Medical blog » Women

Even moderate drinking affects women's cancer risk

admin — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 20:27:25 +0000

Drinking just a glass of wine a day increases women’s risk of breast cancer, as well as several other types of the disease, a new study concludes. The research, carried out among more than a million UK women, says that alcohol accounts for 5,000 cases of breast cancer every year.
What do we know already?
Many of us enjoy relaxing with a glass of wine at the end of the day. But it’s an unpalatable fact that alcohol can damage your health, especially when you look at alcohol’s links to some types of cancer. It’s easy to dismiss these stories as health scares, only relevant to heavy drinkers. But evidence is mounting that even moderate drinkers have an increased cancer risk.
Now researchers have examined the results from a very big study of women aged around 55, to see exactly how the amount of alcohol they drank related to their risk of getting different types of cancer. The women were recruited when they attended breast cancer screening and followed for the next 7 to 8 years, to see if they were diagnosed with any type of cancer.
What does the new study say?
Compared to women who said they drank only 1 or 2 units of alcohol a week, women who regularly drank the equivalent of 1 unit a day had an increased risk of getting seven types of cancer: breast, liver, rectum (part of the bowel), mouth, pharynx (a space at the back of the mouth), oesophagus (the tube that takes food from the mouth to the stomach) and larynx (voicebox).
The risk was most increased for breast cancer. In developed countries like the UK, the chance of having had breast cancer by the age of 75 is 9.5 in 100. According to the study, for every extra daily unit of alcohol (over 2 a week), that risk increases by 1.1 per 100. So if you had a roughly 9.5 percent chance of getting breast cancer by the age of 75, but you drank one glass of wine a day, that risk would go up to 10.6 percent. If you drank two glasses of wine a day, that would increase to 11.7 percent.
These might sound like quite small increases in risk. But because many women drink alcohol at these sorts of levels, it means a lot of women are affected overall. The researchers estimate that alcohol accounts for 11 percent of all breast cancers in the UK. That means that every year, 5,000 women get breast cancer who wouldn’t have got it without drinking alcohol.
The risk for cancers of the mouth, oesophagus, pharynx and larynx only increased for women who also smoked. Researchers think that alcohol may dissolve some of the toxins in cigarette smoke, making drinking and smoking together more risky than doing either alone. There was no increased risk of these cancers for women who drank alcohol but didn’t smoke.
The increased risks for rectum and liver cancer were relatively small, with an increased risk of 1 per 1000 and 0.7 per 1000 respectively.
Most of the women in the study were moderate drinkers. A quarter didn’t drink at all, and of those who drank, only 2 percent drank more than 21 units a week. The average woman in the study who drank alcohol had 7 units a week, or about one drink a day. That reflects previous studies of women in this age group (the average age was 55 at the start of the study).
How reliable are the findings?
The findings are likely to be fairly reliable. The study followed 1.28 million women, for an average 7 years. The women filled in questionnaires at the start of the study, and then again 3 years later, saying how much alcohol they drank. The researchers were also able to take account of other things that affect women’s cancer risk, such as whether they’d taken the contraceptive pill, HRT, whether they smoked or took exercise, and how much they weighed.
The researchers didn’t use the women who drank no alcohol at all as their comparison group. That’s because women who don’t drink at all may have quit alcohol because of serious health problems. So they’re not a healthy group to compare to. Instead, the researchers used women who drank only one or two alcoholic drinks a week as their comparison group. That’s likely to make the results more reliable.
Where does the study come from?
The study was done by the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford. It was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and published by Oxford University Press. It was funded by Cancer Research UK, the UK Medical Research Council, and the NHS breast screening programme.
What does this mean for me?
Just about everything we do has risks. We can’t avoid risks altogether, but knowing about them can help us make decisions we are comfortable with. It’s been clear for some time that alcohol is a factor in women’s risk of getting cancer, especially breast cancer. This latest study puts some figures on that increased risk. You may find that this helps you decide whether you are happy with the amount of alcohol you drink.
What should I do now?
It helps to know how much you’re drinking. One unit is 10 millilitres (ml) or 8 grams of pure alcohol, which is the amount of pure alcohol in a 25 ml single measure of spirits (ABV 40%), a third of a pint of beer (ABV 5-6%) or half a standard (175 ml) glass of red wine (ABV 12%).
The government’s recommendations are not to drink more than 2 to 3 units a day for women or 3 to 4 units a day for men.
Allen NE, Beral V, Casabonne D, et al. Moderate alcohol intake and cancer incidence in women. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2009; 101: 296-305.

