HEALTH


plained. “So, the true risk reduction may be larger.”


Interestingly, women appeared to ben-


efit most from eating lean fish, when other research shows fatty fish is better for health. This finding may stem from the fact that most fatty fish, such as herring and salmon, is eaten salted in Sweden, Larsson explained. “A high intake of salt increases blood pressure and thus may in- crease the risk of stroke,” she said in an e-mail. “So the protective effects of fatty acids in fatty fish may be attenuated be- cause of the salt.” Indeed, when it comes to fish, not all


have equal benefits, Mozaffarian noted - for instance, he said, research has not


shown any cardiovascular benefits from eating fast food fish burgers or fish sticks. In addition, women of childbearing


age should avoid certain types of fish known to carry relatively high levels of pollutants, such as shark and swordfish, Mozaffarian cautioned. “This is a very, very short list of fish to avoid or minimize -- there are many, many other types of fish to consume,” he said. “Women at risk of stroke are generally beyond their child- bearing years, and so for these women, all types of fish can be consumed.” Larsson and her team speculate that


certain nutrients in fish, such as fatty acids and vitamin D, might explain its apparent benefits. The Swedish study cannot prove


cause and effect for high fish consumption and lowered stroke risk, however. For in- stance, fish consumption could be a sign of a generally healthier lifestyle or some other mechanism at work. Last December, Larsson and colleagues


published data from the same group of women in the journal Stroke showing that those who eat a lot of red meat may also be putting themselves at increased risk of stroke. Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition


(Retired), the first female West Point graduate in U.S. history to command at the strategic level in Iraq and Afghanistan, decided to re- tire after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia – a medically unexplained syndrome affect- ing the muscles and connective tissues. Cur- rently, the disease affects as many as 12 mil- lion Americans and has been reported two times as prevalent in deployed veterans (An- nals of Internal Medicine, June 7, 2005, Vol. 142 No.11). “There I was in Iraq, responsible for over


20,000 military men and women, and I pri- vately struggled to physically keep myself going.”


“Agonizing pain, debilitating fatigue, joint stiffness and


sleep deprivation—you name it and I felt it,” says Halstead. “There I was in Iraq, responsible for over 20,000 military men and women, and I privately struggled to physically keep my- self going.” Initially, Halstead was prescribed every drug imaginable,


though the pills only masked the pain and resulted in a spiral of reactions affecting her psychological and physical health. It wasn’t until a close friend suggested chiropractic that she was


WWW.PROFESSIONALWOMANMAG.COM


Winning the Battle with Fibromyalgia A


fter 27 years of service, decorated U.S. Army Brigadier General Becky Halstead


able to find relief and return to a normal, nearly pain-free life. She discovered that the comprehensive treatment of chiropractic care improves joint motion, reducing and in some cases eliminating the pains and symptoms associated with fibromyalgia – such as fa- tigue, sleep deprivation and depression. “Chiropractic treatment helped improve


my whole outlook on dealing with this chron- ic ailment,” she says. “The spinal adjustments along with the postural and nutritional advice I received helped to treat the fibromyalgia and allowed me to have many days with min- imal pain -- and most days without any medi- cations. The care of a doctor of chiropractic was life changing for me.”


Today, Halstead is a spokesperson for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (www.f4cp.com), a not-for-profit orga- nization dedicated to raising public awareness of the benefits associated with chiropractic care. Brig. General Halstead has made it her personal mission to educate others suffering with fibromyalgia – and to consider consulting with doctor of chi- ropractic, as she did. ”Chiropractic care is a viable option that can positively impact overall wellness and health,” she concludes. Source: Businesswire.com


CELEBRATING 11 YEARS OF DIVERSITY PROFESSIONAL WOMAN’S MULTICULTURAL MAGAZINE 53


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