Acupuncture is also shown to increase sex drive in women, energy, vitality, and overall sense of well-being.  Not to mention it doesn’t come with any of the drug’s unpleasant side effects like dry mouth and nausea. 

Acupuncture is a cornerstone of the healing methods explored on our DVD.  The doctors featured on our DVD, including top oncologists and breast specialists like Dr. Susan Love, Dr. Michael Michael  Van Soy-Mosher, Dr. Marisa Weiss, and many others, offer complete explanations of every type of treatment available – including Complementary/Integrative options like Acupuncture and Homeopathy.  As Dr. Maoshing Ni explains, acupuncture improves vitality and energy by activating our body’s natural healing mechanisms.  Actress Jaclyn Smith, also featured on our DVD, chose acupuncture over painkillers for the aches and pains she was experiencing, and the treatment not only helped heal her physically, but soothed her and restored her sense of balance.   So for women with breast cancer and their loved ones, the recent news from Henry Ford Hospital was good news indeed.

Researchers from Kaiser Permanente followed 1,897 women who received a diagnosis of early-stage invasive breast cancer from 1997 to 2000, assessing alcohol intake through a self-administered food frequency questionnaire listing 122 foods and beverages.

About half of the women reported drinking alcohol; wine was the most popular choice. After eight years of follow-up, 349 women had had a recurrence of breast cancer, and 332 had died of cancer or other causes. Researchers found that the women who drank three to four standard servings of alcohol a week — the equivalent of three to four glasses of wine — were 34 percent more likely to have experienced a recurrence of their cancer than those who drank very little or not at all, with the risk greater among post-menopausal and overweight women.

“Alcohol has been shown in animal studies to increase circulating levels of estrogen, and increase estrogen metabolism,” which may drive recurrence risk, said the paper’s lead author, Marilyn Kwan, a staff scientist in the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif., who presented the findings at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium last week.

It may be premature to issue clinical recommendations, but she suggested that cutting down on alcohol was “one of the modifiable lifestyle factors that women with breast cancer should consider.”

Written by Roni Caryn Rabin, posted at www.nytimes.com

Here’s a sampling of their reactions:

“We know that [breast cancer] grows every three to four months. And if you’re talking about someone who is 50 and they’re not having a mammogram but every two years….two years could mean the difference between stage 1 and stage 3.”
- Sheryl Crow, singer, songwriter

“Starting mammograms later in life and doing them less often….means that about 3% more women would die from breast cancer each year.”
- Dr. Marisa Weiss, President & Founder of breastcancer.org

“I’m shocked that they want to abandon proven therapies based on cost analysis.”
- Jaclyn Smith

“It was crazy. To suggest that women shouldn’t examine themselves is disempowering. It just doesn’t make sense at all.”
- Olivia Newton-John, singer, actress

Here’s an interesting aspect of the organization: Gilda’s Club, like most breast cancer advocates, makes an effort to encourage a new way of thinking about cancer by changing the very language we use when we talk about it. Ever notice that our site, and many of our colleagues, use terms like “people living with cancer,” as opposed to “cancer victims”? That’s no mistake; it’s a conscious choice by the breast cancer community to redefine what it means to live with (and without) cancer. Gilda’s Club also never refers to “battling cancer”; rather, they focus on helping clubmembers “regain control” and “wellbeing.” Here at The Path of Wellness & Healing, we, too, believe that the words we choose (and the intentions behind those words) can have a powerful effect on our community, and the entire breast cancer experience.

Check out their website if you’d like to find a Gilda’s Club near you, or learn how to start one in your neighborhood.

Sheryl Crow

Her Story:
Nine-time Grammy Award-winner, activist, mother, friend, and breast cancer-survivor Sheryl Crow is the living definition of the word “hero.”  This 47-year-old singer/songwriter credits her mother with inspiring her to make a difference:  “My mom was very involved, very philanthropic, and she raised us that way.  Throughout our schooling, we were involved in cause-driven activities.”  Her mother lost several close girlfriends to breast cancer, giving Sheryl a heightened awareness of the disease from an early age.

Her Diagnosis:
Sheryl received her diagnosis after a routine mammogram in 2006.  “I’ve always been someone who could set my mind to it, and get it done, and there’s a lot of control in that.  Then, all of a sudden, to have somebody tell you have cancer….It does show you your fragility.”  After a lumpectomy and seven weeks of radiation, Sheryl was cancer-free.

Her Community:
Not surprisingly, Sheryl is often approached by women on the street and in airports – but these days, those women aren’t just fans; they’re fellow-breast cancer survivors who feel an instant kinship with Sheryl for sharing her story.  “Women in the breast cancer community are amazingly strong.  They seem to find each other, and there’s a common language between survivors.”

