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Are you scheduled for knee surgery? If so, read on to learn how you can reduce your risk of getting a blood clot!

After knee surgery, you have an increased chance of developing blood clots. The most common of them is a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) near your thigh or calf. Without proper care, a DVT can progress to other types of blood clots, including a pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal. Studies show that over 60,000 Americans pass away every year because of severe blood clots.

Preventing blood clots is part of the healing process. You should always take extra steps to prevent and treat blood clots. Check out our guide to blood clot prevention after knee surgery.

Follow Your Doctor’s Instructions

When given a prescription, always follow it. This will continue during your post-op hospital stay and beyond. Your doctor will tell you how often you can take your medicine and at what times of the day. They may recommend medicine to relieve your pain and reduce the risks of infection. It is also very likely that they will prescribe you a blood thinner, which will reduce your risk of developing blood clots while you are recovering from your operation.

Once you are out of the hospital, you should continue to take the medicine that your doctor has provided you, as well as follow the instructions from the rest of your care team. Beyond just prescribing medicine, they will also guide you through a variety of recommended movements, which should be done at regular intervals.

Physical Exercise and Therapy

Regular exercise is crucial to rehabilitate your legs. This will also help you prevent yourself from developing any blood clots.

After knee surgery, patients often have a physical therapist to guide them through the physical rehab. Your physical therapist will come up with a routine of exercises to strengthen your knee.

If you had a knee replacement, the doctor would use a continuous passive motion machine. This device will help to slowly get your knee(s) moving while keeping your heartbeat down.

Mechanical Therapy

Undergoing mechanical therapy helps you cope with the after-effects of the surgery. It uses graduated compression stockings, which are very tight socks that go from ankle to leg.

These pneumatic devices help reduce the risk of blood clots by keeping your blood circulating throughout your legs. Your doctor may ask for you to wear one if you’re dealing with blood clotting.

Graduated compression stockings prevent blood from pooling in your legs. This helps reduce the chances of developing a blood clot.

Blood Clotting Symptoms to Look For

During your recovery from knee replacement surgery, you should always be wary of blood clots. Blood clotting can happen at any time and are often unexpected, so it is important to know the signs and symptoms to watch out for and know when to seek medical attention

The most common blood type of blood clot after knee surgery is a DVT. The symptoms associated with DVTs consist of swelling, pain, tenderness, and redness in the affected leg. If you think you may have developed a DVT, it is important to visit your doctor, because if left alone, these blood clots can progress to a pulmonary embolism.

Pulmonary embolisms are blood clots that travel to the lungs. Their symptoms consist of difficulty breathing, coughing up blood and chest or back pain. If you develop any of these symptoms, you should visit the nearest emergency room as soon as possible because pulmonary embolisms can be fatal.

Take Anti-Clotting Medicine

Anti-clotting medicines are what most patients use to prevent and treat blood clots. This class of drugs is also known as a blood thinner. You will likely get a prescription for a blood thinner from your doctor when you are discharged from the hospital after your knee surgery.

Knee replacement patients start taking anti-clotting medicine the day after surgery. This continues throughout their hospital stay and into at-home rehabilitation.

There are many types of blood thinners available, and the type your doctor chooses for you will depend on a variety of factors. The following is a list of several different drugs that fall into the anti-clotting medicine category:

Ensure to consult your doctor first before taking any of the aforementioned medication. Your doctor will help you review the possible side effects and may recommend other treatment options.

Eat a Healthy Diet

During your recovery, it’s preferred that you eat a healthy, balanced diet. Ensure to eat lots of protein, calcium, and vitamin D. This will help give you the energy that you need for your recovery.

Keep in mind what exactly you are choosing to eat. It’s recommended to avoid Vitamin K-rich foods, as Vitamin K enhances blood clotting, which is something you want to avoid in the weeks after knee replacement surgery. Vitamin K-rich foods include dark leafy veggies, such as broccoli, Brussel sprouts, kale, and cauliflower. You can still eat these vegetables if you are used to having them, just make sure not to overdo it!

That being said, if you are taking Coumadin or Lovenox, you should avoid these Vitamin K-rich foods altogether, because they can interfere with the drug, making it less effective at preventing blood clots. If you have questions, remember to ask your doctor or a dietician.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can make the blood thicken and clot. That’s why you must drink the required glasses of water per day. It may seem like a minor factor in your recovery, but it will keep you active the whole day.

Always carry a water bottle with you. You can also stay hydrated by eating juicy foods such as fruits and vegetables. Avoid drinking too many alcoholic or sugary beverages.

As a precaution, it’s best to check with your doctor about the right amount of water you drink. It will enable you to know more if you’re a diuretic or on a fluid restriction.

Getting Enough Rest

After the surgery, don’t forget to get some rest. Working immediately may strain your surgical wounds, causing them to bleed. This is by far the easiest thing you can do for blood clot prevention.

How to Prevent Blood Clotting After Knee Surgery

After knee surgery, your doctor should immediately let you know if there are problems. Sometimes it can be blood clotting that can become a greater risk when left alone. Get yourself checked, and always keep yourself healthy.

We hope this guide helped prevent blood clotting after knee surgery. Looking for the best medication to prevent blood clotting after knee prevention surgery? Contact us today and find the best medication for your recovery.

While we’re facing challenging and uncertain times, the future can feel pretty bleak. This opens us up to all sorts of potential health issues like anxiety and depression. When we’ve got no idea of what lies around the corner it can make us very uncomfortable as our stress levels soar. Before we know it, things are out of control and the only quick resolve is to resort to medication to get back on track. The good news is that yoga and mindfulness are a great drug-free alternative, or addition, to dealing with these issues and helping to get your body and brain back in shape.

Here are 7 valuable tips for combining the two to do just that!

