The Oregon Women's Report - Women's News from Oregon

Submitted By: Gienie Assink, Springfield, Oregon

When my second son, Elijah, was a few weeks old, I had a minute to realize I was overwhelmed by the abrupt addition to my life.  Nine months is enough time to prepare a room, but nothing prepares you for a new baby! After being a mother already for nearly two years, I was shocked to learn, the second time around would be much different than the first.  Nothing in my life as a wife, chauffer, head cook, lover, friend, business woman–not to mention president of “No One Knows What I Do Unless I Don’t Do It, Inc.” prepared me for Elijah.  I hasten to add, “as wonderful as he is”.

Submitted by Kay Helbling

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Each time I pick up groceries I’m reminded by the checkout clerk with their request for “rounding up my purchase amount and giving the loose change to cancer”. So few pennies for such a huge cause…and then, the pennies become tears when memories reflect on a family member or personal friend who walked through the ordeal.

You receive the news. Your friend has cancer. This vital, always happy, always healthy, always active, woman. How can it be? A million things run through your mind. What can I do to help? What does she need the most from me right now?

As any good friend you want to do anything and everything you can but where do you start? It doesn’t matter, you simply start. She will need you each step of the way.

By Erika Weisensee,

About a year ago, my husband pointed out that I had a whole bunch of unanswered text messages in my cell phone’s inbox. My first thought was, “My cell phone has an inbox?” Even more amazing, was the idea that friends and family were texting me. After a friend gave me a quick lesson, I started sending little messages to the texters in my life.   But within a few weeks, the novelty of texting had worn off. The truth is, I don’t need one more way to communicate with people. I already have two email addresses and two voicemail systems, and texting is tedious. Typing a sentence on my phone’s tiny keypad is more difficult than just dialing the number and talking. I still text a little, but only when a phone call is inconvenient.

By Your Personal Trainer,
Olivia Rossi, RN, MSN, ACSM

We are surrounded by food. It’s everywhere–at the movies, at the mall, at work, at the airport. It’s available, convenient and it’s usually pretty tasty. The problem is that it’s often not healthy. In choosing foods that are prepared by others, we lose control not only over the way in which it is prepared but also over the ingredients with which it is prepared. Compared to foods prepared at home, most commercially prepared foods are high in sodium, cholesterol and sugar. Those ingredients contribute to three of the risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Knowing your numbers and making some changes in your eating habits can help to decrease your risk.

By Evergreen,

All of my household plants have died. My friends only buy me plants that are resilient and need little care. I accidentally killed those plants as well. So this week I decided to try those paper Magic Trees. What could go wrong? All you have to do is add the enclosed solution to the paper tree and it begins blossoming in two hours.

First of all, something happened to my plant solution. Somewhere under my care part of the solution gelled up and was unusable, leaving me with less solution to use. During the first hour of blooms, I couldn’t resist showing my new joy to my neighbor office workers . While boasting I accidently dropped it on the floor. Most of the flowers burst out upon the floor. The tree was supposed to be a thing of pride, joy and beauty. Now it is a towering symbol of my blunderings.

Photo by Abbie Storm. St. Johns Bridge, Portland.

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There are a many people who are crazy about yoga today. One reason is that it makes them feel better and in good shape. The different poses and postures make their body healthy. So if you want to keep your body in shape, this might be the best exercise for you. But for most of them they find Yoga is the best way to relax and unwind

What might come as a surprise to you is that yoga is good to fight certain illness. There have been researches which proved that yoga helps you to control anxiety, reduces asthma, arthritis, blood pressure, back pain, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, epilepsy, diabetes, headaches, stress and many more.

Submitted by Kay Helbling

Look at the big moon daddy! I remember my sister saying those words as the brilliant orange harvest moon hung in the sky over our North Dakota farm. It was fall, and fall was all around us—trees turning color and pumpkins being harvested. Those harvest moons come pretty rarely in Oregon, but the excitement of the harvest season never fails us.

By Erika Weisensee

By the end of October, tens of thousands of Oregon students will vote in the ‘08 political election. Most, of course, are well below the required age of 18, but that won’t stop them from casting their votes for President, U.S. senators, representatives to Congress, and Oregon ballot measures. This isn’t voter fraud. It’s the 2008 Oregon Mock Election, a terrific program sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Oregon.  By learning about the political process now, students will be prepared when they reach voting age to be active participants in our democracy. That’s the whole idea, according to Project Coordinator Krista Horning.

By Olivia C. Rossi, RN, MSN,

Regular exercisers will tell you that they keep exercising because it makes them feel good.  We do know that exercise has a positive effect on mood.  The evidence can be found in brain chemistry or, more specifically, neuro-chemicals or transmitters that affect mood.  I guess we can think of it as “better living through chemistry.”  I want to focus on one of those neurotransmitters, not only in relation to exercise, but to our everyday lives, serotonin.

Serotonin elevates your mood, increases good feelings and lifts depression.  Exercise psychologist Andrea Dunn of the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas, says exercise is a viable treatment for depression.  “It affects the biology in the brain the same way that anti-depressive drugs do.” 

