Surviving Uterine Leiomyosarcoma - Naturally!

Incorporating a Healing Lifestyle 

into the Real Life of A Cancer Survivor

A Natural Approach to Uterine Leiomyosarcoma

My 55th Birthday - So Happy to Be Alive! 

Let's Talk About What a Healing Lifestyle Might Look Like

     I went for my check-up with my gynecological oncologist this week, and it's been 3 1/2 years without a recurrence of the disease. I feel healthy and strong, and in many ways much better than I ever did before. The doctor looked at my original lab report and pronounced it "remarkable" that I was sitting across from him, looking so vital. He told me to "keep doing what you are doing." There are many women who have asked if I would write down what I do on a daily basis, so this is for all of you!

     As I proceed on my journey to continually strengthen my immune system in hopes of preventing the return of Uterine Leiomyosarcoma, I face the challenge of how to fit all of the wonderful things I want to do for myself into every day life. Some of the most important things I do on a daily/weekly basis are:  juicing, relaxation, guided imagery for healing, preparing salads and raw foods, organic shopping, acupuncture, exercise, sunlight, breath-work, supplements, reading healing books, green drinks, forgiveness, and lots of good sleep! If you are wondering how I fit it all in... the answer is YES, IT IS A FULL-TIME JOB!

     I would be remiss if I didn't first and foremost thank my husband for supporting me both emotionally and financially, allowing me to do everything that I need to do for myself. 

     When we were first informed that I had ULMS, my mother told me that I was going to be fine and immediately guided me to read books by Bernie Siegel, M.D., a pioneer in how the mind affects the body. His book, Love, Medicine and Miracles: Lessons Learned about Self-Healing from a Surgeon's Experience with Exceptional Patients, was the first in a collection of positive books about people who have been healed of cancer that I refer to on a regular basis. 

Reading List

Love, Medicine and Miracles by Bernie Siegel, MD

The Hallelujah Diet by Rev. George Malkmus

Hope, Medicine and Healing by Francisco Contreras, MD

Chicken Soup for the Cancer Survivor's Soul 

 
A Book of Miracles by Bernie Siegal, MD

The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell

Mornings

     Mornings are my time to nourish myself. I am a "morning person" so I use my best time to tend to myself rather than putting myself last. (This was an important concept to learn.)

     Upon awaking, I thank God the Father and my Savior Jesus Christ for every blessing I can think of in my life. I ask the Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts and keep them positive as I begin the day. Then I continue to lie still in bed, face up with arms at sides, and mentally scan each part of my body, noting how each part feels. It's a lovely, dreamy feeling when your body first wakes up, and it's a great time to mentally memorize what relaxation feels like so you can learn to carry it with you throughout the rest of the day. 

     Upon arising, I always scrape my tongue and brush my teeth to get rid of  bacteria before consuming any food. I start the day by taking two tablespoons of Liposomal Curcumin (which stops tumor growth by preventing the formation of blood vessels which feed the tumor) and Liposomal Can-Help Complex (a liposomal nano particle blend of vitamin c, glutathione, curcumin, resveratrol, CoQ10, B1, B6 & B12 designed to replicate intravenous vitamin c results). It is extremely important to take these in liposomal form because they pass through the gut directly into the bloodstream. They are taken on an empty stomach, so I might get showered, clean the kitchen, juice vegetables, go for a walk, or check my e-mail while I wait to have breakfast.

     Breakfast includes fresh pressed juice. I juice once every three days and put it up in 8 ounce glass canning jars filled to the brim in the refrigerator. For practical purposes, I don't juice every day, but if you are able to, or you are fighting active disease I would recommend juicing every day. (My family juiced every day for me in the beginning.) I always juice carrot-apple-celery; carrot-apple-dandelion; cucumber-celery; and red beet-apple. In the summer I love Kale lemonade. Adding a little apple releases more nutrients in the carrots than if you do carrot alone. The nutrients in juiced carrots are cancer fighters. Dandelion is a liver detoxifier (and my mother had a dream about it healing me). Beets are also a liver cleanser. Cucumber juice is used at the Optimum Health Institute during their detoxification week.

     The other part of breakfast includes a piece of Ezekiel 100% flourless toast (made solely from sprouts) with 2 tablespoons of flax seed oil or coconut oil on it. Note that I don't consume any product made from flour. Flour products break down into sugar too quickly and are NOT consumed on the anti-cancer diet. At that time I drink a cup of organic, water processed decaf coffee with coconut milk creamer. Yum! I take supplements with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

My Supplementation Schedule 

(B = at Breakfast, L = at Lunch, D = at Dinner) 
I put my capsules and tablets in a pill divider that is marked Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner/Bedtime. I bought a pack of seven dividers, so I load up all of my supplements once a week and I am set to go! It makes all the difference.

1. Healthy Items' Liposomal Curcumin, anti-cancer, stops tumors from establishing blood vessels - before Breakfast on empty stomach, wait 10 mins.

2. Healthy Items' Can-Help, anti-cancer, if you aren't on IV Vitamin C infusions this is the next-best treatment, before Breakfast on an empty stomach, wait 10 mins. to eat

3. Broken Cell Wall Chlorella for increasing the function of your immune system, 2 gm. divided B-L-D

4. Multi-Enzyme High Potency digestive enzymes Dr. Murray, 1 at B-L-D

5. Nature's Way DIM-plus for estrogen metabolism, important for estrogen positive tumors, 1 at L

6. Jarrow MK-7 from Natto, bone/cardiovascular health, reduces inflammation and increases cancer cell death, 1 at L

7. Integrative Lipotropic Complex supports liver  function, supports proper estrogen metabolization, 2 at B, 3 at D

8. Natural Factors Biosil for skin, hair, nails, bones, made of Silica that strengthens the immune system and detoxifies the liver, 6 drops at B