1. Create a Space to Escape

When our life is overloaded with noise and distractions, they can easily add to our daily stresses and get us down. This is why it’s so vital to our health to take time away from it all so that we can adequately rest and recover.

Naturalistic settings such as fields, forests, lakes, and mountains are perfect for this. But if you don’t have such an environment available to you, you can simply create your own.

Find a quiet, distraction-free area in your home (or garden if you have it), and dedicate it to being your relaxation zone. Make it tidy, comfortable, quiet, and cozy, so that it’s perfect for practicing yoga and mindfulness.

Use relaxing colors, smells, and lighting to create a relaxing mood and remove all technology so you have no distractions whatsoever. This space will give you that brief respite from the stresses of the outside world.

2. Take a Deep Breath

One of the most important aspects of yoga and mindfulness is breathing. Now you might think you’re breathing just fine, but in truth, many of us are not breathing as we should.

Short and shallow breaths don’t use the lungs to their fullest capacity. This means that you’re not giving your body as much oxygen as possible, and it will dramatically affect brain function, mood, and energy levels.

Both yoga and mindfulness use concentrated breath work to combat this with slow, deep breaths from the bottom of the stomach right to the top of the lungs.

This increases lung capacity and oxygen intake, which boosts oxygen delivery to all cells in the body. Not only does this relax you and calm your mind, but it also invigorates the body, energizing it for the day ahead.

3. Strike a Pose

Yoga teaches you to be more mindful of your body in space, allowing you to focus on how you use your muscles more effectively. Many of the traditional poses have been practiced for thousands of years, and for very good reasons.

They encourage the body to stretch and adapt to new positions which improve flexibility, mobility, and strength. As you perform each one, focus on your breath as you do so to improve circulation and blood flow around the body.

Once you’ve mastered the basics you can progress to more difficult poses. Then as you develop, you’ll start to see vast improvements in your posture, functional strength, and cardiovascular fitness. And these also have a positive impact on your mental health and well-being.

4. Focus the Mind and Body

When we’re anxious or depressed, much of it stems from having negative thought patterns. One negative thought leads to the next and can very quickly spiral out of control. This is where mind and body yoga can help to calm and reset your thoughts to find peace.

As you perform each pose, be sure to concentrate on slowly moving the body, using your muscles to support you, and control your breath throughout.

Because your attention is completely focused on doing this, it frees the mind from those negative thoughts, allowing you to relax mindfully while working the body. As tension is released the mind is unencumbered to think more clearly and positively.

5. Practice Gratitude

What gets us down are those repeated negative thoughts which in time, can be hugely detrimental to our health. So it’s crucial to find the positive wherever we can and try to focus our attention on all the good things in life instead.

Practicing gratitude can be incorporated into your yoga and mindfulness routine, and can do wonders for your mental health in just a few focused minutes. In fact, research has shown it to reduce stress, improve happiness, and even have a positive impact on the body too.

All you have to do is think about anything positive in your life, whether it’s a personal achievement, being around loved ones, or doing something you love. In time you’ll teach yourself to focus more on positive things automatically, making you happier, more confident, and healthier as a result.

6. Practice With a Partner

If you’re new to yoga and mindfulness or you’re not sure you’ll enjoy it, why not practice with a partner? It can make it a far more enjoyable experience and make you feel less alone in this new venture.

What’s more, is that training with a partner means you can help and support each other. You can experiment with new techniques and assist each other through poses to ensure they’re correct.

You can also keep each other motivated and encourage one another to keep coming back for more so you maintain your progression.

Above all, having a friendly face with you can make the whole experience more fun and rewarding as you get to share it with someone you know and trust. This alone can be the very thing to inspire you to keep going and make you feel much happier as a result.

7. Establish a Regular Routine

Just like achieving any goal, it comes with adhering to a regular routine which in time, leads to gradual progression and results that last. When you have a fixed time and place to practice, you’re much more likely to keep it going and reap the results.

So perhaps you practice in the morning to energize your mind and body and set you up for the day. Or you may prefer to do it in the evening, to wash away the day’s stresses and prepare you for a restful night’s sleep.

Whatever you decide, be sure to keep consistent with it. In time you’ll no longer have to think about it as it’ll just be a part of your daily routine.

Yoga and Mindfulness Combined

As you can see there are some tremendous benefits to practicing yoga and mindfulness, particularly since they share so many attributes for the mind and body.

If you follow these tips closely, particularly alongside your pharmacological treatment, you’ll no doubt start to see dramatic improvements in your physical and mental health.

In times like these, it’s vital for all of us to give ourselves that advantage, so we can come out stronger than we were before.

Protecting your health has never been so important. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our priorities—especially when it comes to protecting our health. But did you know that certain medications can actually suppress your immune system? If you or someone you care for are taking one of these so-called “immunosuppressant” medications, you should know about the possible side effects.

Some side effects can resemble symptoms of COVID-19, so consider your symptoms and severity. Remember you can always contact your doctor if you have questions or concerns.

Read below for 5 important immunosuppressant side effects so that you can protect yourself and your loved ones.

A Few Things to Know

Immunosuppressant drugs are a group of drugs that purposefully weaken your immune system. This can make it more difficult for your body to fight infection.

This type of drug is often used for transplant patients. Immunosuppressants reduce the likelihood that the body will reject the transplanted organ. This is why immunosuppressants are sometimes called anti-rejection medications.

Immunosuppressants are also used to treat autoimmune disorders like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system attacks itself. So, by weakening the immune system, the body doesn’t have the same negative effects from the attack.

Whatever immunosuppressant medications you may be taking, it is important to stay compliant with all prescribed medications. This is true even during COVID-19. Check with your doctor if you have questions about your medication routine.

But there are a few other things to consider when trying to support your health during this time.

1. Risk of Infection

The number one concern of patients taking immunosuppressants is the risk of infection. The purpose of these drugs is to reduce the immune system activity, so it’s expected that the immune system is compromised.

