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Should you be worried about the coronavirus?
WHEW! this is a story that isn’t going away, and it’s creating worry in many….
So let me get straight to the point. Should you be worried about the coronavirus?
Short answer:
YES if you are elderly, have a low immune system, get sick easily, or live in an area where there are lots of cases.
Not so much if you live in the US, have a good immune system and take sensible precautions.
Let’s review some information:
Regular flu impact 2019 USA:
“CDC estimates that influenza was associated with more than 35.5 million illnesses, more than 16.5 million medical visits, 490,600 hospitalizations, and 34,200 deaths during the 2018–2019 influenza season”
-CDC.gov
Coronavirus impact 2020
“Fourteen cases have been diagnosed in the United States, and an additional 39 cases have occurred among repatriated persons from high-risk settings, for a current total of 53 cases within the United States” -CDC.gov
6 deaths have been reported so far in the US
2.3% fatality rate (mostly in immune compromised individuals like the elderly)
Look at the comparison. We aren’t freaking out about the regular flu, so why are we freaking out about this version?
Often, we focus on ALL the negatives…instead of offering free, supportive information on how people AT HOME, by themselves can boost their immune systems and take steps to completely avoid these issues.
To put this into perspective:
“On average, someone dies of CVD every 38 seconds. ... On average, someone dies of a stroke every 3.70 minutes” - Professional.heart.org
“In 2019, an estimated 606,880 people will die of cancer in the United States” - Seer.cancer.gov
“According to the CDC, 79,535 deaths occur each year due to diabetes. The number of fatalities related to diabetes may be underreported” - MedicalNewsToday.com
MERS has a 35% death rate.
Every few months, the media latches on to something NEW that is an epidemic that will surely kill us all. We cannot live our lives in fear. What we CAN do, is make sure that our nutrition is on point, our immune systems are in tact, and that we practice good hygiene.
For sure, the rapid spread of this virus is something to be monitored and aware of.
Other Thoughts:
Coronavirus can only spread through water droplets that get into your respiratory system through your mouth or nose. If you wash hands and don’t touch your face or get sneezed on, you should be ok.
Poor nutrition can weaken your immune system or strengthen it. Start prioritizing what you EAT as part of your prevention plan.
When traveling, wipe down airplane seats, wear a mask (like Vogmask.com) to keep from touching your face, and wash hands with soap and water frequently.
Anytime your immune system is compromised, you’re in danger. The deaths you ARE seeing, even over in china, are primarily showing up in the sick or elderly. If you have a kickass immune system you can get it (just like any virus) and recover, or not even notice.
Things to boost your immune system:
Plenty of Vitamin D (naturally from the sun if you can get it, high quality supplementation if you cannot.
Vitamin C - liposomal supplementation, or vitamin IV (I would recommend looking into an IV if you have been sick recently or will be traveling). Here is a cool article on how China is using IV vitamin C to treat and prevent the virus. Thankfully, you have access to this in the states and can voluntarily take advantage of it!
Supplemental antivirals and antioxidants like biocidin, elderberry syrup, liposomal vitamin C, liposomal glutathione and olive leaf extract.
Things to do to just be careful:
IF you have a weak immune system, DON’T TRAVEL. Obviously. Be smart.
If you are healthy and choose to travel:
(countries are shutting down where it’s a BIG issue so that’s already taken care of…)
Wipe down the surfaces of your airplane seat and table with alcohol based sanitizer.
Carry an alcohol based hand sanitizer with you (you can make one yourself LIKE THIS with essential oils and alcohol)
Wear a mask when traveling - mostly to keep your hands away from your face. Wash it before using again.
Wash hands regularly with soap and water. If you bite your nails or lick your fingers, STOP now.
Take your supplements!
Consider using portable diffusers with specific essential oils to purify the air in your home or on a plane. For example, studies have shown tea tree and eucalyptus are antiviral and can kill the flu virus. Some oils are even studied for treating respiratory disease (the coronavirus is primarily showing up as a respiratory issue)
So to keep it SUPER short and to the point, don’t freak out!!!! YES there are contagions, YES there are deaths, YES there are diseases that we can all get.
But guess what? STRESS weakens your immune system.
Be smart, and take the media freak out with a grain of salt. In 3 months they will focus on something new that’s going to kill you.
Do some other research!
www.drheatherpaulson.
https://holisticurgentcare.com
Check out these additional articles:
https://myersdetox.com/coronavirus-how-worried-should-we-be/
https://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/orthomolecular-journal-vitamin-c-coronavirus
OVERALL - BE SMART.
Obviously take precautions- be careful when traveling. WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP. Maybe as a positive result from all of this someone will stop biting their nails and washing their hands more
p.s. this article is in no way intended to usurp advice from your medical practitioner and is not intended as medical advice in any way. Speak with your doctor if you have concerns about your health.
Sources:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02786826.2012.708948
www.cdc.gov
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2994788/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ffj.3252
Kylene, what do you eat to stay healthy and fit?
Hi friends! I get a variation of this question a lot - whether it’s specifically in regards to MY eating, or women wanting to know what healthy eating means in general for THEM….
Maybe YOU have tried 20 different diets, you’re gaining weight, your’e tired, your’e frustrated and you simply can’t seem to move the needle. (Check out my recent post on the fad of “plant based” eating HERE.
