Date

My Thoughts on …. Stuff

Breast Cancer Ribbon
1
Sep

Cancer, the Dirty Word We Hate

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Statistics don’t mean anything until you become one of them. I sold health insurance about 20 years ago and the statistics then were that one in four people will get cancer. That didn’t mean anything at all to me.

Until my sister got breast cancer.

Until my brother had lymphoma.

And my daughter was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Suddenly the statistics were more than just facts and figures. These were my loved ones. We weren’t supposed to be a statistic!

My sister had a double mastectomy and chemotherapy and is doing just fine ten years later. She had a strong support group at her church and on her job to help her get through the hard times. I wasn’t there for her, then. I wish I could have been.  My brother had lymphoma underwent extensive treatment. Although I don’t often get to see him he seems to be totally recovered from the disease. My daughter went the prayer and nutrition/lifestyle change route and she, too, is fine today. All three are survivors and released from the followup care.

Finally life was getting back to normal. I thought nothing worse could happen. We’d done our share toward keeping the American Cancer Society statistics intact.

Then, a few weeks ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

And, here we are again, fighting the dread disease and still contributing to the American Cancer Society’s statistical data bank.

I do not think breast cancer (or any other cancer) has to be a death sentence. It is for some, however, and that is very troubling to anyone who has cancer or has a loved one with cancer. Why do some cancer victims recover and live productive lives while others with the same type cancer at the same stage die? I don’t know the answer to that. As I will say time and again, I believe with all my heart that I will be among those who fully recover and live the remainder of my life in good health. When you read “my thoughts” you’ll understand more of why I feel this way.

I’m creating this blog to post information on cancer and other diseases … not just my thoughts as the name of the blog implies … you’ll be getting input from lots of people. Hopefully, if you’re going through overcoming cancer you’ll find something on this site that will help you. Because I want to share with you my own journey to health and triumph over breast cancer I will create a section entitled, “My Thoughts”. There you will get to know me and what I’m going through. You might not agree with my decisions or my beliefs … but that’s okay. This blog is not about convincing you to agree with me. It is an outlet, a journal of sorts. I expect to fully recover and as I do I will tell you the path I took to get there.

The other sections of the blog will simply contain articles and information from all sorts of sources … mainly article directories. Read them with a “grain of salt” as the old saying goes. Don’t just follow someone’s suggestion without checking out the facts.

You won’t find medical advice on this site … I’m not a doctor. The information and articles presented are opinions, experiences, questions, answers by people just like you. If you find helpful information, then use it at your own risk. Don’t ever do anything without checking with your health care provider.

Here’s the latest The American Cancer Society’s statistics. As you can see men are at a greater risk than women. But, that means nothing as anyone can get it. I am presenting the statistics to show you how prevalent is in our American society.

Women

All sites   1 in 3
Breast   1 in 8
Lung & bronchus     1 in 16
Colon & rectum   1 in 20
Uterine corpus   1 in 40
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma   1 in 53
Urinary bladder‡   1 in 84
Melanoma§    1 in 58
Ovary   1 in 72
Pancreas   1 in 75
Uterine cervix   1 in 145

Men

All sites 1 in 2
Prostate   1 in 6
Lung and bronchus 1 in 13
Colon and rectum 1 in 18
Urinary bladder 1 in 27
Melanoma§ 1 in 39
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 1 in 45
Kidney 1 in 57
Leukemia 1 in 67
Oral Cavity 1 in 72
Stomach 1 in 90

Hopefully, prayerfully you will never be one of those statistics!

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24
Oct

Foods that Prevent Cancer?

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Foods that prevent cancerWhen I discovered I had breast cancer, I became interested in preventative eating, and eating to heal. I learned to “eat to live” instead of living to eat. That’s hard to do when you love food as much as I do! I drank lots of carrot juice during the early days of my ordeal as there are many healing properties in that little orange root.

I also did a lot of research to discover how diet affects you and found that many things I love to eat are very bad for you. I stopped eating sugar products, soy products, and non-organic meat products. Junk food was a definite no-no. I made sure any meat I ingested was raised without added hormones and antibiotics. It was hard. But, I am much healthier today because I’ve learned a different way of eating.

