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About The Hood River news. (Hood River, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (June 20, 2015)
www.hoodrivernews.com Hood River News, Saturday, June 20, 2015 A13 healthy hood river Top tips for preventing skin cancer Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, according to the Amer- ican Cancer Society. More skin cancers are diagnosed in the US each year than all other cancers combined. The number of skin cancer cases has been going up over the past few decades. The good news is that you can do a lot to protect yourself and your family from skin cancer, or catch it early so that it can be treated effectively. Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultra- violet (UV) rays. Most of this exposure comes from the sun, but some may come from man-made sources, such as in- door tanning beds and sun lamps. You don’t need any x-rays or blood tests to find skin can- cer early – just your eyes and a mirror. If you have skin can- cer, finding it early is the best way to make sure it can be treated with success. Skin cancer starts in the cells of the skin. Some other types of cancer start in other parts of the body and can spread to the skin, but these are not skin cancers. There are 3 main types of skin cancers: Basal cell skin cancers (basal cell carcino- mas); Squamous cell skin can- cers (squamous cell carcino- mas); and Melanomas – the first two are more common while melanomas are more dangerous. Melanomas can occur any- where on the body, but are more likely to start in certain areas. The trunk (chest and back) is the most common place in men. In women, the legs are the most common site. The neck and face are other common places for melanoma to start. Melanomas are not as com- mon as basal cell and squa- mous cell skin cancers, but they can be far more serious. Like basal cell and squamous cell cancers, melanoma is al- most always curable in its early stages. But if left alone, melanoma is much more like- ly to spread to other parts of the body, where it can be very hard to treat. People who get a lot of ex- posure to ultraviolet (UV) rays are at greater risk for skin cancer. Sunlight is the main source of UV rays, but you don’t have to avoid the sun completely. And it would be unwise to stay inside if it would keep you from being active, because physical ac- tivity is important for good health. But getting too much sun can be harmful. There are some steps you can take to limit your exposure to UV rays. Some people think about sun protection only when they spend a day at the lake, beach, or pool. But sun exposure adds up day after day, and it happens every time you are in the sun. Simply staying in the shade is one of the best ways to limit your UV exposure. If you are going to be in the sun, “Slip! Slop! Slap! and Wrap!” is a catchphrase that can help you remember some of the key steps you can take to protect yourself from UV rays: ■ Slip on a shirt. ■ Slop on sunscreen. ■ Slap on a hat. ■ Wrap on sunglasses to protect the eyes and skin around them. An obvious but very im- portant way to limit your exposure to UV light is to avoid being outdoors in di- rect sunlight too long. This is particularly important between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when UV light is strongest. If you are unsure how strong the sun’s rays are, use the shadow test: if your shadow is shorter than you are, the sun’s rays are the strongest, and it’s important to protect yourself. If you plan to be outdoors, you may want to check the UV Index for your area. The UV Index usually can be found in local newspaper, TV, radio, and online forecasts. It’s also on the EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/sunwise/uv- index.html and in many smartphone apps (see www.epa.gov/enviro/mobile). Care to Yoga? Care Center brings free community yoga to Hood River BY TRISHA WALKER News staff writer When Activities Director Christine Shannon began her free “Gentle Yoga for Be- ginning Seniors 50 and Over” at the Hood River Care Center mid-February, she started with three students. Soon, the class soon grew to five, then seven. Now, she has anywhere from 12 to 18 men and women regularly at- tending, with ages ranging from 49 to 85. “The hardest part of yoga is actually coming to class; the second hardest part of Photos by Trisha Miller LIZ HEACOCK, 74, and Margaret Marshall, 85, are regulars in Ac- tivities Director Christine Shannon’s Wednesday morning yoga class at the Hood River Care Center (pictured above). “Christine is won- derful. It’s a really nice thing she’s done,” said Marshall. At top, Dave Radley, left, and Doris Stevens stretch at the beginning of class. “I love the instructor,” said Stevens. “You get a good workout and it relaxes you.” yoga is actually leaving class, because it feels so amazing,” Shannon said. While she teaches yoga to Care Center residents three days a week, the Gentle Yoga series is for community members. She started the classes with three objectives in mind. “One, to get the communi- ty affiliated with our facili- ty,” she said. “Two, to pro- mote health within our com- munity, and three, our class is free — no charge for stu- dents to come. I do know how expensive yoga classes can be, so I do not want money to be an issue for someone not to participate.” The Care Center has some mats, blocks and bands, but Shannon encourages stu- dents to bring their own equipment if possible. The class meets in the cafeteria, so space is a factor, although Shannon said there’s room for 30 