Health: Mas

Eating Disorders Continued…

Bulimia Nervosa
People with bulimia nervosa binge (eat large amounts of food in a short time). They then purge the excess calories by:
• Vomiting
• Using laxatives, diuretics (water pills), or emetics (pills that cause vomiting)
• Fasting
• Exercising to extremes

People with bulimia sometimes eat 20,000 calories in a single binge. They often feel out of control and know that what they are doing is not normal.

Bulimia is harder than anorexia to detect because the person’s weight often is normal or just above normal. They may quickly go up or down 10 pounds.

Bulimia can cause severe medical problems such as:
• Dehydration
• Damage to the bowels, liver, and kidney
• Damage to the throat, esophagus, and stomach (caused by self-induced vomiting)
• An irregular heartbeat or heart failure
• Problems with teeth and gums

People with bulimia know their eating is out of control, but they are afraid of being fat and of not being able to stop eating. Ridding the body of excess calories may help them feel they have regained control over their bodies.

They often feel very depressed, guilty, and shameful after they binge. They may feel that they must hide the problem from others.

Binge Eating Disorder
Binge eating (also called compulsive eating) may be the most common of the eating disorders. About 2 out of every 100 American adults have this disorder.

Binge eating involves eating large amounts of food. In this way, it is like bulimia. Binge eaters do not purge after binging, though. Binge eaters may eat regular meals and snacks throughout the day. Sometimes they may overeat all day rather than binging.

Binge eaters usually become overweight or obese. In fact, up to 40 percent of obese people may be binge eaters.

Binge eaters often do their binge eating in secret. They then feel depressed, guilty, or shameful.

Anger, sadness, boredom, or anxiety may trigger a binge. Dieting may worsen binge eating in some people.

The causes of binge eating are not known. However, as many as half of all people with this problem have a history of depression.

Binge eating may cause severe medical problems:
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol levels (which can cause the arteries to harden and can cause heart disease and heart attacks)
• Gall bladder disease
• Diabetes
• Certain types of cancer

Many of these problems are caused by the weight gained from binge eating.
ACOG Patient Education

Jacalynn’s journey of love, tragedy

Many knew 17-year-old Jacalynn Faith Hernandez as shy, quiet and caring.

Others saw her as strong and courageous through running track and her tragic battle against Valley Fever during the last two years of her life.

Last Saturday, more than 100 relatives, friends and community gathered to remember a young Latina whose life was cut short by the disease.

But Jacalynn left behind her story that will be told as part of a Valley Fever awareness campaign.

Perhaps her journey with a disease caused by a fungus that lives in the soil will educate others and help find a cure, family members said.

“She was one of the sweetest and quietest of my granddaughters… and caring,” said abuela Mary Stella Aguilar Hernandez. “She was a fighter.”

The little fighter was remembered at her funeral service last Saturday where she lay in a pink-themed decorated coffin with her favorite stuffed monkey, Faith Banandez.

“As a grandmother, you never expect your grandchildren to go before you,” Hernandez said.

The funeral service, held at Valley Bible Church in east Bakersfield, attracted many loved ones and community members who wore pink shirts with Jacalynn’s picture printed on the back and a pin that read, “We fight the fever.”

The 17-year-old died Aug. 1 at UCLA’s Mattel Children’s Hospital after being diagnosed with it more than two years ago.

Her passing, often referred as “a death out of order,” deeply touched the lives of those who knew Jacalynn as a healthy track runner and a happy young girl.

“I’m really sad that this happened to her. It’s sad to see such a beautiful girl go like that,” said Susana Vargas, 37.

Vargas said Jacalynn and her daughters, who are cousins, used to spend the night together.

Jacalynn’s main reason to continue fighting the disease was her love for her parents and her family.

Jacalynn’s father said her ordeal with Valley Fever started right after her first year as a freshman at Bakersfield High School.

He said she was always feeling sick with headaches and vomiting. She then developed a large pimple on her nose that looked like a spider’s bite — a lesion from the disease.

But it wasn’t until she was hospitalized at Kern Medical Center that she learned it was Valley Fever.

Since then, Hernandez said Jacalynn spent in the hospital even two to three months at a time. The last time, however, she was hospitalized in November and stayed there until her recent passing, he said.

“She was told on her 17th birthday that she had less than 10 percent chance to survive, but she pulled it through,” he said. “From Day One, she never gave up fighting.”

Unfortunately, the fungus spread beyond her lungs and attacked her spleen, liver, gallbladder, skin, bones, bloodstream and brain, causing meningitis.

While Valley Fever was not new to her family - several of Jacalynn’s close relatives, including her mother, Michelle Melendez, have also fought it - they had never experienced the fatal form of the disease.

Valley Fever, technically known as Coccidioidomycosis, or “Cocci,” is a fungus that is picked up from the soil. When the spores become wind-borne and are inhaled into the lungs, the infection develops.

Some people may experience flu or cold symptoms. In some cases, it can get more serious with pneumonia-like symptoms requiring medication. Others — about half of the victims — may have it but not feel sick at all.

Jacalynn’s family decided to partner with of Valley Fever Vaccine Project of the Americas to share Jacalynn’s story as part of an awareness campaign.

Sandra Larson, executive president of the group, said Jacalynn’s highly publicized case is making a difference.

Her parents will speak at some events and the awareness campaign featuring Jacalynn will help raise money to develop a vaccine.

An average of 10 to 11 people die from Valley Fever every year in Kern County, Larson said.

“It’s less than the risk of being injured in a car wreck, but if you are injured in a car wreck, you know what happened” Larson said. “If you breath in one of those spores, you may not know what happened and it may remain undiagnosed. And, that’s the danger.”

Just do it!

