Moisturize to Protect Skin from Winter Dryness

It's been a harsh winter and our skin is paying the price. Frigid temperatures suck the humidity out of the air. Forced air furnaces in homes and office buildings create an arid atmosphere that leaves skin dry, flaking and itchy. It's not the cold that damages skin but the dryness of the air that destroys the natural moisture barrier that protects our skin from damage.

Dermatologists recommend daily moisturizing as well as a weekly exfoliation to remove dead skin cells. Removing dead cells allows the new skin underneath to absorb moisturizer and rejuvenate more quickly. A gentle scrub or peel once a week will slough off dead skin cells.

Moisturizing dry skin is big business and there are thousands of products on the market from inexpensive familiar cremes to high-priced designer-label oils. Some newer moisturizers have impressed dermatologists with their ability to repair damaged skin barriers. Lotions and creams containing synthetic ceramides mimic the skin's natural fatty acids and help maintain skin moisture barriers. CeraVe Moisturising Lotion and Cream are two products that contain synthetic ceramides. Clinique Comfort on Call Allergy Tested Relief Cream Skin Protectant, while pricey, uses a natural antifreeze found in carrot roots to protect skin.

You don't have to spend a fortune to protect your skin this winter. Some very affordable inexpensive products are among the most tried-and-true moisturizers on the market. For dependable dry skin relief, dermatologists recommend Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion, Eucerin Dry Skin Therapy Plus Intensive Repair Body Creme and Nivea Creme.

Contrary to human nature, dermatologists recommend lukewarm showers or baths in winter. Hot showers or baths cause skin to release a chemical that makes skin itchy. The itchiness causes more vigorous rubbing while toweling off and that breaks down the skin barrier, making it more susceptible to chapping and dryness. A cooler shower or bath and application of a thick coat of moisturizer within three minutes of exiting the shower or bathtub will keep skin hydrated during the winter.

New Study Says Watching TV Can Kill You!

For a long time people have been telling us that TV rots your brain. Now, new research says it can kill you, too! Long hours of sedentary inactivity spent watching TV has been linked to obesity and heart disease for some time, but new research has quantified the the connection between inactivity and increased health risk.

Researchers found that for every hour per day you spend sitting on your duff watching TV:

• You have an 18% greater risk of dying of cardiovascular disease.
• You have an 11% greater risk of dying from any cause.
• You have a 9% greater risk of dying from cancer.

Part of an Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study, the study findings were published this week in the Circulation Journal of the American Heart Association. The study tracked 8,800 men and women aged 25 and older over 6 years and did not include people who already had a history of cardiovascular disease.

While the results of the study might be expected for people who are overweight or obese, what surprised researchers is that results held true even for people of normal weight and those who exercised regularly. And even if you don't spend that much time in front of the boob tube, you run the same risks if you spend hours on the job sitting in front of a computer or processing paperwork or doing anything. Apparently our bodies weren't made to sit for hours on end.

The lesson here seems to be, if you want to live longer, get off your duff and get moving!

Youthful Habits Check High Blood Pressure

Scientific studies are finding that acting like a kid may reset your body's clock and help you beat high blood pressure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension) increases your risk of heart attack, heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and stroke. But lowering your blood pressure can be easy -- and fun -- if you just act like a kid again!

• See the doctor every year. Those annual visits to the pediatrician kept us healthy and on track when we were kids, but most adults only see a doctor when they're sick. Annual checkups set a baseline for normal body functions and tell us when things are getting out of whack. Early treatment prevents small, solvable problems from becoming big, life-threatening ones.
• Drink milk. Drinking nonfat milk products reduces your risk of hypertension by 50%. If you're allergic to milk or are lactose intolerant, you can get similar benefits from the milk protein casein which can be found in certain lactose-free products and supplements. Casein blocks the chemical reactions that cause blood vessels to narrow and make pressure rise.
• Play. And you don't even need to play every day. Just 30 minutes of brisk exercise three times a week will lower your blood pressure. Walk, play hopscotch with the kids, jump rope, toss a frisbee -- just make sure you get your heart rate up.
• Eat candy. But not just any candy -- dark chocolate, the darker the better. Eating 30 calories of dark chocolate a day will lower your blood pressure without weight gain.
• Take a nap. People who only get five hours (or less) of sleep a night increase their risk of getting hypertension. If you have trouble sleeping, make sure you take a nap during the day.

