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www.celtic-connection.com
JULY-AUGUST 2005
SLAINTE - TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH!
Restless Leg Syndrome
SEATTLE IRISH NEWS
July 18 to 25 is Restless Leg Syndrome Awareness Week. This prompted Sldinte to answer this particular letter.
Dear Sldinte,
My boyfriend is about ready to leave me because of the way I thrash around at night. In the morning the bed is amass of twisted sheets, that is if I haven't managed to kick them all off the mattress. I can't describe the pain, and he doesn't understand that I can't NOT move my legs. I'm out of ideas - help me Slainte!
Tossed and Tangled in Tacoma
Dear Tangled,
What you are feeling sounds distressingly like what Slainte first experienced 10 years ago. So she sympathizes. Those restless legs might be caused by a neurological disorder called restless leg syndrome (RLS).
A person who suffers from RLS often feels an indescribable unpleasant sensation in the legs followed by an irresistible urge to move them.
If your tossing relieves the aches or other uncomfortable sensations in your legs, you need to contact your doctor. RLS is easily and quickly treated with medication. You do not have to suffer.
One theory is that RLS is caused by a lack of iron in a certain part of the brain. Brain cells, like blood cells, need iron, and transporter molecules in the blood carry this iron to them. The transporter molecule then enters the neuron through a special transporter door and releases its iron.
When the person has RLS, there are plenty of transporter molecules but not enough doors for them to enter. The result is a lack of iron in the brain cells even though there is plenty of iron in the blood. Anyone of any age can develop RLS.
Sldinte s fibromyalgia (FM) is accompanied by RLS. It comes and goes, sometimes for years at a time. Last time she felt the "unpleasant" sensation as a deep painful ache that occurred both day and night and in both forearms and legs.
Because of this, she didn't suspect it was RLS until she had almost worn a path in the floor from pacing around the kitchen island. Her doctor prescribed Sinemet (carbidopa/levodopa) and the RLS with its pain was gone the next day.
Ifshehadn'tknownaboutRLS, she (and her doctor) would have blamed the pain on her FM, and it would have gone untreated. Now it is one less pain she has to deal with.
The person with RLS has to have their legs in motion. They cannot keep still. The urge to move is irresistible and often automatic. In bed they toss and turn. All this movement disturbs their sleep and often that of their bedmate. They awake tired with sore legs.
Out of bed they pace, cross and uncross their legs, shift their weight back and forth from one leg to the other, stretch out the legs, and massage or rub them. Symptoms make sufferers appear as if they are jittery or hyperactive. They try to keep still but can't.
By
MAUREEN KEANE
In a small percentage of cases, symptoms of RLS can be caused by a secondary disorder such as iron deficiency anemia or B12 or folate vitamin deficiencies.
These can be treated with supplements. It is important that you see a doctor for blood tests to determine what is causing your symptoms and not start gobbling down supplements just to see what works.
If you suffer from an aching, burning, crawling or other unpleasant sensation of the legs that is only relieved by movement, or if your legs are uncomfortable and you experience an irresistible urge to move them, you might have RLS too.
For more info on Restless Leg Syndrome go to the website of The Restless Leg Syndrome Foundation atwww.rls.org. There is also a ton of information to be found at The Southern California Restless Leg Syndrome Association's website at www.rlshelp.org.
SldinteX
•
Maureen Keane is a best-selling author, nutritionist, and whole foods expert. She has authored 13 books on health and nutrition including the best selling Juicing for Life, What to Eat If You Have Heart Disease and What to Eat If You Have Cancer. If you have a question or comment regarding nutrition or health that you would like to see addressed in this column, e-mail itto Maureen@keanenutrition.com.
The Lark in the Morning Music Camp
MENDOCINO, CA - The Lark in the Morning World Music and Dance Camp - an eight day long celebration of music and dance - will be held from July 29 to August 6 in the heart of the Mendocino redwood forest. Each year, there are sessions 24 hours a day, workshops with over 97 instructors, dances, parties and more.
