Newspaper Page Text
THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Many medications play role ol sunlight and skin
In last week’s column,
I wrote about possible
risks associated with
over-exposure to our sum
mer heat.
But did you know that
there are many medications
that may make your skin
more sensitive to the effects
of sunlight?
This increased sensitivity
to the sun may also increase
your risk of a heat related
illness.
Most people have prob
ably seen the warning label
that their pharmacist places
on the bottles of some med
ications that reads “Avoid
prolonged exposure to sun
light."
This warning is referring
to the person taking the
medicine, not the medicine
itself.
This label indicates that
the medicine is one of the
many that may make your
skin more sensitive to the
effects of sunlight and that
you should take additional
precautions to avoid being
sunburned.
And while this sensitivity
‘Hey, boss, that’s not fair’
When my brother and
I were young, I’m
sure we drove our
parents crazy.
For what seemed like sev
eral years, one of us was
always yelling, "Hey, that’s
not fair!”
We were both experts at
detecting special privileges
being offered to the other.
Among the worst manifesta
tions were desserts.
We would argue over who
had the right to pick first
among the pieces of pie or
the scoops of ice cream —we
each wanted the larger serv
ing!
Mom finally established a
solution that both my broth
er and 1 hated, but it sure
brought order to the chaos.
Her new decree: one of us
prepares the two servings
and the other one has first
choice.
The squabbling ended
immediately.
There was no advantage to
being the slicer or the scoo
per—once the first portion
was established, an observer
would need a set of scales to
detect any difference in the
size of the second serving!
There was no advan
tage in being the chooser
either —the ration for each
was as equal as anyone could
make it! I'm sure “That’s
not fair!” lingered in other
aspects of our young lives,
but I don’t recall dessert
squabbles after that rule
went into effect.
I bet there are leaders
How to get better gas mileage
State Point Wire
With gas prices seem
ingly soaring into the
stratosphere, the volume
of advertising is increasing
for “gas-saving” products,
designed to appeal to con
sumers looking for ways to
improve fuel efficiency.
Although there are prac
tical steps car owners can
take to increase gas mile
age, the Better Business
Bureau continues to warn
consumers to be wary of
gas-saving claims for auto
motive devices or oil and
gas additives.
While some of the gas
saving products have been
proven to work, the savings
usually are small, at best.
What’s more, you could
end up with serious engine
problems or a voided man
ufacturer warranty by add
ing after-market devices to
your engine.
Indeed, some “gas-sav
ing” products may dam
age a car’s engine or cause
substantial increases in
exhaust emissions. Some of
these products include Air
Bleed Devices, Vapor Bleed
Devices, Liquid Injection,
reaction (called photosensi
tivity) may be more com
mon in fair-skinned people
like me, it can occur in all
persons, regardless of skin
tone.
It’s important to note that
it is not only sunlight that
your skin is more sensi
tive to while taking these
medications. You should also
avoid exposure to sunlamps
and tanning beds because
you may be burned more
easily by these as well.
When one of these medica
tions is taken, the chemical
in the drug is distributed
throughout the body, includ
ing the skin.
The presence of the chem
ical in the skin makes the
skin more sensitive to ultra
violet (UV) radiation and
more likely to burn or react
adversely to UV exposure.
Some medications (such as
Retin A and Accutane) are
much more photosensitizing
than others and the degree
of reaction may depend on
the dose of the particular
mediation being taken and
the duration of therapy.
Dennis Hooper
I eadcrs Building W W^ 1 * 1 ‘ *
out there who would love
to apply similar wisdom in
their organizations. A big
difference, however, is that
my parents heard “That’s
not fair!” loudly and clearly.
Many times, the boss
never hears the complaints.
Some don’t listen. Mostly,
however, the complaints are
uttered among peers and the
dissatisfaction never surfac
es to the leader.
How’s a leader supposed
to gauge his or her success
in being fair? When I invite
leaders to assess themselves
in the many attributes of
leadership, “fairness to
direct reports” is one of the
characteristics they evalu
ate.
