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May 6. 2009
Page All
H
ealth matters
Experts Work to Slow Spread of Swine Flu
Public health system responds
Oregon’s state and local pub­
lic health officials are working
together and with federal offi­
cials to slow spread of the H 1N 1
swine flu and to continue to
protect the public.
“1 know Oregonians are con­
cerned and want to know what
they can do to protect them ­
selves and their families,” said
Dr. Mel Kohn, head of the Or­
egon Public Health Department.
“This doesn’t change our ad­
vice - wash your hands, cover
your cough and if you are sick
stay home.”
He said these are actions
people can take to prevent the
spread of the flu:
Wash your hands often with
soap and water, especially after
you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-
based hand cleaners also are ef­
fective.
C o v e r y o u r c o u g h s and
sneezes with a tissue or your
sleeve, not with your hand;
Stay home if you are sick;
Try to avoid contact with
people who are ill; and practice
other good health habits such
as eating a balanced diet, exer­
cising regularly, getting suffi­
cient rest and not smoking.
The Oregon Public Health
website flu.oregon.gov is up-
Laura Tsaknaridis extracts a suspect flu virus specimen at the Oregon Public Health Lab.
dated regularly to provide in­
formation such as how to iden­
tify swine flu, prevent its spread
as well as materials that employ­
ers, medical providers, schools,
parents and others may use. ;
Swine flu is a respiratory dis­
ease in pigs whose spread to
humans has been historically
rare in the U.S.
Its symptoms are similar to
those of normal seasonal influ­
enza such as fever, lethargy,
lack of appetite and coughing,
som etim es accom panied by •
runny nose, sore throat, nau­
sea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Eating pork that has been
properly handled and cooked
will not transmit the virus.
D iet Pill D am ages L iver
Ageless
Inspiration
(AP) — Government health
officials have announced the
recall of the popular weight
loss pill Hydroxycut, after re­
ports o f liver dam age and
other health problems.
Food and Drug Administra­
tion officials said Friday the
manufacturer of Hydroxycut
Gerontolgy
program
honors activist
The gerontology program
based at the Sylvania Campus
of Portland Community College
recently hosted its annual “Ca­
reers in A ging” netw orking
event in which a local activist
was honored.
PC C F a c u lty C h a ir Jan
A b u sh a k ra h p re se n te d the
“ A g e le s s
I n s p ir a tio n Portland Community College Sylvania Campus President
A w ard” to A lberta Sim m ons Linda Gerber (left) pays tribute to local activist Alberta
for her longtim e work to cre­ Simmons (right) during a gerontology program careers in
ate a ffo rd a b le h o u sin g in aging event for Simmons' dedication to creating affordable
n o rth and n o rth e a s t P o r t­ housing, especially for seniors.
la n d ,e s p e c ia lly for seniors.
Earlier in the PCC program,
L in d a G e rb e r, S y lv a n ia gram.
Gerontology the study of the John Bowling, visiting dSsistaiif
C a m p u s p r e s id e n t, a ls o
spo k e and gave a c c o la d e s social, psychological and bio­ professor within the Manage­
to Sim m ons for her tireless logical aspects of aging. It is ment of Aging Services program
distinguished from geriatrics, at Southern Oregon University,
d e d ic a tio n .
Simmons shared her life’s which is the branch of medicine spoke to the crowd about trends
story with soon-to-be gradu­ that studies the disease of the and opportunities in the geron­
tology field.
ates o f the gerontology pro- elderly.
loss supplem ents, with sales
of about 1 million bottles a
year.
Dietary supplements are not
as tightly regulated by the gov­
ernment as medications. Manu­
facturers don’t need FDA ap­
proval ahead of time before
marketing their products.
W hat to take for arthritis pain:
w
’ h
Take a walk. A bike ride. A swim.
Less Salt for Healthy Hearts
"People need to know their
Government health experts
say people in the United States recommended daily sodium limit
consume more than twice the and take action to reduce so­
recommended amount of salt, dium intake," Labarthe said.
The study in CDC's weekly
raising their risk for high blood
pressu re, heart attack s and report on death and disease
used national survey data to
strokes.
They found nearly 70 percent show that tw o out o f three
of U.S. adults are in high-risk adults should be consuming no
groups that would benefit from more than 1,500 mg of sodium
a lower-salt diet of no more than per day because they are black
1,500 mg per day, yet most con­
sume closer to 3,500 mg per day.
"It's important for people to
eat less salt. People who adopt
a heart-healthy eating pattern
that includes a diet low in so­
dium and rich in potassium and
calcium can improve their blood
pressure," Dr. Darwin Labarthe
of the Centers for Disease Con­
trol and Prevention said in a
statement.
has launched a nationwide re­
call of the dietary supplement,
used by people trying to shed
pounds and by body builders
to sharpen their muscles.
Hydroxycut is advertised as
made from natural ingredients.
It accounts for about 90 per­
cent o f the market for weight
or over the age of 40 — which
are c o n sid e re d h ig h -risk
groups.
Yet stu d ie s show m ost
people in the United States eat
3,436 mg of sodium per day, ac­
cording to a 2005-2006 CDC es­
timate.
M ost of the sodium eaten
com es from packaged, pro­
cessed and restaurant foods.
Studies show that 30 minutes of moderate
physical activity three or more days a week can relieve pain and help you move more
easily. You can break it up, doing 10 to 15 minutes at a time. To make it fun, do it with
a friend. Stick with it, and in four to six weeks you could hurt less and feel better.
Physical Activity. T h e A rthritis Pain Reliever.
Call the Arthritis Foundation at 503-245-5695 for
information about exercise and aquatics classes near you.
A W H W . I I HOM t i l l C l N r M H H l * IJ lU A M
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