There is research being conducted about whether people taking immunosuppressant drugs are at a higher risk of COVID-19. But, preliminary studies have shown that those taking immunosuppressants are not at an increased risk of contracting or spreading the virus.

However, those that consider themselves high-risk should still be cautious. A compromised immune system could affect how severe symptoms are and how long it takes to recover.

Without sufficient research and evidence, everyone, including those on immunosuppressants, should be careful. This includes social distancing, hand washing, and wearing a face covering when in public.

Even though risk of infection is one of the side effects of immunosuppressant drugs, it is recommended that healthy individuals stay on their regular medication routine. You can even order your medications online to reduce any potential exposure when traveling to the pharmacy.

If you have more questions about your risk of infection, contact your doctor or another medical professional.

2. Nausea and Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are less common symptoms of COVID-19. But they are very common among those taking immunosuppressants. For individuals that experience these side effects, it could be concerning.

If you experience nausea or vomiting, talk to your doctor and consider whether you may have been exposed to someone that has recently tested positive for COVID-19.

If you are taking immunosuppressants for a transplant you should also be watching out for rejection symptoms. Some of those symptoms can be flu-like which could resemble COVID-19 symptoms. Contact your doctor immediately if you start to experience those symptoms.

3. Inflammation Symptoms

If you are taking an immunosuppressant drug for an inflammatory illness it is still possible to experience flare-ups. Inflammatory illnesses involve swelling inside or outside of the body. Some of these conditions are treated with anti-inflammatory drugs and some require immunosuppressants.

During the global pandemic, it’s normal to be aware of how you are feeling at all times. However, every ache and pain does not necessarily mean you have COVID-19.

For example, if you are taking an immunosuppressant for Rheumatoid arthritis and have a flare-up you could experience pain, fatigue, or flu-like symptoms. Generally, they will subside within a day or so. If symptoms last longer, you should contact your doctor for advice.

4. Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is a potential long term side effect of immunosuppressant drugs. People with autoimmune disorders taking immunosuppressants have an increased risk of morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease.

Respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 include coughing and shortness of breath. These can also be symptoms of cardiovascular disease. Distinguishing between the two can be difficult.

Consult a doctor if you start to experience any respiratory issues. It could be a normal side effect of your immunosuppressant but it could be a symptom of COVID-19.

Individuals taking immunosuppressants should also avoid smoking and try to keep a healthy weight and blood pressure. Taking care of oneself can reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications from immunosuppressants.

5. Drug Interaction Side Effects

If you contract COVID-19 and are prescribed medication, it may react with the current immunosuppressant drugs you are taking. You should consult a medical professional to learn about any potential negative drug interactions.

Skin rash, diarrhea, abdominal pain, high cholesterol, and upper respiratory tract infections are potential signs of a drug reaction.

Your doctor may choose to alter your medication routine while you are recovering from COVID-19. However, if you are recovering from a transplant, your immunosuppressants may be the priority.

Immunosuppressant Side Effects and COVID-19

If you take an immunosuppressant drug, talk to your doctor about any potential changes to your medication routine because of COVID-19. Generally speaking, it is safe to keep taking your medication even during the pandemic.

Some immunosuppressant side effects are the same as symptoms of COVID-19. So check with your doctor if you start to experience any flu-like symptoms including fever or respiratory problems.

Take caution when in public by keeping your distance and wearing a face covering at all times. Wash your hands and avoid crowds especially indoors. Keep yourself healthy and safe during this challenging time.

Looking for a way to get all your medication on time without getting on the phone or leaving your home? Check out what our online pharmacy has to offer!

Approximately 119 million people take prescription medication in the US. That’s more than one-third of the entire population!

Pharmaceutical drugs are in enormous demand. From pain relievers to anti-hypertensives, people rely on pharmaceuticals to manage a variety of medical conditions. They’ve become an essential component of keeping people fit, pain-free, and, sometimes, even alive. Yet our reliance on medication isn’t without its difficulties. Everything from the side effects to the expense can make it a significant burden.

Know the struggle? Well, you’ll be pleased to hear that buying your medications online is one way of reducing the strain. This modern means of sourcing your drugs can make a significant difference in a host of ways.

Want to find out how? Read on for six key incentives to buy your medication online.

1. The Price is Right

It’s hard to overstate the financial burden that pharmaceutical drugs can impose on somebody. Simply put, medication doesn’t come cheap these days. Worse still, the price of many vital drugs continues to rise every year. On average, older Americans take 4.5 prescription drugs per month, the price of which has increased more than three-fold between 2005 and 2017.

Think about that for a second. For many people, these drugs are the difference between life and death. The fact that many are being forced to choose between their health and finances is immoral.

Thankfully, online pharmacies are often able to offer discounted prices on their inventory. It’s one of the perks of operating over the internet! With none of the overhead associated with brick and mortar retailers, they can charge less and still make a profit.

2. It’s More Convenient

We live in a busy world where time is precious. People are pushed and pulled in a hundred different directions, with to-do lists that never seem to get any shorter. Finding time for yourself in amongst day-to-day responsibilities isn’t easy.

One result of our fast-paced world is a rising demand for convenience. Anything that’s overly time-consuming is a hassle; we want/need things instantaneously and with minimal fuss. Alas, going to a traditional pharmacy can prove troublesome in this context. It requires going out of your way to collect your prescription medication.

Time-constraints are only one factor in this lack of convenience. If you’re struggling with serious physical and/or mental conditions, then getting up and out of the house might not be possible. You might have the time and inclination, yet lack the actual capability of getting there.

Order it online, though, and it’s delivered straight to your door. It doesn’t get any easier than that.

3. It’s Discrete in Nature

Going to brick and mortar pharmacies means you risk running into someone you know. People can see what you’re buying, wonder what’s wrong, and even inquire about your medical needs. Many of us feel ashamed at our medical conditions; others just prefer not to broadcast their medical needs with the world.

