Kansas Senior Press Service Weekly Newsletters Kansas Senior Press Service Weekly Newsletters A Harvard University study examined the alcohol/cancer link from a new angle: How does folate – a B vitamin in some fruits, vegetables, and beans – interact with alcohol consumption to affect breast cancer risk?
The scientists compared drinking vs. non-drinking women. They found that women who were moderate drinkers and did not get enough folate in their diet had a higher cancer risk than non-drinking women who had any amount of folate in their diets. Curiously, the study also found that women who drink moderately but get enough folate in their diets had the same cancer risk as women who don’t drink and also get enough folate in their diets.
Folate is a B vitamin essential for cell growth and reproduction. The study suggested that getting enough folate in your diet might negate the otherwise harmful effects of alcohol on cancer risk.
How much difference does folate make in preventing breast cancer? According to this study, getting enough folate can cut the risk of breast cancer by 9 percent, whether you are a moderate drinker or do not drink at all.
A similar study conducted in Australia reached the same conclusion. When women ages 27 to 75 drank higher amounts of alcohol (about three drinks a day) and consumed low doses of folate, they were at a higher risk for developing breast cancer than non-drinking subjects who also consumed scant amounts of folate. When both groups consumed equally high amounts of folate, they had equal breast cancer risks.
Of course, since alcohol consumption is linked to other types of cancer, the American Institute for Cancer Research recommends limiting alcohol to one drink a day for women and two for men.
How can we ensure that our levels of folate are high enough to cut cancer risk?
The daily recommended level of folate for adults is 400 mcg. Folate-rich foods include lentils, black-eyed peas, orange juice and soy beans. Folate is also plentiful in vegetables such as asparagus and spinach. But folate is also available in manufactured form, called folic acid, which is added to rice, cereals, breads, and pasta. It is easy to absorb, so as long as you eat a wide variety of vegetables, beans, and grains, you will get enough folate in your diet.
Source: The American Institute for Cancer Research
The best way to stay healthy is to live a healthful lifestyle. You can live a healthful lifestyle and prevent disease by exercising, eating well, maintaining a healthful weight, and not smoking. Medicare can help.
Medicare pays for many preventive services to keep you healthy. Preventive services can reveal health problems early, when treatment works best, thereby helping you avert certain diseases or illnesses. Preventive services include exams, lab tests, screenings, shots, monitoring, and information to help you take care of your own health.
Visit www.MyMedicare.gov on the Web for direct access to preventive health information 24 hours a day, every day. Visit the Web site, sign up, and Medicare will mail you a password allowing access to your personal Medicare information. At www.MyMedicare.gov, you can see a description of your covered preventive services, the date those services were performed, and the next date you are eligible for a service.
Medicare publishes a helpful booklet titled “Your Guide to Medicare’s Preventive Services” (CMS Pub. No. 10110, Revised March 2007). It contains information about:
The booklet is available online at www.medicare.gov (click on “Find a Medicare Publication” under Search Tools). You may search by publication number or key words. The publication is available online for download or may be ordered for mailing directly to your home. You may also order a copy by phone at 1-800-633-4227 (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
The booklet covers both preventive services and services that keep certain illnesses from getting worse. The listed services are covered if you have Medicare. However, the amount you pay for the services varies, depending on how you get your Medicare benefits (through the original Medicare plan or through a Medicare Advantage plan). The booklet explains the way preventive services are covered if you have Part B under the original Medicare plan (sometimes called fee-for-service). If you receive your health care coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan, like an HMO or PPO, call your plan for more information.
By: Gordon L. Davis
The 2007/2008 edition of “Explore Your Options: A Kansas Guide to Information and In-Home Services” is now available to Kansas seniors.
The 15th edition of this annual guide provides current information that will help older Kansas residents remain at home longer, independent, and secure in their environment. The purpose of the booklet is to inform older adults and their families and support networks about the community services that can provide solutions to special needs.
This book is designed to help seniors and their families and caregivers understand the maze of services available to Kansas seniors, and was created to help older adults and their families take an active role in making decisions that affect personal health care and living situations.
Even if faced with serious illness or disabling disease, knowing that you have options to help you maintain your independence and stay at home can be a great comfort.
The booklet begins with an introductory section that includes information regarding:
Part One (Services and Information That Help you Remain in Your Home) profiles and helps you gain a better understanding of the kind of services that can help you stay at home.
Part Two (Housing and Long Term Care) provides information on a wide variety of housing and long term care options available in your community. This will be of interest if you are considering moving or if you have been residing in a nursing facility and are planning to return to your home.
Part Three of the publication (Contact Information & Eligibility Charts) deals with a full range of services available. It includes not only contact information but also several eligibility charts profiling entitlements, services, eligibility criteria, etc. It also includes several locator maps and lists of various agencies and organizations that may be able to provide more information.
The final section of the booklet helps you quickly find information about what particular services are available in your county.
Explore Your Options is published by the Kansas Department on Aging with financial assistance from the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, and is available on the Web at www.agingkansas.org, click on Publications, and then see “On-line publications”). The booklet can also be ordered online, or you may call your local Area Agency on Aging or phone The Kansas Department on Aging at 1-800-432-3535 (TTY 291-3167) to obtain a copy.
Gordon L. Davis is an aging information specialist with the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging.