Study: Moderate drinking ups risk of breast cancer return

I enjoy an occasional glass of wine or two every week or so. I agree that there seems to be so many different conflcting reports on whether wine is good for you or bad for you. I have read that red wine is good for you but in order to get the amount of tannins or whatever you would have to drink a lot of red wine which is bad for you. I say just enjoy your life and don't overdo anything.

I'm not a medical or physiology researcher.  I worked as an administrator in a hospital for 20 years and learned a lot.  I took a nursing course on nutrition and learned a lot.  And now I get a lot of my information from Google University.  So what follows is only my humble opinion as we say here often.

The problem with research on our bodies is that to hold all the parts in one place long enough to get a clear idea about cause and effect is like herding cats. (I learned that phrase when I was working as a health care administrator--we referred to our doctors in the same loving way.)  Even though the body works as a system, the parts are independent and respond to various stimuli that set off a cascade of response.

The balance of this system is very delicate.

When we are young, our bodies are ability to adjust to these imbalances, whether the cause is environment or our personal choices,  

When we are older, our bodies degenerate naturally and cease to rebalance as quickly depending on our habits of maintenance.  We do have some control over this process.

One example is energy and desire to continue to move, thus survive, and a healthy central nervous system.  B vitamins are associated with the maintenance of those systems.

Alcohol destroys B vitamins.  The dominos are set in action.  

The more alcohol consumed the less B vitamin. The less B vitamin....well, just read this link.

http://www.acu-cell.com/bx2.html 

And this is just B vitamin....the list goes on.     

So the body has a hell of a time rebalancing any over indulgences on our part.

Those who know me here over the years know that I enjoy my food and wine.  Many people here can't think to eat food without wine...it's cultural.  We still have wine with dinner.  Although, over indulgence exists here as anywhere, I don't see it as much.  There is always a bottle of water placed on the table with the food and wine.  I rarely see after dinner drinks taken except on special occasions.

The focus of the European studies related to alcohol consumption are abounding and they are approaching the destructive nature of it in much the same way they approached smoking bans here.  It's the advantage of a national health system integrated with a private system.  

I know too that I'm not saying something here that we don't already know.  We simply need to say it out loud more often as we did about smoking cigarettes or any other self destructive behavior.  

Komen is focusing on prevention.  I volunteer here for Race for the Cure.  I recently learned that Komen is supporting physical and mental health programs at the hospital for breast cancer patients.  It is in step with the standards established by the European Union.  They see a healthy health system as integral to a healthy financial system...thus sustainable healthy life style.

It's easier to Run for the Cure when less alcohol is consumed.  When we take the extra glass of whatever, we run less....it's simple.  Is it worth it?

Best wishes for all as always,

Marilyn

"Never run faster than our guardian angel can fly"