I have conversations with patients every day about healthy lifestyle. Data has shown that breast cancer incidence does correlate with weight, and rates of breast cancer recurrence in survivors increase with weight gain especially after menopause.

I personally have chosen a vegetarian lifestyle. I made this decision for my own personal ethics, and so I do not recommend it to all of my patients. Studies on the health effects of a vegetarian diet are mixed. Many do show decreased incidence of heart disease, diabetes, and cancers compared with standard American diet and increased longevity for vegetarians.

Perhaps it is not one particular category of food that makes the standard American diet unhealthy, but the general overconsumption of calories. Vegetarian diets reduce calorie consumption for most by elimination of meat. Or are vegetarians healthier because of the greater amount and variety of fruits and vegetables they eat? Are vegetarians just generally more conscious of the ingredients and sources of their foods and choosing more organic products?

I have yet to see a study that effectively controls for all of these variables and for that reason I do not prescribe vegetarianism for all. But I have been very happy with the effects on me and my family and I am happy to share our experiences in future posts.

Gratefully Yours,

Jennifer Fiorini, MD