As the Hispanic community continuously grows, the lack of adequate blood supply puts a strain on Houchin Blood Bank as they search for Hispanic blood donors. Added to that need is the fact that Hispanics carry a rare antigen in the blood which could save another’s life, according to Tracy Hunter, community relations coordinator for Houchin Blood Services. Although Houchin does not keep ethnic statistics, they do know that the Hispanic donor rate is significantly lower than the rate of Caucasian donors.

“We are constantly challenged with educating the Hispanic community with the need to donate,” said Hunter, who added that Houchin Blood Bank is one of the few centers that offer a “rare donor program” for minorities with these rare antigens.

To help meet the demand for Hispanic blood donors, La Rosa Ice Cream Bars, The Spanish Radio Group and Houchin Blood Bank have teamed up for the “Beat the Heat Blood Drive,” beginning Monday, July 21 through Saturday, July 26. There will be a daily raffle for donors to win up to a $100 gift certificate. Donors will also receive a free T-shirt provided by Houchin Blood Bank and an ice cream bar provided by La Rosa Ice Cream Bars.

To be considered part of the rare donor program at Houchin, the donor may request a form to fill out during registration or they may be randomly selected by the lab.

Overall, Kern County has about 3 percent of blood donors out of a population of nearly 800,000, according to Hunter. To maintain a good amount of supply, 150 donors are needed every single day, she said.

During the manufacturing process, one donation can be separated into three blood components, which are plasma, platelets and red blood cells. The three components can save three lives.

A large number of the Hispanic population carries Type O blood. Type O is the universal blood type and the most common form.

Type O negative blood is the preferred blood for accident victims and babies needing exchange transfusions, according to the American Red Cross.

Since 57 percent of Hispanics have Type O (positive/negative) blood, this only further illustrates the need for Hispanic blood donors, Hunter said.

It’s a need that Norma Diaz, owner of La Rosa Ice Cream Bars, knows first hand.

“Many years ago, my friend, Gene, fell ill and needed a platelet transfusion. He only wanted donations from people he knew,” said Diaz, who was able to give her friend the platelets he needed to keep him alive. “As I mature, I have wanted to learn more about donating blood, support is really important to me.”

So one day, as Diaz was driving to deliver some of her La Rosa products, she noticed the colorful signs about blood drives on the Houchin Blood Bank building, and she decided to give them a call.

Diaz contacted Hunter to see how she could get her business involved with educating the Hispanic community on the importance of donating blood. She is now committed to that goal, starting with donating blood herself.

“I just earned my 1-gallon license plate holder,” Diaz said.

The donating process starts with registration. The donor must be 17 years of age and weigh at least 112 pounds. A photo ID with a birth date should be brought in at the time of donation.

For first-time donors, a donor card with a series of questions must be filled out.

Then, the donor must be given a mini physical to determine eligibility for the safety of the recipient.

Houchin Blood Bank stores 99 percent of blood supply within Kern County. The other 1 percent can be shipped to other blood centers nationwide. Thirty-seven percent of annual blood donors are high school aged.

But it is these summer months that are the most difficult time to maintain the flow of donors, Hunter said.

Currently, Houchin is between 50 percent and 75 percent of their required supply.

“We recently turned back to focus on minorities ... in the past, it has failed,” said Hunter, who added that with local hospitals expanding the need for blood donations continues to increase. “We are targeting the Hispanic population, but are open to the community.”

Women’s Health: Eating disorders

In the United States, 7 million women and girls have eating disorders. Eating disorders are less common in men and boys, but they do occur. The three main types of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Eating disorders are serious problems. With proper medical care and counseling, they can be treated.

What are eating disorders?
Eating disorders are not fads and they are not diets. They are serious conditions that can lead to severs health problems — and even death. A person with an eating disorder is obsessed with food, body weight, and body shape. They also:

• Try to manage their weight in ways that are not healthy.
• Eat too little food or too much food.

Eating disorders affect the person as well as her family, friends and others around her. They can cause mental and social problems as well as physical problems.

Who gets eating disorders?
People of all backgrounds and ages can have eating disorders. These problems are most common among women and girls. They most often begin between the ages of 11 and 20.

Eating disorders are complex problems. There is no single cause, but dieting may trigger them. This does not mean that any person who diets has, or will have, an eating disorder.

People with eating disorders often:
• Have a fear of being fat.
• Have a distorted view of their body shape.
• Have low self-esteem; are depressed; unhappy with body.
• Want to be perfect.

Eating disorders often arise during stressful times, such as the teenage years. Leaving home or losing a loved one through death or divorce also is stressful.

Types of eating disorders
Anorexia nervosa (also called anorexia), bulimia nervosa (also called bulimia), and binge-eating disorder are the three main types of eating disorders. They often have different warning signs and result in different health problems.

A person with anorexia nervosa diets to extremes because she has a distorted body image. They want to be thin so badly that they may starve themselves — sometimes to death.

Anorexia can cause severe health problems, including:
• An irregular heartbeat, which can lead to heart failure and death
• Bone loss, which can lead to osteoporosis.
• Low body temperature.
• Low blood pressure.
• Kidney problems.
• A slowed metabolism.
• Slow reflexes.
• Absence of menstrual periods.
• Delay in reaching puberty.

About 5 percent to 10 percent of people die from problems caused by anorexia. It may lead to a heart attack, a coma or suicide.

Many people with anorexia also have bulimia at some point. In fact, about half of people with anorexia also have signs of bulimia, or vice versa.

Healthy Eating

Eating well is one of the best things you can do to stay healthy. A good diet gives you more energy, improves your physical and mental well-being, and decreases your risk of disease. This advice will help you learn more about:
•The benefits of healthy eating
•Good food choices
•Nutrients you need
•A healthy weight for you

A Healthy Lifestyle
Many health problems in the United States are linked to poor diet and lack of exercise. These include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, obesity, constipation, and certain cancers. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle that combines good food choices and exercise, many of these conditions can be prevented or controlled.