I get it! Many of my clients begin this way as well and I’ll give the same answer I give to everyone. #YOUtrition. You can learn exactly what I mean in my podcast episode HERE or my previous blogpost HERE.
While I believe in a unique approach to each individual, here are the overarching guidelines that work for EVERYONE…
Healthy Eating Guidelines That work for Everyone
1) Avoid processed foods.
This includes anything with refined sugars, corn syrup, food coloring, or unnatural ingredients. You can simply ask - was it made by God, or made by a factory? If a factory, skip it. (I do still utilize packaged foods but I choose brands that use high quality ingredients. You can ask the question when reading the ingredient label - could I make this at home if I had the time or inclination? If so it may be an ok product. If it’s packed with words you don’t recognize - skip.)
2) Go gluten free 100%.
It doesn’t matter who you are, what your life history is, or what symptoms you are experiencing, for my clients and myself, this is a non-negotiable. You can learn more about WHY in this Youtube video HERE .
3) Go organic.
Unless a certain type of produce is a “safe” crop known not to be sprayed with pesticides and herbicides, or it has a thick skin that you do not eat, go 100% organic. Pesticides are linked to liver toxicity (which can lead to a whole host of disease but can also show up in weight gain and fatigue), cancer, hormone disruption and more….
You may even be doing your best to eat a “heart healthy” diet by starting the day off with a granola bar or oat based cereal like cheerios….but last year the environmental working group found that ONE serving of these cereals (and who measures just one serving?) goes above the “safe” limit of glyphosate for children. And I would argue there IS not safe exposure.
Microscopic particles have been shown to kill beneficial gut flora. Pesticides kill things. It also kills things in your GUT.
4) Dig deeper and get testing.
This includes food sensitivity testing, gut testing and possibly more. Simply addressing these sources of inflammation and lead to unexpected and EASY weight loss.
I personally live a life where probably 80% of the food I eat is purchased by me and made in my home. The other 20% is conscientiously choosing when out to eat without compromising core values (like being gluten free etc….).
Exercise doesn’t have much to do with it
You may be surprised to learn that as a former personal trainer, exercise is not a component of the plans I create for my clients. Now to be clear, I always encourage movement, walking, and if the client is healthy enough, exercise,. But I never lay out a fitness plan and in most cases I’m actually asking them to calm it down a bit to allow for healing.
And guess what - these clients STILL lose weight.
I’ve had clients drop 10 pounds without effort simply by following their food sensitivity test report.
I’ve had other clients from 10 pounds simply by going gluten free. Before they even GET a test result.
I personally choose to lift HEAVY, but I ONLY work out twice a week. I’m seeing amazing results. So while it would be tempting to double this amount, I listen to my body and even on weeks where we have tried 3 sessions, it doesn’t seem to give my body enough recovery time and I simply don’t feel as strong. This way I have lots of recovery time and I can not only CRUSH it every time, but I can regularly increase my weights.
Dig Deeper
If you do some of the basics and feel like you have “tried everything” but still can’t see results, that’s where a coach like me can come in and help you dig deeper!
Food sensitivity testing is certainly one of the most popular tests I run. However, I choose to run my business in a way where I never offer one test alone because I want my clients to leave with RESULTS. So while yes, many can simply follow a food sensitivity test and see some benefit, OFTEN where there are food sensitivities, there are also other imbalances in the gut so I like to pair it wit ha comprehensive stool test.
This allows me to see how we can REALLY make progress by healing the gut, removing stressors (stressors can be parasites, bacteria, food sensitivities etc….) and adding in needs ( things like minerals or vitamins your body needs).
Think Liver
Where there is weight gain and/or weight loss resistance, there is probably some liver stress, or what you might think of as a sluggish liver. Our bodies are bombarded by stressors daily and our liver does a phenomenal job but it needs two things:
1) A whole host of nutrients to function optimally
2) A break from toxins or else it can get bogged down
So for example, if you are eating a food daily that your body is sensitive too, and wearing perfume that is full of chemicals, experience a lot of mental emotional stress, and have some hormone imbalances, then your liver has a high work load!
Everything we are exposed to must go through the liver to be broken down and made non-toxic. This requires an enormous amount of energy and nutrition. In fact, your liver STORES extra nutrients for a rainy day. But if we aren’t eating a healthy diet, and instead we eat a nutrient POOR and inflammatory diet, in addition to living in the modern world, then we are setting our liver up for failure. Literally.
Fatty liver is something that is difficult to diagnose unless you actually get some imaging done for another reason. Bloodwork alone doesn't necessarily tell you that a fatty liver is developing.
If you experience fatigue regularly, weight loss resistance, pain in your right side, digestive issues, etc… your liver may need some support!
Are YOU ready to invest in YOUR health??
Interested in learning if working together one on one is the right fit for YOU? You can schedule a free functional health assessment call at the link below. This call allows me to understand your goals, your vision for health, what you have tried and determine if I am the right fit to help achieve those goals! If not, no worries, I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction by the end of the call!
Preparing for international travel
Friends! I’m going to be honest…I’m totally overwhelmed with everything we have going on over the next 2 months!
First, we are hosting a German exchange student through Keegans school. We were hoping to be in our new home and have lots of space for her but the timing didn’t work out so it’s crunch time to GET ORGANIZED in our small home and make space for her! In June, Keegan will go to Germany and live with her. It’s gonna be such a cool experience for him!
