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Taking our pulse

Newborn nicotine withdrawal

Ash tray and pacifierIf you’re pregnant, don’t mistakenly think a cigarette or two won’t do any harm to your unborn child. A new study shows that babies whose mothers smoked as few as six cigarettes a day during pregnancy appeared to suffer nicotine withdrawal after birth. The newborns exhibited behavioral characteristics similar to those of babies whose mothers abused heroin and cocaine. They had trouble settling down, were more tense, and required more handling. In the past, smoking was thought to affect only the birth weight of babies, but the study shows it also affects the nervous system.

— Adapted from The New York Times

Cardiac Wellness Program turns 20

It all started back in January of 1984 with two nurses and four patients. Now, on the eve of its 20th anniversary, Community Hospital’s Cardiac Wellness Program boasts seven nurses, two exercise physiologists, a medical assistant, and nearly 400 patients.

The Cardiac Wellness Program has become increasing essential, as heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. The Community Hospital program — under the guidance of medical directors Michael Galloway, M.D.; Gary Grant, M.D.; Thomas Kehl, M.D.; and Terrance Moran, M.D.— features everything from yoga to EKG-monitored exercise programs.

Services include:

  • Exercise and education for patients following heart surgery
  • Cholesterol reduction program — individualized treatment of lipid disorders
  • Free monthly support group for cardiac and pulmonary patients and the public
  • Heart-Smart nutrition class— helps patients adopt low-fat, low-cholesterol eating strategies
  • Congestive heart failure class — helps patients manage congestive heart failure and avoid hospitalizations
  • Yoga/stretching and relaxation — ongoing class offered to the public

For more information about the Cardiac Wellness Program, call 625-4765.

A real yawner …

Boy yawningNearly all animals yawn, even birds and fish. Human fetuses may start as early as 12 to 15 weeks after conception.

Why do we yawn?

There are several theories. Yawning may be a protective reflex that maintains proper lung inflation and keeps small air sacs in the lungs inflated. Or yawning may be behavioral. Among baboons, for example, yawning at the end of the day signals that the group is settling down for the night. In humans at least, boring situations encourage yawning.

— Adapted from the University of California, Berkeley “Wellness Letter”