Quick Tip …

Research in The Journal of Pain shows that dropping the F-bomb when you hurt yourself may actually be beneficial at helping ease the pain.

According to the authors, using a swear word seems to activate deeper parts of the brain more associated with emotions.

For those of you who swear more frequently throughout a typical day, using a swear word is less likely to help when you feel pain.

Be well …

Chad Simpson

The Pharmacist Guy

The opinions and information provided by Chad Simpson are for informational purposes only and are not intended to treat, diagnose, or render medical advice.  They are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment from your physician or health care practitioner.  Never start, stop, or make changes to your medication or health care regimen (including, but not limited to such things as exercise and physical therapy) without first checking with your physician.

In the News …

Dr. Carol Huser, a Colorado medical examiner in La Plata County, stated the death of 5-year-old Kimber Michelle Brown was the result of a combination of two over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medications, dextromethorphan (the active ingredient in OTC cough medications like Robitussin-DM) and an antihistamine, cetirazine (the active ingredient in the allergy medication, Zyrtec).

The child, who had toxic levels of the medications in her system at the time of her death, had been staying with her grandmother.  It is uncertain if the grandmother administered too much medication to the child, or if the 5-year-old took doses without the grandmother’s knowledge.  News reports indicate the medication was sitting on a counter in reach of the child.

At this time, Dr. Huser is ruling the death an accident.

Source:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/16/kimber-michelle-brown-5-year-old-dies-from-cold-medicine-overdose_n_1428699.html

My Thoughts on this Event …

This story is heartbreaking and my sympathies go out to the family of this child.  Sadly, however, it’s not surprising since we know that 100,000 people die each year as a result of accidental overdoses or errors in the administration of medication.  Based on information from the medical examiner’s office, it appears Kimber is now part of that statistic.

Events like this are exactly why I do my talk, Sex, Drugs & Red Bull™.  Each and every day students, parents, celebrities, neighbors, coworkers, friends, relatives, and even children are injured or die as a result of a medication or other substance.

One of the critical pieces of information I discuss in my program is that we have become exceedingly comfortable with OTC medications.  In my talk, I ask audiences which of these groups of drugs is the dangerous group:  OTC, Prescription, or Illegal Drugs.  I often see more hands raised for the “illegal drug,” but the truth is that they all can be dangerous.  Because over the counter medications do not require a prescription from a physician we have a false sense of security about using them; however, they can be just as harmful — or lethal, as in this case — as prescription medications.

Is this Preventable?

Yes.  A few tips to help keep you and your family safe when taking over the counter medications:

-Check with a pharmacist to make sure the medication you are purchasing is the appropriate choice for the person who will be taking it

-Ask your pharmacist to tell you exactly how much of the medication to take and how often to take it

-For liquid medications, use a measuring device (such as an oral syringe) instead of a kitchen spoon

-Ask your pharmacist about side effects and what to do if you have any side effects

-Ask your pharmacist what to do if you take too much medication, or call Poison Control (or 9-1-1) should you find yourself in that situation

-Never allow children to administer medications to themselves

-Keep all medications out of the reach of children

-Keep a log of the date and time medication is administered to prevent taking a dose too soon

Medications are like a weapon.  Used appropriately and they can save your life.  However, when they are misused they can be lethal.

Be well …

Chad Simpson

The Pharmacist Guy

The opinions and information provided by Chad Simpson are for informational purposes only and are not intended to treat, diagnose, or render medical advice.  They are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment from your physician or health care practitioner.  Never start, stop, or make changes to your medication or health care regimen (including, but not limited to such things as exercise and physical therapy) without first checking with your physician.

This product confounds me on a lot of levels, so let’s break it down:

The name of the company is an oxymoron to me.  Breathable Foods.  Huh?  A food, by definition, implies the need for digestion — which takes place in the digestive tract.  The word “breathable” implies respiration — which takes place in the respiratory tract.  The body was designed such that neither tract would ever meet the other thanks to a little flap called the epiglottis.  In the world of healthcare when someone “breathes food”, we implement the Heimlich maneuver because breathing food results in choking.  Our bodies were not designed to breathe food.  We were designed to eat food.

Again, I don’t understand the name of the company: Breathable Foods.  The company website states, “Pull the yellow end to open, put the other end in your mouth, gently draw the powder into your mouth, and swallow. Push closed.”  So, really, you just suck the powder into your mouth and swallow.  No breathing.  No inhalation.  Just suck and swallow.  I guess the name Suckable Foods doesn’t have the same appeal.

