o
Page 8
?ooç ar snuu . i k ^ r i - ; ^ c n i î oriT
The INDEPENDENT, June 16, 2005
Health Notes
What every woman should know about heart disease
A common misperception exists among women that they have a greater risk of dying from breast
cancer than heart disease. Public education campaigns have done a wonderful job of raising aware
ness of breast cancer risks. While this has undoubtedly saved lives, women need to be equally
aware of the very real risks of heart disease.
Statistically, women are twice as likely to die from heart disease than all cancers combined, and
more than 32 million American women have heart disease. Nearly eight percent of women ages 30
to 34 have advanced lesions in their arteries, while three-quarters have fatty streaks - the beginning
of hardening of the arteries. In addition, an alarming 30 percent increase in Sudden Cardiac Death
(SCD) occurred among young women between 1989 and 1996, according to the Centers for Dis
ease Control and Prevention.
Heart disease is characterized by blockages in the arteries of the heart that can eventually inter
rupt the blood supply to the heart muscle, causing a heart attack. Either gender may experience:
• pressure or squeezing pain in the center of the chest
• pain in the neck, shoulder or arm
• chest discomfort accompanied by lightheadedness, fainting, nausea, sweating, or shortness of
breath.
However, heart attack symptoms often differ for women. Women may feel the following symptoms
and not realize they are associated with a heart attack:
• Atypical chest, stomach or abdominal pain
• Recent, unusual shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Dizziness without chest pain
• Anxiety
• Weakness or fatigue
• Back pain
• Palpitations
• Cold sweat or paleness
• Upper abdominal pressure or discomfort
SCD, on the other hand occurs when the body’s electrical system malfunctions, causing the heart
to misfire (arrhythmia) and the cardiovascular system to collapse. While SCD is technically different
than heart disease, its victims often have many heart disease risk factors.
Those risk factors include:
• High blood pressure or hypertension
• High blood cholesterol - total blood cholesterol above 200 mg/dl; LDL above 129 mg/dl; HDL
under 40 mg/dl; triglycerides above 150 mg/dl
• Smoking - 25 percent of American women age 25 to 44 smoke
• Obesity
• High-fat diet
• Inactivity - 29 percent of Americans report that they don’t do any regular physical activity
The good news is that we all have the ability to do something about each risk factor! Alterations
to diet can combat high cholesterol and obesity, while exercise is the best medicine for everything
from high blood pressure to inactivity. Getting more physical activity can be as easy as turning up
your favorite tunes and dancing up a storm in your living room. Take a brisk walk, ride a bike, or find
some other activity to do alone or with friends and family.
VERNONIA INN
Enjoy a quiet weekend with us.
FULL SIZE, IN ROOM
HOT TUBS
Queen Beds • Private Bath • Separate Entrance
Cable TV • Phones • Handicapped Access
CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
FOR RESERVATIONS CALL
1-800-354-9494 / 503-429-4006
Gift Certificates Available
900 MADISON AVE., VERNONIA, OR 97064
Just one block off scenic Nehalem River Hwy. (Oregon 47)
KARMEL’S FLOWER PATCH
Floral, Silk & Dried
Arrangements, Plants,
Books, Gifts For All
Occasions & More
859 Bridge St, Vernonia
503-429-9273
N e w H on « K on «
Above, Harrison Eastman, who turned 102 in January 2005,
chats with old friend Ona Libel Burnam at the Nehalem Val
ley Pioneer Association meeting on June 12 at Natal Grange.
Below, Stella Bellingham Satern, seated, discusses her his
tory book, The Nehalem River Valley, Settling the Big Timber-
land, at the Pioneer meeting
D o n ’t resist th e next sn ack attac k
When trying to lose weight
or maintain a healthy weight,
you may think you must resist
the urge to nibble between
meals.
“Snacks can be an important
element in a good eating pro
gram,” said Pat Wheeler, a rep
resentative of TOPS (Take off
Pounds Sensibly). “The key is
to plan for them.”
Planning helps you keep on
hand the foods you’ll want for
healthy snacking, such as fresh
fruit, crisp vegetables like cel
ery, green peppers, and broc-
503-429-5062
R estaurant
New Owners Welcome You
Best Chinese Cuisine
Fast and Friendly Service
Family Style Dinners
Sun.Thu> 11:30_ 9:00
Lunch Specials
F ri-S a t, 11:30 -9 :3 0
669 N Mist Dr, Vernonia.
coli florets, washed and cut into
bite-sized pieces; low fat
breads and crackers; and
crunchy, low-fat treats like air-
popped popcorn and flavored
rice cakes.
Healthful snacks can help
you safely navigate the “hunger
valleys” between meal times. If
you plan for snacking and keep
it within limits, it can be an ally
in your weight-loss effort.
Members of your local
TOPS chapter trade helpful
hints on topics like smart
snacking and other ways to
stick to an eating program. To
find out more about TOPS in
this area, call Louise Green at
503-755-2328 or Pat Wheeler,
503-429-1584. TOPS meets
Monday evenings at 6:00 p.m.
at the Mist-Birkenfeld Fire Dis
trict Main Station. Anyone inter
ested is invited to attend. You
may call TOPS toll free at 1-
800-932-8677, or see their
website, <www.tops.org>.