So right now we are in clean, pack, and organize mode….but just to make it more complicated, I decided to change the carpets before she gets here. Like I said, I was planning to host her in a brand new home, and when we started cleaning out the spare room to make this work I just didn’t feel good waiting on the carpets until after she’s gone. So we are getting new carpet and will have to pack everything in our bedrooms away, get it installed, and then unpack before she gets here… HA!
Right after we host her, we are all going on international travels. She is leaving back to Germany, Keegan and Patrick are going to Japan with his school over spring break, and my parents and I are going to Europe.
Pretty much as soon as we all get home our new home will be completed and we will need to sign off on it, close, and decide when to move in!
WHEW!!!!
It’s a lot on top of our already busy work schedules.
I’m definitely a planner, and one thing I’ve had to think about is traveling away from home with food sensitivities. Last November Keegan got his food sensitivities tested for the first time, along with a genetic test.
When we acted on the results, the change was immediate and dramatic. He felt better physically, and he seemed like a different kid emotionally. It was like a dark cloud lifted. He was happier, less moody, his gut felt good again…it was amazing!!!
We now have 3 tests that show he is sensitive to Gluten - a food sensitivity test, a stool test, and a genetic test. indicating predisposition.
When I researched being gluten free in Japan, apparently it’s a bit tricky.
I’ll be traveling to Prague and Vienna and it seems like it won’t be as big of a deal.
But for both of us there are precautious to be had.
Here are a few steps we are taking to make sure we stay healthy on our trips:
1) We will print out celiac travel cards.
I you go to this website you can choose which language you need and print out a card that you can show when you get into restaurants that says that it’s important your meal doesn’t contain wheat! Super helpful!
2) We will be taking gluten enzymes.
There are several to choose from, but the one I’ll send Keegan and Patrick with on this trip is Wheat Rescue by Microbiome Labs. The reason I’,m choosing this one for this occasion is because a) the bottle count is perfect for the amount of time and meals they will have while there - one at each meal. b) it’s a more comprehensive product including probiotics and beneficial yeast which will be supportive overall to their guts when on this trip
3) Keeping up on out normal supplements like vitamin C and Glutathione
Those are two major antioxidants that support your body under stress. Travel and flying is stressful on your body even if you don’t feel it emotionally! I personally feel crappy when flying and need to support my body extra.
4) STAY hydrated on the flight!!
I will be very focused on staying hydrated on our long flights!
5) Personally, I will also be ordering a new Vogmask for the long flights.
After my cancer journey in 2019, I am extra conscientious of any toxin exposure and stressor on my body so these are just a few steps I’ll be taking to be prepared. I’ve already gone through a liver support process for a month which should give my body some breathing room and I will be getting some Vitamins iVs before our travels to really give myself that extra boost!
What tips do you have for traveling with sensitivities?
Tips for lowering your BP naturally
Whew! This one hits home a little bit.
A few years ago, my husband Patrick herniated a disk in his lower back. It was debilitating. Like, couldn’t walk, drag himself to the car to get the ER painful. (by the way, he was out of state, otherwise I would have driven him, duh).
This all happened when I was very new to the functional medicine world. I’m not even sure I had my FDN training at the time. If I remember correctly, I was just fascinated with health and starting to listen to biohacking and health podcasts!
We didn’t know if this would lead to surgery, but we started digging in and doing as much research as possible - how could we help his cells regenerate? Can you heal a herniated disc? Can your body repair after this much trauma? (hint: the answer is YES!!)
What does this have to do with high BP? Well, hubby always trended high BP. My family is weird, and we think it’s fun to lay on the living room floor, try to get as calm as possible, and compete with everyone else for the lowest blood pressure setting. For Patrick however, this stresses him out. Probably because his is usually on the higher end….which also stresses ME out….
So when he herniated his disc, his BP shot through the roof. And it would NOT come down - when you are in pain, this is a common side effect.
Thankfully, as we incorporated ALL the woo we could get our hands on to stimulate cell health, repair, support his blood pressure, and support his body.….he began to heal. His back repaired itself and within a year or so he was lifting weight and working out again. His blood pressure also came down.
Fast forward to 2018 - BP back up! Idk, I was diagnosed with cancer, it could be connected (!) …. ANYWAY. We hopped back on the natural train and BOOM down it came again.
Often, high BP is actually a signal that you have a mineral deficiency.
Disclaimer: none of the information in this blog is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent a disease. Talk with your doctor or practitioner before making changes regarding an existing medical condition.
A 1999 study from the Department of Toxicology in a University in Finland stated,
“The mineral elements sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium play a central role in the normal regulation of blood pressure. In particular, these mineral elements have important interrelationships in the control of arterial resistance. These elements, especially sodium and potassium, also regulate the fluid balance of the body and, hence, influence the cardiac output. Evidence shows that the present levels of intake of mineral elements are not optimum for maintaining normal blood pressure but predispose to the development of arterial hypertension. Research results suggest that without sodium chloride (common salt) and other sodium compounds being added to the diet arterial hypertension would be virtually non existent. Moreover, blood pressure would not rise with age. In communities with a high consumption of added sodium, a high intake of potassium and, possibly, magnesium seem to protect against the development of arterial hypertension and the rise of blood pressure with age. A marked reduction of sodium intake is effective in treating even severe hypertension. A moderate restriction of sodium intake or an increase in potassium intake exert remarkable antihypertensive effects, at least in some hypertensive patients. Magnesium and possibly also calcium supplements may be effective in reducing blood pressure in some hypertensives. In hypertensive patients treated with drugs sodium restriction and potassium and magnesium supplementation enhance the therapeutic effect, reduce the number and dosage, and lessen the adverse effects of prescribed antihypertensive drugs. Hence, a fall in sodium consumption and increases in potassium and magnesium consumption are useful in preventing and treating arterial hypertension.”