9. Carlson's 2000IU Liquid D3 for immune system, 2 drops at B

10. Liquid Iodine Plus, anti-cancer, 3 drops at B, 3X per week

11. Nature's Life Organic Beef Liver tablets supports muscles, 1 at B-L-D

12. New Chapter Bone Strength whole food calcium, 2 at B-L-D (1440 mg. calcium which is twice the dose on the bottle) for bones and anti-cancer

13. Whole Food multi-vitamin/mineral, I try different brands as directed B-L-D

14. Jarrow Silymarin Milk Thistle anti-inflammatory 1 at D

15. Ayurceutics Boswellia anti-inflammatory 1 at L 

16. Barlean's High Lignan Flax Seed Oil, 1 TBSP at B

17. Carlson's Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, 1 TBSP at L

18. G.T.'s Kombucha, one bottle a day, 5 X per week, anti-cancer digestive supplement, immune system, fermented raw drink

19. Sometimes - Garden of Life Primal Defense Probiotic (multiple strains and refrigerated is a must)
20. GermanZyme pancreatic enzymes, they dissolve the protein coating around cancer cells, allowing the immune system to destroy them, 2 at B-L-D
21. Chinese Mushroom formula used in Chinese Medicine from acupuncturist, enhances immune system, 2-3 B-L-D

Anti-Cancer Hormones

1.  Melatonin 25 mg. at bedtime, anti-cancer and sleep-aid. Melatonin has been proven in scientific studies to cause cancer cell death in leiomyosarcoma in particular!!

2.  Bioidentical Estriol from naturopath, hormone replacement cream  2X per week, pea-sized amount applied vaginally 

3. Sometimes - Bioidentical Progesterone capsules from naturopath for hormone balance

4. Sometimes - DHEA oral spray from naturopath for hormone balance

Note:Only use bioidentical hormones when you have had cancer, and work with a Naturopath that specializes in hormones. Replacing hormones can give you energy and a sense of well being, making you feel younger. 

For the first 2 1/2 years I was a raw Vegan, following the Hallelujah Acres Diet. But in the past year I have had to add a small amount of organic, free-range animal protein back into my diet to build up my muscle tissue. Nuts and lentils just weren't doing it for me! Once a week I eat a couple of organic, cage-free, free-range eggs for breakfast. Locally grown is best. Once every week or two I will enjoy Wild-Caught Salmon. I never eat dairy because the protein found in dairy, known as casein, was used in numerous laboratory studies to turn on and off cancerous tumors on in mice (The China Study). I don't eat chicken, pork or beef. I don't eat products made from flour; instead I eat organic, sprouted, flourless products from Ezekiel or Oasis bakeries, but no more than one slice per day. Corn and soy are notorious genetically modified foods - I never eat them unless they say organic and non-GMO. I also avoid sweets with the exception of organic, dark chocolate. For the most part, you are better off to eat a piece of fruit as your "treat." I don't use Agave - from my research it is no better than high fructose corn syrup. When my sweet tooth calls, I look for the lowest grams of sugar in organic dark chocolate. :)

 

Mid-Morning

The middle of the morning is a very productive time for me. My original tendency was to work hard at this time. But I have changed that! Now I use that time to make sure I get done the things I need to do for myself first. So I may juice, go shopping at my favorite organic store, prepare my salads, read a healing book, exercise or get out in the sunlight at this time. I never tire myself out! A wise holistic MD once told me that you should SAVE YOUR ENERGY FOR HEALING. If you are in the early stages of recovery, sit outdoors and read a book. Relax! Allow your body to use the energy it has to heal you. Don't use up all of your energy doing things until you feel tired. Now I get a lot done each day without getting tired. But I make sure to only do one or two big things a day and always STOP before I feel worn out. I always take along my green drink or drink it right before I go.

 

Lunch Time

For Lunch I sit down and have a big, organic salad with spinach, arugula, 2 kinds of sprouts (pea sprouts or sunflower sprouts and broccoli sprouts), raw broccoli, tomatoes, red onions, strawberries or blueberries (in season), cucumber, red bell pepper, and purple cabbage. That is my standard salad. I make other salads with fewer ingredients, but my standard salad ensures that I have dark greens, calciferous veggies and sprouts that I must consume daily. I enjoy an ak-mak organic cracker with soup or salad. I love to drink a Kombucha with my lunch and perhaps another juice at this time. In the colder months, I make soup from a base of organic broth with carrots, leeks, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow onions, red lentils, split peas, garlic and seasonings. I also enjoy  tomato-basil soup, vegetable soup, broccoli soup, carrot-ginger soup all made from scratch with organic ingredients.
 

Snacks

Organic Apple Slices with Raw Almond Butter
Organic Celery and Organic Peanut Butter
Half Banana with Organic Peanut Butter
Green Smoothie (Barley Max Berry, 1/3 Frozen Banana, Small Bunch Kale, Ice and Water, Blended in Vitamix Blender)
Humus  *   Kale Chips  *  Fruit  *  Raw Organic Nuts *  Berries
 

Afternoons

After taking care of my own needs in the morning, I work from home professionally, but no more than 10 hours per week. I also do paperwork, errands, and cooking for my family in the afternoon. If I ever feel like my energy is running low, I will relax and watch movies, or even take a nap after a meditation. Another juice, Kombucha, or green drink should be consumed every two or three hours.

 

Dinner and Evening Time

Dinner consists of another serving of salad with a small portion of something cooked. It might be a steamed vegetable, an occasional sweet potato, or a small portion of a vegetarian dish. Another favorite is Raw Nut Burgers made from organic, raw, ground walnuts, almonds and sesame seeds mixed with minced red bell peppers, garlic, onions, Nama Shoyu and cayenne pepper.

The evening is spent helping my son with homework and catching up on shows I like to watch. I try to drink one more green drink in the evening.

Bedtime

When I have time, I love to go to my sanctuary and do a short meditation before going to bed. It is sooo relaxing and gets my body ready for the most healing time of day - when I am asleep. I sleep for 10 hours a night. Sleep is vital if you want to heal from disease.