participants — but probably not more than that. At a recent class, she began with two questions: “Got any owies today? Any- thing we need to work on?” She leads the class through a series of moves, offering modifications and encourag- ing students to sit if needed. “I modify the class so everyone can participate,” Shannon said. “It is beautiful to watch.” She’s been practicing yoga for 20 years, and has been certified to teach for eight. She has a bachelor’s degree in physical education and health from Linfield College, is a member of National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) with a CPT certified Pain Clinic joins stem cell research registry Columbia Pain Manage- ment, PC will join 28 other clinical research sites across the country in a reg- istry to track outcomes from stem cell therapies for the treatment of painful musculoskeletal condi- tions. The re gistry will track pain, function, and quality of life as well as ad- verse events after patients receive the interventions. Stem cells are undifferen- tiated cells that are capable of repairing damaged or diseased tissue. Scientists have been keenly interested in how the cells can be used in various medical condi- tions ranging from arthri- tis to blindness. “This is a cutting edge therapy for patents with painful arthritic conditions and in- juries, but we need to care- fully monitor outcomes to gauge their effectiveness,” said Dr. David Russo, physi- atrist and sub-investigator on the study. Stem cell therapies for musculoskeletal conditions involve harvesting stem cells from a patient’s bone marrow. The cells are con- centrated and then trans- planted into in another part of the body. Neither embry- onic tissue nor cells from the reproductive system are used. The procedures, approved by the FDA when performed within a single day in an outpatient set- ting, are considered safe and are compliant with all applicable Federal stem cell treatment standards. “It’s amazing that sophisti- cated treatments once only available at large medical centers now can be offered locally,” Russo said. Still, most health plans do not cover stem cell therapies, but may cover other associated services and tests required for the procedure. Patients must undergo a thorough medical evaluation and have no history of blood cancers, immune deficiency disease, or bleeding disorders to be considered an appropriate candidate. please contact study coordi- nators Cherie Flory, RN or Lisa Linker, RN at 541-386- 9500 extension 202. ■ 981 Tucker Road • Hood River (541) 386-3915 For more infor mation, personal trainer certificate, has had restorative yoga training, and has 200 hours of training in both Hot yoga and Vinyasa through Core- power. She continuously takes training courses to ex- pand her knowledge and skills. Her experience with se- nior yoga comes from “work- ing with older populations in retirement facilities, my Alzheimer training, and last but not least, my own prac- tice. I just turned 50 this year myself,” she said. Shannon gets a lot of posi- tive feedback from her stu- dents, who say they are more flexible and have better bal- ance, sleep better, and are more apt to think about what they eat and drink. Some have never practiced yoga before taking her classes; others are seasoned athletes and yogis. All feel comfort- able in her class. Peter Zurcher, 68, was an endurance athlete who start- ed yoga in 2008 on the recom- mendations of friends when he noticed his body becom- ing less flexible. Shannon’s classes are “the right level for me,” he said. “I should have started 10 years earlier, but running, mountaineer- ing, hiking and climbing were a higher priority.” Liz Heacock is a newcom- er who “always wanted to do it” and has found the class to be a good fit. “I think (yoga) is good to feel calmer. I think it’s good exercise,” she said. She was initially worried about par- ticipating because of back is- sues, but her physical thera- pist told her “it’s good to go; just do all you can do,” she said. “We do not take life too se- rious in class,” said Shan- non. “There is no right or wrong answers or postures. There are always modifica- tions.” For those who wish to “give back” in exchange for the free classes, there are a number of volunteer oppor- tunities at the Care Center, ranging from yardwork to visiting one-on-one with resi- dents, and many of her stu- dents do. But mostly, Shannon is grateful to be able to offer the free classes to the community. “Yoga has been my lifeline during some challenging events in my life,” Shannon said. “I feel I am very fortu- nate to have this gift to teach yoga, to help and inspire oth- ers. It is my gift I can give freely and expect nothing in return but love and grati- tude.” T he classes r un each Wednesday from 10-11 a.m. in the Care Center cafeteria. For more information, call Shannon at 541-386-2688, ex- tension 4621. ■ Columbia Pain Manage- ment, PC, is the Gorge’s only comprehensive and inter- ventional pain management center specializing in mini- mally invasive and non-op- erative treatment of spinal pain, musculoskeletal medi- cine, regenerative medicine, and the medical rehabilita- tion of patients with ortho- pedic and neurological in- juries. Queen Size Mattress Sets Starting at $ 249 MURRAY’S FURNITURE & SLEEP CENTER Wild Columbia Salmon FRESH SALMON CAUGHT DAILY King Salmon Whole Steelhead or Blue Black Fillet Sockeye NEW CEDAR SMOKER “FREE” Alder Samples Smoked 108 Hwy 35, Hood River Next to Lampoei’s in Windance parking lot. Spring Hours Daily 9am-7pm 509-961-3260 We accept VISA & MC