For those of you who would like to get started on the journey to eating to prevent cancer, you’ll find a lot of resources on the Internet. Following is a list of cancer-preventing foods I found on doctoroz.com. I think it is a good list – but, for me, soy is not an option, and I don’t drink alcohol. My doctor said that I shouldn’t eat soy products because of the type of breast cancer I had. I would add the Stevia sweetener to this list as well for those of you who simply must have something sweet. Sugar is a BIT no-no for cancer prevention. You should ask your own doctor about your specific health needs. Here’s the list:

Vegetables & Fruits

  •  leafy greens
  •  brussels sprouts
  •  tomatoes
  •  beets
  •  carrots
  •  sweet potatoes
  •  squash
  •  broccoli
  •  onions, leeks, shallots
  •  mushrooms
  •  lentils
  •  peppers: bell, jalapeno
  •  spinach
  •  oranges
  •  grapefruit
  •  lemon
  •  lime
  •  apples
  •  berries – blueberries, strawberries, raspberries
  •  apricots
  •  pomegranates
  •  mango

Whole Grains

  •  whole grains (bread, pasta, tortillas)
  •  oats
  •  flaxseed
  •  quinoa

Proteins

  •  salmon
  •  mackerel
  •  tilapia
  •  tuna
  •  soy products (tofu, beans, milk)

Spices & Herbs

  •  turmeric
  •  ginger
  •  cinnamon
  •  rosemary
  •  curry
  •  chive
  •  garlic
  •  basil

Nuts/seeds/oils

  •  pecans
  •  walnuts
  •  almonds
  •  hazelnuts
  •  flaxseed/flaxseed oil
  •  olive oil
  •  canola oil

Desserts/sweeteners

  •  dark chocolate

Beverages

  •  green tea
  •  ginger tea
  •  red wine (1 glass/day)

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15
Oct

Cancer Update – Year Two and Cancer Free!

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It has been two years today since I had surgery to remove a cancerous lump from my right breast. I dug out some old journal notes to renew my thoughts of that day and found this email I sent to my close friends and family members the morning of my cancer surgery. I will share it with you here.

Dear family and friends,

Today I will be having the offending lump removed … 12:00pm at Piedmont.

I want to thank you all for your loving support and prayers on my behalf. It has humbled me more than you can know that you talk to the Father for me. I have prayed constantly for you that He will bless you with all the blessings you have prayed for me … total healing for your bodies, wisdom and peace. That’s what we all need, isn’t it?

This week I have been meditating in the book of Joshua. Although I have read through several chapters I keep coming back to chapter one where God is telling Joshua to “be strong and very courageous.” In order to “be strong and courageous” Joshua had to do something: he had to meditate on the Word of God.

The word meditate is an interesting one. I have heard it said it is like a cow chewing its food … first she gulps down the food; later she regurgitates it back into her mouth to chew it more thoroughly. She does this several times until the food is digested and gets into the bloodstream.

Another meaning to be derived from the word is that of murmuring the scriptures over and over, praying them, moaning them over and over to oneself until one believes. This is why (I believe) the Jewish people rock back and forth when they pray … they are “meditating” on what God has said and saying those words back to Him.

As you can guess, I have been meditating on the healing scriptures.

I know God is able;

I know He can;

I know He will;

I know He has … healed me according to Isaiah 53,1 Peter 2:24 and Matt. 8:15-17.

I am not worried or the least bit concerned … my life is in His hands and what better place is there? The absolute worst thing that can happen is ultimately the best thing that can happen, a dichotomy, I know; God’s ways always present a conundrum for humans :) .

“Be strong.”  Oh how I’ve chewed on this phrase!

How do I “be strong”? Is it an exercise of the will and emotions to put down doubt and fear? Is it a sheer abandonment to God’s will without me doing anything except relying on His strength? In truth, it is “yes” to both of these. However, that’s not the whole answer. We can only “be strong” if we “observe to do” all that the Word of God says to do and make a practice of meditating on it … constantly. As we meditate (murmur, pray, moan, chew on, think about) the Scriptures we are strengthening ourselves in the Lord. That’s how we can “be strong and very courageous” when we face obstacles like cancer. We just automatically do what we’re meditating on while relying on His strength, casting down doubts and fears as a warrior would cast down an enemy.

