Concurrently, new statistics from the U.S. government out this week state 34% of American adults age 20 and up are obese.  68% of the same population are overweight. And whats worse, is that this number is seen as “relatively good news” in relation to past trends according the the director of the CDC’s division of nutrition, William Dietz.  No matter what the trend numbers might say, its clearly an issue in American society, and a fixable one at that.

When attacking the issue of obesity, it is important to keep in mind just one equation.  Burn more calories than you take in, and you’ll have a negative calorie count, allowing you to shed those extra and unwanted pounds.

A couple of good articles that go along with these follow.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/12/04/fn.beck.griggs/index.html
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/health/2010/01/weight-loss-slower-eating-helps-with-weight-loss-children-and-obesity-mandometer.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704362004575000991306918812.html?mod=wsj_share_twitter

There are several factors involved in making a medication choice to treat type-2 diabetes.  A discussion with your doctor is always best in deciding, but having done your research can aid in this process being less costly experience.  It is important to consider the following factors (along with cost of course): safety, efficacy, and adverse reactions or side effects. Taking your medication each day is essential to it doing any good, so be sure to take the time and work with your doctor to choose the best therapy for you.  You can find more pricing information for several of these common and cost effective generic options on the Rx Savings Solutions Medication List, or at Consumer Reports.

As a pharmacist, I routinely see people who come in to the pharmacy asking for a particular brand name product like Excedrin, Alka-Seltzer, or Robitussin.   When they get to the aisle to find these medications, more than 10 or 12 different products all using the same brand name may be waiting for them.  At this point, they make one of two choices:  to either come ask the pharmacist for more information, or self select and leave the store.  Once companies establish their brand name, they try to capture as much of the market as they can.  And although this may be good business practice in regards to making money, its not always so good for a persons health.

The key to making this selection is looking at the active ingredients, preferably with a pharmacists help if available.  By examining the array of products all using the same brand name more closely, you’re more likely to treat the symptoms you actually have, and not put yourself at risk for an adverse reaction.

When in doubt, ask a pharmacist!  We all took an oath to help people, and most of us really enjoy doing so!

Here are some signs and resources for recognizing a heart attack from the American Heart Association:
-Chest discomfort.  The pain can come and go, or last continuously.
-Discomfort in other areas of the body.  Discomfort or pain areas are both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
-Shortness of breath.  This can occur with or without any of the symptoms listed above.  It can result in sweating, nausea and lightheadedness.

Heart attacks can happen quickly, but can also start off slow.  The faster you can get treatment, the better the outcome.  Recognition is key!  Take the quiz below to see if you know all you need to, or visit the American Heart Association.

Heart Quiz

According to a study done by the Mayo Clinic, more than 15 million Americans use herbal remedies or high-dose vitamins.  Many use them because they think “natural” means safer. On the contrary, these herbal medications don’t go through the testing by the FDA to meet safety and efficacy standards.  Along with that, the potential for interactions between herbal medications and prescriptions can have catastrophic outcomes.  According to Dr. Arshad Jahangir, M.D. at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ, “We can see the effect of some of these herb-drug interactions — some of which can be life-threatening — on tests for blood clotting, liver enzymes and, with some medications, on electrocardiogram.”

If you use, or are considering using herbal medications, talk with your Doctor or Pharmacist.  Be sure they have a list of all of the medications and disease states related to your health to help you make a best decision about usage and avoid any serious complications.  As always, feel free to contact one of the Pharmacists at Rx Savings Solutions for help on medication matters.

Luckily, there are several cheaper options like doxazosin or finasteride you can try before resorting to these high dollar items. These items can usually be obtained for less then $10.00/mo. and in many studies are equally effective to their Brand Name competitors. For more information talk with your doctor, or ask one of our Board Certified Pharmacists for more information.

http://www.rx-savings-solutions.com/?contact

A patient (maybe you) goes in to their primary care physician for a yearly physical.  While there, they find that you have a slightly abnormal condition that is easily treated with a prescription medication.  Instead of sending you out the door to the pharmacy, the doctor briefly leaves the room and returns with “Free Samples” that you can try for the next 2 weeks or a month.  Sounds great, no cost to you, right?!  Not so fast!

If a doctor was doling out free samples, you can bet they came from a drug representative or salesman.  And that salesman was betting the doctor would prescribe that particular medication after his patients free samples ran out.  So, after a month your free samples have run out, and you return to the doctor again.  This time your slightly abnormal condition has been treated with the help of the medication you received.  The doctor tells you the drug is working well, and you’re off to the pharmacy.  When you get there, the financial nightmare begins!  Instead of costing $5.00, $10.00, or even $15.00, you’re hit with a $30.00 or $50.00 a month copay assuming you’re one of the lucky people with insurance.  Now, you’re looking at paying upwards of $600.00 a year for the medication that was “Free” last month. 

Chances are, there’s probably a solution a whole lot cheaper than the one given by your doctor!  Our monthly services help identify these inefficiencies and get you back on your financial track!  One of our Board Certified Pharmacists will personally review your information, and make cost saving recommendations with your pocketbook in mind, not the drug companies, pharmacies, or doctors.  For more information, click the following link: http://www.rx-savings-solutions.com/?yourprescription.

For most of us, we’ve all experienced a time when we’ve had a big meal in a relaxing environment where there was still some food on the plate.  Typically, we would have finished it, but because we took our time with conversation and enjoyment of the moment, we felt “full” and couldn’t finish.  Thats not such a bad thing, and can actually be great for our health and weight.  Although exercise is extremely important, equally as important is the amount of calories we put in to our body.

Eating slower is tough in the fast paced life for many Americans, but can go a long way in helping to shed or keep off those extra pounds. It all comes down to the simple formula, calories in minus calories out.  Try to take a little more time to enjoy your food at each meal and keep a few of those unwanted calories out of your diet.

A couple of good articles that go along with these follow.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/12/04/fn.beck.griggs/index.html
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/health/2010/01/weight-loss-slower-eating-helps-with-weight-loss-children-and-obesity-mandometer.html

As we reported several weeks back, there are other more cost efficient options for as little as $20/mo.  To view that article follow this link.

To view the original article explaining this deal between Astra Zeneca and Teva, click the link to the Consumer Reports site.

For coupons from Astra Zeneca for those of you that can only seem to get relief from the Purple Pill, follow this link to the Purple Pill Savings Card.

Hearing aids are more than just sound amplification tools used to help one understand an audible message, they are devices that can truly increase the quality of life.  This quality of life reaches far beyond that of just the user, and improves it for those around the user especially for a spouse, co-workers, or kids.  So why is it that more people don’t use these devices, especially baby boomers?  It has to do with a combination of acceptance that our ears aren’t as good as they once were, money, and most importantly the social stigma of showing a sign of imperfection.  The same could be said for people who wear glasses, braces, or even a joint brace although these are more common and therefore more accepted.

If you’re ready to tackle this issue and help yourself or someone around you, read this guide from Consumer Reports at the address below.  It has several articles, checklists, and buying guides to help you make the right choice about picking a hearing device best suited for you or your loved one.

Click below to view the Consumer Reports Hearing aid guide and resources.
http://www.consumerreports.org/health/healthy-living/home-medical-supplies/hearing/hearing-aids/overview/hearing-aids-ov.htm?EXTKEY=HNAA6N9C