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» <flt»Oto*. toductot or
.no» toe p o " k m a
toot I to« M no* «••»«' at <1 pa-toipatn n to» XX) f WeHnrM Wttoto KACH A o » (her»»-aft»- "toit
•»•to* I or Auçuto 1*, XX )/. i
i am m»dKaH|i oble and properly -rabnto I a®»«» lo rrtnde b , O' » aecidon o* m>
(HU, h> <ampiele tot, •«•**
and furto»' rg-ee tool ereni ottico* may outoo'l*«
m» I 0*0 underaand tool, oltoough polie» mo» be prete«». boto .eh«le tro**lc and
to» rm.rw and otM m toe .Mil a* pa-lkiptton® unde* «.<* cond-tom, I furto«
-•to loK W ori oi etoei p o " :>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.. <ri»**olt. -obmiee-i ana any and to’
H er liaMtoy of any land to aatare -tooi-odei o' dnç «»i of my panic .puno-- m to* «»«nt I otto ondeidand and*
lbw»to**-ly to , ’or publicity o» (Momononot pvputox my nom» « péltoei of me pur.«
i* * , o- obl'O'jlion >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
Πllo
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.