HRT Update
Synthetic hormone supplements may double women's risk of getting asthma, according to a new study. Reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the study was part of the Nurses' Health Study by Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital and included more than 70,000 women in their 40s and older. The women were followed for 10 years, during which time 342 developed asthma. Users of either synthetic estrogen alone or estrogen plus progestin (synthetic progesterone) were about twice as likely to develop asthma than nonusers.
Remember Sex?
Sorry ladies. Viagra won't work for you. According to news service reports this week, Pfizer, Inc., the maker of Viagra, has given up on trying to prove that the drug can improve sexual function for women. Testing for eight years with 3,000 women revealed-hold onto your hats-that men and women are different. Apparently in men, arousal nearly always leads to desire; therefore, enhancing a man's ability to have erections affects his sexual performance. For women, arousal and desire often are disconnected, say researchers.
For Men Only
If you're a man with a stressful job, it probably comes as no surprise that being a worry-wart is interfering with sound sleep. (This applies to women as well, of course.) A University of Pittsburgh study found that stressed sleepers wake up more often at night and have fewer periods of deep sleep. Researchers found significant heart rate variations between stressed and nonstressed study participants. This happened during the phase of sleep when we dream, known as REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, and also during non-REM sleep.
Healthy and Fit
Add another generous dash of cinnamon to your morning oatmeal. Researchers at the Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Md., report that cinnamon can lower blood sugar, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels, as well as improve insulin functioning, especially in Type 2 diabetics. A recent study, reported in the December issue of Diabetes Care, showed that, after 40 days, 30 diabetics who had taken 1 to 6 grams of cinnamon extract daily reduced their risk factors for cardiovascular disease. A placebo group showed no change.
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Letters
Like College Pharmacy
"I wish there were more companies out there like College Pharmacy. Everyone who I have ever spoken with was so nice and friendly."
"Daniella R."
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Q&A
Q: Do I need to take vitamins if I eat a healthy, well-balanced diet?
A: Most likely. Try as we might to eat right, foods depleted of vitamins and minerals and bathed in chemical additives, plus our exposure to environmental toxins, make a quality multivitamin, multimineral supplement virtually a necessity today. Vitamin supplements can help prevent disease, aid recovery, and extend health and vitality.
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Quote of the Month
"Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste they hurry past it."
- Soren Kierkegaard, philosopher
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