Ashcroft Pharmacy

18/01/2022

Some useful info on Asthma and how to manage it in the winter.

Reliable advice on managing your asthma & ensuring your Ventolin supply is healthy, especially during winter when effects of the condition become more impactful

06/09/2021

Would love some reviews from all that are with us and used us in the past for our services 😊

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24/08/2021

Insomnia 6 of 6

Quiz & Answers

Q1. What is insomnia?
A1. It means you have problems sleeping.

Q2. What sort of problems?
A2. You find it hard to go to sleep, wake up often during the night, wake up early and cant get back to sleep, feel tired and irritable during the day, have difficulty concentrating.

Q3. What causes insomnia?
A3. Pain, depression, anxiety, noise, alcohol, ni****ne, caffeine, jet lag, shift work, uncomfortable bed, snoring.

Q4. How much sleep does the average adult need?
A4. 7-9 hours.

Q5. Name two things you can do the help your insomnia
A5. Go to bed and wake up the same time each day, relax for the last hour before bed, keep your bedroom dark and quiet, exercise regularly, make sure your bedding is comfortable.

Q6. Name three things you shouldn't do if you have insomnia
A6. Don’t smoke, drink alcohol, tea or coffee, eat or exercise late at night, watch screens, nap during the day.

Q7. Can changing my diet help me to sleep?
A7. Studies have shown that a Mediterranean diet can help people sleep longer and better.

Q8. What is a Mediterranean diet?
A8. Lots of olive oil, nuts, oily fish, fruit, veg and wholegrains along with reasonable amounts of full fat yoghurts and cheese and one or two glasses of red wine with your evening meal.

Q9. What else can help?
A9. Making a “to-do” list before you sleep so you don’t worry about getting things done the next day.

Q10. Anything else?
A10. Writing down three things you are grateful before you settle down.

17/08/2021

Insomnia 5 of 6

Quiz

Q1. What is insomnia?

Q2. What sort of problems?

Q3. What causes insomnia?

Q4. How much sleep does the average adult need?

Q5. Name two things you can do the help your insomnia

Q6. Name three things you shouldn't do if you have insomnia

Q7. Can changing my diet help me to sleep?

Q8. What is a Mediterranean diet?

Q9. What else can help?

Q10. Anything else?

10/08/2021

Insomnia 4 of 6

Will changing my diet help?

Researchers have found that those who stuck to a mainly Mediterranean diet were twice as likely to enjoy a decent quality sleep than those on a more “normal” diet but unfortunately this is not true for people who are obese.

A Mediterranean diet consists of olive oil, veg and fruit, nuts, whole grains full fat yogurt and cheese and 1-2 glasses of red wine with an evening meal but avoiding cakes, biscuits etc.

For more information about this or any other health condition give us a call to talk to one of our trained staff.

03/08/2021

Insomnia 3 of 6

11 tips to beat insomnia:

1. Keep regular sleep hours - going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, including weekends, will programme your body to sleep better.
2. Create a restful sleeping environment - your bedroom should be a peaceful place for sleep and s*x, nothing else. Temperature, lighting and noise should be controlled. If you have a pet that sleeps with you, consider moving them elsewhere if they disturb you at night.
3. Make sure your bed is comfortable - your mattress should be changed every 10 years.
4. Exercise regularly - moderate exercise on a regular basis such as swimming or walking can help to relieve some of the tension that builds up over the day but don’t exercise in the four hours before you go to bed.
5. Cut down on caffeine - it interferes with the process of falling asleep and prevents deep sleep, so avoid tea, coffee, energy drinks or cola, especially in the evening.
6. Do not overindulge - too much food or alcohol, especially late at night can interrupt your sleep patterns. Alcohol will help you fall asleep initially, but it will disrupt your sleep later on in the night.
7. Do not smoke - ni****ne is a stimulant so people who smoke take longer to fall asleep, wake up more frequently and often have more disrupted sleep.
8. Try to relax before going to bed - have a warm bath, listen to quiet music, do some gentle yoga.
9. Write away your worries - if you tend to lie in bed thinking about everything you have to do tomorrow, set aside time before bed to create a “to-do” list.
10. If you cannot sleep, get up - do not lie there worrying about it, leave your bedroom and find something relaxing to do, then go back to bed.
11. Think about all the good things in your life - write down 3 things you are grateful for.

27/07/2021

Insomnia 2 of 6

What causes insomnia?

The most common causes are:

• Pain
• Stress, anxiety or depression
• Noise
• A room that is too hot or cold
• Uncomfortable beds
• Alcohol, caffeine or ni****ne
• Recreational drugs like co***ne or ecstasy
• Jet lag
• Shift work

There are also conditions that can keep you from having a good night’s sleep:

• Mental health issues
• Alzheimer’s or Parkinson disease
• Restless legs, overactive thyroid and menopause
• Long term pain
• Sleep walking and night-time terrors
• Snoring

20/07/2021

Insomnia 1 of 6

Do you have a sleep problem?

