June 2, 2002- Calcium for Cholesterol
Adding a calcium supplement to your diet
could boost your blood levels of good cholesterol.
In a study of older women, those who took
1,000 milligrams of calcium per day for one year saw a significant increase
in their blood levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. HDL cholesterol helps
to protect against heart disease by clearing other fats from the bloodstream.
Reducing your total cholesterol to 160
mg/dl or lower can help reduce your chances of cardiovascular diseases.
SOURCE: Intelihealth Systems, ©2002
June 9, 2002- Go for Seconds
Here's the first thing you
should do when you step out into the sun: Slather on a second coat of sunscreen.
Most health experts recommend
reapplying sunscreen every 2 or 3 hours. However, a recent study suggested
that reapplying even sooner could make a good plan better. Reapplying your
sunscreen 20 minutes after stepping outside, instead of 2 hours after,
can reduce your UV exposure by as much as 40 percent. Continue to reapply
sunscreen every few hours if you remain in the sun for an extended period
of time. Safely getting enough sun can make reduce your chances of serious
types of skin cancer.
SOURCE: John Hopkins University,
©2002
June 16, 2002- Wet Your Whistle Often
There's something in the
water--and it appears to be good for your heart.
In a recent study, drinking
at least five glasses of water per day was shown to reduce the risk of
fatal heart attack by about 50%, compared to drinking only two glasses
per day. Drinking other fluids, such as tea, juice, coffee, or milk, did
not have the same protective effect as drinking water.
SOURCE: University of Texas,
©2002
June 23, 2002- "D"ecrease Your Risk
Women over age 65 who took
vitamin D had nearly one-third less risk of dying from heart disease as
women who did not take the supplements, according to research. Vitamin
D and calcium are part of the standard therapy for the bone-thinning disease
osteoporosis.
Women with osteoporosis tend
to have more calcium in the walls of their arteries than women with normal
bones.
SOURCE: American Heart Association's
Asia Pacific Scientific Forum, ©2002
