B8 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, July 12, 2000

KEITH FREEMAN

- SKEENA’ANGLER.. ©

ROB BROWN
Dissecting the catch

ou and I are a collection of cells arranged sysiem-

alically. Of special interest to us in this Age of

Chemistry, is the state and fate of our endocrine
system.

Our endocrine or hormonal system is made up of our
pancreas, thyroid, parathyroid, thymus and pituitary glands,
and, depending on your sex, testicles, or ovaries, These
organs release chemical messengers, or hormones, into our
blood streams in minute concentrations. These messages
are transmitted to genes, ultimately guiding the develop-
ment of our sexual organs as well as our nervous and
immune systems. If the correct messages are chemically
telegraphed by our glandular transmitters then accurately
decoded by the cellular receivers, our hormone system
operates smoothly, If the wires are down somewhere along
the endocrine line, the consequences of a communication
break down can be dire indeed.

New synthetic chemicals are being brewed in industrial
laboratories the world over. Each year 1000 new synthetic
chemicals enter the global market. Some (but, by no means
all) of the products of this Frankenchemistry are tested for
skin and eye imitations, mutations, obvious birth defects,
and cancers, but none have been adequately tested for their
effect on the endocrine system. Particularly alarming is the
fact that many invisible endocrine disruptors that have been
in use for many years have had even less testing than more
recent concoctions.

Scientists have proven that synthetic chemicals have a
tendency to interfere with naturally produced harmones.
“Variously known as “endocrine disrupters", "estrogen

“nintickérs"and "synthetic hormones,” a small quantity of

- hese “insidious:formulations can have a devastating effect
on the endocrine system, particularly at crilical times such
as foetal development, with serious and lifelong conse-
quences for brain function, behaviour, development and
reproductive capacity.

Today, there are at least 300-500 measurable chernicals
in people’s bodies that were not found in anyone's tissue
before the 1920s. Declining sperm counts, increased rates
of breast, testicular and prostate cancer and increasing inci-
dence of childhood hyperactivity and leaming disorders are
now being studied in the context of hormone disruption.

It’s well known thal industrial spawn, such as PCBs and
dioxins, has built up in the food chain and is now found in
meat, fish and dairy produce. Less well known is that the
contamination of the human diet also occurs when other
chemicals, such as phthalates, leach out of packaging mate-
rials and penetrate food, and accumulate in our fatty tissue.

What does all this have to do wilh fish and fishing? Too
much, as it turns out. Fish have endocrine systems.
Honmone disrupting pesticides are found in water supplies.
They have been making their way into the seas along with
about four hundred other man mace toxins.

The problem was first diagnosed in Europe, where it
caused such alarm that many European governments gath-
ered in Portugal two years ago and pledged to stop the
release of these hazardous substances into the environment.

Recent research has discovered that a chemical called
Atrazine stops salmon from breeding and migrating, and
has contributed to the 82 per cent decline in salmon catch-
es across Eurape in the last 25 years. Three synthetic musk
fragrances, widely used in soaps, perfumes, air fresheners,
deodorants and detergents disrupt the hormone systems of
fish have found their way into marine fish, mussels and
custaceans, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons—chemi-
cals released by the burning of coal, oil, gas and waste--
have been proven to be 100 times more poisonous than
originally thought when exposed to sunlight-. PAHs have
been found to kill cod larvae and oyster embryos in labora-
tory tests, and may have a lot to do wilh the crash in
European cod stocks. Yet not one single chemical has been
banned in the two years since the Portuguese conference.

These same chemical horrors are bleeding into the seas
that wash up against our coasts along with Brominated
Flame Retardants released from TV’s and computers, fur-
niture and textiles. All of them have been found in whales,
dolphins, seals, sea birds, and fish. Recently it has been dis-
covered that the exposure of North American salmon to
endocrine disruptors has dramatically decreased their ocean
survival.

Consider how this stuff climbs up the food chain and
finds its way into you and me. The environment is absorp-
tive and we are part of it. Stop and reflect on the fact that
the rates of breast, testicular and prostate canoer and
increasing incidence of childhood hyperactivity are inereas-
ing (in the UK, France and Denmark: between the 1940s
and 1980s (he rate of testicular cattcer trebled and human
sperm counts dropped by almost 50 per cent.) think of all
the people you know who have had, or have, cancer,

Fifteen European Governments gathered in
Copenhagen for an intemational conference to discuss how
to stem this poisonous tide. ‘The govemments af North
America, Faced with the same menace, need todo the same,
I'm writing the federal minister of the environment on the
matter, and I urge you to do the same.

TERRACE STANDARD.

SPORTS

Getting a grip on life

Local arm-wrestler tackles
more than just fists in effort
to battle through disability

IF YOU'RE planning on
shaking Allan Heinricks’
hand, be warned, a vice
has nothing on him.

The long time Terrace
resident was at Williams
Lake on Canada Day tak-
ing part in the B.C. Arm
Wrestling Championships,
@ precursor to the Cana-
dian championships in Ke-
lowna in September. The
Kelowna event is expected
to draw more than 300 par-
ticipants from across the
country.

Besides arm-wrestling
and working out in his own
living room turned gym,
Heinricks holds a BA in
psychology, certificates in
various counselling
courses, and is a founding
student of UNBC.

All of this he’s done
from his wheelchair-- the
42-year-old has been a
paraplegic since his stroke
five years ago.

Despite the stroke-in-
duced speech impediment,
and the inability to rely
heavily on his legs to get
around, the Prince Rupert
native conducts a rigorous
exercise routine.

