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The INDEPENDENT, November 4, 2010
County schedules more flu shot Humor can be good for your health Enjoy baking?
Our sense of humor gives us eases muscle tension and psy- Enter bake-off
clinics, including one in Vernonia
Columbia Health District-
Public Health Authority will be
providing several walk-in flu
shot clinics around the county
this fall. Vaccinations will cost
$10 this year. Oregon Health
Plan (OHP) will be billed in lieu
of the $10 charge for those in-
sured by OHP.
Flu vaccine is an effective
way to protect you and your
family from the flu virus. For
those who have private insur-
ance or Medicare, contact your
provider or pharmacist.
Seasonal and H1N1 vac-
cines are combined in one shot
this year, and the Centers for
Disease Control and Preven-
tion advises everyone six-
months and older to get the flu
shot. For the most current infor-
mation about flu, visit the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and
Prevention web site at www.
cdc.gov/flu For information
about where to get flu shots:
www.flu.oregon.gov or 800-
978-3040.
Flu shot clinics will be held in
Vernonia at the Vernonia Se-
nior Center on Friday, Novem-
ber 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30
p.m.
Other flu shot clinics in Co-
lumbia County will be at:
• Clatskanie Family Medical
Clinic on Tuesday, October 26,
from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Rainier Senior Center on
Monday, November 8, from
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• St Helens – Columbia
Health District-Public Health
Authority, 2370 Gable Road,
St. Helens on Friday, October
29, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00
p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• St. Helens Senior Center
on Friday, November 5, from
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Hospital gets decision extension
Columbia Health District has
submitted a newly amended
application for a new 12-bed
hospital in Columbia County by
submitting new financial infor-
mation to the Oregon Public
Health Certificate of Need Pro-
gram. As a result, the Health
District and the Certificate of
Need Program have agreed to
extend the date for reaching a
final decision on the project.
This will provide adequate time
for the Certificate of Need Pro-
gram to review the new finan-
cial information. The original
decision date had been set for
November 4, 2010.
The Certificate of Need Pro-
gram anticipates issuing a de-
cision by January or February
2011.
“We will review this new in-
formation as quickly as possi-
ble so we can issue a final de-
cision,” said Jana Fussell, of
the Oregon Public Health Cer-
tificate of Need Program.
the ability to find delight, expe-
rience joy, and release tension.
Laughter is the human’s biolog-
ical reaction to humor. It also
activates the chemistry of the
will to live and increases our
capacity to fight disease, which
makes it an effective self-care
tool. Studies from around the
world have shown that an at-
mosphere of humor results in
better patient cure, less anes-
thesia time, less operating
time, and shorter hospital
stays. The following are some
of the benefits of laughter that
research has identified.
Blood pressure – People
who laugh heartily, and regular-
ly, have a lower standing blood
pressure than does the aver-
age person. When people have
a good laugh, initially the blood
pressure increases, but then it
decreases to levels below nor-
mal.
Hormones – Laughter re-
duces at least four of the neu-
ro-endocrine hormones associ-
ated with stress.
Immune system – Laughter
stengthens the immune system
by increasing infection-fighting
antibodies.
Muscle relaxation – Belly
laughs result in muscle relax-
ation.
Pain reduction – Laughter
allows a person momentarily to
“forget” about pains such as
those associated with aches,
arthritis, etc.
Brain function – Laughter
stimulates both sides of the
brain to enhance learning. It
Free diabetes presentation offered this Saturday
What’s New in Diabetes will
be the topic of a free presenta-
tion on Saturday, November 6,
from 9:00 a.m. to noon at Tual-
ity Health Education Center,
334 SE 8th Ave., Hillsboro.
Tuality’s team of certified di-
abetes educators will provide
the latest information about dia-
betes, and provide a compli-
mentary light snack, too.
Topics will include future
trends in diabetes, exercise
strategies, benefits of continu-
ous glucose monitoring, new
diabetes medication, and
bariatric surgery.
Persons planning to attend
are asked to call 503-681-
1700.
Save
Two Dollars Off
Extra Large Combo Pizza
With this Coupon!
Mariolino’s
503-901-1705
Coupon expires 11-15-10
721 Madison Ave.,Vernonia • 503-429-5018
chological stress, which keeps
the brain alert and allows peo-
ple to retain more information.
Respiration – Frequent belly
laughter empties your lungs of
more air than they are taking in,
a cleansing effect similar to
deep breathing. This sends
more oxygen-enriched blood
and nutrients throughout the
body.
Heart function – Laughter,
along with an active sense of
humor, may help protect you
against a heart attack. People
with heart disease were 40%
less likely to laugh compared to
people the same age without
heart disease.
A good workout – Laughter
can provide good cardiac, ab-
dominal, facial, and back mus-
cle conditioning, especially for
those who cannot do physical
exercise.
Mental and emotional health
– Humor and laughter are pow-
erful emotional medicines that
can lower stress, dissolve
anger, and unite people. Mood
is elevated by striving to find
humor in difficult situations.
Laughing at ourselves will help
reveal that problems or annoy-
ances are not the earth-shak-
ing events they sometimes
seem to be. Humor also helps
us avoid loneliness by connect-
ing with others who are attract-
ed to genuine cheerfulness.
How you can expand your
sense of humor:
• Look for the everyday hu-
mor. Start looking for the ab-
surd activities that go on
around you each day.
• Observe infants and young
children to learn how to find de-
light and amusement in the
most ordinary things.
• Increase your exposure to
comedies, comic sitcoms, joke
books, comedy clubs, etc.
• Surround yourself with oth-
ers who laugh, because laugh-
ter is contagious.
• Take a 5-10 minute humor
break each day. Read jokes,
add to a humor notebook, and
listen to funny tapes.
• Spend time with those who
help you see the bright side.
Whenever possible, avoid neg-
ative people.
• Avoid conversations, news,
or entertainment that frightens,
upsets, or distresses you or
makes you feel sad.
Source: Denise Rennekamp, Ore-
gon State University Extension
A group of downtown busi-
ness owners and other local
citizens have banded together
to organize the first annual
Spirit of Christmas in Vernonia.
A family-friendly celebration
will be held on Saturday, De-
cember 4, from 10:00 a.m. to
6:00 p.m.
As part of the festivities,
there will be holiday baked
goods and a gingerbread
house competition.
If you love to bake and/or
build gingerbread houses, and
would like to be part of this
event, contact competition or-
ganizer Catherine Helmer at
503-914-9525, or catherine.hel
mer@yahoo.com.
All ages are welcome to par-
ticipate!
Also, you can’t have a com-
petition without judges…so if
you love to eat home baked
goodies and would like to be a
judge, you also need to contact
Helmer at 503-914-9525, or
catherine.helmer@yahoo.com.
Columbia
County
Mental Health
800-294-5211
-----------------
Suicide
Hotline
1-800-
784-2433
or
1-800-273-
TALK(8255)
-----------------
Domestic Abuse
Hotline
503-397-6161
or
866-397-6161
-----------------
Military Helpline
888-HLP-4-VET
(888-457-4838)