PageA6________________________ 'n’1'^Jortlanh (Dhseruer Celebrating Diversity________ August 13.200« H ealth Once is Enough to Hook Some Smokers For som e people, one cigarette is all it takes to becom e hooked on nicotine, whi le others are repelled by it. R esearchers in C anada have found a region in the brains o f rats that may be the key to these dif­ ferences. By m anipulating specific m o­ lecular doorw ays into brain cells called receptors, they were able to control w hich rats in the study enjoyed their first exposure to nicotine and w hich were repelled by it. "O ur findings m ay explain an in d iv id u a l's v u ln e ra b ility to n ic o tin e a d d ic tio n an d m ay / X \ African American Health Coalition. Inc For s o m e p e o p le , o n e c ig a re tte point to new p h arm aco lo g ical treatm en ts for the p rev en tio n o f it and the treatm en t o f nico- ca n g e t y o u h o o k e d . tine w ithdraw al," said Dr. Steven L av io lette o f the U n iv ersity o f W estern O n tario , w ho rep o rted his findings in the Jo u rn al o f N eu ro scien ce. Several studies have found that certain people are especially responsive to the effects o f nico­ tine. One, published last O ctober in the journal Pediatrics, found teens who felt relaxed after their first drags on a cigarette were far more likely to becom e addicted to smoking. "During the early phase o f tobacco exposure, m any indi­ viduals find nicotine highly un­ pleasant and aversive, w hereas others may becom e rapidly d e­ pendent on nicotine. 6th Annual AAHC HEALTH Walk O regonians with serious m en­ tal illness are dying years earlier than their neighbors in the gen­ eral population, and a grassroots health m ovem ent is under way to reverse this trend. T he O regon D epartm ent o f H um an Services A ddictions and M en tal H ea lth D iv isio n has teamed with consum ers o f mental health services and their families, health care professionals and oth­ ers to im plem ent a statew ide w ellness initiative aim ed at im ­ p ro v in g m en tal an d p h y sical health and longevity. D eath com es before age 50 for one third o f those treated for lor the 6th Annual AAHC HEALTH w a lk! Medicare Options Explained - If you are confused by M edicare, Mt. Hood Community College can help with a free class called “W el­ com e to M edicare.” T he course will be offered on T hursday, Aug. 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the M HCCC Bnining C enter, 1484 N.W . Civic Dr. in G resham . A second session will be held S at­ urday, Aug. 16 from 10 a.m. to noon in Room 1266 on the M HCC cam pus. 1.5 m ile loop and 5K W alb! Music, food, & fun! $20 registration, children under 6 FREE (must be accompanied by an adult)! Interested in form ing a team? Discounts available! Contact the AAHC a t 503.413.1850 or w w w .aahc-portland.org 6II1 Annual AAHC HEALTH Walk Registration first name zip code Non-refwndeble registration fee is $20 00 per person. Please send registration and check to: African American Health Coalition. Inc. 2800 N Vancouver Ave. Suite 100 Portland, OR 97227 ph: $03-413-1850 To pay by credit card ga to www aahc-portland org phone number email » úona'iort »© AAHC i to r r e b r o n c o W ot«»» & M * «*>■•*> oh or ««to»*® •»«•' •fl'i'tltoti o» to» (HU, h> por»t and to» turto«» tendMor of to« -»adl to’d ilde apprtoidtod by me Mo»«® read to* -o «♦• and tne-m® toe« locii, and m «y» my totoy, I heretoy for tnytoM, my hew,, •«ecv'o»,, arirtotmtrotort o< aayane ehe -*o red .«d to we, and —fto»», ' — terne cad d'wbu'®e ud »uburfi'-to- afUUo'et, -neyrn, lep-i fc-»9toa®i Afrton Amanear Keoto Coatf*on, to.. o r e f-dim, co»»-ft be ocxep'ed ettoou* a »altd tianultoe fn" ei f-on -ito a pnreto or legal guo»eban i wgnotu'» science departm ent at O H SU and a research scientist at the Port­ land V eterans A ffairs M edical Center. "That's w hat you w ant in a treatm ent, because we don't get to people until after they becom e addicted to alcohol.” Earlier research has show n that som e people's brains becom e sen­ sitized as a result o f chronic expo­ sure to alcohol. This change in the brain does not subside after people quit drinking. So when they begin consum ing alcohol again, "they get a bigger jolt," Phillips said. m ental health problem s, accord­ ing to results o f a seven-year m ortality study. A staggering 89 percent o f people treated for both m en tal illn ess an d su b stan ce abuse