Those of you who have attended one of my talks and seen me speak about caffeine know that I’m not anti-caffeine.  You also know that it’s easy to overdo the amount of caffeine we consume because we get so much from a multitude of sources (tea, coffee, soda, energy drinks, etc…).  The AeroShot manufacturer states each shot contains 100 mg caffeine — approximately the amount in a large cup of coffee.  When we consume excessive amounts of caffeine, our bodies can experience everything from irritability, nervousness, heart palpitations and seizures to sudden death.

Michael W. Roosevelt, acting director in the office of compliance at the FDA, recently issued a warning letter to Breathable Foods regarding their AeroShot caffeine product.  The letter states, “Your labeling is false and misleading because your product cannot be intended for both inhalation and ingestion.” Hmm.  The FDA does not appear to be impressed.

While I’m not against caffeine, I am against the misuse and abuse of caffeine.  My concerns — for now — are as follows:

I’m concerned that the AeroShot will make its way into the club, party, and college scene and be consumed in tandem with alcohol.  The problem with drinking alcohol and caffeine together is that the caffeine “fakes out” your brain and makes you think you are not as intoxicated as you actually are.  The “buzz” sensation you get when you drink alcohol alone acts like a warning system for lots of people who drink alcohol.  It lets people know they’ve had too much and that they need to stop drinking.  The buzz sensation is significantly delayed — or even missing — with the consumption of alcohol and caffeine together … resulting in far riskier behaviors than you would normally engage in had you left the caffeine out of the equation.  In addition to the brain fake out, the combination of caffeine and alcohol can also result in blackouts and other dangerous medical complications.

I’m concerned that people will begin to use AeroShot in addition to other caffeine containing products they already use.  This combination could quickly lead to overconsumption of caffeine which can result in serious health concerns.

I’m not fond of the delivery mechanism — the shotgun-shell-looking-lipstick-sized-inhaler-type thing.  The design seems like it would be way too easy for someone to actually breathe AeroShot’s caffeine formulation into their lungs — which would be potentially harmful and could result in a bronchospasm which could even lead to death.  Compounding the likelihood of someone mistakenly inhaling the powder is the manufacturer’s name:  BREATHABLE Foods.

Breathable Foods’ website suggests the use of AeroShot for athletes.  During intense workouts, our heart rate increases.  Caffeine also increases our heart rate.  In my opinion, athletes should avoid the use caffeine during practices and during games.

Breathable Foods’ website suggests no more than three AeroShots per day. That’s 300 mg of caffeine!  We can start to see medical complications in people who consume more than 250 mg in a day, so three AeroShots seems like way too much in my opinion.  I would not recommend consuming more than one AeroShot in a 24-hour period, so that the cumulative dose of caffeine from all other caffeine sources doesn’t put you anywhere close to the 250 mg zone.

7 key points to remember …

1.  Do NOT party with AeroShot

2.  Do NOT use AeroShot with alcohol

3.  Do NOT use AeroShot with other caffeine containing products (i.e. energy drinks)

4.  Do NOT breathe AeroShot into your lungs

5.  Do NOT use AeroShot if you are under 18 years of age

6.  Do NOT consume more than one AeroShot per day

7.  Do NOT exercise or play sports after consuming AeroShot

There are plenty of other highly effective, medication free (yes, caffeine is a medication), and side effect free strategies to achieve increased energy levels without using caffeine, including my Zone 1530 program.

If you choose to use AeroShot, use extreme caution and use at your own risk.

I’m not the Caffeine Nazi.  In fact, I’m no different from most of you.  I drink tea or coffee almost every day, and just like many of you, I’ve even “earned” my Starbucks Gold Card.  Plenty of us love our caffeine and are living life on the edge, but remember that it takes very little to send us over the edge and to an early grave.  While there is a big difference between living on the edge and going over the edge, only a fine line separates the two.

The bottom line is simple:  I’m not a fan of AeroShot.

Be well,

Chad Simpson, RPh

The Pharmacist Guy™

The opinions and information provided by Chad Simpson are for informational purposes only and are not intended to treat, diagnose, or render medical advice.  They are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment from your physician or health care practitioner.  Never start, stop, or make changes to your medication or health care regimen (including, but not limited to such things as exercise and physical therapy) without first checking with your physician.

Hey Everyone!

A quick note about an amazing new program I just heard about from my friends over at The Trevor Project …

Check out The Trevor Project’s new campaign, “Talk To Me”.  Click the icon above for more information.

The Trevor Project is one of my favorite programs for at risk youth.  I’ll be making a shirt to wear on September 9th.  I’d love to see you do the same and join me!

