Friday
Hi Everyone,
I have just arrived in Munich, Germany for a 10 day vacation with my husband Brett. We flew separately because my trip was booked later, so I have 3 hours to wait for his arrival. I must admit it has been nice having some alone time- to be still and quiet, watch all the latest trends in fashion and catch up on reading. My flight was uneventful. It’s always such a strange scene, being in such close quarters with hundreds of people, all trying to sleep at the same time. One guy next to me was snoring, and a trio of young German boys across the aisle drank a lot and listened to their ipod so loud that I could move to the beat. The Munich airport is buzzing with Oktoberfest. Blue and white paraphernalia is everywhere. Everyone is drinking beer, even at the wee hours of the morning. I’m sitting at a biergarten called Airbrau. One lady has just left to take her dog out for a break… really? When they come back in he is barking. This is something I will have to get used to. I actually saw 3 other dogs waiting with their owners at the gate. One dog was elated with high pitched barks when his other owner arrived. It was pretty sweet. In addition to beer, there is also an assortment of croissants, pastries, rolls, bagels and more croissants at every food establishment. I wonder what the health stats are like in Munich? I notice immediately on the menu at Airbrau that they serve Bio DE-013 Oko-Kontrollstelle eggs ( the board of control for organic products). There are also small numbers next to other menu items, indicating ingredients. Hmm, it’s very interesting that they inform the consumer of nitrates in their meat and artificial coloring in their pretzels. In America we would only see a note if nitrates were not in meat, which makes the assumption that meats eaten in our restaurants have nitrates. Isn’t that backwards? As I am sitting here, I pick up a Family Circle magazine that I brought from home. There is an article in there on the anticancer diet. It’s an easy read and great to show someone who is not familiar on what anticancer eating looks like. The foods on this list include: berries, garlic, tea, soy, fatty fish, nuts, flaxseed, cruciferous vegetables, low-fat dairy, sweet potatoes, grapes, whole grains, beans and leafy greens. The article goes on to describe exactly how these foods fight cancer.
Saturday
I’ve decided my story title for this trip is Eat, Sleep and Breathe; Brett’s is Eat, Sleep and Drink. My body has been calm and relaxed since the start of this vacation. I can breathe heavy and not feel anxious about my “to do” list. And I’m sleeping! (10 hours last night) Brett has been enjoying German beer, a lot of it. I read that the Germans consume an average of 40 gallons of beer per year! I really think it is more, because everywhere I look, people are drinking beer. Now, I know this isn’t supported by the anticancer lifestyle, but I do believe the socializing aspect of it is. Did you know that social support is a common theme among centenarians (people who live past 100)? Social support is crucial for cancer patients. I have read much literature supporting longevity among patients who have a strong support system. So all of you out there who know someone going through treatment for cancer, love on them! Germans in Munich seem to have mastered social support. In the center of town, streets are lined with cafes, coffee shops and beer halls. They are crowded at all hours of the day and again… everyone is drinking a beer. There is laughter and singing. They have these sing-alongs that one person or one group will start and before you know it, strangers have chimed in and everyone is singing. It almost sounds like a group of drunken fellas singing “take me out to the ballgame”.
We are off to Oktoberfest tomorrow, wish me luck!
Monday
We survived Oktoberfest! Wow, what an experience. The numbers of people were unimaginable. All there, for what seemed to be solely for drinking and singing. We landed ourselves in the Paulener tent, which is where Brett and his dad had been 2 years prior. We were surrounded by men, mostly dressed in their lederhosen. All very friendly, hugging and kissing their new friends around them. Fortunately for us, we sat next to Americans! One couple from Alaska and another couple of girls from Dallas. Sitting on the opposite side of our bench was a group of men from Sardinia, Italy. My ears perked up when they told me where they were from because Sardinia is a blue zone- people there live a long time! I tried to talk them about Sardinians living long- eating well, having a good support system and having wine high in antioxidants. But, they didn’t understand me and instead cheered and toasted as they continued to drink their beer. These guys were happy! No wonder why their peeps live long!
I noticed a German girl wearing a pink ribbon on her shirt today. I came back to the hotel and looked up breast cancer in Germany. Europa Donna, A European Breast Cancer Coalition, is an independent organization whose members are affiliated from countries throughout Europe. Below are some stats from Europa Donna:
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Incidence • Breast cancer is the most common cancer and has the highest mortality of any cancer in women worldwide. • Breast cancer is the most common cancer in European women with an estimated incidence of 449,871 in 2008. Incidence in the EU-27 in 2008 was estimated to be 332,503. • There are twice as many new breast cancer cases annually than new cases of cancer in any other site. • One in 10 women in the EU-27 will develop breast cancer before she reaches 80 years of age. • An average of 20–30% of breast cancer cases in Europe occur in women when they are younger than 50 years old; 33% occur at age 50–64 and the remaining cases in women above this age. Breast cancer therefore affects many women during their years dedicated to working and raising a family.
Mortality and survival • Breast cancer claims the lives of more European women than any other cancer. • In Europe, an estimated 139,797 women died from breast cancer in 2008, 89,559 of whom were in EU-27 member states. • The average 5-year relative survival of European women diagnosed with breast cancer in 1995-1999 was 79.5%. | |
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These are interesting stats as they are slightly different from what I have read in the U.S. For one, I have read that breast cancer affects one in eight women in the U.S., not one in ten as in Europe. Cancer knows no language and can affect anyone. I am so far from home, yet reminded of cancer everywhere.
Don’t forget, it’s breast cancer awareness month! Celebrate with us on Friday October, 15. Pass on to your family and friends. Everyone is invited!
Guten Tag,
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