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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 2, 1997)
/ • » - ’. * j »«*■’ • '> '> ’* * « f - * . S y ’* ' . » ; r •.< Z. P age A 4 Walk for Healthy Choices, Healthy Lives Join the fun on Saturday, May 10, 1997 (the day before Mother’s Day) at Pioneer Courthouse square in downtown Portland for Planned Parenthood o f the C olum bia/ Willamette's first Celebration Walk for Health Choices, Health Lives. More than 1,500 participants are expected to walk in support ofchil- dren who are loved and wanted! The C elebration W alk is a c h an ce to show su p p o rt for Planned Parenthood’s efforts to help people make healthy choices, build health lives, and create healthy families. And the Cel ebration Walk is a chance to party- with music by the Balafon Ma rimba Ensemble, healthy break fast foods, chances to win prizes, a Joy Jump for the kids, a children’s art booth (make that last minute M other’s Day card!), massage booths, and educational and in formation booths. Entry forms and pledge sheets are available at all Planned Parent hood sites and many health clubs and sportswear outlets. Entry fees are $ 15 foradults($ 18 day o f event) and $7 for children 12 and under Registration includes a t-shirt. Day-of-event registration begins at 7:30 am. H ulks begin at 8:45 am. To register of fo r more infor mation about the Celebration H alk, call 775-4931.fax 788- 7285. A pril 2, 1997 • T he P ortland O bserver Supersizing “ Supersizing” your fast-food or der may be a value, but it may not be what you bargained for in terms o f your health “ People are unaware o f normal food portions,” said Dr. John Eoreyt, a professor of medicine and director ofthe Behavioral Medicine Research Center at Baylor College o f Medi cine in H ouston. “ Increasingly, larger-than-normal amounts o f food are perceived as norm al.’ Buying an order o f large fries and a 32-ounce cola instead o f an order o f small fries and a 12-ounce soft drink may cost only a few cents more, but it can double the calories. Eoreyt says despite the added fat, the inexpensive, larger fast-food “combo” is the choice o f many busy families. “Even children are used to order ing larger servings,” he said. The key is knowing how to make sensible food choices. According to the U.S. Depart ment o f Agriculture, which devel oped the Food Guide Pyramid, a daily diet consisting o f no more that 30 percent o f calories from fat in cludes the fol lowing amounts o f food: Bread, cereal, rice and pasta: 6- I I servings. One serving equals 1 slice o f bread, tortilla or pancake, a half-cup o f cereal, rice or pasta, 2 medium cookies, a half o f a bagel, or a hamburger bun. T he success o f tw o v o ter referen d u m s su p p o rtin g m edical use of m a riju a n a is one to the most in terestin g outcom es o f the N ovem ber election. C a lifo rn ia 's Proposition 2.15 allow s patients u n d e r a d o c to r's c are to tre a t a v a rie ty o f ailm ents w ith m a riju a n a . A riz o n a 's P ropo sition 200 goes à step fu rth e r, allow ing d o c to rs to p rescrib e any d ru g they deem a p p ro p ria te , and m an d atin g tre a tm e n t, not in c a rc e ra tion, for those a rre ste d for possession o f an illegal d ru g . These votes signal th a t it’s tim e to stop a rg u in g a b o u t w hether m edical m a ri-' ju a n a w o rk s-th a t question has alread y been an sw ered -an d sta rt talking ab o u t how to best m ake m a riju a n a available to patients who could benefit from it. O p p o n en ts of the tw o propositions denied the reality o f these p atien ts, thousands o f w ho c u rre n tly sm oke m a ri ju a n a to alleviate th e pain an d su ffering caused by can cer, AIDS, glaucom a, a rth ritis , an d m ultiple sclerosis. M any o f these patients never sm oked m a riju a n a before they got sick, and m any d o n ’t care for th e d ru g ’s psychoactive effects. T hey sm oke not to get high, but to get relief they c a n ’t get any o th e r way. The best advice for bikers, said Dr. Tom Jaksic, a pediatric surgeon at Baylor College o f Medicine in Hous ton, is to always wear a helmet when biking. Although helmet com pliance is particularly low among teenagers, sta tistics continue to show a dramatic link between helmet use and reduced