NEWS & NOTES
Onions vs. osteoporosis

April 12, 2005

Onions might not be your favorite veggie, but according to
new research, they could help prevent osteoporosis.

In a study to be published May 4 in the American Chemical
Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,
scientists at the University of Bern in Switzerland found
that onions may inhibit the loss of bone density as well.

Osteoporosis, a condition in which the honeycomb structure
inside bones becomes weak and prone to fractures, can be
fatal and leads to a hunched back as the vertebrae of the
spine collapse. Researchers found that one of the active
chemical components of white onions inhibited the loss of
bone minerals in rats.

Interpreting aches

"When Your Body Aches" (Walker & Company; $14), by the
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, aims to keep
you out of the doctor's office with clear, concise descriptions
of common body ailments and their remedies. The book is
divided by body region - shoulder, hip and thigh, hand and
wrist. Each description of an ache includes advice on
treatment and prevention. Also included are injury-
prevention exercises and diagrams of the body's bone
and muscle structure.