RESEARCH THAT MATTERS TO WOMEN
Eating to Prevent Diabetes
Women who get most of their fat grams from vegetable fat sources may ward off the most common form of diabetes.
An 11-year study tracked the eating habits of nearly 36,000 women ages 55 to 69. Women whose daily intake of fat came from vegetable sources had a 20% lower risk of getting type 2 diabetes, compared to women whose fat intake was from animal products. Animal fat products include butter, meat, and eggs. Vegetable fat is found in nonmeat sources, such as fruits, grains, nuts, and oils.
The women at low risk of diabetes ate about 41.7 grams of vegetable fat each day. Women at high risk ate about 56.8 grams of animal fat daily.
Researchers think fatty acids found in vegetable fat change the makeup of cells involved in food digestion. These acids also help the body break down sugar.
Diabetes Care, Vol. 24, No. 8
Long Flights Increase Risk of Blood Clots
Women who sit for long periods on lengthy airplane flights are at risk of developing dangerous blood clots, researchers say. Blood clots that travel to the lungs and block blood flow through the rest of the body can cause pulmonary embolism (PE). Cardiac arrest can result.
Researchers found that women who had PE took flights that covered more than 3,107 miles and lasted six or more hours. Only 5% of the women who had PE left their seats during the flight.
Sitting for only an hour can decrease blood flow in the legs. Simple preventive measures include not crossing your legs, getting up and moving around at least every hour, and avoiding alcohol.
New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 345, No. 11
Estrogen: The Thief of Sleep
Many women have poor sleep during menopause. Scientists have attributed this to changing estrogen levels. Now, new research shows lack of estrogen also may be to blame for sleep problems before menopause.
In a two-year study, researchers looked at a group of more than 400 women ages 35 to 49 with regular menstrual cycles. Results showed that low levels of the bodys strongest form of estrogen hormone, estradiol, was linked to sleep problems in perimenopausal women. This was especially true for women ages 45 to 49.
Ovaries produce less estrogen as they age. Estrogen decline causes menopause symptoms, such as lack of sleep. The sleep problems experienced by younger women may mean these hormonal changes are starting earlier.
Obstetrics & Gynecology, Vol. 98, No. 3
High-Fiber Cereal: Good for Your Stomach
Eating a lot of cereal fiberthe kind found in whole-grain bread, cereal, pasta, rice, and oatsmight lower your risk of one kind of stomach cancer. The information is based on a new study of about 600 women and men with cancer of the stomach or esophagus. Researchers compared their diets to those of more than 815 people without cancer.
Those who received the highest amount of fiber from cerealalmost 15 grams a dayhad a 70% lower risk of cancer than those who ate the least amount. The women at highest risk ate only about 1.5 grams a day.
Researchers said cereal fiber might help protect against stomach cancer because it can prevent substances that act as cancer building blocks from forming in the stomach.
Gastroenterology, Vol. 120, No. 2
Positive Attitude May Speed Recovery
In 15 out of 16 reviewed studies, women who thought theyd recover from an illness actually fared better than those who didnt think positively.
Researchers speculate that healthy patient expectations may trigger a positive physical response in the body. They may also help patients ignore unfavorable symptoms or take a more active role in recovery.
Canadian Medical Association Journal, Vol. 165, No. 2
Aerobic Exercise: Key to Cholesterol Control
Until now, the effects of exercise on womens cholesterol levels were unclear. But a review of 13 studies found that aerobic exercise programs increased good (HDL) cholesterol levels in both pre- and postmenopausal women.
Researchers also found that aerobic exercise could lower bad (LDL) cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and body fat. Strength-training exercises, such as weight lifting, also lowered bad cholesterol. However, researchers could not prove it raised HDL levels.
High-volume aerobic activity makes the heart work harder to pump blood. Good examples include walking, running, and bicycling. Researchers recommend aerobic exercise three to five times a week, for 20 to 60 minutes.
Physician and Sportsmedicine, Vol. 29, No. 9
Breast-Feeding Impacts Cancer Risk
Researchers surveyed more than 1,000 women ages 30 to 80, both with and without breast cancer. Women who had breast-fed their first child for more than 13 months had a 47% lower risk of developing breast cancer, compared with mothers who had never breast-fed.
British Journal of Cancer, Vol. 84, No. 11