Descriptions of Things I  Do Daily or Weekly

1. Juicing - I juice vegetables and put up jars to drink over the next day or two. I do this every third day. I drink at least 2 glasses of fresh pressed vegetable juice and 2 Barley Max or green drinks every day. When I was first diagnosed I drank one 8 ounce glass of juice every hour of the day. It is an essential part of healing from cancer. Juice provides nutrients that go directly into the bloodstream without having to be digested.

2. Meditation and Guided Imagery - I do this every day. Sometimes I listen to Guided Imagery when I take a walk outside. Other times I sit in a special place that I have made for myself where I meditate with incense, candles and music. Another way to meditate is to read one of the healing books and allow the thoughts to bring healing to the mind. Many of the Guided Imagery CD's also include energy work. 

Click here to learn more about the Guided Imagery I use to reduce stress hormones and tap into the mind-body connection with the immune system.

Deuter - a great artist who makes music for meditation - Buddha Nature and Reiki Hands of Light are favorites
Native American Flute Music for Meditation

3. Exercise and Sunlight - I try to do some form of exercise and get out in the sunlight 3-4 times a week. Sometimes it means eating a meal outside on my deck, or going for a walk on the trail. I also enjoy Jazzercise, Zumba, and a circuit at the gym. My goal for this summer is to exercise a lot more! Exercise boosts the immune system by stimulating the lymphatic system which eliminates toxins. In order to get the lymph fluid flowing, you must MOVE your body. It doesn't have a pump like the heart does to move the blood. Aerobic activity is the best way to do this.

4. Shopping and Preparing Salads - I shop at an organic co-op that has the freshest, organic produce possible. I make one or two huge salads that will last me for  5 to 7 days. This way I just grab of big portion of my salad for lunch and dinner, without the constant preparation. 

5. Emotional Clearing and Healing - I found it imperative to go through the Cancer Self-Healing Guide. It took me many months to journal through all of the questions, but it allowed me to clear myself of all old wounds which some cancer experts believe can cause a recurrence of the disease. Now I do a daily clearing, asking the Heavens to clear me of anything that binds me emotionally. I pay close attention to my heart and my gut, so I don't allow anger or resentment to take root in my pain body.

6. Acupuncture - At least once a week I go for acupuncture. I found a practitioner that creates a great space with music and candles. She teaches me about energy work and energy healing as well as doing my acupuncture sessions. Acupuncture is an absolute MUST for my well-being, healing, and physical comfort. 

 

7. Non-Toxic Environment and Non-Toxic Beauty - In the beginning I worked with a naturopath who used lab tests and homeopathic remedies to help detoxify my system. Now I use all non-toxic products to clean my home. Everything that touches my body, face, and scalp are always non-toxic, free of parabens, SLS and unwanted chemicals. (I'll do a page on beauty in upcoming months)

 

Here is a sample of my most recent grocery receipt to give you an idea of what I buy:

Everything I Buy is Organic! 

Salsa

Low Sodium Broth

Salad Dressings - lots of variety 

Raw Almond Butter

Unprocessed Coconut Oil

Red and Yellow Onions

Cherry Tomatoes

Strawberries
Blueberries

Red Lettuce X2

Romaine Lettuce X2

Baby Spinach - huge box
Arugala

Pea Greens
Sunflower Greens

Broccoli Sprouts

Cucumbers

Large Slicing Tomatoes
Kale

Broccoli Crowns

Leeks

Zucchini Squash

Dry Red Lentils

Dry Split Peas

Ezekiel Spouted Flourless Bread

Carrots

Dandelion Greens

Loose Red Beets

Pink Lady Apples

Mineolas or Oranges

A little stone fruit in the summer like Peaches, Plums & Nectarines

Lemons and Limes

Ginger Root

Raw Almonds

Raw Walnuts

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar 

Ak-Mak Crackers

Kombucha

Dark Chocolate Bar, 70% or higher

Age 64 in 2020, Grateful and Positive about Life! 

Now that I am 12 years post diagnosis, I include organic, pastured beef and chicken and eggs in my program. I was vegan for four years at the beginning of my recovery but found that my muscles were wasting away. I need a lot of protein as I am older to maintain a good muscle mass. Organic, pastured meats and eggs provide important sources of nutrients and do not create the need for insulin like grains, sugars and starchy carbohydrates, which are at the heart of foods that create disease. I believe organic meats and eggs are much healthier than protein powders. I continue to consume raw juices, salads, lots of low glycemic vegetables, etc. but just added in better protein sources for my body. 

Liposomal Supplements: Proven Cancer Fighters

Nano-technology Liposomes Deliver Supplements Directly to the Cells!

M.D.Anderson is doing clinical trials with Nano-Curcumin and Resveratrol.

I know that a large portion of the oral supplements I take pass through my body and are excreted into my urine.

I also know that laboratory studies using vitamins and herbs to stop the growth of cancer cells have been successful when they are administered directly to the cells.

Vitamin C (like Curcumin and Resveratrol) is very difficult for the body to absorb when taken orally. This is particularly true when Vitamin C is taken in large oral doses. Until the advent of Liposomal Vitamin C, the only efficient method of getting therapeutic levels of Vitamin C into the blood stream was intravenously. This required administration and attendance by a physician or nurse practitioner.

Liposomal supplements are a new breed of supplements which are able to deliver Vitamins and Herbs directly to the cellular level, unlike any other traditional pill or liquid form.

Nano-technology refers to creating micro particles of the active material one wishes to coat with liposomes - in this case Curcumin, Vitamin C, Glutathione, CoQ10, and Resveratrol. This requires expensive equipment and considerable time to complete. These micro particles are then inserted into special fat soluble materials resembling micro bubbles just a few millionths of an inch in diameter which are capable of sliding through the gut lining without being digested. The “bubbles” are now in the blood stream and are offered to the cells of the body as needed. As with the gut wall, the cell wall loves liposomes because they are made up of similar material (phosphytidal choline, lecithin, phosphytidal serine, CLA, etc) and the enclosed Anti-Cancer Supplement is delivered directly into the cell, while the liposomes are used by the cell wall or for other functions within the cell.


