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[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

There seems to be a growing interest in how our diet impacts our health which is a good thing.

Jari - making your own Sauerkraut is cheap and super easy. I have a book explaining the process but there are plenty of tutorials online. If you are buying it ready made it needs to be from the chiller cabinet so the bacteria are  preserved.

Teresa - high fibre foods may be upsetting you because you don't yet have the right bacteria to digest them. You may want to try eating very small amounts and increase gradually. After four days of eating a tablespoon of homemade  Sauerkraut daily the results were pretty dramatic! I did some research and tried again with tiny amounts initially and gradually adding more. I didn't have any problems and now I can eat large amounts without any unfortunate episodes lol.

Modern science supports the view that we are herbivores by nature. Anyone interested in educating themselves on the subject may want to do some research online. It's fascinating stuff.

Take care everyone.

K.

[Wrensong]

A couple of glasses of wine Jari  ?!  That's a surprise, given you've repeatedly posted elsewhere about your desire to do what you can to avoid a raised risk of breast cancer, citing the slight increase thought to be associated with some types & durations of HRT use, but which we're told is lower than that from regularly drinking alcohol.
 
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/pdf/Understanding%20Risk%20of%20Breast%20Cancer.pdf

Or perhaps your couple of glasses were an unusual occurrence, maybe for a celebration?

I've found this a dilemma myself - I used to enjoy wine & have been heartened by studies suggesting it may reduce cardiovascular risk, but have reluctantly chosen to go teetotal, partly as alcohol makes my vasomotor symptoms & consequently sleep worse, but partly because it's something I feel I can do to reduce BC risk.  I can get by without alcohol & in fact feel physically better without it, but I struggle to live an adequately full, enjoyable & productive life without HRT. 

Please don't think I'm criticising anyone's choice to drink alcohol - I love wine & miss it, so completely understand its appeal, I'm just interested in how our perception of risk differs & the thought processes behind associated decisions.  Sorry - not that relevant to this thread, but wanted to seize the chance to ask about a point of interest in Jari's post. 

[Jari]

Hi Wrensong. Thanks for that. It's a very interesting chart and I've taken a copy of it!
Good to raise that issue regarding raised BC risk if one drinks more two units of alcohol per day and if over 50.

I don't drink alcohol every day and I'm not over 50, yet... though fast approaching.

I don't think a couple of glasses of wine on a Friday night is too much, but each to their own.

If I have a friend for dinner/catch up or if we go out for dinner/ drinks over the weekend, I would usually have a couple of glasses of wine. Often with sparkling water, but you're right to point out, that wouldn't be a good idea every day.

[Wrensong]

Hi Jari, thanks for explaining.

I don't think a couple of glasses of wine on a Friday night is too much, but each to their own.

I think you're probably right, but my needing HRT means avoiding alcohol gives me a sense there's something I can to do offset the extra risk that may involve.  I could probably loosen up a bit & every time OH asks me whether I want a glass of wine I'm tempted, but don't want a reminder of what I'm missing! 

[CLKD]

I will take a sip if DH opens something special.  But I would never wander in2 the alcohol aisle.

We are omnivores.  Speak to your Dentist if you are unsure - teeth are designed to chew ........

I don't fancy saukeraut [sp]  although I love cabbage.  Raw or lightly stir fried in soy-sauce.

[Jari]

Kathleen, I will definitely make some sauerkraut. I love it and have read about its great health benefits. I'm really enjoying a more and more vegan diet now. I made a really nice and very simple pasta sauce recently. Soaked cashew nuts overnight, or just in hot water for an hour before use. Onion, tin of tomatoes, tomato puree all cooked down and then blended in the liquidiser along with the cashews which thicken it and give it a creamy consistency. Also added salt, pepper and a few spices that I like.. delicious with whole meal pasta and brocoli.

Wrensong, go for it. I don't think there's any harm in having the odd glass of wine. Guidelines are 14 units per week which equates to 7 small glasses of wine per week. I can't remember if you take estrogen only, because that gives you a reduced risk, as does only 2 1/2 hours exercise per week. The exercise has the biggest reduction in risk, which is good to know. I manage to do about that.

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

I used to be a drinker in my younger day as it was impossible to socialise without alcohol at that time, or maybe all my friends were boozers lol! I now rarely drink and it doesn't appeal to me at all.

 Funny about perceptions . I have a friend who insists that her red wine is good for the heart because it's made from dark grapes. However the scientists will tell you that eating the grapes is healthy but extracting the nutrients and fibre and knocking back the alcohol is not. Infact a cardiologist is on record for saying that all alcohol is injurious to the heart. My friend doesn't want to think about any of that and just wants to relax with her wine in the evening and who can blame her? I guess it all comes down to ‘ each to their own' and of course everyone's concerns and priorities are different.

CKLD  -  I'm sure you said earlier that teeth are for meat eating but now you say teeth are designed to chew. I'm easily confused these days, perhaps you were just referring to individual teeth lol. Again there's info on the science sites about our dentition and how it compares to other animals along with lots of other evolutionary stuff. Worth a look if you are interested and can spare the time.


Jari -  Your meal sounds delicious. Since cooking plant based I've learned a lot and I don't feel that I'm missing out on taste or texture. My favourite chefs are The Happy Pear. I have their recipe books and their YouTube channel is very helpful.

Take care ladies.

K.

[Wrensong]

I'm sure you're right Jari, but I need a couple of glasses at a time to get the feel-good response & enjoy that so much it'd be too good a reminder of what I've been missing!  Then I'd want a couple of glasses several nights a week . . .  Self control not my forte!  But thanks for the empathy. 

No, unfortunately not on oestrogen-only HRT as couldn't persuade them to take my uterus when they did the BSO.  But trialling very low dose MPA on a cycle at present under care of a brilliant & lovely Endo.

Thanks for the encouragement to exercise.  Like you, I do - but poor stamina without HRT, tricky to manage hypothyroidism & chronic insomnia have been frustrating limiting factors!  I walk at least half an hour every day, weather permitting, have an exercise bike & rowing m/c at home & am building up stamina on those again after several episodes of major surgery last year.  Also lift light weights, alternating daily with resistance band exercises, physio devised.  Eager to get as fit as poss, prevent osteopenia progressing to osteoporosis  & build some muscle without losing weight. 

[Wrensong]

Kathleen - I can't keep up with the various studies.  One day a little red wine is good for us, the next ALL alcohol is a bad thing it seems!  They keep moving the goal posts.  Your red wine drinking friend might have a point though - the relaxation she gets from it might be good for her cardiovascular health.  Yes, interesting that the resveratrol in red/black grapes is thought to be beneficial.  I have a few red grapes every day along with a wide variety of other fruit & veg.  Love it all.
Wx