Minerals are an amazing place to focus your energy when it comes to managing and lowering high blood pressure. You will often see the guideline to LOWER sodium, but minerals require balance. It may be more important to INCREASE potassium. Potassium is the counterbalance to sodium….the balance is more important for your heart health than the elimination of one. What MAY be a better way to think about it is this: ditch the regular table salt, and switch to Himalayan, Celtic, or any other mineral rich salt instead, and eat more bananas.
If you are still concerned about sodium being too high, you can consider Healthy Salt which is higher in mineral content, and lower in sodium.
As I mentioned in my UTI blog, when choosing natural remedies I generally prefer to go strong and use a mixture of potential options instead of waiting to see if one ingredient or compound helps.
Natural Support for High Blood Pressure
Homeopathic Cell salts - a combination of minerals. I believe we used bioplasma 12 cell salt blend
Pomegranate juice - 1 cup/day has been shown to lower blood pressure - thought to be due to the high antioxidant content.
Bananas- high in potassium, a supporting mineral for high blood pressure
Magnesium - used is over 500 processes in the body, this mineral is vital and quickly depleted under any form of stress
Strawberries and Blueberries - a 2010 study showed that Anthocyanins (a type of flavonoid with antioxidant effects) was useful in the prevention of high blood pressure!
Reduce stress - obviously! But seriously. Most people don’t take this crucial step seriously. Any mental, emotional, physical, perceived or real stress can impact your blood pressure and health in general! Incorporate regular stress relieving techniques and ad IN joy producing activities!
Eliminte food sensitivities - just like any other stressors, foods that cause an immune system reaction and inflammation in your body can trigger high blood pressure as well.
Switch to mineral rich salt instead of regular table salt and consider Healthy Salt (check with doctor or practitioner if sodium is ok for you)
Is this a chronic issue? Work with a practitioner, like myself, that can run labs to guide you in the right direction! Checking your food sensitivities, gut health, genetics, and mineral status can give you actionable steps individualized to YOU to address the problem right away.
If you are serious about moving forward with your health and working with a coach who can guide you, click the button below to sign up for a FREE call to see if working together is the right fit.
Not ready for one on one? Click the link below to download my Free smoothie guide and be the first to get notified when my new online group coaching program launches (pssst….its coming SOON!)
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1930921
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/93/2/338/4597656
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090126173839.htm
5 Budget Friendly ways to support your body during cancer treatment
Hey there!!
I recently shared an article on what supplements I used during chemotherapy , and how much we spent out of pocket to take an integrative approach to my cancer treatment.
I KNOW that integrative care can be expensive. It is not covered by insurance, specialists are paid per visit, and fancy treatments like vitamin IVs are all out of pocket. While there’s no way to integrate your care COMPLETELY free, there are ways you can get resources and information that you can incorporate yourself for an affordable rate.
I will just state a caveat/personal opinion here: If at ALL POSSIBLE I would highly recommend hiring a specialist. During chemo you are tired, easily get demotivated, and experience brain fog or “chemo brain”.
While you may be 100% capable of doing your own research, finding what works and implementing yourself when healthy, you will, at minimum, need a support system to encourage you, cook for you the way you want, and help you accomplish any therapies you’d like to utilize through this process.
That being said, here are lots of resources for you!
5 Budget Friendly Ways to Support
Your Body During Cancer Treatment
1) Books
There are SO MANY books that you can read about integrative care, nutrition, supplementation, how cancer works, how you can support your body during and after chemo etc…. Here are a few that I have found to be really wonderful resources:
Beating Cancer with Nutrition
I found this book to be not only incredibly encouraging, but also packed with information! I particularly appreciated the authors approach to integrative care. His point is that sometimes it IS necessary to address the toxic load through conventional treatment (getting rid of tumors, going through chemotherapy etc) but that it is not only MORE effective to use nutrition to support your body, but done right, nutrition and supplementation can also help you to avoid unnecessary side effects by protecting your organs, cells, energy etc….
In this book, Patrick Quillin discusses what causes cancer, foods that fight cancer and so much more. You will learn so much about your body, the environment, toxicity and more! In addition you’ll receive specific supplement and dosage recommendations, a letter for your oncologist, and lots of recipes in the back.
The Cancer Fighting Kitchen Cookbook
You may or may not use all the recipes in this book, but U found it incredibly helpful to skim before beginning treatment. Rebecca Katz talked about things I wouldn’t have known to think about including how to eat before, during and after an infusion. Regardless of whether you use these recipes, during your treatment, it’s a fantastic resource and it’s filled with super delicious recipes!
Emotional Detox
Many believe that cancers develop because of “stuck” emotions or unhealed traumas. Whether you believe that or not, this healing journey will be deeper and more long lasting if you dive into emotional and spiritual healing avenues throughout this process. I would encourage you to do a lot of research on this topic, ask for prayer from your church, and become open to what God may share with you during this time!