Here is the description
provided in the assessment
instrument I use:
• treats direct reports
equitably;
• acts fairly;
• has candid discussions;
• doesn’t have hidden
agendas;
• doesn’t give preferen
tial treatment.
Fuel Line Devices, Mixture
Enhancers, Internal Engine
Modifications and more.
Instead of searching
for miraculous gas-saving
products, the 888 is rec
ommending that consum
ers consider taking one or
more no-cost or low-cost
actions that can help driv
ers save on gas consump
tion.
The most important place
to start is at the gas pump
- buy only the octane level
gas you need. Check your
owner's manual to deter
mine the right octane level
for your car.
More tips from the 888
to help you get better gas
mileage include:
■ Drive more efficiently.
Stay within posted speed
limits. Gas mileage decreas
es rapidly at speeds above
60 miles per hour.
■ Avoid “jackrabbit”
starts and stops. Accelerate
slowly when starting from
a dead stop. Don’t push
the pedal down more than
one-quarter of the way;
this allows the carburetor
to function at peak effi
ciency. You can improve gas
David Voltz 9T
■ T W' ” j
voltzrph@hotmail.com MpSL:
And since your skin is
more quickly affected by
sunlight while taking these
medications, the risk of
heat related illness is also
increased.
People taking these medi
cations need to not only take
precautions against sunburn
but also against heat exhaus
tion and heatstroke.
If you are prescribed on
of these medications it is
important to not stop tak
ing the medication if you’re
going to be in the sun, just
take some precautions. Use
physical barriers such as
sunglasses, hats, and loose
fitting clothes.
A common myth is that
leaders should treat every
body the same.
This is clearly an unachiev
able objective and will result
in nothing but frustration
for all involved. Many stud
ies have shown that it is
far better to give to each
person that which he or she
needs for encouragement
and growth.
This requires listening
closely and honest dialogue
about expectations and per
formance.
Near the end of Now,
Discover Your Strengths,
by Marcus Buckingham and
Donald Clifton, are 34 pages
of guidance for how leaders
should manage individuals
with each of the individual
talent themes identified in
the book.
Creating the environment
for talented employees to
grow their skills and expand
commitment requires the
leader to discern how each
individual is unique, then
figure out ways to capitalize
on this distinction.
mileage up to five percent
around town if you avoid
jerky starts and stops.
■ Use overdrive gears
and cruise controls when
appropriate. They improve
the fuel economy of your
car when driving on a high
way.
■ Keep windows closed
when traveling at high
way speeds. Open windows
cause air drag, reducing
your mileage by 10 per
cent.
■ Avoid rough roads
whenever possible. Dirt or
gravel can rob you of up
to 30 percent of your gas
mileage.
■ Remove excess weight
from the trunk. An extra
100 pounds can reduce a
typical car’s fuel economy
by up to two percent.
• Properly maintain your
car. Keep the engine tuned,
tires inflated and aligned,
change the oil on schedule,
and check and replace air
filters regularly. Replacing
clogged filters can increase
gas mileage up to 10 per
cent. Above all, continue
to practice safe driving and
maintain you car.
LOCAL
Wear sunscreen with a sun
protection factor (SPF) of
at least 15 or higher and
make sure to reapply as
often as the product label
recommends. And drink lots
of water while outside in
the heat. So what are the
medications that can cause
photosensitivity?
It’s a long list, so I’ll just
mention some of the more
common ones. If you have
any questions about your
specific medication, be sure
to ask your pharmacist or
physician.
Along with Accutane and
Retin A, tetracyclines (such
as Doxycycline, Minocin,
The cry of “Hey, boss,
that’s not fair” is usually
uttered by those who feel
they have missed out on spe
cial privileges.
Those who are advantaged
usually don’t complain! So
it’s not really “fairness” that
people seek.
The leader who can create
benefit for every individual
will be rewarded with per
sonal loyalty and allegiance
to the organization’s vision.
So how does a leader
accomplish this? From my
position as a leadership
development coach, I advo
cate a conscious method for
building leadership aware
ness and skills be available
to any interested individual.
That way, anyone who
desires to grow has guidance
for doing so.
