M » 1 »
T he P ortland O bserver • J anuary
t — w a»
11, 1995
H EALTH
Prevent High Blood Pressure
With Easy Lifestyle Changes
Bv S pecial to NNPA
High blood pressure: It’s some
thing you can’t see, you can’t feel
and contributor to many serious ill
nesses, including stroke, and heart
disease, which kills more African
Americans than any other illness.
Also known as hypertension,
high blood pressure is a particular
problem among blacks. They get it
twice as often as whites, develop it
earlier and to a more severe degree.
But black skin doesn’t mean a guar
anteed high blood pressure reading.
There are steps you can take to pre
vent your blood pressure from rising.
What Is High Blood Pressure?
As your heart beats, it pushes
blood through your arteries, which
are blood vessels that carry blood
from the heart to the rest o f your
body. Blood pressure is the force o f
your blood pushing against the walls
o f your arteries.
Some things make your pres
sure go up. If you run to catch a bus
or somebody makes you mad enough
to scream, your blood pressure will
shoot up. But it goes back to normal
once the excitement has passed.
However, if the blood pressure
is consistently elevated, this can dam
age the body’s vital organs, such as
the heart, brain and kidneys -- and
serious, life-threatening disease can
develop.
Although the blood is pushing
against the walls o f the arteries with
h ig h e r th a n -n o rm a l force in a
hypertensive person, he or she prob
ably can’t tell that there’s anything
wrong.
Ifyou have high blood pressure,
you probably w on’t feel any differ
ently or notice any changes when you
look in the mirror. High blood pres
sure is a silent disease. T hat’s why
it’s important for you to have your
blood pressure checked at least once
a year, or more often if you already
know your pressure is high or have a
family history o f hypertension.
H aving your blood pressure
checked is quick, easy and painless.
Many churches, health fairs and shop
ping malls offer blood pressure
screenings. Ifyou get checked at one
o f these places and your reading is
high, be sure to get rechecked by a
physician.
A blood pressure measurement
is written like a fraction. For exam-
ple, a desirable blood pressure read
ing is 120/80; your health care prac
titioner will say “ 120 over 80.” As
your blood pressure rises, your chance
o f health problems increases. If your
reading is 140/90 or more, you should
see your doctor about treatment.
K eeping B lood Pressure In
Check
High blood pressure is more
common in older folks. Also, if your
parents or grandparents have or had
hypertension, the chances are greater
that you will, too.
You can’t control these factors.
But there are greater that you will,
too.
You can’t control these factors.
But there are other factors that you
can control, to lower your chance o f
developing high blood pressure.
H ere’s what do:
Controlyourweight. Being over
weight can mean a two-to six-fold
higher risk o f developing high blood
pressure. About 30 percent o f hyper
tension in the United States is related
to excess weight. If you need to re
duce, try to lose one-halfto one pound
per week. Choose fruits and vegeta
bles over fatty foods more often to
reduce your calorie intake.
*. Increase physical activity. Peo
ple who are physically active have a
20 to 50 percent lower risk o f getting
high blood pressure than those who
are less active. Be more active every
day by walking, taking the stairs (not
the elevator), riding a bike, or play
ing a sport that raises your heart rate.
Use salt and sodium in modera
tion. Consume no more than 2,400
milligrams o f sodium per day — this
includes what’s in processed foods
and added during cooking and at the
table. Use spices, herbs, garlic, on
ion and lemon juice to flavor your
food. Also read food labels to avoid
“hidden” sodium found in processed
and canned foods.
If you drink alcohol, do so in
moderation - no more than two drinks
daily. About five to seven percent of
hypertension in the United states can
be attributed to the consumption of
three or more alcoholic drinks a day.
Remember, you have the power
to stay healthy - take advantage o f it!
(An infograph on preventing
high-blood pressure is available. For
more information call Paula W heel
er, 202-973-5868.)
THE REAL REASONS TO
STAY AWAY FROM MARIJUANA
bv
J ohn D i ff
As a parent and activist in the
substance abuse prevention and treat
ment field I am deeply concerned
about the resurgence in the popular
ity o f marijuana. I am just as con
cerned with the difficulty parents,
teachers, counselors and other adults
are having in trying to communicate
with teenagers why they should not
use marijuana. There seems to be a
consensus o f agreement about the
dangers o f cocaine, heroin and even
cigarettes and alcohol, but not mari
juana. What are the real dangers with
it and how do you handle responses
such as; “marijuana is an herb,” “ it is
harmless,” fit is used as a medicine,”
or "it’s organic.” One famous rap
group member feels it can make him
more creative and that he can write
and perform better.
What all drugs have in common
is they each contain a poison mole
cule.
The poison molecule in coffee is
caffeine, in tobacco it is nicotine and
in alcohol it is ethanol. Cocaine is a
poison molecule found in the coca
plant and morphine is a poison mol
ecule found in the opium poppy. The
poison molecule in marijuana is THC
(delta-9-tetrahydro-cannabinol). It is
the
THC in marijuana causing the
high or enjoyable feelings being ex
perienced as well as the problems.
