Is our lifestyle killing us?

A recent article talking about preventable lifestyle caused deaths in the Sunday Times caught my attention. It is probably not a new message that our lifestyle choices have a massive impact upon our health.  But it would seem that these poor choices kill tens of thousands of Australians each year and costs our health system billions of dollars.  Coming off the back of this we know that one in every six deaths is preventable.  A new YouGov survey on health and happiness found that many Australians admit that laziness is the reason they don’t exercise or buy healthy food. This is quite concerning as exercise and healthy food choices are what makes the one on six deaths preventable.

The Cancer Council says that physical inactivity is responsible for 14% of bowel cancers and 11% of post menopausal breast cancers.  It is also estimated that 7000 cancers and over 2000 preventable deaths can be attributed to not eating enough fruit and vegetables.  Overall, over 16000 cancer deaths and 13000 heart disease deaths are attributed to poor lifestyle.  In amongst this is an often-missed point, that excess alcohol consumption has the same cancer risk associated to it as smoking, and we all know how bad smoking is for us.

So, there is probably nothing new in this.  But the numbers are quite compelling.  Obesity and many chronic diseases in our society continue to rise.  The irony is, at no time in history have we had more knowledge about preventing and treating these conditions.

Of course, knowledge by itself can be quite useless unless we act upon it.  And, in this case, the actions are quite simple.  If you want to live a longer, healthier life you will give yourself a better chance by doing the following:

• Eat less sugar, refined carbohydrates and saturated fats.
• Eat more fruit and vegetables
• Drink less alcohol
• Don’t smoke
• Get some exercise

Again, nothing really new, nothing too secret and nothing too complicated about this.  Yet over and over again the research proves this is right but our society gets it increasingly wrong.  Makes you question whether we really are the smartest animal in the kingdom.

Services at your pharmacy

At Mandurah Pharmacy we can help you with more than just your medicines.  We are proud to offer you our expert services across a variety of health areas.  Our highly trained and caring pharmacists work with you and your doctor to help you and your family reach the best possible health outcomes.

Home Medicine Review and In-store Medicine Review - Sit down one on one with a pharmacist to review your medications. We can help you understand your medicines better and address any problem areas.  We can do this in the pharmacy or in the comfort of your own home.

Naturopathic Services - Take the time to meet with one of our naturopaths to address a specific issue or review the overall health of your body.  Through our Port Kennedy Pharmacy our naturopath team is available to help.  Phone 95246909 to make an appointment.

Home Delivery Service - Can’t get to us? No problem, we will come to you!  If you would like your medicines delivered please just call the pharmacy on 9593 1998.

Podiatry Services - Foot care, particularly for diabetics, is a crucial part of good health management.  Through our Warnbro Pharmacy we offer podiatry services that are funded by both Medicare and private health insurers. 

Sleep Apnoea - Do you snore? Do you feel overly tired during the day? Does someone else tell you that you stop breathing when you sleep?  If you answer yes to any of these questions you may have sleep apnoea.  We can help you have this properly assessed and treated.

Websterpacked medications - Are you or someone you know struggling a little to manage your medicines?  Taking the right pill at the right time can be challenging when you are taking multiple medications.  We can make this easy for you by providing your medications prepacked according to time and day. 

Compounding - If you require a medication specifically tailored to you we can compound it for you.  From bio-identical hormones to veterinary products to discontinued medicines, we can help.