Courtenay Pharmacy

11/21/2025

Vitamin D plays an essential role in bone health, immunity, and mood, yet many of us don’t get enough, especially during the darker months.

While sunlight is the main source, certain foods can also help to boost your levels naturally.

Oily fish are among the richest natural sources of vitamin D. Just one serving of salmon or mackerel can provide most of your daily requirement. Sardines, whether fresh or canned, are another excellent option and supply calcium and omega-3 fatty acids.

Eggs are a convenient and versatile way to get more vitamin D. The yolk contains most of the nutrient, so eating whole eggs rather than just the whites is best.

Fresh tuna loses much of its vitamin D during cooking, but tinned tuna retains more of it. It is a convenient cupboard staple that can be added to sandwiches, salads, or pasta dishes.

You can find vitamin D in mushrooms that have been exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light while they've been growing.

For those following a vegan diet, fortified plant-based milks, yoghurts, and spreads are among the most reliable vitamin D foods.

Keeping your vitamin D levels healthy supports not only bones and muscles but also your immune system and overall wellbeing.

11/20/2025

Does stretching help morning lower back pain?

Absolutely! Gentle movement first thing in the morning is one of the best ways to restore motion to your back and ease muscle tension. Stretching increases blood flow to your spine, warms up tight muscles, and helps rehydrate your discs so your back can move freely again.

7-minute follow-along stretching routine to loosen up your lower back, improve mobility, and relieve morning back pain fast! Effective physical therapy stret...

11/18/2025

How to avoid spreading the flu🤧🤒

The flu is a respiratory infection that affects many people each year. Anyone can get the virus, which can cause mild to severe symptoms.

Flu is very infectious and easily spread to other people. You're more likely to give it to others in the first 5 days.

Flu is spread by germs from coughs and sneezes, which can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours.

To reduce the risk of spreading flu:

Because the flu virus can live on hard surfaces, get into the habit of washing your hands often 🧼
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze 🤧
Bin used tissues as quickly as possible🚮
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have a high temperature or you don't feel well enough to do your normal activities.

11/17/2025

A comprehensive single-cell map of the developing human brain has been created, detailing nearly every cell type and their genetic profiles. The BrainSTEM framework enables precise identification of midbrain dopaminergic neurons, providing a reference for improving laboratory neuron production. This resource advances the development of accurate cell therapies for Parkinson’s disease.

Unbiased two-tier mapping to fetal brain single-cell atlases benchmarks regional and cellular heterogeneity in midbrain datasets.

11/14/2025

If you're having fewer bowel movements than usual, taking a long time to pass stools, or the stools are hard, you may be constipated.

Constipation in adults is common and it's treatable with simple changes to diet and lifestyle.

It's likely to be constipation if:

You've not had a p**p at least 3 times during the last week or you're p**ping less often than usual.
The p**p is unusually large or small and is dry, hard or lumpy.
You're straining or in pain when you have a poo.
You feel like you haven't fully emptied your bowels.
You may also have a stomach ache and feel bloated or sick.

The most common causes include:

Not eating enough fibre, which is found in fruits, vegetables and cereals.
Not drinking enough fluids.
Not moving enough and spending long periods sitting or lying down.
being less active and not exercising.
Often ignoring the urge to go to the toilet.
Changing your diet or daily routine.
A side effect of medicine you're taking.
Stress, anxiety or depression.
Constipation is common during pregnancy and after giving birth.

To make your p**p softer and easier to pass:

Eat a healthy balanced diet and include fruits that contain sorbitol such as apples, apricots, grapes, dates, raspberries and strawberries.
Drink plenty of water and other fluids although avoid alcohol.
Gradually increase your fibre intake by adding wheat bran, oats or linseed to your diet.
Consider increasing your activity, a daily walk or run can help considerably.

Remember, you can always come in and speak to us for advice.

11/14/2025

While you might know that you need to exercise your body, did you know that it might also be important to exercise your mind? You've probably heard the old adage 'use it or lose it.' Research shows that this maxim applies to your brain health as well.

Try these activities to benefit your brain health🧠💪

Can exercise for your mind keep your brain strong and healthy? Learn how to stay mentally sharp with some brain exercises that might help keep your brain healthier.

11/13/2025

New research is revealing that kimchi, a staple on plates in Korea for thousands of years, can lower triglycerides and blood pressure and regulate fasting glucose levels.

A fermented food that has been a staple on plates in Korea for thousands of years has gone global in the past decade, with new research revealing that kimchi can lower triglycerides and blood pressure and regulate fasting glucose levels.

