Make the right choice: SKC spreads the word on preventable health risks

By Alyssa Kelly

A drop of blood can tell many things about your health. Knowing how to prevent illness and disease is the first step in leading a healthier life. (Alyssa Kelly photo)

PABLO — Imagine a disease that causes the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys to bloat from sugar in the blood stream. Or a disease that irritates swollen gums to the point of bleeding, the only relief being when the rotten teeth finally fall out. Imagine a virus that attacks the immune system, promising a slow and painful death.

As horrific as it may sound, each disease or virus exists and are the top health risks effecting people throughout world. Most shocking is that each is preventable and that is something Salish Kootenai College knows all about.

Actively working to increase awareness on preventable health risks, SKC recently hosted a health fair that featured information by the HIV Prevention Task Force, as well as the Nursing and Dental departments. “It’s important that people understand health risks that are out there and how to treat them,” says SKC Nursing student Jamie Beaudry. “It’s equally important that people understand how to avoid those risks all together and that’s really why we’re here.”

Offering more than pamphlets and condoms, the health fair gave guests an opportunity to have their blood sugar levels tested by several nursing students. The tests can help determine an individual’s risk for diabetes, which is the disease that causes the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys to bloat from sugar in the blood stream.

They showed an informative DVD explaining that preventing diabetes is a matter of making healthier choices in life, such as staying active, eating nutritious foods, avoiding cigarettes, and limiting the intake of sugar, salt, and starch. Studies also found that statistically, Native Americans have the highest rate of diabetes in the nation, due to excessive intake of non-traditional fatty foods.

Using healthy vs. non-healthy model demonstrations of the human teeth and gums, the dental students distinguished the dangers of gum disease, which irritates swollen gums to the point of bleeding and results in the rotten teeth painfully falling out.

Caused by excessive sweets and poor hygiene habits, gum disease develops from bacteria in the mouth. The disease begins as colorless plaque and soon develops into tarter (hardened plaque). As the disease spreads, a painful deterioration of the teeth and gums may cause the need for surgical removal.

To avoid the hassle and pain of gum disease, it’s a simple matter of brushing and flossing daily, visiting the dentist routinely for a check-up and cleaning, and avoiding the use of tobacco products such as cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.

The final preventable health risk discussed during the health fair is the virus known as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which attacks the immune system and promises a slow and painful death. What health fair could be complete without gift bags with pamphlets and condoms given out by the HIV Prevention Task Force? Their booth also featured information on its program and the free anonymous HIV testing offered.

After a person is infected with HIV, their immune system becomes weak and their body is unable to fight off infection or disease. Eventually HIV leads to a more severe level of the virus known as AIDS. Both of which, have no cure and are ultimately fatal.

To reduce contracting HIV, one must simply wear a condom during all sexual encounters, never share needles, and get tested regularly...or just "say no."

Thankfully, the local HIV Prevention Task Force hasn’t come across any positive HIV test results. However, they still recommend that everyone in the community be tested and get educated. The program is open Monday through Friday and located below the Nursing Department of SKC.

Whether it’s diabetes, gum disease, or HIV, all are preventable, which means it’s up to an individual to decide whether or not they will be affected. Make the right choice. For more information on Diabetes, visit the website: www.diabetes.org or call the Diabetes Control Project at 444-0593. For more information on gum disease, call the Oral Health Program at 444-0276. For more information on the HIV Prevention Task Force, contact the program at 275-4913.