Doctors in Germany and other areas of Europe are now using liposomal encapsulated anti-cancer drugs as well as liposomal encapsulated anti-cancer supplements. M.D. Anderson is doing clinical trials with Nano-Curcumin and Nano-Resveratrol. Here's the thing - "Patients must have an advanced malignancy that has either failed one or more prior therapies, or for which there is no established standard of care therapy that improves survival by at least 3 months." In other words, if they can use Chemo or Radiation to extend your life 3 months, you can't be part of the trial. So they are testing these supplements on very sick individuals. Why not conduct a trial testing these Nano-technology Liposomals on people who have earlier stages of cancer to see if they can prevent metastases?

I don't need to wait for a clinical trial. I'm getting the latest technology into my body right away! I'm encouraging my husband to use it, too, as a preventative.

I felt that it was time to re-evaluate my supplements, and after learning about the liposomal encapsulated Vitamin C and Curcumin, I made the following changes:

I'm now taking 2 Tablespoons a day of Liposomal CAN-HELP Complex Nutritional Support Formula, with Liposomal Vitamin C, Glutathione, Resveratrol, Curcumin, CoQ10 and Vitamins B1, B6, B12 & Folic Acid, designed to provide nutritional support for the cancer patient.




I'm taking 1 Tablespoon a day of Liposomal Curcumin which is proven to stop angiogenesis- blood vessels that help cancer grow. "When rats with mammary cancer were given 200mg/kg of Curcumin each day for just five days, the tumors were significantly inhibited. This would mean that a 165 pound female would have to ingest 15,000 mg of Curcumin on a daily basis - unless you were using Liposomal Curcumin, then you would only need about 1,200 mg. Quite a difference! Just four teaspoonfuls of the Liposomal Curcumin would give you that amount!"



I'm taking 1 Tablespoon a day of Liposomal Resveratrol. “Resveratrol can inhibit all three stages of chemical carcinogenesis - tumor initiation, promotion and progression.” This study was later published in the medical journal Lancet.




Here are the other things I continue to take:

Bio-identical Hormones made at a compounding pharmacy and prescribed by my Naturopath, Dr. Mazza. I take Estrodial, Progesterone and DHEA. She monitors my blood and saliva to check my balance. (Update - I'm only using a tiny bit of Estrodial 2x a week.)

New Chapter whole food Calcium (2 tabs/ 3x a day)

Jarrow MK-7 (1 per day)

Carlson's Liquid Vitamin D-3 (8 drops)

Nature's Way DIM-plus (1 per day)

Natural Factors Liquid Biosil Silica (6 drops)

Integrative Therapeutics Lipotropic Complex (methylation support) (3 caps/ 2x a day)

Barlean's High Lignan Flax Seed Oil (1 Tbsp.)

Carlson's Norwegian Fish Oil (1 Tbsp.).

I get the best prices at Vitacost.com.

I found the best price on Liposomal Supplements here: 

(I am NOT compensated for my recommendations)

Healthy Items Liposomal Can-Help

Healthy Items Liposomal Curcumin

In addition to taking these liposomal supplements, I use guided imagery every day to reduce the stress hormones that suppress the immune system. It helps me to calm my nerves and activate the mind-body healing connection.

For more information, visit the Guided Imagery for Cancer Patients tab at the top of my blog.

Please leave a comment if you have a supplement that has made a difference in your treatment of cancer. Blessings to you! Jeannie

The Cancer Personality - Healing Emotions

The Cancer Personality 

Once I was diagnosed with cancer, it became my full-time job to do everything I could to empower my immune system to prevent a recurrence of the disease. That was very important because I was given a 20% chance of living 5 years, and no medical treatments had been successful at extending the survival time. It had to be my own immune system that would keep the cancer from returning. 

I knew in my heart that I had been under a lot of stress, and I was ready to relinquish control in order to heal. Working with a therapist, I completed the 28 Tasks in the Cancer Self-Healing Guide from the Puna Wai Ora Mind-Body Cancer Clinic in New Zealand. It's designed to help you heal the root psycho-emotional cause of cancer - because when life is hard, we may develop an unconscious desire to exit this life which must be addressed if we want to heal completely. 

What is the Cancer Personality Type?

According to Dr. W. Douglas Brodie: "In dealing with many thousands of cancer patients over the past 28 years, it has been my observation that there are certain personality traits present in the cancer-susceptible individual. These traits are as follows:

 

1. Being highly conscientious, caring, dutiful, responsible, hard-working, and usually of above average intelligence.

 

2. Exhibits a strong tendency toward carrying other people's burdens and toward taking on extra obligations, and often "worrying for others." 

3. Having a deep-seated need to make others happy. Being a "people pleaser" with a great need for approval. 

4. Often lacking closeness with one or both parents, which sometimes, later in life, results in lack of closeness with spouse or others who would normally be close. 

5. Harbors long-suppressed toxic emotions, such as anger, resentment and / or hostility. The cancer-susceptible individual typically internalizes such emotions and has great difficulty expressing them. 

6. Reacts adversely to stress, and often becomes unable to cope adequately with such stress. Usually experiences an especially damaging event about 2 years before the onset of detectable cancer. The patient is not able to cope with this traumatic event or series of events, which comes as a "last straw" on top of years of suppressed reactions to stress. 

7. Has an inability to resolve deep-seated emotional problems/conflicts, usually beginning in childhood, often even being unaware of their presence. 

Typical of the cancer-susceptible personality, as noted above, is the long-standing tendency to suppress "toxic emotions", particularly anger. Usually beginning in childhood, this individual has held in their hostility and other unacceptable emotions. 

More often than not, this feature of the affected personality has its origins in feelings of rejection by one or both parents. Whether these feelings of rejection are justified or not, the individual perceives this rejection as real, and this results in a lack of closeness with the "rejecting" parent, followed later in life by a lack of closeness with spouses and others with whom close relationships would normally develop. 