Daily, he peddles on his
sit-down exercise bike,
lifts 60 plus pound weights

with a pulley using only.

his fingers, and manages
to do some walking on his
slepper.

“I always like chal-
lenges, 1 look on life as a
series of challenges,” he
says.

Heinricks passion for
arm wrestling started in
Prince Rupert, where he
worked as a bouncer at
Bogey’s night club.

“Five guys in town
would go to the bar, and
try and beat each olher
and even things up.”

The first time he re-
members arm wrestling
was at age 16 with his
older brother and father.
He beat them both.

“E felt guilty for beating
my heroes,” he recalled.

Despite his bulging arm
muscles and the intimida-
ting piles of weights plan-
ted on his living room
floor, Heinricks considers
himself to be someone
able lo reach out on a
compassionate level to
people, and plans on open-

‘ing a counselling practice

one day.

In the meantime, his
aim is to put Terrace on
the map for more than ils
airport, fishing and ker-
modes.

“] want to make Ter-
race the hub of the north
for arm wrestling,” he says
proudly, “It’s the Terrace
guys who’ve taken the Ru-
pert tournaments.”

If Heinricks captures
first place in his division
at Kelowna, he plans on
travelling to Finland for
the world championships
in November-- providing
he can get the necessary
sponsorships.

Surprisingly, same have

actually refused to help |

Heinricks when he was
seeking support to travel to
the Williams Lake event.

“Some people just
brushed me off and didn’t
think L could do it.”

Ralph Weick, Hein-
ticks’ cousin. says, that the
guy has always impressed
him mentally and” physic-

ally.
“It’s amazing how he
keeps his sense of

humour,” he said. “When
he doesn’t place in some
of these tournaments, it
doesn’t get him down he
just gains strength from
that.”

Weick has arm wrestled
with him before and de-
scribes the experience as
“like trying a pull a tree
oul of its roots.”

“He just gets it in his
head that his arm isn't
going to move.”

When it comes right
down to it, Heinricks’ win-
ning philosophy is one of
individualism; He says that

638-7283

ALL PUMPED UP: Allan Heinricks prepares for an encounter at the B.C. arm-
wrestling championships on July 1 in Williams Lake. Heinricks is planning on
travelling to Kelowna in September for the Canadian championships.

no matter how much coun-
selling one gets, the will
to pull through a trying
time through lies within.
“Part of the reason I do
this is to tell people in my
position that they can ac-
complish anything.”
“Anything” doesn’t
seem out of the question
for this fist-locker. Hein-
ricks has had to overcome
more than just his stroke.

LIKE LIGHTNING: Fallon Yasinchuk tosses a pitch during opening day action.

Thunder jolts field with two
victories on opening day

AMIDST SHOUTS and cheers, the pro-
vineial bantam girls fastball tournament’s
round robin gat underway on July 7.

The Terrace Thunder took on Vancou-
ver at Elks Park in their opener, with ace
pitcher Fallon Yasinchuk getting the start.
Terrace looked good early, scoring two
runs in the second inning on some sloppy
Vancouver defence to establish a 2-1

lead,

They won that game as well as a later
match-up against North Delta, setting
themselves up for a potential playoff po-

sition.

Standard.

Both northwest teams were shining
through the first day of action. Kitimat
beat Central Saanich 8-5 and added vic-
tories against Kelowna and then Summer-
land on day two to clinch a playoff berth.

With TV and radio crews buzzing
around the field and crowd-jammed blea-
chers, the event was clearly a hit with the
local community as well as visitors from
around the province who’d come to cheer
on their squads. -

Look for a full wrap-up in next week’ 8

He was once someone
who, in his own words,
“enjoyed drinking a bit too
much”.

“He was completely
haywire,” said Weick.
“He's a strong man too.”

He got over drinking
and smoking three years
ago and cites religion and
his animals as paramount
to the battles he’s had to
fight.

“This is what keeps me
from going nuts,” he says,
pointing at his humungous
German Sheppard-Colly
cross Filps.

When he’s not tending
to Filps, Heinricks has two
turtles to look after.

“People sce what I’m
doing, I’m not. sitting
around feeling sorry for
myself, idleness is my
nemesis.”

“I can’t afford to quit.”

Sports Scope

Babe Ruth tournament
hits the field next week

THIS IS THE year to be in Terrace if you're a fan of
baseball. The bantam girls hit the field iast week for
their provincials and this week its the boys who take
over. Expectations are high but, according to team
captain Jonathan Major, the priority will be lo “just

have fun basically.”

Major likes his team’s batting and defence, but
an area that needs work, he says, are the cutoff plays
from the outfield. The games kick off on Sunday
Suly 23, and will continue through most of the week.

Junior Open tees off

Monday morning

THE SKEENA Valley Golf and Country Club is
playing host to the Junior Open on Monday and

Tuesday July 17 and 18,

Participants aged nine to 18 are welcome, as are
adults as walkers. Contact the club at 635-2542,

Back Eddy International
stays on top of men’s

soccer league

BACK EDDY International is establishing a firm
hold on top spot in the Terrace Scnior Men’s Soccer
Association. As of July 6, the team was slill unbea-
ten, with 11 wins and four ties, that’s eight points
better than Super BM, who does have three games in

hand.

The season is nearing the mid-way point but in-
terested participants can join the waiting list, by
completing an applicalion form available at the Ter-

‘Trace Arena recreation office. For more information
call Frazer Dodd at 615-0008 or Terry Marleau at

632-7378.

The league also has online statistics available for
those who want to keep track of the teams, The ad-
dress is www,tsma.terrace.be.ca.

f
i
i
i
i
5
i
1