risk for injury and death "In most bicy cle accidents," Jaksic said,"the head or neck is the most common area for serious injury." He recommends helmets that are light, snug-fitting and bright in color for better visibility . Diaper Rash: a thing of the past Whether you use cloth or dis posable diapers, the bottom line is keeping the baby’s skin dry. Approximately 30 percent ofvis- its to pediatricians are related to diaper rash. Diaper rash is caused by sub stances in feces and urine, by friction from diapers, by pro longed wetting and by soap, said Dr. Moise L. Levy, a dermatolo gist at Baylor College o f Medi cine in Houston. f requent diaper changing is the best prevention. Levy said. Help For Impotent Men For some men suffering from impotence, a new procedure called MUSE offers hope of a return to normal sexual function. "One group is those men who now cun achieve erections only by injecting themselves at the base o f their penises with medicine that relaxes the penile tissue and allows blood to enter more easily." High blood pressure awareness promoted is Oversizing The case for medical marijuana Bicycle helmets save lives and prevent injuries • . *- .* - .- ••’: < MUSE, medicated urethral sys tem for erection, may be especially helpful for two specific groups o f impotent men, said Dr. Larry I I . ipshultz, a urologist at Bay lorCol- lege o f Medicine in Houston. One group is those men who now can achieve erect ions only by injecting themselves at the base of their penises with medicine that relaxes the penile tissue and al lows blood to enter more easily. Lhe other group is impotent men who have avoided treatment be- causethey fear the invasiveness o f self-injections. With MUSE, a pellet contain ing the drug alprostadil is inserted into the urethra Once inside, the medicated pellet caused blood to (low into the penis, facilitating erection and sexual intercourse. Vegetables: 3-5 servings. One serving equals a half-cup o f chopped raw or cooked vegetables, scalloped potatoes or potato salad, I cup raw, leafy vegetables, or 10 french fries. Fruit: 2 to 4 servings. One serv ing equals I piece o f fruit or melon wedge, a fourth-cup dried fruit, a half-cup o f chopped, cooked, or canned fruit, or three-fourths cup of fruit juice. Milk, Yogurt and Cheese: 2 to 3 servings. One serving equals 1 cup o f milk or yogurt (plain or frozen), one and a half cups o f ice cream or ice milk, 2 cups o f cottage cheese, one and a half ounces o f natural cheese, or two ounces o f processed cheese. Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts: 2 to 3 servings. One serving equals about 3 ounces o f cooked lean beef, pork, lamb, veal, poultry or fish-roughly the size o f a deck o f playing cards, a half-cup o f cooked beans, 1 egg, or 2 table spoons o f peanut butter. Fats, oils and sweets: Use spar ingly. Ordering large portions o f food at inexpensive prices can be tempting, Foreyt says, so know your order ahead o f time. "D on’t be caught in the drive- thru I ine wondering what you want.” Foreyt said. “ You are in control o f your diet, not a restaurant.” P reven tin g in d ig e s tio n and h ea rtb u rn For people who suffer from indigestion and heartburn, a few simple changes in lifestyle and diet can often solve the problems. Dr. Atilla Ertan, a gastroenter ologist a, Baylor College of Medi cine in Houston, recommends minimizing consumption o f to bacco, alcohol, coffee and cola, including decaffeinated brands, and avoiding foods that have upset your stomach in the past. If heartburn is a recurring problem, try elevating the head of your bed to minimize the reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus. Also, avoid tight-fitting clothes, lose weight and do not eat during the three hours before bedtime. In recognition o f National High Blood pressure Month (May 1997), the Office o f Minority Health Re source Center(OM H-RC) is making a special effort to educate minority communities about high blood pres sure. The Center is distributing free copies o f a new information packet that contains tips for preventing high blood pressure. One out o f four American adults has high blood pressure or hyperten sion. African Americans are twice as likely than Whites to develop it, and the condition tends to develop earlier in African