I further suggest that
every “boss” in the organi
zation be evaluated on how
effectively those under his or
her authority receive appro
priate support and account
ability.
ft
K V ■H sL ■ %
wpwj Mm
w Go Karts,
| Scooters &
Lpirt Bikes
Electric Guitar s s9°°
Acoustic Guitar Adult 88
Child $ 24 88
Banjos $ 42 73
Shampoo - Lotion . ¥***>+ «n
Household Cleaners *1 UU |
Cell phone accessories: Cases, Auto & Home
Chargers and much, much more @ sl°° each.
Kitchenware, Clothes, Cleaning Supplies. TONS OF ITEMS!
79 Green St. - Warner Robins, GA Q9'l-oflo2
(One Block From Hwy. 247)
l HOURS: 10am - spm Mon-Sat
Monodox, Achromycin),
sulfa antibiotics (such as
Septra, Bactrim, Azulfidine,
Gantrisin) and quinolone
antibiotics (such as Cipro,
Levaquin, Tequin, Floxin,
Avelox) are among the more
photosensitizing medica
tions.
Sulfa related drugs (such
as Hydrochlorothiazide,
Maxzide, Lozol, Phenergan,
Thorazine, Compazine,
Prolixin, and Trilafon) as
well as the sulfa related
oral anti-diabetic medica
tions (Glucotrol, Diabeta,
Glynase, and Micronase) are
also photosensitizing.
Some over-the-counter
medications may also cause
this reaction. Benadryl,
Claritin, ibuprofen, naprox
en and the herbal supple
ments St. John’s Wort, dong
quai, and bitter orange all
have had reports of photo
sensitizing reactions.
And I could go on and on
listing drugs, but I won’t
because it’s a very long list.
These I’ve mentioned are
just some of the more com
mon offenders.
RECYCLE
' f\rst United Mettwdiirt Chur cf) V
Cheerful Cherubs
We offer a Hall Day Pre-K Program for 6 months - 4 years
Highßead And Zoo-Phorius Curriculum. We encourage each
child to develop his or her potential through new experiences
including physical, emotional, social, cognitive and spiritual.
N 205 N. Davis Dr. • W.R., GA 31093 • 922-8448 /
wanretvv
o ?tt(Zt&ie4& *rfye<zcCqucvrfen4,
tJJM
fmAMA
THURSDAY, JULY 6, 2006
Remind your
neighbors to
recycle and
help pre
serve our
planet’s
natural
resources.
Recycling
Just a little
now can
make a big
difference
for future
generattons.
EAG
llwinrS.et - s 99°°
|ftuNf> - s ll9°°
iQ.ueen tS,et - s ls9°°
iKingtS.et - s 229°°
If you are taking a pre
scription medication, read
both the warning labels on
the bottle and the accompa
nying information handout
that your pharmacist gives
you. These should indicate
whether or not you ought
to be more cautious when
in the sun while taking
your medication. Ask your
pharmacist or physician if
there is a specific medication
you’re curious about.
And even if you're not
taking a photosensitizing
medication, always wear
sunscreen and drink lots of
water while outdoors.
If you have any questions
regarding medications or
pharmacy practice in gen
eral, or comments, or sug
gestions for topics you’d like
to read about in this column,
just write to me.
I can receive email via
voltzrph@hotmail.com or
postal mail at Pharmacy
Q&A, c/o The Houston Home
Journal, PO Box 1910, Perry,
GA. 31069. All questions are
confidential, so you don’t
have to give your name.
EMPLOYMENT
ADS
$2.50
f»f*r li#f«» fifir tlav
$13.00
§»«>r roluriifi ini li
Liuv Ads IK-iulliiiv
2 1 1uym prior *«t
Ukiilfiy A«!» Mt iolliiif
2 tlayit prior nt INoou
Call us at 478-987-1823
Fax to: 478-980-9194
or Email to:
nicoleccgp
evansnewspaporß.com
People Pleasing!
(We will delight you!)
flrgenderty
1-75 Exit 136 • 907 8877 358 1 3
p yo%r*
yiKtarj & I
r® Electric
m Guitar B
W 10 Amp 2
fc Amplifier B
fc *88 95 d
5A