Cancer is a Four-Letter Word!

No.  It's worse than a four-letter word.  It's much more devastating than a few choice expletives. Heck, if you know me, you probably know that I kind of like cussing.  But cancer itself is a curse.  It's murder.  And unfortunately, I think it could also be suicide.

Don't get me wrong.  I don't believe people set out to kill themselves with cancer.  But I do believe we unknowingly hurt ourselves by the choices we make.

These days, we have to question everything - what we eat, what we put on our bodies, what we clean with, what we drink out of, what fabrics and textiles we surround ourselves with, and what medications we use.  We even have to be careful about the water we drink!

Now, I'm not saying that each and every one of these causes cancer, but in some people some of these things can contribute to healthy cell death, and the growth of cancer cells.  That's the most frustrating part.  No one tells you specifically WHAT to avoid, but that's because each and every one of us has a different genetic makeup, and therefore we react differently to the various stimuli that we come into contact with.

It's like the person who smokes a pack a day, versus another who does the same.  One gets cancer of the mouth, or trachea, or lungs, and the other lives to be a hundred and five.  There is no sense to it.



Some of you may know the battle my mom has been fighting.  A non-smoker, she had to have a lung transplant 15 years ago.  The fact that she has survived this long is amazing, as many transplant patients sadly don't last this long.  But, because of all the anti-rejection medications she takes, she is more susceptible to skin cancer.  She had several checkups where they did Moh's surgery to remove small cancerous spots, but about three years ago, they found a bit more, and she ended up with half of her nose removed.

Fast forward - she had plastic surgery to repair the nose, but a year later, that too had to be removed.  So two years has passed and yet again, even more cancer.  She has lived for two years with a hole in her face, and now, they will probably take more.  It just isn't fair.  I'm grateful for the extra time we've been given, but I'm so angry because I feel that the medical profession doesn't know as much as we think they know.

We trust their knowledge and expertise - and yes, I do believe they know what they are talking about - but I don't believe they have ALL the knowledge.  I don't believe they understand fully just how the body works.  At times, I feel like it is the blind leading the blind, but we trust and follow them because we're not as knowledgeable about the medical field.  After all, they ARE doctors, right?  I would like, for just once, a doctor to examine reasons and treatments beyond textbook knowledge and pharmaceutical drug-pushing.

I've had so many friends and family who have had to deal with cancer - and many more who have had family members with this disease.  Some have succumbed, some have survived, and some are still battling.  I'm so sick of hearing, "there's nothing we can do," or that surgery, radiation, or God forbid, chemo is the only way to deal with it.  We poison the body to kill the cancer cells.  Just let that sink in.

We need to become more educated about our own bodies and the products we use.  There is something we can do, but we have to be proactive and preventative, not reactive.  We have to protect ourselves, be informed, and not stick our heads in the sand, afraid to trust our instincts.  Change is needed, and however hard it is, if we don't recognize and do something about our health, then we may be putting ourselves at risk.

Some great cancer surviving gurus offer a lot of insight to life-changing behaviors and habits.  Check them out, if you're interested!

Chris Beat Cancer

Kris Carr

The Truth About Cancer

Ch - Ch - Ch - Change!

I believe that people can change - if they want to change.  It's never too late, and those who profess they are too old are just offering an excuse because they aren't ready to tackle the work needed to make change happen.  Changing a habit takes a lot of work and it takes time.  It can be extremely frustrating, too, filled with what seems like minor successes, shadowed by multiple failures.  Still, if we persist, we succeed.  

That's another lesson I try to instill in my students.  Being smart is an advantage, sure, but the truly successful people are those that have a passion for whatever they do, work hard, and persist.  "Assiduous" is the word we learn to encompass this idea.  If you're not willing to work hard, just being smart or gifted is not going to get you there.

I can be assiduous in so many ways, but I fail miserably when it comes to food ... and exercise.  Oh, I've done better this summer with my "occasional" walks, but it hasn't been enough to warrant any real change.  Somewhere deep inside, I need to find my motivation.  That's hard, of course, because changing habits and deciding to alter your behaviors, your lifestyle, or anything at all in your life takes time.  I, for one, am an "instant gratification" type of girl.  If I can't see results quickly, I give up or lose interest.  (Might explain the 3-4 crocheting projects piled up around the house and the quilt I never finished ...)

