Flaxseeds: Protecting Bones and Breasts

By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS

Flaxseeds may very well be one of nature’s wonderfoods. For one thing, phytoestrogens, which are abundant in flaxseeds, have been shown to exert hormonal effects that may affect chronic diseases. And research reveals that they could help protect both breasts and bones.

In one study (published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition), postmenopausal women supplemented their diets with either a placebo, soy, or ground flaxseed for 16 weeks. After the 16 weeks, the flaxseed group - and no other - had a significantly higher ratio of 2-hydroxyesterone to 16-hydroxyesterone, which can potentially protect against breast cancer. Also, despite the previously held belief that this hormone ratio leads to decreased bone density (a precursor to osteoporosis), the researchers found that the higher concentration of 2-hydroxyesterone did not have a negative effect on bones.

Make sure you buy cold-milled, 100 percent organic flaxseeds. One reliable brand is Barlean’s Forti-Flax, widely available in stores.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Jonny Bowden is a nationally known expert on weight loss, nutrition, and health.]

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ETR Insider Report: My "Fight" With Michael Over "That" vs. "Who"

By Suzanne Richardson

"Hey, Suzanne," Charlie said to me the other day, "I noticed something interesting about your edits to Michael’s articles. Almost every time he uses ‘that’ in a sentence, you change it to ‘who.’ What’s the deal?"

I don’t have to remind you that Michael Masterson is a successful, wealthy, and very knowledgeable businessman. And, as a best-selling author, master copywriter, and former English teacher, he knows how to write. So why is it that he and I keep "arguing" about this one tiny grammatical rule? Could I be wrong?

I did a little research, and here’s what I discovered…

"Who" and "that" (along with "which," "whom," and "whose") are known as relative pronouns. And the purpose of relative pronouns is to connect a relative clause (a mini-sentence inside a larger sentence) to a noun (or antecedent) in the main clause. The relative clause ends up revealing a fact about the antecedent.

The general rule for deciding whether to use "that" or "who" in your dependent clause depends on the noun you’re relating back to. If the noun is a person, use "who." If the noun is non-human, use "that."

For example, "The copywriter who completed the AWAI program earned $100,000 last year."

"The business that used direct-marketing techniques boosted its sales 30 percent this quarter."

Purdue University, however, points out that you can use "that" and "who" interchangeably with human antecedents in two cases: When speaking or when wanting to project a certain informality in writing (which is certainly true in Michael’s case).

According to a Rutgers University Guide to Grammar and Style, "who" should only appear with a non-human antecedent in the possessive "whose" construction. For example, "the program that was written by Michael" is correct, but so is "the program whose sequel was written by Michael."

"The program whose sequel" sounds okay to me, although I’m not a big fan of passive voice.

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It’s Good to Know: Another Reason to Avoid TV… Even If You’re in the Hospital

Infections acquired by patients while they’re in the hospital are estimated by the New England Journal of Medicine to cause 90,000 deaths a year and cost $9.5 billion in medical bills. One of the culprits? The TV remote controls in patients’ rooms.

A recent study by University of Arizona researchers found that the remote control in a hospital room is the item that carries the most disease-causing bacteria (including drug-resistant strains), trumping the toilet and faucet handles, bathroom door, and other more obvious suspects. The study recommends the widespread use of disposable remote controls to protect patients during their hospital stays.

(Source: PR Newswire)

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Word to the Wise: Relict

A "relict" (REL-ikt) - from the Latin for "to leave behind" - is a remnant, something that has survived.

Example (as used by Francine Prose in a New York Times review of Bearing the Body): "Sol is no more forgiving in his attitude toward the fellow relicts who wander about the locker room, with or without towels."

Michael Masterson

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2143, 09-10-07], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.

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