Even this morning as I meditate again on this awesome passage from God’s word I am strengthened for the task at hand. I pray you, too, will experience His strength as you go throughout your day. If you want to experience supernatural strength, get the Book of Books out … dust it off … begin to study and mediate on the awesome truths and you’ll be filled with all the fullness of God. That’s an awesome place to be.

Okay … sermon over. If you don’t like it … tell me later :) .

I love you all so much.

“By His stripes … I am healed!”

I went to the surgery with great faith. I didn’t know how; I didn’t know when – but I knew God would heal my body of the disease.

And He did. The doctor removed the lump and God healed me of cancer. WOW! I have not had chemotherapy and I am still cancer free. God is awesome. I am so humbled and thankful. What a wonderful, mighty God

In other posts I will share more with you about what God has done – but for now I just want to give thanks for the journey of healing to date. Two years is a great milestone for me. I am healthy and whole – and that’s a good report, don’t you think?

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11
Oct

Does Prayer Change Anything?

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Do you pray?

I do. I remember as a child lying in bed and listening to my parents praying. I was a preacher’s kid so it was not unusual for us to get a call in the middle of the night wanting someone to come pray. Of course, Dad always went. And, sometimes he took the rest of us. I can remember going to a lady’s house. It was obvious she was dying because the family was gathered around crying and trying to get one last hug – one last word – one last look at their loved one. What could anyone do?

Well, they believed God could do something so they brought in what, to them, was the best way to get his ear: the preacher’s prayer. And did he pray! It wasn’t long before the dying lady in the bed was sitting up laughing and talking and praising the Lord. God miraculously touched her. It was amazing.

It didn’t always turn out the way we wanted it to turn out, though. Sometimes people didn’t get well. Sometimes they did. Sometimes it was miraculous – and sometimes it was just the natural healing of the body.

But the outcome was not nearly as important as the prayer. You see, by praying we were asking God to be involved in our lives. I think he wants to be involved with us. He walked in the garden with Adam and Eve; he visited with Abraham; he had long conversations with Job; he came to earth in human form so that he could totally identify with us. Yep, I think he wants to be involved. And, I sure want him to be!

So, today I pray just as my parent’s prayed. And, although I am not a preacher, sometimes I go to pray for friends who call me. It is my honor and joy to ask God to participate in their lives, to meet their needs, to heal them or to restore broken homes. He loves us and, when we pray, we give him opportunity to show us, to be involved in our lives.

Yes, I believe prayer changes things and prayer changes people because God has our personal invitation to get involved. And, that’s right where I want him to be – involved with me.

So I pray.

And believe.

And receive.

I hope you do, too.

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11
Oct

Eating to Prevent Cancer – a Good Idea!

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I am a big believer in eating foods that promote good health. Following is a great article by Celia Westberry  - and I couldn’t have said it better myself. If you want good health – you have to eat your way there. And there are some foods that are especially good for fighting and preventing cancer. Enjoy!

Anti Cancer Food – The Top 10

It is reasonable to doubt that there are really Anti Cancer foods. Since cancer is a disease of the immune system and the immune system is there to fight for you, a better idea would be to support the system. I for one like to consider food as nurturing and not fighting, For instance food can nurture the immune system so that it is in tip top shape to do its job of vigilantly monitoring and destroying foreign invaders, as well as errant cells in your body.

Even the idea of you agonizing about the possibility of a cancer fight can put your immune system in a tizzy wondering what is upsetting you. This is one of the functions of the system, and this small idea can start a premature reaction at the cellular level as it tries to figure what needs to be done. These are called autoimmune reactions. Thus, it is better to always consider supporting the system.

This is easy. The immune system has specific nutritional requirements. A well fed immune system performs better than a world class war hero, sniffing out the lives and function of invaders at an astronomical rate. This process is supported by your confidence and vigilance in choosing to eat the fresh foods that continually supports the troops.

The moment you adopt the idea of a “nurturing my immune system program”, your system will perk up!