Food Choices
A well-balanced diet is crucial to good health. Your body needs a regular supply of nutrients to grow, replace worn-out tissue, and provide energy. How much of each nutrient you need each day is called the recommended daily allowance (RDA) or, more recently, the dietary reference intake (DRI). You can get your DRI of nutrients from food as well as from supplements. However, most of the nutrients you need should come from the foods you eat.

To be sure that your diet gives you enough nutrients, you need to know which ones are in the foods you eat. MyPyramid (www.MyPyramid.gov) can help you make healthy food choices. MyPyramid takes into account your age, sex, and how much you exercise every day. It shows the number of servings you should have each day from each of these six food groups:
1. Grains
2. Vegetables
3. Fruit
4. Oils
5. Milk
6. Meat and beans

MyPyramid lists a variety of foods in each food group and offers a sample weekly menu to help you get most nutrients out of the foods you eat.

On packaged foods, you can use the food labels to find out what nutrients they provide. A food label lists the serving size of the product and how many servings are in the package. This will help you decide how much of the product you should have for one serving. A label also will show how much of the DRI of each nutrient the serving supplies. Your daily goal is to reach 100% of each nutrient. One way of making healthy food choices is to compare food labels of similar products.

It’s ugly, it’s purple, it’s a bruise — now what?

Dear Denise,
What are the best ways to live with a bruise while it heals? Is there a special makeup that can cover up a bruise?

It seems like almost every time I have a special occasion where I want to dress up and show off my legs, I bump into the coffee table the day before — and pow! There’s a big, ol’ feo bruise right there for the world to see!

Some people have told me that I probably need more potassium in my diet to help prevent bruises from happening too easily. Guess I need to eat some bananas, right?

Signed,
Bruised Ego

Dear Bruised Ego,
I wish I could tell you about some magical wand to get rid of your bruises, but there really is not! First of all, “WATCH WHERE YOU’RE GOING, CLUMSY!”

Really, a lack of vitamins can be part of the reason why you are bruising so easily. It would be wise to take one-a-day vitamins and have a regular check-up with your family doctor to make sure you are not lacking anything such as potassium, iron or vitamin C.

Another thing you should do is ice the area you’ve bonked as soon as you can, especially if you think you are going to bruise in the first 24 hours. Then apply heat afterward and try resting.

You can also apply vitamin K directly and/or Witch Hazel to the bruise, this helps heal and reduce pain. Now if you ask my abuelita, she would first say, “Were you drunk or just blind when you did this?” Then she would apply some Arnica, which is an old school remedy to help reduce pain and swelling (and you know Abuelita is always right).

If you are totally desperate to cover the bruise, there are many different cosmetic products you can buy such as Derma Blend, Estee Lauder Maximum Coverage or just mix a little of your foundation — as long as it matches the skin tone of the area — and apply it directly to the bruised area. But make sure it blends, or you’re going to look even worse with a big light spot.

OK, please try to be careful ...

Remember, we Chicanas are delicate flowers!

Good Luck,
Denise

Dial 2-1-1

Ever needed on-the-spot advice for non-emergency situations, such as information including childcare, healthcare, food banks, or maybe homeless shelters?

Then the simple, three digit 2-1-1 countywide information and referral system is the answer to your needs.

2-1-1 enables callers to get valuable social services at no cost and to cut inefficiency with the thousands of agencies and organizations by providing trained specialists at the touch of the dial 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Romala Ramkissoon, 2-1-1 coordinator for Community Action Partnership, explains that the 2-1-1 program was launched in Kern County during October 2007.

According to Ramkissoon, when you call the 2-1-1 line, you are guaranteed at least three referrals from different agencies found in their databases.

“There is always a live person there, never a recording,” Ramkissoon said.

Another valuable result of the 2-1-1 program is the transportation component of the hotline. Callers can utilize 2-1-1 to find free transportation services for appointments and other personal needs.

Flor Hull, local administrator in the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development Transitional Program and Sober Living Program, said that the transportation service they use through 2-1-1 has been a major help to her clients.

“Clients use it for a lot of different things. The people there we know almost on a first-name basis, especially a woman named Dora,” Hull said.

Hull added that the 2-1-1 program is very valuable for her clients at the treatment center, and they have been using the 2-1-1 system consistently for about six months.

The ease of the bilingual services also contributes to the success of the hotline for her clients.

The 2-1-1 hotline offers bilingual services in Spanish, as well as other languages.

Translators are on hand to support any language a caller may be more comfortable speaking, and the program strives to remain accessible to those with disabilities.

“Language is not a barrier to our program. We will be able to serve them,” Ramikssoon said. “Calls are also anonymous. The operator will only ask for the zip code to ensure that the services are closest to their residence.”

Since 2-1-1 is a hotline dedicated to non-emergency phone calls, the Sheriff's

Department and the Bakersfield Police Department transfer calls to 2-1-1 to alleviate the abundance of non-emergency calls they receive daily and to free up the lines for life-threatening situations.

The 2-1-1 helpline is free, and all cell phone providers give access to callers to directly dial from their personal devices. However, Ramkissoon explained that dialing 2-1-1 would use minutes from personalized cell phone plans, but calling from a landline has no charge.

Della Hodson, director of community impact at United Way, agrees with Ramikssoon that 2-1-1 is very accessible and open to all members of the Kern community.

“You can call from anywhere in the county,” Hodson said.

Hodson explained that 2-1-1 is part of a national initiative to reserve those digits for social services, and gives communities quick and easy routes to gaining information.

As of last year, 2-1-1 is available to approximately 65 percent of the U.S. population.

The United Way, First Five of Kern, County of Kern, and the Kern County Department of Public Health fund the 2-1-1 program.