Be well …

Chad

PS … Stay tuned for some insanely exciting information about my very soon to be released program, “The Prescription for Student Success … A fast acting formula for getting good grades & graduating on time!” I can’t wait to share this program with your school or organization.  In the meantime, talk a couple of minutes to check out the Talk To Me campaign by The Trevor Project (just click the icon above) … you’ll be glad you did!

The opinions and information provided by Chad Simpson are for informational purposes only and are not intended to treat, diagnose, or render medical advice.  They are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment from your physician or health care practitioner.  Always check with your physician before starting any exercise or physical therapy program.  Never start, stop, or make changes to your medication or health care regimen without first checking with your physician.

As I’m sitting here in my study on this beautiful Saturday morning drinking my tea, I was thinking about a decision I made this week.  I even alluded to it in a recent Facebook post!  Many years ago — in fact, it almost feels like a lifetime ago, I would have obsessed about whether I had made the right decision or not, but that’s not how I am now.  Today, I am confident — and even a little happy — about the decision I made!

One of the strategies I share in my Stress Less Blueprint program is about decision making.  Sometimes making decisions can be tough, but it’s all the worry we create about having to live with the decisions we’ve made that ends up gnawing at us after the fact.  Well, I’ve got great news for you:  It doesn’t have to be that way!

Today, I want to share with you a brief summary of one of the strategies from my Stress Less Blueprint …

One of the most important skills to further develop is your ability to hear that still, small, inner voice that resides deep within each of us.  Some call it the voice of God.  Others call it your gut instinct.  It’s been referred to as the voice of Spirit, Angels, Source, and the Universe.  Some even call it each of those names depending on the situation!  For the purpose of this lesson, I’ll just stick with “gut instinct.”

Learning to listen to my gut instinct is one of the most important skills I’ve mastered in my life and when I listen to it, things have this strange tendency to work out beautifully.  I think “listening” to your gut instinct is really more about “feeling” than actually hearing something audibly.  For example:  You are driving home from the grocery store following the same path you’ve taken for years and today — for some unknown reason — you decide to take a different path.  You just listened to your gut instinct.  You might ask, “What would have happened if I’d taken my normal route home that day?”  The answer is simple:  Who knows and who cares?  The point is learning to follow your gut instinct.

Years ago I was supposed to fly to Kentucky for a business meeting.  About two weeks before I was supposed to go, I had a very strong “feeling” that I should not go … nothing concrete — just a feeling.  I mustered up the courage to go tell my boss that I couldn’t go.  Fortunately, he knew me pretty well and knew that I based all my decisions off my gut instinct.  So, he looked at me and asked, “Gut instinct?”  I said, “Yup!”  That was the end of the conversation and nothing more was said about it because he had learned over the years how reliable my gut instinct had been.  So, even he trusted my intuition!  When I share this story, most people jump straight ahead and ask, “Well what happened on the trip?”  Again, the answer is simple:  Who knows and who cares?  For whatever reason, I wasn’t supposed to be there and that’s all that mattered.

I think that still, small, often whisper quiet, inner voice — gut instinct — knows things that have not yet been revealed to my conscious mind.  That’s why I say, “Who knows and who cares?”  I don’t have to know the “why” or understand the details.  I simply trust in my gut instinct and allow my life to unfold in it’s natural state of less stress.

The next time you have to make a decision — big or small, I encourage you to try following where your gut instinct leads you.

I wish you Peace, Less Stress, and Abundant Success …

Chad

The opinions and information provided by Chad Simpson are for informational purposes only and are not intended to treat, diagnose, or render medical advice.  They are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment from your physician or health care practitioner.  Always check with your physician before starting any exercise or physical therapy program.  Never start, stop, or make changes to your medication or health care regimen without first checking with your physician.

Many of you are getting ready to graduate soon.  This information was just released and should be considered BEFORE you take a new job after graduation.  It could save your life … really.

In the News …

A new study of office workers in England found that employees working eleven hour days or longer were 67% more likely to develop heart disease than those working seven or eight hour days.  The study was published in the April 5, 2011, issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

My Take on the Information …

This is not all that surprising to me.  We know that working longer hours is likely more stressful and does not allow for as much time to participate in stress relieving activities like exercise and meditating.  With 70 – 90% of all visits to primary care physicians being for stress related illnesses, we can fairly conclude that stress is the root of most illness.  The results are disturbing, but certainly not shocking.

Is this preventable?

