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The INDEPENDENT, February 5, 2004
Health Notes
By Audeen Wagner
STROKE Many people
know a little about strokes,
but few of us know
enough about prevention
and treatment. Vernonia
Family
Medicine
is
endeavoring to bring infor-
mation to their patients
that will help save lives
and prevent serious after
effects of strokes.
What is a stroke, anyway? It is described as
brain damage caused by a lack of blood flow to
part of the brain. The brain requires a constant
supply of energy, provided by the oxygen and
nutrients that are in the blood stream. If blood
flow is restricted or cut off at any point between
the heart and the brain, portions of the brain
become deprived of oxygen.
Symptoms. The most important feature of
stroke symptoms is that they are unexpected
and develop suddenly. The most common
symptom is a sudden weakness or numbness of
one side of the face, arm or leg. Other indicators
might be: sudden visual disturbance in one eye;
slurred or loss of speech; sudden dizziness; and
severe headaches. Symptoms may develop
over a very few minutes, or hours.
The most important thing to know is that,
when experiencing any of these symptoms, it is
imperative to seek immediate medical assis-
tance. “Don’t even take time to call the clinic,”
said Judy Hargis, Physicians Assistant at
Vernonia Clinic. There are new treatments avail-
able, most notably a new drug called t-PA. This
drug is a ‘clot-buster’ and is very effective in
preventing severe stroke damage, but it must be
administered very soon after diagnosis to be
effective. “Go directly to the hospital Emergency
Room or call 9-1-1. Do NOT drive yourself,” Judy
emphasized.
Risk Factors. These include: Age, strokes
occur at any age, but those over 65 are at great-
est risk; Family history of stroke; High blood
pressure; Atherosclerosis (narrowed artery
channels); Heart disease; Diabetes; Smoking;
and High Cholesterol. Of course, we can do
nothing about aging and family history, but, fortu-
nately, a healthy lifestyle can help minimize
some risk factors. Quitting smoking, controlling
high blood pressure through diet or medication,
eating a low-fat, healthy diet, and becoming
physically active can greatly decrease the risk of
having a stroke.
Knowledge is Power! Stroke is the third
leading cause of death, and a leading cause of
serious, long-term disability in the United States.
Every 45 seconds, someone in America has a
stroke; every three minutes, someone dies of
one. Educating yourself about strokes may be a
lifesaver for you or a loved one.
PROGRAM AT SENIOR CENTER On
February 25, a free presentation will be held at
the Vernonia Senior Center, between 10:30 and
11:30. The subject will be “Fall Prevention” and
will be led by Judy Hargis, P.A., and Kristine
Samuelson, Physical Therapist. People of all
ages will benefit from this meeting, and the
public is invited. Save the date!
MAMMOVAN : The next Mammovan visit to
Vernonia will be February 25. Call 503-429-9191
to make an appointment.
Living and Eating for a Health Heart seminar will
discuss exercise and heart-friendly food options
Tuality Healthcare is offering
a free seminar on Living and
Eating for a Healthy Heart on
Saturday, February 21 from
9:30 a.m. to noon.
It takes more than an apple
a day to keep the cardiologist
away. It takes a commitment to
exercise. Come spend a
morning reviewing the benefits
of physical activity on your
cardiovascular system, mental
health, and physical appear-
ance (not to mention the size of
your clothes!). Naji Hamdan,
M.D., will offer a fun and funda-
mental approach to exercise,
providing tips that even he has
used personally for good
results.
Also enjoy some heart-
friendly food options presented
by Mark Macuk, a chef with
New Seasons Market, who will
whip up a few healthy entrees,
a side dish, and a dessert.
Give your Valentine a
break from winter’s icy grip
with the comfort of a
professional massage!
Tuality dietician Julia Lapp will
join him to provide tips on how
to simplify recipes to make
them easier to prepare, and to
talk about making smart food
choices. Participants will be
able to sample their wonderful
culinary creations.
Those who arrive early may
get free health screenings, for
blood pressure and body
composition, beginning at 8:30
a.m.
No registration is required.
The seminar will be held at the
Tuality
Health
Education
Center, 334 SE 8th Ave., Hills-
boro.
Scholarships
available now
The Oregon Health Forum
will award $500 scholarships to
two high school seniors from
Oregon and/or Southwest
Washington whose efforts
have improved awareness
about physical, mental or
public health issues in their
communities.
The application deadline is
March 9, 2004. Scholarships
will be awarded in June, 2004.
To apply, submit the follow-
ing to Oregon Health Forum,
325 NW 21st, Suite 104,
Portland, Oregon 97209:
• A cover sheet with name,
address, phone number and e-
mail address.
• An essay of no more than
500 words explaining how your
efforts contributed to improving
awareness of health care in
your community. Also discuss
your goals for a career in
health care and how your work
or volunteer experience influ-
enced or contributed to that
goal.
• A letter of recommendation
from an individual who is famil-
iar with your activities related to
your career goals.
For more details, check out
the Oregon Health Forum
website at <www.healthfo-
rum.org> or call 503-226-7870.
Learn how to
prevent domestic
violence
A six week workshop on
Domestic Violence Prevention
will be held in St. Helens, start-
ing February 9. Sponsored by
the Columbia County Women’s
Resource Center will be from
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
The workshop will include
the effect of domestic violence
on victims, on the community
and on children, how to identify
battering personalities, how to
identify healthy relationships,
safety planning and self care.
For further information, call
Columbia County Women’s
Resource Center at 503-397-
7110.
Not everything that is faced can
be changed, but nothing can be
changed until it is faced.
James Baldwin
American writer (1924 – 1987)
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