Member Spotlight with KickStart for Kids Founder

Spotlight

National Pharmacies Employee, Nadine Fergurson shares how she stays active.

EMPLOYEE

Nadine Fergurson

Service Manager, National Pharmacies Newton

How long have you been at National Pharmacies? I’ve been with National Pharmacies for four years and I’ve been at National Pharmacies Newton for two years.

What do you love the most about working at National Pharmacies, and particularly about the team at Newton? I love seeing the team being able to find a solution that’s best for our customers. And sometimes it takes a team to find a solution because we all have different life stories. At Newton, we all work together. Nobody is afraid to ask questions if they don’t know the answer. That’s from the Pharmacists down to the casuals as well. We all have great respect and care for everyone in the team.

You represented Australia in the Commonwealth Fencing Championships, in London, tell us about your journey as an athlete and fencing champion. I started fencing at 10 years old and was on the South Australian state team for a number of years. I stopped fencing in 1999 when I had my eldest son and in 2012 my husband and I made the decision to come back to the sport. We figured we were at training watching my son so we may as well be productive at the same time. From that stage onwards we started touring on the veteran’s squad. The veteran’s squad is a great category to be in with an amazing team of athletes that have become our second family. This was my third international event, having previously competed in Christchurch in 2016 and Canberra in 2018.

As an athlete, what would you say are the key things that you need to do to keep your body mobile and functioning to the peak level that it needs to be? A lot of commitment and diversification of your training. You can’t just train your sport, you need to train other things as well. I actually train Crossfit in the morning, fencing in the evening, as well as consistent Physio. What advice would you give to other women of your age that are looking to get more active? You’ve got to find something that you love. It may not be something that you are necessarily meant to do in your age group. But if you love it and it keeps you moving, that’s all that matters.

"Staying active is a big priority for me as a person"

Ian Steele, Founder & CEO, KickStart for Kids.

MEMBER

Ian Steel

Founder and CEO KickStart for Kids

Membership status: National Pharmacies member for 25 years

Local Pharmacy: Mitcham What do you love most about being a National Pharmacies member? Apart from the fantastic discounts for members, the thing I love most about National Pharmacies would have to be the wide range of products and services they offer catering to all aspects of health care, whether its nutrition, pain management or physical wellbeing. I also love the ongoing support for KickStart for Kids!

What do you do to stay active on a day-to-day basis? Staying active is a big priority for me as a person, so I go to the gym at 5:00am every morning and manage to find the time to run 5 or 6 times a week. On top of that I make it to Crossfit around 3 times a week as well, so you could say I’m moderately active!

How has your mobility and ability to be active changed as you’ve aged? The biggest change would be that it gets harder to recover when you’re older and those processes take longer as well. As you age you need to keep at it and continue exercising; if you stop you will start to lose your mobility very quickly and it becomes pretty hard to get it back. You have to keep yourself moving as you age to maintain a happier and healthier lifestyle.

Do you have any tips you would give your young self to stay mobile? As I mentioned, just keep at it! Having a routine with your exercise can be quite beneficial, and making a commitment to get it done early in the morning is a great approach to help get it out of the way so that you can move on with the rest of your day.

What are your mobility goals for the future? I would love to get into some trail running! It’s a different kind of challenge for sure, but there are plenty of lovely hills and tracks in South Australia that make great trail runs.

The importance of maintaining good leg health with Jobst.

Our veins are flexible, hollow tubes, with flaps inside called valves. When our muscles contract, the valves open and blood moves around through our veins.

Did you know that our veins are flexible, hollow tubes, with flaps inside called valves? When our muscles contract, the valves open and blood moves around through our veins. When our muscles relax, the opposite happens and the valves close, making our blood flow in one direction. If you experience tired, aching legs or swollen ankles after sitting or standing for a period of time, this could be a sign of damaged veins. When a valve no longer closes properly or fully, problems can develop. Weak or damaged valves cannot support the blood when the muscle relaxes, allowing blood to flow backwards in the vein, creating pressure on the valves below. Blood return to the heart is reduced and other complications may develop, which may be a sign of a Venous Disorder. Venous Disorders are common, just like high blood pressure or diabetes, and should be addressed appropriately. If you believe you may be experiencing Venous Disorder visit your doctor or speak with one of the Pharmacists at National Pharmacies.

YOU CAN ALSO HELP MAINTAIN GOOD LEG HEALTH BY MAKING SOME SMALL LIFESTYLE CHANGES:

• Elevate your feet and legs; • When resting, elevate your feet above your heart, keeping your knees bent slightly, so as not to inhibit blood flow; • Avoid crossing your legs, since this interferes with circulation.

MOVE YOUR FEET

• When sitting or standing for long periods of time, especially during travel, wiggle your toes, flex your feet, or tighten your calf muscles to improve blood flow. • Improve your circulation by starting a regimen of walking, swimming, or other aerobic activity.

WEAR COMPRESSION GARMENTS

We suggest you keep at least 2 pairs on hand – one to wear and one to wash. At National Pharmacies, we stock a range of compression therapy products, including JOBST’s Ready-To-Wear Compression Therapy range, which can help manage and prevent the progression of vein-related disorders. The Gradient compression applies a measured amount of compression to your leg as the basis of management of Venous Disorders. The legwear applies most pressure at the ankle and then gradually lessens this pressure up the length of the leg. This helps the blood in your veins flow back toward your heart, even if your veins and valves are damaged. JOBST Compression Therapy products are available in many styles, fabrics, sizes, and colours, to meet the activity and lifestyle needs all people. Have a chat to the team at your local National Pharmacies who can assist you to find the right compression garment for your needs.

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