For more information about The Guardians of the Ribbon, here you go: http://www.pinkfiretrucks.org/
Guardians of the Ribbon Driving for Cancer
September 1st, 2010See, Breast Cancer Does Bear Gifts
August 29th, 2010Breast cancer gave me a gift today. It arrived in my mailbox, and I think it’s pretty cool. Yes, I’m silly like that, thinking gifts can flow from something very frightening and life-threatening. Some day, I’ll write all about the upside of cancer. For now, I just want to share my nifty keychain!
Gift by breast cancer
Breast Cancer Prevention Through Healthy Living
August 29th, 2010
Photo: D Sharon Pruitt, Flickr
Thanks to Louise Baker for offering to write a guest post, and for doing such a good job of pulling together some of the best tips for preventing breast cancer through healthy living. Check out what she has to say, then get busy taking her advice!
Pay mind to your diet
More and more, oncologists are realizing that a healthy diet may be one of the best protective measures you can take to prevent cancer, including breast cancer.
Eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
As a general rule, the more natural the food, the better it is to eat. Fruits and vegetables have antioxidant qualities, which fight cancer. Berries are one of the most antioxidant-rich foods. Choose a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to get an array of vitamins and minerals. Farmers markets sell fresh fruits and vegetables that are not laden with pesticides the way they are at grocery stores. Whole grains refer to foods with minimal processing and almost always have more fiber than refined carbohydrates.
Avoid refined carbohydrates!
Refined carbohydrates tend to cause much steeper surges of insulin than whole grains. Insulin has a drastic effect on the release of other hormones in the body, such as the insulin-like growth factor and possibly even estrogen. These two hormones have been strongly linked to cases of breast cancer.
Be conscious of the different types of fat
Not all fat is created equal. Omega-3 fatty acids may have a role in preventing breast cancer when eaten in a 1:2 ratio with omega-6 fatty acids. While getting the proper ratio may seem like a simple feat, it is not. Fast food and other commonly eaten American foods have a much higher amount of omega-6 (anything made with vegetable oil is packed with omega-6 fatty acids).
Exercise, exercise, exercise!
Exercise can reduce the risk of breast cancer in several ways. A study done at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle gathered that women who exercise have a 22% reduced rate of breast cancer.
Lower stress levels
The mind-body connection concerning illnesses has long been researched. Findings consistently support that stress causes lowered immunity and is linked to a vast quantity of ailments, including cancer. Exercise is key to stress reduction and mental health.
Maintain a healthy weight
While changes in diet may be the best method for weight loss, exercise is the most important part of weight maintenance. According to a study performed by the National Cancer Institute, gaining weight (especially after menopause) increases the risk of breast cancer.
Avoid Certain Drugs
The following drugs have been extensively linked to breast cancer:
- Estrogen: This refers to pharmaceutical estrogen, such as the estrogen found in birth control pills.
- Alcohol: Numerous studies show that more than one drink per day can increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer. The risk increases with each additional drink.
- Tobacco: Carcinogens in cigarettes are well-noted for their cancer causing properties.
Louise Baker ranks online degrees for Zen College Life. She most recently wrote about the best colleges online.
Health Tip: Don’t Tan!
August 25th, 2010
Pre-cancer spots detected and frozen, 8/24/10
Coping with Cancer Article Online
August 23rd, 2010It’s now online — my Coping with Cancer magazine article. It was only in print form for a while, but now, you can actually click on a link and read it right on your computer. OK, here’s the link:
http://copingmag.com/cwc/index.php/feature_article/blogging_cancer/
Click now.
Odds
August 20th, 2010This pretty much makes me want to cry.
I Fell Down
August 12th, 2010
Photo: jamieanne, Flickr
After cancer, I made some big changes in my life. It all started because I wanted to lose the 10 pounds treatment had forced upon me, and because I wanted to rid my body of the toxins that had been suffocating it for a year and half.
