Monday, November 29, 2010

Keeping Our Cells Young and Healthy

A recent New York Times Article: "How Exercising Keeps Your Cells Young" explains the connection between exercise and keeping the cells in our body healthy. It's hard to motivate ourselves to exercise - our doctors all tell us we should, and studies show that regular exercise can increase cancer survival by 50%... we KNOW we should.

But it's hard when we are tired, and life is so overwhelming.

Maybe if we imagine EVERY SINGLE CELL in our body getting stronger, with every stretch, with every stride, we are strengthening every cell and protecting it against cancer. That seems worth 30 minutes a day or even worth doing more today than you did yesterday. Any movement is improvement!

Think of it this way - it's cheaper, and a LOT less painful than chemo.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Is Radiation Therapy a Necessity?

My doctors recommended additional radiation because I did not use chemotherapy. Four years later, the tissue is still tender and sore - and I feel like that damage may some day turn into a new cancer. As survivors, we continually strive to prevent future cancer, and fight the damage of the treatments we endured.

Please read this important article: Is Radiation Therapy a Necessity You can't always assume your doctor is recommending what is best for you - a radiation doctor will recommend radiation for everything. It's up to the patient to weigh the risks.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Vitamin C - Not Just For Colds

Most of us try to get a little extra Vitamin C when we get a cold, maybe we drink more juice, or take a vitamin pill, but the history of the vitamin shows us that it truly is a cancer-fighting vitamin - it's not just for colds.

Much of our interest in vitamin C comes from studies done by Linus Pauling with terminal cancer patients, many of whom lived as much as 4 times longer than expected by their doctors. The Mayo Clinic tried to duplicate the study, but did not use the same parameters (they stopped Vitamin C on any shift of the patient's condition). But from his studies we have seen the affect on the immune system, and many countries around the globe now administer Vitamin C injections alongside chemotherapy to enhance the cancer-fighting effects.

But how much vitamin C? The US-RDA for Vitamin C is 60 milligrams, which is generally the amount to prevent scurvy (once a problem for sailors who weren't always able to get fresh produce). So, one could interpret this "recommended" daily amount, as being the minimum just to survive. If we are trying to fight a cold, or even cancer, our bodies need more. And our bodies do not store Vitamin C, so we have to continually take it in.

So, how do we fight cancer with Vitamin C? Clearly, just following the government recommendation, and having a glass of juice in the morning is not enough. But luckily there are lots of foods that contain Vitamin C - try to eat some of these at every meal, and as a snack between meals. It's always best to get your nutrients from unprocessed foods, but for added insurance, consider supplementing with a natural vitamin (not a synthetic vitamin). Linus Pauling gave his patients 10 grams of Vitamin C daily...

- Your body loves it, and cancer hates it.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Moving Beyond Doctors, and Healing Yourself

I am a cancer survivor.  Like many of you, I went through exhausting treatments, and the emotional drain that goes with cancer therapy.  You feel like you're fighting a battle just staying alive... but if you're like me, the treatments themselves seemed like the enemy.  I wanted to help my own body fight the cancer - I wanted to strengthen my immune system.  Instead, I felt like I was hurting the body I was trying to heal.  I was wiping out the immune system, not building it up.

This blog is about rebuilding our bodies after a cancer diagnosis.  Not rebuilding, like we go to the gym to workout our muscles, but rebuilding our immune system to fight disease.  There are so many things that fight cancer - we have the weapons.  Now it's time to use them.

My journey began by reading Ralph Moss.  I will write a more thorough review of his books, but if you haven't read any of his books yet, I highly recommend: The Cancer Industry as a good starting point to learn about the treatments and their affect on the body.  His book Cancer Therapy covers non-toxic treatments, and includes research from studies worldwide.  You won't find a more thorough or honest overview of the state of cancer treatments anywhere else.

Thank you for reading this.  I am just starting out here, and I'm excited to share the information that I found most inspiring on my path to healing!!