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MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

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Comments

  • homemom
    homemom Member Posts: 842

    jbokland I'm not sure what I'm going to do about the wine thing. I'm no lush, but a couple nights a week I liked to have 2-3 max glasses of good red wine.

  • jbokland
    jbokland Member Posts: 275

    me too. .. It really my only vice.

     I also read about minimizing a reoccurrence...alcohol was on the hit list too 

  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 4,833


    was chocolate on the hit list?  Please say no,,, I need one vice left.

  • ncollett
    ncollett Member Posts: 753

    Homemom I am the same way. I like to have a glass of wine at least once a month. 

  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 2,845

    I was very scared of my beloved red wine initially. I have relaxed some since then. Other studies have not confirmed the great evil of moderate alcohol consumption. There is also an issue with the difference between getting the stupid cancer and having a recurrence. In other words, that which contributes to the primary cancer does not necessarily contribute to recurrence in the same degree. Lastly, when they look at death from all causes, the slight increase in cancer risk from moderate alcohol intake is outweighed by the decrease in cardiovascular risk.

    So, I continue to drink red wine in moderation.

    Chocolate is on no hit list. Chocolate is a health food. Seriously.

  • jbokland
    jbokland Member Posts: 275

    From Johns Hopkins

    Take care of yourself emotionally

    Physically- exercise, maintain  healthy weight, quit smoking, seek treatment for LE

    Eating- choose organic, wash fresh produce well, limit red meat, eat  high omega 3 and fiber diet

    Reduce stress

    limit alcohol

    Keep your vitamin D level up

    Take your endocrine therapies as prescribed

    Interesting emotional well being is number 1 !!

  • ncollett
    ncollett Member Posts: 753

    I agree they say now a days that just about anything causes some type of cancer so I just choose to live smart, enjoy life and do everything in moderation. Live Life Loopy

    http://youtu.be/ZAAvPDgKf30 This is a song that I love love love. Hope you all enjoy.

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 7,605

    Because I had to stop alcohol 48 hours before surgery, I made a deal with my God that I would quit completely if all went okay. I didn't even toast my kids at their weddings with alcohol!! I've had a drink or two in the past 6 years but maybe only 4, so I'm pleased. (God has pissed me off a couple of times so we're even) Anyway, the way I read it now is that drinking alcohol "implies a certain lifestyle" and that is the concern. If we drink, we over eat?? Hmm. I know of a couple of tri-athletes that have bc, so that doesn't cut it with me. The concept is just belly fat. If we drink we gain weight and belly fat is just ER+ junk. BUT, having quit alcohol, I now crave a sweet desert! Go figure!! So my wine has been replaced by icecream or another treat which I would never had had with wine! And FYI, I didn't lose an OUNCE once I quit drinking (and before ice-cream) and I used to drink EVERY night. It was the way I fell asleep.

    Ahhh, the devil you know is better than the one you don't....

  • 3rdtimenow
    3rdtimenow Member Posts: 126

    Barbie, I'm with you on the chocolate. Not much of a drinker anyway but hope I don't find chocolate on the list, lol. The dietician I saw said dark chocolate is fine. Not my favorite but I guess I'll have to deal.

  • ncollett
    ncollett Member Posts: 753

    You guys are right we are damned if we do and damned if we dont.  I did hear that dark chocholate has a lot of antioxidents in it that are supposed to be good for you. 

  • 3rdtimenow
    3rdtimenow Member Posts: 126

    I agree Ncollette, dark chocolate is actually good for us now, who knows about next week? LOL. Last week we could only have 1500 milligrams of salt this week we can have twice that. Who can keep up?

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

    The debates on alcohol, diet and "lifestyle" habits will rage on.  The studies do conflict many times.   A few years ago, a glass of red wine was supposed to be a benefit if you were going thru' radiation.  Whatever the benefits of wine, what amount is "good" and what amount is excess?  That quantity has been revised several times in the five years that I have been paying attention.