The changes (no alcohol, no sweets, no red meat, no really fatty foods, lots of fruits and veggies, lots of exercise), well, they worked. I lost 15 pounds, got in shape, scored a great resting heart rate and super cholesterol levels, and I became healthier than ever.
Yes, it was tough at times to refuse the brownies and pass on birthday cake, but I became so happy in my skin that the few seconds it would take to stuff down a sweet treat just didn’t seem worth it anymore.
My willpower lasted for three years.
Three. Whole. Years.
And then something horrible happened.
Halloween 2009 arrived.
And I fell down.
One little bite of one little Tootsie Roll from my kids’ stash, and that was it. The sugary flood gates opened, and I just couldn’t get them closed. For nearly 10 months.
If there’s something I’ve learned about my relationship with sweets over the years, it’s this: One cookie isn’t enough. One slice of pie won’t do it. One mini Halloween treat — you get the idea, right?
So, what started with one indulgence back in October led to a feast in November, a baking frenzy in December, a free-for-all in January and February (I was training for a 1/2 marathon, and I became ravenous), and, well, there are no excuses for March, April, May, June, or July. I just ate the sweets I wanted, when I wanted, and while I really didn’t like that my scale had jumped 5 pounds and my middle felt uncomfortably soft, I couldn’t find the drive to get back on track.
Until a few weeks ago, when the tides turned.
I’m not sure how, or why, but just as hard as I fell, I got back up, and now, I seem to have my footing again. I can’t promise I’ll keep it, but for the moment, the sweets are off limits. I’m tightening up the reigns on my favorite crackers and nuts and carb-y snacks, too, and I’ve never let go of my commitment to no alcohol, no red meat, lots of fruits and veggies, and regular exercise, which means the scale is back on track, my middle is firming up, and I’m feeling a whole lot better about the skin I’m in.
Finally.
It’s been said that falling down is not what matters most. It’s the getting back up again that counts.
I agree.
Still, I hope I don’t fall again, because, really, it’s not all that fun.
Wish Upon a Wedding
August 8th, 2010
Photo: wishuponawedding.org
Wish Upon a Wedding has been making dreams come true since January 2010, and if you or someone you know would like a wedding or vow renewal despite a terminal illness and serious life-altering circumstances, this nonprofit wish-granting organization might be able to help.
Wish Upon a Wedding offers folks (regardless of sexual orientation) a chance to enjoy a very special day, free of stress, while surrounded by family and friends.
There are more than a dozen chapters serving wish applicants who want to get married within 300 miles of one of the chapter locations, so take a moment and check out this rockin’ place!
Then submit your wish.
You can also become a Wish Granter, and you can volunteer in all sorts of other ways, too, like donating airline miles and wedding products, and of course, money, since that’s kinda what makes the world go ’round, you know?
Tina Takes On Cancer
July 30th, 2010
Happy family, fighting cancer
She has two little girls, a really great boyfriend, a job she loves, and a bunch of loving friends and family.
She also has breast cancer.
Tina is just 33 years old, and she is embarking on the fight of her life.
It all started just two weeks ago, and already, she’s navigating the maze of mammogram, ultrasound, biopsy, MRI, meetings with surgeons, and more. She’s asking lots of questions, shopping for wigs, and figuring out the madness that, sadly, so many women must encounter. The good news: she’s doing it all with a spunky attitude, and a whole lot of support.
Ah, support — it’s what makes her most emotional, she told me.
I understand.
The love and concern that pours out of people is nothing short of overwhelming. In part, I think it’s what helps us survive such a dreaded disease. Writes Tina on her Facebook page:
Just wanted to thank all my friends and family for showing your support with all the pink ribbons and encouraging words. I have such an amazing support system.
The pink ribbons? Her friends are using them as their Facebook profile pictures, and so Tina’s page is like a quilt of pink, nuzzling her and keeping her secure on her journey.
My prediction: Tina is going to be just fine. Even better if we all send our well wishes her way!