Nicely, online shopping provides an element of discretion. Buy your pharmaceutical drugs via the internet, have it delivered to your door, and nobody else has to know about it.

Don’t forgo face-to-face interactions entirely though! Meeting with a trained medical professional, like a doctor or a nurse practioner, in-person ensures you’re accessing treatment that’s appropriate for your condition.

4. Enjoy Input from the Experts

A bonus of online pharmacies is the easy-access they provide to medical professionals. Often, there’s a pharmacist a phone call or instant message away. Better yet, the support is often provided 24/7! Hop onto the website at any time of day and you can interact with an expert.

Think about the positive repercussions this has. Any queries about dosages, side-effects, treatment schedules, and so on can be cleared up in moments. There’s no need to leave the house or set up an appointment.

You access vital medical information without any of the trouble. Rather than finding out the answers for yourself via inconclusive Google searches, you get a response straight from the horse’s mouth.

5. Greater Insight into the Medication

What normally happens when you go to the pharmacist to pick up your prescription medications? Most people collect their meds and start taking them without a second thought! The trust we put in medical professionals means we blindly accept the drugs we’re given. That lack of questioning can be problematic. First off, people make mistakes! The drug you’ve been given might not be what you were prescribed. Secondly, it’s always a good idea to have an insight into the treatment you’re embarking upon.

Buying medication online makes this more likely to happen. Product pages of online pharmacy websites deliver all the information you could need. Everything from dosage guidelines to the ingredients can be found. Of course, any questions that remain can be answered immediately by the online pharmacist.

6. You Can Validate the Product

Critics of buying medication online often refer to the potential danger involved. They refer to the trouble identifying the authenticity of a drug; the risk of buying old and improper medication from an unauthenticated online vendor.

While it’s true that nefarious online pharmacies have, in the past, sold subpar pharmaceutical drugs. It’s also true that there are strict regulations in place to protect you against this! That being said, you should be diligent in buying medication from authenticated sources only. After all, buying anything on the internet carries a risk, yet purchasing medication online is now a widely accepted practice. Just make sure that you are buying from a registered online pharmacy and you can feel confident in the quality of the product you are getting. L0ok for certificates such as those of CIPA, Quality Assured Business and McAfee Secure to help you find reputable sites that you can trust.

Buy Your Pharmaceutical Drugs Online

Tens of millions of Americans rely upon prescription drugs to keep their health in check. Thankfully, the internet has made it easier than ever to get hold of them! Hopefully, this article has presented the many benefits of buying medication online versus instore.

Ready to make your first online purchase? Contact us today to see how we can help.

AFib sounds like something that a dishonest person would say. The truth is that atrial fibrillation (AFib) is no laughing matter.

It is a medical condition that affects the hearts of millions of Americans. In fact, it is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia.

To learn how to manage your risk, it is important to know a little about this condition. Read ahead to learn about the science of AFib and how to treat it.

The Truth About AFib

What is AFib? It is a form of arrhythmia, a type of condition that involves the electrical signals that regulate the beating of the heart. AFib causes the heart’s upper chambers (the atria) to beat in an uncoordinated fashion.

If left untreated, AFib can lead to serious complications, including stroke and death.

That doesn’t mean you can’t live a long and happy life, but it is important that you don’t just ignore it because this may lead to even bigger problems.

Cause of AFib

Anything that affects the structure, integrity, or function of the heart could potentially lead to AFib.

This includes any disorder that causes inflammation, ischemia (lack of oxygen), oxidative stress, or another type of damage.

These result in cardiac remodelling, a phenomenon consisting of structural and electrical changes in the heart. This messes with the electrical wiring of the heart, causing it to ‘short circuit’, so to speak. These erratic electric signals result in an irregular heartbeat.

AFib Complications

Fibrillation refers to irregular, unproductive movements of the heart. They are the result of abnormal electrical activity.

Rarely, this can lead to cardiogenic shock, a condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood through the body.

AFib and Stroke

A stroke occurs when part of the brain is not receiving enough oxygen, usually due to inadequate blood supply. This can lead to severe neurological disease, coma, and death. Indeed, AFib is the leading heart-related cause of stroke.

This is because the irregular, chaotic movement of the heart creates turbulence in the blood within its chambers. This can inadvertently lead to coagulation (blood clot formation). The clot can then travel out of the heart and get stuck in an artery that supplies the brain, something called a thromboembolic stroke.

Risk Factors

Some people have a higher risk than others.

Advanced age is one of the most important, yet unavoidable risk factors. There are also genetic factors that play a role, and sometimes no specific cause can be pinpointed.

There are a number of conditions that have been shown to increase your risk of AFib, many of which are preventable.

Heart Disease

Any form of heart disease increases your risk of AFib. This includes congenital (genetic) and acquired conditions. Coronary artery disease, previous heart attack, and conditions that affect the valves are the most common offenders.

Alcohol Use

There is a well-defined, dose-dependent relationship between alcohol and the onset of AFib. Simply put, the more you drink, the higher your risk.

Even ‘moderate’ drinkers have an increased risk. In fact, AFib can occur after the kind of binge drinking that happens during holidays and parties. Physicians call this the “holiday heart syndrome“.

Hypertension

Studies show that almost half of American adults have high blood pressure (“hypertension”). High blood pressure can have serious consequences for the organs of the body. It can lead to skin problems, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and other conditions.

Not surprisingly, the increased pressure puts a lot of strain on the heart. AFib is just one of many potential heart problems that are caused or exacerbated by hypertension.

Thankfully, in many cases, hypertension can be treated with relatively simple lifestyle changes.

Other

People with certain medical conditions can be at an increased risk, as well.