If you have trouble sleeping, you are not alone. As many as 16 million UK adults are suffering from sleepless nights. 67% have disrupted sleep with 23% managing no more than 5 hours a night. According to the 10th Annual Relaxation Survey, people in the UK are the most sleep deprived in the world.

You have insomnia if you, regularly:
• Find it hard to go to sleep
• Wake up several times during the night
• Lie awake at night
• Wake up early and can’t go back to sleep
• Still feel tired after waking up
• Find it hard to nap during the day even though you’re tired
• Feel tired and irritable during the day
• Find it difficult to concentrate during the day because you’re tired

Short term insomnia means you have these problems for less than 3 months other wise it’s long- term insomnia. Everyone needs different amounts of sleep but on average adults need between 7 and 9 hours sleep a night, children need 9 to 13 hours while toddlers and babies need 12 to 17 hours.

13/07/2021

Osteoarthritis 6 of 6

Quiz & Answers

Q1. How many people have osteoarthritis in the UK?
A1. Nearly 9 million.

Q2. What is it?
A2. It is a pain and stiffness affecting your joints.

Q3. What causes arthritis?
A3. A loss of cartilage which surrounds the ends of your bones that act as a buffer.

Q4. What are the most commonly affected joints?
A4. Hands, spine, knees and hips.

Q5. What can I do to help my arthritis?
A5. Maintain a healthy weight, do exercise, look after your joints.

Q6. What are the symptoms of arthritis?
A6. Joint pain, inflammation in and around your joints, restricted movement of your joints, warm skin over the affected joint, weakness and muscle wasting.

Q7. Why does exercise help?
A7. It improves your range of movement and joint mobility, increases your muscle strength, reduces stiffness and boosts your energy.

Q8. Can osteoarthritis be caused by too much exercise?
A8. Only if the joint has been damaged.

Q9. How do I deal with the pain?
A9. Do more exercise, relax, meditate, control your breathing, improve your sleep pattern, take medication.

Q10. What do I do when I feel exhausted?
A10. Pace yourself, prioritise your activities, break tasks into smaller chunks.

06/07/2021

Osteoarthritis 5 of 6

Quiz

Q1. How many people have osteoarthritis in the UK?
Q2. What is it?
Q3. What causes arthritis?
Q4. What are the most commonly affected joints?
Q5. What can I do to help my arthritis?
Q6. What are the symptoms of arthritis?
Q7. Why does exercise help?
Q8. Can osteoarthritis be caused by too much exercise?
Q9. How do I deal with the pain?
Q10. What do I do when I feel exhausted?

29/06/2021

Osteoarthritis 4 of 6

Managing Pain

If you suffer from OA, you may experience both acute and chronic pain. There is no one way to manage this pain. You could be prescribed medicines and may eventually have surgery but lifestyle, as mentioned above also plays an important factor:

• Do more exercise - this releases endorphins which will help to lift your mood.
• Relax and learn to meditate - arthritis can cause your muscles to become tense and therefore more painful. Relaxation releases muscle tension throughout your body.
• Control your breathing - when you are in pain, you tend to breathe shallowly. Breathing deeply will help you “go with the pain” and be more in control which lessens the fear of pain.
• Improve your sleep pattern - lack of sleep can increase your stress levels and inflammatory hormones which makes pain worse. So, practise meditation, avoid napping, develop a sleep ritual and avoid stimulating drinks in the evening.
• Try a clinical treatment like physiotherapy.
• Set yourself goals each day, as it is a good way of focusing on something positive rather than thinking about your arthritis.
• Medication - discuss options with your GP.
• Pace your activities - there are times when you feel exhausted. To manage these times, it is important not to overdo things. Prioritise your activities, plan your week so you have times of rest and adapt your way of working like breaking tasks into smaller chunks.

For more information about this or any health-related problem, call us to talk to one of our trained team.

22/06/2021

Osteoarthritis 3 of 6

Ways to Help with Osteoarthritis

Losing weight can really help. For every pound you are above a healthy weight, an extra 4-5 pounds of weight goes through your hips, knees and feet which places excessive pressure on those joints leading to increased pain and mobility problems. Exercise, even if you may not feel like it, can reduce and prevent pain. OA is not caused by too much exercise or hard work.

It will improve your range of movement and joint mobility, increase your muscle strength, reduce stiffness and boost your energy. As long as you do the right type and level of exercise for your condition, your arthritis will not get any worse.

Taking care of your joints is also important to avoid further damage. For example try to protect your joints by:

• Using larger stronger joints as levers e.g. taking the pressure of opening a heavy door on your shoulder rather than your hand
• Use several joints to spread the weight of an object e.g. use both hands to carry your shopping or distribute the weight evenly using a ruck sack
• Don’t grip too tightly – grip as loosely as possible or use a padded handle to widen your grip.