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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