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

Olivia Rossi, RN, MSN, ACSM
Your Personal Trainer

It became a classic in the 1960s, a classic of biblical proportions.  The lyrics are taken almost verbatim from the Book of Ecclesiastes.  “To Everything There is a Season” was composed by Pete Seeger in 1959 and recorded by him in 1962.  The phrase “Turn, Turn, Turn” subsequently became its title and, in 1965, The Byrds’ version attained the status as #1 pop song with the oldest lyrics.

The New Year is about time.  It’s about turning—turning a page on a new calendar, turning over a new leaf or towards a new idea.  Perhaps that’s where New Year’s resolutions have their beginnings, in human nature’s desire to strive, to continue and to change.

Oregon Women’s Report Survey,

Question: If were stuck in an automotive emergency tonight how prepared would you be?  What items are in your car right now.

Before the snow storm hit Oregon this week, Oregon Women’s Report did a survey on preparedness for unexpected emergencies while in your car. 

By Sandy
Reluctant Entertainer Blog
Real entertaining for real people

This time of year makes me want to free myself from clutter and stuff. I can’t wait to put the Christmas stuff back into the attic and to reclaim my space. An upcoming January resolution for me (although I’m not a big resolution person) is going to be to try to live with less, and to thin out and organize what I do have.

My friend, Melissa (Drop the Baby Weight), recently shared with me how she was looking forward to a restful, peaceful Christmas season. But it wasn’t always that way. She shared with me that by reading Reluctant Entertainer this past year, it actually helped her to get over her shyness and learn to reach out more.

And it also challenged her when it came to stuff …

C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital
National Poll on Children’s Health- Report

Implications: In many ways, cell phones can give parents and kids a sense of security, providing a mechanism for frequent check-ins and a way to call for help in true emergency. But that sense of security may be offset by increasing reports of “sexting” and the serious consequences that can result from ill-advised sharing of sexual content, either in images or text messages.

Ah the joys of photoshop.

HealthDay News – Marijuana use among teens may trigger neurological changes in the developing brain that lead to increased anxiety and stress levels that could persist into adulthood, new animal research suggests. Although the finding stems solely from work conducted with adolescent and adult lab rats — not yet replicated among humans — the work suggests that certain troublesome changes in levels of the key brain chemicals serotonin and norepinephrine may linger long after marijuana use ceases.

“Here, the goal was simply to understand the neurological mechanism that could be underlying the specific phenomenon of depression and anxiety observed in previous studies among adolescents chronically exposed to cannabis,” explained study author Dr. Gabriella Gobbi, a psychiatric researcher at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal.

Your Fitness Trainer:  A Crisp Wintry Day Remembered
By Olivia Rossi, RN, MSN, ACSM

The snows of last December rendered me two gifts.  The first, a photo of our house which became this year’s Christmas card.  The second, a poem written as I looked out the window late one afternoon.  Something about snow brings out the kid in all of us.  That’s what happened to me.

Our cat, Maggie, was six months old at the time of the big snow.  She was exploring her world and was only allowed outside under supervision.  I just couldn’t help myself.  She needed to learn about snow, so I took her out to our front lawn “. . . where the snow lay ‘round about, deep and crisp and even.”  I had no sled so I made her one, a toboggan of sorts, created from a laundry basket and a rope.  As I pulled her along, a neighbor walked by and told me it was nice to see that I was still a kid at heart.  She was right.  Maggie didn’t even jump out.  I think she was smiling!  I know I was.

HealthDay News- It may be possible to create foods with hunger-suppressing aromas that would offer a new way to fight overeating and obesity, Dutch scientists say. Researchers have long attempted to develop foods that could trigger or increase the feeling of fullness and, until recently, have focused on the effects of food in the stomach after it was swallowed, Rianne Ruijschop and colleagues said in a news release.

But efforts now include examination of foods that release hunger-quenching aromas while they’re being chewed. It’s known that food aromas consist of molecules that activate areas of the brain that signal fullness.

HealthDay News– Along with preventing pregnancy, hormonal contraceptives also treat menstruation-related disorders such as severe menstrual pain and heavy menstrual bleeding, according to a new Practice Bulletin issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The bulletin also said that combined contraceptives containing both estrogen and progesterone reduce the risk of endometrial, ovarian and colorectal cancer. Other potential benefits include prevention of menstrual migraines, treatment of pelvic pain caused by endometriosis and treatment of bleeding because of uterine fibroids.

Oregon Women’s Report Survey,
(answer next weeks’ questions here)

Oregon women were asked on what things contribute the most to Holiday stress.  The results were pooled into three groups.   Seems like old family feuds adds the most stress.  To battle this week’s holiday stress, we have listed the Mental Health Association tips for coping with holiday stress below.