Those at the higher risk for cancer tend to develop feelings of loneliness as a result of their having been deprived of affection and acceptance earlier in life, even if this is only their perception. They have a tremendous need for approval and acceptance, and develop a very high sensitivity to the needs of others while suppressing their own emotional needs. 

They become the "caretakers" of the world, showing great compassion and caring for others, and will go out of their way to look after others. They are very reluctant to accept help from others, fearing that it may jeopardize their role as the caretaker. Throughout their childhood they have been typically taught "not to be selfish", and they take this to heart as a major lifetime objective. 

All of this is highly commendable in our culture, but must be somehow modified in the case of the cancer patient. A distinction needs to be made here between the "care-giving" and the "care-taking" personality. There is nothing wrong with care-giving, of course, but the problem arises when the susceptible individual derives their entire worth, value and identity from their role as "caretaker". If this very important shift cannot be made, the patient is stuck in this role, and the susceptibility to cancer greatly increases. 

As already stated, a consistent feature of those who are susceptible to cancer appears to be that they "suffer in silence", and bear their burdens without complaint. These burdens of their own as well as the burdens of others weigh heavily upon these people through a lifetime of emotional suppression. The carefree extrovert, on the other hand, seems to be far less vulnerable to cancer than the caring introvert described above. How one reacts to stress appears to be a major factor in the larger number of contributing causes of cancer. 

Most cancer patients have experienced a highly stressful event, usually about 2 years prior to the onset of detectable disease. This traumatic event is often beyond the patient's control, such as the loss of a loved one, loss of a business, job, home, or some other major disaster. The typical cancer personality has lost the ability to cope with these extreme events, because his/her coping mechanism lies in his/her ability to control the environment. When this control is lost, the patient has no other way to cope. 

Major stress causes suppression of the immune system, and does so more overwhelmingly in the cancer-susceptible individual than in others. Thus personal tragedies and excessive levels of stress appear to combine with the underlying personality described above to bring on the immune deficiency which allows cancer to thrive." 

According to the Puna Wai Ora Mind-Body Cancer Clinic, "Healing cancer begins with healing your emotions. All cancer is caused by the suppression of, and the inability to let go of negative emotions including anger, hate, resentment and/or grief or guilt. These emotions create tremendous stress in the body that causes cancer over time." 

In overcoming any serious or terminal illness, I cannot stress strongly enough the importance of a positive mental/emotional outlook. Finding love and forgiveness, for yourself and others, is paramount to emotional health. I have read many books which suggest that repressed anger, hate, resentment and grief are the root emotional causes leading to the development of cancer. I strongly believe that prolonged periods of psycho-emotional stress can culminate in serious diseases because of the way that stress suppresses the function of the immune system and its ability to destroy microscopic rogue cells before the turn into cancer. 

From the time I get up in the morning to the time my head hits the pillow at night, I like to think that everything I am doing has a purpose to promote my healing and well-being. I don't think of it as work - I like to think of it as pampering myself. If I read the statistics about uterine leiomyosarcoma online, I'll be honest - it makes me nauseous. (That's why I created this blog.) But if I keep my mind solely focused on the thing I am doing in the present moment to contribute to my health and well-being, my life is rather wonderful. 

Cancer surgeon Dr Ryke-Geerd Hamer from Germany examined 20,000 cancer patients with all types of cancer. Dr Hamer noticed that all his patients seemed to have something in common: there had been some kind of psycho-emotional conflict prior to the onset of their cancer - usually a few years before - a conflict that had never fully resolved. Dr Hamer started including emotional therapy as an important part of the healing process and found that when the specific conflict was resolved, the cancer immediately stopped growing at a cellular level. Isn't that amazing?

My personal goal has been to free myself from all past hurts, resentments and all negative emotions that have been stored in my body. When I meditate, my doctor instructed me to send Love into any area of the body that has discomfort or is an area of concern. Love and forgiveness are essential and integral components of the complementary treatment for cancer. The first step to healing is to be open to the idea of forgiveness.

My thought: "I desire to replace all pain with forgiveness, and have Love as the abiding energy in my body."

With their permission, I am reprinting the 28 Tasks from the Cancer Self-Healing Guide. (http://www.alternative-cancer-care.com/)  If you are working through the Self-Healing Guide, I'd love to hear your comments.

At first glance, I thought it would be fairly easy to answer the questions in the Cancer Healing Guide. Once I began the process of writing my responses, however, I found that was not the case. At first it was quite difficult for me to recognize and reveal negative thoughts and emotions that I never chose to acknowledge before. My default programming is to avoid conflict at all costs, and thus I also wanted to avoid writing about any conflicts in my past or present. Scheduling a regular appointment with a therapist gave me a deadline to complete each assignment, and I don't think I would have done it otherwise. My therapist had the professional expertise to help me process and release the negative emotions once I had identified them.

Here are the 28 Tasks in the Cancer Self-Healing Guide from the Puna Wai Ora Mind-Body Cancer Clinic in New Zealand:

1. Write a short paragraph that describes your relationship with your mother.

2. Write a page about what you do/did like about your mother. It does not matter if your mother is living or has passed. If you have two mothers, write one page for each.

3.  Write a page about what you do/did not like about your mother. Try to be as honest as you can. If your mother has passed, she will want you to be honest so you can heal.

4. If there were one thing only that you could say to your mother - and it was the last thing you could ever say - what's the one thing you would really like to say to your mother?

5. Write a 2-3 page letter to your mother telling her directly how you feel about her. Express to your mother how you really feel about her deep down, not just if you love her, but if you have anger towards her, or have felt rejected by her in any way. Note: Keep this letter private and do not send it. 

6. Write a short paragraph that describes your relationship with your father.

7. Write a page about what you do/did like about your father. It does not matter if your father is living or has passed. If you have two fathers, write one page for each.

8.  Write a page about what you do/did not like about your father. As with your mother, try to be as honest as you can. If your father has passed, he will want you to be honest so you can heal.

9. If there were one thing only that you could say to your father - and it was the last thing you could ever say - what's the one thing you would really like to say to your father?

10. Write a 2-3 page letter to your father telling him directly how you feel about him. Express to your father how you really feel about him deep down, not just if you love him, but if you have anger towards him, or have felt rejected by him in any way. Note: Keep this letter private and do not send it. 

11. Write a short paragraph about your childhood, how you were feeling up to the age of 15.

12. Write a page on the following: What was the most upsetting experience for you as a child? If there is more than one experience that was very upsetting, then write a page for each.

13. Are you close to your family? Do you feel rejected by anyone in your family? Write a 2-3 page letter to your family telling them directly how you feel. Note: Keep this letter private and do not send it. 

14. Write a 2-3 page letter to God or to yourself detailing how you feel about having cancer. Also, rate your level of grief/stress/trauma from 0-10 of having cancer and of being told you have cancer. (It is very important to recognize that new conflicts in your psyche may be brought on by the very stress of having cancer or of painful or nauseating therapies.)

15. Write a whole page on the following: Who has caused you the most pain in your life? How has this person caused you pain? If you feel you wish to write further about his experience, then do so.

16. Write a whole page about a time in your life when you were abused. If there were multiple experiences, then write a page for each. If you wish to write further about each, then do so. 

17. Excluding your parents, write a short paragraph about each significant relationship you have had in your life. (i.e. husband, wife, partner, spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend)

18. Write a 2-3 page letter to each of these people you have had a significant relationship with, telling each one how you feel about them. Note: Keep these letters private and do not send them.

19. Do you suppress your emotions and your emotional needs? If so, write in detail when you do this and how you do this. (A consistent feature of those who are susceptible to cancer appears to be that they "suffer in silence," and bear their burdens without complaint. Burdens of their own as well as others weigh heavily upon these people because they, through a lifetime of suppression, internalize their problems/conflicts. This suffering in silence takes the joy out of life and leads to the inner feeling that life is too hard and not worth living, leading to the subconscious wish to die.)

20. Write a 2-3 page letter to any person you are still feeling noticeably strong feelings of anger and hate for, and explain why in your letter. This may require writing an additional letter to a parent, etc. if there are still feelings of anger and hate left unspoken or not yet resolved. If you have a belief in God, you are encouraged to write a 2-3 page letter to God, expressing any anger or hate towards God you feel about your life, so it can be released and healed. Note: Keep these letters private and do not send. 

21. Cancer may be caused by a significant loss or losses in life, resulting in complicated grief. Write a 2-3 page account of each significant loss you have experienced in your life, and explain why it is so painful. If it concerns someone who has passed over (including any miscarriages or abortions), or a relationship that has ended, write a 2-3 page account of each one. 

22. Cancer is sometimes caused by guilt, a need for punishment, which brings about the condition of illness and great pain. Write a 2-3 page letter to each person you feel you have hurt or let down, including a letter to God (if you feel you have let God down, or just generally feel like a bad person). In each letter, explain why you did what you did, or why you feel like you are a bad person, and also why you feel you should be punished and for how long. 

23. Even though you may want to stay alive for your family because you love them and they love you, is there a part of your deep down that really is tired of life, feels life has no purpose or joy anymore, and maybe you wish you didn't have to endure such a hard life? This is the time for you to be completely honest and express these feelings on paper. Write a 10 page letter to God or to yourself explaining why you do not want to be here on Earth anymore. Expressing your feeling of wanting this life to end will not manifest more cancer in your body. Not expressing these feelings will. When you express them in this way, you will bring more light and healing into this part of you that is feeling tired of life. 

24. Cancer is a disease built on the energy of fear. Write a 5 page letter to God or yourself expressing your deep fears, including your fears of living on Earth and your fears about death and dying.

25. What is the number one thing you want for YOU in your life? What do you really wish your life would be like? And what would you like to remove from your life that is causing you stress, making you tired, and depleting your will to live? Write a 10 page letter to yourself explaining what you would like your life to be like and why you deserve it. It is typical of the cancer personality to put the needs of others first while ignoring their own needs/dreams/desires. Many late-stage cancer survivors have in common the fact that they went on to pursue their dreams despite their dire diagnoses. 

26. Write a 2-3 page account of why you believe you have cancer. (The Puma Wai Ora Center teaches that a person who has cancer has suppressed many emotions throughout their life, and there is usually a final "trigger" event that occurs approximately two years prior to diagnosis that causes a subconscious wanting to die and the resultant cancer.) Write about your unhappiness in life, your desire to "exit" life at certain points, and also what you believe was the trigger event. Your desire to exit life does not mean that you had thoughts of suicide but means that you experienced that life was too hard, and you wished that the pain of life would end. 

27. Forgiving others is a key component of The Cancer Healing Guide. Write a list of everyone you feel you have not forgiven. Then write a 2-3 page letter to each of these people and explain why you are so angry with them and why you cannot forgive them. (Dr. Bernie Seigel, Clinical Professor of Surgery - Yale Medical School, "I have collected 57 extremely well documented so-called cancer miracles. At a certain particular moment in time they all decided that the anger and depression were probably not the best way to go, since they had such little time left. and so they went from that to being loving, caring, no longer angry, no longer depressed, and able to talk to the people they loved. These 57 people had the same pattern. They gave up, totally, their anger, and they gave up, totally, their depression, by specifically a decision to do so, and at that point the tumors began to shrink."

28. Write a 10 page letter to God or to yourself explaining WHY you want to live. Then once a week after that, read it out loud to affirm your resolution and determination that you now choose life. You may also want to record it on tape, instead of saying it out loud, listening to it once a week or daily. 

Lymphatic Drainage for Cancer Patients

Happy Valentines Day to Everyone!

What I Do To Empower My Lymphatic System

 When you are fighting cancer, you need your immune system to heal your body while at the same time destroying the microscopic cancer cells that can lead to metastasis. The lymphatic system is an important part of our immune system and very important to overall health. It's responsible for removing waste, toxins, and other unwanted material out of your cells and tissues so they can be flushed out of your body. 

