Community Care

Chempro Sanctuary Cove’s Donay Meijer has some timely advice to beat the winter blues.

MOVING TO AUSTRALIA from South Africa with her family when she was 8-years-old, Chempro Sanctuary Cove Pharmacist Donay Meijer says she has always known she wanted to study and work in the medical field.

With a passion for helping others, as well as excelling in Mathematics and Chemistry, she started working in Pharmacy while studying for a Bachelor and Masters in Pharmaceutical Science at Griffith University.

“Over my 10 years of working and managing pharmacies, a few opportunities to purchase into a store of my own had arisen, however, I was still waiting for the right fit for me,” Donay explains.

“When the opportunity to buy into Sanctuary Cove Pharmacy came up, I knew this was the right store.

“My family and I had lived and grown up in the area, and I always wanted to be part of a tightknit community, where I could build customer relationships and provide one-on-one service to the community. “Although it has been one of the most challenging things I have done, taking over a Pharmacy in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also been the most rewarding.” This year Chempro Sanctuary Cove relocated into a new fit-out, and the feedback and support from the community have been incredible. This has allowed them to expand the range of products, especially focussing more on preventative health supplements and nutrition. “I am very passionate about health, and empowering people to take ownership and control of their health,” Donay says. “This includes diet and lifestyle changes, as well as supplements that are suitable to their health needs.

“We have expanded our health range to include some fantastic new products, including the full selection of Nurtaorganics, True Protein, Beforeyouspeak coffee, Gevity RX bone broth and much more.

“I am seeing a lot more customer interest, as well as clinical studies looking into the importance of Gut Health and how this can affect many other aspects of health including immune support and brain health.

“Collagen and bone broth are two of the most talked-about supplements on the market now, both having great benefits to support gut health.”

According to Donay, immune function has also been a topic of interest, with many patients looking at products to help support the natural immune system.

“This is something I encourage patients to speak to their pharmacist about, as many herbal supplements can have contraindications and interfere with other prescriptions medications,” she says.

“I also stress the importance of quality sleep.

“The pandemic has resulted in an increase in insomnia, or poor-quality sleep, caused by a few factions such as lack of physical exercise and less time spent outdoors as well as less valuable human interactions.

“I encourage patients to try and get sunshine within the first 30 mins of waking, to allow the body's natural hormones to be released as they wake, and to try to avoid blue light after 5pm, to allow their body's melatonin to be released.

“Exercise, regular sleep times and avoiding caffeine past 2pm can also help."

If this, however, hasn't been beneficial, Donay encourages patients to speak to their pharmacist or health care professionals about other options.

As we are approaching winter, we are also seeing an increase in eczema and dermatitis.

This can be triggered by allergies and cooler, dryer weather as well as lifestyle changes such as longer, hotter showers, or using soap that can strip the body’s natural oils from the skin and cause small cracks that trigger inflammation of the skin.

“We have seen some incredible results with La Roche Posay, a French skincare range designed for highly reactive or dry skin,” says Donay.

“The Lipikar AP Baume, specifically, has antiitching properties, is extremely hydrating and provides an instant soothing effect.

“It is enriched with prebiotic Aqua Posae Filiformis, Shea butter and Niacinamide to replenish the skins natural barrier.”

Chempro Sanctuary Cove is now located at 4B Masthead Way, Sanctuary Cove and is open 7 days. chempro.com.au