Coping with Cancer Magazine
July 29th, 2010If you find yourself in a cancer doc’s office anytime soon, see if you can find the latest copy of Coping with Cancer magazine (the July/August 2010 issue). Then turn to page 28, and you’ll find me staring back at you!
Thanks to this very blog, I was given the opportunity to write for Coping. My story is called, “Blogging Cancer: How and why to start blogging.” I wish I could lead you to an online version, but there isn’t one, so you’ll have to read it the old-fashioned way.
Update: 7/30/10
Wait, the webmaster of Coping magazine just left a comment that reads:
Actually, your article is scheduled to be posted on the website homepage on August 23 under our featured stories. The week of August 30 it will be the leading story on Wellness/Emotional Support landing page.
Stay tuned!!
Yay!
1 in 8 Project
July 29th, 2010
Image: 1in8 Project
1 in 8 women will get breast cancer.
If you are 1, and you’d like to share your story through words and images, visit the 1 in 8 Project website.
Just click on Get Involved to proceed.
You can also “like” Timothi Jane Graham Photography on Facebook for a peek into Timothi’s fascinating world. Timothi, a cervical cancer survivor, is the woman behind this empowering venture.
Pray for Emily
July 28th, 2010
She is only 16.
And she’s fighting leukemia.
If prayer is a part of your life, please say one for Emily.
This morning I had the realization that I am pumping poison into my own body.
Poison that can cause hair loss, sickness, joint pain, kidney problems, blood clots, bruising, chest pain, mouth sores, eye problems and much more.All of this is in order to save my life.
My precious little life.I’m just a kid who has not even begun to experience all that there is.
I’m waiting.
Waiting to explore, experience and live. LIFE. My life.Sounds melodramatic, doesn’t it. It’s not. It’s my reality. Mine and thousands of people like me. Which is the saddest thing.
That’s why this blog is so amazing to me.
Knowing that I have hundreds of people fighting with me, every step of the way is just incredible.So lets keep on fighting!
Emily has a Cancer Blog
July 23rd, 2010
emilyscancerblog.blogspot.com
This blog is about me, but it’s about so many others, too, and that’s why I write to ask you to take a moment to visit Emily over at Emily’s Cancer Blog.
Emily has only been blogging since this past Monday, and this would be a really good time to start following her. You see, Emily has just been diagnosed with leukemia, and she will begin chemotherapy on Tuesday. She will also turn 16 on Tuesday.
I’m thinking Emily could use some well wishes, some prayers, some words of wisdom, so if you could help hold her hand just a little bit, I’m sure she’d really, really appreciate it.
On Emily’s behalf, I thank you.
Breast Cancer Gear 2010
July 22nd, 2010
Thank you, Sue!
Every year, I get a package of snazzy breast cancer gear delivered right to my door, and today is great day, because my 2010 goodies just arrived — all the way from Nevada. That’s where my aunt lives, and each year at about this time, she goes to Aspen to participate in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure extravaganza. She wears a sign announcing that she’s running for me, and after she runs her butt off in my honor, she heads home and boxes up the goods she gets, then she mails them off to me. See all that loot above? That’s the stuff — a bag, a t-shirt, a pen, a pin, a Ford Warriors in Pink scarf, and more.
This year, my aunt asked me if I still wanted the packages. She wondered if maybe they are just reminders of all I’ve been through, and perhaps I don’t want to continue being reminded. I told her, without pause, that I do still want the gifts, because not only are they fun to use and share and save, they are the perfect reminder — not of what I’ve been through, but of how far I’ve come. You see, each time that box of treasures lands on my front porch, it screams out that I’ve survived for another year. And besides, there’s no avoiding reminders, no matter what anyone does or doesn’t do. I have a port scar, lumpectomy scars, radiation tattoos, a wacky chemo-induced sun/skin condition, and different hair. Yea, I don’t think there’s any real way to avoid the hints that cancer has rocked my world.
The message here: I love the gifts, I want the gifts, and by all means, send me gifts whenever you feel the urge!