How to Take Care of Dry Skin

Fall is just around the corner which means the dry days of winter are approaching. When the furnace kicks on, skin dries out. Here are some tips for taking care of dry skin:

• Use thick, greasy moisturizers, particularly after a shower or bath. The thicker the moisturizer, the better the penetration and longer the moisturizing effect.
• Don't use skin care products that contain alcohol.
• Use a humidifier to increase moisture in the air.
• Drink lots of water to keep your skin hydrated.
• Avoid long, hot showers or baths that can dry out skin.

Exercises Help You Catch Your Balance

Balance is one of those things that gets a little wobbly as we age. It's one of those unavoidable effects of aging. Loss of balance also makes us more vulnerable to falls which, according to the Centers for Disease Control, is the fifth leading cause of death among people 65 and older. Researches have found that there are steps you can take to slow the deterioration of balance.

Doctors recommend exercises that challenge the system of reflexes that govern stability and spatial orientation (i.e., balance). Balance pads, BOSU (both sides utilized) balls, and bongo boards are among the products being used in balance exercises. Many gyms and senior centers now offer classes using such balance aids.

However, you don't need fancy gadgets to exercise your balance, says Scott McCredie, author of Balance: In Search of the Lost Sense. McCredie says, "All you need to do is stand on one leg in various poses, and you can do that anywhere -- waiting for the bus or brushing your teeth in the bathroom."

Soothing Sunburns

Ahhhh, the idyllic vacation days of August. Hot, lazy days on the beach. Swimming and boating on crystal clear waters. Hiking through wildflower-strewn meadows. Vacation time is here again!

Hot days in the sun can take a toll on your skin. Just 10 minutes in the sun on a hot August day can result in sunburn. Even if all you're doing this month is weeding the garden and ferrying the kids to the pool or local park, a bad case of sunburn can put the kibosh on your plans and make life miserable for a few days. Prevention is worth a pound of cure, as my grandmother used to say. Slather on the sunscreen and repeat periodically. Even if you're wearing sunscreen that claims to be long-lasting or waterproof, you're safer if you reapply sunscreen every couple of hours. The higher the SPF number the better, particularly if for kids and seniors or if you have fair skin.

If the worst happens and you do get a sunburn, here are some suggestions for soothing sunburned skin:

• Take a cool shower or bath or apply cool compresses to burned areas. Adding baking soda or colloidal oatmeal to the bathwater will also help sooth the skin.
• Keep skin moist with lotion.
• Apply aloe vera gel to cool the skin and relieve pain.
• Adults can take an over-the-counter pain reliever.

DASH Diet Controls Heart Attack, Stroke

A comprehensive study has proved that the DASH diet can save people from heart attack and stroke. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan was developed to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension (high blood pressure). The diet plan recommends eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk and plant-based protein over meat.

Researchers tracked 88,000 healthy women over a 25-year period to compare food choices with incidents of stroke and heart attack. Women who followed the DASH eating plan were 24% less likely to have a heart attack and 18% less likely to have a stroke than women who ate more typical American diets. The DASH diet has previously been shown to prevent high blood pressure and cholesterol, which can also lead to heart attacks.

After age 50, two in five American women will develop cardiovascular disease which can cause heart attacks and strokes. The DASH diet can protect you from heart attack an stroke. Click here to find out more about the DASH diet.

Heart Disease Often Undiagnosed in Women

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States, claiming the lives of more women than men each year. More women die from cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes, than from all forms of cancer combined, according to the American Heart Association. This year, heart disease will take the lives of an estimated 490,000 women nationwide. More than half of the women who suffer a heart attack will never even suspect they had a heart problem, indicates research by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Too often heart disease goes undiagnosed when women visit their doctor. Women's symptoms are different from men's and are often mistaken for other health problems. Symptoms include breathing problems, unusual tiredness, anxiety, indigestion and trouble sleeping. The chest pain and numbness that send men racing to the emergency room don't occur when a woman's heart starts to struggle. Women can develop heart disease without exhibiting high blood pressure or high cholesterol. A family history of heart disease is far less indicative of a woman's risk of future heart problems than a man's. Without such obvious clues, women often don't realize they have a heart problem and ignore symptoms they contribute to other health issues until it's too late.

