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1. I'm 48 years old and have
a history of breast cancer in my family.
When should I start having mammograms
done, and how often do I need to get
them?
Routine mammograms are not recommended
for women aged 40 to 49, according
to the Canadian Task Force for Preventive
Health. However, according to the
Canadian Cancer Society, women aged
40 to 69 should have a clinical breast
exam performed by a trained health
care professional at least once every
two years and do regular breast self-examinations.
A number of North American organizations
recommend that high-risk women (including
those with a family history of breast
cancer) begin mammography screening
at age 40. The best way to help yourself
decide is by discussing your personal
risk of developing breast cancer with
your doctor. You should also be aware
of both the limitations of mammograms
and the risks and benefits of this
test. Early detection and treatment
does improve survival from breast
cancer.
2. Lately, I've heard a lot about
how important exercise is for improving
your health, but how much exercise
should I get?
Yes, regular physical activity can
help to reduce your risk of a number
of diseases such as heart disease,
osteoporosis, stroke, diabetes, and
colon cancer. But, before starting
any kind of new exercise program,
you should consult your physician.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends
that you try to get at least 30 minutes
of moderate-intensity activity on
most days of the week. Moderate-intensity
activity can include brisk walking,
swimming, biking, and dancing. Don't
let a busy lifestyle stop you from
finding a 30-minute block of time
to dedicate to exercise. Three shorter
sessions of 10 minutes is equivalent
to one 30-minute session.
3. I've been a pack-a-day smoker
for the last 20 years. What benefits
can I expect from quitting now?
It's never too late to quit. Smoking
is involved in one-fifth of all deaths
in Canada and causes 85% of new lung
cancer cases. The health benefits
of quitting start within hours. For
example:
- within 8 hours of quitting, your
carbon dioxide and oxygen levels
return to normal
- within 48 hours, your sense of
smell and taste return to normal
- within 6 months, your respiratory
problems (such as coughing and shortness
of breath) improve
- within 1 year, your risk of smoking-related
heart attack decreases by half
- within 10 years, your risk of
dying from lung cancer decreases
by half
- within 15 years, your risk of
dying from a heart attack returns
to that of a person who never smoked
If you're thinking about quitting
smoking, speak with your Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacist for help and advice to
finally kick the habit.
4. I'm in my mid-fifties, I try
to exercise as much as I can and try
to always eat nutritious meals. Are
there any additional supplements that
I should be thinking about taking?
As you age, your muscle mass decreases,
which results in a need for fewer
calories. Although your caloric intake
requirements may decrease over time,
your nutrient requirements do not,
so you may not be getting all the
nutrients that you need. In general,
you should follow Canada's Food Guide
to ensure that you are taking in the
adequate amount of nutrients from
your diet. If you have certain conditions,
or if you are on some medications,
your requirements for some specific
nutrients may mean that you should
take supplements to ensure an adequate
amount. Speak with your doctor or
Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacist about which
ones are right for you.
Two important nutrients that most
people over the age of 50 need to
consider are calcium and vitamin D
to help prevent osteoporosis. Daily
recommendations for people over the
age of 50 are 1500 mg of calcium
and 800 units of vitamin D daily,
which is a difficult amount to get
from diet alone.
5. What is a body mass index?
Body mass index, or BMI for short,
is a measurement used to assess the
risk of developing health conditions
that are associated with being overweight
or underweight. BMI is calculated
by taking the ratio of weight to height
(specifically, your weight in kilograms
divided by the square of your height
in metres). There are four categories
or ranges of BMI, each associated
with its own health risks. The four
category ranges are:
Underweight: (BMI < 18.5)
Normal: (BMI 18.5-24.5)
Overweight: (BMI 25-29.9)
Obese: (BMI > 30)
A BMI that falls into the overweight
or obese range means that you have
a high proportion of body fat, which
is associated with an increased risk
of diseases such as diabetes, heart
disease, and some forms of cancer.
Keeping your BMI in the normal range
can help to reduce the risk of these
diseases. Speak with your Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacist if you want to know your
BMI and ways that you can get your
BMI in the normal range. It is important
to note that BMI does not apply to
people who are pregnant, over the
age of 65, or are conditioned athletes.
6. Who should get the flu shot?
Influenza, or, as it's better known,
"the flu," is a viral respiratory
infection that affects anywhere from
one in four to one in ten Canadians
each year and kills almost 1500 of
them. It is a serious infection that
can occur anytime of year, although
it is more predominant during the
winter. Therefore, everyone over the
age of six months should get the flu
shot, especially the following high
risk groups of people:
- those with chronic conditions
such as heart disease, diabetes,
cancer, HIV, kidney disease, and
lung disease
- residents of long-term care facilities
(e.g., a nursing home)
- health care workers
- those who are at high risk of
complications from the flu that
are traveling to areas where the
flu virus is circulating
- those over the age of 65
- children and adolescents on long-term
ASA therapy
The following are people who should
not get the flu shot:
- children under the age of 6 months
- people with a severe allergy to
eggs
- people who previously had a severe
allergic reaction after getting
the flu shot
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