In a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, vitamin D was tested to see whether it could reduce breast cancer risk in women. To the chagrin of lead researcher Rowan Chlebowski, MD, PhD, at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, the results showed that there was no increased protection against breast cancer with the 36,000 women who participated in the study: Of the participants, 528 women, who took 1,000 mg of calcium and 400 IUs of vitamin D daily, and 546 women, who took nothing at all, still developed breast cancer after seven years. This led researchers to conclude that "vitamin D and calcium supplementation has no detectable effect on the risk of postmenopausal invasive breast cancer." That brief conclusion has incited quite a response across the health community, because for quite some time, it was common theory that consistent supplements of vitamin D could help stave off breast cancer. Critics of the study are saying that the daily dose administered was too low. Larry Norton, MD, a breast-cancer specialist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, says in a Time.com article about the study's results, "Four hundred IUs is just not a lot. The supplementation wasn't adequate to raise blood levels enough in susceptible individuals to have a biological impact." In other words, most doctors recommend up to 2,000 IUs daily; therefore, a daily dosage of 400 IUs cannot compare. The medical community concerned with these findings offer that another study should be conducted comparing higher doses to lower ones and seeing what effect that has on breast cancer. So don't despair about vitamin D yet, because as Norton says, "These results don't close the door on vitamin D research on breast cancer."

If you are taking drugs for high blood pressure, you may want to put on a steaming cup of tea instead. In a study conducted at Boston's Tufts University, 65 people were observed to see how hibiscus tea affected their blood pressure levels. On average, the tea lowered the systolic blood pressure, the top number of your blood pressure reading, by seven points, comparable to the effects of standardized blood pressure medication. Popular throughout Africa, especially the eastern region, hibiscus tea is made from the leaves of the hibiscus plant. Also known as bissap (in West Africa), sorrel (in the Caribbean) and karkady (in the Middle East), hibiscus contains high levels of vitamin C and organic acids and has historically been used as a medicine. Luckily, even if you are not familiar with this particular tea, it is quite easy to find, because most tea blends contain it. So drink up and don't forget to make some for your loved ones.

For most, surgery is a scary, anxiety-producing procedure. So what of children? As can be guessed, surgery from the perspective of children can be a traumatizing experience in their lives; therefore, anesthesiologists have been testing different techniques that can mollify their little patients. Being anxious before a surgical procedure can have long-lasting unauspicious effects, affecting one's recovery time and even the types of medication that may be prescribed. In this study, lead researcher Dr. Zeev Kain, of UC Irvine, and his Yale colleagues, applied acupressure to 52 children undergoing stomach surgeries, pressing beads at key points between the eyebrows, called the "Extra-1 acupoint." After 30 minutes of acupressure was administered, the researchers noted "decreased anxiety levels." Acupressure, commonly understood as acupuncture sans the needles, originates from Chinese medicine. By applying pressure to key points on the body, ailments have been proven to be relieved. Some of the ailments acupressure is commonly used for is nausea, headaches and menstrual cramps. Kain adds, “As anesthesiologists, we need to look at all therapeutic opportunities to make the surgical process less stressful for all patients. We can’t assume that Western medical approaches are the only viable ones, and we have an obligation to look at integrative treatments like acupressure as a way to improve the surgery experience.” Now that's the right attitude! If the goal is indeed optimal health, health professionals should never be afraid to explore and enforce a myriad of treatments to achieve their goal of better health.

Many women who are Mothers can describe the highs and lows associated with that magical, but challenging time. While some Mothers accept their baby blues as a time that will pass, other Mothers need treatments for coping. Rather than just predominately popping pills, which can be a dubious act while with child, you may want to try music therapy. While music therapy has been associated with the mitigation of stress, chronic pain, mood change and even back pain, Professor Chung-Hey Chen, among others, of the National Cheng Kung University of China who conducted the study, have found that “the music group [of pregnant women] showed significant reductions in stress, anxiety and depression after just two weeks, using three established measurement scales.” These scales showed drops in stress (an average of 2.15), anxiety (2.13) and depression (an average of 1.84) using lullabies and classical, Chinese and natural sounds music for at least 30 minutes a day for two weeks. Chen adds, “The value of music therapy is slowly being realised [sic] by nurses in a number of clinical settings, and we hope that our findings will encourage healthcare professionals to consider it when treating pregnant women.” So even if you aren't pregnant, you may want to make time for that favorite CD; after all, it is very likely that it is adding to your good health.