Patience is a virtue ... but she's a bitch, too!  I can be cool, calm, and collected about a lot of things, but it seems that when it comes to my body, I cave.  Anyone got a few helpful hints for me?  

Well, I'm not such a disaster as I may seem.  I can tell you one thing I changed - and it has been positive every step of the way.  When I first discovered essential oils and a way to break free from all of the toxins around me, I embraced it like the world would end if I didn't.  I believed in the power of these oils and I am so glad that I wasn't lazy about changing my lifestyle.  Sure, it would have been so much easier to ignore what I learned about toxins and other harmful chemicals, but that would be living a lie.  

I think many of us do that ... if it's not convenient to our lifestyle and not motivating enough, we ignore the warnings or diminish their importance.  Or, we pay attention, but put it on the back burner, feeling guilty that we aren't making progress towards change.  But the changes that I made for essential oils were not hard at all.  I just had to believe that getting the toxins out of my house and my body (and my family's bodies) was going to be so much more beneficial and worth the little bit of extra effort.  And I have seen big changes in how I feel, how I look, and how I move.  Change pays off!

So, do you feel stuck?  Are you living less than your best life?  You want to change something in your life, but you don't know how?  Well, you will remain stuck until YOU do something about it.  And you can.  Yes, you can.  It's time to get creative.  Whatever it is that you don't like about your current life, brainstorm what it would look like if things were different.  

I know, this post is long, but bear with me.  Here is an activity that a wise friend shared with me.  Take a piece of blank paper and fold it down the middle.  On one side, take three minutes to draw your life as it is now.  Your "current state." No, you don't have to be an artist, just draw stick figures if you want.  And draw fast!  Set a timer and limit yourself to three minutes.  Then set another three minutes and draw on the second side of the paper - this time, what you envision for your desired reality.  In other words, your dream life!  When you're done, take some time to evaluate both drawings.  It becomes crystal clear what needs to change.  Finally, draw three big 2-dimensional arrows crossing from side A to side B.  In each arrow, write one action that will help you to get from side A to side B.  When you're done, you've got the tools for change. You've got your current reality.  You've got your dream life.  You've got your action steps. Now go get 'em!

PS - After I wrote this, I was sent this link from the Mayo Clinic.  Fits right in!
How to Make Healthy Habits Stick

Girl, Pay Attention!

I engaged in another opportunity to "work" on me this week.  My good friend, Laurie, and I went to the "event" Made for More, a movie/documentary by Rachel Hollis, author of Girl, Wash Your Face.  The piece included many inspirational clips from an event called "Rise," that she and her tribe put on each year.  

Rachel seems to have it all together as she preaches, teaches, and cheers the women who flock to hear her wisdom.  But she professes that she is a hot mess, in fact, beginning the first chapter of her book describing how she wet her pants in front of other people while jumping on a trampoline.  My kind of girl!  (No, I haven't had that happen ... yet!)

I found the movie inspirational, and reminded me of a lot of the lessons she talks about in Girl...  Except, for me, once I've finished a book, I tend to forget about it.  I pledge at the time, while sopping up ideas and strategies, that this book will make a difference, but then life interferes again and I end up going back to old habits.  But Rachel's message rings so true and I want to share a few of my takeaways - knowing full well that others may have interpreted the experience differently.

1. Drink half your weight in ounces of water.  I love water, I do!  But when I get busy, I forget to drink it - and when I'm working I have to be careful not to drink too much because I am locked in the classroom!  But I think I will find a pitcher that can hold my daily dose of water and keep it where I can see it, as a trigger.  This is just common sense and I should be able to achieve this goal, right?

2. Take care of your body.  You can't do anything if you're not fit and strong, so get it together.  Yeah, this made me jump out of bed on Tuesday to go walk my 2 miles, only to find it was raining.  That and we had someone coming to the house to give us an estimate ... Yeah, I'm weak.   I am still searching for both motivation and just the right type of exercise (or exercises?) that will work for me.  I carry a lot of shame with that one.