die before age 50. T he early death toll am ong this segm ent o f O regonians falls in line with sim ilar results from n a­ tional and state studies. M ore importantly, it brings into focus what many individuals with mental illness already knew; by taking charge o f their health, hab­ its and lifestyle they can add years - and quality - to their lives, said Bob Nikkei, DHS assistant director for addictions and mental health. H ealth W atch Saturday, Aug. 16th a t 9 :0 0 AM in Dawson Parb (a t N. Vancouver & Stanton) state An ex p erim en tal drug that blocks the euphoric feelings as­ sociated with drinking m ay pre­ vent alcoholics from relapsing. The finding, the result o f a mouse study at O regon H ealth & Sci­ ence U niversity, could lead to hum an clinical trials w ithin the next year. "W e show ed we could block behavior in mice that resem bles this increased euphoria even af­ ter the anim als had been given a lot o f alco h o l," said T am ara Phillips, Ph.D., professor and vice chair o f the behavioral neuro­ Mental Illness Factor in Deaths Please Join Chip Shields, Oregon State Representative & Ken Coleman, former contestant on NBC’s Biggest Loser city Blocking Drug May Help Alcoholics signature of participant signature of parent or legal guardian (for participants under age 18) date Bereavem ent Support G roups - Free, safe confidential group meet­ ings for those w ho have experi­ enced the death o f a loved one offered on various nights and locations. For inform ation and registration, call 503-215-4622. M am m ograp hy S creen in g — Early detection is a key factor in the prevention o f breast cancer. Call 503-251-6137to schedule your high-tech, soft-touch m am m o­ gram. Newborn C are - Saturday, Aug. Cancer Resource Center - Provi­ 16 from noon to 5 p. m ., ex pectant dence St. V incent M edical Center parents get a com plete look at and the A m erican Red Cross have preparing for the new arrival, top­ jo in ed forces to create the first in- ics include bathing, diapering, hospital resource center provid­ safety and answ ers to com m on ing books, printed m aterial, co m ­ questions; $45 fee per couple. To puter access and m ore for indi­ register, call 503-574-6595 viduals and fam ilies dealing with N ew born C are and F eeding fro cancer. The center is open M on­ M ultiples-Tw o Session C lass - day through T hursday, 9 a.m. to Saturday, Aug. 16 from 1 p.m . to 4p.m . 5 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 17 from Free B ody Basics - This physi­ 5 p.m. to 8 p.m ., this class series is cian recom m ended class is ap ­ designed for parents expecting propriate for all ages and health tw o or more babies teaching the conditions. Plan to attend this basics o f feeding, caring and es­ one-session class and learn the tablishing routines. T o register, sim ple guidelines for safe ex er­ call 503-574-6595. cises, including stretching. Call 503-256-4000 to register. Heart TalkSupportGroupM eets — on the second M onday o f each m onth; from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For m ore inform ation, call 503-251- 6260. ■HM r è « Saturday, 23,1 M aternity W ater W orkout — Helping new moms regain muscle tone, strength, and flexibility, all in the support and freedom o f the water. Call 503-256-4000form ore information. 4:00 P a r e n tin g C lasse s — Newborns d o n ’t co m e w ith in stru c tio n m an u als but p aren ts and par- en ts-to -b e can learn ab o u t a v arie ty o f to p ics from pain and c h ild b irth to b rea stfeed in g to in fan t C PR and m uch m ore. For a sch ed u le o f ev e n ts, call 503- 5 7 4 -6 5 9 5 or v is i t: p ro v id e n c e .o rg /c la s s e s . Reflections Coffeehouse & Bookstore 446 NE Killingsworth Street, Portland Free Fam ily E n te rta in m e n t •'Free Food - *Free G ifts fo r Kids ’■ 'w h ile s u p p lie s la s t ■H« !»jg! [ H l SfSTiyFI F Œ llo Ì a wL kb > uBí&áiSJ O steoporosis Screening - An ultrasound bone density screen­ ing with personalized education; fee $30. T o schedule an appoint­ ment, call 503-261 -6611. -i d u c a tio n and C hildcare In fo llandnu T 7 / ' 1, Cardiac-Rehab Exercise Classes - A m edically supervised ex er­ cise program for people dealing w ith heart conditions. For more information, call 503-251 -6260. Stroke Alert Screening - Check your carotid arteries with a pain­ less ultrasound to assess your risk. Fee $40. T o schedule a screening, call 503-251-6137.