A (The?) December Post

With the typical seasonal things to do on top of everything else, my blogging has been less than prolific. Oh well - it's hard to write cancer-related posts right now, because that's not what I'm currently wanting to focus on. Since Stephanie's death, I've been in a different head space and am putting one foot in front of the other to be in the present moment, and enjoy the holidays and our new puppy. Feelings ebb and flow and maybe it'll be like this for some time.

As is with life, with somber and saddening times, there are also exciting and joyous occasions. Here's a smattering of what's been going on lately:

Joe, my dad, surprised us with a quick (<24hrs!) visit before Thanksgiving. Ostensibly to see me, but I think the real reason is clear in the accompanying picture. He and Daisy had fun playing fetch up and down our stairs. The little squirt loves dad. And I'll never forget what dad said upon meeting her face-to-face for the first time: "Hi, Daisy. I'm Joe and I've loved you before I even met you." Awww. Warm fuzzies abound!

We spent a quiet Thanksgiving here at our home with Linda, my mom. We divided and conquered the dinner dishes and we had lots of leftovers. So nice to make the most of the time spent in the kitchen!

A day or so after Thanksgiving, mom took this picture of a sunset while on a walk. Isn't it gorgeous? It's special when the camera's eye can catch close to what you actually see with your own. Thankful for the beauty we see each day.

Joshua and Daisy have had some needed 1-on-1 time while I've been out with friends and running errands. He was gone for 5 days right after we adopted her, so they've been bonding and working on reinforcing commands. It's so fun to see them interact and to see her look at him for guidance, too!

Daisy and Lexi are growing more fond of each other with each passing day. They keep taking naps closer and closer together. I predict that they'll nap side-by-side someday. Watching their antics helps speed up and add joy to chilly, indoor-only days.

This time of year is just right for baking. Here's a two-loaf batch of honey/whole wheat banana bread I made the other day. The bonus of baking is that it also heats the house! Not to mention the aroma it adds...

We went with Linda to see holiday lights at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Luckily we went a day before the Arctic cold set in (today's high will be 9F). For me, seeing the light displays made it feel a little more like December and the holiday season. Now the snow and temps are reinforcing that feeling!

My crafting has been on the backburner this year (unlike last year's craft fair extravaganza). However, I did manage to set aside time to bake some scented baking soda ornaments! They were fun to make and I hope recipients enjoy them and how they smell. Not realizing how much stirring was needed, I did it all myself and my affected arm is 'pissed off' about it. (That's a technical term my friend Jo and I use to describe the pain associated with our affected arms. It comes and goes depending on several factors - mainly weather and activity for us.) Next time I make some, I'll call in Joshua for stirring reinforcement. My plan is to jazz-up the white ornaments with twine and/or ribbon. Heck maybe even add glitter to some just because. :)

So there you have it: a slice of my life.

I'm not sure if I'll get around to posting again this month. And I don't want to feel like I "have to." So just In case I don't, I want to sincerely wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season and coming year. I see 2014 as being a year of new beginnings. 2013 sure seemed to be full of change from my POV.

And if I may interject some of my own thoughts and focus into your reading today, please try to:

• Remember to be kind to others. 
• Be patient. 
• Be understanding. 
• Help those who need it. 
• Practice random acts of kindness. You never know the influence you may have upon someone's life.

Many blessings to you and thank you for continuing to read my posts!

Permahealth

Before I get to permahealth, has anyone heard of permaculture?

permaculture: an agricultural system or method that seeks to integrate human activity with natural surroundings so as to create highly efficient self-sustaining ecosystems (via Merriam-Webster.com)

Seems to me that "permahealth" might be the next catch-phrase for "a system of health that seeks to integrate human health with natural foods and solutions to create a highly efficient, self-sustaining health system"...of sorts! At least that's how I'm coining the word. :)

Joshua and I have sought opportunities for continuous improvement in our marriage...including our habits (of eating, purchasing, etc.). Soon after I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, I began seeking alternative health providers to balance out my Western medicine docs and treatments. It was my choice and something I'm glad I researched and pursued.

During my neoadjuvant and adjuvant (before and after mastectomy) chemotherapies, I was particularly hell-bent on focusing my food intake around alkaline (pH-balanced) eating habits. While I wasn't able to do a test on two bodies going through everything at once, I know that changing my habits did NOT negatively effect me. So that leaves two other options:

1. my lifestyle choices did not effect me at all
2. my lifestyle choices positively effected me

I've made the conscious choice to believe in #2.