The 2-1-1 information hotline originated from the Kern County referral system called “Helpline.” “Helpline” was developed to serve the same function as 2-1-1, but was a seven digit number callers needed to remember to gain access. Helpline began offering services in October 1996.

Since Helpline was seven digits long and harder to remember, 2-1-1 offered a great solution and boost in the number of callers per month.

According to Ramkissoon, access has increased to between 12, 000 to 15,00 calls per month, and as of January 2008, there will be at least three full-time staff available.

“We have no complaints so far. But since we have one bilingual staff member the wait line for bilingual callers can be long, so we are looking to hire an all-bilingual staff soon,” Ramkissoon said.

The silent killer

By Rudy Sagastume
Special to MÁS

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, orderless, tasteless gas that is the product of incomplete combustion. It poisons the red blood cells so that they cannot carry enough oxygen to supply our vital organs.
The reason we start to see more cases of CO poisoning at this time of year is because folks start turning their gas furnaces on and occasionally these furnaces are faulty, resulting in incomplete combustion and CO production.
Sadly, when the temperatures really plummet or power outages occur, we’ll see cases where a family has brought a charcoal grill indoors to supplement heating the home. This is a recipe for disaster, as those grills put off a tremendous amount of CO in poorly ventilated areas.
Other causes of CO poisoning include faulty chimneys; gas water heaters; exhaust systems in cars; or house fires in which victims were trapped; and intentional/suicidal exposures.
About 230 people die each year from CO poisoning related to fuel-burning household appliances. When inhaled, carbon monoxide — a tasteless, orderless gas — is easily absorbed into the blood. The gas is lethal when it replaces the amount of oxygen needed to sustain heart and brain function.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headaches, fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath and nausea, and are often dismissed as “a touch of the flu,” even by doctors.

Play it safe
If you experience symptoms that could be from CO poisoning:
• Do get fresh air immediately. Open doors and windows, turn off combustion appliances and leave the house.
• Do go to an emergency room and tell the physician you suspect CO poisoning. If CO poisoning has occurred, it can often be diagnosed by a blood test done soon after exposure.
• Do be prepared to answer the following for the doctor:
1. Do your symptoms occur only in the house? Do they disappear or decrease when you leave home?
2. Is anyone else in your household complaining of similar symptoms? Did the symptoms appear about the same time?
3. Are you using any fuel-burning appliances lately?

Tips
• Never use a vented-type heater without proper venting and flue (chimney).
• Follow manufacturer’s recommendations for the proper size heater and for its installation, maintenance and use. Have it professionally installed.
• Have your heater installation checked by the local fire marshal, building inspector or gas company before lighting.
• Never use a heater that is in disrepair. Always keep your heater in proper condition.
• Turn off the heater if the burner flame looks strange, i.e., yellow flames, unsteady flames or smoky flames.
• Turn off the heater, ventilate the room and get into the fresh air if you feel other than normal, i.e., headache, nausea, fuzzy vision — CO does not have an odor and you may become unconscious before you realize there is a problem.
• Make sure the venting system is open — a blocked vent can cause a space heater to exhaust CO into your living space.
• Never sleep in a room where a gas heater is burning.
• Do not operate a gas heater in a completely “tight” room. The heater needs a source of fresh air to operate safely and efficiently. Crack a window, if needed.
• Don’t use a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short time.
• Have your heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.

The silent disease

By Luz Peña
MÁS staff

This Nov. 14. won’t be just an ordinary day for many.
It’s World Diabetes Day — designated by the United Nations to raise awareness of the chronic, debilitating and costly disease.
According to the 2003 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, more than 1.5 million Hispanic Americans have diabetes and about 7.3 percent of adults in Kern County were diagnosed with diabetes. The numbers are increasing each day.
What’s even more frightening is that Dr. Roxanne Aquino from Kaiser Permanente said the number of new cases of diabetes are mostly Hispanic.
Diabetes comes in two types. Type I is when the body doesn’t produce insulin to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy. Type II is when the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin.
Diabetes is a silent disease, so Dr. Aquino says if you’re at risk for diabetes — overweight, have a family history, etc. — get tested frequently.
Dr. Aquino offered MÁS some quick and easy tips on preventing and controlling diabetes:

Prevention is key
• Maintain an ideal weight.
• Portion control — Make sure you’re not eating too much, especially the bad stuff like fats and sugars.
• Make moderate exercise part of your routine. For instance, take a brisk walk 150 minutes a week.

Maintaining control
• If you’re diabetic, Dr. Aquino says don’t get down on yourself, but fight back because “you can maintain a happy and healthy life with a little work.”
• Maintain a healthy weight. If you’re at a healthy weight, don’t become underweight. If you’re overweight, get to your ideal weight.
• Again — portion control.
• Moderate exercise.
• Take your medicines as directed.
• Visit your doctor regularly.
Since the cold weather and holiday season is upon us, diabetics have the extra trabajo of making sure they keep their sugar under control by continuing their physical activity and not overdoing it on the holiday food.
Speaking of food, la comida hispana is very rich in flavor, but unfortunately, it’s often high in calories, fat and sugar.
We all know food plays a huge part in our culture and family ties. So here are some healthy tips for your favorite sides dishes. Remember — no todo lo rico engorda (not all that’s tasty needs to be fattening)!

Healthy alternatives for side dishes
• Instead of making tortillas with lard, try corn or wheat — they have more fiber. Or try flour tortillas made without oil.
• Instead of white rice, try brown rice and cook the rice in broth or saute with a small amount of oil or cooking spray instead of frying in oil or lard.
• Instead of refried beans with lard or oil, try boiled beans, mashed cooked beans or canned fat-free refried beans.
• Instead of tortilla chips, try baked tortilla strips by cutting corn tortillas into triangles, spraying with vegetable oil spray and baking at 450-500 degrees for five minutes.