    As far as the danger of estrogen production from body fat, I do believe that.  However, if I have ten pounds around my middle am I making enough estrogen to cause trouble, or at what point does that become an issue?  Fifty pounds?  I just cannot remember hearing about the quantity of poundage that is "too much."  I'm thin, but I've got some belly fat.  What is my risk?

    Drinking means very little to me. I could easily give up all alcohol.
    Emphasis on the easily. When something comes easy, we are more likely
    to do it. When something is hard, that is when the challenge begins. I have a sweet tooth. I bet I could lose my belly fat if I gave it up. Instead, I find all sorts of reasons not to.

    If you have excess in your lives, ask yourself if you truly like the
    excess or is it just coming from habit or addiction? In my experience,
    I've done things I didn't even like out of habit. In my experience,
    that is often the case. Pull back the curtain of rationalization and
    see if there is a nasty little wizard of habit lurking there.

    Risk-wise, it comes 'round to what I think of as Cancer Accounting.  You have two columns, things plus and minus regarding risk of cancer.  Everyone has factors in each column.  Hopefully, if we have enough in our plus column, a few in the minus column won't matter; but the fact is that some factors outweigh others.  We can only guess at our Balance.  This is why we will continue to see women who drink get BC and women who don't drink get BC.  Women, who seemingly do everything "right" still get BC; but obviously they had something very weighty (like genetics) in the plus column.  If we knew how to do the math of all the factors in our lives, we could make sense of it.  We don't even know all the factors; and the world we live in right now is one where cancer facts and cancer myths are inextricably tangled.

    (Now that was surely a nickel's worth!)

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

    So, let the behavioral controversies rage...we've got a thread birthday to celebrate!

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  • ncollett
    ncollett Member Posts: 753

    Woo hoo Happy Birthday!!

  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 4,833

    jbokland:  agree that it is interesting that the emotional part is first on the list.  And reducing stress,, oh boy,,, I wish I could do that right now. Have tons. *sigh*

    At least I'm eating better!! and trying to get more exercise.

  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 4,833

    Risk-wise, it comes 'round to what I think of as Cancer Accounting. You have two columns, things plus and minus regarding risk of cancer. Everyone has factors in each column. Hopefully, if we have enough in our plus column, a few in the minus column won't matter; but the fact is that some factors outweigh others. We can only guess at our Balance. This is why we will continue to see women who drink get BC and women who don't drink get BC. Women, who seemingly do everything "right" still get BC; but obviously they had something very weighty (like genetics) in the plus column. If we knew how to do the math of all the factors in our lives, we could make sense of it. We don't even know all the factors; and the world we live in right now is one where cancer facts and cancer myths are inextricably tangled.


    Well-said!!!  

    And Happy Birthday to the thread!!  Party ON!  Bring the chocolate and the red wine!!

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

    Ah, yes, I remember Aug. 22, 2009 like it was yesterday.  I had been thru' a run-of-the-mill lumpectomy, a not so run-of-the-mill failed mammosite placement, and was poised to begin my 6 weeks of external radiation.  The horror!   By the time this thread began, I had already conceded that I would do rads and Tamox., based on evidence I had dug up on the internet and because I was too scared not to.

    Here I am today...pain in the rads breast at times, when the other has none; eleven new scars (majority from CRC included.)  Still, I am alive.  I am thankful.  I still hate all the barbaric treatment that accompanies this disease.  There is no amount of chemo brain that will cause me to forget that.

    Here I am today...with some great women I would not have met otherwise; also happy that some have moved on and distraught that some have fallen, claimed by BC at obscenely young ages.  All helped me immensely as I dealt with cancer (twice.)

    I was forced to learn so much about it when I got this disease, it seemed only natural that I should stick around and share all the newfound knowledge, that maybe I would have something to say that could stop another newly diagnosed woman's head from spinning as much as mine did.  I'm pretty sure that was accomplished a time or two.