Inflammatory diseases of the heart, such as myocarditis and pericarditis, may often result in AFib. Endocrine diseases, such as hyperthyroidism and even untreated diabetes can increase your chance of getting AFib as well.

Last but not least, people with obstructive sleep apnea have four times the risk of the general population.

AFib Symptoms

AFib is a multifactorial disease that can vary greatly in the way it presents itself. In most cases, it presents in periodic episodes, often following a trigger event. In others, it is almost always present.

In fact, many people show no symptoms at all. Other times, the signs are vague and/or nonspecific enough for people to ignore them.

However, this does not mean you are without risk. Here are common signs and symptoms to look for.

Chest Pain

There are many possible causes of chest pain. The majority of cases are due to everyday things like some GI issues or even muscle soreness.

However, you never want to take a chance with anything that might involve the heart.

Palpitations

Heart palpitations are one of the most characteristic symptoms of AFib and other arrhythmias. Depending on the severity, they can be extremely disturbing for the individual.

People that experience them say it feels like their heart is ‘racing’ and/or ‘pounding’ out of their chest.

Other

Sometimes, AFib can lead to seemingly unrelated symptoms.

People often present with nausea and dizziness during episodes. This can lead to vomiting if severe.

AFib can be a longstanding problem that leads to chronic fatigue. You may notice yourself getting tired much quicker than usual.

Finally, leg swelling is another non-specific sign of AFib, but it’s always worth mentioning to your doctor.

AFib Medication

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to treat AFib. They can be divided into several categories.

AFib treatment consists of treating underlying conditions, getting cardiac rhythm under control, managing symptoms, and proactively lowering your risk of complications, namely stroke.

The Age of Anticoagulants

Reducing your risk of stroke may require you to take anticoagulant drugs.

These prevent blood clots from forming within your heart and going to your brain.

Apixaban (sold commercially as Eliquis) is indicated for lowering your risk of stroke. Rivaroxaban (Xarelto) is an effective blood thinner with a similar mechanism of action.

Handling Your AFib

Just because you have AFib, doesn’t mean you can’t have a fab life. There are plenty of things you can do.

Most importantly, you have to control the modifiable risk factors. This means avoiding smoking and excessive drinking, eating right, and taking care of any health issues you may have.

Visit our blog for more articles about health and science.

One of the biggest impacts the Coronavirus has made on our personal lives pertains to our health and fitness. With quarantines and social distancing policies in place, gyms and fitness centers across the country have been forced to close their doors. But where does that leave everyone who depends on those facilities to stay fit and healthy? You can’t be expected to buy home gym equipment in turbulent financial times like these. Don’t worry, your situation isn’t hopeless. You can learn how to get in shape at home, even without gym equipment. Keep reading for our quick guide.

Cardio Training

Cardiovascular exercise provides one of the easiest ways to stay fit at home. People have been learning how to get fitter at home through cardio workouts long before the Coronavirus dug its roots into our society.

Here are the best cardio options.

Hit the Pavement

If you can leave the house, you have endless miles of roads and sidewalks to walk, run, bike, and jog. It’s not illegal or even unsafe to be outside unless you’re congregating in large groups of people. You can start off slow and build up your endurance by slowly increasing your speed and/or distance over time.

For an extra challenge, try incorporating high-intensity interval training (H.I.I.T.) sessions into your running or biking routine:

As you progress, start intensifying your exertion or decreasing your rest period. You can also add extra rounds.

Be a Stair Climber

However, if you don’t feel like going outside because of allergies or any other reason, you can still get in a good cardio session. If you have stairs in your home, you can build up lower body strength and significantly tax your cardiovascular system by running stair laps.

Once again, you can start slow and increase your speed or intensity over time. Just remember to stay safe and avoid tripping or taking too many steps at once.

Master Calisthenics

Finally, there are a number of calisthenic movements specifically designed to improve your cardiovascular conditioning. However, many of these movements also come with the added benefit of increasing your lean muscle mass.

Here’s a quick free home exercise program designed exclusively with cardio-based calisthenic movements:

Remember, all of these exercises can be modified based on your ability. The key is to continually push yourself harder each time. You can increase the number of rounds, the number of reps on each exercise, or try to decrease the time it takes you to complete the workout.

Strength Training

How can you incorporate home exercise programs that increase your strength and lean muscle mass without weights or other equipment? Believe it or not, you have everything you need already. Bodyweight movements have been used for increasing strength since the dawn of exercise.

However, it’s important to understand proper form and technique to optimize your results and minimize the risk of injuries. No matter what, you’ll be sore, but you don’t have to be broken.

Here’s an example of a well-rounded, full-body strength program you can do at home.

Remember, these sets and reps can be altered based on your strength and conditioning level. Experiment with various combinations to find the best fit. Just remember that learning how to get in shape at home requires self-regulation – you have to push yourself.

For the best results, we recommend slow and controlled movements through the motions of each exercise. Try to count to three on both the positive and negative movement of the exercise. For example, during squats, this would mean counting to three as you lower yourself down, pausing briefly, then counting to three as you slowly stand up into the starting position.

This type of controlled movement increases both your power and stability. It also helps you achieve greater trauma to the muscle tissue which is necessary for growth improved strength.

Functional Strength Exercise

You may also want to explore how to get in shape at home by finding a daily yoga routine. Yoga has dozens of physical, mental, and emotional benefits.

People have been using yoga for centuries to gain peace of mind, higher levels of consciousness, and yes, even stronger bodies. While you may look at yoga and assume it’s all about being flexible, there’s a ton of yoga positions only people of exceptional strength can execute.

Power yoga, for example, is all about increasing strength, balance, and stability. Of course, yoga is also fantastic for improving your flexibility and range of motion, which is ever more important as we get older.

Incorporate a Healthy Eating Plan

Learning how to get in shape at home through exercise alone, however, isn’t enough. If you’re seeking true health and/or weight loss, your nutrition plays a vital role in your success.

