Healthy Lifestyles Awareness Month – embrace a healthier lifestyle – starting this February
February is Healthy Lifestyles Awareness Month, with the 19th of February being Healthy Lifestyles Awareness Day.
The Independent Community Pharmacy Association (ICPA) says that with February being all about highlighting the importance of healthy living, South Africans should visit their local independent pharmacy and have themselves screened for chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes. In addition to this, your local independent pharmacy can also assist with your move towards a healthier lifestyle through the provision of health foods, vitamins, supplements, products that can help you to quit smoking and more. Mark Payne, CEO of the Independent Community Pharmacy Association (ICPA) says that a good start is to have yourself screened at your local pharmacy for diabetes and high blood pressure. “If patients are found to have one of these conditions, the pharmacist can provide advice and medicines, where appropriate. Alternatively they can also advise the patient when they need to be referred to a GP,” says Payne.
Services offered by your local pharmacy
“Community pharmacies – those that are entrenched in all outlying towns and found in most city suburbs – serve a vital role within the heart of their community. In South Africa there are approximately 2000 independent pharmacies who offer a range of health services that customers may not be aware of that can help them to live healthier lives.”
Your local independent community pharmacy can offer the following to assist with your journey towards a healthier lifestyle:
- Wellness screening and primary health care treatment or advice
Pharmacies can help with a range of common conditions and minor ailments, such as aches and pains, cystitis, colds and skin rashes. They can also screen for existing chronic health conditions such as, high blood pressure or diabetes.
- Improving health and wellbeing
Most independent community pharmacies will stock a range of natural supplements, vitamins and health foods to assist their customers with improving their health. Pharmacies are increasingly focusing on motivating the patient to improve their health and wellbeing – advocating that the consumer look after themselves and their families without having to go to a GP unnecessarily.
- Advise on the optimal use of medicines
Pharmacists are trained experts in the use of medicines. They can advise you on the safe use of prescription and over-the-counter medicine use and the correct storage thereof.
- Assistance to quit smoking
You can obtain products from your local community pharmacy which will assist you with quitting smoking – such as nicotine patches and chewing gum.
- Eye Health
Eyesight is possibly the most precious sense a person has and can often be neglected. Many independent community pharmacies will offer eye tests on site. Most will sell protective UV sunglasses and products such as lubricating eye drops. Your pharmacist can also help you to select the right treatment for minor eye conditions like conjunctivitis.
The ICPA advises South Africans to make use of all the services and support that can be accessed at your local independent community pharmacy and take advantage of it to move towards a healthier lifestyle. “There is no time like the present to steer your family towards healthy living and your local independent community pharmacy plays a vital role in offering a valuable and affordable resource to all,” concludes Payne.