There are over 600 lymph nodes dispersed throughout your body which work along with lymph fluid & vessels and lymph organs & tissues to help the body defend itself against disease. The lymphatic system produces white blood cells and generates disease-fighting antibodies. It rids your body of toxins and cellular waste, but that's not all - it is also responsible for carrying away cancerous cells! So we want it to be working efficiently, don't we? If your lymph stops flowing freely, your garbage begins to pile up as waste accumulates in your cells and tissues. 

Lymphocytes attack bacteria and viruses in the blood. They can multiply to attack foreign agents and are carried to all of the tissues in our body by the lymph vessels. Unlike your blood which has a beating heart to move it along, the lymph depends on physical movement in order to keep it flowing. If you don't move much, your lymph doesn't move much either. That's why its important for us to engage in some form of bouncy movement every day, like brisk walking. 

The lymph fluid moves through vessels that are filled with one way valves, so the lymph always moves in the same direction. The main lymph vessels run up the legs, up the arms, and up the torso. This is why the vertical up and down movement of brisk walking, jumping rope, light jogging or jumping on a mini-trampoline is so effective to pump the lymph. 

There are three ways to activate the flow of lymph fluid away from the tissues, allowing it to take toxins away from the tissues and deliver them back into the blood supply for removal: 
1. Exercise and Vertical Movement 
2. Gravitational Pressure 
3. Massage of the Valves of the Lymph Ducts (by a therapist or by dry skin brushing). 

If you are able to go to a therapist trained in the art of lymphatic massage, it would be a great complimentary treatment. I would like to do another 3 day fast with wheat grass and fresh vegetable juice, accompanied by lymphatic massages. This is something we did at the Optimum Health Institute.  

Another way to manually "massage" and encourage the lymph to drain is to practice dry brushing. You need a  long-handled, natural-hair, skin-brush made specifically for dry skin brushing.  Brush your skin when it is dry (usually just before getting in the shower). Brushing strokes correspond with the flow of the lymph which is toward the heart: start with circular motions on the soles of the feet, stroke up each leg, up each arm, up the groin, across the armpits to the chest, etc. Brush gently down from the sides of neck to the armpits. Don't brush nipples. Don't brush wet skin. Brush the back from the spine out to each side.  Brush in counter-clockwise circles over the abdomen (corresponding with the flow of elimination).

For daily lymphatic drainage, rebounding is a fantastic exercise. It has the same effect on your body as jumping rope without the jarring effect to the ankles, knees and lower back that comes from hitting the ground. During the course of a rebounding session, the vertical bouncing creates the gravitational pressure and motion to effectively move and recycle the lymph and blood supply through the circulatory system many times.  Gentle bouncing for 10 to 20 minutes a day is all that is needed to stimulate lymph drainage. Your feet barely need to leave the mini-trampoline to be effective. I have recently added rebounding for lymphatic drainage to my regular exercise program of walking with periodic short bursts of jogging in the fresh air and sunlight.  

UPDATE: If you have osteoporosis of the spine, avoid jumping as it may cause compression fractures. In that case stick to mild bouncing without the feet leaving the trampoline, or stick to brisk walking!

Non-Toxic Hair Color for Cancer Patients

Finding a Fabulous, Non-Toxic Hair Colorant

Non-Toxic Hair Color for Cancer Patients 

 A woman’s hair is her crowning glory, a sign of good health and beauty. It’s important for a woman who has been diagnosed with cancer to maintain her appearance – the reflection you see when you look in the mirror will send a signal to your brain, and when it recognizes that you are “looking good,” it reinforces the idea in your mind that you are going to recover and return to vibrant health. That’s why I consider taking care of my hair part of my healing protocol!

Whether you are newly diagnosed or in the early stages of remission, scary thoughts are bound to go through your mind. It’s important to realize that your mind has a profound effect on your healing and the body’s ability to prevent the recurrence of disease. Negative thoughts and anxiety release the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline which suppress the immune system, lowering your ability to remain cancer-free. Stress can also cause your hair to fall out! In addition to using non-toxic products on your hair, please explore guided imagery and meditation designed to TURN OFF STRESS HORMONES and allow healing energy to flow through your body.

Within weeks of being diagnosed with uterine leiomyosarcoma (a rare and very aggressive cancer), I went to see an extremely reputable naturopath. Intuitively, I knew there had to be a reason my body got cancer, and I wanted to get to the bottom of what that was. Dr. Mazza ordered several lab tests which revealed that my body had very high (literally off-the-charts) levels of certain chemicals commonly found in grooming and personal care products. The worst offenders were parabens, phthalates, and chemicals found in hair dyes.

Dr Mazza explained that there is only so much chemical contamination the body can tolerate before it leads to a toxic crisis. Many chemicals we are exposed to in our environment are endocrine disrupters, interfering with the production or activity of hormones in the human endocrine system. Unless the cause of the toxicity is discovered and removed, the crisis will eventually lead to organic disease such as breast and reproductive cancers. I needed to reduce the toxic burden in my body which meant that I needed to use non-toxic, self-care products!

Before I was diagnosed with cancer, I was going to the salon on a regular basis to get highlights. This picture was taken several years before my diagnosis. 

Before I was diagnosed with cancer, I was going to the salon on a regular basis to get highlights. In fact, my hair was more blonde than brown! I knew that I had to give up my highlights, and I was okay with that, but I wasn’t ready to stop coloring. So I went in search of the best non-toxic way to color and care for my hair. My hair is naturally curly, and it takes a lot of product to keep those curls looking good. When choosing hair color, I didn’t want a product with peroxide or ammonia because they damage the hair and make it frizzy. So here was the challenge: to find a non-toxic product that would have the ability to cover a little gray without using peroxide while providing a natural looking medium brown color.

Surya Henna Powder gave me gold, red and copper hues.