If nothing else, the changes we've made feel good - and right for us. There are things I notice now when I'm out and about that I didn't before. For example: the heavy smells of perfume and chemicals in stores and on people. I've become used to non-toxic solutions at home and am caught off-guard when bombarded with them outside my home.

I've long wanted to share these changes, baby steps, improvements, and learning opportunities with blog readers. Similar to the Q&A series I did in 2011, I'll be occasionally putting out a "permahealth" update. Please ask questions or share your own experiences by commenting on these posts. I'm curious to know what you all are curious about!!

My hope is that these posts will be informative, educational, and spur you on to make some changes in your own life.

Here's the first tidbit I'd like to share with you all:

Do you know how to de-code the produce at your local market?
From this post at Organics.org.

Guest Blogger: Aunt Sandy and the Alkaline Diet

Aunt Sandy has visited us throughout the entire BC journey. She's seen the effects of chemo/surgeries/radiation on me and the mental struggles we've gone through. She is also a witness to how our eating habits have shifted and has become quite a knowledgeable balanced pH lifestyle supporter! I asked Sandy to guest blog about her own nutritional experience this past year.

Take it away, Sandy!

~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ -- ~ 

Eating better…and feeling better thanks to Joshua and Laura! During my trips to Colorado these past several months, I have been exposed to food choices I had never tried and ingredients I couldn’t even pronounce! While visiting, I wanted to honor the diet that Laura and Joshua had adopted to help Laura put her body in the best cancer-fighting position possible!

One of Sandy's omelettes...
with home grown sprouts!

What I have learned is a great, healthy way to eat and live! Even though I have valued healthy eating and exercising most of my life, I realized I had more to learn. I purchased the book, The pH Balance Diet, by Bharti Vyas & Suzann Le Quesne, after coming back to Oklahoma to learn more about the “hows and whys” of the alkaline balanced way of eating. The word “diet” in the book’s title sounds very restrictive, but really…it is not! I am eating my fill and feeling better; I also have more energy and have lost weight by adjusting what I eat!

It would be impossible to explain all I have learned in this single blog post, but here is a summary:

Eliminate Toxins, Lose Weight, and Increase Energy
When naturally balanced, your body is alkaline. A diet high in meat, dairy, and sugar overwhelms your body with acidic waste, resulting in weight gain, low energy, poor skin, and brittle bones. An alkaline diet also helps with fibromyalgia pain and chronic fatigue.

The pH Balance Diet explains how to correct imbalances, eliminate toxic overload and reverse acid buildup. It offers a gradual, healthy approach to restoring your body's natural acid-alkaline balance, including:

• Easy-to-follow, three-phase program
• Tips on how to eat fewer acid-forming foods
• A handy list of the top 80 alkaline-forming foods
• Information on free radicals and antioxidants

In a Nutshell…
I have tried to avoid (or severely limit!): sugar, simple carbohydrates, refined and processed foods, dairy food products, processed salt, saturated and other unhealthy fats, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners.

Tofu and Veggie Stir Fry

I have eaten (in generous amounts): dark green & yellow vegetables and fruit. I don’t think I have ever eaten so many veggies! I have enjoyed trying new recipes and exchanging ideas with Linda, Laura, and Joshua.

The book includes over 40 quick and delicious recipes featuring alkaline-forming ingredients such as avocados, cantaloupe, eggplant, kiwis, lentils, mushrooms, peppers, rye bread, salmon, soymilk, turkey, and wild rice.

I would also recommend reading Eat to Live, by Dr. Joel Fuhrman (really good!) and The pH Miracle, by Robert Young & Shelley Redford Young.

I am so thankful for all this new information and am excited about the good results. I am convinced it is very worthwhile to give this book … The pH Balance Diet … a look!

Coo Coo for Coconut Oil

What’s the deal with coconut oil?
With Costco carrying vat sized barrels of organic coconut oil we are seeing an increase in popular demand for what used to be a specialty health food item. Whether it is the versatility, healthful aspects, or simple hype that is driving more people to try the switch to this plant-based fat, we jumped on the bandwagon and want to share our experiences since making the switch.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Why did our family start using coconut oil?
After reading about the dangers of using oils with low smoke points and the toxins found in hydrogenated GMO oils, we began researching what oils we should and shouldn't be using. Time and time again organic coconut oil appeared in our research and its uses are many.