The good fight

Editor’s note: October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. MÁS encourages readers to take a look at these latest updates on breast cancer prevention, detection and treatment. Then call all your amigas, hermanas, tias and tu madre y abuelita — and tell them to pick up their copy of MÁS and do the same. Look for additional breast cancer articles in MÁS throughout the month:

A decline in breast cancer incidence
The breast cancer death rate in the United States continues to fall by around 2 percent a year, as it has since 1990, according to Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2007-2008, a report on breast cancer statistics and trends produced every other year by the American Cancer Society. That’s an impressive winning streak for an important indicator of success in the fight against cancer, made possible in large part, the report says, by advances in early detection and treatment.

Those advances have benefited women of some races more than others, data shows. For instance, the cancer death rate for white and Hispanic/Latina women fell by 2.4 percent between 1995 and 2004, but only by 1.6 percent for African-American women. And during the same time period, no change was seen in cancer death rates of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders or American Indians/Alaska Natives.

Also in this issue, authors note a decline in breast cancer incidence — that is, the rate at which new cancers are diagnosed — but suggest it may be due in part to fewer women getting mammograms.

Death rates differ by race
On whole, the report shows the continuation of a welcome trend — a steady decrease each year in the rate of breast cancer deaths. Thanks to increased efforts at prevention, better methods of detecting cancers early, and treatment advances, American women today are less likely to die of breast cancer than they have been in decades, said Harmon J. Eyre, MD, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society.

Looking at the issue of race — and the socioeconomic and genetic factors associated with race — it becomes clear that this good news is better for some groups of women than for others. “Perhaps most troubling,” said Eyre, “is the striking divergence in long-term mortality trends seen between African-American and white females that began in the early 1980s and that by 2004 had led to death rates being 36 percent higher in African-American women.”

Other key statistics:
An estimated 178,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women will be diagnosed in 2007, and approximately 40,460 deaths will be recorded. Only lung cancer accounts for more cancer deaths in women.

In 2004 (the latest year for which figures are available), approximately 2.4 million women living in the US had a history of breast cancer. Breast cancer accounts for more than 1 in 4 cancers in U.S. women.

On average, the breast cancer death rate decreased by 2.2 percent each year between 1990 and 2004. Younger women saw an even more significant decline during that period.

Breast cancer incidence among white women — that is, the rate at which new breast cancers are diagnosed in this group — fell by 3.7 percent a year during 2001-2004. Also declining during this time: the use of mammography and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) by white women. There was no significant change in breast cancer incidence among African-American women during this time, coinciding with stable mammography rates and HRT use.

Among women 50 and older, incidence rates have been on a steep decline (by 4.8 percent per year) since 2001. Among women under age 50, incidence rates have remained stable since 1986.

Since 2000, the incidence rate of smaller tumors has declined by 3.8 percent per year. In contrast, the incidence rate of larger tumors (more than 5 cm.) has increased by 1.7 percent per year since 1992. (Larger tumor size at diagnosis is associated with decreased survival.) Both trends may be tied to an increase in obesity in postmenopausal women, HRT use, or both.

Risk factors
The report details the major risk factors for breast cancer that women have some control over. These include:

Weight — Obesity increases a woman’s risk of postmenopausal (but not premenopausal) breast cancer, as does weight gain during adulthood.

Alcohol use — Women who drink just 2 alcoholic beverages a day face a 21 percent increase in their risk for breast cancer.

Secondhand smoke — Although most studies have found no link between cigarette smoking and breast cancer, the link between secondhand smoke and breast cancer remains controversial.

Exercise — Women can lower their risk of breast cancer by exercising vigorously for 45 to 60 minutes on five or more days per week. Postmenopausal women can lower their risk, according to one study, with any level of physical activity performed on a regular basis.

The ultimate gift

Over the past few months, 23-year-old Bakersfield resident Ernesto Gomez Jr. has been placed on a 24-hour heart monitor, subjected to a series of x-rays and laboratory tests, and undergone psychological evaluations. In the process, he’s dropped from 218 pounds to 193.

He’s not training for a marathon, applying for a job with the CIA or moonlighting as a lab rat.

He’s saving his sister’s life.

On Oct. 17 at St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles, Ernesto will donate a kidney to his sister, Deanna, 27, who has kidney failure as a result of a severe case of systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE. The transplant, if all goes well and her body accepts the new kidney, will increase her life expectancy from 10 years to 25, 30 or even 40-plus years.

“The way they put it to me is that I will actually be saving two lives — Deanna’s and the person who gets moved up on the kidney waiting list,” said Ernesto, sitting in his family’s home in south Bakersfield with his mother, Rachel, and Deanna.

Rachel, 51, though worried for both of her children, sees it as the end of a painful chapter in her daughter’s life.

“I hope it will bring the beginning of a new life for her,” said Rachel.

Close calls, surgeries and solitude
Deanna had a normal, happy childhood. Father Ernesto Sr. was in the military and the family traveled often, even living in Germany for three years.

At 12, however, she became sick and was eventually diagnosed with lupus.

Just two years later, Deanna was hospitalized when her immune system began to attack her lungs.

Admitted to the ICU with pneumonia, doctors told the Gomez family she would likely not make it through the night.

“My parents called the rest of our family and they flew out from California,” recalled Deanna. “That’s when I got really worried. Family only comes out for three things — weddings, births, and deaths.”

Miraculously, Deanna recovered, but the hard times weren’t over.

A drug doctors were using to treat her condition, prednisone — a corticosteroid — caused her face to swell noticeably.

When she became too unwell to attend school in 1994, the family enlisted a tutor. She dropped out of high school completely in her senior year.

The family moved to Bakersfield to be with Deanna’s grandfather, who was terminally ill.

In 2002 and 2003, Deanna had both her left and right hips replaced.