Americans and be more severe. It is the number one preventable cause o f m ore that 65,000 excess deaths among Afri can Americans each year. “ We don’t know for sure why high blood pressure affects African A m ericans at higher rates than Whites, but it appears to be a mix of genetic and environmental factors,” according to Ralph Watson. MD, a member o f the OMII Resource Per sons Network. “One o f the most significant factors that puts African Americans at risk is a diet that is high in salt,” he said. Dr. Watson has 18 years o f experience treating African Americans with high blood pressure and serves as director of the Hypertension Clinic at Michi gan State University. “ It is crucial that we put high blood pressure information into the hands o f minorities because the condition is a silent killer,” said Jose T. Carneiro, EdD, director o f OMH-RC. “ High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, and many people go for years without know ing they have it.” Left untreated, the condition can lead to serious health problems, including heart disease, kidney failure, stroke, and vision problems. So what exactly is blood pres sure? Each time your heart beats, it pushes blood into vessels that carry blood away from the heart to other parts o f the body. Blood pressure is the force o f blood pushing against the walls o f those vessels. It is measured in two numbers. A nor mal blood pressure reading is 130/ 85 or lower, and any reading of 140/90 or higher is called high blood pressure. The first number measures the pressure during a 300,000 Oregonians Breathe Easier 7th Annual “Reach the Beach” Clean Air Bicycle Challenge The American Lung Association o f Oregon is holding its 7th Annual “ Reach the Beach” Clean Air Bi cycle Challenge on Saturday, May 17, 1997. Participants from the be ginner to the seasoned cyclist are invited to join an expected 2,000 Northwesterners on one o f four dif ferent bicycle routes through breath taking scenery. Reach the Beach, sponsored by Portland G eneral Electric, prom ises to be a day o f great recreation and fun for fam ilies, neighbors, corporate team s, and friends old and new. Proceeds go tow ard Lung Association program s for clean air, research, and services benefitting m ore than 300,000 O regonians with lung diseases. Riders can choose a route — start ing from Portland, Salem, Amity, or Grand Ronde -- to best fit their abil ity- courses wind through lush Wil lamette Valley farms and vineyards and the majestic coast range forest. The Grand Ronde route covers ter rain especially for mountain bikers. Rest stops with food and water and medical and bike mechanic services support participants along the routes. All the routes end in Pacific City, where beautiful Cape Kiwanda and Haystack Rock are the backdrop to a finish festival with food and enter tainment. But biking isn’t the only way to join the fun. Volunteers are wel come to help make the event a great success again this year. For more information, call the Lung Associa tion at (503)246-1997 or 1-800- LUNG-USA in Oregon. Betting on a Vegas Heart-stopper High rollers at Las Vegas casinos now have better odds at winning what might be the biggest jackpot of all — heart attack survival. "At the Stardust, w e’re going to have four defibrillator units,” ex plained Rob Stillwell, spokesman for the Boyd Gaming Corporation, which operates the Stardust, along with six other Las Vegas casinos. “It’s a minimal cost when you con sider the fact that you’re going to be able to save lives." Time is a crucial factor in cardiac- arrest survival. Experts from Las V egas’ Clark County Fire Depart ment (CCFD) say that “after four minutes have elapsed (without medi cal assistance), the probability of surviving a cardiac arrest drops by approximately 10% per minute." And they say, “the survival rate could be improved to well over 50% if automatic external defibrillators were available for immediate use." Stillwell explained that EMS crews have always had a tough time getting to those who’vc suffered heart attacks while in casinos. “The paramedics c COMMUNITY (E b e |Jn rtla n b O O b s c ru c r Call 503-288-0033 DIVERSITY 3 are super at getting to the casinos,” he said. “But once they get there, be cause of the sheer volume of people that we have in our