Like the other health aware changes we have made in our lives, things happen incrementally for us and there is generally a “getting used to the change” curve. Being open to the process of trying healthy alternatives and stepping out of the status quo are empowering paths to tread upon. Our goal is to restore as much of the natural balance to our lives as we can, while continuing to live in the modern world.

Healthy change is an iterative process and should be explored with an open, malleable mind. We try to take it easy on ourselves when embarking down a new path and keep our judgements balanced when doing our research. Unhealthy food is big business so there is sometimes trickery going on to get us away from simpler, healthier alternatives like minimally processed, locally grown organic foods. This broken nutrition cycle is lightheartedly demonstrated in the below image, but carries a serious message:

An inconvenient truth.
Courtesy of Joseph Jenkins, "Humanure Handbook"

We like to keep things simple when it comes to nutrition and try to choose the most direct path from plant to mouth. Common sense and good judgement are always handy to have around when trying something new. For example we limit our usage of coconut oil, because it is a saturated fat and is new to our diets. We currently have about 1-2 tablespoons per person on a daily basis as a substitution for where we used to use butter or vegetable oil. Extra virgin olive oil is still a regular staple in our house, but generally only as an after cooking drizzle or dipping sauce.

How do we use coconut oil?
It started with stir fry. It was the first recipe that we replaced our [insert highly processed GMO oil] in favor of coconut oil. As we got used to the slightly different taste of cooking with the new oil, things really took off. Eggs, cookies, popcorn... Coconut oil turns to liquid at 76F degrees, so depending on our house temperature it may be in liquid, solid, or a mixed states. It even goes camping with us in a little Nalgene container.

What kind of coconut oil is best?
There is a little bit of a variety within USDA organic coconut oils, but the short and skinny is to avoid any hydrogenated, refined product and get the virgin, organic, unrefined stuff.

When I bought our first bottle, I thought "Holy cow! The refined variety is way less than the unrefined kind!" and I let price drive my purchase. You have to be driven by putting your health before your wallet when buying more expensive healthier alternatives. So after learning what refined coconut oil, also labeled hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated, really was it went back to the store in favor of the unrefined variety.

We choose to support sustainable businesses valuing human life above shelf life with our dollars.

When people talk about refined or hydrogenated product they are saying, “This here food turned rancid, so we are going to mix it with some chemicals to make it edible again. We can even put in some chemical coloring, flavor and preservatives to make this food unnaturally addictive and last forever."

I want to know more! What are some good resources?
Read Clean Cuisine & More: Is the saturated fat in coconut harmful? and this Coconut Oil article from TreeLight, a great health information resource.

Wondering what all you can do with all of your coconut oil, check out Crunchy Betty's: A Millionish Uncommon and not so Uncommon Uses for Coconut Oil and Hybrid Rasta Mama's 333 Uses For Coconut Oil.

And some more technical articles from Mercola: Coconut In support of Good Health in the 21st Century and The Truth About Saturated Fats.

The Greenest Juice of All

May 27 marked the day of superior juicing quantities. We practically juiced our bladders out and had to...um...expel the liquids often. What follows are some shots of the making of the greenest juice of all that day.

Joshua piled a special concoction of raw ingredients into the Vitamix.

Ingredients:  lots of chard, 6 little peppers, fresh ginger, water 

He blended until the consistency was uniform and "just right." Then he poured the contents into a milk nut bag. Mom was on squeeze duty (hey, someone had to take pictures!) - this was so we would be drinking pure juice sans fiber.

Squeezing pure juice from the milk nut bag.

The resulting ball of fiberous goo was weird, devoid of most color, and would be great for composting!

Joshua plays with his fiber.

Poured into stylish vessels, of course. It's all about presentation!

Then it was down the hatch!

review: Juice Fest 2012

All of our ingredients. We were prepared!

The weekend juicing getaway was a success! Being away from home took away a lot of the temptations of other foods that weren't part of our juicing plan. Mom was a sport and not only came along for the experience, but was 100% into following the juice fast weekend plans. A lot of our time was spent washing and cutting the fruits and veggies. Rather than me blogging about this experience all myself, I asked Joshua and mom to write their own thoughts about last weekend. Hope you enjoy the pictures and find our descriptions informative.

