Develop and
strengthen your
mediation practice
for relaxation and
mental clarity.
Wed Jan 28-March 3,
4:45-5:45
Bowerman Building
Heritage Hall • free
cadi 346-4456 for info
Workshop
Learn to prepare
quick, easy and nu
tritious meals. Work
shop fee of $15 in
eludes mixing bowls*
skillet, utility knife
kitchen tools. PLUS
you get three weeks
and great meals.
January 28,
February 4 and 11
Health Center Cafeteria
Calf Kristen Olmos at
CPE
Certification
dflMjtgl ' V
Two year
certification from
the American Heart
Association.
Mondays Feb. 2
and March I
5:00-9:00 p.m.
UO Health Center
Cafeteria * $30
346-2770 to register
CHAT
Campus Health
Action on Tobacco
Students and staff
are invited to join a
campus advisory
board which wil!
help design pro
grams and policies
to reduce tobacco
use on campus.
Next meeting isTBA
Contact Plauia Staight for mote
information at pstaigh(t@dark
wing.uonegon.edu
. fWKi
Free Nicotine Re
placement Therapy
(patch and gun) is
available at the
Health Center for
students who are
trying to quit tobac
co. Come to the Peer
Health Education Of
fice or the Pharmacy
for information or to
piekupNRT.
FPEP
The federal grant
providing free con
traception and fami
ly planning services
for qualified students
has been extended at
the Health Center un
til October 2006.
Call 346-2770 orfifi out the on
line application at http7/health
centeruoregon.edu to see if
you qualify:
Herbal Supplements
as complementary medicine
By Revati Patel
As the cold and flu season
peaks, we become more acutely
aware of our health. Many of us
take over the counter medicines, or
get a prescription from a practi
tioner. However, these are not the
only ways in which people attempt
to maintain health.
An enormous field of medicine
called complementary medicine is
gaining popularity in the U.S.
Complementary medicine is a
group of medical and health care
systems, practices and products
that are not considered to be part
of conventional western, or allo
pathic, medicine. Complementary
medicine includes Aromatherapy,
Chiropractic, Ayurveda,
Homeopathy Naturopathy ^nd
Herbalism.
HERBALISM IS ONE FORM OF
COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE
Herbalism makes use of plants
to produce desired effects on the
body The World Health
Organization estimates that 80 per
cent of the world’s population uses
plants for medicinal purposes.
Approximately 25 percent of pre
scription drugs are derived from
substances in plants. Aspirin, for
example, has its origins in willow
bark. Taxol,used in cancer
chemotherapy, originates from the
Pacific Yew tree. Echinacea, an
herbal immune system stimulant,
was discovered by Native
Americans and many people use it
today to treat the common cold.
It is important to realize that
herbal medicines in the US are
sold as dietary supplements and
are not tested by the FDA to see if
their health claims are accurate.
The FDA simply attempts to make
sure that the product is safe. Herbs
contain a wide variety of chemi
cals whose concentrations will
depend on the kind of plant, how it
was grown, storage etc. Before try
ing an herbal supplement, learn
about the supplement; determine if
the product will really help you
with your condition by looking up
scientific literature about it through
IBIDS. If you experience allergic
symptoms as a result of using sup
plements, contact your medical
practitioner.
ON CAMPUS
According to the 2000 Health
Center survey, 35% of UO students
have used some form of herbal
medicine. About 52% of those who
take herbal supplements reported
that they do not inform their med
ical practitioner about taking
herbal supplements. But since the
FDA does not review or approve
the ingredients that go into the
medicinal supplements, it is really
important to consult a physician
before taking any of the herbal
supplements for serious illnesses.
Furthermore, medical practitioners
can better help prevent drug inter
actions if you are forth coming
with using herbal supplements.
If you are considering herbal
supplements, more information
can be found in books in the
Lending Library in the Health
Center. You can also talk to physi
cians, nurse practitioners or phar
macists at the Health Center. We
are located on 13th and Agate,
right across from Oregon Hall.
Herbs Available at
THE HEALTH CENTER
PHARMACY
Chamomile
Used for indigestion
Those allergic to ragweed and
flowers in the daisy family may
suffer from allergic reaction.
Echinacea
Used as an immunity booster
Those allergic to sunflowers
may suffer from allergic reac
tion
Ginger
Used for nausea
Too much can inhibit clotting
Ginkgo Biloba
Used for circulation, improved
memory
Ginseng
Improves circulation
High doses may cause insom
nia or nausea
Garlic
Used for high cholesterol
High doses may prevent blood
clotting
St. John’s Wort
Used for mild to moderate de
pression
Testicular Cancer
8/ Jessyca Thompson
If you come to the Student
Rec Center on Wednesday
afternoons, you’ve seen us, the
Peer Health Educators, staffing
health information tables.
Recently, our topic was breast
and testicular cancer preven
tion. In addition to stats and
tips for prevention, we had
these wonderful fleshy models
of a breast and testicles with
small lumps inside. The idea,
of course, was to feel for the
lump and encourage self
exam for both sexes. What I
observed was that men were
far less comfortable feeling
the testicular model than
women were in feeling the
breast model. What’s with
that?
INVINCIBILITY
SYNDROME
I asked Dave Miller, director
of the UO Men’s Center, what
he thought of this discrepancy
between men and women’s
willingness to learn about cer
tain cancers. He suggested
that men are aware that testic
ular cancer exists but have the
invincibility syndrome of,“it
can’t happen to me”. He also
commented on the social cli
mate around touching one’s
own genitalia.The full answer
is undoubtedly a complex
social/sexual one and makes
for interesting party conversa
tion. But because of the testic
ular model aversion 1 wit
nessed at the Rec. Center, 1
realize that college age men
are largely unaware of their
chance of developing testicu
lar cancer.
MOST COMMON IN
YOUNG MEN
According to the American
Cancer Society (ACS), testicu
lar cancer is the most com
mon form of cancer in men
between ages 15 and 35. In
fact, men are more likely to be
diagnosed with testicular can
cer at this age than later in
life. About 7,500 men in the
US are diagnosed with testicu
lar cancer each year. ACS
emphasizes the importance of
doing monthly testicular self
exams and becoming familiar
with your testicle anatomy so
you are aware of any changes
or abnormalities.
WHAT TO FEEL FOR
If you find that one of your
testicles is much larger or
firmer than the other, or if you
find a lump, whether painful
or not, don’t panic.The prob
lem is usually not cancer, but
you should see your medical
practitioner to make sure.
Medical staff can also go over
testicular self exam technique
and answer questions. You
can make an appointment at
the UO Health Center by call
ing 346-2770. While at the
Health Center, check out the
Health Education lending
library books and literature on
men’s health issues. The UO
Men’s Center, located in the
EMU, has a weekly discussion
group including health topics
such as testicular cancer.
Contact Dave Miller at 346
2715 for more information.
Winter 2004
Contributing Writers
and Peer Health Educators
(left to right) Missy Columbo, Ursula
Evans/Heritage, Adrienne Gee, Lilee
Hua.Josh Green, Akiko Gordon, June
Wang, Revati Patel, Lauren Peters,
Patricia Prevost.Jessyca Thompson,
Emma Thornborg
photos by: Annie Dochnahl