Life has few guarantees, but I’d say you would be better off in the long run if you follow these two strategies:

1.  Find a job that does not require you to work more than seven to eight hours per shift.

2.  Do not compromise the daily stress management tools I teach in my coaching program and in my lectures.

Wishing you less stress and abundant success in your life,

Chad

Source:

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/651527.html

The opinions and information provided by Chad Simpson are for informational purposes only and are not intended to treat, diagnose, or render medical advice.  They are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment from your physician or health care practitioner.  Always check with your physician before starting any exercise or physical therapy program.  Never start, stop, or make changes to your medication or health care regimen without first checking with your physician.

This post is just for fun because having fun is a great way to stress less … especially on April Fools’ Day!  Here is a super easy and fun April Fools’ Day prank that I had loads of success with today:

1.  Cut a small square off from the sticky part of a “sticky  note”.

2.  Write “April Fools!” on it.

3.  Stick it over the red light sensor on your Fools’ mouse.

4.  Sit back and see how long it takes before they figure out why their mouse isn’t working!

Here’s to you having fun and stressing less … Be well – Chad

The opinions and information provided by Chad Simpson are for informational purposes only and are not intended to treat, diagnose, or render medical advice.  They are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment from your physician or health care practitioner.  Always check with your physician before starting any exercise or physical therapy program.  Never start, stop, or make changes to your medication or health care regimen without first checking with your physician.

Law librarian, Blair Kauffman, hopes the free three day pilot program is a “positive addition to current services offered by the library.”

My take on Monty the Stress Therapy Dog …

MTV and the Associated Press recently teamed up and studied over 2000 students from 40 randomly selected colleges across the nation.  Their results showed that 85% of students are stressed out on a daily basis.  In my career as a hospital pharmacist, I’ve seen therapy dogs make a positive impact in the lives of patients with various medical conditions and suspect those benefits would carry over to stressed out students as well.  As a pharmacist and wellness advocate who specializes in showing students, professionals, and entrepreneurs medication-free strategies to minimize stress and maximize success, I’m ecstatic to see such a program for the students at Yale Law School and hope their trial run is a huge success.

To less stress and abundant success,

Chad

The opinions and information provided by Chad Simpson are for informational purposes only and are not intended to treat, diagnose, or render medical advice.  They are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment from your physician or health care practitioner.  Always check with your physician before starting any exercise or physical therapy program.  Never start, stop, or make changes to your medication or health care regimen without first checking with your physician.

When I show clients strategies to help minimize stress in their lives, I often begin with one very simple, yet amazingly powerful tip:  Become Aware.

When we are stressed, our bodies begin to tell us we are stressed before we may even realize it.  We may not “feel” stressed out, but our bodies may be telling a different story.  During these times a few things usually begin to happen:  our shoulders rise up toward our earlobes, our jaws clench, our teeth grind, and the muscles in our neck, head, back and legs begin to tighten.

Unfortunately, we don’t always recognize this when it happens and the longer these muscles remain chronically contracted, the more likely we are to end up with headaches, painful jaws, and pain in general.

Several times each day, become aware of these areas of your body and note whether your muscles are contracted.  If they are, simply relax each area and go on about your day.  Repeat this as often as necessary until it becomes routine for you to find your shoulders, jaw, and muscles relaxed each time you check.

Be well …

Chad

The opinions and information provided by Chad Simpson are for informational purposes only and are not intended to treat, diagnose, or render medical advice.  They are not a substitute for medical advice or treatment from your physician or health care practitioner.  Always check with your physician before starting any exercise or physical therapy program.  Never start, stop, or make changes to your medication or health care regimen without first checking with your physician.

Although we all know that worrying about what other people think about us, can send our stress levels through the roof, it can be difficult to “stop” caring about what everybody else thinks of us!

I recently spent time with my awesome nieces, 11-year old Emileigh and 12-year old Ryleigh, who reminded me that we should not be concerned with what others think … that we should just be our own amazing self … no matter what!

Emileigh recently went shopping and found a pair of neon orange shoe laces that according to her, she “just fell in love with.”  Ryleigh, her big sister tried with all her might to talk Emileigh out of buying the bright orange laces explaining that Emileigh would be the laughing stock of the school if she wore them.

Emileigh told Ryleigh, “I don’t care what other people might say.  I love them.  I’m getting them.”  And, she did.  Then, ignoring her big sister’s cautions, she wore them to school.

I asked Emileigh if anybody said anything when she wore them.  She explained to me, “Not really and I don’t care if the do.  I love the shoe laces and that’s all that’s important.  Oh — and a few days later about six more girls in my class had the same shoe laces.  I’m kind of a trendsetter!”

How cool is that?  To go through life without being concerned with what others think is a lesson even many adults struggle with each day.  We should all take the advice of my 11-year old niece and stop caring what others think of us.  We should all just do what we love and love who we are.

Be well –

Chad