HHS WEEKLY REPORT
October 15, 2003 - October 19, 2003

THIS ISSUE AVAILABLE ONLINE WITH EXPANDED INFORMATION AND PHOTOS AT:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/newsletter/weekly

IN THIS ISSUE:
1) Lance Armstrong's 'Tour of Hope' Grand Finale at the White House Ellipse
2) October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
3) Personal Health
4) Secretary's Challenge
5) Secretary Thompson's Public Schedule:

Lance Armstrong's 'Tour of Hope' Grand Finale at the White House Ellipse

Lance Armstrong will have the grand finale to his Tour of Hope at the White House Ellipse in Washington, D.C this week. The tour is a monumental week long, 3,200- mile cycling journey across the country to raise funds and awareness for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and cancer research.

The event and festivities will take place Oct. 18th following a 40-mile recreational ride, with U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona joining in at the end of the ride. There will be educational opportunities and fun activities for children in addition to screenings available. Enjoy live entertainment and help welcome Lance and the Tour of Hope Team to our nation's capital.

The tour will also make a special stop at NIH on Oct. 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., in Masur Auditorium. Speakers at the NIH event will include NCI Director Andrew Von Eschenbach, Clinical Center Director John Gallin, Armstrong, and Peter Scacheri, an NHGRI scientist, who is participating in memory of a friend.

The goal of the tour is to raise awareness of the importance of cancer research and participation in clinical trials. During the ride, the team of cyclists will be encouraging Americans to sign the cancer promise, a personal commitment to learn more about cancer and to recognize the value of research on the disease.

Other cyclists participating in the Tour of Hope 26-member squad are cancer survivors, caregivers, physicians, nurses, and researchers. Armstrong will join the team along parts of the tour, which began in Los Angeles on Oct. 11 and concludes in Washington, DC, the day after its visit at NIH. The Oct. 17 event is open to all staff and patients in the NIH community.

To learn more about the tour and the cancer promise, visit www.tourofhope.org.

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October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced a new initiative called "Safe and Bright Futures for Children". The initiative is designed to prevent children from continuing the cycle of violence.

"Each year, there are nearly 700,000 documented incidents of domestic violence that threaten the well-being of children and families across our nation," Secretary Thompson said. "This new effort will provide preventive services and support to help children affected by this violence to enjoy a safe and bright future and to break the cycle of violence. We want to provide our youth with the skills and tools they need to make healthy choices in their lives."

The "Safe and Bright Futures for Children" initiative was modeled after evidence-based approaches such as treatment for child and adolescent trauma, mentoring and mental health services while also addressing risk and protective factors to negate the cyclical effects of violence. It will encourage the integration of these services at the local and regional level by building collaborations of community, faith-based or other programs that identify, assess, treat and provide long-term services.

HHS plans to devote about $5 million to support demonstration projects in fiscal year 2004. Additional resources may also come from proceeds of the Stop Family Violence stamp, which President Bush unveiled today as part of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

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Personal Health

Preventing High Blood Pressure

You can take steps to prevent high blood pressure by adopting a healthy lifestyle. These steps include maintaining a healthy weight; being physically active; following a healthy eating plan, that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods; choosing and preparing foods with less salt and sodium; and, if you drink alcoholic beverages, drinking in moderation. In this section you will learn more about healthy lifestyle habits for preventing and controlling high blood pressure.

Healthy Eating

Research has shown that following a healthy eating plan can both reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and lower an already elevated blood pressure.

Reduce Salt and Sodium in your Diet

A key to healthy eating is choosing foods lower in salt and sodium. Most Americans consume more salt than they need. The current recommendation is to consume less than 2.4 grams (2,400 milligrams [mg]) of sodium a day. That equals 6 grams (about 1 teaspoon) of table salt a day. The 6 grams include ALL salt and sodium consumed, including that used in cooking and at the table. For someone with high blood pressure, the doctor may advise eating less salt and sodium, as recent research has shown that people consuming diets of 1,500 mg of sodium had even better blood pressure lowering benefits. These lower-sodium diets also can keep blood pressure from rising and help blood pressure medicines work better.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Being overweight increases your risk of developing high blood pressure. In fact, blood pressure rises as body weight increases. Losing even 10 pounds can lower blood pressure - and it has the greatest effect for those who are overweight and already have hypertension. Being overweight or obese are also risk factors for heart disease. They increase your chance for developing high blood cholesterol and diabetes - two more major risk factors for heart disease.