The best personal trainers and health experts will tell you that weight isn’t lost in the gym, it’s lost in the kitchen. You simply can’t outwork a bad diet. For reference, to burn off the average candy bar, you’d have to run for 22 minutes.

The best way to lose weight is to monitor your caloric intake and eat primarily good, whole foods (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meats). Use the 80/20 rule. Eat healthy foods 80% of the time and allow yourself leniency the other 20% of the time.

Make It Part of Your Daily Routine

No project, goal, or hobby could succeed without consistency. In order to make a positive change in your health, you have to work at it every day.

Our bodies are masters of homeostasis. Their main goal is to keep things the same. The only way to change the way things are (your current health and/or weight) is to consistently put forth an effort.

We recommend making your new health and fitness plan a part of your daily routine. Schedule a time to workout each day. Pre-plan healthy meals so you never find yourself starving and craving less healthy options.

Looking for More Tips on How to Get in Shape at Home?

Learning how to get in shape at home isn’t easy. However, you aren’t alone. Hundreds of thousands of people in the nation are in your exact same shoes. Reach out to friends and family on social media and initiate health and fitness challenges to help motivate one another.

And if you have any other health concerns and are looking for an affordable and helpful pharmacy, we can help. Contact us today to learn more about ordering prescription drugs and maintaining your best health.

Have you been going to the local pharmacy to buy your medications? Are you interested in an alternative that saves time and money?  If so, then you should consider buying medications online from your favorite store or a new one.

That being said, the digital world comes with its share of safety concerns, and a wrong move can make it harder to obtain your medicine. However, you can rest assured that with our medical knowledge, you will be able to purchase your medications through the internet without a hitch.

Here are nine tips for buying medications online safely.

1. Check Certifications

When you order medication online, it helps to be aware of the qualifications of the people you are ordering from. Whatever company you rely on for medicine should have the necessary certifications to show that they have the background needed to treat your specific problem.

Not only does a reliable pharmacy make it easy for you to learn about them, but they put the same effort into getting to know you. We, for example, require that patients have spoken to their doctors and with a valid prescription before allowing them to order our medicine.

2. Be Cautious About Bargains

Are you looking for an online pharmacy that offers ways to save money on your purchases, especially when you’re low on cash? If so, you should be careful about special deals that these companies offer online, as the cheapest deal isn’t always the best.

When companies sell cheaper versions of the medications you are used to buying, then these options may not work as well as more expensive alternatives. This could mean more money coming out of your pockets for extra drugs.

3. Choose Pharmacies that Require Prescriptions

Order medicine online from pharmacies that require important information from your doctor or other licensed professional that you normally go to. One example is the prescription, as this shows that the company cares about what you normally take to fix issues so that they can do the same.

When buying medications online from companies that don’t ask for a prescription, you have a better chance of getting the wrong medicine. Those that do ask, however, decrease your chances of having more health issues to deal with.

4. Check Out Privacy Policies

Another way that you can find a safe way to buy prescription drugs online is by looking at the privacy policy of companies you are interested in. The right policy is easy to read and makes the company’s intents and desire to keep your data safe clear.

The only way that the company should be able to sell your personal information is through an agreement that you approve of. This will help you have an easier time preserving not only your health but your finances and personal information, as well.

5. Secure Personal Data

Are you considering buying medications online from a pharmacy that you’re not as familiar with as those in your neighborhood? In this case, you should avoid sharing any personal information, such as your credit card data, social security number, or previous medical history.

The safest bet here is to buy online from companies that you already go to or know have a reputation of trustful service. The more personal data you keep to yourself, the easier it will be for you to avoid scams and your data being stolen from either the company or hackers due to an unsecured website.

6. Look at Reviews

Even if the companies you are considering buying from explain their history and qualifications in great detail, it helps to have a second opinion. Check on their website for testimonials of their products and services so that you don’t get taken advantage of.

You can check for reviews on the pharmacy’s website or look up their company on Google, Bing, and other search engines. See what customers have to say about how the medications perform, as well as the advice the company gives for handling their issues throughout the day.

7. Check Out their Ingredients

One way that you can tell if a pharmacy is providing the right medication online is through the ingredients of their drugs. Your medicine may not work if there is a low amount of helpful ingredients or if it features ingredients that can make your problem worse.

Look at the company’s product listings on their site to see all of the components of their medicine. If the company provides little to no ingredient information, then leave for one that does so that you know what kind of problems they handle and if it’s right for you.

8. Look for Pharmacy Domains

Another way that a pharmacy’s website can show if you are dealing with a legitimate business is through the company’s domain. Sites that have been verified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) will show their pharmacies’ domains at the end of the web address.

While companies can easily forge a logo, they can’t do so with a domain because of the approval of the NABP. Keep searching until you find a company that shows the pharmacy domain so that you can enjoy easy access to medications.

9. Verify Their Location

While buying your drugs online will save you the trouble of driving to a physical store, knowing that they have an office provides a sense of legitimacy. This also comes in handy if you are short on time and can’t wait for a delivery that will take a day or two to complete.

Check the pharmacy’s site for a physical address, or call the company to verify where their offices are located. If you can’t find this information from the site or their staff, then switch to one that not only shows the address but also a picture of the store to ensure reliable service.

Our Take on Buying Medications Online

Buying medications online comes with its challenges, such as finding a lack of data about the company or being asked for certain information. However, our tips ensure that you find a dependable service.

Keep your personal data safe from potential scammers, and get as much information about the company from its staff and people it has helped. With these moves, you will be able to save time and money on improving your health.

For more pharmaceutical expertise, check out our guides so that you can cure your illnesses and enjoy a happy, healthy life.

Experts have said this year will be a particularly bad allergy season. And if you’re an allergy sufferer who already dreads this time of year, that’s terrible news. It’s hard enough to manage your allergies on an ordinary spring day, but now that it’s even worse? Your go-to strategies may not cover it all.

