Health Matters - Apple Magazine Health Matters Spring 2018 | Page 5

Chronic disease management
A chronic disease is an illness for life and understanding it is essential to
living with it. If you have a chronic disease such as high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, diabetes, asthma or obesity, you play the most
important role in managing it. Your healthcare providers play strong
supporting roles. Along with your doctor, a team of registered nurses,
dietitians, kinesiologists, pharmacists, occupational therapists and social
workers can work with you to create a tailored treatment plan, and help
you stick to that plan.
How a pharmacist can help you How a dietitian can help you
Pharmacists help by explaining
what your specific medications
do and how to take them. They
can also help with monitoring
blood sugar and blood pressure,
and interpreting the readings.
Pharmacists also ensure that your
medications work effectively for
you, and advise on side effects
and drug interactions. For
instance, they can determine
what’s safe for you to take for a
cold or a stomach ache—including
natural remedies—that won’t
interact with your insulin or blood
pressure medication. Dietitians create healthy meal
programs to fit your lifestyle and
what you like to eat. They help
you learn which foods have which
nutrients, understand portion
sizes, read food labels and shop
for healthy foods. By helping
you better manage what you
eat, dietitians can help reduce
the risk of high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, obesity and
malnutrition. They can even help
prevent Type 2 diabetes through
diet and exercise.
HEALTH MATTERS
SPRING 2018
FIVE