Your next step is to pick the right foods recommended by associations like The American Institute for Cancer Research whose sole purpose is to delve into the relationship of diet, weight and physical activity as it relates to cancer. Here is my pick of the ten foods.

1. Sweet potato and chili powder – Foods that are high in Vitamin A and Beta Carotenoids are linked with lung cancer protection. Examples are Sweet potato and Chili Powder. Find a recipe for Chili and eat it with a baked sweet potato and you should be well fortified.

2. Parsley is my pick. It is inexpensive and loaded with Vitamin C, is documented as a front line support of the immune system. Having vitamin C in your blood stream will boost immune function and protect your lungs. You can look forward to preserving your eyesight and backing off infections. Make a parsley pesto and snack away.

3. Yoghurts and dairy products contain Vitamin D. Foods that are high in D help absorption of calcium and maintain structural support of the body. Yoghurt can be eaten alone or can be used as an ingredient in some bake goods such as muffins.

4. Nuts and Seeds or Vitamin B foods – such as sesame seed butter also known as tahini, eggs and fish. These help the body to make antibodies that will actually keep the fight going until you win your cancer fight.

5. Bananas for potassium support of your brain and blood. Bananas can be eaten alone as a snack and is usually a main ingredient in some smoothies. Most of your immune support system is in the blood.

6. Ghee -also known as the Royal Oil – This is the ancient name given to clarified butter. With the invention of impostors like margarine and all sorts of manipulated oils in the name of saving us money and promises of better health, ghee fell from its lofty position. However, none of the health properties of ghee has changed. And it is still the first choice of oil in world cuisine, especially Indian. Ghee still tops the chart for promoting Health and Longevity. Ghee should be used sparingly because it is a fat. Here are some of the properties of ghee with regards to protection from cancer. It helps resist free radical damage and it is loaded with Vitamin A, D, K and choline. Ghee, a heart healthy fat, enhances longevity as it regulates metabolism of cell production. It helps keep cells from having erratic division which can lead to cancer cell proliferation in all body cells.

7. Tomatoes are high in Lycopene an antioxidant which will vigilantly help in the attack of errant cell production of the prostate. Errant calls have a mind of their own and can become cancerous. Lycopene has also been connected with healthy bones which need added attention as aging occurs. Tomatoes can be used to make salsa and an un-cooked soup called Gazpacho which contains the next anti cancer food – garlic

8. Garlic is mostly known to protect against stomach cancer. It can also regulate the amount of inflammatory activity in body cells. Garlic has allyl – sulfides that are involved in helping the body to prevent formation of cancer cells, by helping normal cells respond to oxidative stress. In the face of such stress, allyl – sulfides in garlic helps the cell to dismantle itself, thus lowering the production of cells that might become cancerous. This also can free up cellular material that can be recycled for future cellular production of healthy normal cells. I keep garlic on my counter as decoration and to remind me that a small pod can have powerful chemical and culinary health benefits.

9. Green tea – what can I say! If you seriously want to lower your risk of disease and age without medical fanfare, develop the habit of drinking green tea whenever you want. Its lists of benefits and anti-cancer effects will make you want to pay homage to your detoxification enzymes which are enhanced by the effects of green tea’s vigilant phytonutrients, such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Your body will have antioxidant aid in resisting both viral and bacterial infections. This will enable your immune system to function properly. Your overall health will not be compromised as your immune system sniffs out cancer cells before they proliferate, and cause serious, irreversible damage to body organs and tissues.

10. Cruciferous Vegetables – My favorite is kale. It is inexpensive, easy to cook and has a clean healthy taste. It is a master food for the human diet because it has beta carotene and lutein, two antioxidants that help your body to resist oxidative stress. This stress is disruptive to the body, lowers the efficiency of the immune system, and thus can expose you to the possibility of having to fight cancer.