JOSHUA

most craved food: steak tartar

weight lost: 10 lbs

favorite juice fast meal: blackberries on a hike

Where we ate Joshua's fave "meal."

Going into the juice fest weekend I had some trepidation on what it would be like to feel hungry, since we would not be having much solid food for a couple of days.

We did eat raw fruits and vegetables in-between juicing and I think this did help, but even on the day when we primarily juiced I was rarely hungry, felt light, healthy and always ready for an activity. From swimming, to hiking, to running up a mountain I remained active each day.

Juicing gave Joshua super strength!

There was a very contemplative component to the fast pertaining to food. Perhaps it was the lack of caffeine and the simplicity in the answer to the question "what are we going to eat" that made for the reflective mood. All the smells and sights of food everywhere were not going to end up in my stomach so there I came to the conclusion there was no point in grasping onto the pull these things had on my conscience. It was interesting to feel the pull of suggestion and "sit with it" as my meditation teachers have often brought when you are facing something uncomfortable. It made a big difference to also know that I was getting plenty of nourishment from the leafy green juices and that hunger, desire and nourishment can all be looked at separately, but often become confused in my mind.

I saw how easy it is for me to fall into the trap of eating something due to the power of suggestion when that food isn't healthful and I'm not really hungry. There is a lot of eating that is driven by emotion and the fast really let me see that clearly.

Coming back to food was the hardest for me and my stomach. I had some stomach cramping and gas on a run. I think my system was probably shocked by all the raw vegetables and fruits I ate that day. On day three of normal food I had no more issues. I'm glad I took it really slow going back to "normal" food.

LINDA 
(a.k.a. mom)

most craved food: scrambled eggs and hearty whole wheat toast

weight lost: 4.5 lbs

favorite juice fast meal: the last juice which contained lots of fruit as well as greens???

OK, I’ll admit that I was somewhat skeptical about the juice fasting weekend; thus, the comments on our calendar that “Linda will bring steak and potatoes.”

What would the green juices taste like?  Would I constantly be thinking of real food?  Would my energy totally disappear – rendering me a couch potato in beautiful Vail?  Despite these concerns, some recent blood test results made me more than open to trying the juice fasting in an effort to move toward an alkaline diet, as have Joshua and Laura, to decrease inflammation in my body systems.

I have to admit: I was favorably impressed!  Chef Joshua mixed up the ingredients so that no two juice events were alike; the initial taste on some were “surprising” but after a sip or two, not bad at all.  Naturally, the more fruit he put in, the more palatable the taste.  I’ll admit that each day I was thinking of chewing something – anything, but no particular food occupied my thoughts.

Two bumps on a log.

Third day hike.

Thankfully, my energy did not disappear!  In fact, we hiked about 5 miles above Dillon on Sat., walked all over Vail Village on Sunday, and stopped on the trip back Monday to hike about 4 miles up Shrine Pass – wow!  It was so great to see Laura’s ability to hang in there during our hikes!  Of course, neither one of us were able to match Joshua’s run up the ski trail in front of our resort (did he drink some kind of energy drink or what?).

All in all, it turned out to be a great way to celebrate Laura’s perseverance and strength through this year as she met her BC diagnosis head on!  Yea for Laura!  Yea for us!

LAURA

most craved food: popcorn (what the heck?)

weight lost: 6.5 lbs

favorite juice fast meal: toss-up between chia seed drinks or avocado

Chia seed drink - mmm.

Since the end of my last chemo treatment (mid-April), I'd been looking forward to this weekend for three reasons: to have a mini celebratory vacation in the mountains, to help my body detox after the last year of meds running through my system, and to experience a fast firsthand. Right before the weekend, I started to think about food differently: What I'm eating now I won't be able to enjoy all weekend! This ended up being time wasted, because I never really wanted anything other than what was available to us.

Fridge upon arrival.

This was my first time participating in any type of fast. Honestly, it wasn't bad. We set ourselves up for success by not having many food choices: juice, raw fruit, or raw veggies. For beverages--water or decaf tea. That's it. Although some of the smells while walking around Vail were tempting, none snared a hook in me. What a powerful feeling!

Fridge on last day. Good job!