At first I tried Surya Henna Powder which is free of PPD, parabens, resorcinol, heavy metals, peroxide and ammonia. It left my hair shiny and in great condition, but even their "ash" brown had a lot of red in it. That's because gold, red and copper hues are characteristic of the henna plant. If red highlights compliment your skin tone, this would be a lovely choice for you.

Searching for a non-toxic, non-henna, ash brown hair color, I came across Palette by Nature. They make their hair dye from living plants using the latest scientific achievements in green chemistry. The result is a 100% naturally-derived plant based permanent hair colorant that is free of PPD, resorcinol, m-aminophenol, p-aminophenol, toluene, 2.5 diamine, azo-dyes, diazo-dyes, disperse dyes, ammonia and parabens - all synthetic chemicals which are known allergens and suspected carcinogens. It is the cleanest hair color on the market.

 

Palette by Nature does not damage the hair so I can grow my hair much longer than before.

Palette by Nature's 6N Light Natural Brown produced a medium-dark brown color without any red undertones. It changed my grays to golden highlights. In order to cover a minor amount of gray, however, I had to keep the product on my head longer than recommended (about double the processing time). The directions tell you to pile your hair under a cap and keep it warm with a hair dryer in order to open the hair shaft and allow the color to penetrate. That method doesn’t work well with super long hair as only the ends of the hair receive the heat, making the color absorb unevenly. Since my hair is so long, this only served to darken the ends and made the color uneven, but if I had short hair I would definitely use that method. Thus, increasing the processing time was the way I achieved a better result. Once I was finished, the color was permanent and did not fade. I also tried 5N Medium Natural Brown (a very dark brown shade) and 4N Dark Natural Brown (almost black) which offered more coverage for the grays, but were too dark for my complexion.

As the years go by, more grays appear in my crown and temples. I felt like I needed to use a product with a little peroxide in order to get the coverage I need in those particular areas. Naturtint makes a permanent hair colorant with no parabens, ammonia, resorcinol, silicones, paraffin, mineral oils, SLS or formaldehyde derivatives, but it does have a small amount of PPD’s. I purchased a box of 5N Light Chestnut Brown from my local health food store. One box was enough to cover the bangs, crown, and temples of my hair. The application was easy, the gray coverage superb, and the color rich. It was so nice that I decided to buy three boxes and color my now near-waist-length hair, wanting a uniform color throughout. In no time my hair began to feel dry and frizzy. The peroxide was too much for my delicate, curly locks. Frankly, my hair felt like straw – I ended up having to cut quite a bit off in order to reduce the damage it had done!

I returned to Palette by Nature and my hair just loved it! It was full of shine, bouncy curls and a nice dark brown color. But I still needed a product with peroxide to treat just the roots of my bangs, crown and temples. I decided to try another product that is fairly non-toxic but does contain a very small amount of PPD’s – it’s called Tints of Nature.

 According to the manufacturer, Tints of Nature is the only available line of permanent hair colors to use natural, certified organic ingredients wherever feasible. The highly effective formula also has a naturally derived base. It is paraben free and contains no harsh ammonia, resorcinol or nonoxynol, thus helping to ensure damage free results. It contains extra mild, low odor, pharmaceutical grade peroxide and the lowest possible percentage of PPD pigments. I chose Tints of Nature 4CH Rich Chocolate Brown which gave me a gorgeous brown color with golden highlights. But I will not use it all over my head – only to treat the stubborn grays! Once the grays have been treated once with a peroxide formula, Palette by Nature will continue to manage them while keeping my hair shiny and healthy-looking.

Administration Notes:

For shorter hair, one box of Palette by Nature will have ample coverage. For longer hair, you will need two boxes, and if you have thick, near-waist-length hair, you might just need three. Choose from the shades called natural if you want to avoid red tones. Yes, it is the most expensive of all of the non-toxic hair colorants, but it is also the only one that is absolutely free of all harmful chemicals, including PPD. I recommend having 3 large bath towels that are devoted to covering the surfaces around you when you use this product. Cover the floor you are standing on as well as all of the countertop. This hair color will stain! Once you have applied it and have your cap on, make sure to remove all stray color from your skin or it will stain your skin, too. Use plenty of conditioner to aid the rinsing out process in the shower, and take advantage of the bottle of stain remover included in the package to clean the shower floor. Once you are done, this color will last. It does not fade like all of the other hair colors do!

Update - I Love Madison Reed Hair Color!

My hair has turned grayer with age and now requires a hair color product that can cover gray well. I discovered Madison Reed hair color! Like Tints of Nature, it covers gray, but I found it to be more multi-dimensional in color and they offer a huge range of choices. 

                                            December 2020 - age 64 and 12 years free of disease!

As you can see in the picture above in the natural sunlight, Madison Reed creates a very natural shade of brown. The shade I use is called Siena Brown 6NAV. I color my roots as needed, but only color my entire hair every 4-6 months to keep it from becoming damaged. Madison Reed hair color lasts and remains pretty even as it fades a bit over time. 

If you must color your hair, choose the least toxic way to do it! Madison Reed has removed the most toxic ingredients in hair color while still providing you with a formula that covers gray and looks as multi-dimensional as a professional salon colorant. 

Please visit some of my other posts for more ideas on how to use the mind-body connection to fight cancer and explore clinically proven natural and integrative treatments that promote cancer cell death while increasing your quality of life and well-being.

A Note About Supplements for the Hair:

I lost 1/3 of my hair and had to cut it off just past my shoulders following my cancer surgery/hysterectomy.  I was feeling extremely fatigued, depressed and my hair was falling out in huge fist-fulls due to a sudden loss in hormones. After meeting with naturopath Dr. Monique Mazza, I began taking a small amount of bio-identical hormones. Just a tiny amount applied vaginally turned my world around. I felt happy and full of energy. My hair grew back! Other great supplements I take that also benefit my hair include Natural Factors Biosil,  Barlean's high lignin flax seed oil and Carlson's fish oil. This is the first time since I was in my 20's that my hair has grown this long!