While this isn’t a book I read during my own treatment phase, I have heard nothing but wonderful things about this book and the author. If you want to learn more about your body and the development of cancer ( and what you can do to prevent recurrence in the future) then this is an amazing resource!
Radical Remission
This time of your life is HARD. Regardless of where you are, it’s crucial to fill your mind with positive thoughts, hopeful images, and pans for the future. Reading inspirational stories of people who have gone into remission and what tools were shared between them can be really encouraging!
Green Smoothie Diet
Whether you are prepping your body BEFORE chemo, approaching treatment through natural methods only, or recovering from conventional treatment, greens, juices, and smoothies are a fast way to get dense nutrition into your cells! Robyn Openshaw has not only experienced health problems herself, but has been hit with cancer several times in her immediate family and she has traveled the world visiting cancer treatment facilities.
2) Podcasts
There are SO MANY doctors, naturopaths and healers that use this platform to educate the public. This extends their reach far beyond what they would be able to accomplish by just seeing their patients 1:1 in the office setting. Below are some specific podcast episodes you may enjoy - if you enjoy the episode, consider listing to other episodes from the same host!
Dr. Mercola and Dr. Nasha Winters “Natural Cancer Remedies” - this episode provides valuable information on testing, integrative care and more….
Ben Greenfield Podcast “How to cure Yourself of Cancer “ with Eric Remensperger - listen to one man’s story of healing! And scroll down to the bottom of the show notes for several other episode on cancer!
The Stern Method Podcast “Natural Healing Success” with Robyn Openshaw - Robyn shares her own health stories, her families experience with cancer, and her experiences visiting cancer treatment facilities around the world.
3) Online Holistic or Integrative Care
Websites, Blogs and Therapies
4) Nutrition
Do I REALLY need to add this one? Yes. Because most doctors will not give you any information on what to eat before, during, or after cancer treatment! Before and after treatment (when your immune system is functioning) fresh fruits and vegetables are the way to go! (But no, I’m not telling you to go without protein - it’s crucial for detox!)
I actually don’t promote extreme diets like Keto or juice fasting, but there may be situations, cancers, and stages where this may be appropriate. Work with a professional in this area if you want to do anything extreme so that you can monitor you blood work and results regularly.
General principles apply to anyone with any cancer, at any stage of treatment however and those are the same overarching principles that cover the rest of the world as well. Eat real food.
Many docs are so worried about you losing weight that they will encourage you to “eat anything” to maintain your weight including ice cream or mcdonalds. Because that helps your immune system function well, your cells repair, and your energy bounce back…RIGHT?! While nutrient IVs may be needed in emergency situations, maintaining a nutrient dense diet throughout and making sure you are getting healthy foods and protecting your gut, can only HELP you maintain your protein levels and weight.
There isn’t a whole lot you can do to save your immune system during chemo. It’s gonna take a hit, period. But you CAN support your body by eating anti-inflammatory foods. The same kind of diet that is beneficial for everyone. Not extreme, but filled with whole foods.
Eat fresh fruits and veggies until your white blood cell counts get low and then switch to cooked and steamed but don’t stop eating vegetables! Fill the rest of your day with healthy fats, high quality proteins and nutrient dense meals to support your muscle maintenance, brain health, cell health, and energy levels.
p.s. I personally had weird cravings around chemo treatments in addition to major food aversions. Listen to your body! I gave myself a 72 hour grace period where I would be much more lax about balancing my meals and go with what felt or tasted good (within certain guidelines). But then I would do my best to get back to a balanced diet!
“Chemo, radiation and surgery will reduce tumor burden but do nothing to change the underlying conditions that allows this abnormal growth to thrive”
- Patrick Quillin “Beating Cancer with Nutrition”
Don’t underestimate the power of food to change your cellular environment! Nutrition, mindset, and spiritual healing are all steps you can take to not only support yourself DURING treatment, but prepare your body to be as strong as possible BEFORE treatment and remain in remission AFTER treatment.
5) Supplements
I’ve already shared what supplements I personally used, but I would always recommend you work with someone specializing in integrative care! WHY? Because if your symptoms change or a side effect begins to develop, you can always change course under their supervision.
Every coach needs a coach, every athlete needs a trainer, so even if you feel really educated on supplements, this is a stressful time where you will feel fatigued and not quite yourself. Utilize as many support resources as you can! Supplements are one of the more affordable therapies available!
There are some supplements that protect you during chemotherapy, some supplements that specifically attack tumors, and some that boost your immune system and support your mitochondria and cell health! You’ll want to incorporate different ones at different times throughout your healing journey.
Once you are in remission I would recommend at minimum doing a food sensitivity test to lower inflammation and see which foods you have developed sensitivities to after the enormous amount of emotional and physical stress you just went through. I would encourage you to re-test 3 months later, and then 6 months after that as your body continues to heal.
Want more support? Join my free Healthy Through Hodgkins community where I share integrative approaches to healing, nutritional tips, detox information and more!
p.s. nothing in this blog is meant to take the place of medical advice. Please share changes you make with your oncologist, and hire specialists to advise you in any medical concerns. This is not a medical website and I am not a doctor.
3 things that trash your gut (and what you can do about it)
Hello friends!
I’m sitting on my hotel patio in sunny California this morning getting ready to attend the Mindshare Collaborate summit! I had some down time before everything gets rolling and wanted to share a few things that get our tummies into trouble and of course….what the heck we can do about it!
