Healthy living

Stronger: Heed these tips from Montefiore Medical Center's Center for Bone Health to prevent osteoporosis:

• The body can store only 500 milligrams of calcium at a time; to build bone health, wait four to six hours between dairy servings or calcium doses.

• Nonfat yogurt and Swiss cheese are better sources of calcium than cottage cheese. Read the label.

• Low-fat dairy products are better calcium sources than whole-milk products.

• Salty foods like bacon, sausage and prepared soups, colas and caffeine block calcium absorption.

• To help the body absorb calcium, get 400 IU of vitamin D daily, either through a supplement or 15 minutes in the sun.

• Osteoporosis begins in the teens. Starting age 9, children should get 1,300 milligrams of calcium daily in their diets.

• Being underweight leads to bone loss. Maintaining a healthy weight and doing weight-bearing exercise helps maintain bone mass.

• Shrinking, back pain or a dowager's hump are all signs an older woman might be suffering osteoporosis-related fractures.

• Even premenopausal women may produce too little estrogen for bone health. Some forms of birth control and other factors can contribute.

• Medications for asthma and arthritis, sleeping pills and other medications can reduce bone mass.

Help wanted

Recruiting: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is recruiting African-Americans ages 6 to 16 for the "Healthy Bones Study" sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. Information: 636-1300.

For women: The University of Cincinnati Bone Health and Osteoporosis needs women 42 and older who are at least one year postmenopausal and who have been off hormone replacement therapy for at least six months to test two FDA-approved medications for treating bone loss. Information: Marlene Kocher, 475-7415.

Calendar

Education: Friday is the deadline to register for "The Many Faces of Alzheimer's Disease," a daylong symposium on Alzheimer's and other types of dementia. Presenters are the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, the University of Cincinnati Office of Geriatric Medicine and the Ohio Valley Appalachian Region Geriatric Education Center. Registration: $100. Information: Marlene Scholl, 721-4284.

Pink: Actress and breast cancer survivor Ann Jillian is the guest speaker for the Sept. 17 "Think Pink 2003" luncheon at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, sponsored by the Barrett Cancer Center at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and Saks Fifth Avenue. The luncheon kicks off a charity shopping weekend, "Key to the Cure," at Saks. Information: Linda Karr, 558-3879.

Shelf help

Update: Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution (Little, Brown and Co.; $27.95) has been updated with new information on controlling blood sugar levels.

Contact Peggy O'Farrell by phone, 768-8510; fax, 768-8330, or e-mail, pofarrell@enquirer.com