The Checkup: Iron-Rich Veggie Diet Could Help PMS Cramps

Time to stock up on broccoli, ladies.

• As every girl over the age of 13 knows, PMS is the absolute worst. Which is why I’m so happy to report that a new study from a joint team at the University of Massachusetts and Harvard may offer some help in that department: It found that women who consume more iron from plant sources are 30 to 40 percent less likely to experience PMS symptoms, like bloating, irritability, depression and the like. Researchers scoured diet and lifestyle data in the Nurses Health Study II and look at the mineral intake of 3,000 women between the ages of 25 and 42. Interestingly, they found that iron (note: the kind from plants, not meat) and possibly even zinc may lower PMS risk, eating too much potassium could increase it. The risk of developing PMS was lowest in women who consumed 20 milligrams or more of iron a day. Plant foods rich in iron include broccoli, soybeans, spinach and chickpeas. More here.

• The good news: exercise decreases your risk for colorectal cancer. The bad news: not working out increases your risk for the disease. More here.

• Men and women handle stress differently, according to a new study. You probably already knew that, right? What I’m betting you didn’t know is that younger women tend to handle stress better than younger men, but the opposite is true as we age. Read more here.