11/11/2025

Why do I keep waking up at night? 😴🛌⏰

Biological factors such as aging, hormones, pregnancy, and disruptions to your circadian rhythm can cause you to wake up frequently in the middle of the night.

Medical conditions like insomnia, sleep apnoea, restless legs syndrome, anxiety and depression, and indigestion, as well as some medications can cause frequent night-time waking's.

Your bedroom environment—temperature, noise, light, discomfort—and lifestyle factors like alcohol or caffeine consumption can also contribute.

We also cycle through four sleep stages as we sleep and wake up more easily at certain points of this cycle than others. Combined with these existing rhythms, other factors that cause people to wake up at night might result in regularly waking up around the same time.

“Cortisol levels naturally rise in the early morning to help you wake up and feel alert. This process, called the cortisol awakening response, typically peaks between 6 and 8 AM. However, if your cortisol spikes earlier, it can pull you out of sleep prematurely.”

Falling back to sleep.

Music can have a direct effect on the parasympathetic nervous system, encouraging your body to relax and prepare for sleep. It can slow your heart rate and breathing, lower your blood pressure, and even relax muscles — the biological changes you experience when you're falling asleep.

Once you integrate music into your bedtime routine, stick with it. The positive sleep effects can build over time, as listening to your relaxing sleep soundtrack becomes a habit that cues your body to prepare for zzzzzs.

11/10/2025

Eating well, exercising and looking after your mental wellbeing can help with symptoms during perimenopause and menopause.

The Mediterranean diet has been associated with fewer menopausal symptoms and a reduced risk of chronic disease. Small, consistent changes to your plate can make a big difference in how you feel.

Tofu, tempeh and edamame are plant compounds that can mimic oestrogen in the body. Further research is needed but these may help to reduce symptoms of menopause in some women.

Dairy and leafy greens such as kale, spinach, broccoli and pak choi are excellent sources of calcium and vitamin K, essential for bone health. Adequate intake of these nutrients, along with vitamin D, can help reduce the risk of osteoporosis post-menopause.

Salmon, mackerel, and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to support mood, cognitive function and cardiovascular health during menopause.

Oats, brown rice, barley and quinoa provide dietary fibre and B vitamins. They can help with weight management and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. The fibre found in wholegrains supports our gut microbes which play a role in how well your body can use phytoestrogens, and they also influence your oestrogen levels.

Flax, chia and sesame seeds are high in lignans, which your body changes into phytoestrogens. They may help with symptoms and are high in omega-3 fatty acids.

Pastries, packaged snacks and ready meals are often high in added sugar, salt and unhealthy fats. Regular consumption has been linked to worse menopause symptoms and an increased risk of chronic health issues. Try to cook from scratch as often as possible.

Caffeine can trigger hot flushes and worsen sleep. Try decaffeinated drinks or mint tea which can be helpful for bloating and digestion, too.

In particular, weight-bearing, strength training and aerobic exercise are important for protecting bone health, supporting cardiovascular function, improving mood and reducing hot flashes.

11/09/2025

The body needs rest, the mind needs peace, the heart needs joy.

11/07/2025

When it comes to food, we tend to focus on proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and vitamins. However, researchers now believe that the human diet actually contains more than 26,000 distinct compounds, the majority of which remain largely unexplored 🍽

What we eat is packed with hidden chemistry that may hold the key to both disease and health. When the human genome was first sequenced in 2003, many believed this breakthrough would reveal the full origins of disease. Yet, genetics accounts for only about 10% of overall risk. The remaining 90% i

11/06/2025

It can be easy to rush through life without stopping to notice things.

Paying more attention to the present moment – to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you – can improve your mental wellbeing.

Some people call this awareness 'mindfulness.' Mindfulness can help us enjoy life more and understand ourselves better.

Reminding yourself to take notice of your thoughts, feelings, body sensations and the world around you is the first step to mindfulness.

As we go about our daily lives, we can notice the sensations of things, the food we eat, the air moving past the body as we walk.

It can be helpful to pick a regular time, such as a morning journey to work or a walk at lunchtime, during which you decide to be aware of the sensations created by the world around you.

Trying new things, such as sitting in a different seat in meetings or going somewhere new for lunch, can also help you notice the world in a new way.

Some people find it very difficult to practise mindfulness. As soon as they stop what they're doing, lots of thoughts and worries crowd in.

It might be useful to remember that mindfulness isn't about making these thoughts go away, but rather about seeing them as mental events that come and go. This can be very hard at first, but with gentle persistence it is possible.

Some people find that it is easier to cope with an over-busy mind if they are doing gentle yoga or walking.

Studies show that mindfulness can help with stress, anxiety and depression.