Page BS
by b >
M ic h ael A. G rant ,
.1.0.
“/•'ear only holds pow er
over you when it goes unac­
know ledged”
-Janies J. Mapes
Quantum Leap Thinking
B e y o n d f e a r ’s fe n c e a w a its
fa ith f o rtu n e . T h is is o n e o f
th e g r e a te s t le s s o n s th a t life
h a s ta u g h t m e. E ac h tim e th a t
I c o n f r o n te d my f e a r s d a tin g
b ac k to th e firs t g r a d e (6 y e a rs
o ld ) — I la te r d is c o v e r e d th a t
b e y o n d f e a r ’s p o w e r fu l g r ip ,
s o m e th in g r e a lly n ic e a w a ite d
m e.
T h e b u s in e s s o f m o tiv a tio n
h a s ta k e n m e d o w n m a n y a v ­
e n u e s , m u c h te r r a in .a n d h a s
b ro u g h t m e fa c e to fa c e w ith
m a n y d r e a d e d fe a rs : th e fe a r
o f f a ilu re , th e fe a r o f r e je c tio n
.th e fe a r o f in a d e q u a c y .a n d
th e
fea r
of
a lie n a tio n .
O f t e n ti m e s , m y im a g in a tio n
w o u ld ra c e a h e a d w ith f o r e ­
b o d in g o u tc o m e s th a t n e v e r
m a te r ia liz e d . F e a r w a s tr y in g
to d is c o u r a g e m e.
SeniorNews
Senior Health
Briefs
P reventing Falls-Falls are the
num ber one cause o f injury related
death for people over the age o f 65.
“Fractured bones that can result from
a fal I are a concern for older people,
but it is the immobility caused by
falls that does the most long term
dam age,” said Dr. Robeit Luchi,
director o f the I luffington Center on
O u r im a g in a tio n s a re th e th e ­
a te rs o f o u r s u b c o n s c io u s m in d s.
W e a c t o u t o u r s tr o n g e s t h eld
b e lie f s th a t r e s id e b e n e a th th e
s u r fa c e o f o u r c o n s c io u s m in d s.
T h e s c a r y s c e n e s th a t fe a r p r o ­
d u c e s a re m a n if e s ta tio n s o f w hat
w e r e a lly b e lie v e in o u r s u b c o n ­
s c io u s m in d s . R e fu s in g to bow'
to f e a r ’ s l i m i t i n g p o t e n t i a l
c a u s e s th e s u b c o n s c io u s m in d
to s w itc h its p r o g ra m m in g to
m o re p le a s a n t p o s s ib ilitie s .
W h e n e a c h o f us d e c id e s to
le a v e o u r c o m f o r t z o n e s , to
b re a k a w a y fro m h a b itu a l p a t­
te rn s o f th in k in g a n d d o in g , w e
o fte n e x p e r ie n c e a c e r ta in d i s ­
c o m fo r t in o u r b o d ie s . W e a ls o
b e c o m e a w a re o f a c e r ta in p s y ­
c h o lo g ic a l u n e a s in e s s . A n d b e ­
c a u s e h u m a n b e in g s te n d to a p ­
p ro a c h p le a s u r e an d a v o id p ain
(in an y fo rm ), w e te n d to sh y
a w a y fro m f e a r - p r o v o k in g e x ­
p e r ie n c e s a n d th e p a in th a t w e
a s s o c ia te w ith th e m .
F o r e x a m p le , y o u m a y h a v e
to ld y o u r s e lf th a t y o u r p r e s e n t
jo b , sp o u s e (o r s ig n ific a n t o th e r)
g ro u p o f f r ie n d s , o r fin a n c ia l
s ta tu s is n o t w h a t y o u w a n t. Y ou
a re b e g in n in g to g e t b o re d to o
o fte n .
Y o u h a v e n o tic e d th a t y o u r
life is la c k in g a c e r ta in z e st. Y ou
r a re ly fee l u p b e a t a b o u t a n y ­
th in g . P a st p le a s u r e s h a v e b e ­
c o m e b la s e . Y o u k n o w th a t it is
tim e to m a k e a few lif e - a lte r in g
changes.
