With many of us abandoning our new year’s resolutions almost as soon as we begin, pharmacists are reminding people that they are there to offer support to those who want to have a healthier lifestyle.
According to pharmacist Bernard Duggan of the Irish Pharmacy Union, “Many people use the new year as a chance to think about living a healthier life. Losing weight and quitting smoking are two changes that have a very positive impact on a person’s health and well-being. You can talk to your pharmacist in confidence for help and support in achieving either of these goals.
”Achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight prevents high blood pressure, cholesterol, and elevated blood glucose levels. This healthier lifestyle reduces the risk of ill health from type-2 diabetes and from cardiovascular disease, which causes strokes and heart attacks. Half of all smokers die from smoking-related diseases. Eight hours after you quit smoking, your blood oxygen levels will have returned to normal and your chance of serious illness, including a heart attack, starts to fall. After two weeks of quitting, your circulation will improve, making walking and exercise easier. After five years, your risk of heart attack falls to that of a non-smoker.”
Pharmacists across the country will again team up with Operation Transformation in 2016, encouraging people to lose weight to improve their health and well-being.
