March 3, 2010
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Page 15
H EALTH MATTERS
Take some time out to honor your
body by taking steps to manage and
prevent chronic conditions that
could lead to more serious illnesses
such as kidney disease.
According to the National Kid­
ney Foundation, one in nine Ameri­
cans has kidney disease, a condi­
tion that damages your kidneys and
keeps them from performing normal
functions.
K idney disease and several
chronic conditions are interrelated:
for example, high blood pressure
and diabetes can lead to kidney
disease and complicate it further.
With 3.7 million African Ameri­
cans aged 20 years or older living
with diabetes, according to the Cen­
ters for Disease Control and Pre-
Preventing Kidney Disease
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L arry
L ucas
vention, we must
be more aware of the dangers of this
condition. Even one of my favorite
basketball stars, Alonzo Mourning
of the Miami Heat, wasn’t aware he
had kidney disease until he became
very ill.
Alonzo had to quit the NBA to
receive a life-saving kidney trans­
plant. After receiving the proper
treatment, he is living a healthy life
today and educating others on the
dangers of this disease.
Kidney disease often progresses
so slowly that many of those who
have it, like Alonzo, are unaware of
it until the condition is in its ad-
vanced stages. However, there are
several minor symptoms people with
kidney disease might notice before
they are diagnosed. They may feel
tired, have trouble sleeping or have
to urinate more often than others,
particularly at night. They may also
notice swollen feet or ankles and
muscle cramping at night.
Kidney disease can happen any
age, making it vital for children, teens
and adults to take care of them­
selves and fight against risk factors.
With kidney disease being the
ninth leading cause of death in the
U.S., according to the CDC, everyone
should take the time to look at the risk
factors and see where they stand.
Thankfully, there are several
steps you can take to prevent kid­
Optometry School Reaches Out
Pacific University’s College of Optometry is invit­
ing college undergraduates to apply for a three-day
program designed to introduce the optometry pro­
fession to ethic groups underrepresented in the
practice.
Attendees will receive a comprehensive view of
the field on its Forest Grove campus, during a three
day residence experience July 7-9, to see if it is
something they wish to pursue as a career.
Admitted students will receive participation mate­
rials and on-campus room and board free of charge.
"Optometrists are healthcare providers who do
much more than prescribe materials for improved
vision," college dead Jennifer Smythe said. "They
diagnose and manage eye disease, perform minor
surgical procedures, and are often the care provider
that discovers a patient's health issue first.
Those wishing to attend the program must have
a demonstrated interest in the health professions,
have a cumulative grade point average above 2.75,
and identify as part of a minority group that is
underrepresented in the optometry profession.
Application requirements and materials may be
obtained at pacificu.edu/optometry.
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ney disease. And, many of these
steps help you fight off related con­
ditions like high blood pressure and
diabetes, which is all the more rea­
son to take action!
Get plenty of regular exercise to
maintain a healthy weight and avoid
alcohol and cigarettes. Also, be
sure to get your blood pressure and
cholesterol levels checked regularly
and follow-up with your doctor if
any of these levels are high since
you may need additional tests.
Finally, be sure to take any blood
pressure or diabetes medication
your doctor prescribes for you.
Blood pressure and diabetes
medication can be a life saver for
those who need it to prevent kidney
disease and related conditions, but
medicine such as this means noth­
ing if those who need it most can’t
afford it.
Patients who need help access­
ing prescriptions can turn to the
Partnership for Prescription Assis­
tance, which has connected 6 mil­
lion patients in need to programs
that provide free or nearly free medi­
cines.
For more information, patients
can call 1-888-4PPA-NOW or visit
pparx.org.
Be a leader in your family and
community by keeping yourself
healthy and spreading the word for
others to do the same.
Larry Lucas is a vice president for
P h a rm a c e u tic a l R esearch and
Manufacturers of America.
Healthy Hearts Start Young
You are never too young to think about your heart.
Nearly 33 percent of children in the U.S. are overweight. O f
those, 17 percent are considered obese, a heart disease risk.
Heart disease can begin developing during childhood, so now
is the time to teach your children heart-healthy habits that will last
a lifetime.
Some tips from experts at Providence Health and Services
include, having the entire family help with menu planning, food
shopping and meal preparation; limiting television and video
games to one hour each day; and making exercise a family affair.
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