Overall, over 16 million women nationwide lack health insurance coverage and African American women are twice as likely to be uninsured as white women; over 30 percent of African American women live in poverty, and African American women are less likely to get mammograms.

Regardless of socioeconomic factors that may contribute to high death rate for African American women, medical professionals agree that early detection is paramount to surviving breast cancer and they’ve issued a number of recommendations to help African American women detect disease in its earliest stages and improve their chances of survival.

Medical professionals recommend that African American women should:

•Practice monthly breast self-examinations (BSE) starting at age 20. •Have a clinical breast examination, done by their physician, at least once a year. •Have at least one mammogram completed, between ages of 30 and 35. •Have a mammogram completed every one to two years until age of 50. •After 50, African American women should have an annual mammogram.

Breast cancer is a common disease among women of all races in America. This year, more than 200,000 women will develop disease and 40,000 of them will die from it. Though African American women have less incidence of developing disease, once diagnosed, their chances of survival are less than their white sisters.

To increase their chances of surviving breast cancer, African American women need understand risk that breast cancer poses to them and get screened for disease earlier and more often.

For more information about breast cancer and your risk, please contact your physician or visit:

National Breast Cancer Foundation: http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org.

Recent findings from two long-term large-scale studies of men suggest that high fiber intake can significantly lower risk of heart attack. Men who ate most fiber-rich foods (35 grams a day, on average) suffered one-third fewer heart attacks than those who had lowest fiber intake (15 grams a day), according to a Finnish study of 21,903 male smokers aged 50 to 69, published in December 1996 issue of Circulation. Earlier in year, findings from an ongoing U.S. study of 43,757 male health professionals (some of whom were sedentary, overweight or smokers) suggest that those who ate more than 25 grams of fiber per day had a 36 percent lower risk of developing heart disease than those who consumed less than 15 grams daily. In Finnish study, each 10 grams of fiber added to diet decreased risk of dying from heart disease by 17 percent; in U.S. study, risk was decreased by 29 percent.

These results indicate that high-fiber diets may help blunt effects of smoking and other risk factors for heart disease.

Obesity: Because insoluble fiber is indigestible and passes through body virtually intact, it provides few calories. And since digestive tract can handle only so much bulk at a time, fiber-rich foods are more filling than other foods--so people tend to eat less. Insoluble fiber also may hamper absorption of calorie-dense dietary fat. So, reaching for an apple instead of a bag of chips is a smart choice for someone trying to lose weight.

But be leery of using fiber supplements for weight loss. In August 1991, FDA banned methylcellulose, along with 110 other ingredients, in over-the-counter diet aids because there was no evidence these ingredients were safe and effective. The agency also recalled one product that contained guar gum after receiving reports of gastric or esophageal obstructions. The manufacturer had claimed product promoted a feeling of fullness when it expanded in stomach.

Recent research suggests that as much as 35 grams of fiber a day is needed to help reduce risk of chronic disease, including heart disease. A fiber supplement can help make up shortfall, but should not be a substitute for fiber-rich foods. "Foods that are high in fiber also contain nutrients that may help reduce risk of chronic disease," Saltsman notes. In addition, eating a variety of such foods provides several types of fiber, whereas some fiber supplements contain only a single type of fiber, such as methylcellulose or psyllium.

To fit more fiber into your day:

Read food labels. The labels of almost all foods will tell you amount of dietary fiber in each serving, as well as Percent Daily Value (DV) based on a 2,000-calorie diet. For instance, if a half cup serving of a food provides 10 grams of dietary fiber, one serving provides 40 percent of recommended DV. The food label can state that a product is "a good source" of fiber if it contributes 10 percent of DV--2.5 grams of fiber per serving. The package can claim "high in," "rich in" or "excellent source of" fiber if product provides 20 percent of DV--5 grams per serving.

Use U.S. Department of Agriculture's food pyramid as a guide. If you eat 2 to 4 servings of fruit, 3 to 5 servings of vegetables, and 6 to 11 servings of cereal and grain foods, as recommended by pyramid, you should have no trouble getting 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day.

Start day with a whole-grain cereal that contains at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. Top with wheat germ, raisins, bananas, or berries, all of which are good sources of fiber.

When appropriate, eat vegetables raw. Cooking vegetables may reduce fiber content by breaking down some fiber into its carbohydrate components. When you do cook vegetables, microwave or steam only until they are al dente--tender, but still firm to bite.

Avoid peeling fruits and vegetables; eating skin and membranes ensures that you get every bit of fiber. But rinse with warm water to remove surface dirt and bacteria before eating. Also, keep in mind that whole fruits and vegetables contain more fiber than juice, which lacks skin and membranes.

Eat liberal amounts of foods that contain unprocessed grains in your diet: whole-wheat products such as bulgur, couscous or kasha and whole-grain breads, cereals and pasta.

Add beans to soups, stews and salads; a couple of times a week, substitute legume-based dishes (such as lentil soup, bean burritos, or rice and beans) for those made with meat.

Keep fresh and dried fruit on hand for snacks.

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