Of local interest
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Doctor's Orders: High blood pressure can occur at any age $
Of the 35-40 million Americans
who have high blood pressure, only
about one-half know that they have
> the condition-also known as hyper -
; tension. Part of the reason for this
lack of awareness is that high
blood pressure often produces no
symptoms.
High blood pressure occurs at
any age-even in the thin, active in
dividual. Those who are most
likely to be hypertensive, however,
are over-weight, are over 40 years
of age, and have a history of high
blood pressure in their families.
Men are affected more often than
women, blacks more often than
whites.
Women taking birth control tab
lets often have higher pressures
than women who do not take "the
pill". Individuals who eat salty
foods (sodium in its various forms)
also tend to have high blood pres
sures. In Japan, for example,
where sodium consumption is high,
people often have high blood pre
sure and its complications: kidney
damage, eye damage, stroke, etc.
Detection and monitoring of high
blood pressure is possible in the
home with the traditional cuff and
stethoscope, or one of the newer
electronic devices. The newer de
vices show blood pressure readings
as larger numbers on a screen, and
do not require good eyesight or
hearing, as is required using the
cuff and stethoscope method.
If you do not have the proper de
vice, and are unsure of how to take
your own blood pressure, or sus
pect that you may have high blood
pressure, it is a good idea to con
sult your doctor.
The detection of this major
health problem is within the grasp
of virtually all adults. The impor
tant thing to remember is that once
high blood pressure is detected, it
can be controlled.
Here are five ways to reduce
high blood pressure and its conse
quences:
1. Salt restriction: Reducing
one's consumption of salt and food
products containing sodium can
have a dramatic effect in reducing
high blood pressure. The "typical"
American eats 3-5 teaspoon! uls of
salt (sodium chloride) every day.
This is about 20 times more than is
required by the body for proper
function.
A few suggestions for reducing
salt ingestion (hidden or other
wise) include:
-Not salting prepared foods.
-Using a substitute for salt as a
flavoring aid (for example, lemon
juice).
-Avoiding foods which definitely
taste "salty".
-Examining labels of products
for sodium content.
-Eating fresh fruits and vegeta
bles which are often high in potas
sium and low in sodium.
2. Weight Control: Researchers
have shown that blood pressure
can be lowered by simply reducing
one's weight to the lop of the nor
mal range. One need not become
"skin and bones" to accomplish
significant reductions in blood
pressure. Moderate diet-low in fat
and sodium-and an increase in
physical activity are proven routes
to achieving appropriate weight
and lower blood pressure.
3. Exercise: In and of itself (even
without weight loss) exercise can
lower blood pressure. A properly
designed exercise program ap
pears to reduce blood pressure as a
result of dilation of the blood ves
sels. Reductions in pressure vary
with each individual. Patients over
40 years of age and those with med
ical problems who have not exer
cised before should consult with
their physician before beginning
an exercise program.
4. Relaxation: Studies of indus
trial workers who were taught cer
tain "relaxation techniques" have
demonstrated that blood pressure
can be lowered through relaxation.
Yet many persons find that they
have trouble finding time to relax.
Others simply cannot discipline
themselves to setting aside tiihe
for relaxation. For those who ,7k
take time and discipline them
selves, a variety of relaxation tech
niques, breathing exercises aihd
meditation programs appear to be
beneficial -especially when com
bined with low-salt diets and m<id
est use of medication.
5. Medicines: When approprk
ately prescribed drugs are takiff"
according to directions, medicines
have been highly successful in con- ]
trolling hypertension. Almost 40 j
percent of hypertensive persons
achieve an adequate blood pres
sure control with only a diuretic.
The remaining 60 percent usually
require the addition of a second,
third, or fourth blood pressure de
ducing medicine.
Medicaid bill introduced
A bill that would expand Medi
caid coverage for pregnant women
and children and possibly reduce
the state's infant death rate was in
troduced into the N.C. General As
sembly by Rep. Walter B. Jones,
Jr., D-Pitt.
House Bill 393 would expand
Medicaid coverage for pregnant
women and for children up to 12
months old if their family income
is equal to or less than 185 percent
of the federal poverty guidelines.
In others words, a family of three
with a gross annual income of
$18,000 would be eligible.
If approved by the legislature,
the bill would provide the maxi
mum allowable Medicaid coverage
for poor pregnant women and chil
dren. The bill would expand Medi
caid coverage to an estimated 9,700
women and 10,100 children.
