I AN. 21, 1998
Page BJ
I ealth&GciGHCiE
*. -?V
Body: Mind and Spirit
Martin Luther K ing's birthday
has passed and his message is still
pertinent. He was a remarkable vi
sionary in furthering the concept of
Unity in Diversity.
Dr. King was a spokesman. He
gave definition to our Self as having
inherent rights, deserving of equal
ity and respect. It was a loving re
minder of who we are, having hu
man rights, idealized by our Found
ing Fathers.
There were other times in history
when mankind redefined Sell. The
Renaissance period shaped our view
of Self. Il was the idea of life as
one's own creation, a work ol art.
Rene Descartes, the French phi
losopher of the 17lh century inllu-
enced the evolution of Self to mean
that we are a rational individual
with adistinct and constant identity.
Gal i leo, t he astronomer gave Sel I
a relationship to the Universe.
Through Martin Luther King, we
took a leap in consciousness. We
recognized the Self in importance
to the Whole King gave us greater
vision to embrace Diversity.
He called for Diversity in schools,
Diversity in business, Diversity in
communities ..Everywhere!
Il is now commonplace.
The Portland Observer is a paper
about Diversity. It has served the
community for twenty six years.
Martin Luther King was very pro
gressive in his thinking. We are now
recognizing K ing's message of Unity.
This was not a prophecy. It was a
realization that once we accept Di
versity, we could spiritually progress
to Unity.
When Dr. King had Unity in mind,
I doubt that he foresaw the coming of
the Internet or economic globaliza
tion. It is in our technological ad
vances and leaps in consciousness
that we can come together as One
Mind, One Heart.
Our next calling is to make our
Neighborhood a Brotherhood.
The direction we are taking is not
clear We arc again, at a new time in
history, redefining and reclaiming
Self.
W alter Anderson. Vice President
o f Meridian International Institute
further explains, "A changing world
now forces all of us to become more
open systems-taking in new informa
tion, making new connections, m ov
ing our boundaries, and even re-ex
amining our ideas of w hat it means to
be human. In the process, we become
in some ways, less than the modern
self-less permanent, less centered,
less separate.”
Collectively, we can go in several
future directions with Diversity and
Unity There are two i merest i ng paths
before us.
Advanced technological changes,
Globalization and Low economic
growth can steer us tow aril a return to
communities, ancient ethnic identi
ties, local economies and traditional
sp iritu a lity.
There is another way.
A dvanced
te c h n o lo g ic a l
ch a n g e s, G lo b a liz a tio n and H igh
ec o n o m ic grow th can c re a te a
future c h e rish e d by p eo p le, v o l
untary sim p lic ity and re v e re n ce
foi tra d itio n a l so c ie tie s.
M artin Luther King made his
hopes clear: Honor the Self. E m
brace Diversity and Live in Unity.
We have taken the message to
heart and given it direction. As Pro
fessor Annelt Stanton put it, '‘Martin
Luther King was a wise leader tor
where our society was at the time.
The next level is not up, but beyond.''
Cherrios Can lower
Cholesterol
A study published in the January/
February 1998 issue of Nutrition in
Clinical Care concludes that Cheerios
breakfast cereal, a 5 6 -y e a r-o ld
American favorite, can be an effec
tive weapon in the war against heart
disease and for the m illionsof Ameri
cans who have high-risk cholesterol.
The study conducted by the U ni
versity of Minnesota Heart Disease
Prevention Clinic shows that eating
one and a half ounces of Cheerios
twice a day lowered cholesterol lev
els of study participants by an aver
age 3.8 percent, but Cheerios low
ered cholesterol for some partici
pants by as much as 18 percent.
The publication of the study (alls
on the heels of the announcement
made in 1997 by the U S. Food and
Drug Administration allowing food
companies to say on packaging that
"Diels high in soluble fiber from
whole-grain oats may reduce the risk
of heart disease." The FDA action
was unprecedented because noclaim
has ever before been approved for a
specific food such as oats.
Cheerios and oatmeal are among
the few foods able to make the FDA
claim, but the study to be featured in
Nutrition in Clinical Care, a Tufts
University publication, is unique
since it is the firstever peer-reviewed
published study showing that a lead
ing ready-to-eat breakfast cereal can
actually reduce cholesterol.
