Cancer Myths

First i want to say I did try the previous recipe that i shared in my last post for sleep and I believe it did help, i will continue and share my results. Secondly: Rumors. Sometimes they make me crazy, hearing all these words, I have learned to just not listen sometimes. Kind of like what i don't hear won't hurt me.

Just a few of the rumors I hear about cancer often:

1. THE RISK OF DYING FROM CANCER IS INCREASING IN THE U.S., ACTUALLY ACCORDING TO REPORTS LISTED BY AMERICIAN CANCER SOCIETY, BOTH NUMBER OF DEATHS AND NUMBER OF NEW DIAGNOSES OF CANCER HAS DECLINED STEADILY IN RECENT YEARS.

2. ONLY SMOKERS GET LUNG CANCER. NOT TRUE.. WHILE SMOKING DOES ACCOUNT FOR THE MAJORITY OF LUNG CANCER DEATHS, 10-15% OF LUNG CANCER DEATHS DO OCCUR IN NONSMOKERS.

3. LASTLY, THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY REPORTS, THERE IS NO GOOD EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS A LINK BETWEEN BREAST CANCER RISK AND ANTIPERSPIRANT USE."

Liver Detoxifying Lemon-Olive Oil Drink

Let me first say I am not a doctor. I'm a person with cancer always seeking solutions to some of the effects I feel from my chemo treatments I receive on a weekly basis. So I will try this and let you know if it helps with my inability to sleep at times.

RECIPE FOR WHOLE LEMON/OLIVE OIL DRINK

(Rapidly heals Neuropathy and promotes weight gain by detoxifying the liver and normalizing saliva pH values)

Into a blender, add 1/2 a lemon (cut-up) including the rind and pulp. Be sure to first wash the lemon well and scrape off markings from artificial coloring. To the blender, add the cut up lemon plus one Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and one cup of orange or other fruit juice. Blend at high speed for one minute. Pour through a strainer (screen type) to remove pulp. Use a spatula to press the pulp. Discard the pulp.

Drink it all at once.

If you have problems sleeping, drink it just before you retire to your bedroom at night. It will help you get a good night’s sleep. The drink's therapeutic value comes from the whole lemon and the extra-virgin olive oil. The orange juice or other fruit juice is added as a sweetener.

Exercise Support for Physical, Spiritual and Financial Benefit(s)

Back in 2001, my girlfriend Peggy (that's her above and to the right, along with her sisters Maureen and Colleen) participated in Avon's Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. They were among some 3,000 people who trekked from Minneapolis to Chicago to raise funds for the fight against breast cancer. What a workout, and what a good cause!

Yesterday, dailySpark (a blog by SparkPeople, a website that offers nutrition, health, and fitness tools, support and resources) shared a similar story written by an employee and breast cancer survivor:

Having two very active daughters, it was extremely important to me that I maintain energy, inner and outer strength, and a positive outlook while taking on the disease. Exercise was the answer! I found that I not only refueled my body physically, but with each workout, I recharged my mental outlook on how I was taking on my cancer!

My family, especially my daughters, saw how important this was to me, and a week after my first surgery, my daughters asked if we could participate in the upcoming “Making Strides" breast cancer walk. Morgan, my eldest daughter said, “I know how great you feel after you exercise—just think how great you will feel once we complete a walk that fights that nasty disease you had." So instead of resting that day, we all got up early that morning and walked with thousands of other survivors and family members! It was by far one of the best days of my life!

Getting active like this boosts both the body and the cause. And, judging by the smiles, it lifts the spirits, too.

Happy Birthday...to Me!

Today is my birthday!!!

I am always thankful for another day and another year.

Having an illness like cancer makes it even more important to live in the moment, one day at time, and I have to admit, I forget that often.

I remember when I was first diagnosed back in 2000, I will never forget driving my car one night with the windows down, air seemed so crystal clear, and the radio was playing, and it seemed like it was just me in the world, I blasted that radio so loud, and for minute I felt like I was truely living in the moment. Sounds kind of silly but for some reason that night sticks with me.

“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.”

Your values change you -- and the world.

Maureen, I must say, you're really getting the hang of this blogging thing!

I loved your latest post, Ways to change your life. It reminded me of a clip from one of my favorite books by Stephanie Dowrick, Choosing Happiness: Life & Soul Essentials.

In a chapter on how to let your values and goals work for you, she includes the following reminders on how those values we choose to, well, value and act on change the world:

Whatever you wish there was more of, be that.

Whatever you want your relationships and friendships to be, be that.

Whatever you want the world to be, be that.

If you want there to be less fear and more love in the world, start with yourself.

If you want there to be less stress, anxiety, depression and tension in the world, start with yourself.

If you want the world to be a more peaceful place, fairer, more generous and compassionate, start with yourself.

The rest of the book is filled with more sage advice, in manageable chunks and doses. The author's website has a free excerpt [pdf] from the first chapter (which deals with trusting who you are).

Ironically, the book mirrors our developing exchange here. Sections are written as a conversation between two friends...something that you and I are going to be doing here, too. Cool, huh? But, I guess that means we're not so original, Maureen.

Lots of people are working to bring positive and productive, healthy and healing change alive -- in themselves, in others and the greater world we all share. Pretty cool, indeed.

Note: Change Alive has no material connection to the above product and has received no payment for this endorsement.