As a group, we had several interesting conversations about fasting. We talked about how ads target people and pull "us" into thinking we want certain foods and products that are just plain unhealthy. Ads that target kids are especially saddening...children don't have the knowledge base to make these decisions and cute little characters make things look friendly and fun. We also talked about how fortunate we are to rarely experience true hunger. And how forcing ourselves to experience it for some time is a good thing. Even though we felt hungry at times, we had what we needed to survive through the day. Think how many humans do not have enough nourishment to survive and thrive!

I believe that the experience of breast cancer and life as a survivor can be an enlightening one, if you allow it to be. (It is a given it'll be a challenging experience, too.) Being open to not only Western medicine but also alternative therapies, spirituality, changes in eating habits and lifestyle, and other such endeavors can be empowering. You can question things you simply took for granted before and be awakened to new ways of thinking. I wasn't sure if I could handle a 3-day fast; I now know I can not only handle it - but enjoy it!

The top of Shrine Ridge was elusive.
When we met up with this snowpack,
we did a U-turn and headed back down. 

Juice Fest 2012

Well, it's time for our 3-day juice fest (more like FAST). We're beginning the day with a not-so-green in color green smoothie. Yum!

(Ingredients: celery, carrots, salad mix, green banana, blackberries, 

blueberries, cherries, basil, agave, stevia, water, ice)

Bubble Girl No More

Today I had a follow-up with the clinical trial doctor. Everything went swimmingly.

The last port tapping at UCH.

We reviewed the effects of the trial I've experienced. My ear ringing has improved over the last 5 weeks yet is still present and annoying. I'm still trying to use sound to mask the ringing. All signs indicate that the ear ringing will go away over time. 

If the clinical trial has any affirmative/positive findings, they will notify participants - as this may influence our future treatment(s). If the results aren't overwhelming in nature, I may be notified or have to seek them out myself. Since "results" from this trial aren't available when it ends (the results are really in what happens to us participants over time...especially in the 5 years post-trial), Dr. E seemed to think that preliminary results may be shared in ~3 years. 

They took several vials of blood but it was only a few minutes ago that I was able to get my hands on the results. My blood and body are rebounding; I no longer need to insulate myself from germs, travel, certain foods, etc. I am able to roam freely. What fantastic news to receive! Several of my critical bloodwork numbers are near or under "normal" ranges, but are improved over the bloodwork I had 2 weeks ago. Over the next few months, I should continue to see my strength/stamina improve, along with my immune function. (My immune system is still slightly weakened.)

Although I haven't noticed much peripheral neuropathy from the Cisplatin, Dr. E assured us that my body has experienced nerve damage from receiving a platinum drug. I may get a tingling/numb sensation in my hands, arms, feet, or legs as the nerves recover. This is normal and I'm not supposed to freak out if I experience the tingling sensation. Good to know.

The clinical trial will continue to monitor my health via follow-up appointments at my regular oncologist's office. These follow-ups will be every 4 months for years 1 and 2 post-trial and every 6 months for years 3-5.

Joshua and I plan on enjoying a sushi dinner tonight now that sushi is "back on the menu." And tomorrow morning, at long last, I'm headed to the pool for water aerobics. -- Can't think of a better way to begin my life outside the bubble!

YEEHAW!

Gingersnap Cookie Recipe

Ginger is a great anti-inflammatory ingredient and is also helpful in reducing nausea. Click here to read more about ginger (includes health benefits, how to select/store, tips for preparing and cooking).

Joshua and I use ginger regularly in our meals. Rarely does a day go by without ginger in our food! Below are some of the ways we've learned to use ginger in our cooking:

• Grate fresh ginger (after peeling) over cooked tofu, vegetables, or soba noodles
• Use sliced or chopped ginger in stir-fries
• Rub onto meat before grilling (helps to tenderize and adds flavor)
• Steep a slice of fresh ginger in your tea

What to do when hankering for a sweet treat? Make your own - that way you know exactly what goes into them! While Joshua is definitely the Executive Chef for this household. I do my best to be a good Sous-Chef and also enjoy making simple recipes with not too much going on at once. (It's the truth!)

Without further adieu, here's my Gingersnap Cookie Recipe -- an adapted/more healthy version of a recipe I found on the web:

TIP #1: If you have a mixer, I highly suggest using it. This dough is strong stuff!

