II’' Fortiani» ©beeruer_____________________ lanuary 7,2009
PageA6
H ealth matters
Smoke Free Law Improved Health
Led to major
drop in heart
attacks
(A P) -- A sm oking ban in one C olo­
rado city led to a dram atic drop in heart
attack h o sp italizatio n s w ithin three
years, a sign o f ju st how serious a health
threat secondhand sm oke is, govern­
ment researchers said.
The study, the longest-running o f its
kind, show ed the rate o f hospitalized
cases dropped 41 percent in the three
years after the ban o f w orkplace sm ok­
ing in Pueblo, C olo., took effect. There
was no such drop in two neighboring
areas, and researchers believe it's aclear
sign the ban was responsible.
T he study suggests that second­
hand smoke may be a terrible and under­
recognized cause ot heart attack deaths
in this country, said one o f its authors,
Terry Pechacek o f the U.S. Centers for
D isease Control and Prevention.
At least eight earlier studies have
linked sm oking bans to decreased heart
attacks, but none ran as long as three
years. The new study looked at heart
attack hospitalizations for three years
follow ing the July 1,2003 enactm ent ot
Pueblo's ban, and found declines as
great or greater than those in earlier
research.
"This study is very dramatic," said
Dr. M ichael Thun, a researcher with the
A m erican Cancer Society.
"This is now the ninth study, so it is
clear that sm oke-free laws are one of the
m ost effective and cost-effective to re­
duce heart attacks," said Thun, who
was not involved in the CD C study
released Thursday.
Sm oking bans are designed not only
to cut smoking rates but also to reduce
secondhand tobacco smoke. It is a widely
recognized cause o f lung cancer, but its
effect on heart disease can be more
im m ediate. It not only dam ages the lin­
ing o f blood vessels, but also increases
the kind o f blood clotting that leads to
heart attacks. Reducing exposure to
B la c k -a n d -W h ite Tw ins, A g ain !
A study suggests that secondhand smoke may be an under-recognized
cause o f heart attacks.
smoke can quickly cut the risk o f clot­
ting, some experts said.
In Pueblo, the rate o f heart attacks
dropped from 257 per I (X),(XX) people
before the ban to 152 per 1 (X),(XX) in the
Mixed race couple defies odds
identical tw ins from mixed parents, o f different
races, less com m on still. T o have tw o eggs
fertilized and com e out different colors, less
com m on still. So, to have it happen twice must
be one in millions."
The phenom enon is so uncom m on that
there are no statistics to illustrate its probabil­
ity, although it is thought likely to become
more com m on because o f the growing num ber
o f m ixed-race couples.
(AP) -- A m ixed-race British couple has
defied the odds — tw ice — by producing two
sets of tw ins in w hich one sibling appears to
be black and the other white.
Dean D urrant's newborn daughter M iya
has dark skin like him. Twin sister Leah has fair
skin like her blue-eyed, red-haired mother,
A lison Spooner.
Their older siblings Lauren and Hayleigh,
bom in 2001, also have strikingly different
skin tones and eye colors.
Both sets o f tw ins are fraternal rather than
identical, m eaning they are the product o f tw o
separately fertilized eggs, so it is not unusual
that they don't look alike. M iya's skin color
was more influenced by her father's genes,
w hile Leah takes after her mother.
Bat scientists say it's rare for a couple to
have two sets o f twins, end even rarer for them
to have such different appearances.
"Even non-identical tw ins aren’t that com ­
mon," Dr. Sarah Jarvis o f Britain's Royal C ol­
lege of G eneral Practitioners told Sky. "Non-
Twins Hayleigh (left) and Lauren
Durrant hold their new siblings Leah
(left) and Miya. Scientists say the
odds of having two sets o f fraternal
twins with strikingly different skin
tones and eye colors is 'one in
millions.
Computer, TV Recycling Begins
Area residents can now re­
cycle, free of charge, old com put­
ers and television sets.
The Oregon Department o f En­
vironmental Quality has worked
with manufacturers, collectors and
recyclers to establish drop-off sta­
tions, giving life to a bill passed
during the 2007 Legislature.
The cost is covered by pro­
ducers who m ust pay the state a
fee based on their Oregon market
share or operate their ow n recy­
cling program .
The D E Q is estim ating more
than 12 m illion pounds o f elec­
tronic w aste will be recycled over
the com ing year.
R e c y c le r s c a n lo g o n to
oregonecycles.org or call 1-888-
532-9253 to find their nearest col­
lection center.
Deadly Blood Pressure Disparity
(A P)--The livesof nearly 8,(XX)
black A m ericans could be saved
each year if doctors could figure
o ut a way to bring their average
blood pressure dow n to the aver­
age level o f w hites, a surprising
new study found.
The gap betw een the races in
controlling blood pressure is well-
known, but the resulting num ber
o f lives lost startled some scien­
tists.
T he study is being called the
first to calculate the lives lost due
to racial disparities in blood pres­
sure control.
H igh b lood pressure, often
called the silent killer because it
has no symptoms, increases a
person's chances for heart dis­
ease, stroke and other serious
problem s. But it’s easy to check
for and usually can be controlled
through exercise, diet and m edi­
cine.
F or decad es, d o cto rs have
noted that a higher percentages
o f black Am ericans have high
blood pressure than whites. The
reasons for that include poverty
and cultural habits. Both can pre­
vent people from exercising, eat­
ing healthy foods and getting in
to see a doctor.
T erry F amily
three years afterward. There were no
significant changes in the two other
areas.
F re e Hospice V olunteer T ra in in g - Fridays
and Saturdays, Jan. 30,31 and Feb. 6,7, from
9 a.m .to 4 :3 0 p .m .N o p rev io u sex p erien ceis
required. For more information, cal I Melinda
Smith at 503-215-5774.
