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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 19, 2008)
omen 's il’1 IJnrtlauh ©hseruer W I IIS ’K )R Y March 19. 2 0 0 8 Page B5 H ealth MATTERS Look for Whole Grains for Heart Health The nutrients and fiber help with weight loss C utting calories helps people lose weight, but doing so by filling upon w hole grains may he particularly heart-healthy, new research suggests. In a study o f obese adults at risk of heart disease, researchers found that those who trimmed calories and increased their whole- grain intake shed m ore belly fat and low ered their blood levels o f C- reactive pro tein orC R P . C R P is a m arker o f chronic, low -level inflam m ation in the blood vessels, and both abdom inal fat and CRP, in excess, art- linked to heart attack and stroke. ’ In contrast, dieters in the study who mainly ate refined grains, like white bread, were able to lose weight, but they trim m ed less fat from the m iddle and show ed no change in CRP. The findings offer yet more incentive for A m ericans to opt for whole grains over highly processed versions, according to the researchers. "T his is the first clinical study to prove that a diet rich in w hole grains can lead to w eight loss and reduce the risk o f several c h ro n ic d is e a s e s ,’’ D r. P en n y K ris- Etherton, the senior researcher on the study, said in a statement. She and her colleagues at Pennsylva nia State University report the findings in the American Journal o f Clinical Nutrition. In general, experts recom m end eating w hole grains — such as oatm eal, brown rice and barley - rather than refined grains, like w hite bread and other products made Paul Helton poses with whole-grain foods and the refined foods used in a study that shows how cutting calories helps people lose weight, but doing so by filling up on whole grains may be particularly heart-healthy. Hearing Loss Epidemic Strikes Military No. 1 disability in war on terror (A P) — Soldiers and M arines caught in roadside bom bings and firefights in Iraq and A fghanistan are com ing home in epidem ic num bers with perm anent hearing loss and ringing in theirears. prom pting the military to redouble its efforts to protect the troops from noise. Hearing dam age is the No. 1 d is ability in the w ar on terror, accord ing to the D epartm ent o f V eterans A ffairs, and some experts say the true toll could take decades to be com e clear. Nearly 70,000 o f the more than 1.3 m illion troops who have served in the tw o w ar zones are collecting disability for tinni tus, a potentially debilitating ring ing in the ears, and more than 58,(XX) are on disability for hearing loss, the VA said. O ne m ajor explanation given is the insurgency's use o f a fearsom e w eapon the Pentagon did not fully a n tic ip a te : p o w e rfu l ro a d s id e bombs. Their blasts cause violent changes in air pressure that can rupture the eardrum and break bones inside the ear. Also, much o f the fighting co n sists o f am bushes, bom bings and firefights, which com e suddenly and Education, Mentorship, Autonomy, Support Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette has been helping women, men and teens make responsible choices for 44 years. Planned Parenthood is committed to delivering the highest quality reproductive health care, teaching responsible and age-appropri ate sexuality education and has been working diligently to protect a women’s right to choose. Come spend your days helping others improve their reproductive health. Dr. Michael Hoffer, a Navy captain and inner-ear specialists, left, checks the ears o f U.S. Army Sgt. Ryan Kahlor at Balboa Navy Medical Center in San Diego, Calif. unexpectedly, giving soldiers no tim e to use their m ilitary-issued hearing protection. In addition, some servicemen on patrol refuse to wear earplugs for fear o f dulling their senses and miss ing sounds that can make the differ ence between life and death. Others were not given earplugs or did not take them along when they were sent into the war zone. And some Ma rines w eren’t told how to use their specialized earplugs and inserted them incorrectly. H earing dam ag e has been a battlefield risk ever since the intro duction o f explosives and artillery, and the U.S. military recognized it in Iraq and A fghanistan and issued earplugs early on. But the sheer num ber o f injuries and their nature — particularly the high incidence o f tinnitus — cam e as a surprise to m ilitary m edical specialists and outside experts. The m ilitary has responded over the past three years with better and easier-to-use earplugs, greater ef forts to educate troops about pro tecting their hearing, and more test ing in the w ar zone to detect ear injuries. Medical Costs for Retirees Grow (A P) — A couple retiring this year will need about $225,000 in savings to cover m edical costs in retirement, according to a new study by Fidelity Investm ents. The figure, calculated foracouple age 65, is up 4.7 percent from a year earlier, the Boston-based financial services com pany said. And it is from white Hour. W hole-grain fixxls retain more o f the nutrients and fiber com po nents o f the grain. T his fact might explain why dieters in the current study show ed added benefits w hen they ate w hole grains, according to the researchers. For exam ple, fiber-rich foods may have kept participants' blood sugar levels more stable throughout the day, and this, in turn, may have lowered th eirC R P levels. A lternatively, C R Pm ight have dropped because o f the antioxidant nutrients that are present in w hole grains but depleted in refined ones. Researchers recom m end that consum ers look at labels and be careful to choose products that are good sources o f whole- grain. Products that put health claims about w hole grains on their labels are required to contain at least that much w hole grain. sim ilartoother projections for health care costs in retirement — daunting figures given that longer life spans also are requiring workers to increase- retirement nest eggs. A separate study released last month by the C enter for Retirem ent Research at Boston C ollege esti m ated that an individual needs to H ealth W atch Colorectal Cancer D iscussion - W ednesday, March 19, from 7 to 8:30 p.m ., jo in surgical oncologist Dr. K atherine M orris and m edical o n co lo g ist Dr. A nupam a Kurup, lodiscuss prevention, colonoscopy procedures and latest treatm ent options, including robotic surgery at Legacy G ood Sam aritan, 1040 N.W . 