Part of Breast Cancer Awareness is also knowing how to take care of yourself if you do have breast cancer.
Women with breast cancer are very likely to have low levels of vitamin D, say researchers at University of Rochester Medical Center. Vitamin D, found in milk and fortified cereals, is important for bone health, and breast cancer patients may experience accelerated bone loss with hormone therapy and chemotherapy.

In the study, nearly 70% of breast cancer patients had low levels of vitamin D. Women with late-stage disease and non-Caucasian women had the lowest levels. Women with a deficiency in vitamin D …read more

If you have vitamin D deficiency in the years before menopause, you may suffer three times the increased risk of developing high blood pressure later on.

A new study, reported on at the American Heart Association, found that vitamin D deficiency among premenopausal women led to systolic hypertension 15 years later.
Vitamin D is also important for bone health. It can enter the body through the skin by means of exposure to ultraviolet B rays in sunlight. Dietary vitamin D is ingested.
Vitamin D is found in many fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel. Vitamin D is also found in the yolk of …read more

May is Osteoporosis Month, and that means women should take a moment to recognize the signs of the disease. The folks at Reclast remind us that women should take proactive measures if they have postmenopausal osteoporosis.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation:
• Approximately 8 million American women have osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones such as the hip, spine and wrist to break more easily, resulting in more than 2 million fractures annually
• One in two women over the age of 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in her remaining lifetime
• An average of 24 percent of women who experience …read more

A European study on bone composition may mean big changes in the perception of sugar’s role in bone health and the treatment of bone disorders. Says Science Daily, “Their study concludes that sugars, not proteins, are key organic building blocks that account for bone’s toughness and stiffness.”
This does not mean you should stop drinking milk or eating meat and start pounding sweets. This new info is more about the treatment of bone problems than nutrition.
“This could exert a major impact on the pharmacological management of bone disorders by directing novel therapeutic approaches, as it suggests new molecular targets for drug …read more

iVillage offers a great collection of info for bone health, heart health, breast health, colon health, and mental and emotional health just for women. Each topic area offers 5 ways to evaluate and improve your current health, things to watch out for, or research findings you need to know. Check it out!
Contents © Copyright 2007 Kristen King