casinos, it’s very difficult to reach the affected person in a timely manner.” In fact, the CCFD studied the aver age time elapsing between the emer gency 9 1 1 call and the ‘first shock' of the defibrillator to the afflicted ca sino-patron's chest. For the Stardust, that time averaged well over 14 min utes. In fact, none ofthe 20 casinos in the CCFD study were able to get defibrillators to those who needed them in under 9 minutes. The American Heart Association (AHA) is backing the casino's move. “With new defibrillator technology and trained people, we can save many more lives," said Dr. Myron Weisfeldt, òmeri oj PU RPO SE chair of the A HA’s national AED (defibrillator) Task Force. Right now, the odds of being dealt a winning hand in beating heart attack on the casino floor are pretty low. The CCFD study found that only 159 of 736 individuals survived cardiac arrest suffered at Vegas ca sinos between 1993-1996. heartbeat, and the second number measures the pressure between heart beats. Having high blood pressure means that you blood vessels are narrow, making it harder for the blood to flow and causing the pres sure to increase. “Preventing high blood pressure can save lives,” Dr. Carneiro said. “That’s why we want people to know the factors that put them at risk.” High blood pressure tends to run in families, and though the chance o f developing it increases with age, it can occur in children as well as adults." The good news is that regu lar check-ups and lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, exercising, and limiting intake o f sal, and alco hol, can play a big role in preventing and controlling high blood pressure. National High Blood Pressure Month is sponsored by the National High Blood Pressure Education Program’s Coordinating Com m it tee, and is administered by the N a tional Heart, Lung, and Blood Insti tute. The High Blood Pressure Infor mation Packets are available now. To request your free copy, cal I -800- 444-6472 and ask to speak with an information specialist. W t NEED YOUR HELP! This red alert message is for you! The C om m unity S olutions Project is trying to identify ways to help African American, N a tive American and Hispanic teen agers with ongoing health condi tions get through school, take are o f their health, and get jobs. We are talking about teenag ers with health conditions like diabetes, h eart problem s, brain injury, c e re b ra l palsy, sickle cell, ep ilep sy , c a n c e r, sp in a bifida, severe asthm a, HIV/aids, or any o th e r heath problem th a t gets in the way o f everyday life If this fits you, please give us acall. W ew ouldliketoinviteyou or your child to participate in a discussion group to tell us about your experiences. If you prefer to talk with some one individually rather than in a group, w e’d be happy to set it up. Each family will receive $15.00 and child care can be provided. Please consider getting involved! For more information, contact: C hristine W illiam s, N orm a T rim ble or S a ra h G eenen at 494-4634. If you prefer to speak Spanish, please call Leslie G a rc ia or A lphonso L o p e z -V a sq u e z at 494-7574. Mature African-Americans With High Blood Pressure Be part of a nationwide research program sponsored by the N a tional Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the N ational Institutes of Health that w ill help identify the best medicine for preventing heart attacks and strokes in African-Americans aged 5 5 and above. As a participant, you w ill receive medicine that is currently used to treat high blood pressure. Join us for an evening o f spe cial dessert buffet, special music & a special message from Dr. O. Virginia Phillips the evening o f April 3, 1997 at the Lloyd Center Red Lion 7:00PM -9:00PM . $8.50 at the door. If you have any questions, please call Zaria at 331-0330. Women o f Purpose is a non- denom inational C hristian group. To be considered for participation, you should: • Be at least 5 5 years old • Have high blood pressure • Have one other risk factor for having a heart attack or stroke, such as diabetes, heart disease or be a current cigarette smoker Qualifying participants receive FREE high blood pressure medicine for up to 5 years. For more in' ition, please call toll free, 8am - 5pm 1-888-HEART-OK 1-888-432-7865 I