High cholesterol is a major risk
factor for developing heart disease,
this country’s leading cause of death,
and more than one of every two
American adults (52 percent) have
high-risk levels of blood cholesterol
measuring 2(X) mg/dl or greater, ac
cording to the Centers for Disease
Control.
Researchers in Minnesota studied
135 men and women ages 40 to 70
years for a 12-week period. About
half of the participants were given an
unidentified whole-grain oat cereal
(Cheerios) to eat daily, and the other
half were given an unidentified corn
(lake cereal. On average, those who
ate Cheerios achieved a significant
reduction in blood cholesterol while
those who ale the corn Hakes did not.
After I began eating Cheerios for
the study. my cholesterol dropped by
40 points." said study participant
Dewey White. 60. of St. Paul. Minn.
The study boasted nearly a 100
percent rate o f c o m p lia n c e from
those who p a rtic ip a te d , w h ich is
an indication that p eo p le had an
easy tune follow ing the d aily e a t
ing requirem ents D uring the first
six w eeks of the stu d y , p a r tic i
p an ts w ere placed on a low -fat
lo w -c h o le ste ro l d ie t, w hich is a
ro u tin e part o f this type of n u tri
tio n re se a rc h , so that a baselin e
level o f blood c h o le ste ro l could
be d e te rm in e d fo r ea c h in d i
v id u al. O nce the b a se lin e levels
w ere re c o rd e d , C h e e rio s w ere
p ro v id e d to one g ro u p and corn
flak es w ere p ro v id ed to the o th e r
g ro u p . Even w hile on a lo w -fat,
low c h o le ste ro l d ie t, those w ho
ate the C h e e rio s had ad d itio n al
re d u c tio n s in total blood ch o le s
tero l.
Theeholesterol-redueing qualities
found in Cheerios are consistent with
results of studies done for oatmeal
and oat bran. Cheerios is made with
w hole-grain oats and was called
“Cheeri Oats" when General Mills
first invented it in 1941 to provide a
more convenient and better tasting
alternative to cooked oatmeal.
Cardiovasculardisea.se is the lead
ing cause of death in America. One
million Americans are expected to
dieofcardiovasculardisea.se in 1998.
An American dies from cardiovas
cular disease every 33 seconds, and
the toll on this country’s economy
exceeds $150 billion annually
Cholesterol and Whole-Grain Oat
Fact Sheet
— One of every two American
Adults (52 percent) has high-risk
cholesterol levels of 2(X) milligrams
per deciliter or higher, according to
the Centers for Disease Control.
— High cholesterol or hypercho
lesterolemia is a major risk f actor for
cardiovascular disease, according to
the American Heart Association.
— An estim ated one m illion
Americans will die from cardiovas
cular disease in 1998 and every year
in the near f uture unless changes are
made in the American lifestyle.
— Each year cardiovascular dis
ease costs the United States more'
than $150 billion.
— Oat consumption by humans
dates back to 400 BC when oats were
described as a "healing agent."
— Oats came to America in 1602
and were used for relief of stomach
discomforts and other ailments.
— Cheerios is the number-one
ready-to-eat whole grain oat cereal
in the world.
— Cheerios was called "Cheeri
Oats" when General Mills first in
vented it in 1941 to provide a more
convenient and better tasting alter
native to cooked oatmeal.
— W hole grain oats contain more
soluble fiber than other wholegrains,
such as wheat, corn or rye.
— Whole grain oats contain more
protein and lipids than other grams.
— According to the American
D ietetic A ssociation, consum ers
should eat at least three servings ol
whole-grain foodsdaily. but on aver
age most Americans eat less than one
serving a day.
— Cheerios meets the nutrition
guidelines of the American Heart
Association.
— Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals
account for about 90 percent ol the
cereal market with hot cereals com
prising about 10 percent.
— O ats c o n ta in n atu rally o c
cu rrin g p h y to c h e m ic a ls that have
been a sso c ia te d w ith p ro tectio n
from a v a rie ty o f c h ro n ic d is
eases. W hole grains contain n atu
rally o c c u rrin g p h y to e stro g e n s
w hich have been linked to d e
c reased risk of h o rm o n e -re la te d
d ise a se s such as b reast cancer.
ASTHKAA
IS ON T U E RISE.