Almost all of my personal clients have SOME sort of gut distress whether it be bloating, constipation, stomach pain or acid reflux. Below are just a few things to consider when experiencing some of these problems!
Stress
YES STRESS!!! I put this point first because of ALL the things we want to address, stress is the one that we most want to overlook. We are busy, we live in a world where we want to go go go, drink all the coffee, and accomplish all the things….but stress is really the underlying problem that contributes to the development of disease, but also our seeming inability to heal once we experience symptoms….
Poor food choices
Well, obviously, you knew that I couldn’t mention tummy troubles without mentioning food. I promote #YOUtrition which means there is no one right diet that works for everyone HOWEVER there is ONE food I get hard core with my clients on and insists that they eliminate 100% and that is wheat/gluten.
The overarching principles that work for everyone are:
Avoid gluten like it’s the plague (it’s soaked in glyphosate which kills your beneficial gut bugs and gluten is inflammatory)
Avoid processed foods as much as possible and when needing something quick, choose foods that technically could be made at home if you had the time or inclination ( always read labels to determine this!)
Limit sugar intake. This might be the hardest right?! 3 things you could incorporate right away that make a big difference:
Stop drinking soda ( and don’t switch to diet)
Stop drinking latte’s and drink black coffee (I like Foursigmatic) or cold brew with a splash of vanilla almond or coconut milk
don’t have sugar in your house. Ever. ( This way if you are going out to eat and want a gf dessert you don’t stress about the sugar - it’s treat! But you also don’t have a bag full of white sugar at home just waiting to be used.
Overuse of Antibiotics, NSAIDS and pharmaceuticals
There is a time and place for all of these, but they are grossly overused in a culture where we seek a quick fix and a pill for every ill instead of putting the time and extra effort in to live a healthy lifestyle, get to the underlying problems causing the symptoms we want to relieve, and prioritize nutritional density like our lives depend on it (which they do by the way) :)
So what can you do about it?
Well, LIMITING your stress, ditching gluten sugar, and processed foods, and being mindful anytime you need to use prescription or over the counter symptoms reliever.
If your’e reading this then chances are you’ve been exposed to gluten, sugar, stress and prescriptions so I want to dig a little deeper into a few more things you can incorporate right away
Probiotics
I encourage everyone to use a quality spore based probiotic like Megaspore! Thats my favorite, and if you would like a recommendation, just shoot me your email and I’m happy to set yup an account for you! After stress, and, well, LIFE, it’s important to make sure we are refueling our guts with the good guys.
I also encourage you to begin incorporating probiotic rich foods like kimchi and sauerkraut on a regular basis! YUM. I love some good sauerkraut next to my meat and veggies!
Soothe and Repair
Beyond feeding our guts the good stuff, we want to make sure that the damaged caused from all our past bad habits (hello Mountain Dew and Oreos!) are healed - a great supplements like GI Repair from Innate response is filled with soothing herbs like marshmallow root, aloe, slipper elm, and include L-Glutamine which helps the cells in your gut lining repair themselves!
Bring in the JOY
Stress relief is about so much more than just becoming ZEN and getting into yoga, meditation and mindfulness. It’s a bout BALANCE which means you also need to create a life you live and include things that make you joyful and happy. Laugh more - spend time with friends, watch silly movies, take a hike and connect to nature, and walk barefoot outside!
What tips have you found helpful? I’d love to hear below! Share this post with a friend you think might find this useful!
Countertime beauty regimen!
THE NEW COUNTERTIME REGIMEN SET IS HERE!!!
I recently shared why safer skincare is important to me and why I love Beautycounter and have enjoyed many of their skincare products the past few years…I you’d like to see that post click here.
Beautycounter's new innovative anti-aging line that is a safe alternative to retinol has quickly become a best seller and I have been looking forward to tryin it since I think cancer treatments have taken a toll on my skin (hello aging!)!
Countertime was 3 years in the making and was developed to visibly reverse the signs of aging and deliver high performance results thanks to the innovative Retinatural Complex ( a safer alternative to retinol!!)
The Countertime Regimen Set is a 10 week supply of five products from the Countertime Collection. This set has been getting rave reviews including hoping with even skin tone, hydration and glowing skin!
Check out some of the Five Star Reviews it already has!!
✭✭✭✭✭ Amazing, immediate result
Wow there are no words to describe the fast results of my improved skin. It was visible after only 3 uses of the Countertime regimen. Cannot say enough good things!!! – Jenni L.
✭✭✭✭✭ One week!
In just one week, my skin is firmer, smoother and brighter! I can’t wait to see what it looks like in a month! - Margaret P.
✭✭✭✭✭ Best skin care line ever!
I have never seen results like I have with this line. I have noticeably brighter, hydrated, glowing, skin. I have seen diminished fine lines and wrinkles in just 7 days. My husband has even noticed! Truly amazing! - Ashley R.
The Countertime Regimen includes five products to be used concurrently. The products included are sized to last approximately ten weeks. Here's what you will get:
Lipid Defense Cleansing Oil: Cleansing, reimagined. Inspired by Asian beauty rituals and informed by Japanese technology, this luxurious, lightweight cleansing oil gently yet effectively removes makeup and other impurities without stripping essential lipids from the skin. Rich in vitamin E, fatty acids, and our plant-derived Retinatural Complex, the formula reinforces the skin’s fragile moisture barrier for a soothed, nourished complexion. The smell of this is so light and beautiful! It leaves your skin so hydrated unlike many cleansers that can leave you tight and dry!!
