMAL INTESTINAL HEALTH

The following suggestions may be helpful in achieving optimal intestinal health.  Avoid excessive alcohol use and refined, sugar-rich, fiber-poor foods.  Avoid the use of antacids and broad spectrum antibiotics whenever possible.  Eat a diet rich in whole, unprocessed, nutritious foods and fiber.  Drink plenty of pure water.  Supplement the diet with high quality, probiotic (beneficial) bacteria such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria to support a healthful and balanced population of intestinal bacteria.

The GI system is quite complex.  The consulting pharmacist at  Millerdale Pharmacy can perform a GI Health Assessment in order to recommend a therapeutic support program that is right for you!