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The
Portland Observer Black History Month
February 16, 2011
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P n rth n d 07711
Public Health
r o r u a n a , y /Z I I
Se habla español: other interpretation by appointment.
Dr. Billy Ft. Flowers (above center) and his skilled s ta ff are ready to help those in need.
THE
column
TM
SPINA
An ongoing senes of questions and answers about America’s natural healing profession
Part 5. WHIPLASH: It doesn’t take a serious
accident to cause serious damage.
: How bod an accident does it neck, arm or shoulder, nausea,
Don’t take any chances.
take to actually cause whip­ blurred vision and headaches. If
Schedule a complete chiro­
lash ?
not treated immediately, these prob­ practic exam im m ediately. Our
lems can lead to other more severe office specializes not only in re­
f : While most people think of ones. To complicate matters, it some­ lieving w hiplash sym ptom s, but
whiplash only as the result of times takes years before whiplash also in m aking sure those prob­
a rear end collision, it can occur as symptoms occur.
lems d o n 't become bigger ones
a result of a fall or other sudden
down the road. For diagnosis of
jolt. In car collisions, speeds as
What should I do if I ’ve had possible whiplash, or answers
low as 5 MPH (a brisk walk) have
fa ll or a car accident?
to any questions you might have
caused whiplash. W hat’s more,
about your health, please call us
major studies show there is virtu­
at the num ber listed right below.
ally no correlation between dam­
age to the car and its occupants.
: How can / tell i f whiplash
has happened to me?
2124 N.E. Hancock Street, Portland Oregon97212
0
As
q ;
Q
A : Whiplash often exhibits
4 symptoms such as a sore
Flowers1 Chiropractic Office
P hone: ( 5 0 3 ) 2 8 7 * 5 5 0 4
e ’WW
by
L arky
L ucas
February is a time each year cular check-ups and properly tak-
w hen h e art-sh ap ed c h o co late, ing my prescribed m edicines. It’s
candies and cards take cen ter these small steps that mean the
stage. But there’s another heart m o st, and m ak in g the rig h t
of the non-confectionary variety choices can help curb the risk of
we should also take time to think heart disease, enabling you to live
about this m onth - the one in our a longer, healthier life.
j bodies.
It’s also important to rem ember
i
Like an engine to a ear, the that many lifestyle choices that
sponsible 1
for
I human heart is resPonsib,e
WI lead
,ei“- to heart diseases later in life,
| keeping otherorgans working and like diet and tobacco use, begin
our bodies moving. We know how when w e’re young. It takes years,
im portant it is to conduct regular and in some cases decades, for
m aintenance on an engine to pre- them to catch up with us - which
vent issues with the entire ear. is why young people should know
Heart health is no different. Yet their future heart health is shaped
cardiovascular diseases, which in- by the choices they make today,
elude heart attack and stroke, are
M aking, healthy choices can
the leading causes ot death in the help prevent heart disease, but
United States. In fact, more than there are other risk factors that
81 m illion Am ericans live with you c a n 't control - like age and
various forms of cardiovascular fam ily history. In addition to
diseases, which led to one quarter lifestyle changes, you and your
ot all deaths in the U.S. last year, doctor may decide that prescrip-
These num bers are especially tion m edicines are the best way to
startling for the A frican-A m eri­ help keep your heart healthy.
can com m unity where more than
Fortunately there are nearly 300
40 percent of all adults suffer from m edicines in developm ent for
high blood pressure, one o f the h e a rt d ise a s e and stro k e by
most critical - yet preventable - A m erica’s hiopharm aeeutical re­
in d ic a to rs o f c a r d io v a s c u la r search and m anufacturing com ­
health. Preventing high blood panies - all of which are either
pressure could mean the differ­ being tested in clinical trials or
ence between life or death: Afri- aw aiting approval by the Food &
can Americans today are 1.5 times Drug Adm inistration,
more likely to sutfer a heart dis-
D eveloping these m edicines
e a se -re la te d death than o th er means very little if patients in need
Am ericans and are nearly twice as c a n 't access them. Luckily, there
likely to die because o f a fatal are program s available to help
stroke. W hat’s more: Nearly half patients find and pay for their
o f us are unaware w e’re living p r e s c r ip tio n s . S in c e 2 0 0 5 ,
with high-blood pressure.
A m erica’s biopharm a-ceutical re­
Alarmed by these figures? You searchers and m anufacturers have
should be! Let them serve as a wake­ supported the Partnership for Pre­
up call about the importance of main­ s c rip tio n A s sista n c e (1 -8 8 8 -
taining your heart’s health. Many 4PPA-N OW ; pparx.org), which
common causes of cardiovascular helps connect patients in need to
diseases can be eliminated by re­ 475 assistance program s that o f­
ducing their major risk factors, such fer more than 2,500 m edicines for
as high blood pressure, high cho­ free or nearly free.
lesterol, smoking, diabetes, lack of
In addition to thinking about
exercise and poor nutrition. When it your special som eone this m onth,
comes to heart health, lifestyle be sure to keep your own heart in
choices, like what you eat and how mind by m aking an appointm ent
much you exercise, play a critical to visit your physician to gauge
role in preventing potentially dev­ your current heart health. A w are­
astating diseases.
ness is the first step in preventing
As someone who has lived with heart diseases and ensuring there
high blood pressure for more than are many more V alentine’s Days
20 years, I know a thing or two to come.
about lifestyle choices. I keep my
L arry Lucas is retired vice
heart healthy by taking the stairs p re sid e n t f o r P h a rm a c eu tica l
instead of the elevator, visiting Research and M anufacturers o f
my doctor for regular cardiovas- America.
426 SW Stark St., 6th Floor, |
Portland, 97204 |
55
ng
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