Mineral Boost Hydrating Essence: Vital nutrients energize the skin. Lightweight but deeply nourishing, this milky moisturizing essence lends vital nutrients to the skin’s moisture barrier—instantly boosting hydration and radiance. Formulated with our Retinatural Complex, mineral-rich sea water, and a fermented blend of sugars, it renews and balances the skin and preps it for the treatment steps that follow.
Tripeptide Radiance Serum: True radiance, revealed. This transformative rejuvenating treatment visibly increases skin firmness and elasticity, while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Formulated with a powerful blend of peptides, amino acids, and our Retinatural Complex, it helps enhance the skin’s moisture barrier function to optimize hydration for a radiant complexion.
Anti-oxidant Soft Cream: Protective, skin-plumping moisture. Formulated with our plant-derived Retinatural Complex and nasturtium flower extract, this velvety, revitalizing cream works to visibly plump and firm the skin while boosting hydration. Skin is left healthy and glowing. This can be used as a day cream or a lighter night cream depending on your skin's needs.
Tetrapeptide Supreme Cream: Powerful, regenerative hydration. Supremely rich and deeply hydrating, this cream supports elasticity and visibly firms while smoothing skin texture to minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles. With continued use, wake up to more radiant, youthful-looking skin. This can be used as a heavier day cream and night cream for very dry skin. It is so thick and hydrating!
Regimen Price: $267 US / $357 CAD (Value: $297 US / $399 CAD) I think a few items and maybe all will last longer than 10 weeks!!
The Regimen does NOT include an eye cream. ( But the Countertime Collection DOES).
Ultra Renewal Eye Cream: Your brightest eyes, reawakened. This high-performance eye cream revitalizes the eye area for a youthful, brighter appearance. With a targeted combination of our plant-derived Retinatural Complex and Persian silk tree extract, it reduces under-eye shadows and crow’s feet for a smooth, firmed look. LOVE this stuff!!
Countertime Collection: includes all six full size products at a 10% discount. The difference between the Regimen and the Collection is that the Collection includes the Eye Cream and the Soft Cream and Supreme Cream are 50ml jars versus 30ml found in the Regimen. The Cleaning Oil, Essence and Serum are the same size in both. I highly recommend the regimen or the collection! Each product has the Retinatural Complex, but also has a hero ingredient of it's own.
Collection Price: $382 US / $512 CAD (Value: $424 US / $571 CAD)
Please keep in mind that there is a 60 day return policy for a full refund, so there's no risk in trying these AMAZING products! I am certain you will love them!! Scroll down to see how you can get even more gifts and discounts!
THE TRUTH ABOUT RETINOL
IS IT SAFE? A lot of beauty brands tout retinol as a safer skin-care ingredient. But Beautycounter is more strict (in fact, Retinol is on our Never List). For us, it’s not worth taking a risk on retinol. Studies show that retinoic acid can have harmful side effects, including being a skin irritant and making the skin sensitive to the sun’s damaging rays. In fact, both the EU and Canada have restricted the use of retinol—the EU cites a “precautionary principle,” which means that if an ingredient has shown evidence of danger to human health or the environment, it takes preventative action (and so should you).
That’s why BC created this plant derived Retinatural Complex, a safer alternative—and the powerhouse ingredient—in our Countertime Collection.
PLANT-DERIVED RETINATURAL COMPLEX:
BAKUCHIOL - Traditionally used in Chinese and Ayurvedic skin-care remedies, Bakuchiol delivers many of retinol’s skin benefits—without irritation.
SWISS ALPINE ROSE - Grown at the highest altitudes of the Alps, this flower is known for its ability to protect itself against environmental stressors like dehydration and helps boost skin’s antioxidant defense.
“Beautycounter’s plant-derived Retinatural Complex, featuring bakuchiol and Swiss Alpine rose, delivers retinol-like results without retinol’s safety concerns. Why? Because beauty should be good for you.” - Gamze Sauzeat, Lead Chemist
HOW RETINATURAL COMPLEX WORKS
It Promotes Healthy Barrier Function. Our skin’s moisture barrier prevents excess water loss and helps protect skin from the environment—and as we age, it becomes depleted. Retinatural Complex helps improve barrier function to maintain the skin’s natural hydration levels (and keep that plumpness going strong).
It Visibly Plumps And Firms Skin. Collagen is the skin’s most vital protein and the cushion that keeps it supple, taut, and wrinkle-free. It’s found in the middle layer of the skin, and its production begins to slow by the time we reach 30. Luckily, it’s possible to visibly improve skin firmness and plumpness. Enter Retinatural Complex.
It Improves Resilience. With age, the skin’s ability to protect itself from oxidative stress is compromised, which damages cells, speeds up the appearance of aging, and leaves skin looking dull and sallow. The targeted ingredients in our Retinatural complex help protect skin and improve radiance.
COUNTERTIME IN THE PRESS
Fast Company: Your antiaging regimen might be toxic. This brand found a safe alternative
WWD: "Better with Age" - Beautycounter to Debut Anti-aging Skincare Line, Countertime. Our new Countertime collection was just featured in Women’s Wear Daily!!!!
The Zoe Report: Beautycounter's New Countertime Line Features The Retinol Alternative You're Starting To See Everywhere
NOT A BAND OF BEAUTY MEMBER YET?