1.5 sticks softened organic unsalted butter (-or- 1 stick butter + 1/4 C applesauce) Thanks, Sarah!

1 C sucanat (whole cane sugar)

1/4 C dark molasses

1 egg

-Blend these ingredients together. Then add:

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

Hand-shaped dough balls.
Before the handy scoop arrived!

1/4 tsp salt

-Blend together. Then add:

2 3/4 C whole wheat pastry flour (if using applesauce alternative above, use 3 C flour)

1 tsp baking soda

-Blend together.

Form into dough balls. ~ I use a 1.5 Tbsp (medium) OXO Good Grips scoop to form the cookies so their sizing (and cooking time) is uniform. 

TIP #2: Line cooking sheets with parchment paper. The cookies won't stick and it makes for an easy clean-up.

TIP #3: For something a little extra, you can add ginger pieces on top of the cookies. Buy candied ginger, rinse off the sugar it's coated in, and chop up the amount you'd like to use. Sprinkle a bit of flour on the pieces so they don't stick to one another. This makes for a nice touch (and is what you see in the picture.)

YUM!

Bake at 375 degrees. ~ When using the scoop above, baking time is 13-15 minutes. If you use a tablespoon sized lump of dough, baking time is 8-12 minutes. This is at altitude, too, so might vary depending on where you live. Watch them; the longer you bake them, they'll be harder the longer you cook them.

Enjoy! I bet you can't have just one...

Important: Read Those Ingredient Labels!

I went to the dentist today and on my way out I had the choice to pick a sugar-free treat from their office offerings, all of which carried the American Dental Association "Seal of Acceptance". Things like tic-tac's were in the mix.

All these so-called "healthy" sugar-free treats contained chemical additives, which from my research are better left outside of the body. Funny that I would find this at my doctor's office and that the products are promoting good health, yet contain chemicals known to cause harm to humans.

The box of orange tic-tac's listed "Yellow #6 dye (E110)" in the ingredients. Here are some details about this food dye:

Banned in Norway and Sweden. Increases the number of kidney and adrenal gland tumors in laboratory animals, may cause chromosomal damage.

 So you can have healthier teeth and gums, at the price of some damaged DNA. Sound like a good deal?

Along the same lines the other day I'm shopping at Sunflower Market, a local health food grocery store, looking for a healthy snack. I'm thinking it is safe buying from the store's bulk section, since it is a health food supermarket. I picked up some large shaved coconuts flakes and didn't bother to check the ingredients. It contained two things: Coconut and the preservative "sulphur hydroxide".

Here is some info on sulphur hydroxide, a preservative which allows stores to keep food on the shelves longer at the price of consumer health:

Sulfur additives are toxic and in the United States of America, the Federal Drugs Administration have prohibited their use on raw fruit and vegetables. Adverse reactions include: bronchial problems particularly in those prone to asthma, hypotension (low blood pressure), flushing tingling sensations or anaphylactic shock. It also destroys vitamins B1 and E. Not recommended for consumption by children. The International Labour Organization says to avoid E220 if you suffer from conjunctivitis, bronchitis, emphysema, bronchial asthma, or cardiovascular disease.

So the take home message is: Check your ingredient labels! Be smart about what you chose to put into your body. You are not going to find warning labels on foods with poison in them. Those are reserved for things like cleaning products, anti-freeze and cigarettes. Most people don't consume those chemicals. If they do, at least they know what they are getting.

It seems there are more stringent requirements for what can be labeled as "organic" versus food with poisonous additives. Consumer health interests definitely come second to business interests in this country and most others. The healthcare "war machine" keeps the greenbacks flowing and business is booming, so why mess with a good thing?

Of the many changes Laura and I have been adopting into our daily lives is the avoidance of processed foods whenever possible. We don't beat ourselves up about perfection when it comes to diet, but we are also no longer ignoring the fact that most processed foods contain poison (yes, I'm not mincing words) and that these toxins add up over time. It is my belief that processed foods and the inclusion of harmful additives are a large contributing factor to the "health epidemic" we are seeing in westernized parts of the world.

Ingredients we try to avoid include: High fructose corn syrup, refined sugar, most things with chemical names, food coloring and dyes, things with the words "hydrogenated", "refined", "trans fat" or "artificial".

For your reference here is a handy article from Gaiam on the 10 worst food additives to avoid and another article from the Livestrong site listing dangerous additives. Another useful resource is the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen/Clean 15 guide to pesticides in produce. There is a handy printable PDF info sheet on their site.