O n c e y o u re a c h th is p o in t on
th e p a th o f l i f e ’s j o u r n e y , y o u
a re fo rc e d to m a k e a d e c is io n :
1 w ill p r o c e e d f u r th e r a lo n g th is
u n e v e n tf u l r o a d o r ta k e th e tim e
to c lo s e ly e x a m in e w h a t is r e ­
a lly g o in g o n in s id e y o u ? A few
d a y s o f q u ie t in tr o s p e c tio n w ill
p r o b a b ly r e v e a l a tr u th th a t lie s
rig h t b e n e a th th e s u r f a c e o f y o u r
a w a re n e s s : Y o u a re b e in g c a lle d
to c o n f r o n t y o u r fe a rs . Y o u are
b e in g s u m m o n e d b y a h ig h e r
c o m m a n d to c o m e o u t o f th e
c o m fo rt z o n e .i.e ., y o u r d a ily ru t.
Y ou are b e in g c h a lle n g e d to leap
o v e r f e a r 's fe n c e to e n jo y th e
p r o m is e o f an a b u n d a n t life .
Som e
g rea t
m in d s
has
in s ig h tfu lly s ta te d th a t th e o n ly
c o n s ta n t in life is c h a n g e . A s w e
g ro w , o u r b o d ie s c h a n g e . A s w e
m a tu re , o u r b e h a v io r c h a n g e s .
A n d as w e stu d y l i f e ’s le s s o n s ,
o u r p e r c e p tio n s c h a n g e .
B u t c h a n g e is d if f i c u lt b e ­
c a u s e it r e q u ir e s s a y in g g o o d ­
b y e to f a m ilia r p e o p le , p la c e s ,
an d p a tte r n s . C h a n g e m e a n s le t­
tin g g o .
It m e a n s f a c in g th e
u n k n o w n . C h a n g e is a b o u t risk
an d in s e c u r ity . B u t c h a n g e is
in e v ita b le . A n d th o s e w h o r e ­
sis t it d o so at th e ir o w n p e ril.
Irrational fear is usually an in d i­
catio n that w e are resistin g ch an g e.
W e sh rin k ; w e reco il; w e seek to
hide in the illu sio n o f p erm an en ce.
W e clin g to the past b ecau se o f a
fear o f facing th e future, in a d v e rt­
ently abandoning the richness found
o nly in a co u ra g eo u s present.
L ik e so m a n y o th e r ir o n ie s
fo u n d in h u m a n e x is te n c e , th o s e
w h o se e k c o m fo r t in p a s t p a t­
te rn s th e m o s t, u s u a lly e n d up
s u f f e r in g th e m o st d is c o m f o r t
w h e n th e y fo c u s on f u tu re p r e ­
d ic a m e n ts .
T h e c h a lle n g e fo r e a c h o f us
is to s im p ly let g o . L et g o o f th e
fa lse b e lie f s th a t fe a r n o to r i­
o u s ly n o u r is h e s . L et g o o f a
p a ra d ig m th a t stifle s g ro w th and
r e w a rd s th e s ta tu s q u o . let go
o f th o s e th o u g h ts th a t lu re you
in to th in k in g th a t th e u n k n o w n
is o v e r w h e lm in g ly fra u g h t w ith
d a n g e r o r frig h tfu l o u tc o m e s .
L ik e th e y o u n g c h ild try in g to
rid e a b ic y c le fo r th e first tim e
o r ta k in g th a t first p lu n g e in to a
s w im m in g p o o l, se e y o u r s e lf
c o n fro n tin g y o u r fears an d m o v ­
ing b e y o n d th em .
W h en w e c a re en o u g h for o u r­
se lv e s to b e c o m e d e v o te d s te w ­
a rd s o f o u r o w n d e v e lo p m e n t;
w h en w e lo v e o u rs e lv e s e n o u g h
to ta k e a risk on o u rs e lv e s ; and
w h en w e c o u ra g e o u s ly d e c id e
to stre tc h fo r lif e ’s w o n d e rfu l
p o s s ib ilitie s in ste a d o f tim id ly
se e k in g a s u ffo c a tin g c e rta in ty ,
w e w ill in e v ita b ly re jo ic e in th e
in c o n tr o v e r tib le tru th th at b e ­
y o n d f e a r ’s fe n c e a w a its f a ith 's
fo rtu n e .
