• Oct. 3 – 9 National Fire Prevention Week from the National Fire Protection Association
• Oct. 3 – 9 Mental Illness Awareness Week from the American Psychiatric Association
• Oct. 4 – 8 Drive Safely Work Week from the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety
• Oct. 10 - 16 International Herpes Week from the International Herpes Alliance
• Oct. 11 – 15 National School Lunch Week from the American School Food Service Association
• Oct. 17 – 23 National Radon Action Week from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Oct. 17 – 23 National Health Education Week from the National Center for Health Education
• Oct. 23 – 31 National Red Ribbon Campaign (Campaign to keep kids off drugs) from the National Family Partnership, Informed Families Education Center
• Oct. 24 – 30 Respiratory Care Week from the American Association for Respiratory Care

• Oct. 4 National Child Health Day from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau
  Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Oct. 7 National Depression Screening Day from Screening for Mental Health, Inc.
• Oct. 13 SAVE (Stop America's Violence Everywhere) Today from the AMA Alliance
• Oct. 15 National Mammography Day from the American Cancer Society
• Oct. 16 World Food Day from the U.S. National Committee for World Food Day
• Oct. 22 International Stuttering Awareness Day from the Stuttering Foundation of America
• Oct. 27 Lung Health Day from the American Association for Respiratory Care

October 1 is World Vegetarian Day, which has been observed since 1977 bringing awareness to the ethical, environmental, health and humanitarian benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. Many feel that vegetarianism—the practice of not eating meat, fish, or fowl—is a logical conclusion for all who are in tune with the earth, with the animals, and with their own bodies.

A vegetarian diet is undoubtedly healthier, as heart disease, cancer, and many of the other "diseases of civilization" are linked to meat consumption. But for many, the environmental benefits of this lifestyle choice are the most powerful motivators. Learn More.

The San Francisco Vegetarian Society—promoting health, humanity, and vegetarianism since 1968—is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting a vegetarian diet as a healthful and humane way of life. If you are not yet a member, considering becoming one today and receive their upbeat, comprehensive newsletter, full of informative articles, recipes, tips and great events all throughout the greater San Franscisco Bay Area. View the Fall 2004 issue.

October 13 – 17 is National School Lunch Week, brought to us by the American School Food Service Association. Although this organization is attempting to offer healthier school meals to kids, most of the selected entrees are still far higher in saturated fat and cholesterol than necessary, and more vegetarian options, featuring plant-based proteins like veggie burgers, beans and legumes, nut butters and soy foods are clearly called for. This group also promotes daily consumption of dairy milk, and does not include a soy milk alternative. Further, high-sugar cookies are a menu standard, which would ideally be replaced by more nutritious items like oatmeal or peanut-butter bars, whole-wheat banana bread, whole grain muffins, etc.

Although any progress is commendable, further steps are necessary to promote the health of our children, one lunch at a time.

Lifelong eating patterns are established in childhood, and yet on a given day, less than 15% of children eat the minimum recommended servings of fruit and only 17% of children consume the minimum daily recommended servings of vegetables.

Studies indicate that more than 25% of children ages 5-10 have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or other early warning signs for heart disease. That number rises to over 61% among overweight children of the same age. And 27% of overweight children have two or more risk factors. Moreover, 90% of children consume amounts of fat above the recommended level.

The prevalence of obesity among young people ages 6-17 years in the United States has more than doubled in the past 20 years, and that pattern is continuing. Over 4.7 million, or 11% of youth ages 6-17 years are seriously overweight.

What can we do about these alarming trends? Upgrading the quality of school lunches for kids to include more fruits, vegetables and other plant-based entrees high in nutrients and low in saturated fat and cholesterol is a critical step. Find out more.

Additionally, please see our article A Closer Look at Your Child's School Lunch.

As noted above, Oct. 15 is National Mammography Day from the American Cancer Society, which may provide new incentive for healthy weight loss. Did you know that being overweight can increase your odds of a false-positive mammogram result, making more tests necessary to rule out breast cancer? According to a recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine Journal, overweight women were 17% more likely to be called back for additional testing after routine mammograms, while obese women were 27-31% more likely to be called back.

Four Ways Exercise Can Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk

Regular exercise reduces the number of menstrual cycles with ovulation. Fewer cycles are linked with reduced breast cancer risk. Exercise reduces the amount of estrogen produced in the ovaries. High estrogen levels are associated with increased risk. Exercise may also reduce the level of estrogen produced by fat cells. Exercise appears to reduce breast densities as seen on mammograms, allowing for more accurate readings.

Key Nutrition and Lifestyle Changes for Women Over 35

You need fewer calories to maintain a healthy weight

Over the age of 35, you may have noticed that it's easier to gain weight, even though your diet is the same. Unfortunately, with age, muscle becomes less efficient at burning calories. If you start scaling back on calories over age 35, you can reduce the all too common weight gain experienced by so many women approaching menopause. To maintain your weight over age 50, you will need to consume about 450-500 fewer calories each day than you did at age 25. The good news is that you can burn many of these calories with daily exercise, and increase overall metabolic function through regular strength training.