Researchers haven't figured out why men and women exhibit such different signs of heart failure. They suspect that in women heart disease develops more slowly and over a longer period of time. Diagnosis can be more difficult because women are apt to have other chronic health issues like diabetes which may have similar symptoms. By the time heart disease becomes evident it has progressed significantly.

Don't Fall for Weight Loss Scams

"Losing weight consistently ranks as one of the top New Year's resolutions,and many people look for fast, easy fixes or an easy way to get back into
shape," said Joan Coughlin of the Ohio Better Business Bureau.

With more than 100 million Americans fighting extra pounds or obesity, it's no surprise that fat-fighting frauds were the most-reported consumer scam last year, according to the Federal Trade Commission. An estimated 4.8 million folks fell for weight-loss scams in 2007, most of them losing money on purchases of bogus products. The only thing many of these "miracle" products will lighten is your pocketbook, the BBB is warning consumers; these products won't do a thing for your waistline. It's another case of buyer beware. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

The BBB offers these tips for spotting weight-loss scams:

• If there's no scientific evidence that the product promotes weight loss, it's a scam.


• If the product promises to reduce fat or cellulite in specific body areas, it's a scam.


• If the product promises, effortless, large or fast weight loss, it's a scam.


• If the product promises weight loss without exercise or without managing food intake, it's a scam.


• If the company requires large advance payments or a long-term contract, it's a scam.

Remember the adage: No pain, no gain. Weight loss is work, pure and simple. But the rewards are life-changing. So stop looking for a quick fix and just get on with it. Start counting your calories, decrease portion sizes, eat 5 small meals a day instead of 3 big ones, fill your fridge with veggies and fruit, stock up on whole grains, drink lots of water, join Weight Watchers, sign up for a session at Curves, join your local gym, lace up those tennies and start walking! Like they say in the commercial: "Just do it! "

Healthy Snacks Satisfy Munchies

If you're like most people in January, you're trying to eat better and exercise more. My downfall is always snacking. I get tired of crunching carrot and celery sticks. It's time to add a little pizazz to your diet! If you've got the munchies, try some of these healthy snacks:

• Popcorn. Popcorn has everything going for it. As a whole grain, it helps fight heart disease, diabetes and cancer. It's also fiber rich which is good for your colon. And it's low glycemic which means it's less likely to make your blood sugar spike which can cause you to feel hungry even when you're not. When air-popped, three cups of popcorn have only 93 calories.
• Dark chocolate. Chocolate when you're dieting? You bet! Rich in antioxidants, dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure and might protect your heart (the verdict isn't in yet, but let's not look a gift horse in the mouth). Dark chocolate does not spike blood sugar. An ounce of dark chocolate (about 3 pieces of Dove) has 126 calories.
• Prunes. Sweet and delicious, prunes have the lowest effect on blood sugar of dried fruits, half the sugar boost of raisins! Recent studies indicate prunes may help fight colon cancer. Three prunes have 69 calories.
• Hard-boiled egg. Packed with filling protein and rich in choline which optimizes brain function, each small white orb packs a nutritional wallop. One egg is just 80 calories.
• Almonds. Rich in fiber and protein, a handful of almonds makes a delicious and filling snack. Eat them in their skins which are packed with antioxidants. Almonds are good for your cholesterol and may cut the risk of lung cancer and heart disease. A small handful of almonds (about 15) is 100 calories.
• Peanut butter. It may be high in fat, but snacking on peanuts and peanut butter helps suppress appetite. Spread a tablespoon on celery sticks or apple slices for a delicious crunchy snack. One tablespoon of peanut butter is 90 calories.

New Drug Reduces Fracture Risk

Breaking your hip increases your risk of suffering another fracture. A once-a-year injection of a new drug could substantially reduce that fracture risk for the 300,000 Americans who break a hip each year.

In a 5-year international study, 2,100 hip fracture patients were given an annual 15-minute infusion of either the osteoporosis drug Reclast or a placebo. During the 5-year monitoring period, those who received the drug were 35% less likely to break another bone.

At $1,000 a dose, Reclast certainly isn't cheap, but it could be a bargain compared to the cost of treatment, care and rehabilitation for a major fracture. For many seniors, a broken hip requires a month or more of care in a nursing home rehabilitation center. Some never fully recover from a broken hip and lose their mobility. By reducing fracture risk, the new treatment could allow more seniors to continue living healthy, active lives in their own homes.

