Courtenay Pharmacy

08/26/2025

Sitting outside, soaking up the sun and feeling the warmth on your skin can do a wealth of good for your physical and mental health. Critically, without direct sunlight, your body can’t make vitamin D, a crucial chemical which is important for your bones, your muscles and your immune system☀️

Many of us have low levels of vitamin D over winter and this has been linked to a range of diseases, including dementia, autoimmune diseases and diabetes. So to keep healthy we really need to get out there and boost our levels.

But vitamin D isn’t the only benefit of sunshine!
We all know sunshine feels great – that’s because exposure to sunshine boosts your mood by increasing your brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin, which also helps you feel calm and focused.

One study found that people had higher levels of serotonin in their blood on bright days compared to overcast or cloudy ones. They also found that the rate of serotonin production in the brain was directly related to the duration of bright sunlight, regardless of the season or outside temperature. On top of this, there is some research to suggest that direct sunlight can trigger your skin cells to produce endorphins, which also make you feel good😀

It’s true you can get some vitamin D from food, but it’s very difficult to get enough from diet alone. The best food sources are fatty fish, salmon, mackerel and sardines. If you’re vegetarian, there is a little in egg yolk and mushrooms, but eating enough to get all the vitamin D you need would be tough. Luckily, it is far easier to get a daily dose from the great outdoors.

Little and often is the best approach to topping up on sunshine. You may be tempted to soak up all your sunshine in one day, but most vitamin D is made in that early part of being outside. And minimising long exposure times is also the best way to avoid burning.

Take care though if you have sensitive skin or if you’re taking any medication that might make you more sensitive. If you’re using any skincare products that contain retinol or other strong exfoliants, you should always put on sunscreen before you venture outside – these products can affect your sun sensitivity.

08/25/2025

It's no secret that the benefits of strength training – particularly for postmenopausal women – are plentiful, from building muscle to increasing longevity and so much more. But starting out can feel overwhelming. The truth: building a strength training routine at any point doesn’t have to be complicated – it just needs to be consistent.

Strength exercises such as calf raises, bicep curls and body squats can be done at home to improve your health and mobility.

Research shows that a single set of 12 to 15 repetitions can help build muscle efficiently.

08/24/2025

Certain activities may help boost brain function and connectivity. This in turn may help protect the brain from age-related degeneration🧠

Have a try these activities from Verywell and benefit your brain health today.

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.

08/22/2025

Insect bites or stings are not usually serious and get better in a few days. But sometimes they can become infected or can cause a serious allergic reaction🦟🐝🕷

If you've been bitten and your insect bite is showing signs of infection such as:

Pus in or around the bite.
Swollen glands and feeling generally under the weather.
Increasing pain.
Swelling and redness that isn't going away.

Please come in and speak to us, we can provide you with assistance and treatment for infected insect bites.

We're here to help ❤️

08/21/2025

It's well known that exercise is good for your health, but did you know? It can reduce the risk of heart and circulatory diseases by up to 35 per cent.

Recommended types of exercise for improving heart health are:

Aerobic exercises can include activities like brisk walking, swimming, running, or cycling.
Over time, this type of exercise helps your heart and circulatory system to work better by helping to lower your blood pressure and resting heart rate, improving cholesterol levels and helping you maintain a healthy weight.

Balance and flexibility exercise. This includes exercise like yoga, tai chi and Pilates where we hold our bodies in less stable positions. These exercises make sure our muscles do not get too tight and keep us flexible. This helps you reduce the risk if pain, injury and falls.

Resistance exercise. This includes exercises like lifting weights or using resistance bands and cables to strengthen your muscles. The stronger your muscles are, the harder they can work which takes the strain off your heart making it easier to do everyday tasks.

It’s important to remember that getting active doesn't have to mean spending lots of time doing an activity you don't enjoy. It can be something as simple as walking to the shops or gardening.

08/19/2025

Antibiotics: What to know💊💊

Antimicrobial medications such as antibiotics are used to treat or prevent some types of bacterial infection. They work by killing bacteria or preventing them from spreading🦠

Antibiotics do not work on viruses, such as common colds and flu🤧

Viral infections such as common colds and flu will usually go away on their own.

Even though your symptoms may be gone, the bacteria causing your illness may not, so it's important to take all of your medications until finished, unless you have been told to stop taking them by your health care provider.

Do bring any unused medications to the pharmacy for safe disposal.

Do not take someone else's medication.
Do not share your medication with other people.
Do not save your medication for another time.

08/18/2025

Ever heard of choline before? Actually, choline was only acknowledged as a required nutrient by the Institute of Medicine in 1998. Although your body makes some choline naturally, you need to get it from your diet to avoid a deficiency.

The richest dietary sources of choline can be found in pan-fried beef liver, hardboiled eggs, roasted soybeans (a delicious and nutritious snack.) Roasted chicken breast, cooked fresh cod, baked red potatoes with skin and canned kidney beans.

Choline can also be found in milk, peanuts, mushrooms and cruciferous vegetables which include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, choy, Brussels sprouts and watercress
– although animal foods tend to contain more choline than plant-based sources.

To up your intake, consider eating more choline-rich foods, such as salmon, tuna, eggs, broccoli and cauliflower.

08/16/2025

08/15/2025

A Finnish population study shows that signs related to Alzheimer's disease may already be found in the brain in middle age. In the future, blood-based biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's disease could allow earlier detection of the disease. This would allow preventive treatment to be targeted at the right individuals while the disease is still at the mild stage.

A Finnish population study shows that signs related to Alzheimer's disease may already be found in the brain in middle age. In the future, blood-based biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's disease could allow earlier detection of the disease. This would allow preventive treatment to be targeted at....

08/14/2025

Hay fever season is still in full swing, and you may have noticed your symptoms getting worse during high pollen counts.

Symptoms of hay fever include:

Sneezing and coughing.
A runny or blocked nose.
Itchy, red, or watery eyes.
Itchy throat, mouth, nose, and ears.
Loss of smell.
Pain around your temples and forehead.
Headache.
Earache.
Feeling tired.

If you have asthma, you might also be short of breath, have a wheeze or cough and have a tight feeling in your chest during this time.

Do come into the pharmacy and have a chat with one of our pharmacists about how to ease your symptoms.

08/12/2025

Start your day by re-hydrating with a glass of water!

Many people find that starting their day by drinking cold water helps wake them up. After all, dehydration which, naturally occurs when you sleep can make you tired and dizzy so get into the habit of keeping a glass or bottle of water by your bed🛏🥤

08/11/2025

Our metabolic processes differ depending on the time of day and many of them are more active in the morning than in the evening. Although studies show that eating late in the day is associated with an increased risk of obesity and cardiovascular diseases, little is known about how the time we eat affects glucose metabolism and to what extent this is genetically defined.
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Our metabolic processes differ depending on the time of day and many of them are more active in the morning than in the evening. Although studies show that eating late in the day is associated with an increased risk of obesity and cardiovascular diseases, little is known about how the time we eat af...