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MARCH 1, 2024
Staying safe on the road
Texting while driving is a dangerous activity that can lead to
serious accidents. According to the National Highway Traffi c
Safety Administration, distracted driving claimed 3,522 lives
in 2021. According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Research Institute, cell phone usage can reduce a driver’s
attention by as much as 37%. Texting is the most alarming
distraction, as it can take your eyes off the road for fi ve seconds.
At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football fi eld with
your eyes closed. The average driver is two to nine times more likely to be
in an accident if they are texting while driving. Handheld cell phone use
(including texting) tends to be highest among 16- to 24-year-old drivers.
Furthermore, if you’re caught texting and driving, you risk getting a ticket
and potentially raising your car insurance rates.
To ensure traffi c safety, it is important to avoid texting while driving. Any
non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction and increases
your risk of crashing. If you need to send a text message or make a call,
pull over to a safe location and park your car before doing so. You cannot
drive safely unless the task of driving has your full attention.
Sources: “Understanding the Problem” and “Distracted Driving” by the
National Highway Traffi c Safety Administration; Children’s Hospital of
Philadelphia Research Institute. “Cell phone usage reduces a driver’s
attention by as much as 37%.” n
March is colorectal cancer awareness month
The colon and rectum are part of the digestive system. Colorectal cancer
occurs when small growths called polyps form on the inner walls and grow
into cancer. Men and women need to get tested for colorectal cancer starting
at age 45 even if they feel healthy. Most people with polyps — and most
people with colorectal cancer — have no symptoms. If polyps are found
early then they can be removed before they become cancer.
Screening can fi nd signs of potential colorectal cancer before symptoms
appear and the cancer develops into a life-threatening situation. Testing is
recommended because according to the American Cancer Society American
Indians and Alaska Natives have some of the highest disease and death
rates in the United States. If it has been longer than 10 years since your
last colonoscopy or one year from your last rapid fecal test (FIT) it is time
to do another screening test. Nine out of 10 people survive colorectal cancer
when testing happens early and treatment can begin. Only 1 in 10 people
survive if CRC is identifi ed and treated in the late stage.
Early detection and treatment for colorectal cancer is highly effective!
Ask your doctor about getting a screening test. n
COLORECTAL CANCER CAN BE PREVENTED
1 in 24
Take control of
your health.
53 , 000
people in the United States will
be diagnosed with colorectal
cancer in their lifetime
people in the United States
will die from colorectal
cancer this year
What is colorectal cancer?
When should I get tested?
The colon and rectum are part of
the digestive system. Colorectal
cancer occurs when small growths
called polyps form on the inner
walls and grow into cancer.
Men and women need to get
tested for colorectal cancer
starting at age 45 even if they
feel healthy.
Get tested
today!
How do I get tested?
You have options!
You can complete a
colonoscopy or a FIT.
A colonoscopy is an exam
that checks for problems in
your colon. Your provider
inserts a flexible, lighted tube
into your rectum to look for
polyps which can be removed
to prevent colorectal cancer.
!
Complete the test today.
It could save your life!
Getting tests on time can
prevent colorectal cancer or find
early forms of cancer that can
be treated.
STOMACH
POLYP
COLON
(LARGE INTESTINE)
SMALL INTESTINE
A FIT is a simple at-home
test that looks for hidden
blood in your stool (poop). If
blood is found, your doctor
will recommend a follow-up
colonoscopy.
EARLY STAGE
RECTUM
OUT OF
10 SURVIVE
LATE STAGE
1
OUT OF
10 SURVIVE
60081 CHR 10/17
Most people with polyps — and
most people with colorectal
cancer — have no symptoms.
If polyps are found early, they
can be removed, before they
become cancer.
9
60081 CHR 07/19/2023
POLYP
ANUS
SOURCE: American Cancer Society
Grand ronde HealtH & Wellness Center • 9615 Grand ronde road • Grand ronde, or 97347 • 503-879-2002
19
Social media changing brain function
Studies are showing that social media is changing our brain
function in key areas:
Memory — Social media can affect what is remembered, how it
is remembered and how much is remembered. New research shows
that as we document our experiences and thoughts on social media,
we may actually reduce our memory of those events and experiences.
Some scientists believe social media may change how our brain
compartmentalizes and stores information. Since we think we know
where we can fi nd the digital information our brains don’t seem to
keep as many details about the event stored in our own memory.
Attention capacity — With heavy use of social media our brains
are constantly being stimulated.
Our brains multi-task. This can
create changes in the neurolog-
ical architecture of our brain.
Social media offers the constant
promise of new information.
This new content is regularly
competing for our attention.
The current belief is that with
this stimuli we are less able to
ignore distraction. Therefore, we
have poor mental performance.
Heavy social media use has even
been shown to shrink parts of the
brain that help us concentrate.
Social and emotional response — Social media is made to be
addictive. Our brains get a hit of dopamine with each like or positive
comment. The little feel-good rewards rewires our brain to do what-
ever it takes to get another dopamine release so we post more. This
can lead to social media addiction.
Mental health can also be affected. The absence of likes and
comments on our posts can leave us feeling empty, sad, anxious or
depressed because our brain isn’t getting that hit of dopamine.
Social media users tend to compare their lives to those they see
online, leading to questions of their self-worth. They repeatedly
question their importance to their “friends”. Do they measure up?
Are they valuable in their friends’ eyes? Due to the nature of social
media, comparisons can happen much faster than they would occur
in real-life social interactions. n
Understanding strokes and how they happen
A stroke happens when
blood flow to a part of your
brain is cut off. Strokes are
classifi ed as “ischemic” where
a blood vessel that takes blood
to your brain gets blocked and
“hemorrhagic.” Blood vessels
can get blocked when fatty
deposits in your arteries break
off and travel to the brain.
Sometimes poor blood flow,
due to an irregular heartbeat,
can form a blood clot which
travels to the brain. Hemor-
rhagic strokes occur when a blood vessel in your brain bursts or leaks.
High blood pressure and certain blood-thinning medicines can lead to this
kind of stroke.
What can you do to lower your chance of getting a stroke?
High blood pressure is the biggest cause of strokes. If you have been pre-
scribed medicine for this, be sure to take it regularly. Even though you may
feel fi ne, uncontrolled blood pressure is not your friend. Smoking or chewing
tobacco raises your odds of a stroke. Nicotine makes your blood pressure
increase and cigarette smoke causes fatty buildup in your neck artery. Heart
disease, including defective heart valves or an irregular heartbeat (atrial
fi brillation), can lead to strokes. High blood pressure, chronic high blood
sugar, and being overweight are common in people with diabetes and raises
the chance of a stroke. High cholesterol also creates higher risk.
Identify stroke symptoms and act FAST:
Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of their face droop?
Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred
or strange?
Time: If you notice any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.
Other common stroke symptoms include confusion, sudden vision or
walking problems or severe headaches. n