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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 14, 2012)
Page 6 March 14. 2012 For Your Health L arry L ucas W ith M arch com es the b eg in ning o f spring and increased o p portunities to take advantage o f o u td o o r activities. W hether that m eans stopping by the local park or visiting an outdoor festival, for m any the w arm w eather is a re a so n to c e le b ra te . F o r the nearly 25 m illion A m ericans with asthm a, it’s also a rem inder to take ex tra care outside. W hile it’s easy to get caught up in the jo y s o f finally getting out o f the house, environm ental triggers such as pollen and the change in w eather can w orsen asthm a sym ptom s. And those are on top o f the everyday trig gers such as anim als, dust, m old and even strong em otions like by stress. F or p a tients living with the chronic d is ease, these fac tors can irritate the airw ays, lead ing to w heezing, shortness o f b r e a th , c h e s t tig h tn e s s a n d coughing. S o m e e x p e rts h av e c a lle d asthm a the “urban p lag u e” for its w id e sp re a d p re v a le n c e in m inority populations. According to the C D C , approxim ately one in nine A frican-A m erican c h il dren w as living w ith asthm a as o f 2009, a rate that had nearly d o u b le d sin c e 2001. W h a t’s w orse, according to the A m eri can L ung A sso c ia tio n , b lack A m ericans are three tim es m ore likely to die from asthm a than Asthma Prevention Advice th eir w hite counterparts. D espite these alarm ing rates and a w ealth o f m edical studies, experts have been unable to d e term ine the exact cause o f the disease o r explain w hy m ore A m ericans develop asthm a e v ery year. H ow ever, recent re search revealed a genetic a sso ciation w ith the disease, m arking an im portant step in relieving the burden o f asthm a. T h o s e w ith a s th m a w ill breathe e asier know ing that they can lead full, active lives by m anaging the environm ental fac tors that trig g er asthm a. F am i lies can take sim ple m easures to m inim ize asthm a sym ptom s, such as elim in atin g cigarette use in the hom e, keeping hum idity lev els low, and avoiding air pollution as m uch as possible. Since res piratory infections such as the flu can affect the lungs, causing an asthm a attack, patients are e n co u rag ed to receive annual flu shots. M e d ic a tio n can go a long w ay in h e lp in g c o n tro l a sth m a sy m p to m s. T h e m o st co m m o n th e ra p y to re lie v e sy m p to m s an d p re v e n t a sth m a a tta c k s is w h at p h y sic ia n s call c o n tro lle r m e d ic in e , m o st c o m m o n ly d is trib u te d th ro u g h in h alers. P a rt n e r w ith y o u r d o c to r to d e cid e o n the tre a tm e n t th a t’s rig h t fo r y o u . W ith so m an y o p tio n s a v a ila b le , y o u sh o u ld n e v e r h av e to settle fo r a n y th in g less th a n a s y m p to m -a n d -a tta c k - free life. W ith so m an y th e ra p e u tic o p tio n s a v a ila b le to h e lp trea t a sth m a , i t ’s im p o rta n t th at p a tie n ts h av e a c c e ss to th e m e d i c a tio n th ey n eed . T h a n k fu lly , th e P a rtn e rsh ip fo r P re s c rip tio n A ssista n c e h e lp s c o n n e c t p atien ts w ith p ro g ram s that p ro v id e m e d ic in e s fo r free o r at a re d u c e d c o st. T o fin d o u t 'i f y o u m ay q u a lify , c a ll 1-888- 4 7 7 -2 6 6 9 . G o ahead and get into the sw ing o f spring. W ith a little ex tra aw aren ess about y o u r su r ro u n d in g s and activities, th e re ’s no reason not to enjoy all M arch has to offer. Larry Lucas is a retired vice president fo r Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers o f America. Promoting Healthy Communities Dr. Billy R. Flowers (above center) and his skilled s ta ff are ready to help th o se in need. __________ THE______________ SPINAi COLUMN An ongoing series of questions and answers about Americas natural healing profession. Part 27. Chiropractic VS Migraines: Saying goodbye to the most menacing of headaches Z \ : Can anything be done • - 'f o r migraines? I’ve had them for the last 20 years and I sincerely can’t take it much longer. I had a patient once ask e same question. Her con cern, however, was that Chiro practic might hurt. After becom ing a patient, she began to make progress. Slowly but surely the nauseating effects of the migrairfe were leaving her. One day, relaxed and without pain, she said to me “I can’t believe that I waited 20 years foPthis!” That’s one comment I’ll here for only a while. Why waste never forget! The story had a happy, one precious moment, let alone but isn’t it sad that it had such an years suffering needlessly? Find unfortunate beginning. So many your freedom through good health suffer for so long with their pain. NOW ... naturally. Find your free They literally waste years of their dom through Chiropractic...and lives, waiting, thinking that it is just make each day count. Isn’t it time a temporary condition. Life itself is you stepped up to safe, effective a temporary Condition. We are all Chiropractic? Flowers' Chiropractic Office 2124N.E. Hancock Street, Portland Oregon97212 Phone: (5 0 3 ) 2 8 7 *5 5 0 4 Ja m e s M aso n from P ro v i d ence H ealth and S ervices will speak on prom oting healthy A f rican- A m erican co m m u n ities d u rin g a P o rtlan d co n feren ce w ith the Z eta Nu C h ap ter o f O m eg a Psi Phi Fraternity. M ason is the executive d irec tor o f C ulturally C om petent C are G iving for P rovidence H ealth and Services. H e is the form er d irecto r o f M ulticultural H ealth fo r the state o f O regon. T h e p re se n ta tio n w ill tak e place Saturday, M arch 24, w hen the P ortland c h ap ter hosts a d is trict m eeting o f the g roup at the M arriott C o u rty ard H otel, 550 S.W . O ak St. D uring the full day m eeting, fraternity m em bers w ill also e n gage in a co m m u n ity service p r o je c t at D e L a S a lle N o rth Catholic High School in the m orn ing, follow ed by social activities J a m e s M ason that evening. M ason has ap p lied cultural co m p eten ce to a variety o f ser v ic e d i s c ip l i n e s , in c lu d in g healthcare, public health, m ental health, child w elfare, higher ed u cation and co m p u lso ry ed u ca tion. M ason has w orked in P o rt land since 1975. To Place Your Classified Advertisement Contact: Phone: 503-288-0033 Fax: 503-288-0015 e-mail: classifieds@portlandobserver.com
