By Josh Green
w
e all know about the dangers of
smoking cigarettes; have heard the
mortality stats,have seen the ads on
television,and the billboards on the side of the road.
Recognizing the dangers of cigarette smoking is very
important. However,there is a lack of awareness sup
rounding the risks associated with chewing tobacco.
Chewing tobacco is no safer than smoking ciga
rettes. According to cancer facte and figures from the
Journal of the American Dental Association, when
chewed,tobacco delivers even more nicotine mak- ,
ing it more addictive than smoking. Most people who
do not chew see it as a disgusting,dangerous habit,
but adolescents are very impressionable. Seeing pro
fessional athletes,older siblings,or friends dipping
can provide the impetus to start. I myself started
chewing when 1 was a sophomore in high school be
cause 1 looked up to my older brother who chewed.
Recently accepting the fact that I was addicted,I real
ize how naive it was to assume that l could escape
the cancer, gum disease and tooth loss associated
with dip.1 decided to try to quit and am glad to say
that so far 1 have been successful.
If you or somebody that you know chews or
smokes and is interested in quitting,you should know
that the University Health Center is offering FREE
nicotine replacement therapy (including nicotine
gum and patch) through a generous grant from the
FVed Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute. If you are
interested call Health Education at 3464456 or stop
by our office just past the pharmacy on the first floor
of the Health Center to set up an appointment.
Winter—Well Now (the University Health Center Newsletter)
Hypertension
leading killer in the US. It
is also correlated to a num
ber of other chronic dis
eases. And while it may
take years to cause the
damage associated with
these diseases, it makes
infinite sense to prevent
hypertension in the first
place. Fortunately there
are measures we can take
today to prevent hyperten
sion. These measures are
the general health promot
ing superstars: physical
activity, a healthy diet that
is low in saturated fat and
sodium, alcohol in moder
By Missy Columbo
High blood pressure is an
issue we typically associ
ate with folks our par
ents’ age. As young college stu
dents, we shouldn’t have to worry
about this condition also known as
hypertension! Right? That is what I
thought before I become a Peer
Health Educator. Through this class
I have come to learn that hyperten
sion does indeed affect many peo
ple our age.
Blood pressure is measured rou
tinely at the Health Center; and yet
many students do not know what
their values are or what theymean.
Healthy normal values are at or
below 120/80. Hypertension is
classified as blood pressure above
140/90. The upper number indi
cates the pressure of blood against
the arteries immediately after the
heart contracts. The lower number
indicates the pressure against the
arteries between heart beats. High
blood pressure typically has no
warning signs, so that many people
with hypertension have it without
knowing it.
Hypertension matters because
it is linked to heart disease, the
ation or not at all, and
maintaining a healthy weight. Put
most simply, this translates into 30
minutes of exercise most days of
the week, limiting fat to 1/3 of your
daily calories, and limiting alcohol
to one drink/day for women and
two for men.
Come in to the Heath
Education Office in the Health
Center and get your blood pressure
checked for free. One of the Peers
can provide more details about
heart health. It will only take a
minute and may open your eyes to
improved living!
Destigmatizing
Carbohydrates
by Akjko Gordon
Carbohydrates are getting a bad rap these
days. Processed and refined carbohydrates
which are low in nutrient density have cer
tainly contributed to this rap.The low-carb diet craze
has also weighed in. 1 would like to remind us of the
simple virtues of the often maligned carbohydrates
and shed some light on a misleading labeling trend.
There are two types of carbohydrates— complex
and simple. While both are sources of energy (i.e. 4
calories/g),complex carbs also provide essential vita
mins, minerals and fiber. Dietary fiber is classified as a
carbohydrate, present only in plant based foods, but it
is not actually digested. Fiber is classified as soluble
or insoluble. Soluble fiber has been shown to help
lower blood cholesterol and insoluble fiber is an
important aid in normal bowel function. FVuits, vegeta
bles, whole-grains, nuts, beans and legumes are good
sources of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber
The RDA for fiber is 20-35 grams/day
f LOW CARB CRAZE
Low-carbohydrate diets have been popular in the
mainstream since at least 1972, when the late Robert
C. Atkins. M.D. introduced his book,“Dr. Atkins’ Diet
Revolution.” The Atkins Diet promotes a reduction in
carbohydrate intake so that the body will use fat,
instead of carbohydrates, as its primary source of ener
gy In the induction period of the Atkins Diet, dieters
must limit their carbohydrate intake to 20 grams per
day which eliminates most foods rich in fiber (e.g.
whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes). The
dieters are told instead to eat unlimited high protein
foods such as red meat, eggs and cheese, which are
typically high in saturated fat and low in fiber. Such a
diet over time, increases the dieter's risk of developing
heart disease, kidney stones and osteoporosis.
READING BETWEEN THE LINES
I To know what you’re eating, you probably turn to
the food label. According to the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), the values listed on food labels
for total carbohydrate should include “all carbohy
drate, including dietary fiber and sugars listed below
it.” Some food producers have been advising the con
sumer to subtract fiber (which is indigestible but does
contribute calories through a process of fermentation)
from the total carbohydrate count.
For example,TVader Joes offer a whole wheat tor
tilla by LaTortilla Factory with the total carbohydrates,
fiber and total net carbohydrates clearly listed on the
package. Pitching to the low-carb dieter, the package
claims that one tortilla has 11 total grams of carbohy
drates, yet only “three net carbs.” Their website states:
“To get three grams of carbohydrates you deduct the
grams of dietary fiber (eight grams) from the total car
bohydrate grams (11 grams) to get net carbohydrates
grams (three grams), because according to the Code
of Federal Regulations set by the Food and Drug
Administration, dietary fiber is non-digestible.”
According to the FDA, however, we DO need to
include dietary fiber in total carbohydrate grams and
must multiply total carbs by 4 calories/g. While fiber is
not “digestible” it does provide calories through a fer
mentation process further down the digestive tract.
For those of us who want to do the math, we multiply
the total fat grams by 9, multiply the total carbohydrate
grams by 4 and multiply the total protein grams by 4
to get the calorie total.
MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE
For those of us who don’t want to do the math, the
UO Health Center’s Registered Dietitian, Kristen
Olmos, can answer questions about low carbohydrate
diets and offer nutrition counseling. Appointments
can be made at 346-2770. Olmos also teaches a work
shop called Boiling Water 101 where students can
learn skills to cook fast, nutritious and delicious veggie
meals. Register by calling 346-2794.