Just ask a teacher
Help us find a cure
I-8ÛÔ-L9NG-USA
Prostate Cancer:
Getting Cheeked Out Could Save Your Life
By Larry Lucas
As 1 write this column. I’m
home recovering after successful
prostate cancer surgery— and
thanking my lucky stars that I
caught the disease in time. I want
to share my good fortune with you
by giving you this loud and cleat
message. ,f you’re a male over 40
be sure to get checked out for
prostate cancer. This is particularly
important for African American
men, who have the highest rate of
prostate cancer in the world.
The American Cancer Society
recommends that every man over
40 have a rectal examination as part
of a regular annual physical. This
exam allows the doctor to feel for
any abnormality in the prostate, a
walnut-sized gland located just
below the bladder. And men 50 and
older should have an annual blood
test to check for prostate cancer.
African American men or those
with a family history of prostate
cancer should start getting the blood
test, known as the PSA or prostate
specific antigen test, at age 40.
These quick and painless tests
can literally save your life. Nine
out of ten men survive prostate
cancer if it is diagnosed before it
spreads to other areas.
If you are diagnosed with
Whcn'Tou Can't Breathe,
Nothing Ebe M a tte rs *
t
ASSOCIATION.
www.lungusa.org
ease every day, and more than
300,000 new cases were diagnosed
last year. Pharmaceutical company
researchers are looking hard for a
cure or a preventive vaccine. Bu,
your best defense against prostate
cancer is to catch it early— like I
did— through a physical exam or a
diagnostic test.
For a free booklet, “Learning
About Your Prostate Can Save
Your Life,” write to PhRMA, 1100
15th Street NW, Washington, D C.
20005.
Larry' Lucas is Associate Vice
President o f the Pharmaceutical
Research and Manufacturers o f
America (PhRMA).
Do You Have Winter Depression?
Research S tudy V o lu n te e rs N e ed ed
Q u a lific a tio n s
Do you feel down or sad in the winter, hut not during the summer? If so,
you may qualify for a three-week research study treating winter depression
with melatonin, which naturally occurs in the body. This is followed up
with two weeks of standard treatment with bright lights. (You may choose
to keep the light fixture at the end of the study.) The study will involve
five visits to Oregon Health Sciences University; with blood draws on three
You must be in good health
and not taking any
antidepressant medications.
If you are interested, please
call the Sleep ;uid Mood
Disorders Lab at OHSl:
occasions.
(503) 494-1402
This project is under the
direction o fO r Alfred./ Lein:
Where Heal ¡ng, Teaching and Discovery Come Together
Au rimili ouoortunltv. allinnntivt irtloii institution
What can you
...
~
doaboutdiabetes.2
Gospel Recording Artists, The Clark Sisters
Honorary Spokespersons, "Diabetes Sunday
etes is devastating African American families. Heart attacks Blindness. Foot and leg
Jations. Kidney problems. Strokes. Early death All caused by this serious disease. But
abetes can be controlled, even prevented.
cause we lost our mother to diabetes, we're raising our voices to spread th^ o s p e l of
event.on Join us. Learn what you can do. For yourself. For your loved ones Be part of the
ngregation on "Diabetes Sunday.
..t i knh 111 A B F T I S < U2-23H3) for more inform ation.
( all the Am ericun Diabetes Association at 1-888-IH Aiii. 11 ta-*-
y ^ r ic \tn
< \ , i V I 'i c 'i
AMERICAN
LUNG
prostate cancer, there are several
treatment choices. You and your
doctor will decide on a treatment
based on your age. the stage of the
disease, and the possible side
effects of the treatment. It will usu
ally include one or a combination
of the following:
• Surgery to remove the
prostate and stop the cancer from
spreading
• Radiation therapy
• Hormone therapy, or treat
ment with hormonal medicines.
These medicines reduce or block
the production of testosterone, thus
slowing the spread of cancer cells.
Pharmaceutical companies are
currently testing 36 new medicines
for prostate cancer. They are study
ing ways to use hormones to elim
inate or disable the “triggers” of
prostate cancer, and they are look
ing into vaccines to protect against
diseases of the prostate.
We’ve made a lot of progress
against prostate cancer over the
last 30 years. Thanks to increased
public awareness, diagnostic tests
and new medicines, the survival
rate for all stages of prostate cancer
has risen from 50 percent to 76
percent. And for cancer confined to
the prostate itself, the five-year
survival rate is 91 percent.
Still, 113 men die of this dis-
P 't
.
a program ol
¿A American Diabetes Association