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Posts Tagged ‘Paul Fina’

February is American Heart Month! By Our February (Sadly, He is Leaving Us) Student, Paul Fina.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and roughly 600,000 people die of heart disease yearly–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths! About 935,000 people have a heart attack a year and 2 in every 3 is a person’s first heart attack.

Heart disease goes by many names including: coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, heart attacks, and more! As a set of chronic diseases, it’s important to identify if you’re at risk early on and to take action.

There are a number of risk factors for heart disease. They include: high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, being overweight, diabetes, poor diet, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol use, and a family history of heart disease. Any of these risk factors increase the chance that you’ll have heart disease or a heart attack.

How to Identify Heart Disease

Many of the types of heart problems have similar warning signs which makes them difficult to differentiate.

  • Angina (Chest pain) – Any kind of discomfort, heaviness, pressure, aching, burning, fullness, squeezing or painful feeling in your chest. It can also be felt in your shoulders, arms, neck, throat, jaw, and back.
  • Shortness of breath
  • Palpitations – Irregular heartbeats that cause you to feel your heart beat in your chest.
  • Fast heart rate
  • Weakness or dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Sweating

Many of these symptoms are general and require an expert to diagnose and determine what you have. If you experience many of these and haven’t been diagnosed with heart disease, you should schedule a visit with your physician.

7 Steps for a Healthier Heart

If you’re at risk for heart disease, you should make some small changes to your current lifestyle. These 7 steps also come with some helpful tips, but only you can make these changes. Take ownership over your health and live a healthier life!

  • Exercise several times a week–150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise. Find a buddy who also wants to lose weight, so that there is mutual accountability.
  • Maintain a healthy diet – Stay out of the junk food aisles in grocery stores and focus on eating fresh foods, fruits, and vegetables.
  • Consume < 300mg of cholesterol daily.
  • Don’t smoke – Smoking decreases oxygen to the heart and can damage cells that make up your blood vessels.
  • Lose weight.
  • Lower your blood pressure.
  • Aim for a fasting blood glucose of < 100mg/dL.

Eating healthier and exercising will help you to lose weight, lower your blood pressure, and lower your fasting blood glucose.

February 28, as American Heart Month ends, is my last day with Plain City Druggist. I just wanted to thank everyone who I met during the month for making my experience a great one. Thanks!

Paul Fina

Important Car Kit Items for Emergency Weather. By Extraordinary Eagle Scout and Pharmacy Intern, Paul Fina.

Hey, everyone. This is pharmacy intern/Eagle Scout Paul Fina here with some friendly advice stemming from the Boy Scout motto, “be prepared”.

With the recent snowfall, cold temperatures, and icy roads, right now is the perfect opportunity to talk about emergency preparations for any situation you might experience while driving. Roadside emergencies happen with new and old cars, experienced drivers, and in all weather conditions, so it’s important to have a quality emergency kit in your vehicle. You might even have some of these items in your car already!

The Basics – Items that should be in a kit.

1.      Auto-Club or Roadside-Assistance Number – If you have this perk, make sure you also have the necessary information to use it.

2.      Blanket and Winter Hat – The hat will let you cover an unclothed part of your body and a blanket creates insulation against the cold.

3.      Bottled Water and Non-perishable Food – Just in case you are stuck for an extended period of time. Include more water than you think that you’ll need. It’s easy to become dehydrated, even in the cold.

4.      Cellphone Charger – Your best tool for getting out of any icy situation is your phone, but it must be charged in order for you to use it!

5.      Duct Tape – A very flexible tool that can be used to make and fix a number of things.

6.      Empty Gas Can – Only use this option if you are on a major highway or know where a gas station is located.

7.      First Aid Kit – Choose a kit that can treat small cuts, burns, and includes major bandages.

8.      Flashlight and Batteries – Choose one that is both bright and weatherproof. You may want one that can be worn or is free standing so that your hands are free for another task.

9.      Jumper Cables – These are easy to use and great if a second car is available.

10.  Matches and Parraffin Wax Candles in a Coffee Can – The coffee can can be used for warming your water.

11.  Petty Cash – Include coins and small bills. Cell phones don’t always work and pay phones still exist.

12.  Spare Tire, Jack, and Lug Wrench – Many vehicles are purchased with these items already on board.

Nice but not necessary items

1.      Basic Tool Kit – Include a set of sockets and open-ended wrenches, a multi-tip screwdriver, and pliers.

2.      Clothing – Keep an extra set of clothing so you can change if your clothes become wet or dirty. An old coat is a great addition where you can also store gloves, a whistle, and a winter hat in the pockets.

3.      Extra Fuses – Many electrical problems can be fixed with a simple replacement of one of these. Make sure to purchase an assortment.

4.      Flares – Light and prevent them from rolling with rocks or a stand. Flares are a great tool to make other drivers aware you might need help.

5.      Small Folding Shovel – You can use this to try and gain traction in the snow–you dig?

6.      Towline – A tool for any good Samaritan that comes by to haul you home.

It’s also important to periodically check on your emergency kit and make sure everything is in working order – batteries are charged, first aid kit is current, water is fresh, and food is unspoiled. You should never leave your vehicle, as it provides you with shelter and insulation against the cold.

Safe Travels!

Paul

Meet Our Pharmacy Student for February, Paul Fina.

Hello everyone! My name is Paul Fina and I am a fourth year pharmacy student from The Ohio State University. I will be working here at Plain City Druggist for the month of February and just wanted to introduce myself!

I grew up in the village of Cary, a suburb an hour northwest of downtown Chicago. I attended Saints Peter and Paul for grade school and then went to Cary-Grove high school where I wrestled and played tennis until I graduated in 2005.  Jimmy John, the owner of the popular sub sandwich franchise, also graduated from Cary-Grove. I then attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where I pursued a degree in both chemistry and molecular cellular biology. During my time there, I was a teaching assistant for chemistry lab and discussion sections. I was also an active member of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity. In May 2009, I graduated from the University of Illinois, and, not too long afterwards, I began my career in pharmacy by starting my Pharm.D. at Ohio State in September 2009. I was drawn to pharmacy because I want a career where I can help other people daily and which also applies concepts from both chemistry and biology.

Currently, I am pursuing a community pharmacy residency, a year-long post-graduate program that helps prepare pharmacists to be leaders in the community.  I was not originally scheduled to intern at Plain City Druggist, but requested to be here for a month to see how independent pharmacies operate differently from large chains. I am interested in owning my own pharmacy business some day and hope to learn from the very experienced staff at Plain City Druggist. My other rotation experiences include working for Walgreens, OSU Wexner Medical Center, Grant Hospital, National Taiwan University Hospital, and an OSU neurology clinic.

In my free time, I like to stay active. I enjoy disc golf, tennis, lifting weights, and basketball. I also take classes in Krav Maga, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Muay Thai. Additionally, I like doing crossword puzzles and am an avid gamer–I have an Xbox 360, Super Nintendo, Wii, and PS2 at home. When I have the time and money, I like to travel and love talking about past destinations. I have been to Canada, Mexico, U.K., Belgium, Netherlands, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Taiwan, Japan, China, and Indonesia.

If you ever have any questions regarding how to get the most out of your medications during my stay here, please do not hesitate to ask. I look forward to meeting you at Plain City Druggist!