Are you cleaning out your cupboards for a fresh start to 2021? If you have unused/expired medications at home, bring them to your Central Alberta Co-op Pharmacy for proper disposal, it’s free! Don’t flush it! Flushing or pouring medications down the drain can end up contaminating our water supply. Clearing out our medicine cabinets regularly can help prevent unused medication from falling into the wrong hands. More information is available at reddeer.ca/medreturn.

Omega-3 is an incredibly beneficial fatty acid that helps support brain and heart health, and assists many people with battling inflammation and aiding in recovery. Omega-3 products can supplement your food intake of this fatty acid, but not all products are created equal. It’s best to find clinical grade omega-3’s that are esterified and monoglyceride rich (high absorption that your body can put to work). When looking for an omega-3 product (beyond sardines and fatty fish in your diet), be sure to speak with a professional so that purchasing a premium product gets you the results you’re looking for.

Violet Elliot, a very familiar face in the Red Deer community and the Golden Circle, is celebrating her 104th birthday this month. Violet was born on February 6th, 1917 in Scotland. During WWII, she met a Canadian soldier and married him on March 4, 1943. The two moved to Canada and after arriving in Red Deer, Vi took a nurse position at Lindsey Thurber High School, beginning her public health nursing career in Canada. Vi has touched many people in her life’s journey and we would like to congratulate her for reaching her 104th birthday!

It might come as a surprise, but there is a connection between heart health and hearing. Both rely on blood flow, so heart problems that cause plaque buildup in the arteries and restrict blood flow can potentially damage ears. Nerves in the ears can also be damaged by poor circulation. Studies have shown that the better someone’s cardiovascular health, the better their hearing tends to be. It’s important that older adults eat a healthy, balanced diet; get regular exercise; quit smoking and have their hearing tested every two years, to help maintain a healthy heart, and therefore healthy ears.

Answer: Because they get dirty! There are several other factors that can increase the need for regular system cleaning: pets, occupants with allergies or asthma, cigarette or cigar smoke, and home renovation or remodeling projects. Allergy and asthma sufferers, as well as young children and the elderly, tend to be more susceptible to the types of poor indoor air quality that air duct cleaning can help address. We generate a great deal of contaminants and air pollutants, such as dander, dust, and chemicals. These contaminants are pulled into the HVAC system and re-circulated 5 to 7 times per day, on average. Over time, this re-circulation causes a build-up of contaminants in the ductwork, which could lead to bigger health issues that could cause serious problems for people with respiratory health conditions, autoimmune disorders, or some environmental allergies.

CardioFlex Q10™ is a proprietary collagen precursor formula designed to promote the body’s natural ability to produce collagen and repair connective tissues to support cardiovascular health. Each serving contains 2000 mg Vitamin C, amino acids and other nutrients that help build structural elastin and structural collagen, maintain cardiovascular health, reduce the recurrence of herpes simplex virus/shingles, maintain proper muscle function and generally maintain good health. Excellent for supplementing vegan diets and made in Canada by Innotech Nutrition, a family company.

Many of us are fully aware we don’t get enough sleep at night. Did you know just one night of even minor sleep deprivation (6 hours or less) can wreak havoc on your heart? Several published studies from the European Heart Journal concluded that just one night of sleeplessness can put your heart at risk for many pathologies, increasing one’s risk of cardiovascular disease by 48%. Studies showed that your chance of death by coronary artery disease (CAD) almost double with continual sleep deprivation. For more information check out our blog on our website www.dreamsleep.ca