G o d B less!
Aging at Baylor College o f Medicine
in Houston. “ Immobility affects virtu­
ally every system o f the body and
makes the normal effects o f aging
more pronounced.”
Since most falls occur in the home,
many o f them are preventable. Luchi
suggests the following steps to help
“fall-proof” a home: do not use throw
rugs, keep electric cords, telephone
cords, new spapers and other clutter
out o f walkw ays, m ake sure the home
¡swell lit, install grab bars or handrails
in the bathtub, and ask you doctor
a b o u t d o in g e x e r c is e s to h elp
strengthen muscles.
Is som ething keeping you up at
night? Getting a restful night’ssleep
can become challenging later in life.
Health problems, prescription m edi­
cations and sleep disorders are just a
few o f the barriers to enjoying an
uninterrupted night in the sack.
“Many people with arthritis, for
example, might have no difficulty
initially falling asleep, but turning
over in bed might waken them during
the night and prevent them from fall­
ing back to sleep,” said Dr. James
Frost, a professor in the Department
o f Neurology at Baylor College o f
Medicine in Houston.
A nother com m on o b stacle is
medication. Many drugs prescribed
for mature adults, including tranquil­
izers and antidepressants, can inter­
fere with sleep.
"The best advice is to maintain nor­
mal sleep patterns,” said Frost. “Going
to bed and w aking up at the same time
each day helps people sleep better.”
Frost also recom m ends checking
with your doctor to see if medications
can be taken at specific times during
the day to lessen their impact on sleep.
W om en can control urinary in-
continence-M any older w omen with
stress related urinary incontinence can
overcom e the problem by learning
how tocontrol theirpelvic floormuscle.
Stress related urinary incontinence
is a disorder that causes loss o f
bladder control during coughing,
sneezing or straining. The problem
is due to nerve dam age in skeletal
muscles and I igaments at the bottom
o f the pelvis, often as a result o f
stretching during childbirth.
“About 25% o f w omen over the
age o f 50 suffer from this ailment,
but many o f them are reluctant to
discus?. it with theirdoctor,” said Dr.
Paul Fine, assistant professor o f ob­
stetrics and gynecology at Baylor
College o f M edicine in Houston.
Proper exercising o f the pelvic
floor m uscle increases muscle tone,
both at rest and during straining.
Emergency Medical
Service
M ay is E m ergency M edical S er­
vice (E M S) m onth, and a good tim e
to think about ju st how im portant
EM S can be to o u r lives. T im e is the
most valuable com m odity in an em er­
gency. I f you or a loved one becom es
seriously injured or ill, im m ediate
m edical care is crucial. W hen you
dial 9 1 1 to report a m edical em er­
gency, you activate th e E m ergency
M edical S ervices (E M S ) system ,
w hich has the sole purpose o f pro­
viding effective life support in the
shortest possible tim e.
S eventy-five percent o fal I calls to
w hich ou r firefighter respond are
m edical related. In fact, the Portland
Fire B ureau is the largest provider o f
pre-hospital care in the State o f O r­
egon.
F o r m o r e th a n 100 y e a r s ,
firefighters in the C ity o f Portland
have had the dual jo b o f fighting
fires, and perform ing oth er types o f
responses. E very firefighter in the
C ity is an E m ergency m edical T ech­
nician (E M T ), trained to provide
basic life support, including CPR
and first aid. In addition, many
firefighters are certified param edics.
T hey carry advanced life saving
equipm ent and m edication on their
fire engines and rescue vehicles.
T he Em ergency M edical Services
system is a jo in t effort on the part o f
the C ity o f Portland, M ultnom ah
C ounty and private am bulance co m ­
panies.
T he Portland Bureau o f Fire, Res­
cue & Em ergency Serv ices provides
first response, rushing to the em er­
gency scene to give im m ediate m edi­
cal care. Private am bulances often
follow up with continued life support
and transportation o f patients to the
hospital.
If you have any questions or co m ­
m ents. please call the Portland Bu­
reau o f Fire, Rescue & Em ergency
Services at 823-3700.