What are the real problems with pot?
Ambition: Here lies the greatest
danger to our youth. It is so obvious
yet often overlooked. Ambition is
the very thing in which a person
acquires his success in life.
A cigarette smoker looses his
life to lung cancer while the alcohol
ic is constantly hungover and often
looks and smells bad. The heroin
addict is usually in disastrous physi
cal health exposing him self to death
from overdose as well as AIDS. What
is obvious about the chronic smoker
o f marijuana? With chronic use all
else become less important or sec
ondary to the use o f marijuana.
The ambition and personality o f
the chronic smoker o f marijuana be
comes altered as with all drugs. The
loss o f ambition is at the top o f my list
because this point is so important in
the life o f a teenager as it can halt
and/or alter emotional and educa
tional developm ent. Sim ply put,
marijuana can interrupt a child’s drive
and development in sports, music,
reading and school subjects, hob
bies, etc. This result is seen over and
over in drug treatment centers such
as Narconon.
M em ory: It has been stated
in the p a st th a t m ariju an a use
causes “sh o rt-te rm m em ory.” It
is m ore than th is. U sing m a riju a
na as w ell as o th e r drugs affects
c o n c e n tra tio n , m ental reco rd in g
and the re c a llin g o f p rev io u sly
reco rd ed m ental im ages. All one
has to do is spend som e tim e w ith
som eone w ho has sm oked pot and
a ttem p t to h o ld a serious d isc u s
sion on a se rio u s or com plex su b
je c t. It w ill becom e all too o b v i
ous th at m a riju a n a a ffe c ts the
m em ory. W here the breakdow n
com es into play is in the area o f
his or her “ a tte n tio n .” D rugs in
te rn a liz e o r “ in te rio riz e ” o n e ’s
atte n tio n as one is feelin g and
en joying the d ru g s ’ effect on the
body. W ithout p ro p e r a tte n tio n ,
roc
M r H a STT"
DEVELOPMENT
jW M issEK
COMMISSION MEETING
Date: January 18,1995
Place: Portland Building
1120 SW 5th Avenue
Second Floor
Time 6:00 p.m.
Commission meetings are open to
the public. A complete agenda is
available at PDC or by calling
823-3200. Citizens with disabilities
may call 823-3232 or TDD 823 6868
for assistance at least 48 hours in
advance.
PDC Is the City of Portland's urban
renewal, housing and economic
development agency.
w eath er ex trem es. A garage or
landry room , c a re fu lly checked
for p o iso n o u s su b sta n c e s such as
AEROBICS
a n ti-fre e ze , can p ro v id e te m p o
rary sh e lte r for an im als not used
to being indoors.
LOW FAT
LIVING PLAN
CHILD CARE
MASSAGE
THERAPY
CYCLING
ROWING
RACQUETBALL
TAI CHI
New Year's
Resolution Solution
If 1995 is the year you plan
to lose weight and get back
into shape, then see
Lloyd Athletic Club
for the solutions to your
New Year's resolutions
Start with a free 10-day trial
membership Please call
Bhan or Holly at 287-4594
before January 31, 1995 to
activate your that
membership.
YOGA
STAIRCLIMBING
ROWING
WEIGHT
TRAINING
STEAM
SAUNA
WHIRLPOOL
(NU) - The sym ptom s o f vagi
nal yeast infection — burning, itch
ing, a white discharge — are all too
familiar to millions of women. Near
ly 75 percent of all women will have
a yeast infection at least once in their
lifetim es and about 10 percent of
sufferers will get five or more a year.
Technically known as candida al
bicans, yeast is a fungus that normally
inhabits the vagina. Ordinarily, it is
kept in check by bacteria and causes
trouble only if it is allowed to over
grow. Often, the underlying cause is
unknown, but anything that alters the
body’s natural chemistry increases
the chances of triggering an infection.
Once diagnosed by a physician, yeast
infections are easily treatable with
over-the-counter medications and the
condition is seldom serious, but by
adopting certain habits, it may be pos
sible to avoid this uncomfortable af
fliction altogether.
B ecause the fungi flourish in
dark, moist environments, constric
tive, synthetic garments can create
an ideal habitat for yeast to multiply.
“Yeast likes to live in warm, sweaty
places,” says Dr. Ramona Slupik, as
sistant professor of obstetrics and
gynecology at N orthw estern U ni
versity Medical School in Chicago.
Slupik recom m ends women w ear
loose-fitting cotton clothing and 100
percent cotton underpants to permit
air to circulate below the waist.
"Man-made fabrics don’t provide
adequate ventilation,” explains Hal
Brockmann Sr., vice president and
m anaging director o f research for
C otton Incorporated. “ Due to its
unique fiber structure, cotton
breathes and helps rem ove body
News USA
Due to its unique fiber
structure, cotton breathes and
helps remove body moisture.
moisture by absorbing it and wick-
ing it away from the skin.”
