Posted on 10/07/2006 10:44:59 AM PDT by FairOpinion
Women Consider How to Interpret Health Study Results
October 01, 2006
As results emerge from one of the largest women's health studies ever undertaken, women are trying to sort out how to apply the findings to their own lives.
With more than 160,000 participants, the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) tracked postmenopausal women for seven to 12 years looking at, among other things, the value of menopausal hormone therapy, a low-fat diet, and calcium and vitamin D supplements. UCLA participated in the study under the direction of Howard Judd, M.D., now professor emeritus of obstetrics/gynecology.
Some of the still-emerging results have been stunning. In 2002 and 2004, the WHI abruptly halted its two hormone studies after concluding that the risks- including breast cancer and stroke-outweighed the possible benefits in preventing heart disease.
Other conclusions have been less momentous. One finding suggests that a diet lower in total fat did not significantly reduce the incidence of breast cancer, heart disease or stroke, nor reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in healthy, postmenopausal women.
As for calcium and vitamin D, WHI findings suggest that these supplements in healthy postmenopausal women provide modest benefits in preserving bone mass and preventing hip fractures in certain groups of women, but do not prevent other types of fractures or colorectal cancer.
Should women throw away their hormone therapy (as many abruptly did), eat all the fat they want, and chuck the calcium? Not so fast, experts say. Seeking guidance from a personal physician, who can interpret the findings and apply it to a woman's needs and risk factors, is the sensible road to take.
UCLA geriatrician Elizabeth Whiteman, M.D., notes, "We look at the data and really try to individualize the information for that specific woman-what are her risk factors and goals? "It's key for patients to talk to their doctor about any family history of dementia, stroke, colon cancer and heart disease."
I WOULD call this MOMENTOUS -- considering that just now I was reading articles that NY tries to ban transfats in restaurants, the Clinton crusade succeeded in forcing reduction of fats in school snacks.
Of course that is not to say that it's a good idea to eat unlimited amounts of food, but it should wake people up. Note that this was an article in a UCLA small health publication, I couldn't find anything about it in the MSM news.
My friend told me her mom's cholesterol had always tested high. She avoided all 'bad' foods, though she loved them, ate carrots and stuff like that. When she died, they did an autopsy for some other reason. Her arteries were CLEAR. She had consistently tested high.
That anecdote plus this study -- YAH.
Fat is bad for you, alcohol is bad for you, sugar is bad for you -- then eventually it turns out none of this is actually bad for you, and some of it ( alcohol) is actually very good for you, helps prevent heart disease, keeps your arteries clear, etc.
The bottom line, IMO, is that one shouldn't buy into any of the fad pushed on us by the "food police", but, of course, do everything in moderation.
What they should preach is moderation, instead of the avoidance of the some food or other.
Didn't "medical science" kept telling us for a while that vitamins are useless, then it was discovered that vitamins are indeed very helpful.
Unfortunately it doesn't say anything about the effects of gin.
There are lots of other studies which concluded that alcohol in moderation is very good for you. :)
Even though tiny her entire life, my 84 year old mom has had cholesterol levels of 400+ since first testing her. She will be celebrating her 85th birthday Nov. 7th, still sharp as a tack, takes care of her own house, cooking and shopping. A couple of years ago a new doctor wanted her to go on cholesterol pills, as she has been counseled many times and drastically change her diet, I told her to flush the pills and eat what she wants. She takes NO prescription drugs, only her vitamins.
Popular knowledge (read: popular ignorance) in the MSM and in the universities is dominated by Kellogism, the crankish ideology of a 19th century charlatan and quack who, among other things, administered yogurt high colonic enemas to his neurotic high society patients. The fat, alcohol, sugar, meat, etc. is bad while green leafy rabbit rations are good paradigm stems mostly from his scams.
Long live the Red Onion and a mug of icy cold beer! (The inmates of Kellogg's expensive "San" used to sneak across the road to the Red Onion tavern for a little relief from their "healthy" lifestyles.)
Trans fats are not the same as fats naturally found in food. Trans fats are a synthesized chemical and is not produced by living things. Let a container of butter and a container of trans fat sit in you garage for a month and you will fiond that the butter is spoiling and attracting certain bugs, but nothing is interested in the trans fat.
I've been a part of this WHI for the last 11 years, and you are correct, nothing gets published in the MSM. The MSM supports all of the wild ideas and nothing that contradicts there opinions.
I didn't realize The Road to Wellville was based on real people. :)
I really enjoyed that book. Maybe I'll dig it out and read it again.
I've never read the book, but have watched the movie several times. It's quite funny.
That's because fat doesn't make you fat, processed refined sugars and simple carbs do. Duh!
Lift weights
It's all heredity anyway.
and besides, all those greens could give you a case of e-coli.
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