By Cathy Rae Smith,
Founder of Culture Magazine

Though it is a delight to live in an era when women no longer suffer the rigors of corseting oneself within a whisper of fainting away, there still remains the timeless lure of glamour. Happily, Ralph Lauren’s fall collection blends the appeal of sumptuous fabrics and flattering line with stylish flair by topping each ensemble with le chapeau élégant. And may I just say, bravo, how refreshing!

Sure, I love cramming on a baseball cap when wishing to shield the face from sun while pulling a weed or two from my flower garden or to avoid rain while dashing off to an exercise class, but there comes a time to take the daring step up in one’s style statement and do the unexpected.

Submitted By: Gienie Assink, Springfield, Oregon

You’re the star of your will, but there’s a big supporting cast!

Your will contains a list of names, starting with your own.  The other people and organizations you mention either receive property when you die, or have specific jobs to do.  While almost anyone would be delighted to be on the receiving list, you ought to be sure the people you’re asking to carry out your wishes are willing and able to play their parts.

Read the full article and discuss it » | (3 comments)

Submitted by Kay Helbling,

Remember the term “entry level” job in the business world? It was for the folks without a college degree. The job you took as a file clerk, receptionist or in the mail room. Higher positions were reserved for the college grads—the positions that were distinguished as “careers” rather than “jobs”, where you could potentially move from driving a used car to a new car.

Now, all around you, from receptionist to mailroom, you’ll find young folks with college degrees answering phones and bundling packages. It seems “everyone has a college degree”. So, how can college be used as a jumping off point to a career?

By Erika Weisensee

A couple of weeks ago, I took a chocolate class. Does school get any better than this? My husband Alex and two other family members joined me on this delightful diversion. Collectively, we were looking for something entertaining to mix up our week. We were hoping for some good recipes to use at family gatherings. And, duh. We love chocolate. The two-hour class was held at New Seasons’ Happy Valley Cooking School, which takes up one whole corner of the store. Cassie Miller, a New Seasons dessert expert, taught the class. She began by introducing herself and her assistant, then asking us if anyone was allergic to chocolate. We chuckled at the irony of her question. Believe me, no one in this class had a chocolate allergy.

By Olivia C. Rossi, RN, MSN

It’s all about movement but what kind and how much?  Last week, the Guidelines for Physical Activity were released by the Department of Health and Human Services.  Basically it calls ” . . .  for a minimum of 150-minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, an amount most reasonable on five days a week at a duration of 30 minutes.”  What exactly do they mean by “physical activity?”   And what is “moderate-intensity?” Remember, this public health agency is concerned with just that, the public health, because much of the “public” has stopped moving.  “Its aim is to try to simply move people out of the lowest levels of cardiorespiratory fitness because studies have shown that it can have a profound (and beneficial) effect on the public health.” (Dr. Barry A. Franklin, American Heart Association).  Conversely, being sedentary is one of the major risk factors for the development of coronary artery disease.

Working Woman Panel.  How do you find time when there absolutely is none?

“Try to get organized..Not always easy.  Learn to say NO…  You cannot be all things to all people.
Try to be good to yourself.”
Shirley
Auto Repair Shop Owner, Salem

 Submitted By: Gienie Assink, Springfield, Oregon

What’s the biggest difference between being dependent on someone else and being on your own?  For many women it’s taking financial responsibility for themselves and perhaps for dependents as well.

Being financially responsible usually means earning enough money to support yourself.   That may be something you experience for the first time as a young woman ready to move into a home of your own.  But financial independence isn’t as much an age issue as you may think. 

Submitted by Kay Helbling

When I sat down to write my posting for the week, my head was spinning. So much heavy news to filter and the weight of two boys in college didn’t help. I decided we could all use a break by taking ourselves back to a more carefree time. Maybe my memories will rekindle a memory or two you’ll be able to share with me.

Some of the greatest memories from my boys childhood were the great birthday theme parties we’d throw. I was sorting through my file drawers and came across the “family” folder. You know the folder. It’s about 6 inches thick and has everything from wedding announcements to funeral announcements to…copies of all of those birthday invitations that were saved throughout the boys youth.

By Erika Weisensee

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an appropriate time to bring attention to some startling figures. Approximately one in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute for Justice. Domestic violence is a pervasive social problem that affects people (and yes, men, too) of all ages, races, and socio-economic backgrounds. Yet, studies consistently show that young women are disproportionately vulnerable to domestic and dating violence. 

Your Personal Trainer: From Discipline to Freedom,  My Personal Philosophy
By Olivia C. Rossi, RN, MSN.

Over the many years that I have been in the health and exercise field, the aspect of exercise that I have noticed is hardest for most people is getting started.  We all know that exercise is good for us.  Exercise science can now prove it by telling us about the many benefits of exercise.  What remains the toughest part of getting started and taking that first step is motivation.  Behavior change is a difficult process.  What better way to find out what motivates people to exercise than to talk to those who are, and have been, regular exercisers.   This week, I have decided to let you in on some of my own motivators and my own personal philosophy on exercise, why I got started and why I am still exercising after 35-years.  So,  here’s my story .  .  .