    Here I am today...finally tired about talking about cancer. 

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    Not like me to just disappear, to just slink off, but rather to move on in style.  Get on my gator-cart and ride, so to speak.

  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 4,833

    Love that gator cart.  That is hysterical.

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

    That comment would be better if you had an umbrella drink in your hand.  Virgin or spiked, you decide.

                                           

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    I'm a terrible party planner, having forgotten to remind everyone that the thread birthday was coming up, but I hope most of you can muster a little last minute festivity.

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

    It's a work day for Eph, but she better put in a good showing today because she knew this day was coming (and was hoping we could get to 1,000 pages.)  That was a tall order, Eph, but as long as there is BC and Middle-aged women with something to say, it won't be too long before that mark is hit and surpassed.  Real women with real stories.  Add in a little Mid-Age crazy and voila!   A giant thread, of course!

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

    Enjoy the cocktails.  The kitchen help is still working on the food.  It'll be out by lunchtime.

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  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

    Don't forget to get your party dresses on.  

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    Hope no one else was planning to wear chocolate.

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 7,605

    Looks like her right breast is drooping! LOL

    As for the "chefs" - a little more cock and a little less tail, please!

    VERY good point about habit. My DH and I drank every single day from the day we met 21 years ago (met in a bar, no less!). So when I decided "we" were going to stop there was a little bugger in my brain wondering...what if? What if one of us NEEDED to drink? But it didn't turn out that way. We both stopped cold-turkey two nights before my surgery and haven't looked back. So OBVIOUSLY it was just a habit. We would put down a magnum of wine EVERY night. Over the years we drank Scotch as well.....crap, what we spent in booze!!! We figured at LEAST $600 a month. Thank goodness neither of us smoked! What a vice-bill that would have been.

    So, my point is, do pull back that curtain. That drink you think you need, may just be a ritual, signalling the end of your work day, or the beginning of the weekend, or a sale, or a bad day, whatever. 

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

    LOL!  Right side meltdown!

    Those cooks are the morning crew.  If anyone knows of some good "help" for our day-long soiree, make sure they show up to do our biddings.  These did whip up a nice brunch buffet, tho'...

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  • glennie19
    glennie19 Member Posts: 4,833

    That is a lovely buffet!!  **grabs a plate**

  • 3littlebirds
    3littlebirds Member Posts: 54

    Looks to me like the woman in the chocolate dress might want to discuss a revision with her PS. We're going for symmetry here:)

    I feel my occasional glass of wine at the end of the day is my reward when my work is done and I can relax. For my sister, it was a cup of herbal tea. We all have our little rituals that give us pleasure and add to our emotional well-being. I think that's the number one item in the "positive" column!

    Happy birthday to the thread!

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

    That's where it gets tricky 3LBIF something (let's say any amount of wine) was to up the risk of BC, then it goes in the plus column; but if it gives a bit of well being and/or reduces stress, then it may well go in the minus column also.  We can hardly decipher how it all balances out.  

    My mom said smoking took away her stress.  She said this as friends dropped dead from heart attacks in middle age and she kept on smoking for about 60 years total til she died of lung cancer.  Again the balance sheet...Why do some get LC after smoking 10-15 years, and there's my mom puffing away for 60?  To look at her and her average lifestyle, you would have no clue that she must have had something in her plus column.  She lived into her 80's and, given her propensity to smoke, astounded more than one doctor.

    When people defy the odds, there is something at work that we just don't have a clue about.  A balance, whether apparent or not.

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

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  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

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  • eph3_12
    eph3_12 Member Posts: 2,704

    Actually this is my week for Friday OFF!  So I slept in (some)..Here I am.  Where's breakfast???  Antonio & I are hungry,

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    He needs more than a bagel.  Since I have claimed him now that he & Melanie are split, he needs some energy!

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