Disorder causes body to make too many red blood cells

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have a relative who was diagnosed with polycythemia vera. What is this disorder, and can it be treated? Is any new research being conducted on polycythemia vera?

ANSWER: Polycythemia vera is a blood disorder where the body makes too many red blood cells. It’s one in a family of diseases called myeloproliferative disorders. In these diseases, bone marrow — the spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells

▢ Mayo Clinic

Professional Clinical Health Advice are made — is affected by a type of chronic leukemia that causes it to make more cells than it should.

Patients with polycythemia vera have a high red blood cell count. But sometimes the disease also can result in too many white blood cells, or too many platelets — the component of blood that aids in clotting. A considerable amount of research is underway to investigate this blood disorder and treatments for it.

Exactly why polycythemia vera develops is still unclear, although researchers know more about the cause of the disease now than in the past. In 2005, researchers found that a change in a gene that affects the protein JAK2 appears to play a role in polycythemia vera development. JAK2 is one in a series of on/off switches that control when cells grow and divide. In polycythe-

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mia vera, this switch is stuck in the on position, causing cell growth to continue. About 95% of people with polycythemia vera have the JAK2 mutation. The others have different mutations that are thought to affect cells similarly. Research is ongoing.

In its early stages, polycythemia vera may not cause symptoms. Due to the excess red blood cells, though, some people may eventually develop skin itchiness and redness; headaches; dizziness; shortness of breath; and numbness, tingling, burning or weakness in their hands, feet, arms or legs. Because polycythemia vera causes blood to thicken and slow, it also can increase the risk of developing blood clots, which can cause a stroke.

Over the long term, polycythemia vera may progress to myelofibrosis, a disorder that involves scarring in the bone marrow and disruption of the production of blood cells, and it can lead to

You’ll want these jewels of sweet heat on everything you eat

MAKING THESE

CANDIED JALAPEÑOS

IS as easy as heating the sliced fresh chiles in a seasoned simple syrup and then letting them cool. Yet for such a seemingly basic recipe with so few ingredients and steps, the end product is extraordinarily versatile. The key to their versatility (and to the success of this recipe) proved to be in the balance of flavours and textures.

Ample sweetness — from ¾ cup of sugar — helped keep the potent heat of the chiles in check.

Fruity, tart cider vinegar complemented the vegetal flavor of the fresh chiles

▢ America's Test Kitchen

Rigorously tested recipes that work.

and balanced the sugar’s sweetness, and a generous amount of salt accentuated all the flavours.

Whole coriander seeds contributed vibrant pops of complexity and a welcome textural contrast. Finally, using both red and green jalapeños not only provided a pretty contrast between emerald green and ruby red but also ensured a balanced, assertive level of heat, since the ripened red variety tends to be spicier than the green.

Candied Jalapeños

▢ 4 green jalapeño chiles, stemmed and sliced ¼ inch thick (about 1 cup)

▢ 4 red jalapeño chiles, stemmed and sliced ¼ inch thick (about 1 cup)

▢ 3⁄4 cup sugar

1. Combine all ingredients (including turmeric, if using) in a small saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until jalapeños just soften, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely, about 1 hour.

▢ 1⁄4 cup cider vinegar

▢ 1⁄4 cup water

▢ 2 tsp table salt

▢ 1 tsp coriander seeds

▢ 1⁄4 tsp ground turmeric (optional)

2. Using a fork or tongs, transfer jalapeños to an 8-ounce jar. Pour syrup over jalapeños to fill the jar, leaving 1⁄2 inch headspace. Affix jar lid and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. (Candied jalapeños can be refrigerated for up to one month.)