Women's health declines in 40s: StatsCan

admin — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:32:33 +0000

OTTAWA â Canadian women experience a significant decline in health and quality of life between the ages of 40 and 50, compared to men during the same period of life, suggests a Statistics Canada study.
The study, released Wednesday, suggests women in their 40s experience more health problems â for example, illness linked to emotional stress â that lead to a poorer quality of life than their male counterparts during that particular decade, says one of the study’s authors, Heather Orpana.
The findings are no surprise to women’s health experts, who say many in this age group are worn out emotionally and physically from so-called “time-hunger” issues, or trying to juggle careers, family and other caregiving responsibilities.
“They’re absorbing all of this in a very different way than from generations ago,” said Madeline Boscoe, executive director of the Canadian Women’s Health Network. “So much so that if you were to ask them questions about the quality of their life they would say they had lots of anxiety of some kind or another.”
According to the report’s data, from ages 40 to 50, women’s average health-related quality of life index fell by the equivalent of six percentage points (.06 on the index), which is twice the threshold considered clinically important. The data for men in their 40s, on the other hand, did not drop significantly and instead the numbers stabilized, indicating a period of relative good health for men, but not for women.
“The numbers look like a really small decrease, but in actual fact it’s quite large in terms of the impact on one’s daily living,” said Orpana. “It’s going from a state where you have pain or vision problems, for example, but you can still function to going to a state where you have pain or a vision problem that you can’t correct.”
Scott Schieman, a sociology professor at the University of Toronto, says men in their 40s may perceive a better quality of life because they are confident in their careers and have more senior positions.
“Men in that age group are hitting their stride in their work careers,” he said. “They are also more likely (than women) to get the resources and rewards from the work role and that could be bolstering their sense of well-being.”
While women and men may have equally demanding jobs, men may not have the stress of child-bearing and child rearing, he said, adding that men may be less anxious about their jobs.
“There’s more sharing of responsibilities going on but if the burden of childcare is falling more on women and they are trying to work at the same time that’s probably taking a major toll as well.”
Another reason why men might perceive their health-related quality of life as good is because they tend to ignore their health more than women, suggests Dr. Tom Freeman, chair of family medicine at the University of Western Ontario.
“Our socialization is different that way. Women are worrying about birth control and pap smears and regularly visit physicians but it isn’t until around age 50 that men take any action,” he said.
“There is lots of speculation about why they don’t live as long as women and you know you wonder if they paid more attention to their health they would perhaps live longer?”
The study measured eight attributes: vision, hearing, speech, ambulation, dexterity, emotion, cognition, and pain and discomfort. Participants were asked to grade each attribute ranging from severely impaired to no impairment.
Orpana said one of the reasons for this drop among women could be attributed to the emotional domain.
For example, of the women studied, those who said they went from being “somewhat happy” in their 30s to “somewhat unhappy” in their 40s would experience that decline in quality of life.
The reasons could be linked to emotional stress including relationship problems, problems with children, job stress or financial problems, said Orpana.
“We know that women are more likely to experience depression than men,” she said.
“So that really implies that we need to look further at women in that decade to see why their health quality of life is decreasing so much.”
Boscoe said women in their 40s make up a larger percentage of those who are poor and are coming into middle age with lower expectations than when they were younger, which could cause some anxiety or depression.
“They’re suddenly understanding that this is the life they are going to live. You know, you’re not on a trajectory to make oodles of dollars. You’re just coping,” she said.
Boscoe pointed to the need for a national daycare program as an example of women calling on the government for some relief from the juggling act.
Orpana said the findings were significant enough to warrant further study of women during that decade, adding that a report is expected to be published later this year.
“It was a result that was unexpected and quite interesting and so we really want to look at the explanations now for that decline,” she said. “Hopefully that will help us better understand women’s health.”
Researchers will look at behavioural factors, such as smoking, physical activity and alcohol consumption, as well as social factors such as stress and access to health care, she said.
After 50, the report suggests, the rate of health does not improve, but the rate of decline stabilizes until the age of 70.
Data for the study came from 7,915 community-dwelling adults aged 40 and older in 1994 and 1995.
Overall, excluding people who were institutionalized, the study found the health-related quality of life for all Canadians remained generally stable until about 70, when it began to decline.