Join today for $29 for the entire year, no auto-renewal or strings attached. It's just our way of saying thank you to our most loyal clients!
If you plan to spend $100 or more today, this is a must! You will receive a FREE Charcoal Cleansing Bar ($26 value and great for your the teens and men in your life), 10% back in product credit and FREE shipping!! Purchase the Countertime Regimen today and receive $26.70 back in credit to put towards the eye cream!!
Choosing safer doesn’t mean rubbing mud on your face or suffering with sub par skincare! Please let me know if you have any questions.
To your health!
Asking "why me?" and experiencing unconditional love...
2 days ago, I went to the ER. I had been in bed almost the entire afternoon and while experiencing severe abdominal pains I had thrown up. After that the pain became more manageable….if I laid in bed and didn’t really move :)
My husband, who as usual, was being saintly and had gone to help a nearby city with tornado relief work, came home late afternoon, took my temperature and called the on call oncologist after the temp read 101.5. The doc said to take me to the ER and that started our super fun 20 hours in the hospital.
You can see a short summary of what went down while we were there here:
Throughout this cancer journey I’ve had a lot of wonderings. Just like anyone might, I’ve wondered why (or how) this could possibly be happening to me. I completely changed my nutrition in 2012 - I completely changed my whole lifestyle to focus on health and wellness after 2016. I worked on healing my gut and balancing my hormones (really effectively) since 2017….. I saw drastic improvements in many facets of my life and I’ve helped dozens of clients heal their bodies as well…..and then I got diagnosed with cancer. What the heck?
Firstly, I’m not going to answer that question, because I can’t. Secondly, after a lot of thought (and finding pictures from 2 years ago of my single tumor that has never spread) I didn’t feel like all the work I’d put in was useless. I know that I did what I could when I could with what I knew at the time and that it surely strengthened my body.
Even so…some people WAY less healthy go through chemo and still work full time, function as parents and live seemingly normal lives while others (like me) get knocked out, sleep a lot, and get side effects or complications….
With my history and dedication to health building and disease prevention for the past 3-5 years, I was convinced I would be the patient with no complications and the fewest side effects….I was going to breeze through this cancer thing with 6 treatment in 3 months and then say goodbye to it forever!
But then my port suture wanted to get infected and I had to go on an antibiotic….then this past weekend happened and I had to be admitted to the hospital…..
And all these questions of:
“Why can’t my body handle this? I went in so strong!”
“This is really taking a toll on me, did I make the right decision choosing conventional medicine for this treatment?”
“I have to be on another antibiotic, what will people think about that when I usually avoid them like the plague? How do I feel about it?”
…come in.
In addition to the complications, there is the regular and expected trauma of my hair falling out more and more every day… so what was once a semi- passable GI-JANE look is now an uneven, scraggle of fuzz that is embarrassing to leave uncovered. #hellobaseballcaps
“Why me? Why this reaction? Why now?”
I have no idea. But I don’t dwell too much on those questions. Because the answer doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter WHY God chose me, it just matters that He did. It doesn’t matter that I don’t understand it right now, it just matters that I will. It doesn’t matter that I’m not sure what I’m learning, it just matters that I will learn from this.
Last night, after spending the previous evening in hospital beds and being woken up every hour almost on the dot for blood draws, shots, IVs etc….Patrick and I were exhausted. Happily at home, in our own beds, and after several hours of napping for each of us, we spontaneously started cuddling and kissing and it felt super magical and connected….until I remembered what I was going through, what was happening to my body, and what I currently look like. I started crying and tear up even as I write this. Because I realized that Patrick was loving me and behaving towards me as if nothing had changed. As if I was still the most beautiful woman in the world to him and that it made no difference if I have hair or not. It was so overwhelming to be so vulnerable in that moment and just accept that he really does love me no matter what.
A lot of people talk more about their faith than I do. A lot of people pray more, do devotions more frequently or use spiritual language more. So a lot of times I feel “less spiritual than” when I don’t sprinkle God into every video or post I make ….but all I can tell you is this. My faith is a deep and intricate part of my very being and whenever I share it I want it to be completely sincere. Whether I pray about every decision prior to making it or not, I make the decisions I do based on what I believe. My Christian belief system completely affects the glasses I see the world through and how I react to situations mentally and emotionally every single day. It affects how I treat people, how I verbally respond when I’m frustrated about something, and how I think about these “why me’s”.
I don’t often get that “warm fuzzy” feeling or any sort of spiritual “woosh” when I pray or go to church. And here’s the thing. The way Patrick loves me, as overwhelming as it felt last night, is how God loves me (and you) every single day. He doesn’t care if you’re overweight, bald, sick, impatient, or flat out ugly inside or out. He loves you unconditionally and honestly, he doesn’t expect a single thing back from you except a desire to be in a relationship with Him.
While I was crying last night and Patrick was holding me tightly in his arms, I said “I feel like you love me so much and I don’t do enough for you in return.” And he just replied “You make me happy and that’s enough.”
WOAH. Can’t get more Jesus-y than that. All God wants from us is to be in a relationship with Him. That makes Him happy and that’s enough.
Now the real question isn’t why me, or why now….it’s….WOW. Can I accept this? I don’t FEEL worthy….but he says I am. So I can wallow in this sense of self doubt and worthlessness….or I can simply accept the love I’m given. No strings attached.