When she was first diagnosed, Deanna “took it in stride,” but the setbacks and isolation began to break her spirit. At one point, she was taking nine pills three times a day. She’s had about 20 surgeries over the course of her relatively short life.

“I became a little bitter,” Deanna admits.

Deanna was dealt another blow when her kidneys began to fail about a year ago and she went on dialysis three times a week and quit her job.

The family also continued making trips out of town to consult doctors.

“It’s a financial issue. We struggle with traffic expenses,” said Rachel, who noted that Deanna’s car broke down on a recent trip. “It’s like one step forward and 10 steps back.”

The transplant
Deanna’s life expectancy — if she simply remained on dialysis — is 10 years. A new kidney, however, could give her many additional years.

A person can be on the list for a transplant for five to 10 years. Hearing this, her family jumped at the chance to be donors.

Ernesto Sr. was quickly ruled out because of his high blood pressure. Then compatibility tests were run that looked at the match of human leukocyte antigens (HLA). Rachel was a four-out-of-six match, but sister Aida, 30, was even more promising — a five-out-of-six match.

Aida, stationed in San Diego with the Navy, is in great physical condition, and wanted to help, but Deanna refused because it would mean her sister — who doesn’t have kids yet — would have a high-risk pregnancy in the future.

Then little brother Ernesto volunteered and proved to be a perfect, “six-of-six” match, meaning all donor and recipient antigens mesh.

“I never drank or smoked. I play sports. I can handle the risks,” said Ernesto. “She deserves it.”

There are potential risks for Ernesto Jr. from the surgery and from having only one kidney. However, if Ernesto should get in a car accident, for instance, and need a new kidney, as a living donor, he would be at the top of a transplant list.

Looking ahead
During the MÁS visit to the Gomez home, Deanna was in good spirits.

The animal lover was surrounded by her pets — three dogs, two turtles and a bird.
If the transplant goes well, Deanna hopes to return to school and become a veterinarian. She earned her GED in 1999 and a degree from San Joaquin Valley College.

After the transplant, she’s hoping for something she hardly remembers having — a relatively “normal” existence.

She also wants to be a mom, even though a pregnancy would be risky.

“If something happens, I want my parents to still have a piece of me,” said Deanna, who plans to start a local chapter of the Lupus Foundation. “There has to be some reason I’m still here. I believe I’m alive for a reason.”

Give los niños a ‘boost’ with child passenger safety

As parents, grandparents or caregivers, we always want to do the best thing for our children’s health and safety. We make sure that they don’t eat too much candy. We teach them to look both ways before crossing the street.

But when our kids are riding in the car, are we making sure they are buckled up correctly?

Even though experts for years have stressed the importance of child safety seats, the No. 1 killer in the United States for children between the ages of 2 to 14 is car crashes.

Partners for Child Passenger Safety (PCPS) — a joint effort between State Farm Insurance, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania — is dedicated to understanding how and why children are injured or killed in auto crashes.

PCPS began in 1997 and continues to be the largest study of its kind. The study found that 83 percent of children ages 4 to 8 are inappropriately restrained in adult seat belts. It also showed that children ages 2 to 5 who use adult seat belts are 3.5 times more likely to suffer significant injury than those correctly restrained in a car seat or booster seat.

A belt-positioning booster seat is the next step after a child completely outgrows a car seat. Too many times, parents simply move their children up to an adult seat belt, even if they are not ready for one.

Seat belts are designed to fit adults, not children. A belt-positioning booster seat gives kids a lift so that a lap and shoulder belt fits them properly.

Besides emphasizing the need for the intermediate step of the belt-positioning booster seat, findings from the study support the following child passenger safety recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Up to at least 1 year old and at least 20 pounds:
• Use rear-facing infant seat or rear-facing convertible seat. Keep the child in the rear-facing seat until he or she has completely outgrown it.

• Put the car seat carrying handle down on infant seats.

• Route harness straps in lower slots, at or below shoulder level.

• Fasten harness clip at armpit level.

• Never place a rear-facing infant in the front seat with an air bag.

• Keep harness straps snug.

• Install child passenger restraint at no greater than a 45-degree angle.

Older than 1 year and more than 20 pounds; up to 40 pounds:
• Use forward-facing car seat.

• Route harness straps in upper slots, at or above shoulder level.

• Fasten harness clips at armpit level.

• Keep harness straps snug.

• Keep the child in the forward-facing car seat until he or she has completely outgrown the seat.

Over 40 pounds and ages 4 to 8, unless 4 feet, 9 inches tall:
• Use a forward-facing, belt-positioning booster seat with lap and shoulder seat belt.

• Place shoulder strap over the shoulder and snug across chest.

• Place lap belt low and tight on hips, not over stomach.

• Make sure shoulder strap is never across neck, face or arm.

Over age 8 or 4 feet, 9 inches tall:
• Use a lap and shoulder seat belt.

• Shoulder belt fits over the shoulder and across the chest.

• Lap belt should fit low and tight on hips, not over stomach.

• Shoulder belt should never be placed under arms or behind back. Remember, children are safest in the back seat. Parents can set a good example by always buckling up their seat belts when they’re in the car.

Visit: www.state-farm.com/kidsafety.htm to learn more about the correct way children should be seated in a car or about the study.

— Nathan Ortiz is a State Farm Insurance agent.

Adios, Aunt Flo

Your “friend” has become your enemy. Your “monthly visitor” has overstayed its welcome. The “crimson tide” has become a tidal wave.

One in five — or 10 million — American women suffer from excessive menstrual bleeding, or menorrhagia. Consequences can include severe pain, fatigue, embarrassment and iron-deficiency anemia.

If you’re one of these women, you may have to wear a tampon and pad for double protection. You may carry a change of clothes due to heavy bleeding. You may have missed work and avoid traveling or leaving home when menstruating.
You probably want your life back. Period.