Health Groups Slam Tobacco Marketing to Women

admin — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:03:07 +0000

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 18 (HealthDay News) — New tobacco company marketing campaigns that target women and girls are the most aggressive in more than a decade, a new report concludes.
That marketing needs to be curbed by giving the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority over tobacco products, according to the report, released Wednesday by a coalition of major U.S. public health organizations.
Campaigns launched in recent years by the nation’s two largest tobacco companies — Philip Morris USA and R.J. Reynolds — depict cigarette smoking as feminine and fashionable rather than the harmful and deadly addiction it really is, according to
. The report was issued by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association, American Lung Association and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Late last year, for example, Philip Morris USA announced it would sell its Virginia Slims brand in “purse packs” — small, rectangular cigarette packs that are half the size of regular cigarette packs. The packs resemble cosmetics cases and come in mauve and teal.
And in early 2007, R.J. Reynolds introduced a new version of its Camel cigarettes, called Camel No. 9. The name evokes famous Chanel perfumes, and the cigarettes are packaged in shiny black boxes with hot pink and teal borders. Magazine ads for the cigarettes featured flowery imagery, vintage fashion and promotional giveaways that included lip balm, cell phone jewelry, tiny purses and wristbands, all in hot pink.
“These new marketing campaigns by Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds show contempt for the health of women and girls,” Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said in a news release. “The tobacco industry’s aggressive marketing demands an equally aggressive response from our nation’s elected leaders. By granting the FDA authority over tobacco products, the Congress can crack down on the industry’s most harmful practices.”
The new campaigns are the latest in the tobacco industry’s long history of targeting women and girls, the report said.
Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death among women, killing more than 170,000 women in the United States each year, according to the report. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer of U.S. women, and deaths are not decreasing among women as they are among men, according to cancer statistics released in December. In addition to lung cancer, smoking increases women’s and girls’ risk of numerous serious health problems, including heart attack, stroke, emphysema and many other types of cancer.
“Big tobacco’s blatant targeting of women is just an extension of a decades-long campaign of fraud and deception designed to addict children and adults to its deadly products,” John R. Seffrin, chief executive of the American Cancer Society and its affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, said in the news release. “Congress must empower the FDA to regulate tobacco products to put a stop to the harmful practices of an industry that has had free reign for far too long.”
Though they’re the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., tobacco products are virtually exempt from regulation. That would change if the FDA gains authority over tobacco products, said the health coalition, which is urging Congress to pass legislation expected to be reintroduced by Rep. Henry A. Waxman, a California Democrat, and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, a Democrat from Massachusetts.
Ban misleading health claims, such as “light” and “low tar” and strictly regulate all health claims about tobacco products
Require larger, more effective health warnings on tobacco packages and advertising
Grant the FDA authority to require changes in new and existing tobacco products to protect public health, such as the removal or reduction of harmful ingredients
“This report is a sober reminder that the tobacco industry has become more aggressive in marketing deadly products to women,” Nancy Brown, chief executive of the American Heart Association, said in the news release. “Hip and trendy packages cannot disguise the health hazards of smoking and the risk for heart disease and stroke. We must give the Food and Drug Administration the authority to rein in the industry’s relentless campaign to manipulate young women with products that send the wrong message.”

