I used to laugh at the term 'lazy days of summer' because in reality, it's been anything but. Compared to the school year, I've had much less duties on the calendar, yet somehow seem to be running like mad from one place to another. Day trips to lake trips, yard care to summer camps - it's been hectic some days. While the unstructured fun is a nice change, I have to admit that I'm looking forward to back-to-routine ... read more

Did you know that 25% of kids suffer from poor vision that is serious enough to impede learning, and sometimes a vision problem might be misdiagnosed as a learning disability? Also, it's been estimated that a whopping 80% of a child’s learning is through their eyes. These alarming statistics are ones I learned on a kids activity book while in the waiting room at Pearle Vision. We were there for an annual eye exam* for ... read more

"Are you blind?" - this is unfortunately a reaction of mine years ago when I asked my daughter to clean her room, after she said the room didn't need TLC. Could she not see how desperately the carpet needed a vacuum? Yet in our case, it wasn't all about 'raising kids angst', my daughter actually did need corrective eyewear. After an eye exam from an optometrist followed by a sassy purple pair of corrective lenses, I'll ... read more

It took me a great deal of time to realize that you to really do need take care of your body, as it's the only one you have. Hmmm, that general topic sounds cliche, no? After all, we all know that taking care of oneself is important, but do you really know? It's worthy to note that I'm not talking about manicures or massages here, because while those are pampering and wonderful in so many ways, I'd consider that ... read more

Do you suffer from occasional sleeplessness or restlessness? Yeah, me too *yawn*. Unfortunately, many Canadians are not getting the sleep they need. According to the Pharmaton® Sleep Harmony™ Poll, more than a third of Canadians (35%), on average, get less than the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep adults need. What’s more, 59% have trouble sleeping at least once a week - that's a lot of lost sleep! Sleeplessness and ... read more

As you know, I recently shared 6 Pharmacy Services You Might Not Be Aware Of because there truly is so many services offered by Canadian pharmacists - many of which might be known by everyone. In that post I also had a $500 Shoppers Drug Mart gift card giveaway, and a call out for reader stories on services from their local Canadian pharmacist. I followed the comments and stories closely, and was truly blown away. ... read more

If there's one thing we all strive to maintain and improve - it's our health. No matter our lifestyle, obligations, duties and schedules; optimal health is one thing that allows 'life' to happen. For ourselves and for our loved ones. March is pharmacist awareness month, and recently I have learned so much about the services available to Canadians. Shoppers Drug Mart, in coordination with the Canadian Pharmacist ... read more

Have you made a goal to live a more healthy lifestyle? If so, what exactly does that entail? A recent poll discovered that 40% of Canadians are overwhelmed when starting a healthy lifestyle and don’t know where to begin. I totally get that folks, I've been there many times. The statement in itself is such a broad term that unless you create small attainable goals, the odds might not be in your favour. I recently ... read more

The start of a new year brings up much talk about 'resolutions', a time when we pledge to ourselves changes we'd like to see for the upcoming year. Of course one of the most common resolutions made are health-related lifestyle changes. While 73% of Canadians wish they were healthier, half of Canadians find it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You see, I have a bit of an issue with new years resolutions, simply ... read more

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.   . Is it just me or does January seem to be two months long? After such a busy and hectic holiday season, January is the sudden-stop month where we try and shake that frazzled feeling. The weather is dull, the excitement is low, and right now we're coasting while waiting for spring. Rather than simply coast through, use this time to commit to ... read more

Illness from cold and flu have affected us all at some point, and most likely repeatedly. There are plenty of cold and flu old-wives-tales which have circulated, but sometimes grandma’s advice isn’t right. The following is some cold and flu myth busters, just to set the record straight. I know most of us have heard many of the following misconceptions, and it's my hope that truths reach farther than those ... read more