Dr. Jason Helliwell, a local OB/GYN with Advanced Women’s Health Center, says heavy bleeding is not a problem women should accept. Treatment options include hormones, dilation and curettage (D&C), hysterectomy and a widely available alternative treatment that Helliwell also offers — endometrial ablation.

But before you can be treated, you have to speak up.

According to a survey conducted by the National Women’s Health Resource Center, most affected women (58 percent) have not discussed their condition with a healthcare provider. Hispanic women in particular are much less likely to seek aid or treatment for their problem periods.

Helliwell guesses it’s a cultural issue.

“Traditionally, Hispanic women may not be as exposed to — or have access to — healthcare,” said Helliwell, who said the problem could also be lack of insurance.

Or it could just be a “grin-and-bear-it” stoic outlook inherited from generations of tough matriarchs.

“Grandma might just say, ‘That’s life,’” said Helliwell.

Helliwell said many women try to manage the situation with more rest and over-the-counter medications, but still suffer debilitating effects from the condition.
He added it’s critical that they and their health care provider discuss menstruation as part of a routine physical exam, and begin a dialogue about the under-diagnosed condition.

Helliwell sat down with MÁS to discuss diagnosis, causes, and treatment options for heavy periods:

Determining heavy bleeding
Normal periods can vary from one woman to the next. But generally, 4 to 12 tablespoons of blood are lost; bleeding occurs every 24 to 31 days; and bleeding lasts four to seven days.

According to Helliwell, there are two methods for determining if you suffer from heavy bleeding: quantitative and symptomatic.

A symptomatic diagnosis can be reached if a patient says her periods are interfering with her everyday life and restricting day-to-day activities. Women may feel their job performance is diminished due to frequent restroom breaks, and report that problem periods compromise their sex life. Heavy bleeding may cause a woman to limit activities, and cause fatigue or anemia.

A quantitative diagnosis may be reached if periods last for a long time (more than seven days); bleeding is so heavy you need to change protection frequently; and you lose more than 80 milliliters or more of blood per cycle (about a third of a cup).

Possible causes
According to Helliwell, there are many potential causes for heavy periods, such as hormone imbalances, fibroids and polyps, infections and bleeding disorders.

• Hormonal imbalances
Hormonal imbalances occur when a woman is not producing the right balance of estrogen and progesterone. They are common, especially when a woman begins or ends her reproductive years. This imbalance may also be caused by the wrong combination of hormone therapy.

• Fibroids and Polyps
Fibroids and polyps are abnormal growths or tumors inside the uterus. These may be removed if they are causing uncomfortable symptoms.

• Infections
Infections of the uterus or cervix can be serious and cause symptoms including excessive bleeding. Infections are commonly treated with antibiotics.

• Bleeding Disorders
Disorders that impair blood clotting (thickening of the blood to slow or stop its flow) are serious disorders that need medical attention.

High risk candidates for heavy periods
    • Women who are overweight
    • Women who have hormonal imbalances
    • Women who have never been pregnant
    • Women with thyroid problems or diabetes
    • Women over 35

Treatment options
When considering treatment options, Helliwell said a patient should consider several factors, such as whether or not you plan to have children in the future and whether you want ongoing therapy or a one-time treatment.

Options include endometrial ablation, hormones, dilation and curettage (D&C) and hysterectomy.

Hormones are usually the first line of treatment. Dilation (enlarging) and curettage (scraping) involves expanding or enlarging the entrance of a woman’s uterus so that a thin, sharp instrument can scrape or suction away the lining of the uterus and take tissue samples. The procedure is routine and considered safe, but only stops bleeding for two to six months. A hysterectomy — surgical removal of part or all of the uterus — requires significant recovery time.

NovaSure
Helliwell recommends the one-time NovaSure endometrial ablation procedure for many of his female patients who qualify.

The NovaSure procedure removes the lining of the uterus to control heavy bleeding, and only needs to be performed once.

1. Your doctor will slightly dilate the cervix and insert a slender wand through the cervix into the uterus.

2. The doctor then extends the triangular mesh array through the wand where it expands to conform to the dimensions of the uterine cavity.

3. Electromagnetic energy is then delivered into the uterus for approximately 90 seconds.

4. The triangular mesh array slowly retracts and the wand is gently removed from the uterus.

Helliwell said the NovaSure procedure can be done in the office, rather than a surgery center. Insurance typically covers the procedure because it’s a less expensive alternative to surgery, so patients only have to pay the office co-pay, he said.

While patients will be in the office for about an hour, the actual procedure takes two minutes or less.

Helliwell said he does about 100 endometrial ablations a year, and sees success — defined as either no bleeding or an improvement in the amount of bleeding — in about 80 percent of patients. The other 20 percent stayed the same or worsened.

Note: Pregnancy following endometrial ablation is very dangerous for both the mother and the fetus. You should not have an endometrial ablation if you think you want to have a baby in the future. After an endometrial ablation, you should use some form of birth control. Please discuss these issues with your physician.

Sylvia’s story
At 55, Sylvia Vallejos has suffered from heavier-than-normal periods since she was 14. About 25 years ago, she brought up the issue with her gynecologist, who brushed off her concerns.

“I got the impression that he thought it must just be in my head,” said Vallejos. “Like I was supposed to suffer as part of being a female.”

Vallejos was later put on hormones, which didn’t agree with her, and had a D&C.

Discouraged, Vallejos kept quiet about the issue until about a year ago, when the excessive bleeding became unmanageable.

“It was awful. I had to plan my life — work, weekend getaways, even one-day excursions — around my period. And I always carried an excess amount of sanitary products just in case.”

Vallejos made an appointment with a gynecologist, who suggested a hysterectomy. Nervous about having major surgery, Vallejos went in search of a second opinion, and made an appointment with Dr. Helliwell, who suggested the NovaSure option.