Physical Activity

Being physically active is one of the most important steps you can take to prevent or control high blood pressure. It also helps reduce your risk of heart disease. It doesn't take a lot of effort to become physically active.

Limit Alcohol Intake

Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure. It also can harm the liver, brain, and heart. Alcoholic drinks also contain calories, which matter if you are trying to lose weight. If you drink alcoholic beverages, have only a moderate amount - one drink a day for women; two drinks a day for men.

What counts as a drink?

Quitting Smoking

Smoking injures blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of hardening of the arteries. This applies even to filtered cigarettes. So even though it does not cause high blood pressure, smoking is bad for anyone, especially those with high blood pressure. If you smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start. Once you quit, your risk of having a heart attack is reduced after the first year. So you have a lot to gain by quitting.

Q & A on other factors affecting blood pressure:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/
prevent/factors/factors.htm

Risk Assessment Tool for Estimating Your 10-year Risk of Having a Heart Attack:

http://hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/atpiii/
calculator.asp?usertype=pub

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Secretary's Challenge

Taking part in the Secretary's Challenge doesn't mean you need to put your entire life on hold so you can find time to get some physical activity. And, just because you have a disability doesn't mean you are unable to participate. There are plenty of activities you can do right at your desk, or even with a disability. Read on for some great suggestions.

Note: Individuals may need to adapt these exercises to their ability. Consult your doctor first.

Head (Bends): Gently bring head down as far as is comfortable to your chest and hold for 15 seconds, then lift your head up focusing eyes on ceiling and hold for 15 seconds. Next turn your head to the right and hold for 15 seconds, then to the left and hold for 15 seconds.

Arms and Shoulders (Elbows front/back): Lift shoulders as high as you can and press them down as far as you can. Place your hands on your shoulders and elbows out to the side. Bring elbows to the front trying to touch them together. Bring elbows back as far as you can. (8 times)

Arms and Shoulders (Elbows up/down/circle): With hands aim your elbows out to the side and move them up and down four times quickly and four times slowly. Next make large circles in the air with the elbows four times in one direction then four times in the opposite direction.

Torso Side Stretch (Arch): Lift your left arm straight keeping it near your ear. Take a deep breath and exhale from the waist while moving your arm like a rainbow or an arch towards your right side reaching with as straight an elbow as you can. Return to center as you inhale, change arms, take a deep breath and repeat to the other side. (4 times)

Torso and Hips (Churn Butter): Use the image of churning butter as you make large circles of the torso as if your head and torso were a stick. Attempt to lift each hip and buttock as the body moves around, reaching your chest as close to your legs as you can. (Rotate 4 times to the right, then 4 times to the left.)

Stomach and Waistline (Forward Bend): Reach up with both arms as high as you can, keeping elbows straight, then bend forward as low as you can, aiming to touch fingers to floor. (4 sets)

Back and Thighs (Knee to Thigh): Bring a knee to your chest and hug the knee with both hands as close to the chest as possible. Aim your chin to your knee, then your nose, your forehead and lastly your right ear to your right knee and your left ear to your left knee. (4 times)

March in Place: March lifting leg from hip (10 sets)

Leg Rise: Raise lower leg out straight (10 sets)

Ankle and Foot: Tap foot on floor (10 sets)

Note: One set is working both the right and left side. Increase sets over time.

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Secretary Tommy G. Thompson's public schedule:

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Last updated October 15, 2003
United States Department of Health and Human Services
Contact the HHS Newsletter Team.