I had the honor of releasing a new book this past week. Thriving Through Cancer: A Whole-istic Approach for Your Journey, made its debut on Wednesday and was received with resounding positivity.
Many of us know someone who has been diagnosed with cancer – whether friend, family member, or acquaintance. Yet even those who don’t have a diagnosis or know someone who does will discover habits that benefit everyone, including …
Food As Information
If you have known me for any length of time, you know that I feel strongly that the food we consume has a significant impact on our body’s function. While we like to think that food provides a delightful taste experience, it is also information for our bodies. And information can be good or bad.
Nutrients are at the top of the good information list. These include the macronutrients of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. They also include micronutrients reflected in the colors of produce – the reason I encourage eating the colors of the rainbow.
What would be considered bad information? That would include chemical additives or coloring, and industrial oils included in so many processed foods. Also, an overload of added sugar or artificial sweeteners will shift your body with the wrong information.
Sleep and Restoration
Sleep is not overrated. It is actually essential for wellness. If you don’t sleep well, whether because you wake frequently, or you don’t allow enough time for sleep, your body can’t reset. Some manage with an extra cup of coffee or a daily burst of exercise, but their body won’t keep up forever.
I see the toll it takes in my clients – brain fog, dehydration (from extra coffee), hormone disruption, and weight gain. Any of these seem familiar?
Our preference for heat in the winter or air conditioning in the summer keeps a lot of people indoors. As a result, we don’t connect with nature or draw the benefit of negative ions from the earth.
Science has repeatedly demonstrated that walking in a forest can lower stress levels and blood pressure. Walking barefoot in grass or on sand, known as grounding, allows the earth’s negative ions to counter inflammation and reduce pain in the body.
Spiraling Thoughts
When researching my book, I came across the work of Dr James Pennebaker who discovered the value of free writing. He was struggling with issues in his personal life that threatened his marriage and happiness. One morning with thoughts swirling in his head, he sat down at his typewriter.
After a short pause, he began to pour out his thoughts related to his marriage, his parents, and his career through the keys. After doing this several days in a row, he discovered that his depression was lifting and a fresh clarity in its place.
The body and mind are connected. What you think of repeatedly is reflected in your body. Knowing this, it is important to help your mind release thought processes that will drag you down. This isn’t as easy as flipping a switch, but Dr. Pennebaker’s method has helped thousands and could help you, too.
There is much more covered in Thriving Through Cancer. Eating foods in an order that reduces their effect on your blood sugar. Foods that heal when you don’t feel well. Your body’s need for movement and for hope and forgiveness. Harnessing mind and body together to take advantage of the placebo effect. There’s a whole toolbox available to you.
Need Help Making Healthy Habits?
I recently had the opportunity to sit and observe a waterfall and the flow of water at its base. Water takes the shape of whatever container it occupies. It can change its form between rigid ice, nebulous steam, or fluid liquid, yet it never changes its true nature. It is both resilient and persistent.
Some of us learned to be like water early in life, while others are still fighting the current of their lives. Amy Montemarano, a world traveler with Parkinson’s disease, shares that “being like water means having the ability to flow in whatever direction and into whatever contain our life situation hands us. It doesn’t change our lives’ difficulties, but it allows us to stop struggling” and shift.
You may have a diagnosis or recognize that things aren’t working as well in your body. Don’t you think it’s time to shift the information you are providing for your body and support better function? If you don’t know where to start, I can help.
