FOR WOMEN -- It has recently been discovered that dietary calcium temporarily blocks the body's absorption of iron. Research done at the University of Goteborg (Sweden) had volunteers eat iron-rich vegetables along with low-fat milk. The women who abstained from milk at lunch were able to absorb up to 50% more iron than the women who drank the milk. The rate of iron deficiency could halve if women followed a similar eating plan. The ideal diet would have milk products featured at two meals of the day and the iron-rich vegetables (cabbage, peppers, and broccoli) served at the third meal. If you use both calcium and iron supplements, the researchers say, take one in the morning and the other in the evening for maximum benefit.

CALCIUM REQUIRED DURING PREGNANCY -- Studies have found that pregnant women who consumed 1,500 mg. of calcium a day (four servings of dairy products) reduced their incidence of high blood pressure by 70%. The incidence of pre-eclampsia, which can be fatal to a woman and her unborn baby, dropped by 62%.

NEWS FOR WOMEN -- Applying antiperspirant to your underarms before a mammogram can lead to a false reading. Antiperspirants contain metals that can be mistaken on a mammogram for calcium deposits, which can be a sign of cancer.

FYI -- Pregnant women who develop high blood pressure may be at risk of developing chronic hypertension later in life. One study found pregnant women who developed hypertension were more likely to have high blood pressure after childbirth than women who weren't hypertensive while pregnant.

FOR WOMEN -- Pap smear tests detect about 95% of cervical cancers, usually in the precancerous stages when likelihood of a cure is greatest. For the best results, the test should be scheduled between the 12th and the 16th day of a woman's menstrual cycle.