OSU Researchers Seeking
Volunteers For Hip Fracture Study
Researchers at O regon State Uni­
versity are seeking w om en 70 years o f
age or older for a study on the preven­
tion o f hip fractures due primarily to
osteoporosis or w eakening o f the
bones.
Volunteers will be given a free hip
bone scan to measure bone density and
asked to keep a diary on any falls they
may incur during the next four years.
I (eight, weight, hip and w aist measure­
ments also will be taken during a one
time, 30 minute examination.
T he O SU study hopes toshed more
light on the relationship between hip
fractures and osteoporosis, including
the possible protective role that fat and
m uscle may play in guarding the hip.
“ Reduced bone mineral density at
the hip and fal Is to the side are primary
risk factors for hip fractures,” said
C hristine Snow, an associate profes­
sor o f exercise and sport science a,
O SU and director o f the university’s
Bone Research Laboratory. “There is
som e evidence that the am ount o f fat
and m uscle covering the hip may be a
factor in helping to guard against hip
fractures from falls on the side.”
Every year, more than 300,000
Americans incurhip fractures-and half
o f them never recover normal func­
tion. Many becom e dependent on
others for mobility, health care ex­
perts say, and the annual cost for treat­
ing these fractures is nearly $14 bil­
lion.
The OSU researchers are seeking
at least 300 w om en for the study,
volunteers must be at least 70, weigh
less than 250 pounds, and have had no
more than one hip joint surgery.
The OSU hip fracture prevention
study is funded hy the National Insti­
tutes o f Health. Principal investigator
is W ilson C. Hayes, a nationally rec­
ognized biomedical engineer who re­
cently was named vice president o f
research at OSU.
To volunteer for the study, or re­
ceive m ore information, call 541-737-
5935.
A Healthy Start for
Healthy Babies
W ASHINGTON — Earn a lifetime
o f hugs by giving your baby a healthy
start even before you give birth.
Healthy Start, a federal initiative
p ro m o tin g h e a lth y b e h a v io r s by
m others-to-be and quality health care
for newborns, encourages w om en to
see a health care provider as soon as
they know they .ire pregnant and to
keep all follow -up appointm ents.
O ther tips for mothers-to-be:
• Eat three healthy meals daily,
plus healthy snacks.
• Drink six to eight glasses of
water, fruit juice, or milk daily.
• Gain 25 to 35 pounds during
pregnancy.
• Exercise regularly— walking in
a safe place is a good exercise
for m others-to-be.
D o n 't sm oke cigarettes, or drink
liquor, beer, wine, or coolers; don't use
over-the-counter m edicines such as
aspirin, cold rem edies, antacids, or
other pain relievers or get an X-ray
without checking with your health care
provider; d o n ’t use illegal drugs such
as marijuana, heroin, cocaine, or crack.
These substances can be harmful to
pregnant w om en and th e ir babies.
T h e y ca n c a u s e b a b ie s to h av e
breathing problems, brain dam age, and
birth defects.
T h e H e a lth y S ta rt In itia tiv e
encourages pregnant w omen and their
partners to adopt healthy behaviors
during pregnancy and to maintain them
once their babies are born.
For more inform ation on prenatal
c a re s e rv ic e s , tip s fo r a h e a lth y
pregnancy, or to find out if there is a
H e a lth y S ta rt p ro g ra m in y o u r
com munity, call toli free. 1-800-311-
BABY (2229) (English speakers) or
1-800-504-7081 (Spanish speakers).
T he H ohehh flneRicnn flssociro Of O m
LeRho Chateau, L.T.D. DBA King Food Mart
3510 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Portland, OR 97212
(503) 281-0357
C.L. Inc.; DBA Prescott Corner Market
1460 N. E. Prescott
Portland, OR
(503) 284-7418
Alberta St market
915 N. E. Alberta
Portland, OR 97211
(503) 281-6388
Ainsworth Market
5549 N. E. 30th Ave.
Portland, OR 97211
(503) 281-0479
Boston Market
726 N. E. Killingsworth
Portland, OR 97211
(503) 282-6776
Dekum Food Market
800 N. E. Dekum
Portland, OR
Owner: Sonny Kim
(503) 283-1240