Not sure what else you can do to reduce allergy symptoms? To make your house more pollen-free? Read-on to find our tips and tricks for keeping your sinuses clear this spring.

How to Manage Your Allergies With Lifestyle Factors

You can’t prevent allergies 100%, no matter how many of the following tips you follow. None of them are foolproof, nor are they all available to everyone.

But they are tools you can add to your allergy management toolbox. Whether they reduce your symptoms, reduce the dosage of allergy meds you have to take, or put off your allergies for a few days, take a look at the following suggestions.

1. Find Local Honey

You may be thinking, what does honey have to do with my allergies? Well, many allergies are due to pollen (of some sort or another), and honey is made by bees.

Bees feed off of pollen, and particles of pollen get processed into their honey. Kind of like a vaccine, these honey pollen particles can reduce or even prevent your response to allergens.

But it has to be local honey – as pollen is different everywhere, you go. You may be able to find it in some grocery stores, but your best bet is to find a farmers market.

Ideally, the honey will be from the town you live in. But if it’s within a twenty-mile radius, you should be fine as well. Bees are good travellers, so even if the farm is 20 miles away, the bees will be able to reach your neighbourhood.

For the best results, you’ll need to take about a teaspoon of local honey every day. You can add it to your coffee in the morning, or take it in hot water before bed.

Make it a habit so that by the time allergies come around, you’ve been preparing yourself for months!

2. Change into House Clothes

During the peak pollen season, which you’ll likely see through the evidence on your car and windows, pollen gets on your clothes.

Even if you’ve only gone from your car to your work, and back to your home, that pollen is everywhere. To keep it from getting into the air in your house (as much as possible), change clothes as soon as you get home.

Take off your shoes, go upstairs, and put your outside clothes in the dirty clothes bin. Yes, this may create more laundry for a while, but you want the indoors to be a sanctuary from your allergies – not a mini exposure environment. This will really help you manage your allergies.

3. Take Showers Often

Pollen doesn’t only get on your clothes; it gets in your hair and on your skin. That pollen can easily transfer to your pillowcase and bed linens if you’re not showering every day.

Now, we’re not recommending that you wash your hair with shampoo daily (that’s too drying), but you should rinse off for 3-5 minutes on non-shower days before you go to bed.

Pollen is water-soluble, so rinsing your hair and skin with water is enough to remove it and send it down the drain.

4. Take a Tumeric Supplement

Part of the discomfort you get from allergies is from inflammation. Your body sees the pollen molecules as threats and revs up your immune system to attack them.

That process causes inflammation, or swelling, which you likely feel in the form of sinus pressure and a sore throat.

Tumeric is an organic herbal supplement that’s been scientifically proven to reduce inflammation in the body.

It’s a building effect, which means you should make it part of your daily routine. As far as supplements go, it’s rather affordable and can even reduce other inflammation-related symptoms, like joint pain and IBS.

People who practice herbal medicine swear by it and western science is starting to recommend it as well.

When you look for a turmeric supplement, make sure it has black pepper in the formulation. The black pepper makes your body more receptive to the tumeric, giving it a better chance at taking effect and reducing inflammation in your body.

5. Stay Inside More

We know that this isn’t what you want to hear. But staying indoors as much as possible during allergy season is the smart thing to do.

If fumes from a certain chemical were making you sick, you wouldn’t purposefully expose yourself to that chemical, right? You’d stay away.

If you have to go outside, follow the tips above to reduce the amount of pollen you bring back inside with you.

The season will be over soon, and you’ll be able to go back out and enjoy the sunshine!

6. Save Money on Allergy Meds

If you have to take allergy medications every day for a month or more, that can start to impact your finances.

American companies are known for having extremely high and unfair prices, and right now, that’s the unfortunate truth.

But you don’t have to pay those high prices! You can legally and conveniently order your allergy medications from online Canadian pharmacies.

You’ll get access to socialized medicine prices, without leaving your house!

Allergy Relief, Finally

We hope that the tips to manage your allergies above give you some relief this spring season. Remember that it’s all temporary, and you’ll be able to breathe through both nostrils before you know it!

To find out more about ordering affordable allergy meds online, click here to for a full list of available products.

Just because diabetes is a chronic disorder doesn’t mean that it is a death sentence. If you or someone you love has recently been diagnosed with the illness, rest assured that you can still lead a high-quality life. However, proper control and management of your diabetes through treatment is absolutely crucial to achieving this. Treatment consists of your medication, lifestyle choices and keeping tight control of any complications that may arise. Keeping your blood sugar level balanced and reducing any further complications is a key part of treatment. These are the factors that allow people with diabetes to lead a normal and functional daily life.

Have you been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus? Then read on for some important diabetes management guidelines you should follow to maintain a healthy lifestyle!

Key Factors

When we think diabetes, we often think that it is caused solely by over-consuming sugary foods or a combination of sugary and fatty foods. That is only one causative factor. There are several other elements that play a role in getting the illness.

Your lifestyle choices and your habits all play a part. For example, drinking, smoking, or a sedentary lifestyle combined with your diet can lead to diabetes. Genetics can also predispose you to diabetes.

Additionally, diabetes can be caused by various other existing illnesses such as cystic fibrosis, hormonal disorders, and pancreatitis.

Two Major Diabetes Management Guidelines

Proper control and monitoring of your daily habits, lifestyle choices and diet becomes vital. Once diagnosed with the disease, these lifestyle factors, in addition to medication prescribed by your doctor, can help normalize your insulin and blood sugar levels.

Here are some must-follow diabetes management guidelines:

Medication: Your Best Friend

For those diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, it is crucial that you take your insulin throughout the day as prescribed, be it before or after a meal. Whether using a needle, insulin pump, pen or other insulin delivery method, self-monitoring will help you to decide when to take your medication.