Her Technique:
Like many women dealing with breast cancer, exercise and meditation were key coping mechanisms for Sheryl on her path to recovery.  “I ran during my radiation, mainly to keep myself connected to the life I’ve always known.  Exercise burns off negativity, frustration, anger.”  She also finds balance in meditation:  She says that 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes at night has helped her quiet her mind, relax, and rejuvenate.

Her Path:
For Sheryl, cancer’s greatest lesson was the importance of self-love.  “It forces you to show up for yourself and be there for yourself.  You have to find your own strength.  It informs you about what you’re made of, and ultimately how you’re going to live the rest of your life.”

Find more of Sheryl’s story – and several other Breast Cancer Heroes – on our DVD, Breast Cancer: The Path of Wellness & Healing.

Christina Applegate

Her Story:
As you probably know, Christina Applegate is the gorgeous blond actress whose credits include films like Anchorman and The Sweetest Thing, as well as sitcoms including Samantha Who? and Married…With Children. As you also may have heard, this 37-year-old is also a breast cancer survivor. Needless to say, we were thrilled that she agreed to share her story with The Path of Wellness & Healing.

Her Diagnosis:
Since her mother Nancy was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 38, Christina began getting annual mammograms since she turned 30. When her doctor encouraged her to start getting MRI‘s as well, she agreed: “I’m very on top of it: When my doctor tells me to do something, I do it.” The test found something “funky” in her left breast, which led to a biopsy, and Christina had an instinctual hunch about the results: “I knew. I ignored the phone as much as possible – I didn’t want to hear those words. Because I kind of knew.” One week later, Christina learned that her hunch was right; she was living with breast cancer.

Her Treatment:
Because of her family history, Christina’s oncologist encouraged her to get tested for a BRCA mutation. When the results were positive, Christina decided to have a lumpectomy – but her doctor asked her to consider more serious treatment. “She said, ‘We really need to talk about this, because your chances of it coming back are so high – so you really need to think about this.’”

When she realized the gravity of the situation, Christina quickly switched gears and agreed to move forward with a double mastectomy, underestimating the toll that this experience would take. “I think I prepared myself for something a little easier. Not the physical aspect of it, but the mental and emotional aspect of it were a shock.”

Her Hope:
While regular mammograms are extremely important, for women at increased risk for breast cancer (like Christina), an MRI can be a true life-saver. But since insurance doesn’t always cover this expensive procedure, Christina launched the Right Action for Women foundation – with a mission to help cover the high costs of these invaluable breast screenings.

Find more of Christina’s story – and several other Breast Cancer Heroes – on our DVD, Breast Cancer: The Path of Wellness & Healing.

This was, in part, our motivation for creating Breast Cancer: The Path of Wellness & Healing, a first-of-its-kind visual guide and breast cancer that allows patients and their families to sit down and receive an educational, inspirational overview in just 2 hours. But our mission doesn’t stop there – we also strive to strengthen the online, interactive communities available to people with breast cancer by helping to guide you toward additional resources. Yes, there a LOT of them – right at your fingertips. But where to begin?

First and foremost, if you haven’t checked out breastcancer.org, we urge you to do so immediately. It’s the #1 source of free information on breast cancer. If you’re looking to assess your risk, they’ve got you covered. Want to learn clear definitions of the various types of treatment available? They’ve got that, too. Perhaps our favorite section of the site is the community area: their chat rooms boast over 50,000 active members. Log in to ask for advice from peers around the world, and read about the experiences of others, covering every topic under the sun, from reconstruction options to dealing with depression.

Another excellent resource: komen.org. Susan G. Komen was a warrior; her torch has been passed onto her sister Nancy G. Brinker, who has carried on with Susan’s mission to save lives. With events ranging from “Art for the Cure” to “Marathon for the Cure,” this site is an excellent toolkit for anyone looking to get involved in the quest to eliminate breast cancer.

Dr. Susan Love (one of our DVD’s great contributors and a true breast cancer hero) provides a wealth of information on improving women’s health and eradicating breast cancer on her website. Dr. Love has partnered with Avon to form the “Army of Women,” a revolutionary initiative that encourages at-risk women and the scientific communities to join the movement by generating new research.

Speaking of revolutionaries, the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has been renowned for its excellence in research, education, and patient care since the late 1960’s – so it’s no surprise that their website is chock-full of cutting-edge information on the latest in cancer research. Highlights include a library of audios and podcasts; up-to-the-minute news on all things cancer-related; and info on the UCLA-Livestrong Survivorship Center of Excellence – providing high-quality clinical care to cancer survivors, and educating the community on the concerns of survivorship.

- Gabrielle Union

- Christina Applegate

- Deepak Chopra, M.D.