Better Life

Be cautious when taking more than one medicine at a time, and ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about potential interactions.

Put the list in your wallet or as a note on your phone so it is on your person at all times. If you are receiving home healthcare, give the list to your caregivers. Organize the list with the name of the medication and strength; the prescribing doctor and phone number; purpose (blood thinner, thyroid, blood pressure, etc.); dosage; and any comments. This is especially important in the event of an emergency so emergency personnel has the knowledge of what medications the patient is taking. Every time you visit the doctor, take the list with you to review with the doctor.

Polypharmacy is the term for people taking many medications with an accepted clinical definition of "many" being five or more. It's estimated that up to 40% of Australians over 65 are on five or more medications, sometimes with dire consequences. If all drugs have a small chance of side effects, taking different medications combined increases the overall risk and introduces the additional danger of interactions between medicines.

Filipinos consume twice the recommended amount of sodium, putting them at risk of high blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Most people get their sodium through salt. Reduce your salt intake to 5g per day, equivalent to about one teaspoon. It's easier to do this by limiting the amount of salt, soy sauce, fish sauce, and other high-sodium condiments when preparing meals; removing salt, seasonings, and condiments from your meal table; avoiding salty snacks; and choosing low-sodium products.

Being in control of your life and having realistic expectations about your day-to-day challenges are the keys to stress management, which is perhaps the most important ingredient to living a happy, healthy and rewarding life.