Given that people with Type 1 Diabetes are unable to produce any insulin at all, insulin replacement therapy is critical in order to allow the body to adequately absorb glucose and use it towards energy production.

For those with Type 2 Diabetes, it is a bit different. A combination of lifestyle choices including dietary regulations, consistent exercise and medication is key to managing your blood sugar levels. Most people with this form of diabetes take Metformin to help manage their disease. Newer categories of drugs, such as “SGLT-2 Inhibitors” (which includes Invokana and Jardiance) and “DPP-4 Inhibitors” (which includes Tradjenta) are also often used in combination with Metformin for treating those with Type 2 Diabetes.

Exercise: The Path to a Better Life

Exercise is a key factor in diabetes management as it can reverse the illness in the early stages. You can try doing thirty minutes of moderate exercise at least five times weekly. Exercise uses up spare glucose and makes muscles more insulin sensitive.

Exercise such as aerobics can aid weight control, reduce blood sugar levels and improve the use of insulin. You can try speed walking, cycling, dancing, and swimming.

Strength training exercises are also good. They improve muscle buildup, which in turn increases the amount of glucose that the body burns during rest. Some examples include weight lifting, squats, and even gardening.

In instances where there are excess ketones in the urine, you are to avoid exercising. This is an indication that the body is only burning fats and not glucose.

Right Dietary Decisions Equals Right Results

For most people with diabetes, moderation is key when it comes to diet. You can still enjoy your favorite foods, just in smaller portions. A balanced meal consumed in the recommended servings makes all the difference.

When it comes to vegetables both starchy and non-starchy vegetables can be eaten. Great choices are leafy green vegetables, green beans, and carrots.

Fruits can be tricky. It is best to avoid those with high sugar content such as watermelon. Some fruits that are better for diabetics are berries, apples, and oranges.

When it comes to grains, it is better to consume wholewheat or wholemeal bread, cereal, and pasta. These grains are great additions as well as oats, quinoa, and barley.

In order to have variety in your diet try eating low-fat, non-dairy or non-fat dairy products. Salmon, nuts, and avocado are wonderful too.

Avoid alcohol as much as possible. Fried, salty and sugary foods are high on the list of foods to avoid as well.

Habits Break or Make You

For people who are pre-diabetic or who already have the illness, you are advised to avoid smoking, especially tobacco.

When you smoke it increases the likelihood of heart disease and may cause early death or other complications. It also lessens your body’s ability to control your blood sugar level. Even e-cigarettes are best avoided if you have diabetes.

Hydration, Reduced Stress, and Quality Sleep

Drinking lots of water helps to balance your blood sugar levels. An additional benefit is that it helps the kidney to get rid of excess sugar via urination.

When you are stressed, it can increase your blood sugar levels. Stress produces glucagon and cortisol that raises blood sugar levels. Controlling stress particularly through exercise and relaxation will help you to keep healthy.

Lack of good quality sleep has an impact on both insulin sensitivity and blood sugar. It also increases cortisol levels. Loss of sleep not only affects metabolic hormones but also increases appetite and weight.

Right Steps Today for a Better, Healthier Tomorrow

While there is no cure for diabetes, effective treatment which is inclusive of good lifestyle choices and the right medication can lead to a healthy, happy you. Being diabetic is not a prison sentence, there are lots of diabetics who are leading normal lives.

What is important is to follow the steps outlined in these diabetes management guidelines. Eat a balanced diet, enjoy things in moderation, exercise, take your medication, and sleep well.

Staying hydrated and practicing good lifestyle choices will also make a world of difference. If you follow all these guidelines you will be well on your way to ensuring that you live a hassle-free life that is not debilitating due to your illness.

If you would like more tips on how to stay healthy, please contact us.

Headaches can affect a person’s day; it is tension in the neck, head or scalp. It is an uncomfortable pain which affects people due to various reasons. Headaches can be caused by eye strain, over exhaustion, fatigue, alcohol, cold, flu and other factors. Headaches are not enjoyable therefore here are 7 tips on how to get rid of a headache.

  1. Drink a glass of water. The most basic thing a person with a headache can do is drink a glass of water. Dehydration can cause various health problems and headaches are one of them.
  2. Take a nap and relax. Stress is a huge factor which contributes to headaches. When you’re feeling a headache coming on, just take time to relax and enjoy the day. Taking a nap often helps to release the stress you may have been feeling so you can wake up headache free.
  3. Take a hot shower. Often headaches are caused by tension in your back and neck muscles. Therefore, a nice, hot shower loosens the muscles and allows the blood to flow better.
  4. Ice or heat pack. As noted, a lot of headaches are caused by tension in the back and neck muscles therefore, placing an ice pack for 5 to 10 minutes on the back of your neck can reduce any inflammation and numb the pain. As for the heat pack, when it is applied to the back of the neck it, is able to loosen the muscles and reduce your headache.
  5. Deep Massage. A firm message on your head, face, and neck can ease the tension and stress which is the main cause of headaches.
  6. Aromatherapy. This natural home remedy is a great way to eliminate headaches at two levels. It eliminates the headache at the emotional level since the scent calms the senses and sends sensory pleasure. It also works at the physical level by rebalancing the nervous system and relaxing the muscles. Here are a list of different types of essential oils which can alleviate a headache:
    • Eucalyptus
    • Frankincense
    • Frankincense and lavender
    • Lavender
    • Lavender and Pan Away
    • Peppermint
    • Valerian
  7. Medication options. There are several prescription medications which are available to treat your headaches such as Maxalt, Amerge, Axert and Frova. You should see your doctor in order to ensure these medications are right for you. Lemons are an all natural cure for headaches. You can add lemon juice to your water or tea or also grind the lemon peel into a paste and rub it on your forehead to ease pain.
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