Study results are "very, very good in terms of both fracture reduction and effects on bone density," said Dr. Stephen Honig, director of New York University Hospital's Osteoporosis Center. Sponsored by drug company Novartis which makes Reclast, the study was led by Dr. Kenneth Lyles of the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC.

Published in the November 1, 2007, New England Journal of Medicine, the study did not address safety issues for Reclast, which the FDA approved for osteoporosis use in August. The FDA has announced plans to review Reclast and other osteoporosis drugs, including Actonel, Boniva and Fosamax, for a possible link to irregular heartbeat.

Know When to Call the Doctor

Everyone gets aches and pains or feels ill from time to time. Many people don't like to go to the doctor so they'll just wait it out -- and often your body will heal itself. But there are times when waiting to call your doctor is the worst thing you can do.

Here are some tips from physicians on how to tell when home care isn't working and it's time to call your doctor:

• If you have a fever of 101 degrees that isn't better by morning, call your doctor. Long or high fevers can harm the brain. Even low-grade fevers, if they persist, can indicate infection or pneumonia.
• If you are ill or have a wound that isn't getting better, or that gets worse after a couple of days, call your doctor. Not healing can indicate infection, undiagnosed diabetes or skin cancer.
• If you are short of breath or wheezing, particularly if it's a new condition, call your doctor. If you're struggling to breathe, call 911 immediately. Breathing problems can signal a heart attack, panic attack, pneumonia and other serious problems.
• If you become hoarse for no reason, particularly if you're a smoker, call your doctor. And until you get a diagnosis, stay away from alcohol, coffee and soft drinks which will only make things worse.
• If you have an incapacitating headache and you're not prone to migraines, call your doctor. Dizziness, nausea, vomiting or pain in one spot can signal a stroke, brain tumor or onset of a migraine problem.
• If you have an earache that is so painful you can't hold your head up, call your doctor. Earaches are often symptoms of more serious problems. They can also be caused by foreign objects like insects or water in your ears.
• If you have face pain, call your doctor. It may be a sinus infection that requires antibiotics or it can be the sign of a stroke.
• If you have pain in a muscle, joint or bone that doesn't respond to heat and ice or is too painful to use, call your doctor. You may have broken a bone or have a severe strain or sprain.

When it comes to your health, there's no reason to play the hero. It's much better to call your doctor's office and talk to the nurse about your symptoms than suffer in silence while you let a little problem grow into a big one. Use common sense, but be smart. If you're not sure about something, or if you're a little worried about a symptom, make the call. Better safe than sorry!

How to Reverse Muscle Loss

Beginning in the 30s, the average person loses 1% of their muscle tissue annually, or about 5 pounds every 10 years. With loss of muscle mass, we lose physical strength. Neglect this aspect of your health and by old age your body will weak and feeble. Aside from hormone injections, the only proven way to reverse this loss and regain muscle is through resistance weight training.

Nobody's suggesting you take off for the gym and start pumping iron. SuperSlow resistance training provides a very safe and extremely effective method of weight training for seniors. Developed by Ken Hutchins in 1982 to help osteoporosis sufferers, the training was originally targeted to older women who have less physical and particularly less upper body strength.

SuperSlow is a slow-motion, high-intensity strength training that involves fewer repetitions with heavier weights at a much slower pace than typical strength training. The idea is to fully and safely fatigue specific muscles to trigger muscle growth. SuperSlow builds muscles faster with less risk of injury and soreness than any other method, practitioners say.

Training with a certified SuperSlow trainer is recommended. However, if a SuperSlow gym isn't located near you, you might try talking to the trainer at your local gym or rec center about implementing the concept in your regular routine. For more information, click here to visit the SuperSlow website.

Brain Games Ward Off Dementia

Brain health is the big new thing in senior health. People are living longer and they want to retain their full mental capacity as they age. Studies have found that there's a certain amount of truth to the adage "use it or lose it." Activities that force you to think quickly or switch from one type of brain activity to another (from reading to drawing, for example) appear to help ward off dementia.