Registry tracks women's health

admin — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:57:32 +0000

February 15, 2009 15:55 EST
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Achieving a goal of getting some 2,500 Kentucky women to take a health survey for the first time won’t be a problem after all for the Kentucky Women’s Health Registry.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that the numbers were languishing at around 860 with a month to go and a deadline looming. Project officials then sent an e-mail to women who have taken the survey before, asking them to urge others to participate. Some 1,700 women answered that call, so the March 1 deadline won’t be a problem.
The project, now in its third year, is an effort to get hard data on the kinds of health problems facing Kentucky women and some of the factors contributing to ill health.
Each year, previous participants are asked to update their health status and new women join the registry.
Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com

Women's health gets an examination

admin — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:35:48 +0000

With an eye to the future, Women’s Healthcare of Illinois hosted a free educational event at the Tinley Park Convention Center.
More than 100 people attending the event Saturday were instructed by four medical professionals on women’s health, ranging from bladder issues and office-based procedures to healthy pregnancies, genetics and ultrasounds.
Each of the four doctors, led by Dr. Kenneth Finkelstein, encouraged questions from the audience after the presentations.
“I learned quite a bit about health issues and women’s issues,” said Diane Gier, of Tinley Park. “It has been very interesting.”
Finkelstein, founder and CEO of Women’s Healthcare of Illinois, is a board certified obstetrician and gynecologist who specializes in urogynecology and pelvic prolapse. His vision for the near future includes expansion from his Evergreen Park facility into the southwest suburbs when groundbreaking is scheduled on a Mokena facility this spring.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to begin work on the new facility in March. I think there are a lot of things that we talked about today, that many women in the Southwest suburbs haven’t had the benefit of in this area, in terms of new technology. That’s what we’re bringing here,” he said.
Tinley Park resident Doreen Kotwas and her friend, Florence Wolf, of Palos Heights, found the seminar both informative and interesting.
“My friend of 50 years suggested we come,” Kotwas said. “As you get older, you want to get to know as much as you can about your body.”
Wolf shared that she had a personal interest in the seminar.
“I do have a health problem and am very interested in the latest procedures. I’m very impressed today.”
Roseanna Smeraldo-Ali and husband, Zafar, had personal reasons for attending the seminar. Expecting a child in May, Smeraldo-Ali volunteered to have a four-dimensional ultrasound as a demonstration for the audience.
“My doctor at Women’s Healthcare, Dr. Butler, asked me to volunteer,” Smeraldo-Ali said. “And I agreed. I just want to see my baby.”
The demonstration, which drew “oohs” and “aahs” from the audience as images appeared, was monitored by Dr. Steven Ambrose, maternal-fetal medicine specialist.
“We are the only private group in our area with its own maternal-fetal medicine specialist and ultrasound facilities,” Finkelstein said.
Several pharmaceutical vendors, a healthy lunch and an opportunity to speak to the doctors rounded out the three-hour event.
“Our purpose here today was to introduce the different kinds of women’s issues that Women’s Healthcare of Illinois can help with,” said Iris Shaffer, public relations specialist. “Obviously, it has been of interest to the women out here because we have had an excellent turnout.”

Matters of the Heart: A Women's Health Forum/sold out event

admin — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:05:38 +0000

PORTSMOUTH — Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in America. It is for that reason Portsmouth Regional Hospital developed and held a day-long program to inform women about heart disease, how it affects them and how to prevent it.
The keynote speaker was Dr. Nieca Goldberg, the national spokesperson for the American Heart Association’s “Go Red” campaign and author of the books “The Women’s Healthy Heart Program” and “Women Are Not Small Men.”
There were free screenings, breakout sessions and enlightening stories of treatment and recovery by patients, their cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. WMUR-TV’s Jennifer Crompton was the day’s master of ceremonies.
The women’s health forum honored the memory of Carolyn Bateman, a beloved Portsmouth Regional Hospital registered nurse and staff member who died last year at age 52 from heart disease.
The event was held at the Sheraton Harborside Hotel. For more information, go to www.portsmouthhospital.com.

Area women take health screenings to heart

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:13:37 +0000

Bobbi Gaither wants to keep her heart healthy.
The 65-year-old Pensacola resident was among dozens of crimson-clad women and a few men who took advantage of free, cardiovascular health screenings at Cordova Mall on Friday during the Wear Red Day event at Belk. Participants filled out questionnaires, chatted with health-care officials, and had cholesterol and blood pressure checks.
“I’m always concerned about my cholesterol, and this is more convenient than making a doctor’s appointment,” Gaither said. “Plus, it’s free, and that’s a wonderful thing for those people who can’t afford to go to the doctor for regular check-ups.”
Baptist Heart and Vascular Care, Cardiology Consultants, Belk and the American Heart Association sponsored the event, which served to educate women on cardiovascular disease risk factors and a heart-healthy lifestyle.
According to officials, early prevention is key in women’s cardiovascular disease, named the No. 1 “silent” killer of all American women.
“For a long time, it was thought of as a man’s disease,” said Leslie Estes-Smith, director of Baptist Heart and Vascular Care. “But the latest statistics show that while one in 30 women dies of breast cancer, one in three women dies of heart disease. And for many women, by the time they start showing symptoms, it’s too late.”
Gwendolyn Brown, 46, of Pensacola, attended the Wear Red Day event to show her support for women’s heart health.
“Women need to know about their hearts, and it’s easy to come to the mall for a free screening,” Brown said. “I’m here because I want to learn more and make sure I’m doing OK.”

