Kathleen Zalko: Be careful about Ibuprofen

Here's a New Year's fitness tip from Kathleen Zalko, who's married to Kitsilano gym owner Ron Zalko.

If you're doing regular exercise in 2013, be wary of taking too much Ibuprofen, which is an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drug.

"A lot of people who work out regularly over-exert themselves, and they take Ibuprofen daily," she told the Georgia Straight. "It can mask the symptoms of pain and inflammation."

She noted that these symptoms are part of the healing process.

"If you're on Ibuprofen all the time, you don't know if you've overdone it—especially if you're injured," Zalko added. "It's better to let it heal on its own instead of taking Ibuprofen two or three times a day every day."