Tuned into the fact that boomers are aging, game companies are starting to market brain games aimed at the growing senior market. Nintendo has come out with Brain Age which provides a changing series of activities that promote rapid calculation and rapid reading. Other game makers are jumping on the band wagon. On the internet you'll find lots of mind-bending sites to keep your brain active.

Here are some things you can do to keep your brain healthy and happy:

• Get out and exercise. Aerobic exercise pumps up your heart rate and sends more blood and oxygen to your brain.


• Lose those extra pounds. Obese middle-agers are twice as likely to develop dementia. High blood pressure and high cholesterol also increase your risk of dementia.


• Eat more brain food. Foods rich in antioxidants cleanse the brain of free radicals which can eat away at neuron connections. Add leafy veggies like spinach, broccoli and cauliflower to your diet. Don't forget antioxidant-rich fruits like blueberries, strawberries and cranberries. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish like trout and salmon also fight brain decay.


• Get on the computer. Brain specialists have developed brain training programs to give your neurons a good workout. Sold mostly to retirement communities but available to individuals, Posit Science offers BrainFitness for $395. A bit more affordable, MindFit can be downloaded from http://www.cognifit.com/ for $129.


• Play video games. Time to join the grandkids in front of the video screen and get your game on. Nintendo offers Brain Age and Mattel sells Radica Brain Games.


• Play online. Crank up the computer and visit an online brain gym for some cerebral exercise. Some good websites to try: BrainBuilder.com, Braingle.com, Eons.com, HappyNeuron.com and MyBrainTrainer.com.

New Book Tells How to Shave Years Off Appearance

There's a new book out -- You: Staying Young -- that is chock full of tips that promise to make you look younger than your age in as little as 90 days. Doctors Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz culled more than 35,000 medical and scientific studies about aging to find common sense things we can all do to make ourselves look younger than the number of candles on our birthday cake. The doctors champion life choices and activities that can make you feel and look younger than your biological age. They call this your real age.

Popular authors of the You books, Roizen and Oz initiated a new emphasis in proactive health care with their book You: The Owner's Manual. The doctors write a monthly column for Readers' Digest and are co-founders of RealAge.com.

Some of their tips for peeling the years off your real age:

• Floss. Daily flossing and brushing can make you appear 6.4 years younger.
• Lower your blood pressure. People with lower blood pressure (115/75) appear 25 years younger than those with high blood pressure (160/90+).
• Reduce stress. Reducing stress and improving your social network can take 30 years off your real age.
• Take vitamins. Regularly taking vitamins shaves 6 years off your real age.
• Quit smoking. If you quit, you can look 8 years younger.
• Stay active. Just two 20-minutes walks a day will make you appear 5 years younger.

Diet, Exercise Decrease Risk of Breast Cancer

While science offers no guarantees, multiple research studies suggests you can lower your risk of getting breast cancer by taking a few simple defensive measures:

• Eat more fruits and veggies. Five servings (3 or more cups) daily are recommended. Plants contain substances that protect cells the from damage that can lead to cancer growth. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and cabbage contain particularly potent cancer fighters. So stock up next time you're at the store and Go Green to stay in the Pink!
• Eat less fat. Diets high in fat usually include more calories and cause weight gain. Studies on connections between fat and cancer have been inconclusive to date, but weight gain, particularly after menopause, is strongly associated with increased cancer risk.
• Drink less alcohol. The use of alcohol has been clearly linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. One drink a day increases your risk only slightly over non-drinkers, but risk escalates quickly as alcohol consumption increases. (Remember, one drink = 5 oz. wine, 12 oz. beer or 1 oz. liquor. Those giant margaritas you love at your favorite Mexican restaurant, each of those can count as 2 to 3 drinks!)
• Add soy. There are no definitive studies on the merits of soy as a cancer deterrent, but Asian women who eat soy all their lives have a significantly lower incidence of breast cancer. Researchers suspect that benefits are greater if soy is a part of your diet from a young age, as opposed to being added to your diet after menopause. At any rate, soy is a healthy food, so it sure can't hurt to add it to your diet, and it might help.
• Exercise. There is growing evidence that regular exercise (30 minutes, 3 times or more a week) reduces breast cancer risk. In fact, exercise is a crucial element of good health and can significantly reduce your risk of other diseases such as heart attack, stroke and diabetes. One thing to remember, it's cumulative exercise time that counts. Ten minutes three times a day is just as good as 30 minutes once a day. So get out there and get moving!
• Enjoy your coffee. Thank heavens caffeine doesn't increase your risk of breast cancer. So you don't have to feel guilty when you sit down with that well-earned cup of java after a day of healthy eating and exercise.