Workshops cater to beginners as well as professionals and one unique aspect of Lark Camp is the great variety of music and dance: Irish, French, Andean, Balkan, Cajun, American, Middle Eastern, Mexican, Latin, African, Swedish, English, Breton and more.
The full camp is eight days and half camp is four days. Registration forms and complete information is available at: www.larkcamp.com. For more information, write: Lark Camp, P.O. Box 1176, Mendocino, CA 95460. Call (707) 964-4826, fax (707) 964-8659, or e-mail: regis tration@ larkcamp.com.
IHC AGM - At the Irish Heritage Club's annual general meeting and election of officers, outgoing president Reverend Barry Keating was re-elected to the board of directors but declined to run again for the top position. The new president is David Jacobsen, and he is joined by Melissa Estelle as vice-president, Ruth Gurgel as secretary, Frank Gill in charge of membership and John Keane as treasurer. Newly elected board members also include Jane Sepede and Ralph Kosche. For more information on the Irish Heritage Club and its activities, visit: www.irishclub.org.
JOYCE EXHIBITION - The International Joyce exhibition at the downtown Seattle Library was very popular and attracted a great deal of interest from the public. The exhibit was accompanied by Irish book displays that also proved to be very popular, requiring restocking several times.
The exhibit now moves to the University of Washington's Suzzallo Library where it will be on display during the months of August and September. The UW Libraries also plan to showcase their Joyce holdings at the same time. The exhibit location is the exhibit room in the Suzzallo Library's west end near Kane Hall.
The Joyce exhibition was prepared by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs to mark the centenary of Bloomsday, June 16, 1904, and is organized in Seattle by the Irish Heritage Club and the Seattle-Galway Sister City Association.
PIPERS CONCERT - Seattle's Irish Pipers Club has a concert at Conor Byrne's Pub, 5140 Ballard Ave NW, in Ballard on July 9, at 8 PM. The 05 cover will help organize the West Coast Pipers' Tionol in Seattle next February. For more information, visit www.irishpipersclub.org
SEATTLE GAELS - The local Gaelic footballers and hurlers practice Tuesday evenings at Franklin High School, corner of MLK Way Jr and Rainier, Seattle. Their City League Finals are scheduled for July 10. For information, call Rebecca Fox at (206) 498-2762, Rob Mullin at (206) 353-8460, e-mail: SeattleGaels@irishclub.org, or visit:
www. seattlegaels. org.
IRISH PICNIC - The Irish Community Picnic is July 31, from noon to 6 PM, at St. Edward State Park in Kenmore (see www.parks.wa.gov for directions, etc.). All members of Seattle's Irish community are welcome, especially families, and admission is free. Barbeques, hot dogs and hamburgers are provided, but you're welcome to bring your favorite food and drink. The hurling and football games start around 12 noon, and everyone is welcome to participate. There are tug-a-war contests, kids races, three-legged races, sack-races, water balloon toss, straw search for the kids, etc. For information, call Rob Mullin at (206) 353-8460.
LAW FELLOW - James Mulcahy from Dublin is the Irish winner of the 2005 Thomas Addis Emmet Law Fellowship. He is now in Seattle working on public service law projects until he returns to Ireland on August 22. In common with most major law schools in the U.S., the University of Washington runs a legal aid clinic on campus, providing a variety of free services to members of the local disadvantaged community.
This Fellowship program brings one Irish law student to Seattle for two months each summer to get firsthand experience of human rights and public interest law cases. The successful candidate spends two months working in the campus clinic or an associated clinic providing public legal services. The UW Law School, the Irish Heritage Club, the Friends of St. Patrick and the Seattle Galway Association help sponsor the Fellowship program. For more information, visit: www.flac.ie.
IRISH WINDOW - The windows at the downtown Seattle Macy's store (formerly the Bon Marche) are dedicated through July 20 to displays celebrating the various ethnic festivals held annually at the Seattle Center, with one of the windows dedicated to the Irish Festival. The designs are done by a group of kids called
By JOHN KEANE
Coyote Central whose art teams used recycled materials to create signature pieces filling all 28 display-windows.
