I almost decided to skip sending a newsletter this month. I have found the heat and humidity debilitating (maybe a sign of my age) and really we have covered just about every sort of treatment and preventive step. They are all on the web site. .

But then I came across a study on a Chinese medical web site that I thought you would want to read - at least in part. .

So often we think bone loss - I need a prescription medication or some new herb or physical activity. But scientists have found that a simple adjustment in our eating, can increase bone density by 5%!! .

Here is a section of the article from a medical web site from China:

"We are in an epidemic of osteoporosis. There can be no doubt about that. Global estimates for 2006 are that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 10 men now aged 55 will have osteoporosis in their lifetime. In the United States, 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, and costs are estimated at $17.9 billion annually. In the United Kingdom, 3 million persons are affected, and the estimated costs for all of Europe are in excess of 13.9 billion (euros) annually. . . . .

"The evidence base for the disease-preventing benefits of high intakes of fruit and vegetables continues to expand with respect to ischemic heart disease; stomach, bowel, and breast cancer; and, most recently, stroke (1). The message "eat your fruit and vegetables" is a sensible one (2); the only debate is about the recommended number of portions. For osteoporosis, the evidence from a combination of observational, experimental, clinical, and intervention studies strongly points to a positive link between fruit and vegetable consumption and indexes of bone health. .

"The Journal, Prynne et al (3) report the findings of a cross-sectional study examining the association between fruit and vegetable consumption and bone mineral status in 5 age and sex cohorts. The results indicate significant positive associations between fruit and vegetable intakes and both spine size-adjusted bone mineral content and whole-body bone mineral density in adolescent boys and girls . .. In the older women, aged 60-83 years, significant positive associations were found between spine size-adjusted bone mineral content and fruit intake. The size of the effect in the older women was impressive: doubling the fruit intake would have resulted in a 5% increment in spine bone mineral content. .　"　Whereas the alkalizing effect of fruit and vegetable consumption has drawn attention as a possible mechanism of their beneficial influence on bone, other plausible mechanisms include the dietary influence of vitamin K, phytoestrogens, and as yet unidentified dietary components acting in concert, in which case the sum of the effect is greater than that of the parts. Vegetables, herbs, and salads that are commonly consumed in the human diet have been shown to affect bone resorption in rats by a mechanism that is not mediated by their base excess but that may be mediated through pharmacologically active compounds. " . .

I think this last sentence is especially important. So many say it is the alkalizing effect of fruits and vegetables BUT these authors point to some chemical aspects of fruits and vegetables. And I suspect that this will become a focus of new research in the field.

Last month

I would like to take time now to give a general reply to the 2 most frequent questions I get by email. I HOPE you will read this...make note of it for future reference so I have more time to spend on research...rather than answering these same two questions again and again.

. Question #1 - Kate, do you know anything about xxxxxx or where can I find xxxxx? .

OK. I started this web site in 2005 and to be honest I do NOT remember everything on it..or where things are. So when I get such an email I need to go to www.osteopenia3.com, click on the SEARCH button and type in a word or two from the subject requested. If I get returns from our site (All begin www.osteopenia3.com...) I write back to the person, explain that I just did a search, found that there is information on the site and describe how to go to the web site, use the search box etc. .

If you want to save time for yourself and for me, why not use the SEARCH box BEFORE you ask? (For the most comprehensive search use the FEWEST words possible in your search.). If you find information, you'll have full access to what I know. If you do not find information, you know I have not researched the topic yet. (You might ask me to add it to the list of things to do and I shall be glad to do so. ) But I can not answer questions on the subject now. .

Question 2 -usually begins, "My email address has changed, please send the newsletter to this new address." I find this particular query frustrating because I have said MANY times that I do not have access to email addresses of subscribers. (Keeps me from being accused of SPAM) .

What you need to do is go to the end of an old newsletter and click on [or copy into your browser} the link for unsubscribing. Then you need to go to the web site, www.osteopenia3.com , click on NEWSLETTER and subscribe anew from your new email address. Simple - only 2 steps and all under your control. .

If every one could remember these two things - copy and paste and save these directions - it would free up so much time and energy for on-going research.....

PLEASE save these directions (or impress them on your memory).

Thanks for reading this far. And may the rest of your summer go well. Fill your plate with those fruits and vegetables - especially if you can get 'pesticide free' ones.