"Adjust Your Drinking Habits During Treatment" - Bev Bennett
In the past having a glass of wine or a cocktail every evening was a ritual that alleviated stress, provided a bridge from work to home or simply gave you pleasure. As you recover from breast cancer you may look forward to that nightly drink as part of your return to normal life. That’s not in your best health interests, said cancer experts who recommend reducing your alcohol intake to lower your risk of breast cancer recurrence. “Some people have been habitually having a glass of wine every night for a decade or two. It’s difficult to comprehend why they should change their habit,” said Kelly Hogan, MS, RD, CDN, clinical nutrition coordinator at The Dubin Breast Center of the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai. Changing your drinking habits can be a gradual process and one that doesn’t have to lead to total abstinence. “For many people eliminating alcohol does not fit in with their lifestyle,” said Susan Boolbol, MD, associate professor of surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and chief of breast surgery at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. “I prefer to ask patients to decrease their alcohol intake. I find this a more reasonable approach and works much better,” Dr. Boolbol added.
- Kelly Hogan, MS, RD, CDN, Clinical Nutrition Coordinator, The Dubin Breast Cancer of the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai
- Susan Boolbol, MD, Associate Professor, Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Chief, Breast Surgery, Mount Sinai Beth Israel
