A walk-in way to wellness at your local pharmacy

When we're juggling commitments at work and home it's easy for health to fall to the bottom of a growing to-do list. Pharmacies are a quick, convenient resource for busy women to seek help yet research reveals it's often overlooked. 

The study by the Patient Association revealed a third of those interviewed had never asked their pharmacist for advice yet half of respondents delayed seeking advice due to difficulty making a GP appointment. A fifth claimed to be too busy to take time off work. 

If you feel like your health is spiralling out of control visit www.allabouthealth.org.uk to conduct a free online health check and locate your nearest All About Health pharmacy for walk-in health advice and services.

Pharmacies offer a whole range of health and lifestyle advice on issues such as weight management and how to stop smoking, screening services for diabetes, allergy, cholesterol and blood pressure monitoring.

All About Health Pharmacist, Ajit Malhi reveals more about just three of the conditions that can be addressed at your local pharmacy.

Cholesterol

High cholesterol levels are linked to the narrowing of the arteries which can result in heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.

Ajit says:

• One of the main causes of high cholesterol is eating too much saturated fat, so reduce your intake of foods such as red meat, pies and sausages, hard cheese, butter, cakes, biscuits and cream.
• Opt for foods high in soluble fibre such as porridge, beans, lentils, nuts, fruit and vegetables, which can help lower cholesterol.
• Cholesterol is easily measured from a blood sample taken from a simple finger prick. Your pharmacist can offer this service and discuss your results with you.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition where glucose levels in the blood are not well controlled. It's thought that half a million people in the UK have the condition and don't know it. Diabetes is linked to other health complications such as poor vision, heart disease and kidney problems.

Ajit says:

• Look after your heart and circulation by eating healthily and exercising regularly.
• Being overweight makes diabetes control more difficult as excess weight makes it hard for the body to use insulin properly.
• Get an eye check-up every year – retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes.
• Selected pharmacies offer a screening service to help you identify and stay in control of diabetes.

Blood pressure

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for developing serious cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart disease.

Ajit says:

• Reduce your intake of salt, saturated fat and sugar.
• Limit alcohol to no more that 14 units a week (a unit is equal to a small glass of wine), and stop smoking.
• You should have your blood pressure checked at least every five years. Your local pharmacy offers a confidential service to check your blood pressure.
• For those thinking of taking on a new healthy lifestyle the online health check is a great way to get started. Users are encouraged to compose action plans and set personal health goals with incentives and time frames.  If you have a health issue you want to know more about or are suffering from something specific then use the encyclopaedia and symptom checker to help put your mind at ease.