IRISH LANGUAGE - Basic and Intermediate classes in the Irish language will start in September at 12600 NE 85th Street, Kirkland. Each class consists of 10 sessions, with beginner classes on Monday evenings and Intermediate level classes on Saturday mornings. For details, call Aidan Maher at (425) 823-1553 or e-mail: thepaycock@juno.com.
TRADE MISSION - The Irish Presidential Trade Mission to Seattle in May was the largest ever to the U.S., involving 30 Irish-based companies, and was also very successful. While here, Limerick-based Galty Technologies reached agreement with cell phone provider, Cingular, to use Galty software on Blackberry devices.
Dublin's Sigmar Aviation will provide Alteon Training, a Boeing subsidiary, with support services for airlines in start-up, training, expansion and fleet transition. Dublin's Changingworlds, whose applications modify mobile phone web browsers, will open a San Francisco office following the Seattle trip. The Seattle Times editorialized, "the underlying message of this top-level delegation .... Ireland plays at the championship level."
COMHALTAS - Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann (CCE) Columbia Branch, serving the Vancouver WA/Portland OR area, meets monthly on first Fridays for summertime ceilis, at Michael Servetus Unitarian Fellowship 4505 East 18th Street, Vancouver WA. Instruction at 7:30 PM; Dancing 8 PM to 10 PM Cost: 85 per adult, 015 per family. Ceili musicians are admitted free. For information, contact (360) 737-0656 ore-mail: alygal@yahoo.com.
HARP CONGRESS - The Ninth World Harp Congress will be in Dublin from July 17 to 24, with eight festive days of celebration of the harp, including performances by many of the world's leading concert harpists in recital and with orchestra. The evening venues include St. Patrick's Cathedral and Ireland's National Concert Hall for orchestra and chamber concerts. The 2005 Chair of the World Harp Congress is Pat Wooster from Sumner, just south of Seattle.
ONGOING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
The Irish Heritage BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP continues meeting during the summer. Call (206) 525-
5310 or email hudit@comcast.net.......The weekly GAA
TELECASTS from Ireland continue at the Irish Emigrant. For game times, visit: www.setanta.com
.......THE CHIEFTAINS are at The Paramount on July
14.......The ALL NATIONS SOCCER CUP, involving 33
Seattle teams including one representing Ireland, starts July 15 at Fort Dent Park, Tukwila. For information,
visit: www.allnationscup.org.......The annual TlR NA
NOG DAY CAMP at the Seattle Center, July 18 to 22, 9 AM to 12:30 PM daily, for youths aged 4-8. Call (206) 856-5535 or e-mail: celticroots_seattle
@hotmail.com.......KARAN CASEY performs at the
Tractor, July 20. Visit: www.karancasey.com.......AN Rl
RA MONTANA Irish Festival is August 13-14 in Butte, Montana. Visit: www.mgcsonline.org.
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Stephen Quinn and Marisa Colarusso who were married at St. James Cathedral on
June 25.......to Maeve and John O'Malley on the birth
of Mary Grace O'Malley on June 28.......and to Michael
and Bhavesha O'Byrne (and grandparents Myles and Joan) on the birth of baby Myles O'Byrne.
CONDOLENCES
To the Rowland family on the sudden death of 44-year-old Martin Rowland. Sincere sympathy is extended to his mother, Bridget Rowland; his father, Finian Rowland; sisters, Ann, Kathleen and Teresa; brothers, Patrick and Kevin, and his many other relatives and friends.
To Seattle's John Fleming on the recent death of his father, Raymond Fleming, in Ardee, County Louth. John was able to visit his father during his illness and then returned to Seattle to celebrate the birth of his son Ruairf Sean, on May 19. Ruairi is John and Kathleen's third child.
Condolences also to the Lynch family on the death of Larry Lynch, father of Lori Lynch and father-in-law of Chris Boyle, who passed away on June 30 in Seattle.
Ar dheis De go raibh a n-anamacha - May their souls rest at God's right hand.