3.  Stand up for each other as women.  This one hit hard.  Rachel had women check off from a list all of the things that were true on a nasty laundry list of feelings, conditions, and experiences.  There were some tough "truths" on that list ...  from being abused, to feeling inept, to hating the way you look.  It took bravery just to fill it out, but then the papers were collected and passed around so that no one knew whose paper belong to anyone.   As the list was read, women "stood up for their sister" to help acknowledge that we are not alone in our struggles.  Rachel also preaches to stop judging and support each other - but, at the same time, surround yourself with your tribe.  

Sadly, I think I am guilty of judging others.  I think we all do this to some extent - but not in a malicious way.  I think we are judging to see where we fit in, where we stand in the world of _________ - fill in the blank.  It is a self-esteem building activity to help us feel good about ourselves.  "Oh look at her. She's not a good mother.  I'm better than her."  Or "She's so fat she makes me look skinny!"  Nonsense shit like that.  But since we share so much in common with our sisters, we should be supporting one another, not knocking them down, even if the harmful words are never actually spoken.  Honestly, I would love to stop competing with my ideal of what I should be - and stop comparing others to my ideal.  We never know someone's back story - and that can make all the difference.  Once we hear someone's hard luck story, everything makes sense and we are at once sorry for thinking those nasty thoughts.  But I'm going to try to live my life without judgement now - and pretend that I already know the back story.  After all, everyone has a story that we know nothing about, and the best thing we can do is support each other with no conditions.  I want to grow my "tribe" and help them to be their best, as I would want them to support me.

Now, I think I will go back and reread Girl, Wash Your Face -- and take some notes!  And then, just maybe, pay a bit more attention and start implementing the ideas I jive with.  (And then I'll be ready for her next book coming out in March!)

Let me hear from you!  Are you guilty of judging?  Do you seek a great tribe?   Try this - give a complement to another woman today... someone you don't know.  You'll feel great - and so will she.  Let's lift each other up, Girl!

Balance & Wholeness

It's funny to talk about balance because I feel in some aspects of my life, I have good, healthy balance.  But in other areas ... ugh.  Do you feel that way?  We strive for happiness in this world, but I recently read a quote that resonated with me.

Happiness is not permanent.  Wholeness is.  Don't confuse these.

What the heck does that mean?  Wholeness?  Well, to be whole is to be filled up, right?  To have all your parts?  YOUR parts.  So am I whole?  What are my parts?  I searched for some answers from the Wise Google, and found another similar quote.

So, happiness is not permanent.  That makes a lot of sense.  There's a balance that plays out throughout our lifetime, constantly striving to return to happiness.  And from yet another quote, we can't really appreciate happiness if it is all we know.  If we didn't have the rain, we would not appreciate the beauty of a sunny summer's day ... you get the idea.

But let's get back to wholeness.  I feel whole.  A LOT of whole.  But that doesn't equate to "wholeness" in the sense that the author intends.  Wholeness, to me, means having the basic needs in your life complete - or nearly complete.  Basic needs?  Well, those we need for survival - food, shelter, clothing, safety, security, etc.  But as in Maslow's hierarchy, we must also provide for our psychological needs, and those of self-fulfillment.  And since it is a hierarchy, the basic needs must be satisfied before the we can feel accomplished and fulfilled.

Back to balance.  As the title of this blog suggests, I feel I am still a work in progress.  I would like to  think most of us are ...  still dreaming and working to that dream that fulfills us - and perhaps changing the dream several times over a lifetime.  I've got the basic physiological and safety needs down.  I have a loving relationship with my spouse and strong relationships with my family.  I always feel a little on the outside looking in with regard to friendships, but I have some good friends I can depend on when things get tough.  Esteem.  Yeah, I feel appreciated by others and I've accomplished some major goals in my life.  I guess the area I am still working at is in self-actualization, the tip of the pyramid. 