H elping Babies C om m unicate Before They
C a n T alk - W ednesdays, Feb. 4 thru Feb.
25, from 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. The workshop
will teach the basic baby sign language,
opening a line o f com m unication between
parents and infants; $55 fee. T o register, call
503-335-3500.
R aising O u r D au g h te rs - Learn skills to
su p p o rt d au g h ters, u n d erstan d in g their
social lives, social pressures, and effective
com m unication skills, with Kathy Masarie.
pediatrician and life coach; Feb. 4, 7 p.m. to
9 p.m.; $5. To register, call 503-335-3500.
Jo u rn ey th ro u g h G rief - Fridays, Jan. 9 thru
Feb. 13, the six-session class is for those
w ho are grieving a loss through death, ad­
dressing coping skills, resources and more.
Classes are free, pre-registration required.
Call David Schmitt at 503-215-4622.
H ealth W atch
education; fee $30. To schedule an appoint­
ment, call 503-261-6611.
fee.Toregister, call 503-221-0161, extension.
2254.
Stroke A lert Screening - Check your ca­
rotid arteries with a painless ultrasound to
assess your risk. Fee $40. T o schedule a
screening, call 503-251-6137.
C hronic Pain Support G roup - meets the
first W ednesday at 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and the
third W ednesday o f each month, from 7 p.m.
to 8:30 p.m. For more inform ation, call 503-
256-4000.
C holesterol Profiles - K eep an eye on your
cholesterol and other indicators o f heart
health; educational material provided. For
more information, call 503-261 -6611.
Tenderfoot C are - Treat your feet with a
soak, nail trim, buffing and m assage from a
licensed nurse at one o f six clinics or at your
home. Call 503-251 -6303 for more inform a­
tion.
Better B reathers - An asthm a educational
support group m eets on the 1st T uesday of
the month from 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. at
A dventist M edical Center. For inform ation,
call 503-251-6830.
R ed C ro ss C o n tin u in g E d u ca tio n - The
Oregon Trail C hapter Red Cross, now offers
credits to helps professionals maintain li­
censing or certification. For a cum ulative
list, visit pdxinfo.net.
C ardiac-R ehab Exercises - A m edically
supervisedexercise program for people deal­
ing with heart conditions. For inform ation,
call 503-251-6260.
Polycystic O v ary S yndrom e Inform ation -
Thursday, Feb. 5, from 5 p.m. to6:30p.m . $20
O steoporosis Screening - An ultrasound
bone density screening with personalized
Leg Alert Screening - C heck for peripheral
arterial disease with this safe, sim ple screen­
ing using ankle and arm blood pressure. The
fee is $40. T o schedule an appointm ent, call
503-251-6137.
C an cer R eso u rce C en ter -- P rovidence
St. V incent M edical C enter and the A m eri­
can R ed C ro ss have jo in e d fo rces to c re ­
ate the first in -hospital reso u rce cen ter
p ro v id in g books, prin ted m aterial, co m ­
p u ter access and m ore for in d iv id u als and
fam ilies d ealing with cancer. T he cen ter is
open M onday through T h u rsd ay , 9 a m.
to 4 p.m .
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 learn the simple guide­
lines for safe exercises, including stretching.
Call 503-256-4(XX) to register.
M aternity W ater W orkout - Helping new
m om s regain muscle tone, strength, and
flexibility, all in the support and freedom o f
the water. Call 503-256-4(XX) for more infor­
mation.
TH E
2337 N. Williams Ave.
Portland, Or 97227
503-249-1788
SPINACOLUMN
i
An ongoing series of questions and answers about Americas natural healing profession
Dr. Billy R. Powers
We make the service personal,
You make the tribute personal.
Every time we arrange a personalized funeral service, we take special pride going
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Simply go to our website.
www.terryfamilyfuneralhome.com
"Dedicated to providing excellent service
and superior care o f your loved one
Dwight A. Terry
Part 1. CHIROPRACTIC: For the best in
natural healing, hearing is believing.
/¥» How did
Chiropractic
care come about?
A* Spinal manipulations have
the patient's pain and reposition the By m aking sure that the spinal
vertebra. Dr. Palmer placed him on colum n is in correct alignm ent.
a table and pushed dow n on his C h iro p racto rs elim in ate any
b a c k , p e r f o rm in g a sp in a l p o ssib le in terferen ce, w hich
manipulation o r“adjustm ent.'' He w o u ld p re v e n t th e c e n tra l
been practiced ftr over 2^(X) performed thisadjustment three days nerv o u s system from keeping
years. Hippocrates, the “Father of inarow. By the third day, not only the body fu n ctio n in g the w ay
M edicine,' advised: “look well to h ad th e p a tie n t's b ack pain nature, intended.
T o find out how Chiropractic
the spine forthccauseofdisea.se.' d i s a p p e a r e d , h is h e a r in g
But modem Chiropractic came of reappeared. Today'sChiropractors m ight be able to help you or for
age back in 1895. In Davenport, know th at the cen tral nervous an sw ers to any q u estio n s you
Iowa, a patient came to Dr. D.D. system (housed w ithin the body’s m ight have about your health,
Palmer complaining ofback pain. spinal colum n) provides the energy, please feel free to c a ll u sâ t the
This patient had also been nearly which governs all bodily functions. phone num ber show n below.
deaf since suffering a back injury
17 yearseariier. Dr. Palmernoticed
a bum p on the p atient's back,
2124 NE Hancock, Portland Oregon 97212
which he suspected was related to
a dislocated vertebra. T orelieve
Flowers' Chiropractic Office
Oregon License CO-3644
Amy S. Terry
Oregon License FS-0395
Phone: (SO3) 287-5504
t