Opinion Leaders in Women's Health To Take the Podium at the 17th …

admin — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 07:28:08 +0000

Opinion Leaders in Women’s Health To Take the Podium at the 17th Annual Congress on Women’s Health, March 27-29, 2009
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ — Physicians, nurses, allied healthcare providers, and policymakers will gather in Williamsburg, VA on March 27-29, 2009 at the Williamsburg Lodge to learn practical, clinical information on cutting-edge therapeutic protocols, advances in diagnosis and management, and innovative translational research advances that impact patient care from leading experts in women’s health. The full program, faculty, accreditation, and registration information is available at
.
JoAnn E. Manson, MD,
,
Harvard Medical School, on “New Findings in the Science of Hormones;”
Roberta Ness, MD,
,
University of Texas Health Science Center, on “Pregnancy & Pre-Eclampsia: Barometers for Later Life Health;”
JoAnn Pinkerton, MD
,
,
Michael McClung, MD
,
Oregon Health Sciences University, on “Controversies in the Management of Osteoporosis & Osteopenia;”
Debra R. Judelson
,
,
Andrew Berchuck, MD,
Duke University Medical Center, with an “Ovarian Cancer Update.”
), and is the annual meeting of the American Medical Women’s Association (
), an organization devoted to the advancement of women in medicine and the improvement of women’s health. Other Collaborating Organizations include American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, American College of Physicians-Virginia Chapter, American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, American Thyroid Association, Arthritis Foundation, National Stroke Association, National Women’s Health Resource Center, The North American Menopause Society, and WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease.
Wendy S. Klein, MD,
Senior Deputy Director Emeritus of the VCU Institute for Women’s Health, a National Center of Excellence, Richmond, VA and Deputy Editor of
, Co-Chair
Susan G. Kornstein, MD,
Journal of Women’s Health,
Laurel A. Waters, MD,
FCAP, FASCP
Eliza Lo Chin, MD, MPH
,
have put together an outstanding conference of the highest caliber.
Congress supporters include the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Wyeth, Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc., Amgen, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
23.75
AMA PRA Category 1 credits, 19.00 AAFP credits,
23.5
, and is sponsored by The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM). The program is approved for up to
23.75 contact hour(s)
12.08 hours
).
For further information about the Congress and the Program, visit our website at
, call (914) 740-2100 or 800-5-BIOCON, or e-mail
.
Contact: Sarah Roberts, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., (914) 740-2100, ext. 2180,

Women’s Health, Ungagged

admin — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 07:20:45 +0000

President Obama on Friday began dismantling his predecessor’s broad and damaging assault on women’s reproductive health and freedom. He lifted the odious gag rule that President George W. Bush imposed on international family planning groups and began trying to restore financing to the United Nations Population Fund.
It was a reassuring message that Mr. Obama takes seriously his duty to safeguard women’s lives and basic rights, including free speech and the choice of whether to bear a child.
The gag rule was first imposed by President Ronald Reagan. It barred any health care provider receiving American family planning assistance from counseling women on abortion, engaging in political speech on abortion or providing abortions, even with its own money.
President Bill Clinton lifted the gag rule, but Mr. Bush reinstated it in toughened form on his first full day in office in 2001. That seriously disrupted the best quality and most accessible family planning services in poor countries. It denied women access to desperately needed contraceptives, help in preventing H.I.V.-AIDS, and maternal care. Mr. Obama’s executive order lifting the financing ban will mean fewer deaths from unsafe illegal abortions.
Mr. Obama’s stated intention to work with Congress to restore financing to the population fund also is a life-saving step. It ends the sorry exercise by which Mr. Bush repeatedly blocked money approved by Congress to advance poor women’s reproductive health, reduce infant mortality, end sexual trafficking and prevent the spread of H.I.V. and AIDS.
To justify this cruelty, the Bush administration perpetuated a bogus charge that the population fund has either stood by or helped with coerced abortions in China.
We trust these policy changes mark a good start toward a larger shift that will see the Obama administration undo the full range of Republican attacks on reproductive freedom. We also hope it will press hard for passage of the Prevention First legislation designed to reduce abortions by, for example, facilitating honest sex education and improved access to contraceptives.

