May 18, 2011
Fortiani» (Dbseruer
Page A l7
Allergy Season Hits
Bringing itchy eyes, stuffy
noses and fatigue
(AP) - There may be a whiff of
truth to claims by allergy sufferers
who sniffle that this season is, well,
a bigger headache than years past.
And now, more bad news: It's
also lasting longer, prolonging the
misery of the millions of people for
whom spring is a punishment, not a
pleasure.
Heavy snow and rain in some
parts of the country have nourished
a profusion of tree pollen, while a
sudden shift to warm, sunny weather
has made its release more robust.
The deluges and, in some places,
flooding have pumped up the vol­
ume on mold. Add in the wind, and
the suffering skyrockets.
Warnings about the difficult sea­
son have come from allergy special­
ists from New York to Atlanta, Chi­
cago to California.
What is certain is that allergy
seasons in general have been get­
ting longer and more challenging,
said Angel Waldron, spokeswoman
for the Asthma and Allergy Foun­
dation.
"We do know that climate change
and warmer temperatures are allow­
ing trees to pollinate longer than
usual," she said. "Although people
feel things are worse than ever be-
_______________ _
fore, it's actually because of the Bloom ing flowers mean the allergy season is here. Allergy
longer season. It's a longer time to specialists around the country say this se a so n ’s wet spring has
endure."
been a bad one for creating a high pollen count.
Pollen counts and allergy at­
tacks vary widely from region to
region, locality to locality and day
to day, and no one entity tracks
the full com plexity o f their ups
and downs across the country.
But everything is rip eth is year for
a historic season.
The highest tree pollen count
in three years triggered a danger­
ous air quality warning Friday in
Chicago, where allergist Dr. Jo ­
seph Leija warned in a statem ent:
"Itchy eyes, stuffy noses and fa­
tigue will be comm on among C hi­
cagoans with sensitive respira­
tory system s."
In Los Angeles, rain, a heat wave
and the Santa Ana winds combined
for a brutal stretch in February. To
north in San Jose, pollen counts are
on the rise with the start of grass
season, allergist Dr. Alan Heller said
Friday.
H ealth W atch
Em pow erm ent through R elaxation - Free informal meditation classes that
address breathing techniques, some gentle ancient African yoga poses
and mental balancing techniques. People have left these classes joyful
and with a peaceful view of their lives. Call Dr. Marceline Fai 11 a at 503-228-
6140.
T en d erfoot C are - Treat your feet with a soak, nail trim, buffing and
massage from a licensed nurse at one of six clinics or at your home. Call
503-251 -6303 for more information.
C an cer R esource C en ter - Providence St. Vincent Medical Center and
Join us for a night of
the American Red Cross have joined forces to create the first in-hospital
resource center providing books, printed material, computer access and
more for individuals and families dealing with cancer. The center is open
Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
L ead Poisoning P reven tion - Learn how to protect your family from lead
poisoning. Ideal for folks in live in older homes with children or pregnant
women. Qualified participants receive a free kit of safety and testing
supplies. Call 503-284-6827.
P aren tin g C lasses -- Newborns don’t come with instruction manuals but
parents and parents-to-be can learn about a variety of topics from pain and
childbirth to breastfeeding to infant CPR and much more. For a schedule
of events, call 503-574-6595 or visit: providence.org/classes.
Pow erful T ools F or C aregivers - 6-week educational series designed to
help family caregivers take care of themselves while caring for relatives or
friends with chronic illness. Class size is limited, and registration is
required. Call 503-413-8018.
L eg A lert Screenin g - Check for peripheral arterial disease with this safe,
simple screening using ankle and arm blood pressure. The fee is $40. To
schedule an appointment, call 503-251 -6137.
S m ok e-F ree S u p p ort G rou p - Meets Mondays, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. For
information, call 503-256-4000.
H eart T alk S u p p ort G rou p - Meets on the second Monday of each
month; from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call 503-251 -6260.
F am ily C aregiver S u pport G rou p - This topic-oriented group offers a
safe place to discuss the stresses, challenges and rewards of providing
care to an older relative or friend. Meets the first Thursday of each month
at 3 p.m. at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital.
C h ronic Pain S u pport G rou p - Meets the first Wednesday at 4 p.m. to
5:30 p.m. and the third Wednesday of each month, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
For more information, call 503-256-4000.
We will be having a very special
night of teaching on this powerful
revelation from God's
Pastors
Word. You won't
Jerry & Annie
Gutierrez
want to miss this!
Friday, May 20th at 7pm
New Song Community Center
2511NE MIK Blvd• Portland, OR 97212
Corner of NE MEN Blvd and Russell street
Doors open at 6pm fo r every service.
For directions or more information, call 503488-5481
or log on to wvtfw.mffhmportland.coin