22nd Ave. T ools for C aregivers - A six-w eek educational se ries is offered to help fam ily caregivers take care o f them selves w hile caring for a relative o r friend with a chronic illness. The classes are being held at several locations and dates. Call 503-413-6465 for more information. M aternity O rientation -- T hursday, M arch 20. from 7:45 to 8:45 p.m.. this class is to fam iliarize expectant parents with the m aternity unit and answ er any questions you may have prior to labor and delivery. T o register, call 503-574-6595. H elping Babies to C om m u nicate - W ednesdays, April 2 thru April 23, from 9 : 15 to 10:30 a.m., Dawn Prochovnic, C reator o f Sm allTalk W orkshops will present the tips and tricks and the art o f teaching sign language to babies before they even begin to talk: $70 per couple. T o register, call 503-3,35-3500. Peer-to- Peer R ecovery - The peer-to-peer educa tion recovery course is a free, nine-w eek course on the topic o f recovery for any person with a serious mental illness. The courses are led by mentors who are recovering from mental illness and are trained to teach coping strategies to others. For m ore inform a tion, cal 1503-228-5692. g o in to re tire m e n t w ith som e $102,000 earm arked ju st for health care coverage, whi le a couple needs about $206,(XX). G iven current levels o f retire ment savings, the center said, six in 10 older w orkers are "at risk" of being unable to m aintain their stan dard o f living in retirement. 0 Planned Parenthood rJ MULTNOMAH COUNTY How does poverty, housing or discrimination affect your health? Across the country, thousands of people w ill take part in discussion about the connections between healthy bodies, healthy bank accounts and skin color. Please join us for a special screening and discussion of Unnatural Causes, a PBS documentary which confronts myths and misconceptions about our health. Portland Community College Moriarty Arts and Humanities Building Auditorium Saturdays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. March 8, March 22 and April 12 New Columbia Saturdays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. 4625 N. Trenton Street March 29, April 19, May 3 and May 17 W hat About Boys — W ednesday, April 23, from 7 to 9 p.m.. Legacy Meridian Park Hospital, I9300S.W . 65th Ave., will host a forum discussing the developm ental perspectives o f raising young boys, and the problems they are facing today, $5 fee at the door. T o register, call 503-335-3500. For more information and screening locations, visit www.mchealth.org/healthequity or call 503-988-3030 Ext. 22068 ___________ THE___________ Health Inequities —The public is invited to jo in in the dialogues with com m unity m em bers, organizations, business leaders and local elected officials to discuss the root causes o f health inequities as well as long-term solutions in a this seven-part series. For neighbor hood locations, dates, and tim es visit mchealth.org/ healthequity. Parenting Glasses — N ew borns d o n 't com e with instruction m anuals but parents and parents-to-be can learn about a variety o f topics from pain and childbirth to breastfeeding to infant CPR and much more. For a schedule o f ev en ts, call 503-5 7 4 -6 5 9 5 or visit: p ro v id en ce.o rg /classes. Bereavem ent Support G roups - Free, safe confiden tial group m eetings for those who have experienced the death o f a loved one offered on various nights and locations. For inform ation and registration, call 503- 215-4622. Stroke Alert Screening - Check yourcarotid arteries with a painless ultrasound to assess your risk. Fee $40. T o schedule a screening, call 503-251-6137. Free Body Basics — This physician-recom m ended class is appropriate for all ages and health conditions. Plan to attend this one-session class and leant the sim ple guidelines for safe exercises, including stretch ing. Call 503-256-4(XX)to register. v.org • jobs@ppcw.org o f the Columbia/Willamette SPINAXOLUMN An ongoing senes of questions and answers about Amencas natural healing profession Part 10. Fatigue: A cure for people sick and tired of being of being sick and tired. Q A : I seem lo be tired a lot lately. Does that mean I need iron? : The most com m on reason xitients com e into our office is because of some type o f But many of these people are also suffering from fatigue. Fatigue that makes the eyes bum slows dow n the healing process and m akes you wonder why you d o n ' I feel as well as you used to. O bvi ously, there can be many causes o f fatigue. Diet is certainly one of them. It's a subject w e'd he happy to discuss with you in detail. A nother cause, how ever is often stress Many of you have prob ably heard o f the "Fight O r Flight" sy n d ro m e. W hen the body is stressed, it responds with a co m bat-ready posture. In analyzing many such patients' x-rays, we find pain. the head angled forw ard and the back arched in this highly-stressed position. A fterG hiropractic adjust ment. this condition is often vastly improved. Patientscom e hack well- rested. telling us they just had their best nig h t's sleep in ages. If you think the stress o f everyday life might be wearing you dow n and preventing your b<xly from warding o ff illnesses, call us for an appointm ent. O r if there are any other questions you might have about your health, just call us at the phone num ber below. Flowers' Chiropractic Office 2124 N E H ancock, Port land Oregon 97212 Phone: (503) 287-5504