Healthnotes Newswire (August 2, 2007)—Good news for women looking for ways to keep their bones strong: an ingredient in soy may improve bone mineral density. A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that 54 mg per day of genistein, a type of isoflavone, had positive effects on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with mild loss of bone density (osteopenia).
Healthnotes Newswire (July 26, 2007)—Whole grains are heralded for their many health benefits, and here’s another: eating more of these nutrient-dense grains in breakfast cereals and breads, and choosing brown rice over white may actually reduce the risk of dying from inflammatory diseases.
Healthnotes Newswire (July 19, 2007)—Losing weight can help relieve lymphedema of the arm—a common complication related to breast cancer treatment in which the arm becomes enlarged from excess fluid. Since as many as 42% of women treated for breast cancer suffer from lymphedema, many women could benefit from this therapy.
Healthnotes Newswire (July 5, 2007)—Women with high blood pressure (hypertension) were able to lower their blood pressure and cholesterol but substituting soy nuts for nonsoy protein in a heart-healthy diet, a new study has found.
Healthnotes Newswire (June 21, 2007)—Women who take the herb black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) are less likely to get breast cancer, according to new research published in the International Journal of Cancer.
“With the serious health concerns that have been raised about the use of estrogen and progestin-containing hormone replacement therapy in recent years, many women have turned to complementary-alternative medicines to alleviate symptoms of menopause,” said Timothy R. Rebbeck, PhD, professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania and lead author of the new study. “The long-range effects of these compounds have not been studied. Ours is the first report that black cohosh confers a degree of protection from breast cancer, which represents a potentially important piece of information for women who take, or who might consider taking, these compounds.”
Healthnotes Newswire (June 7, 2007)—Many women start thinking about calcium and vitamin D after menopause, but new evidence suggests that paying attention to these nutrients before menopause could protect against breast cancer.
The new study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, was drawn from the large, long-term Women’s Health Study. The analysis included information about diet and cancer diagnoses over a ten-year period from 10,578 premenopausal women and 20,909 postmenopausal women.
Some of the richest sources of dietary calcium are green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, and broccoli, as well as sea vegetables such as kelp and dulse. Figs and some nuts and seeds also provide high amounts of calcium. Vitamin D has few natural sources (primarily egg yolk and fish oil) but the body is able to make plenty when it has adequate sun exposure.
