Calcium better from food
Calcium-rich foods do much more to strengthen your bones than calcium supplements alone. Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis report that women who get their calcium mostly from foods have higher bone-mineral densities (BMDs) than those who get calcium mostly from supplements.
Calcium not only is important for bone health, but it also affects the metabolism of estrogen, another important component of bone strength, say experts in the September issue of the Harvard Women’s Health Watch. In just seven days of the study, women who consumed an average of just 830 milligrams of calcium per day through foods had much higher BMDs than the women getting 1,033 milligrams of calcium from supplements.
Better yet, the women who balanced their intake with at least 70 percent of calcium from food as well as calcium supplements had the highest BMDs and 1,620 milligrams per day of calcium consumption. Here is a short list of calcium-rich foods:
*8 ounces of low-fat, plain yogurt — 415 milligrams.
*1 cup of frozen, cooked rhubarb — 348 milligrams.
*1 cup of frozen, cooked collards — 357 milligrams.
*8 ounces of low-fat yogurt with fruit — 345 milligrams.
*3 ounces of canned sardines with bones — 325 milligrams.
*1 cup of skim or fat-free milk — 306 milligrams.
*1 cup frozen, cooked spinach — 291 milligrams.
*1 cup of 1 percent milk — 290 milligrams.
*1 ounce mozzarella cheese — 207 milligrams.
*1 ounce cheddar cheese — 204 milligrams.
Look out for leaden kid jewelry
Beware of children’s play jewelry, which could contain high levels of lead, says the September Parenting magazine.
Young children who put such products in their mouths could be at risk for behavioral problems, decreased intelligence and even seizures, according to Bruce Lanphear, professor of environmental health at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Here’s how to protect your kids:
*Don’t buy jewelry from vending machines.
*Don’t buy fake pearls, which often are coated with lead paint.
*Be wary of jelly bracelets.
*If you aren’t sure whether metal jewelry is lead free, toss it.
For information on companies that make lead-free products, go to the Web site of the Center for Environmental Health at cehca.org.
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Music in prescription strength
Music therapy has impressive healing powers. Numerous studies show that it can help relieve pain, lower blood pressure and even help patients with neurological deficits caused by stroke or Parkinson’s disease, says Barbara Reuer, past president of the American Music Therapy Association. She has worked in medical and psychiatric settings for more than 30 years.
In addition, making music can help improve flexibility of the chest walls in those with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, allowing them to establish better lung health, says Reuer in the Sept. 15 issue of Bottom Line Personal.
Some 5,000 board-certified music therapists are available to help patients referred for music therapy, and about 25 percent of music therapy services are reimbursed by insurance plans. To find a music therapist, go to the American Music Therapy Association Web site at mu sictherapy.org.
If you’re simply looking for therapeutic music, find it at rhythmicmedicine.com or innerpeacemusic.com. But select only the music you find pleasant. If it doesn’t appeal to you, it won’t help.
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Gum works on brain and gut
Can chewing gum improve your memory and help you shed pounds? Some limited studies suggest it can, says the October issue of Eating Well.
Gum chewers studied by researchers at Northumbria University in England were able to remember more words on a memory test than those who chewed no gum. It could be that the simple act of chewing helps the heart pump more oxygenated blood to the brain.
Chewing gum can help with weight loss too. A study of 60 people published in the journal Appetite found that those who chewed gum for 15 minutes every hour after eating lunch snacked on 36 fewer calories three hours after the meal and craved fewer sweets.
On the downside, gum chewing can worsen the pain of people with jaw problems.
