Eliminate the Unhealthy in the New Year
Now that the holidays are past us, you may be working on getting organized for the New Year. Before you get started, here are some items that you should consider tossing first.
1. Old Medicine
Most people take prescriptions responsibly. They take what the doctor ordered, and sometimes there are pills left over. Saving medications past the prescription dates can be harmful. Expired medicine should be discarded, not only because its chemical composition can change, but it also can become less effective with age. Be mindful that if you do decide to dispose of old medicine, there are certain protocols that you should follow. Only dispose of medications in safe collection areas and at official drug take-back events. Make sure that when throwing away old medicine bottles that you scratch or remove your personal information on the labels.
2. Expired Pantry and Refrigerator Items
While we hope you are doing this more than once a year, January 1 is a good time to evaluate your food supply. This year, it is especially critical. If you stocked up on food during the pandemic, you may have more non-perishables in your pantry than a typical year. Some of those may not have survived the duration of COVID-19. Eating old food could possibly make you sick.
Likewise, people often open products in their refrigerators and leave them for extended periods. More brands are making recommendations for how long an opened product can stay refrigerated before you toss it out.
3. Old Cosmetics
It’s not just you. Many of us hoard travel size shampoo and conditioner, old lotions we received as gifts and make-up samples we’ve picked up through the year. Typically these items last two-three years depending on what it is, but it is best to check the date on the specific product if possible. Even though we had good intentions of using all these items, it’s time to let them go. Whether you knew it or not, many of these items do, in fact, have expiration dates. Especially with make-up, as the composition breaks down over time, you want to be careful of getting it near your eyes. Old mascara, eye-shadow, and eye-liner can go bad after their expiration date, and that could cause problems if they get into your eyes.
Contact South Coast Medical Group OC if You’re Feeling Sick
We want you to have a safe and healthy New Year!
We want to make sure your health is optimized at all times. We also want to be mindful that COVID-19 still has a presence here in Southern California.
If you are not feeling well and would like to get the Sofia 2 Rapid COVID-19 test, please call us at (949) 360-1069 to schedule an appointment.
If you would like to set up an in-person or telemedicine visit, our hours of operation are:
Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.
The safety of our patients and staff is our top priority. We are located in Aliso Viejo, California, and we offer a wide range of services such as urgent and primary care, sports medicine, and x-rays. If you need help with any of these services, please contact us at (949) 389- 8968. We appreciate the trust our patients have in us and look forward to being of service to you.
