Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource - August 2003

Monday, August 04, 2003

Here are highlights from the August issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource. You may cite this publication as often as you wish. Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource attribution is required. Also, you may reprint up to four articles annually without cost. More frequent reprinting is allowed for a fee. Include the following subscription information as your editorial policies permit: Call toll free for subscription information, 800-876-8633, extension 9PK1.

Time to Downsize Food Portions

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The size of food portions — and the number of overweight Americans — keeps growing. Studies have shown that food portion sizes in restaurants, and at home, have grown substantially over the past 20 years. And more than half of Americans are overweight or obese, increasing the risk of weight-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and others.

Right-sizing your portions can bring food intake in line with recommended servings. The August issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource offers these examples to help estimate appropriate serving sizes.

• A medium apple or orange is the size of a tennis ball.
• A medium potato is the size of a computer mouse.
• An average bagel is the size of a hockey puck.
• A cup of fruit is the size of a baseball.
• Three ounces of meat is the size of a deck of cards.
• Three ounces of grilled fish is the size of your checkbook.
• One ounce of cheese is the size of four dice.
• One teaspoon of peanut butter equals the tip of your thumb.

Let's Talk about Irritable Bowel Syndrome

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) ranks right up there with the common cold as a cause of lost work time and accounts for about three million doctor visits in the United States every year. Yet, until recently, it was also one of the least talked about conditions.

IBS, which affects women more than men, is characterized by abdominal pain, cramping and changes in bowel function — bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation. A better understanding of IBS and new treatments have helped people talk about this unpredictable and sometimes debilitating condition more openly, according to the August issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.

A diagnosis depends on a complete medical history, physician exam and several tests. Your doctor likely will recommend ways to manage IBS including drinking plenty of water, eating at regular times, daily exercise and perhaps, fiber supplements. Medications also could help. Options include medications that slow the rate at which food moves through your intestines, antispasmodic medications and antidepressants.

Hormone Therapy: Risky, but Still an Option to Treat Hot Flashes

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — More than a year ago a study became news and changed how women and their doctors view hormone therapy after menopause. The Women's Health Initiative study found that a combination of estrogen and progestin resulted in more risks than benefits for menopausal women. Increased risks were noted for heart attacks, breast cancer, stroke and blood clots. About 36 percent of women taking Prempro, the hormone therapy being studied, stopped using it within four months of the announcement.

Additional risks have been identified since then. The risk of dementia was double among Prempro users age 65 and older. Researchers found hormone therapy didn't improve quality of life measures such as energy, mental health, depression, memory or sexual function, except in women with severe hot flashes.

If you opt to continue hormone therapy, Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource recommends you take preventive measures including yearly breast exams and mammograms. Reduce your risk of heart disease with a low saturated-fat diet, regular exercise and not smoking.

Talk with your doctor about the following steps that might be beneficial. However, no one knows if or how much these steps reduce the risks of hormone therapy.

• Take a lower-dose product. Many are available.
• If you need progestin, consider micronized progesterone (Prometrium). It has fewer adverse effects on cholesterol levels than do synthetic forms of the hormone. Also, consider taking it cyclically. One regimen is taking it 12 to 14 days every three months. This provides less exposure to the progestin hormone which has been found to increase breast cancer risk more than estrogen alone.
• Consider a hormone patch instead of pills. Estrogen-patch therapy doesn't adversely affect blood clotting the way estrogen pills do.

Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource is published monthly to help women enjoy healthier, more productive lives. Revenue from subscriptions is used to support medical research at Mayo Clinic. To subscribe, please call 800-876-8633, extension 9PK1.

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