Women's health forum focuses on hormones

admin — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:53:42 +0000

Published: January 29, 2009
Looking out into a crowd of women at Iredell Memorial’s ‘Embracing the New You” women’s health forum last weekend, author Genie James asked a series of questions:
How many have tried different diets, all with no success?
How many have lost weight, only to have the pounds pile back on?
How many have less energy than they did in their 20s?
As hands went up, James â who wrote “From Hormone Hell to Hormone Well” â explained how hormones can play a role in many common problems women face.
“Did you know all of those questions have to do with belly fat?” James asked. “That weight you have gained around your middle and can’t get off no matter how hard you exercise or diet could be hormones. But you don’t have to resign yourself to looking like a potato; by taking care of yourself, you can melt off excess weight and restore your energy for a more positive outlook.”
Considering hormone replacement therapy could be a solution, she suggested, in addition to working out and de-stressing.
James said that the average person gains one to two pounds each year from age 35 to 55, without making changes in their diet or exercise regimens.
“It’s related to a decrease in your hormone levels, and people spend $33 billion on weight loss products. But in reality, it’s your body sabotaging your efforts,” James said.
James said many women are surprised to find hormones can have such an influence on well-being.
“Most people think of hormones when talking about puberty or menopause, but hormones actually regulate your cell function and growth, mental and physical development and metabolism, all through your life,” she said. “They’re not just about sex; they have a lot to do with everything in your body.”
Over time, as a women’s levels begin to decrease, more problems can occur, she said.
“You feel best in your 20s because your levels are at their optimum in your reproductive years,” she explained. “You have more sex drive and your body fat and lean muscle compilations are in their peak. As you age, your progesterone levels are the first to drop, but everyone first thinks of estrogen.”
When a woman gains weight between ages 35 and 55, her hormone balance shifts, progesterone rates fall and a condition called Estrogen Dominance occurs.
“It’s most common in women, but it can happen to men as well, and by your mid-30s, almost all women have this issue,” she said. “It causes weight gain, hot flashes, night sweats, low libido, mood swings, depression and sleep issues. It could also lead to breast or uterine cancer, fibroids, endometriosis and problems with thyroid function. There has to be that balance.”
James recommended that if you have been suffering from two or more of the symptoms for more than three months or have been 10 or more pounds overweight for over a year, you should consider seeking solutions.
“You are not doomed to get old and fat,” she said with a laugh. “You can speak with a physician and ask questions.”
James stressed that every woman should research each treatment and make the choice that is right for them.
“There are some things you can start today,” she said. “Choose to eat organically. Two to three servings of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, one of citrus fruit, two of insoluble fibers such
as grains, zucchinis or tomatoes and eight glasses of water.”
The diet is based on the Mediterranean way of eating â adding calcium, protein, fruit, vitamins such as B and E and chito san are also vital to a good diet.
“Stress also sabotages you and leads to fatigue, anxiety, bone loss, insomnia and weight gain,” James said. “Turn off the radio and cell phone in your car while driving and use that time to meditate. Take a walk or even take a bath. Find a way to get together with friends â¦ there’s lots of things to do to lessen your burden.”
Kelley Daspit, head of Marketing at Iredell Memorial Hospital and co-organizer for “Embracing the New You,” said the event was designed to offer women vital information about their health.
“I know our target audience, women ages 35 and up, are really busy with families and activities, so I’m glad women in this region are interested and came out,” she said.
“Maybe a few of the women have been suffering with the symptoms of Estrogen Dominance and have now learned a few ways to lessen the effects of menopause that they didn’t know about.”