Health News June 10, 2009

The Tragedy of a Life Cut Short Unnecessarily, By Therese Griffin Hicks, RN, DC, FIACA

Suicide……by intention or accident! In just the past few weeks our community has been gravely stricken with two precious young souls dying at their own hands whether directly attempting suicide or just attempting to get away from the real world in a fog of drugs. So often our youth are exposed to illegal drugs and alcohol at a very young and impressionable age and don't believe that anything bad could ever happen to them. What most folks don’t realize is that those who are suicidal or abuse substances are usually already depressed or struggling with their own pain and just want to "fit in" to a social setting, and / or erase all the stored up bad feelings they've accumulated. They feel a desire to belong to a group that accepts them and that will somehow help them establish an identity. What are the risk factors for suicide? Research shows that risk factors for suicide include: -Depression and other mental disorders, or a substance-abuse disorder (often in combination with other mental disorders). More than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have these risk factors. -Stressful life events, in combination with other risk factors, such as depression. However, suicide and suicidal behavior are not normal responses to stress; many people have these risk factors, but are not suicidal. -Prior suicide attempt -Family history of mental disorder or substance abuse, or disruptive behavior -Family history of suicide -Family violence, including physical or sexual abuse -Firearms in the home, the method used in more than half of suicides -Incarceration -Exposure to the suicidal behavior of others, such as family members, peers, or media figures. -Risk factors for suicide attempts by adults include depression and other mental disorders, alcohol abuse, cocaine use, and separation or divorce. Most suicide attempts are expressions of extreme distress, not harmless bids for attention. A person who appears suicidal should not be left alone and needs immediate mental-health treatment. Research also shows that the risk for suicide is associated with changes in brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, including serotonin. Decreased levels of serotonin have been found in people with depression, impulsive disorders, and a history of suicide attempts, and in the brains of suicide victims. In 2004, suicide was the 3rd leading cause of death in 10 year olds to 24 year olds. What can be done to prevent suicide? If there was a simple answer no one would ever lose a loved one again due to their in inability to live with their own despair. Substance-abuse disorders are major risk factors for suicide, and many programs focus on treating these disorders. Studies showed that a type of psychotherapy called cognitive therapy reduced the rate of repeated suicide attempts by 50 percent during a year of follow-up. A previous suicide attempt is among the strongest predictors of subsequent suicide, and cognitive therapy helps suicide attempters consider alternative actions when thoughts of self-harm arise. Specific kinds of psychotherapy may be helpful for specific groups of people. For example, a recent study showed that a treatment called dialectical behavior therapy reduced suicide attempts by half, compared with other kinds of therapy, in people with borderline personality disorder (a serious disorder of emotion regulation). Of course there are drugs that are supposed to help severe depression and some work---and some have serious rebound depression side-effects if a person quits them abruptly. There are some natural mood elevators and serotonin builders as well, but anyone who needs support should consult with their physician immediately. If you or someone you suspect is in crisis and needs help right away: Call this toll-free number, available 24 hours a day, every day: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You will reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a service available to anyone. You may call for yourself or for someone you care about. All calls are confidential. And remember to say a prayer for all those sweet souls who left us too soon because they were lost in their own sorrows.

Yummmmm… Outdoor Eating, By Janet Trimble Gila Community College Wellness Center Facilitator

My friends Bob and Peggy Urioste, dedicated Wellness Center students, share Sunset Magazine with me every month. I've always loved Sunset…so many useful tips and suggestions, not to mention beautiful pictures and ideas for FOOD. When Bob delivered the June 2009 issue, he said "Great recipes". I agree…nothing's better than fresh air and fabulous food…makes healthy eating easy. Here are three great salsas to add spice and compliment your favorite summer barbeque dishes. All can be made ahead, chilled, and stored for several days. -Fire & Fruit Yellow Tomato Salsa, makes 2 cups ½ lb firm-ripe yellow tomatoes cut in wedges ½ medium Serrano chile, thinly sliced ¾ c chopped mango 2 tbsp finely chopped red onion 1 ½ tsp minced fresh ginger 1 tsp cracked coriander seeds 1 tbsp packed light brown sugar 2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar ½ tsp kosher salt 1 green onion, diagonally sliced Combine tomatoes, chile, mango, red onion, and ginger. Warm oil over med-high heat, add coriander and stir one minute, remove from heat and stir in brown sugar, vinegar, and salt. Pour warm spice mixture over tomato mixture and let stand 30-60 minutes. Stir in green onion. -Classic Salsa Verde, makes 1 ¾ cups ½ lb tomatillos 1 thick onion slice 1 large poblano chile 1 ½ medium serrano chiles ½ ripe avocado (optional) 2 tbsp coarsely chopped cilantro 1 whole garlic clove 2 tbsp fresh lime juice ¾ tsp kosher salt Broil tomatillos, onion, poblano, and serranos for 15 minutes, cover for 5, remove chile skins and seeds from poblano. Pulse veggies, any juices, avocado, cilantro, and garlic until coarsely pureed. Stir in ¼ c water, lime juice, and salt. -Roasted Tomato and Three-Chile Salsa, makes 2 ½ cups 2 medium firm-ripe tomatoes 1 med onion, cut crosswise in 4 slices 5 unpeeled garlic cloves 10 dried cascabel chiles 10 dried arbol chiles, stems removed 2 tbsp olive oil 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 ½ tsp kosher salt Broil tomatoes, onion, and garlic about 15-20 minutes, let cool. Stem and seed cascabels and cook along with arbols in olive oil until slightly softened. Remove chiles from oil into a bowl and pour 2 cups boiling water over them, let stand 20 minutes, discard 1 cup of liquid. Whirl chiles and remaining liquid with chipotle until smooth. Chunk tomatoes and onion, peel garlic, add to chile puree and pulse until nearly smooth. Simmer and stir entire mixture in reserved oil for about 3 minutes to blend flavors. Happy spicy eating! Let me know when to come for dinner!