Be healthy, be good to yourself, you deserve it!

Foodgasms

image from damascusgrill.com

As I was munching on some hummus and a pita at lunch, out of my mouth came "mmm...foodgasm!" Food is something I've had a decent relationship with throughout life; recently, it's turned into a slight obsession.

Why?

I'm not sure. Here's my hypothesis: in days immediately post-chemo, I'm not as hungry as usual and non-spicy food is king. When I start emerging from this gastronomic funk, food is on my mind. Not just in the "What's for dinner?" type of way. No, it's beyond that. This is more of a "What will I have to eat next?" type of thinking AS I'm eating! During this part of the chemo cycle I cannot seem to shake food from my mind.

It struck me as humorous today that I'm having this weirdly obsessive relationship with food. So I'm admitting it to you. And sharing some of my obsessions as of late:

• hummus and pitas
• green shakes
• Mediterranean, Indian, and Greek foods
• apples, people, APPLES!
• mac & cheese (my dirty little secret)

Do other people have foodgasms? I'm curious to read your comments.

The Neighborly Thing To Do

image of Fred Rogers, the consummate neighbor,
from Snappy New Day blog

We are fortunate to live where we do. After carefully seeking out the state we wanted to call home and figuring out a list of non-negotiables for our house, we zeroed in on Centennial, Colorado. Once we stumbled on our current neighborhood, we didn't want to let go. It is so reaffirming to live on a street of caring individuals. Our neighbors have helped with snow shoveling, preparing food, taking me to appointments, showing solidarity with buzz cuts, and other "neighborly" ways of showing care.

Only recently have we gotten a taste (literally!) of what the entire neighborhood can do:

A neighbor who recently found out about our "health adventure" (Allison) asked if we'd mind sharing our story and needs with the babysitting co-op. We wrote up a few short paragraphs describing what it's been like for us since my diagnosis, and Allison sent it to 40+ other homes in our neighborhood that are part of the co-op. I was aware of the co-op back during our home search and was intrigued at becoming part of it once we had a child. What I wasn't aware of was that this group of folks does much more than time-share responsibilities for childcare. They provide help to other families in the neighborhood that are in need. I guess we fit that bill - because soon after she sent the email out, the Helping Hands site Joshua set up began getting new sign-ups daily to help with meals!

All of this is overwhelming sometimes. Not just walking through this experience, but actually processing the little ripple effects that happen all around us because of breast cancer. I am so deeply moved by people, not having met either of us before, signing up to bring us home cooked meals. What a relief it is for Joshua to not have to come home after a day's work and cook for us. What a blessing it is for me to not have to focus on cooking (not that it is a strength of mine anyway).--Hey, I'm being honest. I am so grateful for Allison linking us up with this group of caring individuals and for their collective help.

In my healthy future, I hope to pay it back (or forward) to others. In times of need, getting help is indispensable. Learning to receive it can be a learning process. We are learning. We are accepting. And we are most gracious.

Thank you.

Change Your Life With Green Smoothies

Green Smoothies can change your life.

Our first encounter with green smoothies was earlier this Summer when Laura and I watched Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Cancer documentary. I made green smoothies daily for a few weeks and we really enjoyed them, Laura too! Getting the smoothies prepared and ready in the morning began to be hard for me to keep up with and I lost motivation to make the shakes. We would have one once every couple of weeks.

We like green smoothies...for real!!!

Recently Laura and I watched another health documentary called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. It was inspiring and after watching the difference a juice fast, or reboot as they referred to in the film, could alter a person's life, I was determined to start juicing for our health. I began researching how to make juices with our Vitamix, which it turns out is easy to do, with the help of a cheesecloth for straining.

As I'm apt to do when I get carried away on a new topic of interest I wanted to know more about green juices and smoothies and I stumbled upon Victoria Boutenko. Victoria and her family went on a raw vegetable diet to combat health issues, and found that after being on the diet for a year they were not feeling as energetic and well as they should have been. So she began researching and studying many things among them the diet of chimpanzees and found the missing link to her family's diet was more "leafy greens". Way more.

