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FEATURES Weight loss helps control sleep apnea TOR K: I was recently diagnosed with Type 2 dia- betes. Then, short- ly afterward, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. Could the two be related? DEAR READ- ER: One way they could be related is if you are over- weight. The heavier you are, the greater your risk of both conditions. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It usually devel- ops during adulthood among people who are overweight. Being over- weight causes your cells to resist the effects of insulin, a hormone that drives sugar (glucose) from the blood into cells. When that happens, DEAR DOC- apnea is common. One study estimated that about a quarter of all adults in the United States have, or are at risk for developing, this condition. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs because the upper airway — particularly the back of the throat and tongue — relaxes too much during sleep. This causes repeat- ed interruptions to breath- ing. Oxygen levels in your blood may drop because airflow into your lungs is blocked. sugar builds up in your blood. If this happens con- sistently, you can develop Type 2 diabetes. Obstructive sleep Dr. K by Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D. sleep apnea might some- how increase your chances of getting Type 2 diabetes, or vice versa. There is some evidence from studies in animals and humans that sleep apnea also causes chemi- cal changes that lead to insulin resistance. Howev- er, I don't think the evi- dence is very strong. If you have Type 2 dia- betes and you're over- weight, you can help con- trol the condition by los- ing weight. In fact, I've had patients who eliminat- ed their Type 2 diabetes just by slimming down. Losing weight can also help with sleep apnea. If you have tried and failed to lose weight on your own, ask your doc- tor to hook you up with a nutritionist or dietitian who can assess your eat- ing habits and start you on an exercise program. Many of my patients find that being part of weight- loss groups, with other people like themselves, helps them to lose weight. The symptoms of this condition include snoring and snorting during sleep. If you have obstructive sleep apnea, someone watching you sleep (like your spouse) may notice periods of 15-40 seconds when you don't seem to be breathing. If this hap- pens more than 30 times an hour, the condition is considered severe. During the day, you may have sleepiness and difficulty concentrating. The condi- tion is more com- mon in men than women, and more common in adults as they get older. Even though we know that being overweight increases your risk of both sleep apnea and Type 2 diabetes, we don't know whether always had a rocky rela- tionship with my older sis- ter, ''Nancy.'' She's lived with our parents her entire life, and even after she mar- ried, she convinced her hus- band to move in with them. Her marriage didn't last long. Dear Annie: I have Friday, April 13, 2012 – Daily News 5A Delusional sister a threat to woman's son our first child. Mutual friends told us Nancy is showing pictures of our son, claiming he's hers. She even has his photo, as her son, on her Facebook page. It isn't the first time. Nancy is a professional nanny and has told people her charges were her children. Nancy has always been a drama queen. At my wed- ding, she threw a tantrum about how horrible her life was because her little sister was getting married and she was single again. My parents made me apologize, as always, for something over which I had no control. Last year, my husband and I had Annie's Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar Dear Sister: Nancy sounds mentally ill, delu- sional and threatening. Under no circumstances should you let her near your son. She has no basis to sue for visitation, and in fact, you might consider an order of protec- tion to keep her away. She desper- ately needs to be under the care of a psychiatrist. that Nancy is looking to sue for visitation rights with my son. This is astonishing, and I worry that she has some issues that should be addressed, but I don't want this to create a bigger family problem. My mother is on Nancy's side, and my father won't talk about it. I'm about ready to cut ties with all three of them. — Bad Sheep Sister the odor, and I worry they think it's me. How can I bring this to Mary's attention without causing any embarrassment or arguments? — Bombed in Kentucky Dear Kentucky: You might take Mary aside and, with great concern, say that her doctor might be able to put her on medication that doesn't have such unpleasant side effects. Meanwhile, there are air fresheners that have no discernible odor, and we recommend you purchase one and assiduously spray it whenever necessary. My husband thought that if we let her know she's important in our son's life, she'd stop, but she didn't. When I brought it up to my mother, she told me to let it go because Nancy is having a hard time with her job. Clients have been dropping her service because she's getting too pushy. We live six hours away, and Nancy insists we visit every other weekend. We argued, and now she won't talk to me. Nancy's room- mate called last night to warn me two co-workers, but we are all in one room. Eight months ago, ''Mary'' began using a new medica- tion to help her quit smoking. Unfortunately, the medication has now caused her to become rather flatulent. I'd understand if it hap- pened once in a while, but it is becoming very repetitive. Mary always says, ''I didn't know it was going to happen,'' but I think she's doing it on purpose because she thinks it's hilarious. My other co-worker laughs and actually encourages Mary. I'd spray air freshener, but I have a major sen- sitivity to the scent. When people walk into our office, they can smell Dear Annie: I really love my Dear Annie: You periodically run letters from disgruntled women whose husbands will not give them sex. What is wrong with these men? I am 81 and because of age no longer can perform, nor am I inter- ested. That does not prevent me, twice a month, from satisfying my wife in other ways. Being willing to give rather than receive is my expression of love, and it provides an opportunity to be close. — Happy Husband in Oregon Dear Husband: This sage advice works for both sexes. Thank you. Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. Barn raising at Patrick Ranch begins today Losing weight through a healthy diet and a regu- lar exercise program can not only improve both sleep apnea and Type 2 diabetes; it also can pro- tect you against heart dis- ease, stroke and several kinds of cancer. Dr. Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School. Go to his website to send questions and get additional information: www.AskDoctorK.com. Passages Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program (HICAP) is presenting a Welcome to Medicare workshop geared for those who will be new to Medicare, 2-4 p.m. April 20 at the Red Bluff Com- munity Center. This free two-hour inter-active seminar will help you understand how your Medicare benefits work. Registra- tion is required in order to ensure all attendees will receive the necessary workshop materials. Register by calling 898-6716 or 1-800-434-0222. Boomers turning 65 Medicare workshop Important questions that will be answered include: What is Medicare?, Do I really need a Medicare Part D prescription plan?, What is a Medi-Gap policy?, Can I coordinate health care plan benefits?, Are there pro- grams available to lower my Medicare health and pre- scription costs?, What happens if I miss my initial Medicare enrollment period? HICAP does not sell or endorse any insurance prod- ucts. If your group or agency would like a workshop, call Natasha Coulter-LaTorre, Community Outreach spe- cialist, at 898-6716. A Full Service Nail Salon Tips N Toes COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR recommened 30K, 60K, 90K SERVICES AT LOWER PRICES All makes and models. We perform dealer Smog Check starting at$ Pass or FREE retest 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. (most cars and pick-ups) Red Bluff Garden Club Invites you to attend their 51st May 4 & 5, 2012 Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Annual Standard Flower Show "Fun & Flowers from the 50s" Home Arts Bldg., Tehama District Fairgrounds For Information or to enter call 527-9403 Huge Plant Sale Classic Car Show Kid's Flower Planting Activity 2595 + cert. Debi Stuhr Owner/Operator Antelope Blvd Suite "F" • Red Bluff Shop tipsandtoesnailsalon@clearwire.net http://www.tipsandtoesnailsalon.webs.com Cell Members of the commu- nity and California State University, Chico students and faculty are stepping in to help build a three-story, 2,500-square-foot barn dur- ing the Patrick Ranch Blitz Build on the last three weekends in April. The first wall will be raised on Friday, April 13, and a short program will be held at 11 a.m. to celebrate the occasion. Representa- tives from Patrick Ranch, the University, community participants and students will be on hand to mark the beginning of the project. The new structure will greatly increase the public's access to the ranch. It will serve as a museum, an edu- cational facility and a visi- tor's center. The barn raising was chosen as CSU, Chico's 125th Celebratory Community Outreach Pro- ject and is part of its 125th anniversary celebration. When the University was established in 1887, the Patrick Ranch was a hub of the area surrounding what is now Chico. To honor this history, numerous departments across campus and several segments of the community are collaborating to make the Patrick Ranch Blitz Build a success. Such a huge undertaking would not be possible without the extensive contributions, and partner- ships among the University, the community, the Far West Heritage Association, Chico Noon Rotary, Valley collaboration, Ben Juliano, associate dean for the College of Engineering, Computer Sci- enceand Construction Man- agement, will welcome guests and introduce speak- ers including Dave Rush, vice president of the Patrick Ranch Museum Associa- tion; President Paul Zingg, CSU, Chico; and Melanie Bassett, president of Chico Noon Rotary and a repre- sentative of Tri Counties Bank. Contractors Exchange and Tri Counties Bank. "The participation of non-students in the building itself is unique for us in terms of past community service projects," said Lau- ren Cowden, student pro- ject manager from the Department of Construc- tion Management. "The barn will be constructed over three weekends, with two shifts per day of approximately 25 students and 25 community volun- teers from our community partners. The scale of the project is challenging and very exciting." The money for all of the logistics—tents, wiring, bathrooms, and food—is being donated. Valley Con- tractors Exchange, Chico Noon Rotary, and Tri Counties Bank are each providing financial contri- butions. In addition, volun- teers from these groups are preparing and serving two meals each day and provid- ing multiple teams to assist with construction. Howard Slater, Howard Slater and Sons; Pat Conroy, Conroy Construction; and Gage Chrysler, Modern Building Company, will provide on site mentoring and guid- ance to the students and community volunteers. After the construction management teams and community volunteers are finished raising the barn, there will still be a need for volunteers to paint and pro- vide finishing work. Inter- ested people can email Manager@patrickranch- museum.org or go to the website at http://www.patrickranch- museum.org/. For more information on the project, contact Jim O'Bannon, Department of Construc- tion Management, at 530- 898-1323.