“I was excited. I wanted him to do it right then and there,” said Vallejos, who instead had to go through a series of tests to rule out cancer and other issues that would make the procedure ineffective, including a uteran biopsy, sonogram of the uterus, and hysteroscopy, which uses a hysteroscope, a thin telescope, inserted through the cervix into the uterus.

“Yes, I can say I’ve seen the inside of my uterus,” said Vallejos, laughing.

About a month after her initial visit to Helliwell, Vallejos went in for the procedure.

She describes the results in one word — “wonderful.”

While not totally free of periods, Vallejos only has one about every two months and it’s only a day of light spotting.

“There’s no bloating, no cramps — I can’t describe it. The freedom in wonderful. I feel almost normal,” said Vallejos.

According to the National Woman’s Health Resource Center:

More than 56 percent of women have to make adjustments to their daily lives because of heavy periods.

Among women with abnormally heavy menstrual periods:
• 85 percent feel tired and nauseated; 77 percent feel depressed or moody; 76 percent experience bad cramps; and 69 percent have headaches.
• 1 in 12 missed more than a week of work because of a heavy period.
• 50 percent have had to miss a party or an event because of their heavy period.
• 80 percent have avoided sexual activities because of their menstrual period.

— Additional information for this article was taken from: www.novasure.com

Helping nature motivates American Cancer Society manager

When it comes to helping someone in need, Socorro Carrillo doesn’t hesitate. She would happily carve some time out of her already busy schedule as health programs manager for the American Cancer Society to lend you a hand.

That’s why it’s not surprising that Carrillo is in the business of helping. As a health programs manager, Carrillo is responsible for implementing education programs for the early detection and cancer prevention programs. Her job includes doing outreach programs among the Latino community to help Spanish speaking patients and their families have access to health care services.

Most recently, Carrillo spearheaded the formation of the first Spanish-language support group for monolingual cancer patients and their families.

Arriving in Kern County at age 13 and speaking only Spanish, Carrillo eventually became fluent in English, and graduated in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix, tells MÁS what keeps her going after more than 15 years in the health care sector:

Q: What do you like about working for the American Cancer Society? What is your goal?
A: I love working with and for people and that’s what the American Cancer Society represents. The American Cancer Society is a non-profit organization that allows me to grow as a professional without limiting my potential. It is a pleasure to work for a non-profit organization that believes in helping cancer patients with numerous free programs and services.

Q: What’s your main reason for doing it? What inspires you?
A: The main reason I do it is because I believe in helping our community, especially those in need of cancer prevention education and services once they have been diagnosed with cancer. My main inspiration is to receive a smile from a satisfied patient.

Q: How does your cultural background or ethnicity play a role in your daily activities at work? Are you one of the few minorities or only minority at the local ACS office? How do you handle that?
A: My cultural background helps me tremendously when it comes to understanding our community since I grew up in the medically under-served community in Kern County. One of my responsibilities as an American Cancer Society employee is to work with special populations such as those lacking access to health care. My ethnicity and background was the main reason why I was hired by the American Cancer Society. And yes, I’m one of the minorities at work and the only minority in our local ACS. I am very proud of my ethnicity and bilingual qualities which have always taken me to where I want to be.

Q: What part of your culture drives you to the issues that you focus on as an ACS employee?
A: The need for cancer prevention and education among the Hispanic community. I want to be able to provide early detection education, cancer support services and guide them to free community services that are available to them.

Q: Do you have a Latina/Latino role model? Who is it?
A: My best role model is, and will be, my mother — a wonderful woman widowed at the age of 32. She proudly raised eight children by herself with love and hard work. My best role model has been a strong female who refused to take any public assistance, even when we were in need.

Kern Hispanics still contracting AIDS

In Kern County, Hispanics are the second largest ethnicity who have AIDS and HIV.

More than 31 percent — or 529 of the 1702 of all the AIDS cases here in Kern County — are Hispanic. The leading ethnic group with AIDS is Caucasian.

As for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, 239 out of the 718 reported cases — or 33 percent — are Hispanic.

Dave Martin of the Kern County Department of Public Health, said AIDS and HIV are running rampant in the Hispanic community, not because of lack of knowledge, but by not taking the proper precautions to prevent the disease.

“Everyone knows what AIDS and HIV is now. It’s not like in the ‘80s,” Martin said. “They’re just not protecting themselves when they’re having sex. Some think just because their partner looks healthy, everything is OK, but that’s not the case.”

AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) where the body’s immune system is weakened and can’t repair or heal itself. Although the use of antiretroviral medicines can prolong the life of someone who has HIV or AIDS, there’s still no cure.

“If you get infected, there’s not cure,” said Martin. “Yes, there’s antiretroviral therapy to help you live longer, but with AIDS, there’s only one ending and that’s death.”

In the AIDS and HIV cases reported in Kern County, the majority of them were infected by men having sex with other men, according to data complied by the Department of Public Health.

Secondly, the others were infected by sharing drug needles or thirdly, through heterosexual sex.

“You have to know your partners and their sexual history. It’s a good idea before you start having sex with them to get tested to make sure everything is OK,” said Martin. “You have to protect yourself by using condoms all the time. Too many people get burned by thinking they know their partner, and it turns out their partner is infected.”

AIDS is transmitted through the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV or AIDS, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid and breast milk.

Martin pointed out that you can’t get infected by handshakes, hugging or kissing.

The Department of Public Health offers free HIV/AIDS testing and condoms. All a person needs to do is come to the building at 1800 Mt. Vernon Ave. in east Bakersfield between normal business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday and ask to be tested and/or for condoms.

“I know because of religious beliefs, people don’t want to use condoms,” Martin said. “However, you’re putting your life at risk, so just use condoms.”