Creativity?  I've got that pretty much down, I believe.  It's something that comes naturally to me and that I enjoy.  But the "full potential" part is daunting.  How can we know our full potential?  Frankly, we can't.  I often hear that term bantered about in education ...  but should there be a limit to our potential?  Is it something we can even reach?  I believe there is no ceiling to potential - it just keeps growing with you, opening new doors and setting higher heights.  We shouldn't limit children to reaching a particular goal if they are capable of much more.  So, achieving one's full potential is a matter of balance -- and to some extent, a matter of choice.  

What we choose to work on for our self improvement may change over time.  One year we may be all about education - reading everything we can get our hands on about a new topic of interest.  Another year it may be about health and wellness, or perhaps a career change.  Perhaps that feeling of "wholeness" comes from balancing all the parts of your life and continually moving forward to keep growing those parts, but perhaps at different times.     Wholeness isn't a static entity.  It's fluid and malleable - like clay - you can shape it anyway you like, and keep changing it.  

In one of my gifted classes, we learn about "multipotentialites."  Yeah, it's a contrived name by the author of a TED Talk, Emily Wapnick.  She has a theory that there are many people out there who have this condition known as multipotentiality.  Boy, would that be a nightmare to live up to!  "Not only can you become a surgeon, but when you're done with that, you can be a rocket scientist, too!"  Okay, no.  It's not exactly like that ...

Multipotentiality is an educational and psychological term referring to the ability and preference of a person, particularly one of strong intellectual or artistic curiosity, to excel in two or more different fields.^[1] [2]

It can also refer to an individual whose interests span multiple fields or areas, rather than being strong in just one. Such traits are called multipotentialities, while "multipotentialites" has been suggested as a name for those with this trait. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multipotentiality 

Yeah, it's on Wikipedia, so it's a real thing. 

I especially like teaching this to 6th graders because for most of their life, they've been labeled "smart" or "genius" and been asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"  That can be overwhelming to a kid.  Why limit yourself to just one career or topic of study when you have a thirst for so much more?  

In order to fulfill your multiple goals, you will need balance.  No one can do everything at once.  It's impossible.  Well, maybe not impossible, but superhuman at the least.  There is just too much in our lives to deal with to not let some things go at some point.  Don't worry, you can pick it up later.  It will be there waiting.  So pick something, and while you're working on it, keep the other plates spinning.  Yeah, I know.  One or two may fall.  That's okay.  That's being human - and learning from our experiences.  Balance can't be achieved without a learning curve.  So you drop a few plates.  I bet you learned something.  Keep trying and you'll get there... just in time to set your sights on something new.  And that's living life to the fullest, right?

RESOURCES:

Multipotentialite Website

Emily Wapnick TED Talk

Preaching and Teaching

I've been preaching lately.  Yeah, I know.  It's something I find myself doing a lot because I am obsessed with Essential Oils.  Oh, I don't think that's a bad thing.  No!  I have adopted Gary Young's philosophy and mission that every home NEEDS these oils, and that I'm just one in an army of many trying to spread the word.  So yeah, I preach.

But today I'm going to talk about preventative care.  That's really where it is at.  We shouldn't binge on food or alcohol one night, then get up and run a marathon the next day to make up for it.  What kind of sense is that?  Yet, for many, that's how we live.  We indulge in ... whatever ... and then try to deal with it.  

Unfortunately, much of our lives today is filled with silent killers.  We don't see it coming.  We don't even know it's happening until it's too late.  And it's probably not our fault because, after all, that's how we were taught to live.  We tend to live in a way very similar to that which our parents live.  We buy the same products and eat the same foods.  We even use the same laundry detergent, right?  Okay, so you may have made some changes, but we live and grow the way we are taught.

Well, I'm here to tell you that mama ain't always right.  (Sorry, Mom!)  We've come to live in a world of convenience and instant gratification.  Anything that makes the daily grind a little easier is gratefully adopted.  Think back to the 50s and all those TV dinners ...  I bet they thought those were the bee's knees!  Yet, today we know that they are highly processed and filled with chemicals that are not good.  Nutritional they ain't.  So, over time, this fad passed.  But now we have replacements that seem better, but in reality aren't much better. Ramen Noodles?  Frozen pizza?  Canned pasta?  Even mac & cheese from a box made with powdered cheese - really, how good could that be for us?  In Europe, there are many products that are banned because of toxic ingredients.  Take a look at this site - it was a shocking to me to find some of our best loved foods on this list!

