You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2493 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 350 Fifth Avenue, 65th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10118-0110 Make No Bones About It (NAPSA)—What you don’t know about osteoporosis could hurt you. That’s because osteoporosis—a disease that makes bones fragile and more likely to break—is a serious health threat to both women and men. And because early bone loss often has no symptoms, people may not realize they have osteoporosis until they’ve suffered a fracture. While low bone mass and osteoporosis are a potential danger to 44 million Americans, there are things patients can do to protect their bones. The American College of Physicians (ACP)—a professional organization comprised of more than 126,000 internal medicine physicians and medical students— developed two guidelines on osteoporosis. One guideline addresses diagnosis and the other addresses management of osteoporosis. The guidelines were recently published in the medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine. Know Your Risk Older men and women—especially those 65 or older—should have a DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan to measure bone density. They should also be assessed for risk factors including: • Low body weight or weight loss in recent years • Physical inactivity • Fractures without substantial trauma • Family history of osteoporosis • Smoking Dining Out Without Breaking The Bank Kitchen Makeovers • Long-term use of certain drugs, such as corticosteroids or drugs that are used to treat certain types of cancer • Having a low calcium or vitamin D intake • Excessive alcohol consumption. Talk to Your Doctor About Treatment According to the most recent ACP guideline, physicians should offer drug treatment to men and women who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or had a previous fracture not caused by significant trauma. The guideline also recommends that doctors consider drug treatment to prevent fracture for those who are at risk of developing osteoporosis. There is reliable information that bisphosphonates (the most commonly prescribed medications for osteoporosis) are reasonable options for beginning drug treatment, as some of them decrease the risk of spinal, nonspinal and hip fractures. However, the choice of drug treatment should be based on the risks, benefits and adverse effects of various medications. (NAPSA)—If you’ve been cooking up ways to add value and style to your home, you might want to look at your kitchen. Homeowners who undertake just a minor kitchen remodeling project recoup, on average, 83 percent of their costs when it comes time to sell, according to Remodeling Magazine. And if you’re planning on staying in your home, a quick kitchen makeover can help you enjoy the room for years to come. Small kitchen renovations could boost a home’s value and beauty. You can control kitchen-project costs by using companies such as Kitchen Tune-Up to modify existing cabinetry rather than completely redoing it. The company refaces kitchen cabinets and doors, or simply “tunes up” existing wood surfaces to look like new. If some heavier work is in order, the company can also add islands and other features or completely remodel a kitchen with new cabinets, countertops and more. An added bonus: The company offers discounts off their services to clients who purchase new appliances at select Best Buy locations throughout the U.S. For more information, visit www.kitchentuneup.com. (NAPSA)—Even if the high cost of food has left a bad taste in your mouth, there are still affordable ways to take the whole family out to dinner. Experts say the key is to check out restaurants that offer ways to save, such as kids’ menus, free refills on drinks, value meals and frequent, limited-time offers. Not only are these new items tasty, they are usually offered at a good value. You can learn about a place by visiting its Web site to see what it offers before loading the family into the car. Of course, a restaurant is only a good value if everyone likes what’s on the menu, so be sure to visit places with varied dishes to choose from. And since it’s rare that the whole family is in the mood for the same type of food, eat at places that serve breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the day. For instance, IHOP, which most people know as a breakfast place, serves lunch and dinner as well. In fact, it recently launched new menu items ranging from salads, burgers and sandwiches to barbecue chicken and steaks. Here’s a look at some delicious new dishes: •Tuscan Chicken Griller—A juicy, grilled chicken breast with melted provolone cheese, oven- There are fun, affordable ways to take the family out to dinner. roasted tomatoes, romaine lettuce and sun-dried tomato pesto on a grilled Romano-Parmesan bun. •Mediterranean Lemon Chicken: R o s e m a r y, g a r l i c a n d l e m o n marinated double breast of chicken seared to seal in the flavor. Served with seasoned redskin potatoes and steamed broccoli hollandaise. •Chicken, Spinach and Apple Salad—Fresh spinach tossed with balsamic vinaigrette and apple slices, then topped with diced crispy-fried chicken, crispy bacon, a hard-boiled egg, cheddar cheese and served with garlic bread. For more information or to read the full menu, visit www.ihop.com.
