Survivors who had chemo etc and are into Complementary medicine

Confusing.  So, the takeaway is, if you are ER+ IDC, you are at higher risk (ER+ and ILC are the higher risk with alcohol).

Also interesting:  it didn't track previous alcohol use.  I went through phases.  When I was in Europe, let the wine flow!  Here, not so much.

White tea is even higher in antioxidants, etc, than green tea.  It is less processed.  Much smoother even when steeped for a long time.  I make a pot of it and drink it throughout the day. 

I dunno what I'd do without the collective brain here.  I considered myself pretty smart...until I started hanging around these boards.  Claire, thank you very much for that astute clarification.

I think the trend now is to focus on overall survival in tandem with BC recurrence.  I still can't quite wrap my brain around it.  I think the issue is, these numbers are aggregates of those who get nailed with recurrence, and those who don't and everything inbetween.  That's why the "throw the book at it" approach was done with me, as I've got a longer amount of time for a recurrence.  Horse trading that risk with heart disease and osteo (why I plan to fight my doc if she wants me on an AI at 40, based in part on feedback from these boards) is really frustrating and confusing.

I have changed alot of my eating habits and I exercise alot more now than pre bc.  I am not going to give up the occational glass of wine with a good meal.  And I love cold cold beer when I have been working in the yard and sweating like a dog. 

Claire you are so right heart disease is still the number one killer. I will add exercise is one of the best things we can do for BC, but also for heart disease. My brother had a very major hear attack about 10 years ago, and per his Dr's info the reason he survived was because he was such an avid runner. He still runs about 5 miles per day and is in excellent health.

I am not going to deny my self of things that I enjoy, neither am I going to go crazy nilly willy. I believe that I am not going to die until it is my time.

Such excellent points, Claire.  But also good to keep in mind that not everyone is taking an A/I (I've gone an alternative route here), and certainly not doing 200 mile weekend bike rides!  So as always, I think it comes down to honestly assessing our individual risk tolerance and knowing our own bodies, as well as knowing what feels right to us, because surely belief in what we're doing also has a lot to do with it.    Deanna

Drinking Alcohol as a BC risk factor from the BCO files.

I, myself, think moderation is the key.

Pip, I am sure that people bone density loss on arimidex are people more prone to. Also that most people who get LE were unlucky enough to be born with a weaker lymph system. But, if you never exercise or eat calcium.....then you are increases your risk of bone loss with or without arimidex, and if you get IVs, bad sunburns, start out lifting 50 pound weights etc. on your at risk arm...then you increase your LE risk even with a pretty good lymph system.

Painterly, would you post your homemade spagetti sauce recipe? Thanks.

kira, I know some women do, but personally, I can't take DIM due to the severe joint pain it causes me.  I've tried it twice and both times went back to I3C.   So I can't imagine taking it on top of an A/I.  As far as whether it's a good idea medically, I honestly don't know.     Deanna

LtotheK: That just goes to show how long research has been going on about acidity and akalinity, pertaining to cancer.

Mscal, it is fantastic.  Current research would bring more to bear on this topic.  Much has changed, even in 10 yrs.

With regard to the "alkaline diet" and Otto Warburg, here's what Wikipedia says:

"Under normal circumstances, a selectively alkaline diet has not been shown in vivo to either elicit a sustained change in blood pH levels, or provide the clinical benefits as alleged by its proponents. In addition, the mechanisms by which an alkaline diet produces the alleged benefits are vague, unknown, or nonfactual.[9][10] As a result, it is not widely accepted by the mainstream medical or scientific community, and is often thought of as a pseudo-science.[11][12] "

Of course Wikipedia isn't itself necessarily a reliable source, it includes lots of links and information as a starting point in case anyone is interested in further research.  

Here's a medical report on it.  I'm currently trying to find an alternative website that might give us some clinical evidence otherwise:  http://www.brighamandwomens.org/Patients_Visitors/pcs/nutrition/services/healtheweightforwomen/special_topics/intelihealth0506.aspx

Just a note Brigham and Womens is affiliated with Dana Farber. Dana Farber does the "out patient care". B&W does the surgery. (Pretty reliable to me).

LtothK The link make sense to me. I was willing to try it at one point but when I saw some of the foods that need to be eliminated I knew this wouldn't be right for me. As it is I don't eat much fruit and should eat more dairy (bone issue). Eliminating it would be bad for me. Just cause other issues.

As promised, here is the link to the presentation at the 2009 San Antonio conference re: alcohol.

http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/new_research/20091210b.jsp

It doesn't appear to be broken down further, nor is the overall mortality risk significant between drinkers of alcohol vs non-drinkers.

I am back at exercise which helps with BC recurrence and also with things like heart disease and diabetes.  My family history is diabetes (father) and lung problems (Mom and both her brothers). - Claire