Celia Westberry is an author, speaker and wellness lifestyle coach. She helps clients to reprogram their minds and bodies to have a personal relationship with food to be happier, healthier and more contented. Her award winning book – Eat Yourself Younger Effortlessly, the easy way to slow aging, feel, great and look good has delicious recipes with food that can help you fight cancer and maintain a healthy, happy body. Find out more at http://www.eatyounger.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Celia_Westberry

 

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2
Oct

Healing From Cancer

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When you’re diagnosed with a serious disease you start to take a good luck at your life. Those things you put on the back burner to do “some day” suddenly receive a new spot on your things to do list. People become more important than things; relationships become top priority. And, if you are a Christain (as I am) you examine your spiritual life, praying with sincerity for God to show you any areas of disobedience or laxity in your Christian walk.

At least, that’s what I did when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My response to the news was to go to God. He is my first line of defense … not a failsafe when all else fails. I was bold enough to ask God to heal me. I believe He does this for others … I have seen it many times in my life. So, why not heal me as well?

I believe that nothing that happens to a Christian is “by chance”. That’s why, when we succomb to an illness or disease we must prayerfully and seriously take a look at our own lives, examine ourselves and submit to God. Every morning when I arise I humbly thank God for my healing and submit to His will for today.

Just for today. I can’t go further than that.

He will give me strength for today and will guide me in my steps. I know Him. It is His pattern with me … leading me one day at a time, moment by moment. It would be nice to know the future as some seem to be able to do … but that has yet to happen to me.

Every evening when I go to bed I do the same thing. My heart is filled with thanksgiving and gratitude to God. My husband and I pray together, thanking God for the day and pray for those that God brings to our minds to pray for. We submit to God and go to sleep knowing that if we don’t wake up in the morning we will be in His presense.

Throughout the day I continually thank God for touching my life and body and for bringing me into oneness with His will. And (although some of you may not understand this) I curse the disease in Jesus’ Name, laying my hand upon my afflicted breast. I pronounce God’s healing. I rejoice in my heart for what He is doing in my life as a result of this disease. It has brought me closer to Him than I’ve ever been. I’m just sorry it took cancer to do that. But, if that’s what it took … then I rejoice in that, too. “As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after thee …” is my heart’s cry.

To say you believe God will heal you is a bold statement; yet believing God requires boldness. And it takes courage because people don’t understand you. They think you’re crazy. Are you up to that? One in my extended family wrote  an email saying she had always thought of me as an intelligent person but my decision not to have chemotherapy was not very intelligent. She said a lot of other hurtful things … but I wasn’t offended. She was afraid for me and I know that. She simply doesn’t understand that God heals people today just like He did in the past.

And, she doesn’t understand that it takes the same faith for healing that it takes for salvation as both are included in the work of Calvary.  “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” (James 5:14,15)  “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness– by whose stripes you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

Does that mean I am not going to the doctor? No. God works through doctors and I am aware of that. I have had extensive tests to see if the cancer has spread to other parts of my body. The reports were all negative and, for that, I am thankful. The cancer is confined to the breast and, that’s a good thing – if there can be anything good about cancer. To say I am believing God for my healing means that I seek Him regarding all aspectis of the disease. I pray about everything … “what do you want me to do?” I query Him. “Guide my steps,” I whisper. “Lead me in the path I must take,” I beseech Him. Then, as I go about the necessary doctor visits and have tests done, I expect His guidance and direction. It is a place of incredible peace that can’t be explained.

As you can see I consider prayer to be the most important part of my healing process. My pastor loaned me a book entitled, “Healing”, a collection of three classic books on healing. It is out of print, but if you can find it – buy it. It features the books on healing by Andrew Murray, A.B. Simpson and A.J. Gordon. What an eye opener!

When I started reading Andrew Murray’s words penned about 100 years ago, I said to myself, I already know this stuff. But, because my pastor had loaned it to me, I decided I would read it anyhow.

I am so glad I did. The Holy Spirit used the words of that long ago theologian to minister to me in a way that I needed. It renewed my faith in God’s divine healing power. It helped me to focus on God, not on a cure and not on the cancer. I am able to submit to the will of God and to believe for His healing in my body. I don’t know how it will come about. But I believe it will.

I pray and praise constantly and depend on the Lord to help me make decisons about treatment … or no treatment; surgery … or no surgery. Where He leads me I will follow. And, when the healing is manifest God alone will receive the glory.

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