The healthy cure for winter

26 July 2021

The healthy cure for winter

The team in the office has been riddled with winter colds and flu so I’ve been working from home instead to keep myself well. But when everyone at home started to feel sick too, I decided it was time for preventative action. A trip to Albany Mega Centre for a Health (and Beauty) stock-up was just the tonic I needed.

I’ve been a bit slow to get started this year, not like other years where I’m all geared up for the winter illnesses. I’m more than a bit anxious about germs and feel sick just thinking about nasties floating around that I might be breathing in. Maybe this year’s apathy is because last year’s flu season was such a non-event or because I’ve been more focused on the bigger pandemic around us.

Almost without realising, I looked up from my desk and noticed that there were a number of empty desks around me. Where was everyone? Sam and Georgia were both away sick. Emily was working from home because she had a runny nose and Mandy was home with sick kids. My boss, Sean, is in but I wish he wasn’t. I hear him coughing in his office and instantly decide to avoid going anywhere near him. I didn’t get the flu jab this year so the quiet hum of the air-conditioning suddenly got me nervous. Am I swimming in everyone’s bugs?

Naturally, I worked from home for the rest of the week. On Thursday evening my youngest started complaining that he was all blocked up and then on Friday morning my husband woke up feeling dizzy and headachy. The prospects weren’t looking good for me and I felt immediately unwell just thinking about the inevitable sickness that was about to hit me.

First thing on Saturday morning I drove down to the Chemist Warehouse at the Albany Mega Centre. The basket was quickly filled with the standard Lemsip, Coldrex Night and Day and medicated gummy bears for the kids. After talking through all the options with the very helpful chemist, I added some Red Seal Vitamin C tablets to help build my immunity system, ready to fight the germs. I found a number of other vitamins for general women’s health, for better sleep and to support my stress and anxiety. Add in a big box of tissues and a similar-sized pack of antiseptic wipes, and the basket looked like a hypochondriac’s treasure chest.

Heading back to the car, I notice Pricewise and wondered what medicines and preventive cures they may have for me? There was a lot to choose from and I was particularly drawn to their range of herbal teas, designed specifically to provide health benefits. I chose a couple to try and then kept looking at other options. I found a beautiful wheat bag to ease my achy bones and muscles and some nice bath salts to aid with rest and relaxation.

Feeling satisfied that I’ve got what I need, I headed towards the checkout stopping only momentary to look at the perfumes. They’ve had a beautiful Elizabeth Arden Green Tea perfume that I had to have. Its scent was so natural and gave me an automatic sense of wellbeing. Just along from the perfumes, I notice they had the Simple brand of skincare which is one of my favourites. I found the cleanser and moisturiser that I usually buy and added these to my basket. And as I waited to be served I notice a great deal on lipsticks and quickly checked out the colour options before deciding on a bold taupe gloss.

I went home and put my haul on the table. Looking at it, I instantly started to feel better. Who knew that a health and beauty shopping spree was the answer to all those winter aches and pains? I thought to myself, “Albany Mega Centre is even better than the influenza injection for getting me ready to fight whatever the season brings.” A very therapeutic laugh followed!


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