American Foods Banned in Europe

But I'm not just talking about processed foods.  There are silent killers everywhere in our homes and unless you take a proactive stance, you're going to let them affect your health without even knowing.  

Here are some chemicals that have been banned in Europe, but can still be found in US products.  The list of what these chemicals can do to you is somewhat shocking, and the fact that they are banned in other countries makes it worse.  We cannot trust that a product on the market is safe -- you need to take matters into your own hands!

TALC - linked to ovarian cancer, gynecological tumors, and mesothelioma

Found in baby powder, face powder, deodorant

COAL TAR - linked to lung, kidney, bladder, and digestive tract cancers

Found in hair dyes, rosacea treatments, dandruff treatments, and some shampoos

TRICLOSAN - linked to hormone disruption, immune system damage, the development of antibiotic-resistant germs, and potentially skin cancer

*Banned in antiseptic products (like hand sanitizer), but still found in some toothpaste (especially Colgate Total)  Hello?

BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE (BHA) - linked as an endocrine disruptor & carcinogen

Found in personal care products was a preservative, and in some food!

Hair products, lip balm, makeup, sunscreen, fragrance, antiperspirant, deodorant

ETHANOLAMINES - linked to liver tumors and organ system toxicity

Found in soaps, hair conditioner, hair dyes, shampoo, shaving cream, mascara, eye liner, eye shadow, blush, foundation, fragrance, cleaning products, waxes, lotions, and sunscreen.

PHENACETIN - linked to malignant mammory tumors, renal pelvis tumors, and anemia

Found as a stabilizer in hair bleach and hair removal treatments

METHYLISTHIAZOLINONE (MIT) linked to inhalation toxicity, and neurotoxic effects

Found in shampoo (including baby shampoo), hair color, conditioner, shaving cream, makeup remover, lotions, sunscreen, mascara, hair spray

Had enough yet?  It's scary what is out there on the shelf.  And that list is only the chemicals that are banned in Europe.  There are many more toxins that are dangerous for us, but not enough for the government to do anything about ... yet.  I spent years buying Suave shampoo and no-name products to try to save some money, but who knew what harm I could have been doing to my family?  Since I began my journey two and a half years ago, I have made it my mission to eliminate as many of these toxic chemicals as I can.  I want to know the ingredients in the products I use on my body, to clean with, or even in the foods we eat.  If not, who knows what damage these silent killers are doing?

So, yes, I preach!  I urge all of you to take the first small steps to start replacing or eliminating the toxins in your life.  Yup.  Start small.  It's way too overwhelming to do it all at once.  Train yourself to start looking at ingredients.  I've listed a few websites below where you might start.  Much of our good health begins with proper maintenance.  You wouldn't abuse your car - neglecting to check the oil or have the tires rotated until there was an issue, right?  (Or if you do, you realize how quickly the mechanic's bill can add up!)  I don't want to find a laundry list of maladies when I visit my doctor, and I don't want that for you.  Start with prevention!  Be proactive in knowing exactly what you're putting in and on your body - and those of your loved ones.  

A quick story, and then I'm done ...  It's never too late to start getting control of your life and your health.  My 80-something year old aunt smoked from the time she was 16 until she was about 75.  At the urging of family and friends, we tried to get her to quit, and she did try, but it never too hold.  Then she got scared straight when they found lung cancer.  Long story short - she quit smoking and took responsibility for her health, and she's looking better than ever and in better health than she's been for quite some time.  So, get moving and start making the hard choices that will bring you into your full wellness potential!

RESOURCES FOR YOU:

Environmental Working Group - info about products and what is currently being done in the US

US Environmental Protection Agency

Chemicals in your home - This one is crazy to me!  We're surrounded!

THINK DIRTY APP - get this and then scan your products at home to see how they rate!

Healthy Living Tips

EWG also has several apps for Healthy Living and Food Scores ...  (I have not yet used these, but I'm thinking of trying them!)

RESOURCES USED:

https://www.thepaleomom.com/chemicals-banned-in-europe-that-are-allowed-in-the-usa/