In addition, Slupik advises that if
you swim, don't sit for hours in a wet
bathing suit. Shower and change im
mediately afterward. She also dis
courages the frequent use of douch
es or fem inine hygiene sprays as
these products tend to upset the
body’s pH level, destroying the
"good” organisms that ward off in
fections.
For women prone to frequent
bouts of yeast, a change of diet also
may be of help. Some studies show
that by eating yogurt daily (specifi
cally varieties that contain active cul
tures) you can significantly reduce
the number of yeast infections.
Wigland
E va G abor
N aomi S ims
R enee O f P aris
One o f the Northwest Largest If'ig Display
ff 'tgs and Hairpieces For all Nationalities
Speciali:ing in Hair Weeving Supplies
Synthetic & Human Hair
For Braiding & Weeving
M on - Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday 10 - 5:30 p.m.
Near Lloyd Center
282-1664
Join
W eight W atchers
today and cut the fat,
not the food.
SQUASH
STRENGTH
TRAINING
Change of Habits Can Help
Prevent Yeast Infections
To be continued next week
Bitter Cold Stresses Animals
C old, w indy and icy c o n d i
tio n s are h azard o u s fo r an im als
too. W hile p eople are ta k in g p re
c a u tio n s to k eep th e ir h om es
w arm , the fam ily pet n eed s to be
c o n sid e re d as w ell. Low te m p e r
a tu res have locked up w ater that
m ight not no rm ally be frozen and
the east w ind has been relen tless.
A nim als living o u td o o rs are
p a rtic u la rly at risk d u ring cold
w eather. O u tsid e pets need p ro
te c tio n from w ind, rain and the
co ld . Pets need m ore food and
w ater du rin g cold w eath er. E xtra
food gives them the c a lo rie s they
need to keep w arm . C old, dry air
in c re a se s th e ir need for w ater.
W atch that w ater bow ls are not
fro z e n . B rin g p e ts in d u rin g
a good m em ory does not o c c u r in
the first place and m akes re c a ll
ing w hat you did record m entally
m ore d iffic u lt.
Education: Individuals, espe
cially teenagers, consuming marijua
na with any regularity are going to
have problems educating themselves
either inside or outside o f the class
room. The mind is your computer
and it depends on attention, concen
tration, recording, recallingand mem
ory. Grades and performance usually
drop with the regular use o f marijua
na. Again, we see here the deadening
o f ambition. Those that succeed in
life do it with ambition. To educate
oneself takes ambition.
U n fo rtu n ately , m any te e n a g
ers do not und erstan d the v alue
o f e d u c a tin g them selves e a rly in
life. M any te e n a g e rs do not know
how to study, or have p ro b le m s
studying, m aking education m ore
d iffic u lt. W hile you as an ad u lt
can see the dam age that m a riju a
na can do to the e d u catio n p ro
cess, it is d iffic u lt for m any te e n
agers to und erstan d the im p o r
tance o f ed u c a tin g oneself.
WOMEN’S HEALTH
The healthier you are, the
more you enjoy life, so keep
fitness in mind all year
round - beginning now!
WEIGHT WATCHERS NEW FAT & FIBER PLAN
JOIN
ANY
MEETING
ANYTIME
W ant to lose weight.7 You
can count on the new Fat
«Si Fiber Plan. It’s an
incredible breakthrough in
a weight loss plan because
it’s an entirely new way to
count food. And it’s only
at W eight Watchers. All
you do is choose foods that
meet your required daily
fat and fiber intake. You
select what you want,
when you want. At the
supermarket, at your
favorite restaurant, at fast
food places all over town.
Fat &. Fiber will have you
feeling — and living —
free and easy. Weight
W atchers new Fat & Fiber
Plan helps put you in
control and feeling great.
And you can count on
that!
North Portland
Northeast Portlar d
N orth m in ste r Presbyterian:
2823 N Portland Blvd. Fellowship Hall:
Tues . 7 00 p m
T illa m o o k Park Bldg: 2 108’ , E 41st
Ave M on-7 0 0 p m . Tues- / 0 0 p m
Wed- 9 30 a m & 5 00 p ,n . Thurs-
7:00 p.m , Fri- 9:30 a m
Temple Baptist C h u rch :
13 ION 7th; Fireside Room, Tues 12 00
Noon
University of Portland:
5000 N Willamette Blvd Columbia Hall
(Enter from Portsmouth). Wed 4 4 5 p m
Northwest Portland
Lloyd A th le tic C lu b
Y o u r place. Y o u r pace.
LLO tb
• A T H I ET IC
• 1 5 N .E . H a ls e y
t C IU B
2 8 7 -4 5 9 4
ESCO: 2141 N W 25th Avenue
(25th & Vaughn). Lab B ld g . 2nd Floor
Auditorium. Fhurs
12 00 Noon
Call Collect - Weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
W e ig h t W a t c h e r s
503-297-1021
• 1995 Weight Watchers international Inc O w ner ot the Weight W etchera trademart. Ml rights reserved