Physical Activity and Risk of Stroke in Women: Physical activity, including moderate-intensity exercise such as walking, was shown to produce a substantial reduction in risk of stroke in women 40 to 65 years old. Additionally, those who often engaged in faster paced walking had a lower stroke risk than those who walked at a slower pace.

JAMA 2000;283:2961-2967

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Soda Increases Fracture and Osteoporosis Risk: Teenage girls who drink a lot of soda may be more prone to bone fractures and osteoporosis. It is estimated that girls in this age group have doubled or tripled their soda consumption in just the last few years. Soda may cause a calcium deficiency due to large amounts of phosphorus that they contain, since large quantities of this mineral can interfere with the body's ability to absorb calcium.

Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 2000;154:542-543, 610-613.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Commission on alternative medicine to start meeting

A long-anticipated White House commission on alternative and complementary medicine should start meeting in July, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) has announced.

Senator Harkin, who is a staunch supporter of alternative medicine, said he had won a $1 million appropriation to set up a White House commission.

The agency at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that has been awarding grants for research in this alternative medicine was recently renamed the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medical Practices (CAM), which means it can now fund research, with it's current annual budget of $100 million, without first clearing the proposals through NIH.