Coping with Stress & Depression During the Holidays

By Nancy Johnson DVM
Veterinary Hospital, Eugene
We care about pets and their people

This year, 2009, swine flu has affected people all over the world. In most cases it causes fever and respiratory disease which responds well to supportive care. Most people are sick for about a week and then recover.  However, swine flu or pandemic H1N1 influenza (it’s more scientific name) has resulted in hospitalization and death is some cases. An estimated 1200 Oregonians have been hospitalized with swine flu this year, and over 60 deaths in Oregon have been attributed to this viral disease (data from www.flu.oregon.gov )

Recently we’ve learned that our pets can be infected with H1N1 influenza, and many people are concerned that their pets may pose a risk to their family.  The USDA reports  as of 12/4/09 in the USA there have been confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza in pigs, ferrets, cats, one cheetah, and turkeys. In Oregon five ferrets have tested positive for the virus, and all survived the illness. Two Oregon cats were confirmed to have H1N1 influenza, and sadly both of these cats did die as a result of their illness. To date no dogs have been confirmed with the H1N1 influenza in the United States, though there has been an outbreak of a dog specific flu (H3N8) with similar symptoms.

by Lynn Ketchum
Oregon State University Extension Service

AURORA, Ore. – From vodka in the water to I.V. tubes in the trunk, there are lots of urban myths about how to take care of your cut Christmas tree. Specialists from Oregon State University Extension Service and Washington State University bust those myths with answers to some common questions.

Q. How do I know a tree is fresh when I purchase it?
A. Choose a tree that looks green and healthy with needles that snap like a fresh carrot. Shake it a few times to get rid of old needles. Once you’re home, place the tree in water if you do not plan to put it up immediately. Choose a large, water-filled stand to display the tree indoors. Check the water level daily; trees will be very thirsty the first few days inside a heated home.

By Olivia Rossi,
Oregon writer

They are gone.  Three friends who set out to climb our beautiful Mount Hood are gone.

We don’t know what happened and we don’t know why.  I heard their parents speak lovingly of them, that they were doing what they loved.  I followed the story all week as we all did, hoping and praying that they were safe, that they were sheltered, that they were still with us and that they would come home.  They will not.  We cannot begin to know their parents’ pain.  We can only share in it.

HealthDay News- Common chemicals found in plastic toys and elsewhere could contribute to the abnormal growth of breasts in boys, preliminary research suggests. The research, published in a prominent medical journal for pediatricians, adds fuel to the debate over these chemicals, called phthalates, whose safety has been questioned by some scientists. The chemical industry claims the ubiquitous manmade chemicals, which are used to soften plastics and stabilize fragrances, are safe.

The small study only involved a few dozen boys, but if more research confirms that the chemicals boost estrogen levels, as some scientists suspect, then “we need to start thinking about how we can approach chemical policy and chemical regulation so we don’t have phthalates causing this effect,” said Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington, who is familiar with the study findings.

By Evergreen,
Portland Writer

I am furious at the headlines this week screaming about latest photos of Tiger Woods‘ wife running errands without her wedding ring.  One picture shows her with her daughter.  Let us set it straight, the wife of Tiger Woods, Elin Nordegren, is more than a victim of an unfaithful husband.  Elin’s future, finances and family are coming apart around her for the decision that her husband Tiger Woods made.  Unleashing the paparazzi on her to stalk her wherever she and her children goes is just plain wrong and further punishes the wrong person.

I know an Oregon couple that is just recovering from a devastating affair from an unfaithful wife.  Like Tiger Woods, the affair went on for many years. The wife wanted to bail but the husband refused to break the marriage apart and opted for marriage counseling.  It was difficult.  At one point both were ready to split.  After several painful weeks a change happened, faults were confessed by both sides and the pair came back together.

HealthDay News– Sarah Reinertsen likes to think of herself as part human, part machine. A one-legged girl in a two-legged world is how the 34-year-old triathlete likes to describe herself. When she’s not training for a marathon, you can find her speaking to packed school auditoriums or posing nude with her metal leg crossed over her bare right leg on the cover of the latest ESPN Body Issue.

She is the first female amputee to win an Ironman competition. She climbed the Great Wall of China and scaled a giant cliff in Vietnam during the 10th season of the CBS television show The Amazing Race. And when she’s not running or biking or swimming, she’s trying on artificial limbs to test the latest body armor for a company that makes prosthetics. She also rallies soldiers who have lost their limbs to war. She is a hometown hero talking to runners who have known her since she was an 11-year-old who climbed into a sneaker and began running for her life.

By Erika Weisensee

Trembling voice. Shaking hands. Pounding heart. Butterflies. People fearful of speaking in public may experience these and other unfortunate side effects. As if public speaking weren’t difficult enough, these physical reactions to nervousness only get in the way of presenting one’s ideas.

Public speaking is a legitimate fear (known as glossophobia) and one that can impose life-long social and professional limitations on its sufferers. When people are asked about their greatest fears, studies have revealed that public speaking frequently ranks number one, followed by fear of dying. Unfortunately, there is no instant cure for those who fear public speaking—except completely avoiding it. But, it is a learned skill that gets easier and easier with practice.

Oregon Women’s Survey Results,
Take the December Survey Here, Questions on Tiger Woods, Holiday Stress & Oregon idiot of the month

This Weeks question is on proper allowance for a 10-year old.  The question was posed to Oregon women, “How much do you consider is appropriate for a monthly allowance for a 10-year old?”.  Below is the answer.