Did You Get Your Flu Shot Yet?

It's flu season. Time to get your flu shot. This year it's easy. Vaccine supplies are plentiful and you can get a flu shot at your doctor's office, public health clinic, even some drug stores and grocery stores.

Each year about 36,000 American die from flu or its complications; 90% are 65 or older. Flu is a serious respiratory infection that affects the entire body. It is characterized by high fever (up to 104F), body aches, headaches, nausea and dehydration. For most people, the virus runs its course in one week but can last up to two weeks. It may take several more days for flu sufferers to regain their strength. Those most at risk are adults over 50, children under 5, and people with chronic medical conditions like asthma, chronic bronchitis or heart disease.

You cannot get flu from the vaccine as it is not made from a live virus. Few people experience any reaction to receiving the vaccine but some may experience redness or a slight swelling at the injection site. A very few people may develop a slight fever, chills or headache, but these only last 24 hours. Flu vaccinations must be renewed annually because the virus mutates from year to year. Unfortunately, this year's vaccine won't protect you against next year's flu.

According to a study just published in the New England Journal of Medicine, flu shots are particularly effective for the elderly with benefits increasing with each decade of age. Those who care for or regularly visit the elderly are particularly encouraged to get a flu shot. Flu season runs from September through May. Get your shot early and protect yourself and your family for the entire flu season.

If you have Medicare, don't forget that the flu shots are included for you at no charge.

Cancer Breakthroughs for Women

A diagnosis of cancer is not the death-knell it was in our parents' day, but it is still the second leading cause of death in women. Only heart disease is more deadly. This year 680,000 women will be diagnosed with cancer and 270,000 will die. The 10 most common types of cancer in women are:

1. Breast
2. Lung
3. Colon/rectum
4. Uterus/cervix
5. Urinary tract
6. Lymphoma
7. Melanoma
8. Thyroid
9. Ovary
10. Leukemia

Today there is plenty of hope on the horizon. Five-year survival rates are up significantly. Nearly 90% of the women who contract breast cancer are still alive five years after diagnosis. The survival rate for uterine/cervical cancer is 73%; 66% for kidney cancer and 65% for colon cancer.

There are many proactive steps you can take to minimize your risk of contracting cancer. Prevention magazine suggests nine ways to combat cancer.

1. Get the new vaccine Gardasil to protect yourself from cervical cancer. Currently approved for women age 9 to 26, clinical trails are now being conducted to determine effectiveness on older women. Drug companies soon hope to gain FDA approval to vaccinate women up to age 55.
2. Avoid hormone replacement therapy (HRT) when you can or use the lowest dose possible. Research has proved a direct link between HRT and breast cancer.
3. Get plenty of vitamin D. Numerous studies indicate that vitamin
   D fights cancer, possibly cutting the risk of getting any cancer by 60%. Two to three times a week for 5 to 15 minutes spend time in the sunshine without sunscreen. The short exposure shouldn't increase your risk of skin cancer doctors say. But if you're concerned, take your vitamin D in tablet form. Researchers recommend 1,100 IU per day.
4. Use chemotherapy only when truly necessary. A new tool called Oncotype DX tests tumor genes to predict whether a breast cancer patient will benefit from chemo in addition to hormone therapy. A test by Loyola University Health System found 23% of women who would have been recommended for chemotherapy didn't need it.
5. DNA researchers are discovering more genes that increase cancer susceptibility. In the not too distant future, they expect to develop tests that will determine an individual's amount of cancer risk.
6. Use drugs that target your cancer. Herceptin reduces breast cancer recurrence rates by an amazing 50% for HER-2 positive cancer. The drug uses an antibody to seek out and destroy HER-2 cancer cells. The FDA has just approved the treatment for all HER-2 positive cancer, not just breast cancer.
7. Lung cancer kills more women than any other cancer. The 5-year survival rate is only 16%. New, less-invasive surgery techniques make treatment easier and recovery faster. Video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) surgery requires only a small incision between the ribs and sends you home in about 3 days.
8. Learn to identify possible ovarian cancer symptoms: pelvic pain, prolonged bloating, urinary problems, loss of appetite or feeling full quickly. Women who experience these symptoms probably don't have cancer, but it pays to be proactive, so see your doctor promptly. More women die from ovarian cancer because it is discovered too late. A simple blood test for the protein CA-125 can detect the presence of cancer.
9. Ask about new radiation treatments. Many women choose to have a mastectomy instead of the less drastic lumpectomy to avoid radiation treatments. Typically, treatments are given for five days a week for five weeks. A new study shows three weeks of radiation is enough to get the job done. A five-day radiation treatment using temporary insertion of radioactive pellets at the tumor site is also being studied.

