Page 8
The INDEPENDENT, January 20, 2011
Radon can kill, home testing advised Protect debit card from skimming
Radon is odorless, tasteless
and invisible – and it could be
in your home in dangerous lev-
els.
As part of National Radon
Action Month, all Oregon resi-
dents are urged to test their
homes for radon, one of the
leading causes of lung cancer
in the United States.
“Radon does exist through-
out Oregon,” said radon coordi-
nator Brett Sherry, Oregon
Public Health Division. “It can
be a silent killer in our homes.
We hope that everyone would
test their homes to protect
themselves and their families.”
Testing homes for radon is
simple and inexpensive. Radon
test kits can be purchased at
local hardware and home im-
provement stores or directly
from radon testing companies.
Many test kits are priced be-
tween $10 and $25. Radon
problems can be fixed by qual-
ified contractors for a cost sim-
ilar to that of many common
home repairs such as painting
or having a new water heater
installed, anywhere from $800
to about $2,500.
Radon is a naturally occur-
ring gas that comes up from the
ground. It is dispersed in the
outdoor air, but it can build up
to dangerous levels when
trapped in buildings. Scientists
have long been concerned
about the health risk of radon,
but never before has there
been such overwhelming proof
that exposure to elevated lev-
els of radon causes lung can-
cer in humans. The U.S. Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency
(EPA) estimates that radon is
responsible for more than
20,000 lung cancer deaths per
year. Radon is the second lead-
ing cause of lung cancer in the
U.S. after smoking and the
leading cause of lung cancer
among non-smokers.
Radon levels vary through-
out Oregon, depending on the
underlying geology. For radon
levels in your neighborhood
visit the Oregon Public Health
Radon Program website to look
up radon test results by county
or ZIP code: http://www.ore
gon.gov/DHS/ph/rps/radon/in
dex.shtml.
“Testing also helps us know
what areas may have more
radon than others,” Sherry
said. “However, it is possible for
one home in a neighborhood to
test high and neighboring
homes to test low. You never
know unless you test.”
The test results are sent to
the Oregon Public Health
Radon Program by the testing
companies but do not include
exact addresses or homeowner
names, just ZIP codes. Anyone
needing more information after
testing their home can contact
the Radon Program.
The Oregon Public Health
Radon Program is working with
EPA in a nationwide campaign
to educate Americans about
the dangers of radon exposure.
For more information on radon,
radon testing and mitigation,
radon-resistant new construc-
tion, or to order a test kit online
call the Oregon Public Health
Radon Program at 971-673-
0440, visit www.healthore
gon.org/radon or visit EPA’s
website at www.epa.gov/radon/
nram.
From page 5
“Skimming devices are be-
coming increasingly harder to
detect and often blend in seam-
lessly with the ATM,” said
Robert W.G. Andrew, CEO of
BBB serving Alaska, Oregon
and Western Washington. “If
you’re going to use an ATM, it’s
important to monitor accounts
closely, so you can quickly de-
tect fraudulent activity and min-
imize your losses.”
BBB recommends the fol-
lowing steps to fight card skim-
ming identity thieves:
• Be picky with ATMs – Try to
use the same ATM every time.
This will make it easier to no-
tice changes and identify at-
tached devices that steal num-
bers. Experts often recom-
mend choosing bank ATMs
over standalone ATMs; thieves
sometimes place phony ATMs
in public places. Avoid ATMs in
poorly lit areas.
• Protect PINs – When en-
tering a PIN number, cover the
keypad with a hand to prevent
any cameras from catching dig-
its. False keypads placed over
real keypads are also a way
scammers get PIN numbers; if
the keypad looks different,
move on.
• Inspect the scanner –
Skimming devices are often
false panels attached to the
ATM—usually where the card
inserts into the machine. Wig-
gle parts of the ATM that look
damaged or different to check
for looseness. Also look for
new or suspiciously placed
cameras and unusual signage.
• Keep an eye on statements
– Even the most vigilant person
can still fall victim to ATM skim-
mers, so keep a close eye on
accounts and statements. Re-
port suspicious activity immedi-
ately. Consumer protections for
debit cards vary, but depend
largely on when the fraudulent
activity is reported. Waiting too
long to report fraud can lead to
cleaned out bank accounts and
difficulty reversing unautho-
rized charges.
A healthy diet can help fight off the winter sniffles and coughs
People try many different
methods to avoid catching a
cold or flu during the winter
months. One thing to remem-
ber is that simple diet choices
can boost our immune system.
The following list includes sim-
ple things that can boost the
immune system to work at peak
performance.
• Get plenty of liquids to help
prevent viruses and bacteria
from taking up residence in
your body. The mucus in your
nose is actually one of the key
physical barriers that keep
germs out of your body. When
you’re not well hydrated, it dries
up and doesn’t provide that
barrier.
• Protein is a building block
for a healthy immune system.
Choose lean meats, poultry
and fish, dried beans, and soy.
You can also choose protein-
rich plant sources with heart
healthy fat, like peanut butter or
nuts.
• Choose foods rich in vita-
mins C and E. These two an-
tioxidant-rich vitamins may pro-
tect cells – including those of
your immune system – from
damage by toxins in the envi-
ronment. Choose citrus fruits,
melons, mangoes, kiwi, pep-
pers, tomatoes, berries, broc-
coli, cabbage, sweet/white po-
tatoes, winter squash, leafy
greens, almonds, hazelnuts,
peanut butter, sunflower seeds,
safflower oil, whole grains and
fortified cereals several times a
day.
• Eat probiotic foods to help
build up good bacteria in the in-
testines. These bacteria play a
role in helping fend off illness-
es. Any fermented food is rich
in this type of good bacteria, so
choose yogurt, sauerkraut,
tofu, brined pickles and aged
cheese at least d aily.
• Add a zinc-rich food to your
daily diet to increase the pro-
duction of white blood cells in
your body. Research shows
State Farm ®
Providing Insurance and Financial Services
Home Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710
Bunny Girt, Agent
503-901-1705
1229 N. Adair
PO Box 543
Cornelius, OR 97113-0543
Bus 503-357-3131 Fax 503-357-9667
bunny.girt.b71g@statefarm.com
that this may reduce the num-
ber of days you suffer from a
cold. Some foods rich in zinc
are yogurt, lean red meat, poul-
try and fish, almonds, pumpkin
Columbia County
Mental Health
800-294-5211
-----------------
Suicide Hotline
1-800-
784-2433
or
1-800-273-
TALK(8255)
seeds and fortified cereals.
Source: Susan Mills-Gray, Nutrition
and Health Education specialist,
University of Missouri Extension.
Domestic Abuse
Hotline
503-397-6161
or
866-397-6161
-----------------
Military Helpline
888-HLP-4-VET
(888-457-4838)