ↆ For 25 years, confident cooks in the know have relied on America's Test Kitchen for rigourously tested recipes developed by professional test cooks and vetted by 60,000 at-home recipe testers. See more online at www. amercastestkitchen.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17

▢ Friday Food at the Elmira Legion. Doors open at 4 p.m., serving at 5:45 p.m. Menu: meatloaf, mashed, veggies, salad, roll, dessert, $10/plate. Join us in the lounge. All welcome.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20

▢ Woolwich Gardeners February Speaker. Join us at St. James Lutheran Church, Elmira, 7 p.m. with Speaker Karin Davidson-Taylor (Royal Botanical Gardens). She will speak on "Healing Plants". Freewill donation for non-members. Open to the public. "Lug a Mug" for refreshments and treats.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21

▢ Tuesday Take-out Lunch at Gale Presbyterian Church. Drive-thru pick-up from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. $12/meal. Menu: meatloaf, mashed potatoes with gravy, vegetable, salad, bread and cherry cheesecake. RSVP by Fri. Feb 17 (noon) to office@ galepresbyterian.com or 519-669-2852.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22

▢ Senior's Community Dining at Linwood Community Centre. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us for lunch and fellowship. Cost $12. Must register by noon on February 17 by calling 519-664-1900.

▢ Adult Social Drop-In at The Hub, Woolwich Memorial Centre from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Activity is dot painting with Tina. To register please phone 519-669-5139.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24

▢ Friday Food at the Elmira Legion. Doors open at 4 p.m., serving at 5:45 p.m. Menu: chicken burger, fries, coleslaw, dessert, $10/plate. Join us in the lounge. All welcome.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25

▢ Coldest Night of the Year. Raising funds for Woolwich Community Services. Family-friendly walk to raise money for WCS programs, serving people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness. Team up, fundraise, walk, and gather for good...because it's cold out there. Join us at Woodside Bible Fellowship, Barnswallow Drive, Elmira. 4 p.m. registration, 5 p.m. walk begins, 6 p.m. community chili dinner.

FRIDAY, MARCH 3

▢ Friday Food at the Elmira Legion. Doors open at 4 p.m., serving at 5:45 p.m. Menu: lasagna, caesar salad, roll, dessert, $12/plate. Join us in the lounge. All welcome.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9

▢ Woodside Evergreen for Seniors at Woodside Church, Elmira, 10:30 a.m. "Songs and Stories of Bringing Healing and the Gospel of Jesus to the Indigenous People of Canada" by Rick and Linda Martin of Niverville, Manitoba. Suggested donation $10 includes hot lunch. Preregister by March 9 at www.woodsidechurch.ca/evergreen or 519-669-1296.

▢ Gardening 101 with local gardeners Fred Lichti and Chrissy Arjune at the Woolwich Memorial Centre, Elmira, 7 p.m to 8:30 p.m. This is a brief introduction to the basics of planting and growing a vegetable garden with a hands-on demonstration.Tomato seeds and soil provided to participants. No charge and no registration required.Questions? Contact: Ann at 519-514-7027 or aroberts@woolwich.ca

Mini-Word

If your company would like to sponsor this page, please contact The Observer at 519-669-5790 ext.104 Or email donna@woolwichobserver.com

Sudoku EASY

Crossword

ACROSS

1. Diminutive bone

8. Employees

13. Alfresco

14. By and large

16. Shutterbugs

17. Many a Floridian

18. Octopoda

19. Prohibited

20. Enough (informal)

21. Heavy barge

22. Tease

23. Sore winner

25. Sour

Sudoku HARD

27. Collector's suffix 28. Rootstock starch 31. An ovum

32. Intensify

33. Chinese tea 36. Belonging to the past 40. Paddle 41. Neighbor of Sudan

42. Segments of the corolla

44. Mental sharpness 45. Hit the slopes 46. Pathetic 47. Please, to Shakespeare 49. In the same family

52. Network news stars

53. Managing to avoid

54. Bony fish

55. French noble

SOLUTION:

56. Porterhouse, e.g.

57. Cunning DOWN

1. Tea type

2. Gastropod

3. Summoned

4. To such an extent

5. Temporary accommodation

6. In ___ of

7. Coastal raptors

8. Watched and did nothing

9. Group of three

10. Arctic lights

11. On the lam

12. Item strapped on a horse's head

14. Crab or spider

15. Befurred swimmer

24. Nonsense

25. Most badly made

26. Blood carrier

29. Whickering sounds

30. Trim

33. Cow dung

34. Cafeteria worker's headwear

35. Particular item

37. Chinese porcelain 38. Simultaneously 39. Bewails

Climbers' rests

Clinched an agreement, perhaps

Mother of Helios

Presses the accelerator

Delicate