Moms and Daughters Trade Advice

Retired moms and working-age daughters were asked: If you could give each other one piece of advice about planning for retirement, what would it be?

Moms said: "Don't live beyond your means and save more money for retirement so you can deal with the unexpected."

Daughters said: "Spend more money and enjoy yourself."

"It is foolish for retirees to deprive themselves of things they want to do or have and that they can readily afford," admonished Humberto and Georgina Cruz in their column, Retire Smart. "But it's also foolish -- and irresponsible -- to overspend while young and fail to save adequately for retirement."

There's a definite generation gap between how mothers and their daughters are approaching retirement, according to a recently released MetLife Mature Market Institute study titled, It's Not Your Mother's Retirement. More than a thousand women were interviewed for the study which found that older women are far more conservative than their daughters when it comes to saving and spending. Two-thirds of the women interviewed said they were enjoying an excellent retirement. Those who weren't cited money troubles as their biggest problem.

Daughters seemed less concerned about money. Although they had higher consumer debt (generally $25,000 or more plus any mortgage), they anticipated an active retirement. Travel, further education, managing investments and caring for relatives were among their anticipated retirement activities. Of course, many of these things cost money, but daughters planned to work longer to earn more -- 17% until they're 70 and 6% said may never retire!

Personally, I think I'll save a little more now so I can afford to retire later!

Hormone Therapy May Forestall Dementia in Younger Women

If taken soon after menopause, new research suggests that hormone therapy may help protect women against dementia. However, if not started until you're older, the drugs can increase the risk of mental decline. While current medical wisdom says that hormone-replacement therapy will not protect you against diseases associated with aging, new findings suggest that the timing of treatment may be a key factor, particularly for heart attacks and dementia.

Released this month at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, experts cautioned that the new study is preliminary. More testing is required before recommending hormone therapy for younger women to stave off dementia. The study was conducted in conjunction with the massive Women's Health Initiative which tracked 7,153 women for breast cancer and heart disease.

In recent studies, there has been mounting evidence that women in their 50s who take hormones close to the onset of menopause may receive a greater benefit and confront less risk than older women. In the study, dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease, was reduced by half in women who took hormones before age 65. Past research has shown that women who take hormones after age 65 experience a 75% increased risk of dementia.

Revolutionary Drug Fights Osteoporosis

A revolutionary bone-building drug dramatically reduced hip, vertebra and other fractures in women with osteoporosis according to a three-year international study. Currently only approved for cancer patients, Zometa (zoledronic acid) may be the miracle drug osteoporosis patients have been waiting for. Novartis Pharmaceuticals is hoping for FDA approval to start marketing the drug for osteoporosis under the name Reclast later this year.

In the recently completed study, the drug reduced overall fracture risk by 33%, hip fracture by 41% and vertebral fracture by 77%. The study was published in this month's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Reclast is administered as a single 15-minute intravenous dose once a year. Currently, bisphosphonates like Zometa and Fosamax are the most popular and effective drugs used to treat the breakdown of bone caused by osteoporosis. Unfortunately, doctors have found that most patients quit taking the drugs after a short time. Novartis, which sponsored the new study, hopes its annual dose will change that. Like a mammogram, it could become part of a woman's annual physical.

There are some significant risks with the new drug protocol. In the study of 8,000 women, a rare, serious heartbeat irregularity occurred more often in women on the drug than on those taking a placebo. The study was also too small to rule out an increased risk of jawbone deterioration which affects 3% to 10% of cancer patients taking more frequent doses of the drug. However, for those with advanced osteoporosis, the significant benefits may outweigh the risks.