Standard American vs. Chimpanzee diet (courtesy of  http://www.rawfamily.com/green-smoothie) 

Chimpanzee vs. Raw-Foodist diet (courtesy of  http://www.rawfamily.com/green-smoothie)

Boutenky's asserts that leafy greens belong in a food category of their own and that it is a mistake to lump them in with other vegetables. I wholeheartedly agree. After reading two of Victoria Boutenko's more popular books, Green for Life and Green Smoothie Revolution, I was back on the smoothie bandwagon full speed ahead, although after Laura's upcoming clinical trial where there will be more chemo, I'd like for us to to try a juice cleanse.

There are some great free green smoothie recipes on Victoria's web site rawfamily.com, and here is the breakdown of our most recent "go to" smoothie. If possible, use organically grown ingredients.

• 1 cucumber (unpeeled)
• 2-4 kale leaves (the Vitamix blends the hard stems so I add them for extra fiber)
• 1-2 swiss chard leaves and stems
• 1-2 green collard leaves and stems
• 1 broccoli stem (these are usually leftover and we save them)
• 1 celery stem
• 1 banana (freeze them when they are green for less sugar content)
• 1 apple (or a handful of grapes or berries)
• 1-2 tablespoons ginger (whole unpeeled)
• 1 cup water (so it mixes and is thin enough to drink)
• 1 cup ice
• Small amount of fruit juice to taste (or stevia)

Another favorite variation is to leave out the broccoli stem and cucumber and add a whole golden or red beet with its leafy tops.

Anything goes, your imagination is the limit, just try to keep the fruit to 20% and leafy greens at 80%. For example I tried adding leeks recently and that was interesting, a bit too stout for our liking. It was a little like an Italian green shake. A clove of garlic is also fun and adds a zing and is good for you. Just don't schedule any meetings afterwards without brushing your teeth. We've also been adding homemade Kombucha tea to the smoothie, which gives it additional zing and helps thin out a thick smoothie. Apple juice and water also work fine to thin a thick shake.

The thing that has really helped us stay regular with the smoothies is to cut the veggies after cooking dinner and blend before going to bed. Put in the fridge for the morning and with another quick mix, you are all set to pour and go. The Sundesa 28 oz blender bottles with the metal ball in them are perfect for sipping on the go and easily allow you to remix, or add a little fluid whenever you need to.

Cooks in the Kitchen

Open-faced veggie sandwiches with sliced cucumbers. Mmm!

Buddha bowl, organic chicken, asparagus, and avodaco.

A big thank you to the folks who have taken on my dietary guidelines as a cooking challenge. At first, I thought my dietary restrictions would do me in...that I wouldn't be strong enough to follow them. However, it's now been nearly 6 months and I've followed them well. Yes, there have been exceptions and they are not every day, nor do I want them to become that way.

Joshua wholeheartedly dove into the alkaline diet with me. His first trip to the grocery store back in June/July took nearly 2 hours, but he found a TON of things that I could eat, and was careful to check ingredients on everything before purchasing. Isn't that wonderful? Surely not every breast cancer individual is so fortunate. He really has taken this on as a culinary challenge! He cooks for us with love.

A good number of other folks - work mates, neighbors, friends, family - have taken to the cooking challenge, too. Thanks so much for your help with meals! Although we do enjoy prepping and cooking together, it is a huge relief during these times to not have to plan meals, get groceries, and prepare food for every meal of the week. Your help is appreciated by both of us!

Adam didn't know the diameter of a portabello
could be that large!

Mmm...portabello fajitas!

Boob-berry Bars, Anyone? (It's Chocolate!)

There's a small local business by the name of The Chocolate Therapist in Littleton, Colorado. According to their own literature in the store and on their web site, their chocolate is "handcrafted using all-natural chocolate and health-enhancing ingredients like nuts, spices, organic flavoring oils and dried berries."

When I "graduated" from chemo, my massage therapist gave me an encouraging card and a bag of their 72% dark chocolate couvertures. Boy, what a treat! I hadn't had any chocolate since the end of May! They melted in my mouth and I savored every last one.

So thought I'd do a little plug in case there are folks out there who like chocolate (they have all kinds, not just dark, fyi) and are looking for quality chocolate. The owner, Julie, has a promotion going until the end of the year: for every Boob-berry bar sold, $1 will be donated to breast cancer research.

The Chocolate Therapist
303-795-7913
2560 West Main Street
Littleton, CO 80120

www.thechocolatetherapist.com