You should consume more phytoestrogen-rich foods

When women enter perimenopause, which can begin as early as age 35, you may begin to experience fluctuating hormone levels, which can affect your mood and overall well-being. The good news is that you can find relief in "letting food by thy medicine." Plant foods—such as whole grains, beans and legumes and flax seeds—contain these estrogen-like compounds that can help.

Soy foods are of particular value in this regard. If you are not incorporating soy into your diet at least several times a week, you owe it to yourself to explore the many delicious faces of soy. These days, your options go well beyond plain tofu. Try the many tasty prepared, pre-marinated tofu and tempeh varieties available at your local health food stores and Trader Joe's. You have numerous soy milk choices (even chocolate!), tasty roasted soy nuts, soy-based veggie burgers, soy-enriched cereals, Edemame (fresh green soybeans with a delicate, nutty flavor), soy yogurt and cream cheese, even soy ice cream!

You need to work harder to protect your bone health

As you may know, bone mass starts to decline in women after age 30. Women under 50 need 1000 mgs. of calcium daily to help reduce this bone loss trend and help prevent osteoporosis. After age 50, 1500 mgs. is recommended. It is critical to understand, however, that supplementing calcium alone is far less effective than ensuring you also include the many other nutrients that work along with calcium for optimal bone health. In her book Better Bones, Better Body (Keats Publishing, 2000), Susan Brown, M.D. notes that that along with calcium (1000-1500 mg. daily), women require a broad array of additional nutrients in order to prevent osteoporosis, as follows:

You will need to increase your intake of antioxidant nutrients

Antioxidants are our bodies' frontline defense against the free radicals that constantly and adversely affect our cells. During the past 20 years, more than 30,000 scientific papers have been written about antioxidants and their fight to protect your body from free radical damage leading to premature aging and degenerative disease. Antioxidants are compounds produced in the body and found in many foods, especially fresh produce. They work in the body to promote health throughout our lifespan by protecting against damage caused by free radicals, which can injure healthy tissues and cells. Examples of specific antioxidant nutrients include:

Carotenoids are a major class of phytonutrients with many well-documented health benefits. These nutrients have been shown to protect the skin from the damaging effects of UV light. Carotenoid consumption has also been associated with reduced risks of many cancers, various diseases, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration. The major carotenoids are beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and alpha-carotene.

 

Vitamin E is perhaps the body's most important fat-soluble antioxidant nutrient protecting healthy cell membranes from oxidative free radical damage. Among other benefits, Vitamin E provides important protection to the cardiovascular system by reducing LDL oxidation and promoting healthy vascular function.

Vitamin C interacts with and regenerates vitamin E in the body. Vitamin C can help protect eye tissues from free radical damage associated with the normal aging process and boost immune health, among numerous additional health benefits. Alpha-lipoic acid, which we are learning more about all the time, has the unique ability to neutralize both fat-soluble and water-soluble free radicals. This nutrient also promotes the body's regeneration of several key antioxidants, helping augment the entire antioxidant defense system. Alpha-lipoic acid has the advantage of crossing the blood-brain barrier, which helps protect our nervous system.

Many of the processes we call "aging" can be considered manifestations of cumulative damage done by free radicals to tissue such as skin, blood vessels, and brain. Antioxidants can neutralize the potentially damaging effects that free radicals cause to our bodies. A comprehensive profile of antioxidants must work together in synergy to afford effective protection from free radical damage. This comprehensive approach to antioxidant protection is known as the "antioxidant defense system." One key to stopping premature aging and preventing many degenerative diseases is for the body to be able to repair the damage that does occur. The other key is to protect the body's tissue cells from the free radicals before they cause mutations.

Women over 35 in seek of optimal health and wellness are well advised to upgrade their diets to include a minimum of 5-9 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily. The problem is that many women over 35 are working harder than ever before, often combining careers with raising a family and running their homes. This is particularly the case now with more women than ever before having babies after the age of 35 and even 40. With stress levels often running high and the challenge of meeting all the obligations upon us, how can women ensure beyond a doubt that they are getting all the nutrients they need on a daily basis to address optimal bone health and increased needs for antioxidants and phytoestrogens, among their many other nutritional requirements?

The answer for many women is the Pharmanex LifePak Women Anti-Aging Formula. For starters, this superior formula meets and exceeds virtually all essential bone health nutrients, as outlined by Dr. Susan Brown, M.D., above. Additionally, it is a comprehensive source of over 40 powerful antioxidants, is rich in flavonoids and soy isoflavones (phytoestrogens to support a comfortable transition to perimenopause), and also boasts 400 mg. of cranberry powder to help support urinary tract health.

This formula even includes the benefits of evening primrose and borage oils, which supply essential fatty acids that help maintain healthy hormonal balance, as well as rich levels of Vitamin B-6 (among other stress protective nutrients) which is important to natural serotonin production. This nutritional system is ideal for all women interested in measurably improving their short and long term health, wellness and longevity. A month supply of the Pharmanex LifePak Women's formula has a retail price of $79.60/month. For more information—or to purchase at the wholesale price of $59.70/month—contact kiki@aboutnhs.com.