The problem isn’t just that we don’t have dinner dates; it’s that we don’t have people to turn to when we’re sick, when we’re stressed, or when we’re otherwise in crisis. We miss the health benefits of having a strong social network, which can do everything from boost your immune system to protect you from heart disease, cancer, depression, and anxiety, says Marla Paul, author of The Friendship Crisis: Finding, Making, and Keeping Friends When You’re Not a Kid Anymore.

“People tend to think of friendship as something you fit in when all the important stuff is done,” she says. “But friends are not a luxury; they’re an essential nutrient.” Here are five friendship tips :.
…read more

Women may need to put cholesterol on their list of things to discuss with their doctor, a new study suggests. The study, published online in Women’s Health Issues, shows that among high-risk patients, optimal levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol may be less common among men than women.

High levels of cholesterol especially LDL cholesterol can make heart disease and heart attacks more likely. A simple blood test can check your cholesterol levels. Diet, exercise, and medications can help lower high cholesterol. The new study focuses on diabetes patients and survivors of recent heart “events,” defined as a heart attack, heart bypass operation, or angioplasty (procedure to reopen blocked coronary arteries, which supply blood to heart muscle). …read more

It’s important to practice good bone health when you’re young, to prevent problems later in life. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers these guidelines for people of different ages:

* Between ages 10 and 20: Get 1,300 milligrams of calcium each day by eating plenty of calcium-rich foods such as cheese and leafy green vegetables. Drink at least three 8-oz. glasses of milk each day.
* Between ages 20 and 35: Get at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day. Perform exercises such as jogging or walking to help strengthen bones.
* Between ages 35 and 50: You still need 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day as bone loss may have already begun. You may want to ask your doctor about bone density screenings.
* Age 50 and older: Be sure to get at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day, and at least 20 minutes of weight-bearing exercise three days a week or more. Also, your doctor may recommend a vitamin D supplement.

via medicinenet

Vitamin D deficiency is common among women diagnosed with breast cancer, and it may raise the risk of cancer spread and death, researchers report. In a new study, women with vitamin D deficiency at the time of breast cancer diagnosis were 94% more likely to experience cancer spread and 73% more likely to die over the next 10 years, compared to women with adequate vitamin D levels.

The study is the first to suggest a link between vitamin D deficiency and breast cancer progression, but it doesn’t prove cause and effect. And it’s too soon to recommend that all women with breast cancer start taking supplements to improve their outlook, says study head Pamela Goodwin, MD, professor of medicine at the University of Toronto. But “women with breast cancer may want to get their vitamin D levels checked in a blood test and get them into the healthy optimal range,” she says.
…read more