HB 393 asks the state to appropri
ate $7.1 million in 1989-90 fiscal
year and $14.1 million in the 1990-91
fiscal year to cover the costs of ex
panded services. The bill also asks ?
the state to appropriate during the
1990-91 biennium an additional $1.8
million, which will be given to
county departments of social serv
ices to hire staff necessary to pro
vide expanded services.
"North Carolina has one of the
nation's highest infant mortality
rates," said Rep. Jones. "A baby
born in 45 other states has a better
chance of seeing his first birthday
than a baby born in North Caro
lina. North Carolina's children de
serve better than those odds. Pas
sage of this bill would increase
access to quality prenatal care for
thousands of women and would re
duce the likelihood of medical
problems that lead to infant death.
The recent news that our state's in
fant death rate is increasing is
alarming. Passage of this bill could
help reduce that upward trend."
National studies have shown that
for every dollar spent on prenatal
care, there is a three dollar savings
on long-term health care costs,
according to the final report of the
state's Indigent Care Study Com
mission. The cost savings come
from a reduced need for neonatal
intensive care and treatment of
mentally retarded children.
Because the federal government
contributes approximately $2 for
every $1 a state spends on Medi
caid, the 1989-90 expenditure of $7.1
million will generate $17.2 million
in federal funds for North Carolina.
North Carolina's infant death
rate in 1987 was 12.5 per one thou
sand births. That marks an in
crease from the 1986 death rate of
11.6 per one thousand births.
If approved, the expanded cover
age for Medicaid patients would be
effective January 1, 1990.
House Bill 393 contains two other
major provisions:
An appropriation of $650,000 in
1989-90 and $1 million in 1990-91 to
expand the Rural Obstetrical Care
Incentive Program. Established in
1988, the Rural Incentive Program
compensates family physicians
and obstetricians who agree to pro
vide prenatal and obstetrical serv
ices to residents in counties where
neither public or private maternity
care is available. The money will
be used to help pay the difference
between a physician's malpractice
insurance with obstetrical services
and without those services.
An appropriation of $950,820 in
1989-90 and $1.3 million in 1990-91 to
be used to increase physician re
imbursement for maternity care
services. Currently, the average
fee for prenatal care and delivery
ranges from $1,200 to $1,500. Medi
caid usually pays only about 54 per
cent of what a physician charges.
State funds would be used to in
crease the amount of money paid
to physicians for obstetrical serv
ices from roughly $625 to $950 per
patient.
A companion bill to HB 393 was
introduced in the N.C. Senate by
Sen. Russell Walker, D-Randolph.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Hertford Zoning Board will meet May
3, 1989, Municipal Building in Hertford to
consider the following:
1 . To upgrade properties on Market St.
from East Academy to Covent Gar
den, also on Market Street from
Hyde Park to Covent Garden. Prop
erties be up-graded from R-8 to R
10.
2. Remove nursing homes as a per
mitted use in R-A zoned territory,
add nursing homes to C-2 zoned ter
ritory.
3. That Brian Center and Don Juan
property zoning be changed from R
A to C-2.
William L. Tilley, Chairman
Hertford Zoning Board
I HOURS FOR
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State highway workers have been busy lately redesigning the inter
section by Hardees. The area is much safer with the new stoplight
functioning completely.
Card of Thanks
To all the employees of Jackson Wholesale, I wish
to thank each and everyone of you for your assistance
when my auto caught fire. Your quick thinking and
brave action prevented it from being a disaster. The
kindness of the office staff was appreciated. Your
kindness will always be remembered.
Thanks To Everyone,
Evelyn S. Tinkham
INCOME TAX
SERVICE
PROGRESSIVE ACCOUNTING
& INCOME TAX SERVICE, INC.
907 W. EHRINGHAUS ST. ELIZABETH CITY, N.C
o O E At m m. HOURS: Mon.-Thurs. 9:00 AM til 8:00 PM
Ww9-U/40 Fri. & Sat. 9:00 AM til 6:00 PM
FOR SALE
BY
TOWN OF WINFALL
1 - 1966 International Truck (2 ton)
1 - 1978 Ford Courier Pick-up Truck
Sealed bids will be accepted at
the Winfall Town Office thru 12:00
noon, May 8, 1989.
May be seen at "Town of Win
fall" Water Plant, Winfall, N.C.
The town reserves the right to re
fuse any or all bids.
D.L. Barber, Jr.
Town Clerk
Our Rates
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Best Interest
Invest in an NCNB Certificate of Deposit today Because when it comes
to smart investing, an NCNB CD is in your best interest. For the most
current rates, call: 1-800-922-2468 in North Carolina (355-1600 in Charlotte).